Specialty chemicals producer�Westlake Chemical� (NYSE: WLK ) �has acquired�the PVC pipe, fittings, profiles, and foundation business of CertainTeed now that�all the closing conditions, including a regulatory review, have been met.
Earlier this year Westlake agreed to pay $175 million in cash, including $22 million of working capital and closing adjustments, to buy the pipe and foundation group business of�CertainTeed, a subsidiary of French building materials specialist�Compagnie de Saint-Gobain. The purchase was seen as�enhancing Westlake's North American pipe and building products division, which does business as North American Pipe Corp.,�by adding specialty product lines, and supporting technology that it didn't currently possess.
Wetlake Chemical President and CEO�Albert Chao said:
This acquisition enhances our North American Pipe and building products portfolio by adding specialty product lines and supporting technology that we do not currently have. These new products, technologies, and a broader market reach will increase our ability to service our customers' needs and further differentiate the value of our vinyls integration strategy.
Top Canadian Companies To Own For 2015: Jasper Mining Corp (JSP)
Jasper Mining Corporation (Jasper) is an exploration-stage company engaged in the exploration for and development of base and precious metals in Canada. Its properties consist of the Vowell Creek property, the Lydy property, the McFarlane property, the Cascade property, the Faith property, the Isintok property, the Alaric property, the Proximal property, the Erie Creek property, the Irony property and Crawford property. The Vowell Creek property consists of 12,750 hectares located approximately 35 kilometers south of Golden, British Columbia. The Cascade property is located approximately 55 kilometers north of the community of Kaslo, British Columbia and is comprised of approximately 1,545 hectares (3,819 acres), on the west side of the Lardeau River. The Irony property is located north of Revelstoke, British Columbia and southwest of Mica Dam, consisting of 2,375 hectares (5,869 acres). The Company's properties include lead, zinc, gold and silver. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jessica Summers]
India�� S&P BSE Sensex (SENSEX) extended this week�� drop to 3 percent, the most since five days ended March 24. Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (JSP) plunged 7.6 percent, leading a gauge of 10 metal companies to its lowest close in more than four years. ICICI Bank Ltd. fell to an 11-month low, pacing losses among its peers. The rupee slid 1.1 percent, capping its biggest weekly drop in almost two years.
Hot Building Product Companies To Buy For 2014: Indo Global Exchange(IGEX)
Indo Global Exchange(s) Pte, Ltd., formerly Claridge Ventures, Inc., incorporated on May 7, 2008, presents and provides online trading platforms. The Company�� online trading platforms offer market access to the clients, which include over 30 global equity exchanges for trading in securities; over 30 global equity exchanges for trading in contracts for differences (CFD's), which include Euro Zone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Asia, Oceania, Canada, & the United States; over 180 currency pairs in spot (Cash), forwards and options; gold and silver trading in spot (Cash), forwards and options; global commodity futures exchanges including financial futures, and indices and commodity CFD's.
The Company�� trading services products include stocks, CDFs, forex, futures, contract option, exchange traded funds (ETF's) and exchange traded commodities (ETCs), foreign-exchange (FX) option and managed account. Education centre offers information through free tutorial and self paced learning for Shares, CFD's, Futures and FX for beginners and experienced traders alike. It is acting as the administrator, promoter, educator and integrator for the clients in Asia. The Company uses Halifax Investment Services Pty Ltd and Australian Stock Report as its clearing and settling operation in Australia. The Company is supported by global trading platforms in equities, CFD��, derivatives, commodities, energies, foreign exchange and options.
The Company provides online Forex trading for 24 hours a day on currency pairs worldwide. It offers a range of ETF's and ETCs that are tradable on live prices through its online trading platforms. It offers 1,500+ ETFs and ETCs. The Company�� platforms include Online Trader, WEBTrader and Mobiletrader. Its stock accesses more than 14,000 stocks from 29 global exchanges. Its CFDs access to over 8,000 CFDs including 21 Index-Tracking CFDs, 20 Commodity CFDs and Forex CFDs across 29 global exchanges worldwide. Its futures offer more than 190 instruments, includ! ing crude oil, currencies, gold and silver, agricultural products, meats, softs and stock indices.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
They say a company is judged by the caliber of the talent it can attract. If that's true (and it is), then Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS:IGEX) should have little problem successfully completing its mission of becoming in Indonesia what E-TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:ETFC), Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:SCHW), and TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NYSE:AMTD) became here in the United States ... a dominant force in the stock brokerage world, and the face of online trading. The only difference is, IGEX may finish its mission a lot faster than AMTD, SCHW, or ETFC did. See, Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd's target market is already fully online and in love with the internet (Indonesia has a bigger Facebook-user populous than the United States, for cryin' out loud), and there's no online-trading competition in sight.
- [By John Udovich]
If you have found yourself trading more as the markets�become more volatile or struggling to come to terms with low interest rates, small caps like Interactive Brokers Group, Inc (NASDAQ: IBKR), MarketAxess Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: MKTX), Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS: IGEX) which are in the electronic brokerage or trading platform business would be well worth taking a closer look at. Here is what you need to know about all three:
- [By James E. Brumley]
Care to venture a guess as to what country is the world's fourth largest by population, and 16th largest by gross domestic product? Few get the right answer, even with both descriptors. Likewise, since most underestimate the size and strength of this nation, they also underestimate the size and scope of one particular investment opportunity. The country: Indonesia. The stock: Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS:IGEX). Indo Global is planting the seeds to become that country's first, best (and so far, only) online stock-trading service... a country where Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:SCHW), TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NYSE:AMTD), and E-TRADE Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:ETFC) don't have a presence to get in Indo's way.
Hot Building Product Companies To Buy For 2014: Tronox Ltd (TROX)
Tronox Limited, incorporated on September 21, 2011, is engaged in production and marketing of titanium bearing mineral sands and titanium dioxide pigment (TiO2). The Company�� TiO2 products are critical components of everyday applications, such as coatings, plastics, paper and other applications. The Company�� mineral sands business consists primarily of two product streams: titanium feedstock and zircon. The Company operates in three segments: mineral sands, pigment and corporate and other. The corporate and other include its electrolytic manufacturing business. It has operations in North America, Europe, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. The Company operates three TiO2 facilities at the locations in Hamilton, Mississippi, Botlek, The Netherlands, and Kwinana, Western Australia, representing approximately 465,000 tons of annual TiO2 production capacity. In addition, it operates three separate mining operations: KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Sands located in South Africa, Namakwa Sands located in South Africa and the Tiwest Joint Venture located in Western Australia, which has a combined annual production capacity of approximately 723,000 tons of titanium feedstock and approximately 265,000 tons of zircon. On June 15, 2012, the existing business of Tronox Incorporated was combined with the mineral sands business under Tronox Limited.
Mineral Sand segment
The Company's minerals segment includes the exploration, mining and beneficiation of mineral sands deposits. These operations produce titanium feedstock, including ilmenite, chloride slag, slag fines and rutile, as well as zircon, pig iron and activated charcoal. Titanium feedstock is used primarily to manufacture TiO2. Zircon is a mineral which is primarily used as an opacifier in ceramic glazes for tiles, plates, dishes and industrial products.
Pigment segment
The Company's pigment segment primarily produces and markets TiO2, and has production facilities in the United States, Australia, and the! Netherlands. TiO2 is used in a range of products due to its ability to impart whiteness, brightness and opacity. TiO2 is used in the manufacture of coatings, plastics and paper and in a range of other applications, including inks, fibers, rubber, food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. TiO2 is a critical component of everyday consumer applications due to its superior ability to cover or mask other materials effectively and efficiently relative to alternative white pigments and extenders.
Corporate and other
Corporate and other is comprised of corporate activities and businesses that are no longer in operation, as well as its electrolytic manufacturing and marketing operations, all of which are located in the United States. It�� electrolytic and other chemical products operations are focused on advanced battery materials, sodium chlorate and specialty boron products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Neha Chamaria]
On the same day that DuPont declared its intentions, Tronox (NYSE: TROX ) , another big TiO2 producer, chipped in with a similar announcement to increase prices effective June 1. These two were among the only major TiO2 companies that were left to jump on the price-hike bandwagon. Others, like Huntsman (NYSE: HUN ) and Kronos Worldwide, already took the plunge some weeks back.
Hot Building Product Companies To Buy For 2014: RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd.(RNR)
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States and internationally. The company offers property catastrophe reinsurance products, including catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance, excess of loss retrocessional reinsurance, and insurance-linked securities; and specialty reinsurance products, such as catastrophe exposed workers? compensation, surety, terrorism, energy, aviation, crop, political risk, trade credit, financial, mortgage guarantee, catastrophe-exposed personal lines property, casualty clash, other casualty lines, and other specialty lines of reinsurance. It also provides various insurance products consisting of commercial property, including catastrophe-exposed commercial property products; commercial multi-line comprising commercial property and liability coverage, such as general liability, automobile liability and physical damage, building and contents, and professional liability; and personal lines property, including homeowners personal lines property coverage and catastrophe exposed personal lines property coverage. The company offers its products and services primarily through intermediaries. RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Sterman]
Lastly, conservative investors may want to check out Renaissance Reinsurance (NYSE: RNR) which has been buying back shares for seven straight years, reducing the share count by 30% in that time. The newly announced buyback plan, which could absorb up to 13% of the additional share count, is a primary focus now. But when share buybacks are no longer the focus, then robust dividend growth will likely be the norm as this company can afford to support a $4.50 a share dividend (equating to a 5% yield) while still keeping the payout ratio below 50%.
Hot Building Product Companies To Buy For 2014: Roche Holding AG (RHHBY)
Roche Holding AG is a Switzerland-based pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company. The Company belongs to the Roche Group that operates through numerous subsidiaries and associated companies located around the world. The Company�� products and services cover every stage of the healthcare process, from identifying disease susceptibilities and testing for disease in at-risk populations to prevention, diagnosis, therapy and treatment monitoring. Roche operates through two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Within the Pharmaceuticals Division there are three sub-divisions: Roche Pharmaceuticals, Genentech and Chugai. The Company�� Diagnostics Division includes five sub-divisions: Applied Science, Diabetes Care, Molecular Diagnostics, Tissue Diagnosis and Professional Diagnostics. Its activities are structured into six geographical segments: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan. In March 2009, the Company completed the acquisition of Genentech, Inc. In March 2010, the Company acquired assets from BioMicro Systems for all products associated with the Roche NimbleGen microarray workflow.
During the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company Pharmaceuticals Division marketing gained approvals for its rheumatoid arthritis medicine Actemra/RoActemra in Japan, Switzerland and the European Union. In 2008, the division initiated 12 new phase III projects in, including clinical trials of the compounds pertuzumab, for breast cancer; taspoglutide, for type two diabetes, and dalcetrapib, for cardiovascular risk reduction. As of December 31, 2008, the Pharmaceuticals Division filed 11 major new marketing applications and gained 13 major regulatory approvals. At the beginning of 2009, the division�� research and development pipeline comprised 120 clinical projects, including 62 new molecular entities (NMEs) and 58 additional indications. Forty NMEs are in phase I, 16 in phase II and six in phase III or f! iled for regulatory review.
In 2008, Roche Pharmaceuticals signed a total of 57 new agreements including seven product transactions and 43 research and technology collaborations. In May 2008, Roche acquired Piramed Limited, a UK company with therapeutic research programmes targeting the PI3-kinase pathway in oncology and inflammatory disease. In June 2008, signed licensing agreement with ThromboGenics and BioInvent for their jointly developed anticancer agent TB-403 (R7334). In September, 2008, the Company acquired Mirus Bio Corporation active in the field of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) delivery and completed the acquisition of ARIUS Research Inc., which has a antibody platform that identifies and selects antibodies based on their functional ability to affect disease. S Research Inc. In January 2009, Roche acquired Memory Pharmaceuticals, which develops drug candidates for the treatment of debilitating central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer�� disease and schizophrenia.
Pharmaceuticals
Within Pharmaceuticals division, the Company is engaged in the provision of drugs the areas of oncology, anemia, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system, infectious diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, transplantation and virology. The products offered by Roche�� Pharmaceuticals division include MabThera/Rituxan, Herceptin, Avastin, Tamiflu, CellCept, NeoRecormon, Epogin, Pegasys, Tarceva, Xeloda, Bonviva, Boniva, Lucentis, Tamiflu, Xolair, Valcyte, Cymevene, Xenical, Pulmozyme, Nutropin, Neutrogin, Rocephin, Activase, TNKase and Madopar. The products offered by the Pharmaceuticals division are sold in seven geographic regions: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan.
Diagnostics
Roche�� Diagnostics Division is a supplier of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs). Its products are used to test body fluids a! nd tissue! samples to obtain information for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing, treating and monitoring disease. The Company has business areas five within the diagnostics division: Professional Diagnostics, Diabetes Care, Tissue Diagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Science. Roche�� Diagnostics division provides IVD services, including centralized laboratory testing and point-of-care diagnostics to molecular diagnostics and diabetes self management. In addition, it supplies research tools to life scientists.
Roche Professional Diagnostics supplies instrument systems, tests, software and services. It provides point-of-care testing products to support clinical decision-making close to the patient, in doctors��offices, emergency rooms and other primary and specialty care settings. Twelve Serum Work Area assays were rolled out during the year ended December 31, 2008, across Europe and in other markets. New assays included the Elecsys anti-TSH receptor antibody assay for the diagnosis of Graves��disease the Elecsys anti-CCP antibody assay, a test to aid the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, and the Roche Cystatin C clinical chemistry test for early detection of impaired kidney function, among others. Roche Diabetes Care�� products portfolio covers the entire diabetes self-management spectrum, from glucose monitoring to insulin delivery, as well as monitoring systems with integrated lancets and test strips software for storing and analyzing data. Roche Tissue Diagnostics develops and manufactures medical diagnostic instruments and reagent systems that provide automation technology for use in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer and infectious disease. In 2008 Roche Tissue Diagnostics launched ofhe Bench- Mark Ultra, a system that performs immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation testing simultaneously on a single continuous and random access platform. Roche Molecular Diagnostics develops and commercializes diagnostic and blood screening platforms and tests based on Roche�� ! real-time! polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. Applied Science business area supplies a specific reagents and test kits for use in life sciences encompassing biology, biotechnology ,medical research, as well as disease areas like cancer and virology. Applied Science�� business area product portfolio includes such sequencing systems as LightCycler 480, LightCycler 480 II, GS FLX Titanium. In addition, Applied Science offers xCELLigence cell analyzer.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of InterMune (ITMN) have jumped 36% to $73.40�after�Roche�(RHHBY) said it would buy the drug maker for $8.3 billion.
Burger King Worldwide�(BKW) has climbed 7.9% to $29.25�on reports that the hamburger joint is considering the purchase of Canadian coffee-outlet Tim Hortons�(THI) for the tax benefits. Tim Hortons has gained 15% to $72.00.
- [By James E. Brumley]
Earlier this week, Roche Holding Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RHHBY) made big news by winning the FDA's approval to administer a breast cancer drug before surgical removal of a breast tumor ... the first time the Food and Drug Administration has believed surgery (then followed by drugs and chemo) wasn't the best approach. Earlier in the year, a company called Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MYGN) made a big splash, helped along by celebrity Angelina Jolie, who - using a DNA test from the genetic-testing company - elected to undergo a double mastectomy because her diagnostic's scores she was at a greater risk of breast cancer. Aside from being good for MYGN and RHHBY shareholders, both Roche Holding and Myriad Genetics are doing good work for cancer patients (and pre-cancer patient) too. Yet, there's another smaller company close to entering the same breast cancer fight that made big news of its own today... MetaStat Inc. (OTCMKTS:MTST). Indeed, this off-the-radar company in many ways has more potential than Myriad or Roche do, just by the virtue and capability of its underlying science.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
When most investors think of cancer stocks, names like Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) or Roche Holding Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RHHBY) come to mind. And to be fair, they're both top-of-mind names for good reasons. Five of the world's top-ten selling cancer drugs are from Roche Holding, and Amgen is the world's biggest biotech company; it just spent $10 billion on the acquisition of an entire company almost to add just one cancer therapy to its library. Thing is, while Roche Holding Ltd. and Amgen, Inc. make top-notch drugs to treat cancer once acquired, neither actually does anything to prevent the development of cancer through metastasization. Indeed, the prevention of the spread of cancer isn't on the biopharma industry's radar at all, save one company - a little outfit called MetaStat Inc. (OTCBB:MTST).
Hot Building Product Companies To Buy For 2014: BancorpSouth Inc (BXS)
BancorpSouth, Inc., incorporated on February 17, 1982, is a financial holding company. Through its principal bank subsidiary, BancorpSouth Bank (the Bank), the Company conducts commercial banking and financial services operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $11.1 billion. The Bank conducts a general commercial banking, trust and insurance business through 284 offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank and its subsidiaries provide a range of financial services to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses. On July 2, 2012, the Company purchased certain assets of The Securance Group, Inc.
The Bank operates investment services and insurance agency subsidiaries, which engage in investment brokerage services and sales of other insurance products. The Bank�� trust department offers a range of services, including personal trust and estate services, certain employee benefit accounts and plans, including individual retirement accounts, and limited corporate trust functions.
Lending Activities
The Bank�� lending activities include both commercial and consumer loans. The Bank offers a range of commercial loan services including term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing and agricultural loans. A range of short-to-medium term commercial loans, both secured and unsecured, are made available to businesses for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including acquisition and development of real estate and improvements), and the purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank also makes construction loans to real estate developers for the acquisition, development and construction of residential subdivisions.
The Bank�� lending activities consists of the origination of fixed and adjustable! rate residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied property located in the Bank�� primary market areas. In addition, the Bank offers construction loans, second mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit. The Bank finances the construction of individual, owner-occupied houses on the basis of written underwriting and construction loan management guidelines.
The Bank makes residential construction loans to individuals who intend to erect owner-occupied housing on a purchased parcel of real estate. The Bank sells its mortgage loans with terms of 15 years or more in the secondary market and either retains or releases the right to service those loans. Non-residential consumer loans made by the Bank include loans for automobiles, recreation vehicles, boats, personal (secured and unsecured) and deposit account secured loans. The Bank also issues credit cards.
Investment Activities
As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities included the United States Government agency securities, taxable obligations of states and political subdivisions, tax-exempt obligations of states and political subdivisions, government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities, government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and other securities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� available-for-sale securities totaled $ 2.4 billion. Investments in tax-exempt securities totaled $455.1 million as of December 31, 2012.
Source of Funds
Deposits originating within the communities served by the Bank are the primary source of funding. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $ 11.1 million. The Bank offered deposits, such as noninterest bearing demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits and other time deposits. The Company had federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreement to repurc! hase of $! 414.6 million as of December 31, 2012.
Subsidiary Activities
The Bank�� insurance service subsidiary serves as an agent in the sale of title insurance, commercial lines of insurance and a full line of property and casualty, life, health and employee benefits products and services and operates in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank�� investment services subsidiary provides brokerage, investment advisory and asset management services and operates in certain communities in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Todd Campbell]
Now, thanks to rebounding home prices, those same banks are back in growth mode again, suggesting an investment opportunity in market share leaders, such as BancorpSouth, Inc. (BXS).
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