If there were any remaining doubt as to what Lawrence Summers would do, had he been named successor to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke rather than Janet Yellen, an op-ed in Sunday’s Washington Post suggests a decidely dovish stance would have been forthcoming.
Yellen, who assumes her chairmanship of the Fed on Feb. 1, is thought to be accommodationist as well. Since she and Summers were President Barack Obama’s top choices for the Fed and since Summers had previously been the president’s economic policy advisor, Summers’ op-ed may reflect economic policy fears at the highest levels in Washington.
That overarching concern (which may, of course, reflect only the opinion of its author) is that the U.S. is in danger of sinking into a Japan-style stagnation, which, to be pre-empted, requires long-term “unconventional policy support” from the Fed.
as evidence of U.S. structural stagnation, Summers cites an economic recovery that has remained weak for four years running; a preceding decade of asset bubbles and loose credit, which produced only moderate economic growth; current rates which, at the zero bound, may be incapable of falling enough to spur greater investment in the economy; and falling or low wages and prices that discourage consumption.
Top Defensive Stocks For 2015: Penn West Petroleum Ltd(PWE)
Penn West Petroleum Ltd. engages in acquiring, exploring, developing, exploiting, and holding interests in petroleum and natural gas properties and related assets in North America. The company produces light and medium crude oil, natural gas liquids, heavy oil, and natural gas. It operates in two major regions, including the Southern District, which covers properties within Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and southern and east central Alberta with developed and undeveloped land base totaling approximately 3.3 million net acres; and the Northern District encompassing northeastern British Columbia, northern Alberta, parts of west central Alberta, and the Northwest Territories with developed and undeveloped land position of approximately 2.9 million net acres. The company was formerly known as Penn West Energy Trust and changed its name to Penn West Petroleum Ltd. in January 2011. Penn West Petroleum Ltd. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
One thing investors need to watch is Pengrowth's sky-high payout ratio, which, at present levels, is clearly unsustainable. Pengrowth's asset sales will help paper over the shortfall in the near term, but it's not good policy to pay out so much in the middle of a major exploration project. The company has no plans to cut its dividend, in spite of anticipated production declines in the near term, which stands in stark contrast to competitor Penn West (NYSE: PWE ) , which slashed its dividend by nearly half�in a wide-ranging announcement earlier this week. Both Pengrowth and Penn West trade at substantial discounts to book value, but at least Pengrowth's monster dividend gives investors something more substantial while waiting for big exploration projects to bear fruit. However, given the company's multi-year weakness, it will take a strong stomach, and a very firm belief in Pengrowth's prospects, to jump in today.
- [By CRWE]
Penn West Exploration (NYSE:PWE) wishes to notify interested parties that Rob Wollmann, Senior Vice President, Exploration will present at the EnerCom Oil & Gas Conference on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 1:55pm (MST) in Denver, Colorado.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
The biggest worry that some investors have about Pengrowth is that its dividend is large compared to its earnings. Similar issues forced Penn West Petroleum (NYSE: PWE ) , also a former Canroy, to cut its dividend a couple months ago. Although extraordinary measures have helped Pengrowth and Enerplus (NYSE: ERF ) sustain payouts at levels that were last reduced in the middle of 2012, both companies could eventually see further pressure on their payouts in future.
- [By MLP Trader]
But wouldn't such a big dividend cut panic investors and hurt the stock? Probably not. In fact, a dividend cut has been so widely anticipated for so long, the stock is more likely to rally. Let's look at some of Lightstream's peers that have gone this route. The chart below show the results of Penn West's (PWE) dividend cut: the stock rallied almost 27% over the next month.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: JMP Group Inc (JMP)
JMP Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as an investment banking, asset management, and corporate credit management company in the United States. The company provides various investment banking products and services, such as capital raising, mergers and acquisitions transaction, and other strategic advisory services to corporate clients. It also offers sales and trading services, which include distributing equity research products, communicating proprietary investment recommendations, executing equity trades on behalf of institutional clients, and marketing the securities of companies, as well as related brokerage services to institutional investors. In addition, the company provides proprietary equity research in five industries, including consumer, financial services, healthcare, real estate, and technology industries. Further, it provides asset management products and services to institutional investors, and high net-worth individuals; and involves in the man agement of collateralized loan obligations. JMP Group Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California with additional offices in New York, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and Alpharetta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Full-service investment banking, asset management and corporate credit management firm JMP Group (JMP) raised its quarterly dividend 13% to 4.5 cents per share, payable April 11 to shareholders of record as of March 28.
JMP Dividend Yield: 2.41%
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Li & Fung Ltd (LFUGY)
Li & Fung Limited is an investment holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is principally engaged in managing the supply chain for retailers and brands worldwide from over 300 offices and distribution centers in more than 40 economies. It operates in three segments: Trading Network, Logistics Network and Distribution Network. Trading Network segment is engaged in the global sourcing business. Logistics Network segment operates both the Company�� international and domestic logistics services networks globally. Distribution Network segment operates the onshore distribution businesses in the US, Pan-European and Asian regions. In September 2011, the Company acquired Midway Enterprises (Guangzhou) Ltd, Wonderful World (HK) Ltd and Wonderful Overseas Limited, as well as True Innovations, LLC. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Integrated Distribution Services Group Limited, LF Centennial Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]
Li & Fung(LFUGY) will distribute some of Coty Inc.'s(COTY) key brands in China, including Adidas, Rimmel and Playboy, as part of an agreement between the two companies. The move is part of Coty’s efforts to reorganize its business in China and focus on growing its business in the world’s second largest economy, the company said in a statement Tuesday.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Emak SpA (EM)
Emak SpA is an Italy-based company primarily engaged in the manufacture of outdoor power equipment for gardening, forestry, agriculture and industry. The Company�� portfolio includes chainsaws, brush cutters, lawnmowers, garden tractors, water pumps, high pressure washers, transporters, rotary cultivators, motor hoes and power cutters, among others. It also manufactures spare parts, accessories and protective clothing. The Company sells its products under various brand names, such as Oleo-Mac, Efco, Bertolini, Nibbi and Staub. Emak SpA directly manages distribution in the Italian market and it sells products, through its commercial subsidiaries, in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, the countries of Benelux, Poland, Ukraine, among others.The Company is controlled by Yama SpA, which is an industrial holding company. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Canadian Value]
For 20+ years there has been a coherent growth story around Emerging Markets (EM), where the label "Emerging Market" had real meaning within a common knowledge perspective. Today ��not so much. Today the story is that it was easy money from the Fed that drove global growth, EM or otherwise. Today the story is that Emerging Markets are just the levered beneficiaries or victims of Fed monetary policy, no different than anyone else��
- [By Holly LaFon]
As true value investors, Brandes oft en moves against the crowd amid markets' constantly changing performance cycles. Take the recent equity market weakness in a number of emerging market (EM) countries for example. Over the last year, while macroeconomic and geopolitical concerns cast a cloud of uncertainty over the asset class in general, we started to see some interesting investment opportunities at the company level as a result of such market weakness.
- [By Federico Zaldua]
Brookfield Infrastructure has a number of potentially profitable areas for investment around the world but, above all, in infrastructure hungry Emerging Markets (EM) such as Brazil. According to Credit Suisse analysts, in Brazil, funds can be invested at Funds From Operations (FFO) yields above 12%. Therefore, the company's ability to grow its distribution yield, whether through acquisitions or organically, is critical to evaluate the company's value. Moreover, the currently conservative dividend payout ratio should allow Brookfield Infrastructure to self-finance on going opportunities.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets (EUM)
ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets (the Fund) seeks daily investment results that correspond to the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index adjusts the market capitalization of index constituents for free float and targets for index inclusion 85% of free float-adjusted market capitalization in each industry group in global emerging markets countries. The Fund takes positions in securities and/or financial instruments that, in combination, should have similar daily return characteristics as -100% of the daily return of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a price return index. The Fund�� investment advisor is ProShare Advisors LLC. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anthony Mirhaydari]
Editor�� note: This column is part of our Best Stocks for 2014 contest. Anthony Mirhaydari’s pick for the contest is the�ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets ETF�(EUM).
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Questar Corporation(STR)
Questar Corporation operates as an integrated natural gas holding company. The company develops and produces natural gas and crude oil from its properties located in the Rocky Mountain region, primarily in the Pinedale, Moxa Arch, Vermillion, and Uinta producing areas. It also provides interstate natural gas-transportation and underground-storage services in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado; and wellhead automation and measurement services for Rockies oil and gas producers. The company owns and operates approximately 2,568 miles of interstate pipeline with total firm-capacity commitments of 4,983 Mdth per day transporting natural gas from Rocky Mountain producing areas to other pipeline systems, distribution systems, and other utility systems; the Overthrust Pipeline in southwestern Wyoming and the eastern segment of Southern Trails Pipeline, a 487-mile line that extends from the Blanco hub in the San Juan Basin to just inside the California state line near the Arizona border; the White River Hub facilities that connect with 6 interstate-pipeline systems and a processing plant near Meeker, Colorado; the Clay Basin storage facility, an underground-storage reservoir in the Rocky Mountain region; and gathering lines and processing facilities, which provide gas-processing services for third parties near Price, Utah. In addition, it distributes natural gas as a public utility in Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and a small portion of southeastern Idaho. Questar Corporation was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alexander Valtsev]
Questar Corporation (STR) is a natural gas holding company based in the Rockies, USA. The company operates three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Wexpro, Questar Pipeline, and Questar Gas. Wexpro is engaged in natural gas and oil E&P and in the past twelve months has produced ~58Bcf of natural gas and ~657,000BOE. It has an investment base of approximately $531M and enjoys the highest return on assets (ROA) among the three segments (~19%). Wexpro contributes the least in terms of revenue streams to the firm but provides more than half of Questar Gas's supply requirements. Questar Gas's share of total revenues attributable to the holding company approaches 80%. This subsidiary represents a gas-distribution utility that operates mainly in Utah, where 97% of its customers live. The company has been adding an average of 8.4K customers since 2008 and now approaches a customer base of one million people (the current number is about 931K). Questar Gas, according to the company's 2012 10-K, keeps its costs 30% below the national average partially because of Wexpro's dedicated and continuous production. Questar Pipeline provides natural gas-transportation and underground-storage services in three states: Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. The company operates 2,638 miles of pipeline with a total daily capacity of 5,039K decatherms. In 2013, the company plans to add another 7.5K dth/d to the existing capacity. In 2012, Questar Corporation earned almost $1.1B in revenues and $568M in Adjusted EBITDA. Since 2008 the company has generated approximately $350M in Free Cash Flows. It offers a dividend of $0.72 per share with an effective yield 2.95%. Recently, the company has declared its 275th consecutive dividend payable on September 9th, 2013.
- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
We're seeing the exact same price setup in shares of mid-cap natural gas company Questar (STR), even if the chart looks a little different at first glance. Like REGN, Questar is currently forming a downtrending channel, but in this case, the channel is bounded to the downside by two extra support levels. Don't expect support to provide a reprieve from selling, though – the trend is clearly down from here.
STR is sitting up near trendline resistance right now, which provides an optimal time to exit a position in shares. This stock has gotten swatted down on each of the last three attempts to push through the top of the channel, and with shares slipping for a fourth time, the message is pretty clear that the trendline isn't going to break this time around either.
Enstar is currently forming a descending triangle pattern, a bearish price setup that's formed by a horizontal resistance level below shares and downtrending support pressing to the upside. Basically, as shares of ESGR bounce in between those two technical price levels, they're getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakdown below support at $133. A move through that $133 price level is the signal to sell (or short) this name.
Relative strength is showing no signs of improvement in ESGR right now, which means that even after shedding almost 10% from its highs, this stock is still failing to keep up with the S&P's performance. Keep a close eye on this name while shares remain within reach of $133.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Higher One Holdings Inc.(ONE)
Higher One Holdings, Inc. provides technology and payment services in the United States. It offers a suite of disbursement and payment solutions for higher education institutions and their students. The company provides OneDisburse Refund Management product that offers higher education institutional clients with a technology service for streamlining the student refund disbursement process. It also offers CASHNet Payment suite that includes software-as-a-service products and services, such as ePayment to securely accept online payments for tuition, charges, and fees from students through credit card, pinless debit, and ACH; eBill to automate payer billing and processing functions; MyPaymentPlan to personalize students? payment plans; eMarket that allows academic, athletic, and other departments to take alumni donations, sell event tickets and other merchandise, and accept payments of event and conference registration fees; and Cashiering to operate and manage cashiering fu nctions, back office payments, and campus-wide departmental deposits. In addition, the company provides OneDisburse ID, which offers an option to combine the company?s debit card with the institution?s ID cards; OneDisburse Payroll to distribute payroll and other employee-related payments; OneDisburse PLUS product to distribute Parent PLUS loan refunds to parents on behalf of the school; and Financial Intelligence to students with an online class. Further, it provides student-oriented banking services to campus communities. Additionally, the company offers OneAccount product for students, as well as faculty, staff, and alumni, with an FDIC-insured online checking account and a debit MasterCard ATM card. Higher One Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut.
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 Higher One Holdings (NYSE: ONE ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By John Seward]
Veritiv Corp (NYSE: VRTVW) will replace Higher One Holdings Inc (NYSE: ONE) in the S&P SmallCap 600 on Tuesday, July 1. International Paper (NYSE: IP) is spinning off its distributions solutions unit, and the new company will merge with privately held UWW Holdings to create Veritiv.
- [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 Higher One Holdings (NYSE: ONE ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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