Why the Upgrade?
This electric and natural gas supplier delivered positive earnings surprises in three out of the last four quarters with an average beat of 23.90%. The long-term expected earnings growth rate for this stock is 4.69%.
The company has been performing well. Its recent decision of lowering electricity rates and maintaining reliability of service will help expand the customer base.
DTE Energy�� commitment towards the Pure Michigan Business Connect Initiative (PMBC) will help to strengthen Michigan�� economy. DTE Energy has committed to spend $1 billion with Michigan-based suppliers by 2015 to develop new business.
This, in a way, will create more opportunities for this utility service provider. Moreover, DTE Energy will invest $1.5 billion in its infrastructure and power generation assets to provide reliable and clean energy to its customers in Michigan.
Hot Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: Matthews International Corporation(MATW)
Matthews International Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets memorialization products and brand solutions for the cemetery and funeral home industries in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company's Bronze segment offers cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; and cast and etched architectural products, as well as builds mausoleums. Its Casket segment provides wood and metal caskets; and casket components, such as stamped metal parts, metal locking mechanisms for gasketed metal caskets, adjustable beds, interior panels, and plastic ornamental hardware, as well as provides assortment planning and merchandising, and display products to funeral service businesses. The company's Cremation segment offers cremation equipment; cremation caskets; equipment service and supplies; and cremation urns and memorial products, as well as offers environmental systems; crematory operations and management services; and cremation col umbarium and niche units. Its Graphics Imaging segment provides brand management, pre-press services, printing plates, gravure cylinders, steel bases, embossing tools, special purpose machinery, engineering and print process assistance, print production management, digital asset management, content management, and package design services. The company's Marking Products segment offers a range of marking and coding products and related consumables, and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking, and conveying consumer and industrial products, components, and packaging containers. Its Merchandising Solutions segment provides merchandising displays and systems, such as permanent and temporary displays, custom store fixtures, brand concept shops, interactive kiosks, custom packaging, and screen and digitally printed promotional signage; and offers design and engineering services. The company was founded in 1850 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
The first thing to realize about StoneMor is that arcane and flexible accounting rules make it important to dig beneath its GAAP earnings. Growth throughout the industry has been substantial, as up-and-coming Carriage Services (NYSE: CSV ) continued to stay on pace for double-digit sales growth as it rapidly expands its reach. Even well-established player Matthews International (NASDAQ: MATW ) managed to grow revenue by nearly 14% in the quarter that ended in March, although its earnings fell slightly from the year-ago quarter. Still, StoneMor's sales haven't been able to rise as quickly as its peers, with its previous report including just a 6% gain in revenue.
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: MRG Metals Ltd (MRQ)
MRG Metals Limited is engaged in mineral exploration and production in Western Australia. The Company�� projects include the Xanadu gold project, the Mulgul copper prospect, the Braemore Battery prospect-Leonora, Diorite-Leonora and the Bellchambers. The Xanadu project consists of 14 prospecting license applications cover a total area of 26.7 square kilometers. The Mulgul exploration license application covers 336 square kilometers and is located 200 kilometers north of Meekatharra. The Company is acquiring nine granted prospecting licenses covering an area of 14.8 square kilometers, located five kilometers north of Leonora in the North-eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Diorite is located 25 kilometers north of Leonora. There are three granted prospecting licenses covering an area of 5.42 square kilometers of greenstone lithologies. Effective June 28, 2013, MRG Metals Ltd (MRG) acquired Sasak Resources Australia Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Magic Diligence]
Neustar's Lines of Business1) Numbering Services: 53% of total revenue, grew 7% in most recent quarter (mrq). These consist of databases that allow number portability - allowing customers to keep the same phone number even when changing cellular carriers or moving to a new address in the same area. Neustar is currently the sole provider of these services to the number portability administration center, or NPAC. We'll come back to this important fact later.
- [By Chuck Carnevale]
In addition to rewarding their shareholders through dividend increases and capital appreciation, Aflac has also been using its prodigious cash flows to purchase shares and reduce share count. Fewer shares outstanding support their ability to grow earnings per share to the benefit of shareholders. Common shares outstanding have fallen from 531 million shares in fiscal 1998 to 466 million shares in their most recent quarter (MRQ).
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Heidrick & Struggles International Inc (HSII)
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (Heidrick & Struggles) is an advisory firm providing executive search and leadership consulting services. As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided its services to a range of clients through the expertise of 347 consultants located in various cities around the world. The Company�� service offerings include executive search, leadership consulting and client base. The Company helps its clients build leadership teams by facilitating the recruitment, management and deployment of senior executives. In addition to executive search, it provides a range of leadership consulting services to clients. These services include succession planning, executive assessment, talent retention management, executive development, transition consulting for newly appointed executives, and mergers and acquisitions human capital integration consulting. In November 2013, Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc announced the acquisition of Scambler MacGregor.
The Company�� clients includes clients include Fortune 1000 companies, non-United States companies, middle market and emerging growth companies, governmental, higher education and not-for-profit organizations and other private and public entities. Heidrick & Struggles provides senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services to its clients worldwide through a network of more than 69 offices in 40 countries. The locations are staffed with consultants, research associates, administrative assistants and other support staff. Administrative functions are centralized where possible, although certain support and research functions are situated regionally because of variations in local requirements.
The Company�� worldwide network includes affiliate relationships in Finland, South Africa, Turkey and Portugal. It has no financial investment in these affiliates but receive licensing fees from them for the use of its name and its databases. Licensing fees are less than 1% of its net revenue. As ! of December 31, 2011, the Company had 160 consultants in its Americas segment, which included New York, Chicago and Atlanta. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 104 consultants in its European segment, which included the United Kingdom, Germany and France. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 83 consultants in itsAsia Pacific segment, which included China (including Hong Kong), Australia and Singapore. The Company�� executive search business operates in six broad industry groups: Financial Services, Industrial, Consumer Markets, Global Technology and Services, Life Sciences, and Education and Social Enterprise.
Its executive search consultants also specialize in searches for specific C-level functional positions, which are roles that generally report directly to the chief executive officer. These include chief financial officers, chief information officers, chief legal officers, chief marketing officers and chief human resources officers. The Company�� Global Functional Practices include Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors; Chief Human Resources Officers; Financial Officers; Information Officers; Interim Executives; Legal, Risk, Compliance & Government Affairs; Marketing, Sales & Strategy Officers; Multicultural & Digital Marketing; Sales Officers; Research & Development; and Supply Chain & Transportation.
The Company competes with Egon Zehnder International, Korn/Ferry International, Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. and Spencer Stuart & Associates.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anders Bylund]
And if you thought this crack team would look only at internal promotion candidates, headhunter firm Heidrick & Struggles (NASDAQ: HSII ) is there to vet the field of outsider candidates. It's a high-profile contract for Heidrick, but the stock fell 0.7% today anyhow. The lack of popping champagne corks in the company's Chicago headquarters is an indication of just how tough this recruitment drive will be.
- [By Rich Smith]
Chicago-based Heidrick & Struggles (NASDAQ: HSII ) needs a new CEO.
For weeks, rumors have swirled that Heidrick was on the block for possible sale to a new owner. Those rumors were squashed Monday, however, when the executive-search firm simultaneously announced that (a) it has decided to pursue a "stand-alone strategy," and (b) that Chief Executive Officer L. Kevin Kelly is leaving the company. (The company also had some good news -- revenues for the fiscal second quarter look to be close to the high point of its previously announced $110 million-to-$120 million range.)
- [By GuruFocus]
Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. (HSII): Interim CEO Jory J. Marino Bought 9,917 Shares
Interim CEO of Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. (HSII) Jory J. Marino bought 9,917 shares on 08/23/2013 at an average price of $15.03. Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. was formed as a Delaware corporation in 1999. Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. has a market cap of $272.497 million; its shares were traded at around $15.03 with a P/E ratio of 61.73 and P/S ratio of 0.58. The dividend yield of Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. stocks is 3.46%.
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Monarch Casino & Resort Inc (MCRI)
Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (Monarch), incorporated in 1993, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Golden Road Motor Inn, Inc. (Golden Road), owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa(the Atlantis), a hotel/casino facility in Reno, Nevada. Monarch�� other wholly owned subsidiaries, High Desert Sunshine, Inc. (High Desert) and Golden North, Inc. (Golden North), each own separate parcels of land located adjacent to the Atlantis. The Company owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, which is located approximately three miles south of downtown in the area of Reno, Nevada. The Atlantis features approximately 61,000 square feet of casino space; a hotel with 824 guest rooms and suites; ten food outlets; an enclosed year-round pool with waterfall; an outdoor pool; a health spa; two retail outlets offering clothing and resort gift shop merchandise; a full service salon for men and women; an 8,000 square-foot family entertainment center; and approximately 52,000 square feet of banquet, convention and meeting room space. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired 1.5 acre parcel of developable land contiguous to the Riviera Black Hawk Casino.
In April 2012, it acquired Riviera Black Hawk, Inc.
The Atlantis Casino offers approximately 1,450 slot and video poker machines; approximately 39 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and others; a race and sports book; keno and a poker room. The Atlantis includes three contiguous high-rise hotel towers with 824 rooms and suites. The Atlantis includes three contiguous high-rise hotel towers with a total of 824 rooms and suites. The first of the three hotel towers contains 160 rooms and suites in 13 stories. The 19-story second hotel tower contains 278 rooms and suites. The third tower contains 386 rooms and suites in 28 stories.
The Atlantis hotel rooms feature designs and furnishings consistent with the Northern Nevada market, as well as nine-foot ceilings (most standard hotel rooms have eig! ht-foot ceilings), which create an open and spacious feel. The third hotel tower features a four-story waterfall with an adjacent year-round swimming pool in a climate controlled, five-story glass enclosure, which shares an outdoor third floor pool deck with a seasonal outdoor swimming pool and year round whirlpool. A full-service salon (the Salon at Atlantis) overlooks the third floor sundeck and outdoor seasonal swimming pool and offers salon-grade products and treatments for hair, nails, skincare and body services for both men and women. A health spa is located adjacent to the swimming areas, which offers treatments and amenities. The hotel rooms on the spa floor are designated as spa rooms and feature decor that is themed consistent with the spa. Certain spa treatments are also available in spa floor hotel rooms. The hotel also features glass elevators rising the full 19 and 28 stories, of the respective towers providing views of the Reno area and the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The Atlantis has eight restaurants, two gourmet coffee bars and one snack bar. It includes 160-seat Atlantis Steakhouse gourmet restaurant; the 200-seat upscale Bistro Napa featuring a centrally located wine cellar; the Oyster Bar restaurant in the Sky Terrace offering fresh seafood, soups and bisques made to order; the Sushi Bar, also in the Sky Terrace, offering a variety of fresh raw and cooked sushi specialties, including all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner selections. The Oyster Bar and Sushi Bar can accommodate up to 139 guests; The 178-seat 24-hour Purple Parrot coffee shop; the 122-seat Cafe Alfresco restaurant serving a full menu, pizzas prepared in a wood-fired, brick oven and a variety of gelato deserts; the 170-seat Manhattan Deli restaurant specializing in piled-high sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts; two gourmet coffee bars, offering specialty coffee drinks, pastries and desserts made fresh daily in the Atlantis bakery; a snack bar and soda fountain serving ice cream and arcade-style refreshmen! ts.
The Sky Terrace is a structure with a diamond-shaped, blue glass body suspended approximately 55 feet, and spanning 160 feet across, South Virginia Street. The Sky Terrace connects the Atlantis with additional parking on its 16-acre site across South Virginia Street from the Atlantis. The structure rests at each end on two 100-foot tall Grecian columns with no intermediate support pillars. The interior of the Sky Terrace contains the Oyster Bar, the Sushi Bar, a video poker bar, banks of slot machines and a lounge area with oversized leather sofas and chairs.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vanina Egea] ong>Risks and Valuation
Although the Chinese government will maintain its gambling restrictions in the mainland over the next decade, Sand Corp�� market share and leverage in fixed costs will continue to riel in strong revenue growth from this region. Fiscal 2013 marked a 24.80% revenue increase ($13.8 billion) and operating margins continue to expand at the same pace. Despite the inherent risk of an economic slowdown in Asia or a recession in the U.S., which could put a halt to leisure spending, the company is well prepared to balance out any short-term losses. The casino operator�� EBITDA growth of 65.30%, for example, is an impressive result when compared to the industry�� average of 4.90%.
Looking forward, earnings per share are expected to continue their fast-paced upward trend, having jumped from $1.56 in 2011 to $2.79 at the end of fiscal 2013. The 21.6% return on equity, as well as 1.80% dividend yield should also be attractive to shareholders and future investors. Although Las Vegas Sand Corp is currently trading at a 24% price premium relative to the industry average of 22.60x trailing earnings, I feel very bullish about this firm�� long term profitability, given its strong market position in Asia.
Disclosure: Vanina Egea holds no position in any stocks mentioned.
Also check out: Andreas Halvorsen Undervalued Stocks Andreas Halvorsen Top Growth Companies Andreas Halvorsen High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Andreas Halvorsen keeps buying
About the author:Vanina EgeaA fundamental analyst at Lone Tree AnalyticsVisit Vanina Egea's Website
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Monarch Casino & Resort (MCRI) fell 15% to $18.71 after revenue missed forecasts today.
Stamps.com (STMP) fell 6.2% today ahead of its earnings results. It beat earnings after the close today.
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Monarch Casino & Resort (NASDAQ: MCRI ) were cooling off today, falling as much as 20% after the company's earnings report failed to impress.
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: American Capital Ltd.(ACAS)
American Capital, Ltd. is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in management and employee buyouts, mezzanine, acquisition, recapitalization, middle market, and growth capital investments. The firm seeks to invest in senior debt mezzanine and equity financing for buyouts of private equity firms and direct in private and public companies. It also invests in special situations and in government. In special situations, the firm invests in troubled situations and in distressed situations. In this area, it invests in acquisitions of true turnarounds, 363 auctions, portfolio add-ons, operationally challenged companies; financings in exit, ABL loans, second lien refinance, and direct lending to distressed companies. The firm invests in manufacturing, services, and distribution companies with a special focus on energy sector. In energy production sector, the firm invests in lower risk oil and gas exploration, production and development; natural gas liquids; coal m ining and coal-fired generation; uranium mining and nuclear-fired generation; wind-powered generation; and solar-powered generation. In energy transmission sector, the firm invests in oil and gas pipelines; LNG tankers and regasification facilities; and power transmission. In energy distribution sector, it targets propane distribution; gas distribution; electricity distribution. In energy services sector, the firm invests in oil and gas services and utility services. The firm also targets investments in companies that provide services or products to federal, state or local governments. It seeks to invest in information technology, human resources/benefit administration, outsourcing, transaction processing, engineering and construction, logistics, original equipment manufacturers ? homeland security and component, after market parts and supplies, and technology. It invests as lead or participative investor. The firm and its affiliates invest from $5 million to $300 million pe r company in North America and ?5 million ($6.92520 millio! n) to ?25 million ($34.6260 million) per company in Europe. American Capital, Ltd. was founded in 1986 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland with additional offices in United States, Europe, and Asia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By BDC Buzz]
FDUS is one of the few BDCs to consistently grow its NAV on a quarterly basis over the last two years. This is because most BDCs are regulated investment companies ("RIC") required to distribute at least 90% of capital gains, dividends and interest to shareholders to avoid taxation at the corporate level and 98% of net investment income to avoid paying a 4% excise tax. Excluding American Capital (ACAS) which converted from a RIC to a Subchapter C and does not pay a dividend, only a few BDCs have been able to pay a healthy dividend while increasing value per share - as discussed in "Triangle Capital: Is It Priced For Total Return?" including Main Street Capital (MAIN) and Triangle Capital (TCAP).
- [By James Brumley]
The market’s starting to realize the selloff was an errant one, as DHI shares are perking up again. There’s still a ways to go before the stock’s back to where it started, though.
American Capital Ltd (ACAS)12/2 Price: $15.29
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: SurModics Inc.(SRDX)
SurModics, Inc. provides drug delivery and surface modification technologies to the healthcare industry. The company offers surface modification coating technologies to enhance access, deliverability, and predictable deployment of medical devices, as well as drug delivery coating technologies to provide site-specific drug delivery from the surface of a medical device for the coronary, peripheral, neuro-vascular, and urology markets. It also provides a range of drug delivery technologies for injectable therapeutics, including microparticles, nanoparticles, and implants addressing a range of clinical applications, such as ophthalmology, oncology, dermatology, and neurology. In addition, the company provides in vitro diagnostic component products and technologies comprising microarray slide technologies, protein stabilization reagents, substrates, polymers and reagent chemicals, and antigens for diagnostic test kits and biomedical research applications. SurModics, Inc. market s its technologies and products worldwide through direct sales force consisting of sales professionals. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
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 SurModics (Nasdaq: SRDX ) , 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 SurModics (Nasdaq: SRDX ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
10 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In 2014: Peak Resorts Inc (SKIS)
Peak Resorts, Inc. is an owner and operator of individually branded ski resorts in the United States. The majority of the Company�� resorts are located at New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland and St. Louis. Its resorts have around 1,650 acres of skiable terrain. The Company offers a range of activities, services and amenities, including skiing, snowboarding, terrain parks, tubing, dining, lodging, equipment rentals and sales, ski and snowboard instruction, and mountain biking and other summer activities. As of November 21, 2014, the Company operated 13 ski resorts located primarily in the Northeast and Midwest region in the United States, including Hidden Valley, Snow Creek, Paoli Peaks, Mad River Mountain, Boston Mills, Brandywine, Crotched Mountain, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, Attitash, Mount Snow, Wildcat Mountain and Alpine Valley. The events hosted by the Company include Dew Tour, X-Games, Tough Mudder, SAM Cutters Camp, Transworld Trans-am Snowboard Event, Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge, NCAA National Downhill Championships, Special Olympics Games, Military Salutes and United States National Mountain Biking Championships.
Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley is located within the St. Louis MSA at Wildwood, Missouri and has around 77 snowmaking machines with a capacity of up to 5,000 gallons of water per minute, or 12 inches of machine-made snow in a 24-hour period. Hidden Valley has around 60 skiable acres and around 10 lifts.
Snow Creek
Snow Creek is located north of Kansas City at Weston, Missouri and has 60 snowmaking machines with a capacity of up to 3,000 gallons of water per minute, or 12 inches of machine-made snow in a 24-hour period. Snow Creek has around 40 skiable acres and around six lifts.
Paoli Peaks
Paoli Peaks is located at Paoli, Indiana and has snowmaking machines that can produce 12 inches of machine-made snow in a 24-hour period. Paoli Peaks has around 65 skiable acres and around eight lifts.
Mad River Mountain
Mad River Mountain is located at Zanesfield, Ohio and has a snowmaking system that has around 133 fan guns with the ability to pump over 7,000 gallons of water per minute and cover 100% of its terrain in 72 hours. Mad River Mountain has four terrain parks, including Capital Park. It is a 324-acre winter playground. Mad River Mountain has around 60 skiable acres and around 12 lifts.
Boston Mills and Brandywine
Boston Mills and Brandywine ski resorts are a pair of sister ski resorts located within the Cleveland MSA and Cuyahoga Valley Park at Sagamore Hills, Ohio. Boston Mills and Brandywine Ski Resorts have around 88 skiable acres and around 18 lifts.
Crotched Mountain
Crotched Mountain ski and ride is located near the Boston MSA at Bennington, New Hampshire. Crotched Mountain operates The Rocket, a detachable quad chairlift. Crotched Mountain has around 105 skiable acres and around five lifts.
Jack Frost Mountain and Big Boulder
Jack Frost Mountain and Big Boulder ski resorts are located in the Pocono Mountains at Blakeslee, Pennsylvania. Big Boulder Ski Resort has acres of freestyle terrain parks. Jack Frost Mountain and Big Boulder Ski Resorts have around 145 skiable acres and around 23 lifts.
Attitash
Attitash mountain resort is located within the proximity of Mt. Washington at Bartlett, New Hampshire. Its offerings include a variety of attractions, such as North America's Alpine Slide, the Nor'Easter Mountain Coaster and New England-based zip line of around 5,000 feet. Attitash has a 143-room summit hotel. Attitash has around 307 skiable acres and around 11 lifts.
Mount Snow
Mount Snow is located in the Green Mountains of southern Vermont. Mount Snow has a 196-room grand summit hotel. Mount Snow has around 490 skiable acres and around 20 lifts.
Wildcat Mountain
Wildcat Mountain ski resort is located in the! White Mo! untains at Jackson, New Hampshire. Wildcat Mountain Ski Resort has around 225 skiable acres and around five lifts.
Alpine Valley
Alpine Valley is located at Chesterland, Northeast Ohio and has a snowmaking system equipped with 30 tower and portable fan guns along with a pump house and maintenance facility. Alpine Valley has around 54 skiable acres and around seven lifts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
If you are a ski enthusiast hitting the slopes this winter, you might want to check out ski stocks�like mid cap Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN) and small caps Peak Resorts Inc (NASDAQ: SKIS) and Intrawest Resorts Holdings Inc (NYSE: SNOW) which own or operate ski resorts. However, two of these ski stocks are recent IPOs with small cap Peak Resorts Inc having an IPO about a month ago while Intrawest Resorts Holdings debuted at the end of January. With that in mind, here is what you need to know as an investor before you hit the slopes with these ski stocks:
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