The products made by software and hardware companies have the power to change human lives more than any other industry, save perhaps health care.
That's helped make the tech economy a large and growing part of the overall U.S. economy.
The tech sector enjoyed the widest operating profit margin of any sector within the S&P 500 Index in the third quarter, at roughly 16%.
Information technology consistently earns more operating income than any other U.S. industry, save for financial services, and last year accounted for 23% of corporate profits.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Asbury Automotive Group Inc (ABG)
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (Asbury), incorporated on February 15, 2002, is an automotive retailers in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 99 franchises (79 dealership locations). It offers a range of automotive products and services, including new and used vehicles; vehicle maintenance; replacement parts and collision repair services; new and used vehicle financing, and aftermarket products, such as insurance, warranty and service contracts. As of December 31, 2011, it offered 30 domestic and foreign brands of new vehicles. Its brand mix is weighted 84% towards luxury and mid-line import brands, with the remaining 16% consisting of domestic brands. As of December 31, 2011, it operated dealerships in 18 metropolitan markets throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2011, its retail network consisted of eight locally-branded dealership groups. As of December 31, 2011, its brand names included Nalley Automotive Group, Courtesy Autogroup, Coggin Automotive Group, Crown Automotive Company, David McDavid Auto Group, North Point Auto Group, Gray-Daniels Auto Family and Plaza Motor Company. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company sold its heavy truck business in Atlanta, Georgia, two franchises and one additional ancillary business. On May 2, 2011, the Company sold its luxury brand dealership in California. In December 2012, the Company acquired a Volkswagen and a Bentley store in the Atlanta, Georgia market.
New Vehicle Sales
As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a range of 30 American, European and Asian brands. Its new vehicle unit sales consist of the sale of new vehicles to individual retail customers (new vehicle retail) and the sale of new vehicles to commercial customers (fleet). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it sold 71,449 new vehicles through its dealerships. During 2011, new vehicle sales were 54% of its total revenues and 22% of its total gross profit. The Company�� new vehicle revenues include new vehi! cle sale and lease transactions arranged by its dealerships with third parties.
Used Vehicle Sales
The Company sells used vehicles at all of its dealership locations. Used vehicle sales include the sale of used vehicles to individual retail customers (used retail) and the sale of used vehicles to other dealers at auction (wholesale). During 2011, it sold 55,805 used retail vehicles through its dealerships. During 2011, sales of used retail vehicles accounted for approximately 25% of its total revenues. During 2011, wholesale sales represented 4% of its total revenues.
The Company�� new vehicle operations provide its used vehicle operations with a supply of trade-ins and off-lease vehicles. It also purchases a portion of its used vehicle inventory at auctions restricted to new vehicle dealers and open auctions, which offer vehicles sold by other dealers and repossessed vehicles. Its used vehicle inventory is sold as wholesale if a vehicle is not sold at retail within 60 days, except for used vehicles, which does not fit within its inventory mix. The reconditioning of used vehicles also generates revenue for its parts and service departments.
Parts and Service
Asbury sells replacement parts and provides vehicle maintenance and collision repair service at all of its franchised dealerships, for the vehicle brands sold at those dealerships. As of December 31, 2011, in addition, it maintained 25 free-standing collision repair centers either on the premises of, or in close proximity to, its dealerships. During 2011, parts and service revenues accounted for approximately 14% of its total revenues.
Finance and Insurance
The Company refers to the finance and insurance portion of its business as F&I. Through its F&I business, it arranges, and receives commissions for, third-party financing of the sale or lease of new and used vehicles to customers, as well as offers a range of aftermarket products, such as extended servi! ce contra! cts, guaranteed asset protection (GAP) debt cancellation, pre-paid maintenance and credit life and disability insurance. It also generates F&I revenues from the receipt of marketing fees paid to it under agreements with preferred lenders. During 2011, its F&I business generated approximately 3% of its total revenues. Extended service contracts cover repair work after the expiration of the manufacturer warranty. GAP debt cancellation covers the customer after a total loss for the difference between the value of the vehicle and the outstanding loan or lease obligation after insurance proceeds. Prepaid maintenance covers routine maintenance work, such as oil changes, cleaning and adjusting of brakes, multi-point vehicle inspections and tire rotations. Credit life and disability covers the remaining amounts due on an auto loan or a lease in the event of death or disability.
The Company earns sales-based commissions from third-party lenders, including manufacturer captive finance subsidiaries which arranges on behalf of its customers. It may be charged back (chargebacks) for these commissions in the event a finance contract is cancelled or repaid, typically within the first 90 days of such contract. During 2011, it arranged customer financing on approximately 70% of the vehicles it sold. The Company is a party to a range of preferred lender agreements. These payments are determined by the lenders based upon an agreed-upon earnings schedule.
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 Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Inyoung Hwang]
Fresnillo Plc (FRES) and Polymetal International Plc sank at least 7 percent to lead declines in the Stoxx 600 after the precious-metals producers were not included in the NYSE Arca Gold Miners Index. Fresnillo tumbled 13 percent to 1,045 pence. Polymetal plunged 7.1 percent to 659.5 pence. African Barrick Gold Plc (ABG) also fell, losing 12 percent to 143.9 pence.
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Asbury Automotive Group (NYSE: ABG ) were revving up today, gaining as much as 15% after posting a strong earnings report.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Arotech Corporation(ARTX)
Arotech Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides defense and security products. It operates in three divisions: Training and Simulation, Battery and Power Systems, and Armor. The Training and Simulation division develops, manufactures, and markets multimedia and interactive digital solutions for use-of-force training and driving training of military, law enforcement, security, and other personnel; provides simulators, systems engineering, and software products to the United States military, government, and private industry; and offers specialized use of force training for police, security personnel, and the military. The Battery and Power Systems division manufactures and sells lithium and zinc-air batteries for defense and security products and other military applications; and develops and sells rechargeable and primary lithium batteries and smart chargers to the military and to private defense industry. This division also develops, manufactures, and markets primary zinc-air batteries, rechargeable batteries, and battery chargers for the military; and produces water-activated lifejacket lights for commercial aviation and marine applications. The Armor Division manufactures military and paramilitary armored vehicles, and employs sophisticated lightweight materials to produce aviation armor; and uses engineering concepts to produce combat armored military vehicles and up-armor civilian commercial vehicles. This division also uses lightweight armoring materials and advanced engineering processes to provide ballistic armor kits for rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Arotech sells its products primarily in the United States, Israel, Taiwan, Canada, England, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Mexico, India, Spain, Singapore, and Japan. The company was formerly known as Electric Fuel Corporation and changed its name to Arotech Corporation in September 2003. Arotech Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ant贸nio Costa] Arotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ARTX) is looking to get back over $2 based on the chart above. After days of trading sideways in a relatively narrow range, this stock is finally on the move again. The volume is starting to pick up and there could be a decent short squeeze (short float 15%) if the stock breaks above this range. Resistance levels to watch will be 1.98, 2.24 and 2.71 with support levels at 1.83 and 1.66. The technical indicators paint a BULLISH picture. The stock is rising above all major EMAs. The MACD has just entered the positive zone and above the signal line. The Slow stochastic and the RSI are both above their 50% levels. Next week will be for sure a key week for ARTX technically !!! Be prepared for a Big run !!! Stay invested w/ a stop-loss at 1.66 ( click to enlarge )
Top 10 Building Product Stocks To Watch Right Now: UniTek Global Services Inc.(UNTK)
UniTek Global Services, Inc. provides outsourced infrastructure and technical services to the wireless and wireline telecommunications, satellite television, and broadband cable industries in the United States and Canada. Its services include network engineering and design services for underground plant construction, aerial infrastructure, and multi-dwelling content delivery; and construction and project management services for the cable and wireline telecommunication industries, which comprise systems engineering, aerial and underground construction, regular maintenance of the distribution facilities and networks, emergency services for accidents or storm damage, routine replacements, and upgrades of network overhauls. The company?s services also include comprehensive installation and fulfillment services that comprise residential and commercial installation, warehousing/logistics, call centers, inventory management, customer service compliance, fleet management, and ris k and safety related services. In addition, it offers wireless telecommunication infrastructure services, which include communications infrastructure equipment construction and installation; radio frequency and network design, and engineering; radio transmission base station installation and modification; in-building network design, engineering, and construction; and site acquisition services. Further, the company provides systems integration services for communications projects for transportation, public safety, entertainment, hospitality, and enterprise-grade commercial real estate projects. UniTek Global Services, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
UniTek Global Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTK), a premier provider of permanently outsourced infrastructure services to the telecommunications, broadband cable, wireless, two-way radio, transportation, public safety and satellite industries, reported that Chief Financial Officer and Co-Manager of the Interim Office of the CEO, Ronald J. Lejman, will present at the Credit Suisse Engineering & Construction Conference on Thursday, June 7th at 1:55 p.m. Eastern time.
- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Wednesday
Earnings Expected From: Accretive Health, Inc (NYSE: AH), Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), UniTek Global Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: UNTK) Economic Releases Expected: Eurozone interest rate decision and PPI data, US National Employment Report, British construction PMIThursday
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Shionogi & Co Ltd (SGIOF.PK)
Shionogi & Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based pharmaceutical company. It is engaged in the research, development, purchase, manufacture and sale of pharmaceuticals, as well as pharmaceutical-related businesses. The Company mainly provides vitamin preparations, analgesic antipyretics, eye care products, cold and sinus medicine, digestive medicine, dermatologic preparations, antiphlogistic analgetics, antihypercholesterolemic agents, test paper for glucose in urine and artificial teeth-related products. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had 32 consolidated subsidiaries and six associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jason Melehani]
ViiV Healthcare, a collaborative HIV focused venture established by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer (PFE) and Shionogi & Co (SGIOF.PK), is seeking approval from the FDA and the European Union for dolutegravir, an integrase inhibitor used for the treatment of HIV. Integrase inhibitors act by preventing the reverse transcribed viral DNA from integrating into the human T cell DNA.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Axxess Unlimited Inc (AXXU)
Axxess Unlimited, Inc., incorporated on June 8, 2000, is the holding company for the Axxess family of companies. The Axxess family of companies includes both vertically-integrated operating businesses and horizontally-integrated companies with each supported by a common software technology - the Axxess RISE Platform. The Company provides next-generation business intelligence for a range of businesses and organizations. It provides information-driven business solutions through interactive marketing, interactive technologies, application and product development, customer relationship management, business intelligence, portals and collaboration, and infrastructure solutions. Its companies include Axxess Digital (AxxuD), Axxess Apps (AxxuA) and Axxess Brands (AxxuB).
Axxess Digital
AxxuD is an interactive digital agency company. The Company relies on the core logic of the Axxess Unlimited RISE platform.
Axxess Apps
AxxuA is a software development company. The focus of AxxuA includes: enterprise applications, custom applications, cloud applications and mobile applications. The Company has software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions and custom and mobile products available in the government services, automobile dealership, medical and consumer goods sectors.
Axxess Brands
AxxuB is a marketer and manufacturer of specialty brands in better-for-you and indulgent categories under a variety of Company owned and licensed brand names. AxxuB licenses brands and provides outsource management.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
A week and a half ago, yours truly penned some bullish thoughts on Axxess Unlimited Inc. (OTCMKTS:AXXU). Not too many traders read that take, and/or if they did, they didn't seem to care. The response to the commentary was non-existent (good or bad), and there was no sudden rush to go out and buy AXXU. Today's second look may have a different outcome.
- [By James E. Brumley]
Even if you're one of the few reading this now, odds are good that you'd still never heard of Axxess Unlimited Inc. (OTCMKTS:AXXU) until the beginning of February. Prior to that, trading in AXXU was thin and uneventful. The evidence? Prior to February 4th, the average daily volume was less than 10,000 shares per day, and had been stuck right around the $0.20 mark since the middle of last year. Since February 4th, though, things have changed for the better. Since then, volume has been considerably stronger, and Axxess Unlimited shares have finally woken up and decided to forge ahead.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Zweig Fund Inc (ZF)
The Zweig Fund, Inc. (the Fund), incorporated on June 30, 1986, is a closed-end, diversified management investment company. The Fund�� objective is to increase capital primarily with investment in equity securities, consistent with capital preservation and reduction of risk. The Fund�� principal stock market sectors as on June 30, 2007, included information technology, financials, industrials, energy and healthcare.
The Fund�� investment adviser is Phoenix/Zweig Advisers LLC. As of June 30, 2007, its principal industrial positions included Cisco Systems, Corning Inc., EMC Corp., Ford, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PowerShares QQQ, Nike, Nokia Corp. and Valero Energy.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Nathan Slaughter]
Consider the Zweig Fund (NYSE: ZF). It's a closed-end fund that has $340 million in net assets, which are invested in a diverse basket of blue-chip stocks such as PepsiCo, Apple, JPMorgan, Comcast, U.S. Bancorp and Qualcomm.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: The Fresh Market Inc.(TFM)
The Fresh Market, Inc. operates as a specialty grocery retailer. The company offers various perishable product categories, including meat, seafood, produce, deli, bakery, floral, sushi, and prepared foods; and non-perishable product categories, such as traditional grocery and dairy products, as well as specialty foods, which include bulk, coffee and candy, and beer and wine. As of March 20, 2012, it operated 115 stores in 21 states located in the southeast, midwest, mid-Atlantic, and northeast of United States. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Andrew Marder]
The news was so good that Whole Foods' main national rival, The Fresh Market (NASDAQ: TFM ) , got caught up in all the investor love, with its shares up 5%.
- [By Saumya Vaishampayan and Ben Eisen]
Fresh Market Inc. (TFM) �shares plunged nearly 19%. The specialty grocer on Thursday cut its full-year guidance, now expecting per-share earnings in the range of $1.42 to $1.47. Fresh Market�� third-quarter profit edged up to $11.1 million, or 23 cents, from $10.9 million, or 23 cents, in the year-ago period.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)
Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: Hanwha SolarOne Ltd. (NASDAQ: HSOL) is down 6.8% at $3.68. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: HOV) is up 2.2% at $5.15.
Stocks on the move: Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) is up 9.3% at $21.74 after being adding to the S&P 500 index. BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ: BBRY) is up 6.4% at $11.53 on reports that a former board member has nearly lined up financing to take the company private. Molex Inc. (NASDAQ: MOLX) is up 31.6% at $38.60 following an agreement to be acquired by Koch Industries Inc.
Hot Information Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Cliffs Natural Resources Inc (CLV)
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. is an international mining and natural resources company. The Company is an iron ore producer and a producer of metallurgical coal. The Company�� operations are organized according to product category and geographic location: U.S. Iron Ore, Eastern Canadian Iron Ore, North American Coal, Asia Pacific Iron Ore, Asia Pacific Coal, Latin American Iron Ore, Ferroalloys, and its Global Exploration Group. The Company operates in four segments: U.S. Iron Ore, Eastern Canadian Iron Ore, North American Coal and Asia Pacific Iron Ore. In the United States, it operates five iron ore mines in Michigan and Minnesota, five metallurgical coal mines located in West Virginia and Alabama and one thermal coal mine located in West Virginia. It also operates two iron ore mines in Eastern Canada that primarily provide iron ore to the seaborne market for Asian steel producers. Its Asia Pacific operations include two iron ore mining complexes in Western Australia, serving the Asian iron ore markets with direct-shipping fines and lump ore, and a 45% interest in a coking and thermal coal mine located in Queensland, Australia. In Latin America, it has a 30% interest in Amapa, a Brazilian iron ore project, and in Ontario, Canada, it has a chromite project in the pre-feasibility stage of exploration. On May 12, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Consolidated Thompson Iron Mining Limited.
U.S. Iron Ore and Eastern Canadian Iron Ore
The Company is a global iron ore producer, primarily selling production from U.S. Iron Ore to integrated steel companies in the United States and Canada, and production from Eastern Canadian Iron Ore to the seaborne market for Asian steel producers. The Company manages and operates five iron ore mines located in Michigan and Minnesota and two iron ore mines in Eastern Canada. As of December 31, 2011, the United States-based mines and one of the mines in Eastern Canada had an annual rated capacity of 38.5 million gross tons of iron or! e pellet production. The second iron ore mine that the Company manages and operates in Eastern Canada had an annual rated capacity of 8.0 million gross tons of iron ore concentrate as of December 31, 2011. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company produced a total of 31.0 million tons of iron ore pellets at U.S. Iron Ore, including 23.7 million tons for its account and 7.3 million tons on behalf of steel company partners of the mines.
At Eastern Canadian Iron Ore, it produced a total of 6.9 million metric tons of iron ore pellets and concentrate during 2011, with concentrate production measured from the date of its acquisition of Consolidated Thompson in 2011. The Company produces various grades of iron ore pellets, including standard, fluxed and high manganese, for use in its customers��blast furnaces as part of the steelmaking process. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 1.2 million tons of pellets, respectively, in inventory at lower lakes or customers��facilities. During 2011, the Company sold 24.2 million tons of iron ore pellets, respectively, from its share of the production from the Company�� U.S. Iron Ore mines. Its Eastern Canadian Iron Ore revenues are derived from sales of iron ore pellets and concentrate to the seaborne market for Asian steel producers. The iron ore pellets produced by Eastern Canadian Iron Ore are sold to various customers. During 2011, the Company sold 7.4 million metric tons of iron ore pellets and concentrate, respectively, from its Eastern Canadian Iron Ore mines.
North American Coal
The Company owns and operates five metallurgical coal mines located in West Virginia and Alabama and one thermal coal mine located in West Virginia that had a rated capacity of 9.4 million tons of production annually in 2011. In 2011, the Company sold a total of 4.2 million tons. North American Coal�� metallurgical coal production is sold to global integrated steel and coke producers in Europe, Latin America and North Am! erica, an! d its thermal coal production is sold to energy companies and distributors in North America and Europe.
Asia Pacific Iron Ore
The Company�� Asia Pacific Iron Ore operations are located in Western Australia and include its wholly owned Koolyanobbing complex and its 50% interest in Cockatoo Island. Production in 2011, was 8.9 million metric tons. These two operations supply a total of three direct-shipping export products to Asia via the global seaborne trade market. Koolyanobbing produces a standard lump and fines product. Cockatoo Island produces a single premium fines product. The lump products are directly fed to blast furnaces, while the fines products are used as sinter feed. Koolyanobbing is a collective term for the operating deposits at Koolyanobbing, Mount Jackson and Windarling. There are approximately 60 miles separating the three mining areas. Cockatoo Island is located off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia, approximately 1,200 miles north of Perth Cockatoo Island produces a single high-grade iron ore product known as Cockatoo Island Premium Fines. During 2011, it sold 8.6 million metric tons of iron ore from its Western Australia mines.
The Company competes with ArcelorMittal Mines Canada, U.S. Steel Canada Inc., Alpha Natural Resources, Inc., Patriot Coal Corporation, CONSOL Energy Inc., Arch Coal, Inc., Walter Energy, Inc., Peabody Energy Corp. Anglo, BHP and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., Rio Tinto plc, Vale, BHP, Teck Resources Limited and Xstrata plc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Henry Nyce]
Cliffs Natural Resources (CLV) closed at $18.55 yesterday. At that price CLV offers 10.5% per share. Originally offered at $25.00 per share, CLV can now be purchased well below the offering price. It is designed to pay distributions of 7.00% per annum ($1.75 per annum or $0.4375 per quarter) to be paid quarterly on 2/1, 5/1, 8/1 & 11/1 to holders of record on the immediately preceding 1/15, 4/15, 7/15 & 10/15 respectively.
No comments:
Post a Comment