Stocks rose, fell, and are rising again after the Federal Reserve left “considerable time” in its statement.
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The S&P 500 has gained 0.3% to 2,004.23, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has advanced 0.3% to 17,174.93. The Nasdaq Composite has advanced 0.4% to 4,570.25.
CRT Capital’s David Ader tries to decide whether the Fed release leans dovish or hawkish:
Fed keeps language re considerable time intact, which could have been dovish, but with dots moving up (in part due a change� in increments) the market apparently reads this as hawkish.� That’s overblown in our view and given the subdued inflation language, labor slack, and moderate expansion expect that when they due remove they’ll attach data dependent and something a bit dovish to soothe.
Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. The company's product categories include candy, snack foods, tobacco, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and cleaning and institutional supplies; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, office supplies, garden and patio, sporting goods, toys, seasonal items, and automotive supplies; dry and institutionally packaged foods; apparel, domestics, jewelry, house wares, media, home furnishings, cameras, and small appliances; meat, bakery, deli, and produce; and gas stations, pharmacy, food court, optical, one-hour photo, hearing aid, and travel. It also provides business and gold star (individual) membership services. As of April 26, 2011, the company operated 581 warehouses, including 425 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 80 in Canada, 22 in the Uni ted Kingdom, 7 in Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 8 in Japan, 1 in Australia, and 32 in Mexico. It also has Costco Online, an electronic commerce Web site, at costco.com in the United States and at costco.ca in Canada. The company was formerly known as Costco Companies, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Costco Wholesale Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Amy Sancetta/AP A consumer tech giant made the biggest acquisition in its history, and a popular discount airline paid the price for not discounting the way it said it was. Here's a rundown of the week's best and worst in the business world. Southwest Airlines (LUV) -- Loser The "bags fly free" airline loves to jab at its competitors for slapping extra fees on everything from luggage to legroom to hide their true total fares, but Southwest's advertised rates sometimes lack integrity too. Southwest messed up late last year when it promoted $59 fares for certain popular routes that it never ultimately offered at that price. The unfortunate episode came to a head this week when Southwest was fined $200,000 for deceptive marketing. It was a rare misstep for Southwest, and now it's paying the price in more ways than one. Apple (AAPL) -- Winner After weeks of speculation, Apple finally announced that it would pay $3 billion for Beats Electronics and Beats Music. Some have questioned the deal. Is Apple paying too much for what will be the largest acquisition -- by far -- in its history? Is the consumer tech giant desperate? Is this the end of organic innovation at Apple? Settle down. This purchase is a brilliant move. Beats Electronics is the leading marketer of premium headphones, and this gives Apple a high-end accessory category that it hasn't excelled at on its own. It also gives Apple a neat way to play the popularity of rival platforms since headphones, naturally, are operating system agnostic. Beats Music also gives Apple a foothold in the booming on-demand streaming category. It may have just 250,000 paying subscribers, but this is a market where Apple had struggled to obtain music label licenses. Apple only had the discovery-based iTunes Radio where listeners can't stream the exact song or playlist they crave. Beats Music solves that dilemma. Western Digital (WDC) -- Loser There's a surprising service missing from Western Digital's new set-top med
- [By Dan Caplinger]
On Thursday, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST ) will release its latest quarterly results. But with the stock having hit successive new record highs since early 2011, will Costco be able to maintain enough growth to justify its somewhat rich valuation?
- [By Chris Hill]
In this segment from Friday's Investor Beat, host Chris Hill and Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio analyst Ron Gross discuss Costco (NASDAQ: COST ) . The company reports earnings next week, and Ron tells investors that this is one of his personal favorite stocks, but that the Million Dollar Portfolio service has had the stock as a "hold" for a while after the stock price ran above $115. Ron will be watching the earnings closely, as he would love to have a reason to upgrade Costco back to a buy.
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: China Natural Resources Inc.(CHNR)
China Natural Resources, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploitation of mining rights. The company involves in the exploration, extraction, processing, and sale of iron, zinc, and other nonferrous metals extracted or produced at mines primarily located in Anhui Province in the People?s Republic of China. It also involves in the exploration, acquisition, construction, development, and operation of coal mines located in Guizhou Province, the People?s Republic of China. The company is based in Central, Hong Kong.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top decliners in the sector included Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI), off 5.3 percent, and China Natural Resources (NASDAQ: CHNR), down 3.9 percent.
Top Headline
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: CombiMatrix Corporation(CBMX)
CombiMatrix Corporation, a molecular diagnostics company, operates primarily in the fields of genetic analysis and molecular diagnostics in the United States. The company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, CombiMatrix Diagnostics, operates a diagnostics reference laboratory that provides DNA-based clinical diagnostic testing services to physicians, hospitals, and other laboratories in two primary areas, including prenatal and postnatal developmental disorders, and oncology. It offers a suite of developmental disorder array tests on the prenatal and postnatal application of array-comparative genomic hybridization in diagnosing genomic syndromes associated with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, dysmorphic features, and/or birth defects. The company also provides DNAarray?Heme Profile test to address various common hematological malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia; DNAarray?HER2 PRO test for breast cancer; and DNAarray?Tumor Profile test for the analysis of solid tumors, including breast, colon, lung, prostate, and brain tumors. In addition, it focuses on developing a series of drug compounds to address various oncology-related diseases. CombiMatrix Corporation was founded in 1995 and is based in Irvine, California.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Bryan Murphy]
Looking for a couple of long (bullish) trading ideas on a day when the market is dragging pretty much everything lower? There are two names that fit the bill...CombiMatrix Corp. (NASDAQ:CBMX) and Banro Corporation (NYSEMKT:BAA). CBMX is an "almost" small cap stock that deserves a place on your watchlist while we wait for it to do one more thing. Meanwhile, BAA is something worth going ahead and taking a swing on now, not despite the market's tumble, but because of it.
- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Also, shares of Combimatrix Corp. (CBMX) rose 7.5% to $2.73 in moderate volume late Friday following a Securities and Exchange Commission filing showing Longwood Capital Partners acquired a 5.1% stake in the microcap molecular diagnostics company.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is CombiMatrix (CBMX), which operates a diagnostics reference laboratory that provides DNA-based clinical diagnostic testing services to physicians, hospitals, clinics and other laboratories in the areas of prenatal and postnatal development disorders, and hematology/oncology genomics. This stock hasn't done much over the last three months, with shares up by just 1.4%.
If you take a look at the chart for CombiMatrix, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.14 to its recent high of $2.90 a share. During that move, shares of CBMX have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That uptrend has now pushed shares of CBMX within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CBMX if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.90 to $2.92 a share, and then once it clears its 200-day moving average at $2.96 to more near-term overhead resistance at $3.20 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 823,656 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CBMX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $3.70 to $4.44 a share.
Traders can look to buy CBMX off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average at $2.57 a share or just below more support at $2.20 to $2.14 a share. One can also buy CBMX off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP)
Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Consumer Staples Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index (the Index). The Index includes companies that are primarily involved in the development and production of consumer products that cover food and drug retailing, beverages, food products, tobacco, household products and personal products.
The Fund utilizes a passive or indexing investment approach to invest in a portfolio of stocks that seek to replicate the Index. The Fund��s investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Chris Ciovacco]
The damage from Wednesday's session did little to disturb the market's longer-term risk tolerance profile, which is easy to understand when you consider the S&P 500 is still up 3 points for the week. However, we have seen some emerging cracks over the past two weeks. Demand for bonds has not surpassed stocks, but there is evidence of an attempt to mount a more formidable charge relative to stocks. Recent interest in defensive consumer staples (XLP) also tells us to keep an open mind about a "give back" after the S&P 500 gained 129 points from the October 9 low to the recent high. The observable evidence in the table above aligns with a growth-oriented allocation, including exposure to broad U.S. stock market (VTI), emerging markets (EEM), foreign stocks (EFA), and technology (QQQ).
- [By Chris Versace, Editor, PowerTrend Brief and PowerTrend Profits]
That, to me, says they're going to favor inelastic goods over elastic ones, so when you think of the things that we need each and every day, toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, household cleansers, that sort of thing, that's what brings me into (XLP) and (VDC).
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: RPC Inc (RES)
RPC, Inc. (RPC), incorporated on January 20, 1984, is a holding company. The Company provides a broad range of specialized oilfield services and equipment primarily to independent and oil and gas companies engaged in the exploration, production and development of oil and gas properties throughout the United States, including the southwest, mid-continent, Gulf of Mexico, Rocky Mountain and Appalachian regions, and in selected international markets. The Company operates in two business segments: Technical Services and Support Services.
The services and equipment provided include, among others, pressure pumping services,downhole tool services coiled tubing services, snubbing services (also referred to as hydraulic workover services), nitrogen services, the rental of drill pipe and other specialized oilfield equipment, and well control. RPC acts as a holding company for its operating units, Cudd Energy Services, Patterson Rental and Fishing Tools, Bronco Oilfield Services, Thru Tubing Solutions, Well Control School, and others.
Technical Services
Technical Services include RPC��s oil and gas service lines that utilize people and equipment to perform value-added completion, production and maintenance services directly to a customer��s well. The demand for these services is generally influenced by customers�� decisions to invest capital toward initiating production in a new oil or natural gas well, improving production flows in an existing formation, or to address well control issues. This business segment consists primarily of pressure pumping, downhole tools, coiled tubing, snubbing, nitrogen, well control, wireline and fishing. The principal markets for this business segment include the United States, including the southwest, mid-continent, Gulf of Mexico, Rocky Mountain and Appalachian regions, and in selected international markets. Customers include multi-national and independent oil and gas producers, and selected nationally owned oil companies.
The Company primarily provides these services to customers in order to enhance the initial production of hydrocarbons in formations that have low permeability. Pressure pumping services involve using complex, truck or skid-mounted equipment designed and constructed for each specific pumping service offered. The mobility of this equipment permits pressure pumping services to be performed in varying geographic areas. Principal materials utilized in the pressure pumping business include fracturing proppants, acid and bulk chemical additives. Generally, these items are available from several suppliers, and the Company utilizes more than one supplier for each item.Fracturing services are performed to stimulate production of oil and natural gas by increasing the permeability of a formation. Fracturing is particularly important in shale formations, which have low permeability, and unconventional completion, because the formation containing hydrocarbons is not concentrated in one area and requires multiple fracturing operations. The fracturing process consists of pumping fluid gel and sometimes nitrogen into a cased well at sufficient pressure to fracture the formation at desired locations and depths. Sand, bauxite or synthetic proppant, which is often suspended in gel, is pumped into the fracture. When the pressure is released at the surface, the fluid gel returns to the well surface, but the proppant remains in the fracture, thus keeping it open so that oil and natural gas can flow through the fracture into the production tubing and ultimately the well surface.
Acidizing services are also performed to stimulate production of oil and natural gas, but they are used in wells that have undergone formation damage due to the buildup of various materials that block the formation. Acidizing entails pumping volumes of specially formulated acids into reservoirs to dissolve barriers and enlarge crevices in the formation, thereby eliminating obstacles to the flow of oil and natural gas.! Acidizin! g services can also enhance production in limestone formations.Throug. TTS provides services and downhole motors, fishing tools and other specialized downhole tools and processes to operators and service companies in drilling and production operations, including casing perforation at the completion stage of an oil or gas well. The services that TTS provides are especially suited for unconventional drilling and completion activities.
Coiled tubing services, involve the injection of coiled tubing into wells to perform various applications and functions for use principally in well-servicing operations and more recently to facilitate completion of horizontal wells. Coiled tubing is a flexible steel pipe with a diameter of less than four inches manufactured in continuous lengths of thousands of feet and wound or coiled around a reel. It can be inserted through existing production tubing and used to perform workovers without using a larger, more costly workover rig. Principal advantages of employing coiled tubing in a workover operation include: not having to shut-in the well during such operations, the ability to reel continuous coiled tubing in and out of a well significantly faster than conventional pipe, the ability to direct fluids into a wellbore with more precision, and enhanced access to remote or offshore fields due to the smaller size and mobility of a coiled tubing unit compared to a workover rig.
Snubbing involves using a hydraulic workover rig that permits an operator to repair damaged casing, production tubing and downhole production equipment in a high-pressure environment. A snubbing unit makes it possible to remove and replace downhole equipment while maintaining pressure on the well. Customers benefit because these operations can be performed without removing the pressure from the well, which stops production and can damage the formation, and because a snubbing rig can perform many applications at a lower cost than other alternatives. There are a number of uses fo! r nitroge! n, an inert, non-combustible element, in providing services to oilfield customers and industrial users outside of the oilfield. For its oilfield customers, nitrogen can be used to clean drilling and production pipe and displace fluids in various drilling applications.
For its oilfield customers, nitrogen can be used to clean drilling and production pipe and displace fluids in various drilling applications. Increasingly, it is used as a displacement medium to production in older wells in which production has depleted. It also can be used to create a fire-retardant environment in hazardous blowout situations and as a fracturing medium for its fracturing service line. In addition, nitrogen can be complementary to its snubbing and coiled tubing service lines, because it is a non-corrosive medium and is frequently injected into a well using coiled tubing. For non-oilfield industrial users, nitrogen can be used to purge pipelines and create a non-combustible environment.
Cudd Energy Services specializes in responding to and controlling oil and gas well emergencies, including blowouts and well fires, domestically and internationally. In connection with these services, Cudd Energy Services, along with Patterson Services, has the capacity to supply the equipment, and personnel necessary to restore affected oil and gas wells to production. During the past several years, the Company has responded to well control situations in several international locations including Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Mexico, Qatar, Taiwan, Trinidad, Turkmenistan, Tanzania, Abu Dhabi and Venezuela.
Wireline is classified into two types of services: slick or braided line and electric line. In both, a spooled wire is unwound and lowered into a well, conveying various types of tools or equipment. Slick or braided line services use a non-conductive line primarily for jarring objects into or out of a well, as in fishing or plug-setting operations. Elect! ric line ! services lower an electrical conductor line into a well allowing the use of electrically-operated tools such as perforators, bridge plugs and logging tools. Wireline services can be an integral part of the plug and abandonment process, near the end of the life cycle of a well.
Fishing involves the use of specialized tools and procedures to retrieve lost equipment from a well drilling operation and producing wells. It is a service required by oil and gas operators who have lost equipment in a well. Oil and natural gas production from an affected well typically declines until the lost equipment can be retrieved. In some cases, the Company creates customized tools to perform a fishing operation. The customized tools are maintained by the Company after the particular fishing job for future use if a similar need arises.
Support Services
Support Services include RPC��s oil and gas service lines that primarily provide equipment for customer use or services to assist customer operations. The equipment and services include drill pipe and related tools, pipe handling, pipe inspection and storage services, and oilfield training services. The demand for these services tends to be influenced primarily by customer drilling-related activity levels. The principal markets for this segment include the United States, including the Gulf of Mexico, mid-continent, Rocky Mountain and Appalachian regions and project work in selected international locations in the last three years including primarily Canada, Latin America and the Middle East. Customers primarily include domestic operations of multi-national and independent oil and gas producers, and selected nationally owned oil companies.
Rental tools accounted for approximately 5% of 2012 revenues. The Company rents specialized equipment for use with onshore and offshore oil and gas well drilling, completion and workover activities. The drilling and subsequent operation of oil and gas wells generally require ! a variety! of equipment. The equipment needed is in part determined by the geological features of the production zone and the size of the well itself. As a result, operators and drilling contractors often find it more economical to supplement their tool and tubular inventories with rental items instead of owning a complete inventory. The Company��s facilities are strategically located to serve the staging points for oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico, mid-continent region, Appalachian region and the Rocky Mountains.
Oilfield Pipe Inspection Services, Pipe Management and Pipe Storage includes pipe inspection services include Full Body Electromagnetic and Phased Array Ultrasonic inspection of pipe used in oil and gas wells. These services are provided at both the Company��s inspection facilities and at independent tubular mills in accordance with negotiated sales and/or service contracts. Its customers are oil companies and steel mills, for which it provides in-house inspection services, inventory management and process control of tubing, casing and drill pipe. Its locations in Channelview, Texas and Morgan City, Louisiana are equipped with capacity cranes, specially designed forklifts and a computerized inventory system to serve a variety of storage and handling services for both oilfield and non-oilfield customers.
Well Control School provides industry and government accredited training for the oil and gas industry both in the United States and in limited international locations. Well Control School provides training in various formats including conventional classroom training, interactive computer training including training delivered over the Internet, and mobile simulator training. Energy Personnel International provides drilling and production engineers, well site supervisors, project management specialists, and workover and completion specialists on a consulting basis to the oil and gas industry to meet customers�� needs for staff engineering and well site management.
! The Company competes with Halliburton Energy Services Group, , Baker Hughes and Schlumberger Ltd.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Dimitra DeFotis]
The market seems to be showing fatigue particularly with positive onshore oil service data points that may no�longer seem incremental. Investors have become especially focused on potential issues and macro concerns. We believe this phase�of enhanced risk perceptions will pass and still recommend owning selective stocks based on attractive valuations and healthy�fundamentals. Of the 16 oilfield services companies having reported their quarters to date, the share price changes have at times�been difficult to tie to specific results. �… Five of the 12 companies who have beaten earnings expectations have seen their share prices drop on the day, including Basic Energy Services (BAS) (-9.0%), Baker Hughes (BHI) (-2.5%), National Oilwell Varco (NOV) (-1.5%), Oceaneering (OII) (-4.2%), and Schlumberger (SLB) (-2.0%). Other stocks beating expectations have traded higher as expected, including Cameron International (CAM) (+4.1%), FMC Technologies (FTI) (+3.1%), Mitcham Industries (MIND) (+3.8%), Nabors Industries (NBR) (+1.2%), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) (+1.8%), RPC (RES) (+8.4%), and Weatherford International (WFT) (+2.3%). Companies which have missed have universally seen their share prices decline, including Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO) (-4.3%), Gulfmark Offshore (GLF) (-0.1%), and Hercules Offshore (HERO) (-6.9%). Halliburton (HAL) was in line and flat on the day.
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Sequenom Inc.(SQNM)
Sequenom, Inc. provides products, services, diagnostic testing, applications, and genetic analysis products that translate the results of genomic science into solutions for biomedical research, translational research, molecular medicine applications, and agricultural and livestock research. The company operates in two segments, Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic Analysis. The Molecular Diagnostics segment researches, develops, and commercializes noninvasive molecular diagnostic tests for prenatal genetic disorders and diseases, women?s health related disorders and diseases, ophthalmology, oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmunity. This segment markets diagnostic technology for prenatal diagnostics under the trademark SEQureDx. The Genetic Analysis segment designs and markets MassARRAY system, a nucleic acid analysis platform that comprises hardware, software applications, consumable chips, and reagents to measure genetic target material and variations. This segment o ffers its MassARRAY system for various DNA/RNA analysis applications, including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), genotyping, detection of mutations, analysis of copy number variants, and other structural genome variations, as well as quantitative gene expression analysis, quantitative methylation marker analysis, comparative sequence analysis of haploid organisms, SNP discovery, and oligonucleotide quality control. It also provides iPLEX multiplexing assay, which permits multiplexed SNP analysis and somatic mutation analysis. The company offers its products through direct sales, and sales and distribution partners to clinical research laboratories, bio-agriculture, bio-technology and pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and various government agencies worldwide. Sequenom, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By John Udovich]
On Monday, small cap molecular diagnostic stock Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) suddenly sank 9.34% to $23.50 just before the market closed��� meaning its probably a good idea to take a closer look at what happened yesterday plus compare the stock��s performance verses small cap peer Sequenom, Inc (NASDAQ: SQNM) and mid cap peer Hologic, Inc (NASDAQ: HOLX).�
- [By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the Move: ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ARIA) is down 44.4% at $2.20 after suspending sales of a cancer drug. Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU) is up 16.4% at $3.84 as investors remain patient with the company��s turnaround plan. 58.com Inc. (NYSE: WUBA) is up 43.1% at $24.32 after today��s IPO. Sequenom Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) is down 22.6% at $1.92 after court rules a patent invalid.
- [By Keith Speights]
That kind of potential could be attractive for investors -- and possibly for a larger company. In 2009, Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM ) attempted to acquire Exact Sciences but ultimately�no deal happened. Of course, back then Exact Sciences was a penny stock. Now, it has a bigger market cap than Sequenom does.
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Finally, GMT Capital's biggest closed positions included Harris�and NII Holdings. Other closed positions of interest include Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM ) and QuestCor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR ) . Sequenom, which makes molecular and genetic diagnostic tests, is a relatively small concern, with a market cap near $500 million. One of the company's tests checks for Down syndrome in a non-invasive manner, which should be of interest to many older women.�Future tests�might address conditions such as macular degeneration. Meanwhile, the company is expanding its reach abroad, but it's still posting widening losses along with strong revenue growth.
Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Cadence Design Systems Inc (CDS)
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (Cadence) develops electronic design automation (EDA), software, hardware, and silicon intellectual property (IP). Cadence licenses software and IP, sells or leases hardware technology and provides engineering and education services worldwide to help manage and accelerate electronics product development processes. The Company��s customers use its products and services to design and develop complex integrated circuits (ICs) and electronics systems. The Company combines its products and technologies into platforms for four design activities: Functional Verification; Digital IC Design and Implementation; Custom IC Design and Verification, and System Interconnect Design. It sells software using three license types: subscription, term and perpetual. It also offers a number of fee-based services, including engineering and education services. In June 2010, Cadence acquired Denali Software, Inc. (Denali). In May 2011, it acquired Altos Design Automation, Inc. On July 11, 2011, the Company acquired Azuro, Inc. In July 2012, the Company acquired Sigrity, Inc. In April 2013, Cadence Design Systems Inc announced the acquisition of Tensilica, Inc. In May 2013, the Company acquired Cosmic Circuits Pvt Ltd. In June 2013, Cadence Design Systems Inc announced that it has completed the acquisition of the IP business of Poland-based Evatronix, SA SKA. In February 2014, Cadence Design Systems Inc completed the acquisition of Forte Design Systems.
The four Cadence design platforms are branded as Incisive functional verification, Encounter digital IC design, Virtuoso custom design and Allegro system interconnect design. In addition, the Company augments these platform product offerings with a set of design for manufacturing (DFM), products that service both the digital and custom IC design flows. These solutions and their constituent elements are marketed to users who specialize in areas, such as system design and verification, functional verification, logic design, digital imple! mentation, custom IC design and printed circuit board (PCB), and IC package / SiP design.
Functional Verification
Cadence��s functional verification offerings consist of two categories: Logic Verification and System Design and Verification. Logic Verification offering consists of planning, property checking, testbench simulation, verification IP, and environment capabilities within the Incisive functional verification platform. This offering enables the Company��s customers to employ enterprise-level verification process automation, including metric-driven verification planning, process tracking and management. System Design and Verification offerings consist of hardware-assisted verification with emulation and acceleration, including the verification computing platform Palladium XP, Palladium and Xtreme platforms, system-level design capabilities, verification IP, estimation of system-on-chip (SoC), consulting services, and methodologies. The QuickCycles program allows customers access to its simulation acceleration and emulation products, either on their secure Internet site or remotely over a secure network connection. The products obtained through the acquisition of Denali include verification IP, memory models, and design IP.
Digital IC Design and Implementation
Cadence��s Digital IC offerings are used by its customers to create logical representations of a digital circuit or IC. The Company��s Digital IC offerings include two categories: Logic Design and Physical Implementation. Logic Design offering consists of formal verification, equivalency checking, synthesis and test capabilities within the Encounter digital IC design platform and property checking, simulation, and environment capabilities within the Incisive functional verification platform. This offering provides chip planning, design, verification and test technologies and services to customers across all digital design end markets. Physical Implementation offering consists of a ra! nge of th! e Encounter digital IC design platform capabilities. The Physical Implementation offering includes timing analysis, signal integrity, power analysis, extraction, physical verification, and place and route capabilities within the Encounter digital IC design platform. It enables the customers to create a physical representation of logic models, analyze electrical and physical characteristics of a design and prepare a design for manufacturing.
Custom IC Design and Verification
Cadence��s Custom IC Design and Verification offerings are used by its customers to create schematic representations of circuits down to the transistor level for analog, mixed-signal, custom digital, memory and radio frequency (RF) designs. These logical representations are verified using simulation tools optimized for each type of design. The offering includes the environment, IC layout and simulation capabilities within the Virtuoso custom design platform. Other tools in the Custom IC portfolio are used to prepare the designs for manufacturing.
System Interconnect Design
Cadence��s System Interconnect Design offerings are used by its customers to develop printed circuit board (PCBs), and IC packages. The offerings include the capabilities within the Allegro system interconnect design platform: PCB, IC package, SiP, design management and collaboration. The Company��s offerings also include the simulation capability within the Virtuoso custom design platform. These offerings enable engineers who are responsible for the capture, layout and analysis of advanced PCB and IC packages to design electronic products across the domains of IC, IC package and PCB. For PCB customers, the Company provides the OrCAD family of offerings that is marketed worldwide through a network of resellers.
The Company competes with Synopsys, Inc., Mentor Graphics Corporation and Magma Design Automation, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Jim Jubak]
The price of Credit-Default Swaps (CDS) used to insure US government debt against the possibility of default climbed to 35.5 basis points Wednesday. That was the highest level in six months, and up from 32 basis points on Friday, September 27. But that level is still well below the 62 basis points it cost to insure US government debt against default at the time of last debt ceiling battle, in the summer of 2011. That was the highest level since the global financial crisis. (What this means is that an investor would pay 62,000 euros a year to insure 10 million euros of US Treasuries against a default in the next five years. The contract is denominated in euros to offset the impact of a default on the US dollar.) This insurance is getting more popular too, with these CDS contracts ranking as the fifteenth most traded of the contracts tracked by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. in the week through Sept. 27. That's up from a rank of 147th for the previous week.
- [By cody56]
The top contributors to performance during the period were Trimble Navigation (TRMB), Sensata Technologies�(ST) and Cadence Design Systems (CDS).
Trimble Navigation provides location-based solutions to its customers that enhance their productivity and profitability. The recovery in construction end markets and continued strong demand from the farm economy resulted in strong overall financial results for the company and a strong stock price. We trimmed the position as it began to exceed the upper end of the market cap range that we invest in. Sensata Technologies develops, manufactures and sells sensors and controls. We are attracted to the company��s large growth opportunity, which is driven by increased sensor penetration in industries such as automobiles and general industrial opportunities. We find Sensata��s business model to be attractive given the stability of its revenues, strong operating leverage and excellent management team. During the period, the company benefited from a rebound in European automobile sales and deployed capital in several small accretive acquisitions. We have been trimming the position modestly as the stock approaches our price target. Meridian Growth Fund performance
