European stocks advanced, after posting their first weekly loss since early October, as Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program and as investors awaited a report on U.S. pending-home sales. U.S. stock-index futures and Asian shares climbed.
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) and Air France-KLM (AF) Group rose with as a gauge of travel stocks as oil prices fell after Iran�� accord. PSA Peugeot Citroen gained 3.7 percent after people familiar with the matter said its chief executive officer plans to step down next year. Fresenius Medical Care AG surged the most in five years after U.S. regulators scrapped a plan to cut Medicare payments next year.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index advanced 0.5 percent to 324.36 at 10:39 a.m. in London. The benchmark gauge last week slipped less than 0.1 percent, the first loss since Oct. 4. It has surged 16 percent this year as central banks around the world maintained stimulus measures. Standard & Poor�� 500 Index futures rose 0.3 percent, and the MSCI Asia Pacific Index each climbed 0.4 percent.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Aeroflex Holding Corp (ARX)
Aeroflex Holding Corp. (Aeroflex Holding) is a provider of radio frequency (RF) and microwave integrated circuits, components and systems used in the design, development and maintenance of wireless communication systems. The Company�� solutions include microelectronic components and test and measurement equipment used by companies in the space, avionics and defense; commercial wireless communications, and medical and other markets. Its products include a range of RF, microwave and millimeter wave microelectronic components, integrated circuits (ICs), and analog and mixed-signal devices. It also manufactures a range of RF and microwave wireless radio and avionics test equipment and solutions particularly for the wireless, avionics and radio test markets. The Company operates in two segments: Aeroflex Microelectronics Solutions (AMS) and Aeroflex Test Solutions (ATS). In August 2010, it acquired Advanced Control Components. In September 2013, the Company announced the sale of its Aeroflex Test Equipment Services (ATES) business to Trescal Limited. In February 2014, Aeroflex Holding Corp announced the acquisition of Shenick Network Systems.
Aeroflex Microelectronic Solutions
AMS offers a range of microelectronics products and is a provider of specialty products for the space, avionics, defense, commercial wireless communications, medical and other markets. RadHard products are specifically designed to tolerate high radiation level environments, which otherwise can degrade electronic components. The Company principally operates on a fabless semiconductor manufacturing model, outsourcing virtually all front-end semiconductor fabrication activities to commercial foundries. AMS offers a range of complementary products that provide connectivity and computing functionality for applications. Its product portfolio includes RF, microwave and millimeter wave products, including discrete components, ICs, monolithic microwave ICs and multi-chip modules.
AMS designs and manu! factures application specific, analog and mixed-signal devices for use in medical, industrial and intelligent sensors. The Company�� AMS products are used in over 100 space, avionics and defense platforms, including the Wideband Global Satellite Communications satellites, the Geostationary Operational Environmental satellites, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites, the Boeing 777 airliner's databus, the F-16's modular mission computer, the B-1 flight controls upgrade and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program. Its AMS products are also used in wireless communications platforms, including WCDMA and LTE cellular base station systems, as well as point-to-point broadband radio applications. In the medical area, our products are used by two of the top four manufacturers of CT scan equipment.
AMS provides HiRel standard and custom integrated circuits and circuit card assembly for the aerospace, altitude avionics, medical, x-ray cargo scanners, critical transportation systems, nuclear power controls, global positioning systems (GPS) receivers, networking and telecommunication markets. AMS' HiRel products include transceivers, analog multiplexers, clock management generators, MSI logic products, battery electronics units, voltage regulators, high-speed power controllers, MIL-STD 1553 bus controllers, remote terminals, bus monitors, microcontrollers and microprocessors, RadHard Pulse Width Modulation Controllers, RadHard Resolver-to-Digital and memory modules. HiRel Microelectronics/ Semiconductors have a typical life cycle of 10-20 years.
AMS provides a set of standard and application specific RF/microwave diodes and semiconductor devices. Microwave semiconductor products offered include diodes, amplifiers, resistors, inductors, capacitors, switches, and integrated devices. RF and Microwave active components and subsystems offered include PIN diode-based microwave control components, variable attenuators, phase shifters, limiters, time delay units and Multi-Funct! ion Micro! wave assemblies. AMS offers resistor products, which include a variety of low and high reliability power surface mounted passive devices for the wireless infrastructure and defense markets with applications in isolators, circulators, single and multi-carrier power amplifiers and circuits. Passive components offered include attenuators, terminations, adapters, DC blocks, and other components for commercial, military and laboratory applications. Other products include power amplifiers, up and down converters, mixers, filters and micro-receivers operating to over 40 giga hertz (GHz). RF and Microwave components have a typical life cycle of 5-15 years. The Company�� motion control products provide complete and integrated motion control solutions for space (both military and commercial), military, avionics, and industrial customers. Its product line offerings include actuators and mechanisms, electronic controllers, slip rings and twist capsules, DC motors and Gimbal Systems. Motion control products have a typical life cycle of 10-20 years.
Aeroflex Test Solutions
ATS is a provider of a line of specialized test and measurement hardware and software products, primarily for the space, avionics, defense, commercial wireless communications and other markets. ATS products and their applications include wireless test equipment, which is used to develop and test handsets and base stations; military radio and PMR test equipment, which is used by radio manufacturers and military, police, fire, and emergency response units to test handheld radios; avionics test equipment, which is used in the design, manufacture and maintenance of electronics systems for aircraft; synthetic test equipment, which is used to test satellites and transmit / receive modules prior to launch and deployment, and general purpose test equipment, including spectrum analyzers and signal generators.
Wireless Test Equipment is used by wireless service providers and equipment manufacturers to test wireless ! handsets ! and base stations. The Company offers a range of cellular tests across a range of wireless standards and communication frequencies, including 2G and 3G, with particular capability in EDGE protocols, and the new 4G LTE/LTE(A) protocols. Products include a range of system, protocol, physical layer and parametric test solutions, such as the TM500 test mobile, RF synthesizers, digitizers and combiners, and application software. In addition, ATS provides PXI-based products which are modular scalable solutions for the handset manufacturing environment. Product applications include research and development, conformance, manufacturing/production, installation and commissioning, field service, and network optimization.
ATS Radio Test Equipment is used by radio manufacturers and military, police, fire and emergency response units to test handheld radio units. ATS provides TErrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), and Project 25 (P25), radio test equipment, addressing both mobile and repeater test applications. TETRA is a global standard for private mobile radio (PMR), systems used by emergency services, public transport and utilities. P25 is a standard for digital radio communications for use by federal, state, private, and local public safety agencies in North America. Its military communications testing systems are primarily used by the United States military to test complex voice and data frequency hopping radios and accessories. Military radio and PMR test equipment has a typical life cycle of 5-20 years.
Avionics test equipment is used in the design, manufacture, test and maintenance of commercial, civil and military airborne electronic systems, or avionics. ATS equipment provides the stimulus and signals necessary for certification, verification, fault finding and diagnosis of airborne systems on the ground. For civil and commercial aviation, it has test solutions for various transponder modes, communications frequencies, emergency locator transmitters, weather radars and GPS systems. F! or milita! ry aviation, it has test solutions for microwave landing systems, tactical air navigation, enhanced traffic alert and collision avoidance systems, various identification friend or foe, or IFF, transponder/interrogator modes and IFF monopulse antenna simulation. ATS also provides customized avionics test solutions to support manual and automatic test equipment for manufacturing, repair and ground support operations. Avionics test equipment has a typical life cycle of 8-15 years.
Synthetic test systems test several attributes through one box and can take multiple complex measurements simultaneously. ATS provides synthetic test environment that allows digital, analog, RF/microwave and power test of circuits, modules, subsystems and complete systems for commercial, military, and aerospace customers. ATS' STI 1000C+ and TRM 1000C products offer synthetic microwave test systems optimized for testing Transmit/Receive modules and satellite payloads in a factory setting. Its SMART^E and SMART^E 5300 products offer a modular approach for implementing multi-function configurable and reconfigurable test systems. Synthetic test solutions products have a typical life cycle of 10-15 years.
ATS offers a variety of general purpose test solutions including microwave test solutions, counters and power meters. ATS microwave test solutions cover frequency ranges from 1 megahertz (MHz) to 46 gigahertz (GHz), with various tracking, offset, continuous wave, modulated source, fault location, and group delay configuration options provided. ATS power meters are designed for field use, automated test equipment requirements and standard bench applications. General purpose test solutions have a typical life cycle of 4-7 years.
The Company Competes with Agilent Technologies, Honeywell, BAE Systems, Hittite Microwave Corporation, ILC / Data Devices Corporation, Microsemi, Anaren, Anite, Anritsu, Rohde & Schwarz, Spirent and National Instruments.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
The Department of Defense issued some 22 separate contract awards Thursday, totaling just under $1 billion in combined value. Not all of them went to publicly traded defense contractors, of course, but enough of them did to be worth mentioning. Here are a few of the lucky winners:
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Tuesday, technology shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.12 percent. Leading the sector was strength from Aeroflex Holding (NYSE: ARX) and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ). Cyclical consumer goods & services shares declined around 0.71 percent in Tuesday's trading.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Deltathree Inc (DDDC)
deltathree, Inc. (deltathree), incorporated January 27, 1998, is a provider of integrated video and voices over Internet Protocol (VoIP), telephony services, products, hosted solutions and infrastructure. deltathree offers a range of private label VoIP products and services, as well as back-office platforms. The Company's operations management tools include account provisioning; e-commerce-based payment processing systems; billing and account management; operations management; Web development; network management; and customer care. The Company's direct-to-consumer channel includes its joip Mobile application, iConnectHere offering (which provides VoIP products and services directly to consumers and small businesses online using the same primary platform) and its joip offering (which serves as the exclusive VoIP service provider embedded in the Globarange cordless phones of Panasonic Communications).
Products
Deltathree�� products include joip Mobile Application, Digital Video and Voice-over-IP Services, Broadband Phone and personal computer (PC)-to-Phone. The Company's joip Mobile application is a cellular phone application providing low cost mobile calls over third-generation (3G) cellular networks, as well as wireless fidelity (WiFi) networks. Cellular operating systems supported by joip Mobile include the iPhone, Google Android. Nokia Symbian and Blackberry. Through the use of the Company's network it offers a white-label solution in which its customers have the ability to customize, implement and rapidly launch digital next generation communications offerings with minimal risk and investment. For the Company's potential partners, the Company offers a range of service provider back-end support services, including network management, billing, provisioning, e-commerce, as well as custom Web and application development.
The Company's Broadband Phone product is a phone replacement solution available to business and retail customers over the last mile through br! oadband connections through cable modem, digital subscriber line (DSL) or fixed wireless. Broadband Phone enables a user to conveniently operate features and retrieve voice mail through e-mail, Web or a phone interface. The Company's PC-to-Phone offering enables a user to conveniently and inexpensively place a call to a standard telephone anywhere in the world directly from a personal computer while remaining on-line.
Services
deltathree operations management tools include video mail, account provisioning, payment processing systems, billing and account management, customer care and network operations care. The Company provides a video mail feature for its video phones applications. The Company provides its service provider and reseller customers with a Web page through which it can order additional services or accounts, generate and activate PINs and perform other customary implementation functions. It provides the customers with a fraud detection and prevention system to permits secure credit card transactions over the Web.
The Company provides the customers with real-time, Web-based access to billing records to check billing and usage information or to increases prepaid accounts. It has moved and consolidated traditional first tiers customer care functions onto the Web for ease and flexibility and support this with second tier customer care. The Company provides a Network Operations Center (NOC), automated troubles ticket system, which enables its customers to submit, manage, and follow-up with technical questions and issues online. The provision of VoIP products and services through the Company's service provider and reseller sales channel and its direct-to-consumer channel accounted for 75.4% and 23.3% of its total revenues during 2011, respectively.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Bardin, who previously ran online-video startup Intercast Networks and co-founded online-calling service Deltathree Inc. (DDDC), has increased his presence in the Israeli startup scene in recent years, speaking at conferences and appearing at technology-industry events.
Top Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Ford Motor Credit Company(F)
Ford Motor Company primarily develops, manufactures, distributes, and services vehicles and parts worldwide. It operates in two sectors, Automotive and Financial Services. The Automotive sector offers vehicles primarily under the Ford and Lincoln brand names. This sector markets cars, trucks, and parts through retail dealers in North America, and through distributors and dealers outside of North America. It also sells cars and trucks to dealers for sale to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments. In addition, this sector provides retail customers with a range of after-sale vehicle services and products in the areas, such as maintenance and light repair, heavy repair, collision repair, vehicle accessories, and extended service contracts under the Ford Service, Lincoln Service, Ford Custom Accessories, Ford Extended Service Plan, and Motorcraft brand names. The Financial Services sector offers vari ous automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers. It offers retail financing, which includes retail installment contracts for new and used vehicles; direct financing leases; wholesale financing products that comprise loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory; loans to dealers to finance working capital, purchase real estate dealership, and/or make improvements to dealership facilities; and other financing products, as well as provides insurance services. Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sara Murphy]
One company is working hard to get out in front of its water risk. Ford (NYSE: F ) has recently begun a stakeholder consultation process through which it tests possible water scarcity scenarios and works to find solutions. The automaker has a water stewardship strategy that has reduced its water use much more quickly than expected. Ford is now more than halfway toward its 2015 global target of using an average of 4 cubic meters of water per vehicle. Watch our video to hear why this is a smart move for the company.
- [By John Rosevear]
But the car called "Escort" that Ford (NYSE: F ) revealed at the auto show in Shanghai on Saturday isn't some sexy high-tech dream car made for the show circuit. Instead, as you can see, it's a very simple-looking sedan.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. develops and operates fast-casual, fresh Mexican food restaurants in the United States, Canada, and England. Its restaurants primarily offer burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 1,230 restaurants, which includes 1 ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Denver, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
��onsumer discretionary earnings will be an interesting bellwether on what�� been driving growth,��McMillan said. Companies specific to the consumer discretionary sector reporting in the coming week include Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG) , Mattel Inc. (MAT) , Interpublic Group of Cos. (IPG) �and Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) .
- [By Dividend Growth Investor]
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The company�� international operations have fueled the strong growth in McDonald�� earnings over the past twenty years. Despite the fact that a little over half of the company�� profits are derived internationally, this segment could continue to deliver solid performance in the future. Another factor fueling the company�� growth and maintenance of its edge against competitors and other threats has been its ability to innovate in its menu and reinvent itself in order to win. Some examples of that include the addition of salads to its menu a few years ago, as well as the introductions of premium drinks for customers. Other examples include extending store hours as well as focusing on the core brands through disposition of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG). The company has also been able to focus on streamlining operations and focusing on same-store sales, rather than mindlessly expanding at all costs. However, it still plans on expanding store count, while also reimaging existing locations, in order to improve the customer experience. - [By Steve Symington]
Way back in Jan. 2006, fast-food behemoth McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) spun off Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG ) in an IPO, saying it wanted to concentrate on perfecting its core business.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd (NAK)
Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (Northern Dynasty) is engaged in the exploration of mineral properties. The Company holds 650 square miles of mineral claims in southwest Alaska, United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 50% interest in the Pebble Limited Partnership (the Pebble Partnership). The Pebble Partnership owns the Pebble Copper-Gold-Molybdenum Project (the Pebble Project). Its principal mineral property interest is located in Alaska, United States. The Pebble property (Pebble) is located in southwest Alaska, 19 miles (30 kilometers) from the villages of Iliamna and Newhalen, and approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of the city of Anchorage. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries include 3537137 Canada Inc., Northern Dynasty Partnership and U5 Resources Inc. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the re-acquired 100% ownership and control of the Pebble Partnership. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the move: Boise Inc. (NYSE: BZ) is up 26% at $12.55 following the company�� acquisition by Packaging Corporation of America Inc. (NYSE: PKG) for $12.55 a share ($1.28 billion). Omeros Corp. (NASDAQ: OMER) is up 68.2% at $8.56 following an analyst upgrade. Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSEArca: NAK) is down 33.3% at $1.48 following an announcement from Anglo American plc that it was withdrawing from a massive copper mining project in Alaska.
- [By Ben Kramer-Miller]
This article is about Northern Dynasty Minerals (NAK). Northern Dynasty Minerals has a market capitalization of $190 million. It is a 50% owner of the Pebble Mine in Alaska.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Gigamon Inc (GIMO)
Gigamon Inc., incorporated on January 2, 2009, has developed solution that delivers visibility and control of traffic across networks. Its solution, which it refers to as its traffic visibility fabric, consists of distributed network appliances that provide an advanced level of network traffic intelligence. Its fabric enables information technology (IT) organizations to forward traffic from network infrastructure to management, analysis, compliance and security tools in a manner that is optimized for specific uses or locations. Its flow mapping technology that identifies and directs incoming traffic to single or multiple tools based on user-defined rules implemented from a centralized management console. Its products consist of GigaVUE, GigaSECURE, GigaSMART and GigaTAP products. Its traffic visibility fabric is deployed by enterprises and service providers. Its traffic visibility fabric is built on the GigaVUE family of products.
The Company generates product revenue primarily from sales of perpetual software licenses installed on physical appliances for its traffic visibility fabric solutions to channel partners, including distributors and resellers, as well as directly to end user customers. The Company generates services revenue primarily from the sale of maintenance and support services for its products. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had sold products to over 825 end user customers across many vertical markets, including the United States retailers, United States banks and financial services companies, United States integrated telecommunication service providers, United States managed healthcare providers, United States cable and satellite providers and global securities and commodities exchanges. It offers purpose-built physical appliances that are integrated with its software and enable its end user customers to design traffic visibility fabric architectures optimized for a range of scale and performance requirements from one gigabit appliances to one terabit chassis-based solu! tions.
Its appliances range from a single rack unit appliance to a modular multi-slot chassis that accommodates a range of its line cards. The GigaVUE product family consists of G Series and H Series of products. The GigaVUE G Series consists of a range of purpose-built, small form-factor traffic visibility appliances. Its GigaSECURE products provide in-line packet distribution specifically designed for use with security-based tools, such as intrusion prevention systems (IPS). The GigaSECURE products are designed to support two-way traffic communications and provide bypass protection allowing packets to be distributed to multiple IPS devices where they are screened, and then aggregated back together for entry back to the network. The GigaVUE H Series utilizes a robust Linux-based operating platform enabling configurations. The series includes both large blade-based chassis configurations and a fixed configuration product specifically designed to aggregate 10 gigabit traffic links together.
The Company also offers ongoing technical support with its hardware and software products. Its primary support offering, SupportCARE, provides two-tiered support levels, including premium-level support coverage. It offers end user customers ongoing maintenance services for both hardware and software, which enables them to receive ongoing software updates, upgrades, bug fixes and repairs. It also offers DesignCARE in the North America region, which provides end user customers with professional services that range from the architectural design of a Traffic Visibility Fabric for their customized requirements to the complete implementation and configuration of GigaVUE appliances across multiple locations. Its support personnel are based in Milpitas, California and Reading, United Kingdom.
The Company competes with Cisco Systems, Inc. and Juniper Networks, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading UP
Gigamon (NYSE: GIMO) shares shot up 7.77 percent to $17.33 after the company announced Q1 results. Gigamon reported a Q1 loss of $0.07 per share on revenue of $31.80 million. Needham upgraded the stock from Buy to Strong Buy. - [By Mark Thompson]
Shares in Gigamon (GIMO) were down more than 2% before the open, after plunging a whopping 33% on Tuesday. The technology company had lowered its revenue guidance for the second quarter.
- [By Anna Prior]
Gigamon Inc.(GIMO) lowered its second-quarter revenue guidance as the networking-hardware company said it ran into challenges closing deals in its pipeline in the later end of the period. Shares fell 31% to $12.64 premarket.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Chimera Investment Corporation (CIM)
Chimera Investment Corporation operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries, invests in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), residential mortgage loans, commercial mortgage loans, real estate-related securities, and other asset classes. Its targeted asset classes include agency or non-agency RMBS; prime, jumbo prime, and Alt-A mortgage loans; first or second lien loans secured by multifamily properties, mixed residential or other commercial properties, retail properties, office properties, or industrial properties; and asset-based securities (ABS), including commercial mortgage-backed securities, debt and equity tranches of collateralized debt obligations, and consumer and non-consumer ABS. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its share holders. Chimera Inve stment Corporation was founded in 2007 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
Appaloosa Management reduced its stake in companies such as Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM ) and Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO ) . Mortgage REIT Chimera Investment recently yielded 10.9%, but it may become less attractive if Congress cancels favorable tax treatment for REITs. Chimera has taken on more risk than many of its brethren, and has had some trouble filing reports on time. Some still like its prospects, though, while others question its hefty management fees.
- [By John Maxfield]
"Nepotism has never been unknown in American banking," Martin Mayer wrote in The Greatest-Ever Bank Robbery, his 1990 book about the savings-and-loan crisis. While Mayer was referring to American Continental, the notoriously corrupt holding company run into the ground by the infamous Charles Keating in the 1980s, his point rings true today in the case of Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY ) and its publicly traded portfolio company Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM ) .
- [By John Maxfield]
Well, it just so turns out that there is. And Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY ) , the parent company in our nonhypothetical tale, has figured out how -- for the record, the publicly traded subsidiary is Chimera Investment Management (NYSE: CIM ) .
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Because of the requirement to pay out the vast majority of their income, REITs often have extremely high dividend payouts. Mortgage REITs ARMOUR Residential (NYSE: ARR ) and Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM ) use leveraged strategies to produce yields well in excess of 10%, while Omega Healthcare (NYSE: OHI ) and Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH ) , which specialize in long-term care facilities and other properties catering to older residents, both have yields between 5% and 6%.
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Experian PLC (EXPGY)
Experian plc, incorporated on June 30, 2006, is a provider of global information services. The Company provides data and analytical tools to organizations in North America, Latin America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific. Clients use these to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision-making. Activities in the regions in which Experian operates are grouped into four global business lines: Credit Services, Decision Analytics, Marketing Services and Interactive. Experian provides data and analytical tools to organizations in North America, Latin America, United Kingdom and Ireland, EMEA and Asia Pacific. In November 2013, the Company acquired Passport Health Communications, Inc.
Credit Services
Experian helps organizations to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. The Company also provides credit monitoring and identity protection services to millions of consumers via the Internet. At the core of Credit Services are the databases that Experian builds and manages, that hold the credit application and repayment histories of consumers and businesses. Globally, Experian holds credit payment data on consumers and million businesses. In total, Experian operates approximately 20 consumer credit bureaux and approximately15 business credit bureau worldwide. Experian�� automotive business supplies vehicle history reports in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Italy. Reports typically include data on title, registration, history and accidents, manufacturer recall and repair records. The information is sold to automotive dealers, auction houses, automotive companies and direct-to-consumer. Clients principally include organizations that are extending or offering credit, such as financial services, telecommunications, utilities, insurance companies, hospitals and automotive dealers.
The Company competes with Dun & Bra! dstreet.
Decision Analytics
Solutions developed by Experian include application processing, customer management, fraud solutions and collections software and systems. Decision Analytics products are also used in the detection and prevention of fraud. Clients include financial services, telecommunications, utilities, retailers, insurance, automotive and the public sector.
It competes with Fair Isaac and SAS.
Marketing Services
Marketing Services provides data and segmentation tools to the organizations. Experian provides Marketing Services in some 30 countries. Marketing Services maintains databases of marketing information on consumers. Consumer profiles include data from many sources, including market surveys, postal addresses, electoral registers, Internet service providers and magazine subscription data. Globally, Experian holds demographic data on more than 700 million individuals in approximate 270 million households and online behavior data on Internet users across Websites. Experian has a Marketing Services presence worldwide, including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Clients include financial services, retail, media, automotive and the public sector.
The Company competes with Acxiom, Epsilon, WPP, Omnicom, ExactTarget, Responsys, Neolane and eDialog.
Interactive
The Company�� Consumer Direct business provides credit monitoring and other information services directly to millions of consumers via the Internet. It enables consumers to monitor the accuracy of their credit report, to check their credit score and to protect against identity theft. Experian provides consumers with online access to their credit history. In the United States, CreditReport.com and freecreditscore.com, and in the United Kingdom, CreditExpert.co.uk, allow consumers to see the same information available to lenders. Experian�� identity protection services in ! the Unite! d States and the United Kingdom, ProtectMyID.com and ProtectMyID.co.uk, provide identity theft detection, protection and fraud resolution to consumers. In the United States, Safetyweb.com helps parents monitor their children�� online activity and its DataPatrol product provides realtime Web and social network monitoring to help prevent identity fraud before it happens.
The Company competes with Equifax, CallCredit, TransUnion and Fair Isaac.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Karen Roach/Shutterstock When singles are looking for love, they typically don't start by checking out a potential mate's credit score. But maybe they should. A recent survey of 1,010 married people by Experian (EXPGY) Consumer Services division found that 95 percent of those polled rate financial responsibility as an important attribute in a spouse. Compare that to physical attractiveness -- often the first criterion we use to judge potential mates -- which was deemed an important trait for compatibility by just 86 percent. (Personal compatibility led the list at 98 percent.) Financial communication can be an important barometer of how successful a relationship will be, although women place more of a premium on it than men. Among those surveyed, 73 percent of women and 60 percent of men said that being open about personal finances and credit makes a person more attractive as a spouse. On the flip side, 59 percent of women and 44 percent of men say that a partner who avoids talking about those things is less attractive as a spouse. What's Your Number? "Financial debt and a person's credit score are so important to disclose before you tie the proverbial knot," says Les Parrott, co-author with his wife, Leslie, of "Making Happy" and "The Good Fight." "We can tell you about lots of disastrous money surprises when a person isn't up front about this." It's important to discuss all aspects of your individual and shared financial situations regularly with your significant other, but because your credit score will impact your ability to make major purchases like a home or a car, it's especially important to determine whether a low credit score tied to one or both of you may affect your long-term goals, says Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealth strategies at Ameriprise Financial (AMP). "An important step toward having a successful relationship is being willing to share your feelings about money with your partner. This includes being honest about past and p
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Swedish Export Credit publ Corp (FUE)
Swedish Export Credit publ Corp (SEK) is a Sweden-based company engaged in the provision of financial solutions for the private and public sectors with the aim of promoting the development and international competitiveness of the Swedish industry and trade. The Company�� business activities are structured into three segments: the Financing segment includes corporate banking, export finance, trade finance, project finance, customer finance, structured products and Cirr-rates; the Advisory segment provides financial advice to International Financial Institutions, governments and corporations, in a range of areas, such as power and energy, utilities, environment, transport, telecoms, and pulp and paper, and the Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) segment offers finance services to small and medium-sized enterprises. Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
On Tuesday, lightly traded small cap biodiesel stock Methes Energies International Ltd (NASDAQ: MEIL) soared 53.78% on record production figures, meaning its worth taking a closer look at whether that surge was actually warranted plus look at the performance of�potential peers like biodiesel stock Renewable Energy Group Inc (NASDAQ: REGI) and biofuel ETF the ELEMENTS MLCX Biofuels Index TR ETN (NYSEArca: FUE).
Top 10 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC (MIC)
Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC (MIC) owns, operates and invests in a diversified group of infrastructure businesses that provide basic services, such as chilled water for building cooling and gas utility services to businesses and individuals primarily in the United States. The businesses it owns and operates include individual segments with three of them grouped as the Energy-Related Businesses. Macquarie Infrastructure Management (USA) Inc. (MIMUSA), which is its Manager, is part of the Macquarie Group, consisting of Macquarie Group Limited and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. On August 31, 2011, Atlantic Aviation acquired the assets of the FBOs at the Portland International and Eugene airports in Oregon (together referred to as Flightcraft).
The Energy-Related Businesses include a 50% interest in a bulk liquid storage terminal business (International Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT)), that provides bulk liquid storage and handling services at ten marine terminals in the United States and two in Canada and is a participant in this industry in the United States, based on storage capacity; a gas processing and distribution business (The Gas Company), that is the only full-service gas energy company in Hawaii, and a 50.01% controlling interest in a district energy business (District Energy), which operates a district cooling system in the United States, serving various customers in Chicago, Illinois and Las Vegas, Nevada. Atlantic Aviation is an airport services business providing products and services, including fuel and aircraft hangaring/parking, to owners and operators of general aviation aircraft at 65 airports in the United States.
Energy-Related Businesses
MIC owns 50% of IMTT. The remaining 50% is owned by a trust for the benefit of members of the founding family. IMTT stores and handles petroleum products, various chemicals, renewable fuels and vegetable and animal oils. IMTT is an independent provider of bulk liquid storage terminal services i! n the United States, based on capacity. IMTT also owns OMI Environmental Solutions (Oil Mop), which is an environmental emergency responses, industrial services, waste transportation and disposal business. Oil Mop has a network of facilities along the United States Gulf Coast between Houston and New Orleans. These facilities primarily service the Gulf region, but also respond to spill events and provides services as needed throughout the United States and internationally. The 16 million barrel storage terminal at Bayonne, New Jersey has the most storage capacity of any IMTT site.
NYH serves as the main petroleum trading hub in the northeast United States and the physical delivery point for the gasoline and heating oil futures contracts traded on New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). In addition to waterborne shipments, products reach NYH through petroleum product pipelines from the United States Gulf region and elsewhere. NYH also serves as the starting point for refined product pipelines linked to inland markets and as a key port for refined petroleum product exports. IMTT-Bayonne has connections to the Colonial, Buckeye and Harbor refined petroleum product pipelines, as well as rail and road connections. As of December 31, 2011, on the lower Mississippi River, IMTT operated four terminals (St. Rose, Gretna, Avondale and Geismar). With combined storage capacity of 18.9 million barrels, the four sites give IMTT substantial market share in storage for black oil, bulk liquid chemicals, and vegetable oils on the lower Mississippi River.
The Gas Company is Hawaii�� only government franchised full-service gas company, manufacturing and distributing gas products and services in Hawaii. The market includes Hawaii�� approximately 1.4 million residents and approximately 7.3 million visitors, during the year ended December 31, 2011. The Gas Company manufactures synthetic natural gas (SNG) for its utility customers on Oahu, and distributes Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to utility and ! non-utili! ty customers throughout the state�� six primary islands. The Gas Company has two primary businesses, utility (or regulated) and non-utility (or unregulated). The utility business serves approximately 35,300 customers through localized pipeline distribution systems located on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. Over 90% of these customers are on Oahu. The utility business includes the manufacture, distribution and sale of SNG on the island of Oahu and distribution and sale of LPG. Utility revenue consists principally of sales of SNG and LPG.
The non-utility business sells and distributes LPG to approximately 33,400 customers. LPG is delivered by truck to individual tanks located on customer sites on Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. Non-utility revenue is generated primarily from the sale of LPG delivered to customers. SNG and LPG have a number of commercial and residential applications, including water heating, drying, cooking, emergency power generation and decorative lighting, such as tiki torches. LPG is also used as a fuel for specialty vehicles, such as forklifts. Gas customers include residential customers and a range of commercial, hospitality, military, public sector and wholesale customers. SNG is delivered by underground piping systems to customers on Oahu. LPG is transported in cylinders or tanks.
District Energy operates district cooling system in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the system served approximately 100 customers in downtown Chicago and one customer outside the downtown area under long-term contracts. District Energy produces chilled water at five plants located in downtown Chicago and distributes it through a closed loop of underground piping for use in the air conditioning systems of large commercial, retail and residential buildings in the central business district. District Energy also owns a site-specific heating and cooling plant that serves a single customer in Chicago outside the downtown area. Th! is plant ! has the capacity to produce 4,900 tons of cooling and 58 million British Thermal Units of heating per hour. District Energy�� Las Vegas operation owns and operates a stand-alone facility that provides cold and hot water (for chilling and heating, respectively) to three customers in Las Vegas, Nevada. These customers consist of a resort and casino, a condominium.
Aviation-Related Business
Atlantic Aviation operates FBOs at 65 airports in the United States. Atlantic Aviation�� FBOs provide fueling and fuel-related services, aircraft parking and hangar services to owners/operators of jet aircraft, primarily in the general aviation sector of the air transportation industry, but also commercial, military, freight and government aviation customers. Other services include de-icing, aircraft parking, hangar rental and catering. Fuel is stored in fuel tank farms and each FBO operates refueling vehicles owned or leased by the FBO. The FBO either owns or has access to the fuel storage tanks to support its fueling activities. At some of Atlantic Aviation�� locations, services are also provided to commercial carriers. These may include refueling from the carrier�� own fuel supplies stored in the carrier�� fuel farm, de-icing and/or ground and ramp handling services.
The Company competes with Bahamas Oil Refining Company International Limited; Buckeye Partners, L.P.; Enterprise Products Partners L.P.; Houston Fuel Oil Terminal Company; Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P.; Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.; NuStar Energy L.P.; Oiltanking Partners, L.P.; Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.; Royal Vopak N.V.; Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P.; TransMontaigne Partners L.P.; Vitol Holding B.V.; Westway Group, Inc.; Alinda Capital Partners LLC; ArcLight Capital Partners; Challenger Infrastructure Fund; First Reserve Corporation, Global Infrastructure Partners, Signature Flight Support, Landmark Aviation and Million Air.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC (NYSE: MIC) shares shot up 10.72 percent to $67.73 after the company agreed to acquire the remaining 50% of International-Matex Tank Terminals for $910 million in cash and $115 million in newly issued stock. It also raised its quarterly dividend from $0.9375 to $0.95 per share.
- [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 Macquarie Infrastructure (NYSE: MIC ) , 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 Macquarie Infrastructure (NYSE: MIC ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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