Not A Very Good Quarter By Most Measures
3M gets a lot of credit for its strong margins, its defensive characteristics, and its strong global footprint. All of that may be true on balance, but it's hard to say that performance isn't eroding.
Revenue was up 3% this quarter, or a little more than 2% on an organic basis, with about three-quarters of that growth fueled by volume gains. Three of the five business units reported organic growth (with Industrial and Consumer at 3% and Health Care at 6%), while Safety/Graphics and Electronics/Energy both declined 2%.
Hot Railroad Stocks To Own For 2015: Theravance Inc.(THRX)
Theravance, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule medicines for various therapeutic areas, including respiratory disease, bacterial infections, and central nervous system (CNS)/pain. The company?s key development programs with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) include the RELOVAIR, a Phase 3 clinical trial program for the treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or asthma; the LAMA/LABA program, a Phase 3 COPD program; and the Bifunctional Muscarinic Antagonist-beta2 Agonist (MABA) program, a Phase 2b program for the treatment of COPD, as well as Peripherally Selective Mu-Opioid Receptor Antagonist (P Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Sean Williams]
A revolutionary COPD treatment?
On Wednesday, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, treatment collaborators GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK ) and Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX ) are set to go before the FDA's panel with their combo Breo Ellipta. This revolutionary drug combines Theravance's long-acting beta-2 agonists with Glaxo's long-acting muscarinic antagonists into a dry powder inhaler to provide long-term COPD relief. - [By Sean Williams]
On the bright side, GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK ) and Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX ) received a much-expected drug approval for once-daily inhaled COPD maintenance treatment Breo Ellipta from the Food and Drug Administration. Having proved non-inferior to the placebo in trials, and delivering a favorable safety profile while reducing flare-ups and helping relieve air flow obstruction, Breo Ellipta has a good shot at being a blockbuster drug within the next couple of years. Breo Ellipta is expected to be available to patients next quarter. In addition, as I've alluded to on numerous occasions, it could be the impetus that encourages Glaxo to gobble up Theravance's Royalty Management -- one of two proposed entities that Theravance plans to split into. This is certainly a big win for both companies.
- [By Keith Speights]
1. Anoro
GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK ) and Theravance (NASDAQ: THRX ) gained approval from the Food and Drug Administration in May for COPD drug Breo Ellipta. However, the real excitement is over another drug that the two companies have in the wings -- Anoro. - [By Jonas Elmerraji]
First up is $4 billion biopharmaceutical firm Theravance (THRX). It's been one heck of a year already for THRX's shareholders. Since the calendar flipped over to January, shares of the firm have rallied more than 75%. But the setup forming in shares points to even higher ground for the final quarter of 2013.
That's because Theravance is currently forming an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish setup that's formed by a horizontal resistance level above shares at $42 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as Theravance bounces in between those two technical levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above that $42 resistance level. When that happens, traders have a buy signal.
Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Ascending triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.
That $42 is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.
Don't be early on this trade.
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: TSR Inc.(TSRI)
TSR, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides contract computer programming services to commercial customers, and state and local government agencies in the metropolitan New York area, New England, and the mid-Atlantic region. It offers technical computer personnel to supplement in-house information technology capabilities. The company provides its staffing services in the areas of mainframe and mid-range computer operations, personal computers and client-server support, Internet and e-commerce operations, voice and data communications, and help desk support capabilities. TSR, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in Hauppauge, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon] ay.
TSRI is typical of the kinds of net-nets you find on this list. The number of net-nets with five straight years of profits is about a dozen stocks. TSR is one of them. It is controlled by the founder. He formed the company 42 years ago. And he still owns 46% of the company today.
Other companies on the list of profitable net-nets also involve one man (or one family) control. These include:
路 Micropac (MPAD)
路 ADDvantage Technologies (AEY)
路 Solitron Devices (SODI)
路 OPT-Sciences (OPST)
Micropac
Micropac is 76% owned by Heinz-Werner Hempel. He�� a German businessman. You can see the German company he founded here. He�� had control of Micropac for a long-time. I don�� have an exact number in front of me. But I would guess it�� been something like 25 years.
ADDvantage
ADDvantage Technologies is controlled by the Chymiak brothers. See the company�� April 4 press release explaining their decision to turn over the CEO position to an outsider. Regardless, the Chymiaks still control 47% of the company. Ken Chymiak is now chairman. And David Chymiak is still a director and now the company�� chief technology officer. Clearly, it�� still their company.
By the way, the name ADDvantage Technologies has nothing to do with the Chymiaks. Today�� AEY really traces its roots to a private company called Tulsat. The Chymiak brothers acquired that company about 27 years ago. So, effectively, when you buy shares of AEY you are buying into a 27-year-old family-controlled company.
That�� pretty typical in the world of net-nets.
Solitron
Solitron Devices is 29% owned by Shevach Saraf. He has been the CEO for 20 years. The post-bankruptcy Solitron has never known another CEO. Before the bankruptcy, Solitron was a much bigger, much different company. So even though we are not talking about the founder here ��and even though 70% of the company�� shares are not held by the CEO
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Golden Minerals Co. (AUMN)
Golden Minerals Company engages in the mining, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Mexico and South America. It explores for silver and gold dor茅 bars, precipitates, lead, zinc, and pyrite concentrates. The company holds 100% interests in the Velarde帽a and Chicago precious metals mining operations that cover approximately 600 hectares located in the State of Durango, Mexico; and the Zacatecas silver and base metals project that consists of 195 concessions covering approximately 8,600 hectares in Mexico. It also owns interests in the El Quevar project that comprises 32 exploitation concessions covering approximately 55,000 hectares in the province of Salta, Argentina; and controls approximately 40 exploration properties that cover approximately 320,000 hectares located in the regions of Mexico and South America. The company was formerly known as Apex Silver Mines Limited and changed its name to Golden Minerals Company in March 2009 as a result of reorgan ization. Golden Minerals Company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Golden, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Zacks Investment Research]
Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, Golden Minerals Company (AUMN) owns mining operations and precious metals exploration properties in Mexico and South America.
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX)
Market Vectors-Russia ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the price and yield performance of the DAXglobal Russia+ Index (the Russia+ Index). The Russia+ Index includes a basket of securities of 30 of the most heavily traded Russian companies that have listings on global exchanges, either through an American depository receipt (ADR), a global depository receipt (GDR) or local Russian shares. The Russia+ Index, which was launched in March 2007, is a modified market capitalization-weighted index designed to track the movements of certain depository receipts (DRs) and stocks of publicly traded companies that are domiciled in Russia, and traded in Russia and on global exchanges. The Russia+ Index consists of companies with market capitalization greater than $150 million that have a daily average traded volume of at least $1 million over the past six months. The Russia+ Index includes energy companies, such as Lukoil, OAO Gazprom and Surgutneftgaz; utility company, Unified Energy Systems; steel manufacturing firms, such as Mechel OAO and Evraz Group SA; mining firm, JSC MMC Norilsk Nickel; communications firms, such as Mobile TeleSystems OJSC and Vimpel-Communications, and Sberbank.
The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in stocks and depositary receipts (DRs) of publicly traded companies that are domiciled in Russia. Publicly traded companies that are domiciled in Russia means companies organized in, or for which the principal trading market is in Russia; companies that, alone or on a consolidated basis, have 50% or more of their assets invested in Russia, or companies that alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of their revenues primarily from either goods produced, sales made or services performed in Russia. The Fund, utilizing a passive or indexing investment approach, attempts to approximate the investment performance of the Russia+ Index by investing in a portfolio of securities that generally replicate the Russia+ Index. The Fund! will hold all of the securities that comprise the Russia+ Index in proportion to their weightings in the Russia+ Index. The Fund will normally invest at least 95% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Russia+ Index. The Russia+ Index is calculated and maintained by the Deutsche Borse (the Index Provider).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Charles Sizemore]
But what exactly are you buying when you buy Russian stocks? Let�� take a look under the hood at the ETFs that track the Russian market: the Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX), the iShares MSCI Russia Capped Index (ERUS) and the SPDR S&P Russia (RBL).
- [By Louis Navellier]
It is surreal to see how depressed Russian shares are, in general. They are still underwater since 2007, as measured by the Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX) ��charted above vs. the S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The Russian economy has grown significantly since then, and so have the earnings and revenues of the mainstream Russian companies.
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: ATAC Resources Ltd (ATC)
ATAC Resources Ltd. (ATAC) is a Canada-based exploration-stage company. ATAC is in the business of exploring for metals and minerals with a particular emphasis on gold. The Company holds interests in a number of other mineral properties outside of the Rackla Gold project area, which is located in the Mayo Mining District of central Yukon. ATAC�� wholly owned Rackla Gold project consists of an approximate center of the project area is 100 kilometers northeast of Keno City. The Rackla Gold project area is comprised of over 8,000 mineral claims. The claims cover an area of 1,700 square kilometers. The Rackla Gold project area includes Rau Trend and the Nadaleen Trend. Joint venture properties include the Connaught property. ATAC and Klondike Silver Corp. each hold a 50% interest in the Connaught property. Property interests under option include the Rosy Property, Green Gulch, Touleary, Dan Man and Shamrock Properties. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Patricio Kehoe]
Management�� efficiency is also evidenced by its decision to reduce its non-core assets in order to concentrate on its most profitable businesses. Consequently, almost nine months after its initial tender, Orange divested its Dominican unit to Luxemburg-based Altice SA (ATC) for $1.4 billion last week.
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Imperva Inc (IMPV)
Imperva, Inc. (Imperva), incorporated on April 2002, is engaged in providing data security solutions focused on providing visibility and control over business data across systems within the data center. The Company�� securesphere data security suite is a solution designed to prioritize and mitigate risks to high-value business data, protect against hackers and malicious insiders and address and streamline regulatory compliance. SecureSphere is an integrated, modular suite, which provides database, file and Web application security and secures all business data across a range of systems in data centers, including traditional on-premise data centers as well as private, public and hybrid cloud computing environments. The Company also offers on-demand, cloud-based security services. The Company has two segments: Imperva, which is comprised of its financial position and results of operations and those of the Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries, and Incapsula, which is comprised of the financial position and results of operations of the Company�� majority owned subsidiary. In February 2014, Imperva Inc acquired real-time mainframe security auditing agents from Tomium Software.
The Company�� products include SecureSphere data security suite for enterprise data centers and its cloud-based security services that it provides through Incapsula for mid-market enterprises and small and medium business (SMBs). The Company�� solution includes database security, file security and Web application security.
Database Security
Database security provides full visibility and control over structured business data repositories, including database data usage, vulnerabilities and access rights and enables security, audit, risk and information technology (IT) professionals to improve data security and address compliance requirements. The database products cover the enterprise database platforms, including Oracle, MS-SQL, IBM DB2, Sybase, Informix, MySQL, Progress, Teradata and ! Netezza. The database security products include discovery and assessment server, database activity monitoring, database firewall, user rights management for databases and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) insights. The discovery and assessment server automates the process of discovering databases and other business data on the network and performs a security assessment to identify risks to high-value business data. Database activity monitoring includes all discovery and assessment server functionality. Database firewall includes database activity monitoring functionality. User rights management for databases enables the management of user rights across heterogeneous enterprise databases by aggregating user rights to illustrate what rights users have to business data. ADC Insights provides user tracking for identifying the real end user behind database transactions.
The Company competes with International Business Machines Corporation, McAfee, Inc. and Oracle Corporation.
File Security
File security provides full visibility and control over unstructured business data repositories, including file ownership, usage and access rights and enables security, audit, risk and information technology (IT) professionals to improve file data security and address compliance requirements. The file security products are designed to secure files, including spreadsheets, presentation slides, word processing documents and portable document format (PDFs) containing high-value business data that its customers store in unstructured repositories, such as file servers, network attached storage and storage area network devices. The File security products include user rights management for files, file activity monitoring and file firewall. User rights management for files enables the management of user access rights across multiple different file storage systems by aggregating user rights based on organizational context and actual file usage to illustrate what rights users have to sensitive ! files. Fi! le activity monitoring includes all user rights management for files functionality. File firewall includes all file activity monitoring functionality, and provides real-time blocking of suspicious activity that violates corporate policies.
The Company competes with EMC Corporation and Symantec Corporation.
Web Application Security
Web application security protects Web applications from large scale cyber attacks, adapts to evolving threats to prevent data breaches and addresses compliance requirements. Its product includes Web application firewall (WAF), which fortifies Web defenses with research-driven intelligence on current threats.
The Company competes with Citrix Systems, Inc. and F5 Networks, Inc.
Cloud-Based Services
The Company�� cloud-based service offerings are its Incapsula service, the Imperva Cloud WAF Service and its ThreatRadar subscription service. The Incapsula service is designed to be easy to deploy and to be accessible to small and medium size businesses that need data security and compliance solutions, but do not have the size or resources to deploy its SecureSphere WAF appliances into their own Website infrastructure. Incapsula�� security and optimization offerings include the services, including Web application firewall services, content delivery optimization and distributed denial of service-attack prevention. Web application firewall services provide enterprise-grade blocking of attacks against Web applications to help ensure Website safety and availability; enhanced security through real-time and centralized threat detection across all protected Websites; allows customers to address compliance requirements. Content delivery optimization optimizes Website performance by reducing page load times, server load and bandwidth consumption. Distributed denial of service-attack prevention blocks malicious attack traffic and allows filtered, legitimate traffic to flow to the customer Website allowing its b! usiness t! o run without interruption.
Imperva Cloud WAF powered by Incapsula, bundles the incapsula service with managed support services from our security operations center (SOC). Managed services include provisioning, security alert notifications and tuning, incident response, real time service dashboard and statistics, customer support and weekly reports on alerts and attack trends. ThreatRadar is an add-on, premium subscription service for the Company�� SecureSphere WAF appliance that recognizes attack sources and dynamically adjusts Web security policies within its SecureSphere WAF appliance to provide protection against them.
The customers include four of the telecommunications companies, three of the commercial banks in the United States, three of the financial data service firms, three of the computer hardware companies, two of the food and drug store companies, over 150 government agencies worldwide and more than 100 Fortune 1000 companies. The Company primarily sells its products and services through its network of over 350 channel partners worldwide, including both distributors and resellers. The Company derives its revenue from sales and licenses of its products and sales of its services. Services revenue consists of maintenance and support, professional services and training and subscriptions. A majority of the Company�� revenue is derived from customers in the Americas region. As of December 31, 2010, 66% of its total revenue was generated from the Americas, 24% from Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and 10% from Asia Pacific, and for the six months ended June 30, 2011, 63% of its total revenue was generated from the Americas, 24% from EMEA and 13% from Asia Pacific.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Technology shares jumped by 1.69 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included Imperva (NYSE: IMPV), up 21.6 percent, and Spansion (NYSE: CODE), up 20 percent.
Best Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: TC PipeLines LP (TCP)
TC PipeLines, LP (the Partnership), incorporated on December 16, 1998, acquires, owns and participates in the management of energy infrastructure businesses in North America. The Company�� pipeline systems transport natural gas in the United States. The Partnership is managed by the Company�� General Partner, which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of TransCanada. The Company has equity ownership interests in four natural gas interstate pipeline systems. The Company�� pipeline systems include Great Lakes, Northern Border, GTN, Bison, North Baja and Tuscarora. The Company owns 46.45% interest in Great Lakes. Great Lakes connect with the TransCanada Mainline at the Canadian border near Emerson, Manitoba, Canada and St. Clair, Michigan, near Detroit. Great Lakes are a bi-directional pipeline that can receive and deliver natural gas at multiple points along its system. In July 2013, TC PipeLines, LP announced the closing of its acquisition of an additional 45% interest in each of Gas Transmission Northwest LLC (GTN) and Bison Pipeline LLC (Bison) from subsidiaries of TransCanada Corporation.
The Company owns 50% interest in Northern Border. Northern Border Extends between the Canadian borders near Port of Morgan, Montana to a terminus near North Hayden, Indiana, south of Chicago. Northern Border is capable of receiving natural gas from Canada, the Williston Basin and Rockies Basin. The Company owns 25% interest in GTN. GTN extends between an interconnection near Kingsgate, British Columbia, Canada at the Canadian Border to a point near Malin, Oregon at the California border. The Company owns 25% interest Bison. Bison extends from a location near Gillette, Wyoming to Northern Border's pipeline system in North Dakota. The Company owns 100% interest in North Baja. North Baja extends between an interconnection with the El Paso Natural Gas Company pipeline near Ehrenberg, Arizona to an interconnection with a natural gas pipeline near Ogilby, California on the Mexican border. The Compa! ny owns 100% interest in Tuscarora. Tuscarora extends between GTN near Malin, Oregon to its terminus near Reno, Nevada and delivers natural gas in northeastern California and northwestern Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Last week,�TC PipeLines�(NYSE: TCP) outperformed all other MLPs, rising more than 20%. Another partnership sponsored by a Canadian midstream giant,�Enbridge Energy Partners�(NYSE: EEP), rallied 10%.
- [By Rich Duprey]
For holders of TCF Financials' (NYSE: TCP ) non-convertible perpetual�7.5% Series A stock, the board of directors announced yesterday investors will receive $0.05 per share on August 30�to holders of record at the close of business on August 15.
- [By Dividends4Life]
TC PipeLines LP (TCP) has interests in over 5,550 interstate natural gas pipelines, including a 46.5% stake in Great Lakes Gas Transmission L.P.
Yield: 6.3% | Years of Dividend Growth: 14
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