Sunday, July 6, 2014

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014

Canada is being home to one of the hottest transport debates seen in the last decade. Surprisingly enough it is far from legislating over auto pilots, bio fuels or frisking. The focus of Bill C-30, according to the Calgary Herald, is ��ederal legislation aimed at getting more grain moving on the rails.��Canadian Pacific (CP)�� chief operating officer Keith Creel told a House of Commons committee, however, that he had a great concern over the bill�� real effect. Company representatives argue that giving shippers the ability to transfer traffic to alternate railways may indeed slow down the grain supply chain due to increased handlings.

Canadian National (CNI), the other railroad operator, has shown some opposition to the bill, arguing that the root problem lies in grain elevators. The debate comes at a crucial time for the industry, given an extremely harsh winter while having to move a record wheat harvest. Whatever the case, Bill Ackman (Trades, Portfolio) has been dropping Canadian Pacific throughout 2013, giving prospective investors an opportunity to pick it up. But should you?

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks For 2015: Zix Corporation(ZIXI)

Zix Corporation provides Internet-based applications in software as a service model that enables the use of secure email for sensitive information exchange primarily in the healthcare, financial services, insurance, and government sectors in the United States. It offers email encryption service, a secure messaging service, which allows an enterprise to use policy-driven rules to determine which emails should be sent securely to comply with regulations or policies. The company also provides a solution that analyzes and encrypts email communications. Its services offer users the ability to deliver encrypted email to any email user at any email address by using the ZixCorp Best Method of Delivery protocol that automatically determines the direct and appropriate means of delivery, based on the sender?s and recipient?s communications environment and preferences. Zix Corporation sells its services through a direct sales force, and a network of resellers and other distribution partners. The company was formerly known as ZixIt Corporation and changed its name to Zix Corporation in 2002. Zix Corporation was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Zix (Nasdaq: ZIXI  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 23. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

    The 10-second takeaway
    Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Zix's revenues will expand 15.0% and EPS will wither 0.0%.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Zix (NASDAQ: ZIXI) shares tumbled 10.82% to touch a new 52-week low of $3.46 after the company reported Q1 earnings of $0.03 per share on revenue of $12.20 million.

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: PowerShares DWA Momentum Portfolio (PDP)

PowerShares DWA Technical Leaders Portfolio (Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and of an equity index called the Dorsey Wright Technical Leaders Index (the Index). The Index consists of stocks of approximately 100 United States companies that are selected pursuant to a selection methodology of Dorsey Wright & Associates (the Index Provider). The Index is designed to identify companies that demonstrate powerful relative strength characteristics. Relative strength characteristics are based upon each security�� market performance. The companies are selected from a broad mid-cap and large-cap universe.

The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Index is adjusted quarterly, and the Fund, using an indexing investment approach, attempts to replicate the performance of the Index. The Fund generally will invest in the stocks comprising the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is PowerShares Capital Management LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Victor Selva]

    Of course, a great bet also involves many risks. Even though LCD technology became very popular in these last few years, both in TV screens and computer monitors, we should never miss the fact that technological markets are often exposed to products becoming obsolete due to the development of new, more efficient technology. Without going any further, it�� easy to recall the plasma display panel (PDP) fiasco, an apparently promising market in the 1990s and early 2000s but quickly replaced by LCDs (by 2008 LCDs sell 21.1 million units, almost 10 times PDP sales on the same year). Even Panasonic Corporation (PCRFF) announced it will interrupt production of PDP on 2014.

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: Rutter Inc (RUT)

Rutter Inc. (Rutter) focuses on providing technologies and manufacturing solutions. The Company supplies technologies to improve efficiency and safety in the marine, defense, transportation, oil and gas sectors. The Company produces and globally markets enhanced radar systems, including oil spill detection, ice navigator, small target detection and wave-monitoring systems. The Company also offers a full range of outsource manufacturing services including: product engineering and design; materials management; manufacturing; sub-assembly; systems integration; project management; testing; logistics and documentation and provides full cycle customer support for all Company products and selected third party components/products that it manufactures under contract. Rutter�� sigma S6 radar signal processing products are designed to enable end users to detect and track objects which would not be visible with conventional radar equipment only. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anora Mahmudova]

    The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks (RUT) � fell 32.30 points, or 2.8%, to 1,127.66. Panic-selling was evident from the jump in the volatility. The CBOE Vix index (VIX) � of implied volatility on the S&P 500 jumped 15% to nearly 16.

  • [By Carla Mozée]

    U.S. stocks closed Monday�� session higher, led by small-cap and tech companies. Analysts noted that Wall Street�� trading volumes were the third-lowest this year, saying an absence of ��ad news��helped support gains. Among key benchmarks, the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) �rose 0.9%, and the Russell 2000 (RUT) index of small stocks ended 1% higher.

  • [By Wallace Witkowski]

    Once again, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) �and the S&P 500 Index (SPX) �finished the week at record closing highs and the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) �finally broke back into a gain on the year.

  • [By Victor Reklaitis]

    Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index (RUT) , a gauge of small-cap stocks, was up 20.88 points, or 1.9%, at 1,099.97. Some eyebrows were raised Wednesday when the Russell diverged, ending lower as the S&P 500 gained ground. The Russell, however, outpaced the S&P 500 on Friday, though it still slightly underperformed for the week, gaining 0.4%.

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: Bristow Group Inc (BRS)

Bristow Group Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides helicopter services to the offshore energy industry primarily in Europe, West Africa, North America, Australia, and internationally. Its helicopters are used principally to transport personnel between onshore bases and offshore platforms, drilling rigs, and installations, as well as to transport time-sensitive equipment to offshore locations. The company also offers helicopter flight training services to commercial pilots and flight instructors through its Bristow Academy with facilities in Titusville, Florida; Concord, California; New Iberia, Louisiana and Gloucestershire, England. In addition, it provides military training; and helicopter repair, engineering support, aircraft leasing, airport management, and search and rescue services. Bristow Group provides its helicopter services to integrated, national, and independent oil and gas companies. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a fleet of 569 aircraft. The comp any was founded in 1969 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GURUFOCUS]

    First comes Bristow Group Inc. (BRS), which provides helicopter services to offshore energy rigs, and is a holding in our traditional mid-cap, small-to-mid cap, and small-cap portfolios. Although energy exploration and production can clearly fluctuate, Bristow offsets those shifts through long-term contracts lasting roughly three to five years. Furthermore, Bristow receives ��onthly standing charges���meaning it gets paid whether its helicopters fly or not��mounting to 70% of its operating income.

  • [By Chris Hill]

    In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts explain why they're watching Buckeye Technologies (NYSE: BKI  ) , Bristow Group (NYSE: BRS  ) , and Western Union (NYSE: WU  ) .

  • [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 Bristow Group (NYSE: BRS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By J. Royden Ward]

    Based in Houston and founded in 1969, Bristow Group (BRS) has major transportation operations in the US Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea.

    Bristow also operates in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and Trinidad.

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: Alpha Pro Tech Ltd (APT)

ALPHA PRO TECH, LTD. (Alpha Pro Tech), incorporated on June 15, 1994, is in the business of protecting people, products and environments. The Company also manufactures a line of building supply construction weatherization products through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Alpha ProTech Engineered Products, Inc. Its products are sold under the Alpha Pro Tech brand name, as well as under private label. The Company's products are grouped into three business segments: the Building Supply segment, which consists of construction weatherization products, such as housewrap and synthetic roof underlayment, the Disposable Protective Apparel segment, which consists of disposable protective apparel, such as shoecovers, bouffant caps, gowns, coveralls, lab coats, frocks and other miscellaneous products and the Infection Control segment, which consists of face masks and eye shields.

Building Supply

The Building Supply segment consists of a line of construction supply weatherization products, namely housewrap and synthetic roof underlayment. This line of products is a natural extension of the Company's core capabilities: creating products designed to protect people and environments. The housewrap, under the trademark REX, offers a weather resistant barrier and, to the homeowner, years of lower energy consumption. REX Wrap and REX Wrap Plus are woven and coated polypropylene micro perforated weather resistant barriers, and REX Wrap Fortis is an engineered composite made up of a woven fabric, a monolithic breather film and a non-woven sheet, offering a non-perforated membrane.

Disposable Protective Apparel

The Disposable Protective Apparel segment includes many different styles of disposable products, such as shoecovers, bouffant caps, gowns, coveralls, lab coats, frocks and other miscellaneous products. The products are manufactured by subcontractors in Asia and, to a much lesser extent, a subcontractor in Mexico. Certain products are made using materials supplied by th! e Company.

Infection Control

The Infection Control segment includes face masks and eye shields. The Company's face masks come in a range of filtration efficiencies and styles. The Company's Positive Facial Locka feature provides a custom fit to the face to prevent blow-by for better protection. The Company's Magic Arch feature holds the mask away from the nose and mouth, creating a comfortable breathing chamber.

Kimberly Clark, 3M Company, Johnson & Johnson, White Knight/Precept, Cardinal Health, Inc., Medline Industries Inc., VWR International, LLC, Kimberly Clark, 3M Company, Kappler USA, DuPont and Allegiance Health Care.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Cindy Bowser]

    Alpha Pro Tech (APT) is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Ontario. APT was our ��ompany of the Month��feature in August 2000 at $1.31 per share.

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: Conn's Inc.(CONN)

Conn?s, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of home appliances, consumer electronics, home office equipment, lawn and garden products, mattresses, and furniture in the United States. Its home appliances products include refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ranges, and room air conditioners; consumer electronics products consist of LED, LCD, plasma, DLP and 3-D televisions, camcorders, digital cameras, Blu-ray and DVD players, video game equipment, portable audio, MP3 players, GPS devices, and home theater products; and furniture and mattresses include living room, bedroom, and dining room furniture. The company's products also comprise lawn and garden equipment, which includes lawn mowers, lawn tractors, and handheld equipment; and home office equipment, including computers, notebooks, and computer accessories. It also offers repair service agreements and customer credit programs, including installment and revolving credit account programs, and various credit insurance products. In addition, the company sells its products online. As of January 20, 2012, it operated 70 retail locations in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The company was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Beaumont, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Thursday’s session are Conn's Inc.(CONN), Francesca's Holdings Corp.(FRAN) and Aeropostale Inc.(ARO)

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    One of Conn's (NASDAQ: CONN) major shareholders, W.R. Stephens Jr. purchased 152,746 shares valued at just under $6 million of the stock according to insider filing reports. W.R. Stephens Jr. Stephens was joined by another major shareholder, Elizabeth Campbell who purchased 106,034 shares valued at $4.188 million. Shares surged 14.53 percent, closing at $45.48.

  • [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

    AFP/Getty Images/Gabriel Bouys Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From a luxury electric car maker ramping up its production to sandwich makers failing to make dough rise, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Tesla Motors (TSLA) -- Winner The Model S isn't cheap, but Tesla is selling enough of them to impress investors. Shares of the maker of plug-in electric vehicles raced to a new high after announcing that it delivered 6,892 cars in its latest quarter. Things will get even better in 2014 as Tesla expects to sell and deliver 35,000 vehicles. Tesla will need to ramp up its production -- currently, roughly 600 cars a week -- to closer to 1,000 Model S and new Model X cars by the end of the year. Conn's (CONN) -- Loser It isn't easy running a consumer electronics store these days. Shares of Conn's plunged 43 percent on Thursday after warning that its holiday quarter results will fall well short of its earlier expectations. If that seems like a significant drop for a mere miss, let's dive a little deeper. Conn's also warned that it's suffering from higher loan delinquencies than usual. Conn's provides in-house consumer credit on its appliances, furniture, mattresses, and consumer electronics, so revealing that 8.8 percent of its loan portfolio hasn't made a payment in more than 60 days is problematic. Conn's, which has stores in the Southwest, blames cold weather for disrupting payments, but things are never as simple as that. Conn's was holding up better than its peers that had imploded earlier this year on reports that the holidays weren't so jolly this time around. Now we know that Conn's is merely mortal, and that way too many of its customers last year aren't current on their payments. Candy Crush Saga -- Winner The company behind "Candy Crush Saga" filed to go public this week. Dublin-based King Digital Entertainment is hoping

Top Railroad Companies To Invest In 2014: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)

The Wendy's Company operates as a quick-service hamburger company in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Wendy's International, Inc., operates as a franchisor of the Wendy's restaurant system. As of December 26, 2011, the Wendy's system comprised approximately 6,500 franchise and company restaurants in the United States and the United States territories, as well as in 26 other countries worldwide. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Patrick M. Sheridan]

    Workers from fast food giants like McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500), Burger King (BKW), Wendy's (WEN) and Yum! Brands (YUM, Fortune 500), owner of KFC, have been walking of their jobs, calling on employers to pay them a minimum wage of $15 an hour and allow them to form unions without retaliation.

  • [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

    Taco Bell/AP There will be a new player in the escalating battle for breakfast on Thursday when Yum Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell rolls out its new morning menu, and the stakes are huge. McDonald's (MCD) is the name that most people associate with breakfast fast food. Ever since it introduced the Egg McMuffin in 1972, the world's largest burger flipper has set the bar for convenient morning meals for people on the go. The Waffle Taco will likely be Taco Bell's signature breakfast item. The taco-shaped waffle wrapped around a sausage patty, scrambled eggs and cheese turned heads when it was tested in select locations late last year. However, it's just one of the many items wooing commuters. Naturally there will be eggy breakfast burritos and grilled tacos with either bacon or sausage. The A.M. Crunchwrap gives a morning spin to the Crunchwrap Supreme by blanketing hash browns, scrambled eggs and either bacon or sausage in a pressed and folded flour tortilla. Tough Competition McDonald's is struggling these days, but it's still a fierce competitor when it comes to the first meal of the day. Just ask Burger King (BKW), which finds itself copying McDonald's more often than not, including hotcakes served with sausage and the Egg McMuffin. Just ask Wendy's (WEN), which retreated from its nationwide breakfast menu a couple of years ago. It's starting to work its way back in by introducing breakfast in some markets. Even Starbucks (SBUX) has been feeling the threat of McDonald's as the burger giant beefs up its McCafe line, offering guests drive-thru convenience that many Starbucks locations cannot. Earlier this month Starbucks ran a three-day promotion where it offered free coffee to anyone ordering a breakfast sandwich. It was meant to remind customers that it offers more than just java. Breakfast seems like an easy decision for a fast food leader. Who wouldn't want to milk more revenue out of a location by extending its operating hours? However, with Wendy's coming

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