The Dutchman Flies Again...
Special situations (including types of arbitrage and spin-off investing) often provide shrewd investors with significant returns not correlated with the performance of broader markets. In other words: this is the kind of stuff you need right now. In a period of low dividends, anemic fixed income yields, high equity prices and near term uncertainty - these types of situations can provide investors with insulation from volatility and a chance at realizing significant profit - if they are on the right side of the trade.
One such situation currently in the process of unfolding this month is a Dutch Tender by The Hackett Group (HCKT). I will briefly discuss the underlying business, what exactly a Dutch Auction (or in this case, a Tender) is, what options investors have when approaching this situation and how it could play out.
About the Business
Engaged in the Management Consulting industry, the Hackett group "provides advisory, benchmarking, and transformation consulting services, including shared services, offshoring and outsourcing advice. The Company operates in the business and technology consulting services segment." Unsurprisingly, as a firm with a focus towards outsourcing, the Hackett group serves the North American and European geographic regions in addition, "through its REL group, Hackett offers working capital solutions focused on delivering cash flow improvements. Through its enterprise resource planning solutions group (ERP Solutions), Hackett offers business application consulting services that help maximize returns on information technology (IT) investments." Quoted material is courtesy of Google Finance.
Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Southwest Airlines Co (LUV)
Southwest Airlines Co., incorporated on March 9, 1967, operates Southwest Airlines, a passenger airline, which provides scheduled air transportation in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was serving 72 cities in 37 states throughout the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company added addition services in two new states and three new cities: Charleston, South Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Newark, New Jersey. Southwest provides point-to-point. On May 2, 2011, the Company acquired AirTran Holdings, Inc. (AirTran).
AirTran�� route system provides hub-and-spoke, rather than point-to-point, service, with approximately half of AirTran�� flights originating or terminating at its hub in Atlanta, Georgia. AirTran also serves a range of markets with non-stop service from bases of operation in Baltimore, Maryland; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Orlando, Florida. As of December 31, 2011, AirTran was serving 68 United States and near-international destinations, including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Nassau, The Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Bermuda. As of January 31, 2012, AirTran served 65 destinations. During 2011, approximately 71% of Southwest�� customers flew non-stop, and Southwest�� average aircraft trip stage length was 664 miles with an average duration of approximately 1.8 hours.
As of December 31, 2011, Southwest offered 25 weekday roundtrips from Dallas Love Field to Houston Hobby, 13 weekday roundtrips from Phoenix to Las Vegas, 13 weekday roundtrips from Burbank to Oakland, and 12 weekday roundtrips from Los Angeles International to Oakland. Southwest offers connecting service opportunities from over 60 Southwest cities to different Volaris airports in Mexico including Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Mexico City (MEX), Mexico City-Toluca (TLC), Morelia, and Zacatecas. The Company�� International Connect portal conducts two separate transac! tions: one with Southwest�� reservation system and one with Volaris�� reservation system.
Southwest bundles fares into three categories: Wanna Get Away, Anytime, and Business Select. Wanna Get Away fares are lowest fares. Business Select fares are refundable and changeable, and funds may be applied toward future travel on Southwest. Business Select fares also include additional perks, such as priority boarding, a frequent flyer point multiplier, priority security and ticket counter access in select airports, and one complimentary adult beverage coupon for the day of travel. The Company�� Internet Website, southwest.com, is the avenue for Southwest Customers to purchase tickets online. During 2011, southwest.com accounted for approximately 78% of all Southwest bookings. During 2011, approximately 84% of Southwest�� Passenger revenues came through its Website, including revenues from SWABIZ, the Company�� business travel reservation Web page.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Terri Stridsberg]
Southwest Airlines (LUV) has been an outperformer on the charts, gaining nearly 43% year-to-date, and about 62.5% on a year-over-year basis.
What's more, the stock tagged a new multi-year high of $14.83 yesterday. Meanwhile, the equity's late August/early September pullback was contained by its 40-week moving average, which has acted primarily as a floor since late May.
Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA)
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) chartered by the United States Congress to support liquidity and stability in the secondary mortgage market, where mortgage-related assets are purchased and sold. The Company�� activities include providing market liquidity by securitizing mortgage loans originated by lenders in the primary mortgage market into Fannie Mae mortgage-backed securities (Fannie Mae MBS), and purchasing mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities in the secondary market for its mortgage portfolio. Fannie Mae operates in three business segments: Single-Family business, Multifamily Business (formerly Housing and Community Development (HCD)) and Capital Markets group. Its Single-Family Credit Guaranty and Multifamily businesses work with its lender customers to purchase and securitize mortgage loans customers deliver to the Company into Fannie Mae MBS.
The Company obtains funds to support its business activities by issuing a variety of debt securities in the domestic and international capital markets. Fannie Mae acquires funds to purchase mortgage-related assets for its mortgage portfolio by issuing a variety of debt securities in the domestic and international capital markets. It also makes other investments. Fannie Mae conducts its business in the United States residential mortgage market and the global securities market. It conducts business in the United States residential mortgage market and the global securities market. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company��
Single-Family Business
Single-Family business includes mortgage securitizations, mortgage acquisitions, credit risk management and credit loss management. Single-Family business works with the Company�� lender customers to provide funds to the mortgage market by securitizing single-family mortgage loans into Fannie Mae MBS. Its Single-Family business also works with its Capital Markets group to facilitate the pu! rchase of single-family mortgage loans for the Company�� mortgage portfolio. Fannie Mae�� Single-Family business prices and manages the credit risk on its single-family guaranty book of business, which consists of single-family mortgage loans underlying Fannie Mae MBS and single-family loans held in its mortgage portfolio. Single-Family business and Capital Markets group securitize and purchase primarily single-family fixed-rate or adjustable-rate, first lien mortgage loans, or mortgage-related securities backed by these types of loans.
The Company securitizes or purchases loans insured by Federal Housing Administration (FHA), loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and loans guaranteed by the Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Program of the Department of Agriculture, manufactured housing loans, reverse mortgage loans, multifamily mortgage loans, subordinate lien mortgage loans and other mortgage-related securities. Its Single-Family business securitizes single-family mortgage loans and issues single-class Fannie Mae MBS. Fannie Mae�� Single-Family business securitizes loans solely in lender swap transactions, in which lenders deliver pools of mortgage loans to the Company, which are placed immediately in a trust, in exchange for Fannie Mae MBS backed by these loans. Generally, the servicing of the mortgage loans held in its mortgage portfolio or that backs its Fannie Mae MBS is performed by mortgage servicers on the Company�� behalf. Lenders who sell single-family mortgage loans to Fannie Mae service these loans for the Company. For loans it owns or guarantees, the lender or servicer must obtain its approval before selling servicing rights to another servicer.
Fannie Mae�� mortgage servicers collect and deliver principal and interest payments, administer escrow accounts, monitor and report delinquencies, perform default prevention activities, evaluate transfers of ownership interests, respond to requests for partial releases of s! ecurity, ! and handle proceeds from casualty and condemnation losses. Its mortgage servicers are the primary point of contact for borrowers and perform implementation of its homeownership assistance initiatives, negotiation of workouts of troubled loans, and loss mitigation activities. Mortgage servicers also inspect and preserve properties and process foreclosures and bankruptcies.
Multifamily Mortgage Business
Multifamily business works with the Company�� lender customers to provide funds to the mortgage market by securitizing multifamily mortgage loans into Fannie Mae MBS. Through its Multifamily business, Fannie Mae provides liquidity and support to the United States multifamily housing market principally by purchasing or securitizing loans that finance multifamily rental housing properties. It also provides some limited debt financing for other acquisition, development, construction and rehabilitation activity related to projects that complement this business. Fannie Mae�� Multifamily business also works with its Capital Markets group to facilitate the purchase and securitization of multifamily mortgage loans and securities for Fannie Mae�� portfolio, as well as to facilitate portfolio securitization and resecuritization activities.
The Company�� multifamily guaranty book of business consists of multifamily mortgage loans underlying Fannie Mae MBS and multifamily loans and securities held in Fannie Mae�� mortgage portfolio. Revenues for Fannie Mae�� Multifamily business are derived from a variety of sources, including guaranty fees received as compensation for assuming the credit risk on the mortgage loans underlying multifamily Fannie Mae MBS and on the multifamily mortgage loans held in its portfolio and on other mortgage-related securities; transaction fees associated with the multifamily business, and other bond credit enhancement related fees. As with the servicing of single-family mortgages, multifamily mortgage servicing is performed by the lenders who! sell the! mortgages to the Company. Fannie Mae�� Multifamily business is organized and operated as an integrated commercial real estate finance business.
Capital Markets
Capital Markets group's primary business activities include mortgage and other investments, mortgage securitizations, structured mortgage securitizations and other customer services, and interest rate risk management. Capital Markets group manages the Company�� investment activity in mortgage-related assets and other interest-earning, non-mortgage investments. It funds its investments primarily through proceeds the Company receives from the issuance of debt securities in the domestic and international capital markets. Its business activity is focused on making short-term use of its balance sheet rather than long-term investments. Activities Fannie Mae is undertaking to provide liquidity to the mortgage market include whole loan conduit, early funding, real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMICs) and other structured securitizations and dollar roll transactions. Whole loan conduit activities include its purchase of both single-family and multifamily loans principally for the purpose of securitizing them. During the year ended December 31, 2010, it was engaged in dollar roll activity. A dollar roll transaction is a commitment to purchase a mortgage-related security with a concurrent agreement to re-sell a similar security at a later date or vice versa.
Fannie Mae�� Capital Markets group is engaged in issuing both single-class and multi-class Fannie Mae MBS through both portfolio securitizations and structured securitizations involving third party assets. Its Capital Markets group creates single-class and multi-class Fannie Mae MBS from mortgage-related assets held in its mortgage portfolio. Fannie Mae�� Capital Markets group may sell these Fannie Mae MBS into the secondary market or may retain the Fannie Mae MBS in its investment portfolio. The Company�� Capital Markets group creates single-clas! s and mul! ti-class structured Fannie Mae MBS, for its lender customers or securities dealer customers, in exchange for a transaction fee. The Company�� Capital Markets group provides its lender customers and their affiliates with services that include offering to purchase a range of mortgage assets, including non-standard mortgage loan products; segregating customer portfolios to obtain optimal pricing for their mortgage loans, and assisting customers with hedging their mortgage business.
Although the Company�� Capital Markets group�� business activities are focused on short-term financing and investing, revenue from its Capital Markets group is derived primarily from the difference, or spread, between the interests it earns on its mortgage and non-mortgage investments and the interest it incurs on the debt the Company issues to fund these assets. Its Capital Markets revenues are primarily derived from the Company�� mortgage asset portfolio. Capital Markets group funds its investments primarily through the issuance of a variety of debt securities in a range of maturities in the domestic and international capital markets. Investors in the Company�� debt securities include commercial bank portfolios and trust departments, investment fund managers, insurance companies, pension funds, state and local governments, and central banks.
The Company competes with Freddie Mac, FHA and Ginnie Mae.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Abramowicz]
Mortgage financiers Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) were placed into government conservatorship, insurer American International Group Inc. agreed to a U.S. takeover to avert collapse, Merrill Lynch & Co. was compelled to sell itself to Bank of America Corp. and automaker General Motors Corp. faced insolvency.
Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Speedway Motorsports Inc.(TRK)
Speedway Motorsports, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a promoter, marketer, and sponsor of motor sports activities in the United States. The company principally owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway racing facilities. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services; food, beverage, and hospitality catering services; and radio programming, production, and distribution services. In addition, it develops electronic media promotional programming; and distributes wholesale and retail racing, and other sports related souvenir merchandise and apparel. Further, the company manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts; and produces and sells an environmentally-friendly micro-lubricant. Speedway Motorsports has a joint venture with International Speedway Corporat ion to produce, market, and sell licensed motorsports collectible and consumer products, primarily trackside event souvenir merchandising. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Concord, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Patricio Kehoe]
The motorsports industry is a natural monopoly at the local level, since only one racetrack can hold NASCAR events in each market, and until now, International Speedway has won this battle. Nevertheless, over the past five years, this company has suffered under declining ticket and concession spending, due to a weak demographic fan base located in troubled geographies. Although recent racetrack changes and customer stabilization will leave ISCA well positioned when spending power increases once again, this is bound to happen at a slow pace. However, the distinct properties of each racetrack attract high brand loyalty, and have compelled competitors like Speedway Motorsports Inc. (TRK) to focus business on completely different markets, therefore posing no real threat to ISCA.
- [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 Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [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 Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (FOXA)
News Corporation, incorporated on October 23, 1979, is a diversified global media company. The Company operates in six segments: Cable Network Programming; Filmed Entertainment; Television; Direct Broadcast Satellite Television; Publishing, and Other. Cable Network Programming produces and licenses news, business news, sports, general entertainment and movie programming for distribution through cable television systems and direct broadcast satellite operators in the United States and internationally. Filmed Entertainment engages in the production and acquisition of live-action and animated motion pictures for distribution and licensing in all formats in all entertainment media worldwide, and the production and licensing of television programming worldwide. Television is engaged in the operation of broadcast television stations and the broadcasting of network programming in the United States. It engages in the direct broadcast satellite business through its subsidiary, SKY Italia. It also owns significant equity interests in BSkyB and Sky Deutschland AG (Sky Deutschland), which are engaged in the DBS business. The Company is engaged in the publishing business, primarily through its subsidiaries News International, News Limited, Dow Jones, The New York Post, The Daily, Harper Collins Publishers and News America Marketing Group. Its digital media businesses include IGN Entertainment, Inc. (IGN), and other Internet properties. In November 2012, News Corporation, through a wholly owned subsidiary, completed acquisition of ESPN's partnership interest in ESPN STAR Sports.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it acquired an additional interest in Asianet Communications Limited (Asianet), acquired Wireless Generation. In June 2010, the Company acquired Skiff, LLC. In November 2010, the Company formed a joint venture with China Media Capital (CMC). In December 2010, the Company disposed of the Fox Mobile Group (Fox Mobile), and acquired Making Fun, Inc. (Making Fun). In April 2! 011, the Company acquired Shine Limited (Shine). In July 2011, the Company sold its 79% stake in News Outdoor Russia and News Outdoor Romania. On June 29, 2011, the Company sold Myspace, including its stake in Myspace Music, LLC, to Specific Media, a digital media company, and received a minority equity stake in Specific Media in connection with the sale. In July 2011, the Company sold its majority interest in its outdoor advertising businesses in Russia and Romania. In May 2011, IGN acquired UGO Entertainment, Inc., which owns the ugo.com and 1up.com men�� lifestyle and video gaming sites, from Hearst Corporation in exchange for a minority ownership stake in IGN. Also in May 2011, IGN sold its Direct2Drive digital distribution site to GameFly, Inc. (GameFly).
Cable Network Programming
FOX News owns and operates the FOX News Channel, as well as the FOX Business Network. FOX News also produces a weekend political commentary show, FOX News Sunday, for broadcast on local FOX television stations throughout the United States. FOX News, through its FOX News Edge service, licenses news feeds to FOX Affiliates and other subscribers to use as part of local news broadcasts throughout the United States and abroad. FOX News also produces and runs the Websites, FOXNews.com and FOXBusiness.com, and owns and produces the national FOX News Radio Network, which licenses news updates, long form programs and the FOX News Talk Channel to local radio stations and to satellite radio providers. Fox Sports Net, Inc. (FSN, Inc.) is a regional sports network (RSN) programmer in the United States, focusing on live professional and collegiate home team sports events. FSN, Inc.�� sports programming business consists primarily of ownership interests in 12 RSNs, including numerous sub-regional feeds (the FSN RSNs) and National Sports Programming, which operates FSN (FSN), a national sports programming service. FSN, Inc. also is affiliated with, through FSN, an additional nine RSNs that are not owned by F! SN, Inc. ! (the FSN Affiliated RSNs). FSN provides the FSN RSNs and the FSN Affiliated RSNs with national sports programming, featuring original and licensed sports-related programming, as well as live and replay sporting events.
As of June 30, 2011, reaching more than 78 million households in the United States, SPEED brings viewers season-long coverage of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) races, events and original programming, including exclusive coverage of the annual NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremonies. In addition, SPEED delivers programming from other top racing series, such as Formula One, Grand American Road Racing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, World of Outlaws, AMA Pro Racing, AMA Supercross, AMA Motocross, Monster Jam, World Superbike and MotoGP. The Company also produces and distributes SPEED HD, a 24-hour national programming service produced and distributed in high definition. SPEED�� new broadband network includes SPEED2.
FUEL TV is a domestic 24-hour programming service dedicated to action sports and the lifestyle surrounding it. FUEL TV covers both competitive and performance action in the arenas of skateboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle motocross, snowboarding and wakeboarding. Programming includes the United States and international action sports events and competitions, as well as original series and specials about top action sports athletes and their music, art and culture from a global perspective. Fox College Sports consists of three regionally-aligned networks, FCS Pacific, FCS Central and FCS Atlantic. Fox College Sports provides live and delayed collegiate events from the collegiate conferences, coaches��shows and collegiate highlight and magazine-format programming from the FSN RSNs and certain of the FSN Affiliated RSNs across the country. Fox Movie Channel (FMC) was Hollywood�� studio-based movie network. FMC airs Twentieth Century Fox films, as well as documentaries and original series that explore the movi! emaking p! rocess from script to screen. Fox Soccer Channel is an English-language programming service offering coverage soccer. Properties include the UEFA Champions League, England�� Barclays Premier League, Italian Serie A, FA Cup and 2011 Major League Soccer, along with daily soccer news programs, magazine shows and in depth coverage on the sport. The Company also produces and distributes Fox Soccer Channel HD, a 24-hour national programming service produced and distributed in high definition.
The Company has an approximate 33% equity interest in Fox Pan American Sports LLC (FPAS). FPAS owns and operates Spanish-language sports businesses, including the Fox Sports Latin America network (a Spanish-language sports network distributed to subscribers in certain Caribbean and Central and South American nations outside of Brazil). Through the Company�� interest in FPAS and an additional direct ownership interest, the Company has a 53% interest in Fox Deportes (the first Spanish-language sports programming service to be distributed in the United States). The Company owns an approximate 51% interest in the Big Ten Network, a 24-hour national programming service dedicated to the Big Ten Conference and Big Ten athletics, academics and related programming, and Big Ten Network HD, a 24-hour national programming service produced and distributed in HD. The Company holds an approximate 70% interest in NGC Network US LLC (NGC Network), which produces and distributes the National Geographic Channel and National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Wild HD in the United States, with NGHT, LLC, a subsidiary of the National Geographic Society (NGHT), holding the remaining interest.
Fox International Channels (FIC) operates, develops and distributes primarily factual and general entertainment channels in various countries in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, including the Fox Channel, Fox Life, FX, SPEED, Utilisima, which is also distributed in the United States, Fox Cr! ime, NEXT! , FOX History & Entertainment, the Voyage Channel, FOX Sports, STAR World and STAR Movies. FIC also owns a 52.2% interest in NGC Network International LLC and NGC Network Latin America LLC (collectively NGC International), with NGHT holding a 26.8% interest and a subsidiary of BSkyB holding a 21% interest. NGC International produces and distributes the National Geographic Channel in various international markets. NGC International also produces and distributes the National Geographic Channel HD, the Nat Geo Adventure channel (in both HD and SD), the Nat Geo Wild channel (in both HD and SD) and the Nat Geo Music channel in international markets. FIC owns a 55% equity interest in LAPTV, a partnership that distributes six pay television channels (Movie City, Movie City HD, City Mix, City Family, City Stars and City Vibe and their multiplexes) and two basic television channels (The Film Zone East and West and Cinecanal) in Latin America (excluding Brazil).
FIC also owns a majority equity interest in Elite Sports Limited, a company that owns and distributes BabyTV. FIC also manages Channel [V] Thailand in which the Company owns a 49% interest. Channel [V] Thailand owns a Thai language music channel. FIC licenses its Channel [V] brand to a third party in Australia to operate a music channel. In addition, FIC has a joint venture with CJ Media, a Korean media conglomerate for the distribution of the tvN channel, a 24-hour general entertainment channel featuring Korean content, such as original dramas, variety shows, reality and lifestyle programs. STAR India develops, produces and broadcasts 28 channels in eight languages, which are distributed primarily via satellite to local cable, Internet protocol television (IPTV) and direct-to-home (DTH) operators for distribution throughout Asia, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and North America to their subscribers. STAR India�� channels include the flagship Hindi general entertainment channel STAR Plus, the Bengali general entertainment channel ST! AR Jalsha! and the Marathi general entertainment channel STAR Pravah.
Asianet Communications Limited, which is a joint venture with Asianet TV Holdings Private Limited, was formed to provide television services for South Indian audiences. The joint venture consists of the Company�� approximate 81% interest in the Tamil language channel Vijay and the Company�� approximate 75% interest in the Malayalam language channels Asianet and Asianet Plus, the Kannada language channel Suvarna and the Telugu language channel Sitara. The Company also owns an approximate 26% stake in Balaji Telefilms Limited (Balaji), which is a television content production company in India. Balaji produces serials broadcast on general entertainment channels in India. The Company also holds an approximate 30% interest in Tata Sky Limited, which owns and operates a DTH platform in India. The Company has a 50/50 joint venture with Den Networks Limited (Star Den) to operate a television channel distribution business in India, Nepal and Bhutan that exclusively distributes STAR India�� owned and affiliated channels in these territories. The Company has expanded into television home shopping in India through a 50/50 joint venture with CJ O Shopping Co. Ltd., a home shopping company in South Korea and China.
STAR Taiwan develops and broadcasts Chinese language television programming focused at Chinese-speaking audiences in Taiwan and the rest of Asia on a pay television basis. STAR Taiwan�� television services are distributed primarily via satellite to local cable, IPTV and DTH operators in Asia and North America. STAR Taiwan�� channels include STAR Chinese Channel, STAR Chinese Movies, STAR Chinese Movies 2, STAR Chinese Movies HD and Channel [V] Taiwan. The Company has an approximate 15% interest in Rotana Holding FZ-LLC (Rotana), which operates a diversified film, television, audio, advertising and entertainment business across the Middle East and North Africa. The Company also has a 50% interest in Broadcast Mid! dle East ! FZ-LLC (BME). The Company owns a 50% interest in ESPN STAR Sports. ESPN STAR Sports is a sports broadcaster in Asia and operates 22 channels in different languages. The Company owns an approximate 18% interest in Phoenix.
Filmed Entertainment
Fox Filmed Entertainment (FFE) produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures worldwide under a variety of arrangements. The motion pictures of FFE are produced and/or distributed by the units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox and Fox 2000, which produce and acquire motion pictures for mainstream audiences; Fox Searchlight Pictures, which produces and acquires specialized motion pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox Animation, which produces feature length animated motion pictures. In addition, Fox International Productions, Inc. co-produces, co-finances and acquires local-language motion pictures for distribution outside the United States. Pursuant to an agreement with Monarchy Enterprises Holdings B.V. (MEH), the parent company of New Regency in which the Company has a 20% interest, and certain of MEH�� subsidiaries, FFE distributes certain New Regency films and all films co-financed by FFE and New Regency in all media worldwide, excluding a number of international territories with respect to television rights. Motion picture companies, such as FFE, seek to generate revenues from various distribution channels. FFE derives its worldwide motion picture revenues primarily from four basic sources: distribution of motion pictures for theatrical exhibition in the United States and Canada and markets outside of the United States and Canada (international markets); distribution of motion pictures in various home media formats; distribution of motion pictures for exhibition on pay-per-view, video-on-demand and premium pay television programming services, and distribution of motion pictures for exhibition on free television networks, other broadcast program services, independent television stations and basic cable programming services, including c! ertain se! rvices, which are affiliates of the Company. Through Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LCC, the Company distributes motion pictures and other programming produced by units of FFE, its affiliates and other producers in the United States, Canada and international markets in all home media formats, including the sale and rental of DVDs and Blu-rays.
Units of FFE license motion pictures and other programs in the United States, Canada and international markets to various third party and certain affiliated subscription pay television, subscription video-on-demand, pay-per-view, video-on-demand and electronic sell-through services. Units of FFE also license motion pictures in the United States to direct broadcast satellite (DBS) pay-per-view services operated by EchoStar Communications Corporation, as well as to pay-per-view and video-on-demand services operated by The DIRECTV Group, Inc. and iN Demand L.L.C. In addition, units of FFE license motion pictures and other programs to third parties, including Apple Inc. (Apple) and Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon), for electronic sell-through over the Internet, enabling consumers in the United States to acquire the right to retain permanently such programs.
Twentieth Television licenses both television programming and feature films for domestic syndication to television stations and basic cable services in the United States. Twentieth Television distributes a program portfolio that includes the Company�� library of television and film assets, and first-run programming produced by its production companies for sales to local stations, including stations owned and operated by the Company, as well as to basic cable networks. First-run programs distributed by Twentieth Television include the game shows Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? and Don�� Forget the Lyrics!, and the court shows Divorce Court and Judge Alex. Twentieth Television derives revenue from off-network, theatrical and first-run program sales from both broadcast and cable lice! nsees, an! d from the sales of national advertising units retained by Twentieth Television in its programs. Twentieth Television licenses such shows as Modern Family, Glee, How I Met Your Mother, It�� Always Sunny in Philadelphia, My Name Is Earl, Family Guy, American Dad, M*A*S*H, Bones, and The Simpsons to cable and broadcast networks. Twentieth Television also manages and distributes the long running series, COPS and America�� Most Wanted, and sells national advertising on behalf of other third party syndicators.
Fox Television Studios (FtvS) is a program supplier to the United States and international broadcast and cable networks. FtvS is producing the series Burn Notice and White Collar for USA Network, The Glades for A&E, The Killing for AMC, Kendra and Holly�� World for E! and In the Flow with Affion Crockett for FOX. Shine Limited (Shine) is an international television production and distribution group with 26 production companies across 12 countries creating and exploiting scripted and non-scripted content in the global marketplace. The Company�� motion picture and television library (the Fox Library) consists of varying rights to several thousand previously released motion pictures and many television programs.
Television
Fox Television Stations, Inc. (Fox Television Stations) owns and operates 27 full power stations. Fox Television Stations owns and operates two stations in nine designated market areas (DMAs), including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Of the 27 full power stations, 17 stations are affiliates of FOX (FOX Affiliates). In addition, Fox Television Stations owns and operates 10 stations affiliated with Master Distribution Service, Inc. (MyNetworkTV). FOX has 203 FOX Affiliates, including the 17 stations owned and operated by the Company. FOX�� prime-time programming features such series as House, The Simpsons, Bones, Fringe and Glee; unscripted series, such as American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance; and various specials. As of June 30! , 2011, M! yNetworkTV had 181 affiliates, including 10 stations owned and operated by the Company, reaching approximately 97% of the United States households.
Direct Broadcast Satellite Television
SKY Italia distributes more than 175 channels of basic, premium and pay-per-view programming services through satellite and broadband directly to subscribers in Italy. This programming includes exclusive rights to sporting events, newly-released movies and SKY Italia�� original programming, such as SKY TG 24, a 24-hour news channel.
Publishing
News International publishes The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun. On July 7, 2011, News International announced that July 10, 2011 would be the last issue of News of the World. News International also publishes The Times Literary Supplement. News Limited is a newspaper publisher in Australia, owning approximately 146 daily, Sunday, weekly, bi-weekly and tri-weekly newspapers, of which three are free commuter titles and 102 are suburban publications (including 16 of which News Limited has a 50% interest). News Limited publishes a nationally distributed newspaper in Australia, a metropolitan newspaper in each of the Australian cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Darwin and a suburban newspaper in the suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. News Limited�� principal daily newspapers in Australia are: The Australian; The Daily Telegraph, published in Sydney; the Herald Sun, published in Melbourne; The Courier-Mail, published in Brisbane; The Advertiser, published in Adelaide; The Mercury, published in Hobart, and the Northern Territory News, published in Darwin. News Limited�� principal Sunday newspapers in Australia are: The Sunday Telegraph, published in Sydney; the Sunday Herald Sun, published in Melbourne; The Sunday Mail, published in Brisbane; the Sunday Mail, published in Adelaide; The Sunday Times, published in Perth; the Sunday Tasmanian, published in Hobart, and the! Sunday T! erritorian, published in Darwin.
Dow Jones is a global provider of news and business information, with newspaper, newswire, Website, newsletter, magazine, database, conference, radio and video businesses. Dow Jones offers products targeting both individual consumer and business and institutional customers, including The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires, Factiva, Barron��, MarketWatch, SmartMoney and other products. Products targeting business and institutional customers, including Dow Jones Newswires and Factiva, combine news and information with technology and tools designed to inform decisions and to aid awareness, research and understanding. The Dow Jones Local Media business publishes community newspapers, Websites and other products in seven United States states. The Wall Street Journal is available in print, online at WSJ.com, and on mobile devices, such as smart phones, e-readers and tablets. The Wall Street Journal also publishes a regional edition for the New York City area called Greater New York. Barron�� is available in print, online at Barrons.com, and on mobile devices. Barron�� caters to financial professionals, individual investors and others interested in financial markets. Its print edition is published weekly. SmartMoney publishes news and information focusing on personal finance, and is available in print, online at SmartMoney.com, and on mobile devices. The print edition of SmartMoney is published monthly. The Wall Street Journal Digital Network (WSJDN) consists of business and financial news Websites and mobile applications. In addition to WSJ.com, Barrons.com and SmartMoney.com, WSJDN includes MarketWatch, AllThingsD.com and related sites.
The Wall Street Journal Europe print edition is headquartered in London and printed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The Wall Street Journal Asia print edition is headquartered in Hong Kong and printed in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philip! pines, Si! ngapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Regional coverage from The Wall Street Journal Europe and The Wall Street Journal Asia is also available online at WSJ.com. Dow Jones also publishes The Wall Street Journal Special Editions. Factiva provides news and business information with search and discovery technology and tools to assist business and institutional customers with research, awareness and decision-making. Dow Jones Newswires is a provider of business news and information to financial professionals and online investors worldwide via terminals, portals and intranet sites with hundreds of thousands of financial professionals and millions of online investors relying on this information each trading day.
The Dow Jones Local Media business publishes local media print publications, including eight general interest dailies in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania, and related local Websites. The Dow Jones Local Media business also publishes 13 weekly newspapers, performs commercial printing at its five printing locations and offers other products and services. Dow Jones VentureSource is a database for venture capital and private equity markets tracking key developments. Dow Jones Watchlist helps compliance professionals identify high-risk clients and business associates. The eFinancialNews business, based in London, serves the European financial services industry with print, online, training and events businesses. The Wall Street Journal Professional Edition provides business and professional readers with specialized and targeted news and information. Dow Jones also distributes news and information to individual consumers through other channels of content distribution, including television, radio/audio, online video, consumer electronic licensing, The Wall Street Journal classroom, campus and Sunday editions, and WSJ.Magazine. Dow Jones also owns an interest in Vedomosti, which publishes a Russian language business daily.
The New! York Pos! t (the Post) is a mass circulation, metropolitan morning newspaper published seven days a week and primarily distributed in the New York metropolitan area, the Northeast, Florida and California. The Company prints the Post in a printing facility in the Bronx, New York and uses third party printers in its other markets in the United States. The Company�� Community Newspaper Group also owns several local newspapers and other publications distributed in the New York metropolitan area. The Daily is a daily national news publication built as an application for tablet computing. HarperCollins Publishers (HarperCollins) is engaged in English language book publishing on a worldwide basis and is an English language book publisher. HarperCollins��principal businesses are HarperCollins Publishers LLC (HarperCollins U.S.), HarperCollins Publishers Limited and The Zondervan Corporation LLC. HarperCollins primarily publishes fiction and non-fiction, including religious books, for the general consumer. In the United Kingdom, HarperCollins publishes some titles for the educational market as well.
News America Marketing Group (NAMG) publishes free-standing insert publications and provides in-store marketing products and services. NAMG is a publisher of free-standing inserts in the United States. Free-standing inserts are multiple-page marketing booklets containing coupons, rebates and other consumer offers, which are distributed to consumers through insertion primarily into local Sunday newspapers. Advertisers, primarily packaged goods companies, pay NAMG to produce free-standing inserts, and NAMG contracts with and pays newspapers to include the free-standing inserts primarily into the newspapers��Sunday editions. SmartSource is the brand name that is linked with NAMG�� assortment of marketing products, including, among others, free-standing inserts, NAMG�� instant coupon machines and various shelf advertising products. The SmartSource iGroup manages NAMG�� portfolio of database and electronic ! marketing! solutions. The database marketing business, branded SmartSource Direct, provides direct mail solutions via its national network of retailer frequent shopper card databases. The SmartSource Savings Network, which includes SmartSource.com, encompasses all of NAMG�� electronic couponing and sampling solutions accessed through the Web, mobile and tablet-based programming.
Other
These businesses develop and promote content and experiences for Internet audiences and generate revenue through Internet advertising, sponsorships, subscriptions and e-commerce. IGN�� network of video game, lifestyle and entertainment-related Internet properties represent many of the Web properties in their respective categories across the Internet. IGN�� Games sites (IGN.com, 1UP, GameSpy, FilePlanet, TeamXbox and others) is a gaming information network on the Internet. IGN�� GameSpy Technology group provides technology for online game play in video games. IGN also owns and operates a men�� lifestyle Websites, AskMen.com. Making Fun is a social games developer and publisher acquired. Making Fun makes games for various platforms, including Facebook, Android, and iOS, and has launched its first games with additional ones in development. The Company has interests in FOX TV in Turkey and Channel 10 in Israel, which are free-to-air, general entertainment television stations.
News Digital Media is the Company�� Australian online division. In addition to maintaining the Company�� Australian websites, News Digital Media is responsible for online advertising and transactions in Australia. News Digital Media sites include carsguide.com.au, news.com.au, MOSHTIX.com.au, GetPrice.com.au and truelocal.com.au. News Digital Media also has a 50% stake in CareerOne.com.au. The Company holds an approximate 39% interest in BSkyB. BSkyB operates a pay television broadcast service in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as broadband and telephony services. BSkyB acquires and commissions programmin! g to broa! dcast on its own channels and supplies certain of those channels to cable operators for retransmission by the cable operators to their subscribers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. BSkyB also retails channels (both its own and those of third parties) to DTH subscribers and to certain of its own channels to a limited number of DSL subscribers. It holds an approximate 49% interest in NDS. NDS creates technologies and applications that enable pay television operators to deliver digital content to televisions, set-top boxes, DVRs, personal computers, portable media players, removable media and other mobile devices securely.
The Company, Telstra Corporation Limited, an Australian telecommunications company, and Consolidated Media Holdings, an Australian media and entertainment company, own and operate FOXTEL, a cable and satellite television service in Australia with 25%, 50% and 25% interests, respectively. As of June 30, 2011, FOXTEL had approximately 1.65 million managed subscribers (including subscribers to Optus, an Australian telecommunications company). As of June 30, 2011, 100% of the FOXTEL managed subscriber base was connected to FOXTEL�� digital service, which delivers over 180 channels on cable and satellite. The Company owns an approximate 44% interest in Sky Network Television Limited, a land-linked UHF network and digital DBS service in New Zealand. The Company has an approximate 32% equity interest in Hulu, LLC (Hulu).
The Company owns a 49.9% equity interest in Sky Deutschland, a pay television operator in Germany and Austria. The core business of Sky Deutschland is subscription pay-tv and it offers a range of programming in Germany and Austria and can be received via Teleclub in Switzerland. Sky Deutschland�� program offering includes current feature films, new series, children�� channels, documentaries and live sports, such as the German Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League.
The Company competes with ABC, NBC, CBS, The CW Television Network, CN! N, MSNBC,! CNN Headline News, Bloomberg Television, ESPN, ESPN2, Versus, USA, TNT, Spike TV, Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO), Showtime Networks Inc. (Showtime), Discovery Channel, History Channel, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Science Channel, History International, Military Channel, Biography, Tru TV, FT.com, New York Times Digital, TheStreet.com, Bloomberg, Forbes.com, CNET, CNN Money, MSNMoney/CNBC, Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg L.P., LexisNexis, Hoover��, OneSource, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Random House, Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster and Hachette Livre.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Stelter]
"A plaintiffs' win in this case will ensure the continued availability of this programming to the viewing public," the broadcasters' main Washington lobbying group said when the suits were filed. (Was the group foreshadowing what CBS (CBS), Fox (FOXA) and Univision warned in 2013 -- that their stations might leave the public airwaves if Aereo wins?)
Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc.(RSTI)
Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing of laser-based products worldwide. The company offers laser macro products to machine tool and automotive markets for cutting and welding of metals. It also provides laser marking products to semiconductor and electronics markets for the marking of integrated circuits, wafers, solar cells, electronic components, and smart cards, as well as to automotive markets for the marking of labels and car components. In addition, the company offers laser micro products for fine welding, fine cutting, micro structuring, and drilling applications in medical devices, semiconductor and electronics, photovoltaic, dental, and jewelry markets; and for perforating and scribing of paper and foils in packaging and paper industries. Further, it provides components to laser industry. The company sells its products in approximately 65 countries to original e quipment manufacturers, systems integrators, and industrial end-users. Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc. was founded in 1975 and is based in Plymouth, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Stoffel]
For decades, the standard technology in the laser industry has been the carbon-based laser. In reality, these lasers are still commonly used, and sold in bulk by the likes of Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI ) and Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR ) . They are used largely for precision cutting of large pieces of metal.
- [By Brian Stoffel]
Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI ) , Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR ) , Newport (NASDAQ: NEWP ) , and JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU ) all offer fiber-optic lasers as well.
Best Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Star Scientific Inc (STSI)
Star Scientific, Inc. (Star Scientific), incorporated on June 24, 1985, is engaged in the manufacturing and production of dietary supplements. The Company�� operating subsidiaries manufacture, distribute and sell consumer products and dietary supplements. Its segment includes dietary supplements. Through its Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Rock Creek) subsidiary, the Company is engaged in the manufacture, sale, marketing and development of non-nicotine nutraceutical, dietary supplements: Anatabloc, for anti-inflammatory support; the manufacture, sale and marketing of a cosmetic facial cream, and the development of other nutraceuticals, dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products. On December 14, 2012, the Company voted to discontinue the manufacturing, distribution and sale of its dissolvable smokeless tobacco products, Ariva and Stonewall Hard Snuff, as of December 31, 2012. With this change it will no longer be manufacturing or selling any tobacco products.
Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals has been engaged in the development of other dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products, particularly products that have a botanical- based component and that are designed to provide nutritional support in a range of neurological conditions, including Alzheimer�� disease, Parkinson�� disease, schizophrenia, depression, and Hashimoto�� thyroiditis. Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals also has been involved in the development of a cosmetic line of products that utilizes its anatabine compound to improve the appearance of the skin. On September 10, 2012, the Company introduced Anatabloc Facial Creme into the market. As of November 9, 2012, Anatabloc was being sold through its interactive Website, a customer service center and on a consignment basis through GNC, which is a retailer of dietary supplements. The Company uses its anatabine citrate compound in its dietary supplements Anatabloc and Anatabloc Unflavored and its anatabine-based cosmetic product, Anatabloc Facial Creme.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Star Scientific (NASDAQ: STSI) shares reached a new 52-week low of $1.02 after the company received a warning letter from the FDA regarding consumer products.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
A week and a half ago I posted a bullish - though condition - commentary on Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI). Truth be told, I expected that potential bullishness to be unleashed a few days later. When it didn't unfurl, frankly, I started to forget about STSI. Fortunately I didn't completely put the stock on the shelf, because it finally formed that technical catalyst yesterday, and followed-through today.
For those who caught my first look at STSI, you may recall that the big catalyst was the horizontal ceiling at $2.11. That was where the stock peaked in mid-July, and that's also where it was peaking on the same day I penned my prior bullish comments. Sure enough, Star Scientific shares peeled back from there later in the same day. The stock tested $2.11 again on the 9th, and once again peeled back. By the time we got that third test/failure cycle logged, however, it was clear something was changing... for the better. - [By Bryan Murphy]
There's little doubt that merely suggesting it will enflame some traders, but truth is truth - Ku6 Media Co Ltd (NASDAQ:KUTV) is overbought and ripe for a pullback, soon. Anyone worried about not having a place to park those proceeds, however, need not fret. There's a brand new breakout finally underway that still has plenty of proverbial meat on the bone... Star Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ:STSI), which just blasted past a key resistance line around $2.11 today. In so doing, it became free to rally without restraint.
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