Thursday, July 9, 2015

Global Macro: Summers' Exit, Fundamentals Boost Markets

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- News of the withdrawal of candidate Larry Summers to be the next Federal Reserve chairman helped boost markets on Monday.

Summers was assumed to be a hawk on monetary policy, and investors feared he would have driven interest rates higher sooner than expected. Liberal Democrats favor Janet Yellen, the current Fed vice chairman.

Markets moved higher on Monday also on fundamentals and Fed expectations. [Read: Summers Over]

The first chart below is of SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB). Homebuilder stocks have steeply fallen since May, when it was first announced that the Fed was thinking about reining in monetary stimulus. As uncertainty has arisen over the exact amount the Fed will cut from its monthly bond purchases, however, the market has bought back Treasuries, pushing rates down and leading to more demand for cyclical sectors such as homebuilders. A head-and-shoulders pattern has developed on the homebuilders' chart, but the threat of violence in Syria and less aggressive estimates over the amount of tapering have driven prices higher off of support levels. [Read: A Pair of Hot Dividend-Paying Stocks to Buy Now] Although the threat of higher mortgage rates still weighs on homebuilder stocks, the inability of prices to break down yet means tapering hasn't completely driven investors out of the sector. The next chart is of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (EEM). Like homebuilder stocks, emerging-market equities are tied to U.S. interest rates and dollar strength. As investors have priced in a smaller-than-expected cut to current bond purchases, the dollar has weakened and funds have continued to flow into emerging economies. There is less fear over liquidity drying up, which means excess capital can be allocated toward riskier investments such as emerging-market equities. [Read: Can Gen Y Shake Its Bad Rap at Work?] Although the price of the index below looks slightly overbought, there is still room to the upside till prices reach overhead resistance. On the other hand, uncertainty over the exact amount to be cut from Fed purchases this Wednesday could mean a selloff until the Fed announcement. Either way, loose monetary policy looks bullish for both emerging-market and homebuilder stocks. At the time of publication the author had no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Follow @AndrewSachais This article is commentary by an independent contributor, separate from TheStreet's regular news coverage.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Third Avenue Management Comments on Tanger Factory Outlet Centers

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Tanger (SKT) is a U.S.-based real estate investment trust that owns andoperates43retailoutletcentersintheU.S. and Canada. Tanger has a leading position in outlet centers alongside Simon Property Group's Chelsea subsidiary (together they control 80% of the outlet malls in the U.S.). The outlet business has been extremely strong over the past few years, as rental rates and occupancy trends have remained strong due to the value orientation offered by the distribution channel. Tanger's centers have averaged97%occupancyover the past five years and rental rates have grown over 15% annually. Tanger has led the retail sector in internal and external growth, due to their low occupancy cost ratios and high demand from tenants. To put it in perspective, most luxury retailers state that the outlet distribution channel is among their most profitable, and have expressed an interest to continue to expand this channel. Tanger has one of the strongest balance sheets in the retail sector (approximately 30% net debt-to-assets). It is run by a conservative and incentivized management team and has strong development growth prospects, as it continues to capitalize on the trend of consumers and retailers shifting to the outlet channel.

From Third Avenue Management's semi-annual 2013 review.


Related links:Third Avenue Management

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Pot of gold at the end of a rainbow

There's an old saying that you will find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. This may or may not be true. I guess those who love adventure can give it a shot. However, there is definitely a pot of gold - in fact many pots of gold - at the end of a financial rainbow.

Each colour of the rainbow represents an important financial principle. If you can assemble all these colours in your personal finances I am sure you too will find your pot of gold.

Red = Vitality, Energy, Activity

Business is activity, energy. Activity translates into profit. This profit increases the value of business. Equity is ownership of business and its profits. Thus owning good and profitable businesses through equity is an important component of your financial rainbow. You can do this by either buying shares directly or even through equity-based mutual funds/equity-based ULIPs.

Orange = Enthusiasm, Excitement

Money is not a serious subject. It is fun, it is exciting, it is challenging. Remember the delight on your daughter's face when you bought her the Barbie doll; or the thrilling vacation in Dubai last year; or the sense of achievement when your share became a ten-bagger. Enjoy the beautiful process of earning, investing and spending your money.

Yellow = Joy and Happiness

Marriage, childbirth, grih-pravesh, auspicious occasions, etc. are a source of great joy and happiness in any family. And gold is an integral part of such occasions in India. Hence, add a touch of yellow to your financial rainbow by investing in gold.

Green = Life, Nature, Harmony

The green colour is associated with nature and mother earth. Our home too is a part of this earth. Buying a house, therefore, adds the fourth colour and a valuable dimension to your financial portfolio.

Blue = Stability and calmness

Too much activity and too much volatility are not good for the stomach. There should also be periods of calmness and stability. Debt-based investments such as bank fixed deposits, bonds, debentures, debt mutual funds provide that very critical stability and steadiness to your financial portfolio.

Indigo = Wisdom and awareness

Needless to mention, knowledge and wisdom is the key to success in any facet of life. The same is true for your financial growth too. Without right knowledge and right aptitude you will not be able to make the right decisions and buy right financial products. 

Violet = Spiritual mastery

Finally, of course, one must pursue money with a detached mindset. Money is important; but not all-important. Family, love, friendship, health etc. have an equal (if not more) significance in one's life.

As mentioned in the beginning, there will be many pots of gold at the end of this financial rainbow - Go get them!

Sanjay Matai is a personal finance advisor ( www.wealtharchitects.in ) and author.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Navistar Remains Neutral - Analyst Blog

On Jul 3, we maintained our Neutral recommendation on Navistar International Corp. (NAV). We appreciate the company's leading position in the global truck market and steady revenue stream from government contracts. However, we are disappointed about its wider loss in fiscal 2013-second quarter and rising pressure on revenues owing to the transition to clean engine systems as per EPA regulation.

Why the Reiteration?

On Jun 10, Navistar reported a wider loss of $353 million or $4.39 per share in the second quarter (ended Apr 30, 2013) compared with $137 million or $1.99 per share (excluding special items) in the year-ago quarter. Reported loss was also significantly wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.09 per share. Lower volumes and higher pre-existing warranty adjustments, related to EPA 2010 emissions level engines, primarily dragged down the profits.

Revenues declined 22.5% year over year to $2.5 billion in the quarter, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.9 billion. The year-over-year decrease in revenues was due to a decline in industry demand and lower market share of the company.

Following the release of the second quarter results, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 has gone down more than threefold to a loss of $7.80 per share from the previous estimate of a loss of $2.40. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2014 declined 30.3% to $1.54 per share.

Navistar generates a significant amount of revenues based on contract wins from the U.S. government. The U.S government contributes about 25% of the company's revenue and the contracts are on long-term basis.

In addition, the company is focusing on different joint ventures, which will help it expand globally. Further, business acquisitions will also have a favorable impact on the company.

However, Navistar has to bear the brunt of increased expenditure due to the investment in research, development and tooling costs, which will meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EP! A) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission, noise and safety standards. The company also faces significant supplier risk, owing to higher dependence on some suppliers of components.

Other Stocks to Consider

Some stocks that are performing well in the same industry where Navistar operates include Visteon Corp. (VC), Magna International Inc. (MGA) and Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI). Visteon and Magna carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Johnson Controls has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Monday, June 15, 2015

Score A 24% Gain From A Stock That's Already Doubled This Year

The saying that a rising tide lifts all boats is doubly true for the economy. 

As the Federal Reserve's loose monetary policy pours fuel on an already combustible economy, the stock market spirals higher and higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to a high of 15,604 recently before consolidating in a tight channel near the highs. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes are flirting with new highs on a near-daily basis.

 

As the fireworks continue on Wall Street, Main Street is also reaping the rewards of low interest rates and supportive governmental policy. I have noticed local high-end restaurants packed to the gills with diners not afraid to drop a few hundred dollars for dinner and drinks for two couples. I tried to get reservations at a nearby hotspot and was told they were taking reservations for September and were completely booked during the month of August. There appears to be more discretionary capital sloshing around the economy than I have witnessed since prior to 2008.

This discretionary spending has acted to improve the bottom lines of multiple sectors in the economy. While nearly every sector is benefiting from this era of easy money, the service sector seems to be getting the most bang for the buck. 

In particular, the auto-rental segment of the service sector is posting record results. This makes sense on two fronts. 

First, as businesses improve, they will naturally rent more vehicles for their traveling sales forces and executives. 

Second, increased consumer discretionary income has found its way into the travel industry, hence the increased need for rental vehicles. 

Shares of the two largest publicly traded rental companies, Avis (Nasdaq: CAR) and Hertz (NYSE: HTZ), are up more than 100% this year as a direct result of the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing supercharging an improving economy. The largest rental car company remains the privately held Enterprise Holdings. 

     
   
  Hertz's second-quarter results showed that revenue soared 22% to just over $2.7 billion. The company's vehicle fleet also grew 27%.  

Hertz and Avis both have made mergers and acquisitions to retain their leadership status. Hertz received federal approval last month for its acquisition of the Dollar/Thrifty brands, and Avis bought out the struggling Zipcar franchise in March. This consolidation of the industry provides economies of scale as well as the ability to better control prices charged by avoiding fare wars.

Zipcar was struggling before its acquisition by Avis, but the idea of off-premises automatic rentals is powerful. Both Avis and Hertz are expanding their car-sharing businesses while avoiding Zipcar's initial mistakes. I can say from personal experience that renting cars is often an unnecessarily difficult process. The off-premises Zipcar model certainly makes things easier for consumers and is likely to improve the bottom line of both companies.

Both Avis and Hertz have had banner years in 2013, and both would make solid investments right now. As you likely guessed, the companies are strongly correlated, as you can see on this chart:

However, if I were forced to choose between the two, my money would be on Hertz. Here's why:

The company just posted solid second-quarter results with earnings of just over $121 million or 27 cents per share, up from 21 cents a year ago. Revenue soared 22% to just over $2.7 billion. In addition, revenue per transaction rose 1.2%, and Hertz's vehicle fleet grew 27%. However, the company conservatively reaffirmed its full-year expectations for profit of between $1.82 and $1.92 a share, disappointing analysts who had expected $1.90. 

Sounds like a solid, growing company, right? Well, the shares dropped sharply on the news from nearly $27 to $25. This dip is why I like Hertz right now. Clearly, the fundamentals do not warrant the sell-off, so the lower price is a great opportunity for investors.

Risks to Consider: The auto-rental business is closely tied to the economy. The business should continue to thrive as long as the economic picture improves.

Action to Take --> I Like Hertz right now as the pullback from the uptrend created a value buy zone on the chart. Buying here in the mid-$25 area with a nine-month target of $31 and stops at $24 makes solid sense as the economy continues to improve. In addition, Hertz's solid results indicate it is on the right track to continued profits. 

P.S. -- The car-rental industry surely already knows about the tiny company that could kill the gasoline engine -- and investors who read our latest report, "The 11 Most Shocking Investment Predictions For 2014," will, too. Our previous predictions have returned up to 310% in a year; to learn more, click here.

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

U.S. Stocks Drop for Week as Investors Await Fed Signals

U.S. stocks fell for the week, sending benchmark indexes lower for the third time in four weeks, as investors speculated whether the Federal Reserve will signal a reduction of stimulus efforts after its next meeting.

Financials fell the most out of 10 groups in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, declining 2.1 percent. American Express Co. (AXP) sank 6.5 percent after Barclays Plc lowered its rating on the credit-card issuer. Lululemon Athletica Inc. tumbled 19 percent after announcing Chief Executive Officer Christine Day will leave the company. Gannett Co., the publisher of USA Today, jumped 20 percent after agreeing to buy Belo Corp.

The S&P 500 lost 1 percent to 1,626.73 for the week. The benchmark equity gauge declined for four out of the five days, trimming its gains for the year to 14 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 177.94 points, or 1.2 percent, to 15,070.18.

"We've had a good year so far and we're now waiting for the Fed's response," David Kelly, the chief global strategist at JPMorgan Funds in New York, said by telephone. His firm oversees about $400 billion in mutual funds. "People have latched onto this theme of whether the Fed will stop being easy and what that means for interest rates. I don't think that's a significant negative for the stock market and the market may be overreacting."

The Fed will hold its two-day policy meeting June 18 and 19, with Chairman Ben S. Bernanke scheduled to speak after the central bank's decision. Investors are watching for signs on whether the Federal Open Market Committee will trim its pace of $85 billion in monthly asset purchases and maintain record-low interest rates.

Japan Stimulus

Equities fell during the week as the International Monetary Fund cut its outlook for U.S. growth in 2014 to 2.7 percent from 3 percent. Stocks also slid as Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said he sees no need to expand monetary stimulus immediately.

U.S. economic data showed initial jobless claims declined in the previous week and sales at retailers rose in May. Consumer confidence in June eased from a six-year high and U.S. industrial production was unchanged in May, reports showed.

Stimulus from the Fed and better-than-forecast earnings have propelled the bull market in U.S. stocks into a fifth year and driven the S&P 500 (SPX) up 140 percent from a 12-year low in 2009. The gauge has fallen 2.5 percent from its record high on May 21, the day before Bernanke suggested the central bank could curtail its bond purchases, known as quantitative easing, if the economy improved in a "real and sustainable way."

'Escape Velocity'

"It's a little disconcerting that the market has to depend on the Fed for its success right now," Bruce Bittles, the chief investment strategist at Milwaukee-based RW Baird & Co., which oversees about $100 billion, said by phone. "Economic data hasn't caused me to believe that the economy is set on escape velocity."

Concerns over economic growth and the pace of central-bank bond buying have led to widening swings in U.S. shares. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (VIX), or VIX, rallied 13 percent to 17.15 for the week. The index, a benchmark gauge for American stock options, is down 4.8 percent this year.

The KBW Bank Index (BKX) tumbled 2.3 percent for the week, as 22 of its 24 lenders declined. Citigroup Inc., the third-largest U.S. bank by assets, sank 4.6 percent to $49.22.

American Express slipped 6.5 percent, its biggest decline in more than a year, to $72.97. Barclays lowered its rating on the biggest credit-card issuer by purchases to equal-weight from overweight, saying the stock's valuation could fall on "soft" revenue trends that could crimp earnings growth.

Cooler Weather

DuPont Co. fell 5 percent to $52.68. The country's largest chemicals producer said its per-share operating profit will drop about 10 percent in the first half from a year earlier as wetter, cooler weather hurts its agriculture and nutrition and health units.

Energy stocks tumbled 1.7 percent and technology companies erased 1.5 percent as a group. Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, lost 3.6 percent to $34.40.

Lululemon (LULU) plunged 19 percent to $66.15 after saying Day will step down once a replacement is found. Sales have tripled in the past three years and the shares had risen more than fivefold since June 27, 2008, the day before she became CEO of the Canadian yogawear retailer. Day's reputation took a hit earlier this year when the Vancouver-based company was forced to recall pants that became transparent when wearers bent over.

Gannett, Safeway

Gannett surged 20 percent to $24.99. The McLean, Virginia-based company agreed to buy Belo for about $1.5 billion. The acquisition will make Gannett the fourth-largest owner of network affiliates, almost doubling the number of TV stations to 43 from 23 and reducing its dependence on its shrinking newspaper business.

Belo jumped 21 percent to $14.01.

Safeway Inc. rose 7.3 percent to $24.36 after agreeing to sell its Canadian stores to Empire Co.'s Sobeys Inc. unit for about C$5.8 billion ($5.7 billion). The second-largest U.S. grocery-store chain will use proceeds from the sale to pay down $2 billion in debt and buy back stock.

Groupon Inc. (GRPN) rose 10 percent to $7.65. Deutsche Bank AG upgraded the stock to buy from hold, citing optimism that increasing use of the company's mobile application can boost sales.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Why You Never Learn From Your Investment Mistakes

Study successful investors, and you'll notice a common denominator: They are masters of psychology. They can't control the market, but they have complete control over the gray matter between their ears.

And lucky them. Most of us, on the other hand, are mental catastrophes. As investor Barry Ritholtz once put it:

You're a monkey. It all comes down to that. You are a slightly clever, pants-wearing primate. If you forget that you're nothing more than a monkey who has been fashioned by eons on the plains, being chased by tigers, you shouldn't invest. You have to be aware of how your own psychology affects what you do.

Take one of the most powerful theories in behavior psychology: cognitive dissonance. It's the term psychologists use for the uncomfortable feeling you get when having two conflicting thoughts at the same time. "Smoking is bad for me. I'm going to go smoke." That's cognitive dissonance.

We hate cognitive dissonance, and jump through hoops to reduce it. The easiest way to reduce it is to engage in mental gymnastics that justifies behavior we know is wrong. "I had a stressful day and I deserve a cigarette." Now you can smoke guilt-free. Problem solved.

Humans are one of the only creatures that engage in this self-deluding behavior. In their excellent book Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me), Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson write:

A dog may appear contrite for having been caught peeing on the carpet, but she will not try to think up justifications for her misbehavior. Humans think; and because we think, dissonance theory demonstrated that our behavior transcends the effects of rewards and punishment and often contradicts them.

Yes, when it comes to learning from bad behavior, you are at a disadvantage to an incontinent puppy.

Cognitive dissonance is especially toxic in the emotional cesspool that is managing money. Raise your hand if this is you:

You criticize Wall Street for being a casino while checking your portfolio twice a day. You sold your stocks in 2009 because the Fed was printing money. When stocks doubled in value soon after, you blamed it on the Fed printing money. You put $1,000 on a hyped penny stock your brother convinced you is the next Facebook. After losing everything, you tell yourself you were just investing for the entertainment. You call the government irresponsible for running a deficit while simultaneously saddling yourself with an unaffordable mortgage. You buy a stock only because you think it's cheap. When you realize you were wrong, you decide to hold it because you like the company's customer service.

Almost all of us do something similar with our money. We have to believe our decisions make sense. So when faced with a situation that doesn't make sense, we fool ourselves into believing something else.

Worse, another bias -- confirmation bias -- causes us to bond with people whose self-delusions look like our own. Those who missed the rally of the last four years are more likely to listen to analysts who forecast another crash. Investors who feel burned by the Fed visit websites that share the same view. Bears listen to fellow bears; bulls listen to fellow bulls.

Before long, you've got a trifecta of failure: You make a bad decision, rationalize it by fighting cognitive dissonance, and reinforce it with confirmation bias. No wonder the average investor does so poorly.

Great investors are different. They are practically allergic to these biases.

Value investor Mohnish Pabrai has an outstanding long-term track record, but he spends an inordinate amount of time analyzing his mistakes.

In an interview last year, Pabrai told me about his response to 2008, when he (and nearly everyone else) lost a lot of money. Rather than rationalizing his poor performance by blaming Wall Street, he set out to learn from what were, after all, his investment decisions. "I clearly studied my own mistakes, and I went back systematically and documented why we lost money on these different investments," he said. Studying his mistakes eventually led to a checklist Pabrai now consults before making new investments. "The checklist significantly brought down the error rate," he said.

Most investors don't think like this. Which is why Pabrai outperforms most investors.

Billionaire Ray Dalio is similar. His hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, has a policy that every employee must always speak their mind, even if it means telling a superior they're wrong.

"Successful people ask for the criticism of others and consider its merit," Dalio writes in his employee handbook. "Remember that your goal is to find the best answer, not to give the best one you have."

Most investors don't do this. They assume their opinion (or the opinion of those who agree with them) must be right, and will delude themselves into justifying a belief when shown opposing facts. Dalio doesn't put up with this behavior -- which is part of why he's a billionaire, and you and I are not.

"The brain is designed with blind spots," Tavris and Aronson write, "and one of its cleverest tricks is to confer on us the comforting delusion that we, personally, do not have any." Alas, you do. And they're preventing you from becoming a better investor. Fight them as hard as you can.

Check back every Tuesday and Friday for Morgan Housel's columns on finance and economics. 

Monday, June 8, 2015

Ford's SUVs Are Hot in Russia

Ford (NYSE: F  ) has recently upped the pace of its expansion in Russia. The first-ever Russian-made Ford Explorer rolled off a St. Petersburg assembly line last month, and now Ford is making plans to bring more of its SUVs to the world's largest country.

In this video, Fool.com contributor John Rosevear looks at the challenges and opportunities facing Ford in Russia -- and at the Blue Oval's long-term vision for the huge potential of this big market.

If you're concerned that Ford's turnaround has run its course, relax -- there's good reason to think that the Blue Oval still has big growth opportunities ahead. We've outlined those opportunities in detail, in the Fool's premium Ford research service. If you're looking for some freshly updated guidance to Ford's prospects in coming years, you've come to the right place -- click here to get started now.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

The Keys to Honeywell's Earnings

On Friday, Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

Honeywell does business in everything from helicopters to brake pads, with its fingers on the pulse of the industrial heartbeat of the global economy. That leaves the company potentially vulnerable to adverse macroeconomic trends, as we've seen recently from emerging-market slowdowns in China and recessionary conditions in Europe. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Honeywell over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Stats on Honeywell

Analyst EPS Estimate

$1.14

Change From Year-Ago EPS

9.6%

Revenue Estimate

$9.44 billion

Change From Year-Ago Revenue

1.5%

Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters

4

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

How will Honeywell find new profits this quarter?
Analysts have gotten slightly more optimistic about Honeywell's prospects over the past few months, raising their earnings calls on the just-finished quarter by a penny per share and adding $0.02 to their earnings-per-share calls for the full 2013 year. The stock has also done reasonably well, rising about 10% since early January.

Honeywell is a much more broadly diversified company than many investors give it credit for, with its automation and control systems business earning the most revenue of its four main divisions. As part of a coalition with companies including Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR  ) , Praxair, and General Dynamics, Honeywell will participate on a $10 million contract from the Department of Energy to further clean-energy manufacturing. That contract is obviously small, but the prospects of clean-energy industry are much larger, and the project should help Honeywell gain valuable expertise in the area that it can put to more profitable use going forward.

But as Honeywell's most profitable segment, the aerospace industry still holds the most promise for the conglomerate, with strong prospects on multiple fronts. On one hand, as a supplier, Honeywell benefits from the trillions of dollars in revenue that Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) expects to see from new commercial aircraft orders in the next 20 years. Moreover, Honeywell expects strong helicopter sales throughout the world, with Latin America leading the way with a projected 34% increase in sales volume. The company has recently reaped further rewards from its presence in Latin America, as Embraer (NYSE: ERJ  ) awarded Honeywell a $2.8 billion contract to provide avionics for the next-generation E-Jet line.

To some extent, Honeywell is vulnerable to defense-related budget cuts. Yet the company has done a better job than many companies that receive defense contracts in broadening its revenue base well beyond government funding sources.

In Honeywell's report, one area to focus on is how the company's relationship with Textron's (NYSE: TXT  ) Cessna division is progressing. By diversifying beyond Boeing, Honeywell has the greatest chance to ensure its future regardless of which aircraft manufacturers perform the best.

Still, Honeywell will continue to rely on Boeing for a big chunk of its business. That raises the question of whether Boeing will live up to its potential. In our premium research report on Boeing, two of The Motley Fool's best minds on industrials have collaborated to provide investors with the key, must-know issues surrounding the aerospace giant. They'll be updating the report as key news hits, so don't miss out – simply click here now to claim your copy today.

Click here to add Honeywell to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

5 Ways Women Can Earn As Much As Men

We've all heard the frustrating statistics: Despite making tons of headway in education and the labor force, women make just 78 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Why this wage gap exists is hotly debated. But whatever the reason, the fact remains that many women, at one time or another, may find themselves making less than their male counterparts. Though the policies and culture that create income inequality aren't likely to change overnight, that doesn't mean you have to take your lighter paycheck with a curtsy and a smile. You can maximize your earning potential with these five tips.

See Also: Jobs That Pay Women More Than Men 1) Build money-making skills.

All too often we think of graduation as the end of tests, classroom time and structured learning. Some of us even celebrate by tweeting ecstatic proclamations like "last class EVER!" (Just me?) But in reality, women (and men) need to be vigilant when it comes to building (and sharpening) their skill sets. Whether you majored in a high-paying field, such as economics, or one that has fewer high-paying jobs, such as art history, adding applicable skills and certifications to your rƩsumƩ will help fatten your paycheck.

Skill-building is particularly important for women, who miss out on earnings in some of the highest-paying fields. According to PayScale.com, advanced computer skills, such as Ruby on Rails, Java and SAS, can help you boost earnings by more than 8% in fields related to data analysis or computer science. Other capabilities, such as data modeling or fluency in Spanish, can increase salaries by about 5% in social work and other fields in which the ability to communicate with a broad array of people is a boon.

Don't worry: You don't need to pony up thousands of dollars for an advanced degree or even pay for courses in order to gain these lucrative skills. There are many online coding schools, such as Code Academy, where you can learn the basics for free. See how you can use free classes to boost your career.

2) Look for a job with built-in balance.

Often, women bear the brunt of familial responsibility. That can include everything from caring for an elderly parent to being the person tasked with picking up a sick child in the middle of a school day. Unfortunately, time away from the office may hold you back at many workplaces. For example, if you need to take care of a sick relative and have to regularly duck out at 5 p.m. or take personal days, your absences may work against you when it comes to promotions or being awarded major projects.

If you decide to have a baby, maternity leave will likely have an immediate, direct impact on your finances. Although the Family Medical Leave Act requires your employer to allow you up to 12 weeks of time off, it does not require your employer to pay you. Some companies may offer paid maternity leave anyway, but many employers give you short-term disability leave instead, which typically pays about two-thirds of your regular salary. Plus, if you want to be with your newborn full-time for more than the doctor-prescribed six to eight weeks of medical leave you're allowed, you'll have to either use vacation days or opt to take unpaid leave.

"If everyone leaned out, we would have a better working environment," says Claudia Goldin, an economics professor at Harvard University who once taught famed Lean In author Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook. According to Goldin, if the majority of workers (both men and women) made a point of creating a more equal work-life balance, then those whose personal lives demand more time away from the office would be penalized less.

Until that happens, says Goldin, look for jobs that provide flexibility or built-in balance without limiting your growth opportunities. For instance, some physicians who work for a group practice can often share or hand off patients without fear of losing out on future opportunities. When researching a company, be sure to gather some intel on whether or not they have family-friendly policies. Publications such as Working Mother publish annual lists of the best companies for moms trying to balance career and family.

Knowing that your time away from the office won't sideline your career can give you peace of mind and allow you to keep working, even through a hectic personal schedule. A job that allows you to work from home can also provide innate balance, allowing you to juggle both personal and professional tasks in the same space.

3) Negotiate from the start…

Talking dollars and cents with a potential employer makes most people nervous. According to Salary.com, only about 41% of employees negotiate their salaries. When broken down by gender, those numbers skew even worse for women: About 46% of men say that they always negotiate, but only 30% of women say the same. About 39% of men think that negotiating is uncomfortable, but more than half of women cite hesitation about bargaining for salary.

If you overcome that fear, you can pocket much more on your very first day—and set yourself up for even greater pay in the long run. So as soon as you start thinking about accepting an offer, be prepared to negotiate your salary. A little research via PayScale, Glassdoor or Monster can help you figure out the going rate for your position, and you should point to additional skills or specific experience that might increase your worth to the company.

When I landed my first job, I didn't negotiate my salary; I just happily signed my contract. In my second job, simply bringing up the suggested salary started a conversation that led to a starting salary that was $5,000 higher than the one listed. Now that I'm older and (hopefully) wiser, I make a point of discussing my salary before agreeing to any new work prospect.

4) …and keep negotiating.

Once you've started a new job (and successfully negotiated your starting salary), that doesn't mean that you can stop talking about compensation (though many of us do, especially women). Even if you receive a standard annual bump of 2% to 3% (good for you!), you should consider asking for more—if you feel you've earned it. To help make the case for a raise during an annual review, general negotiating advice applies for both genders, of course: Keep a running list of your accomplishments, especially anything that can be measured monetarily; stay aware of what nearby companies pay for your level of work; and time your request appropriately. If your job doesn't offer you an annual review, set aside some time with your managers to discuss your contributions and compensation.

Women, though, have to approach the topic differently from men. While men may do well by being aggressive with their negotiations, many studies have shown that the same behavior is not beneficial for women. "Women have to worry much more than men about how they will be perceived when they ask for what they want," say Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, authors of Women Don't Ask, on their site of the same name. "For women who are pragmatists, asking for what they want in a more social, friendly way can be a very effective strategy for getting what they want—without turning people against them."

5) Know your options.

It pays to shop around the job market. The amount of time married women stick with an employer has been steadily increasing, according to a recent study by the American Sociological Review, but job tenure for men and single women has been on the decline. That loyalty may hurt married women financially. On-the-job raises are often capped to low-single-digit percentages. Overall, Kiplinger expects wages to rise by 4% a year by 2017. But snagging a new position at a different company may allow for a much bigger jump in pay.

Connecting with people in your field is one of the best ways to peruse your options. "Networking is really important. It helps you stay current and find out about good job opportunities," says Ariana Hegewisch, a study director at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. You can also learn important insider details, including other companies' compensation levels, how friendly they are to flexible scheduling, or how quickly workers can climb the corporate ladder.

How do you network? Keep in touch with friends, mentors and colleagues, and be a valuable resource for them. Not only will your benevolence do them good, it will also encourage them to help you in return. Social media can be another great way to connect with colleagues in your field who you might not be able to meet in person. Even if you would ultimately prefer to stay at your current job, learning about outside positions will give you an idea of the types of roles, and salary, you might now be qualified for. Not selling yourself short is a key to earning more over the long term, says Hegewisch. "Apply to jobs even if you're not totally sure you're qualified. If they think you can't do it, they won't hire you, but don't limit yourself."

If you do get an offer elsewhere, you might even use the opportunity to start a conversation about a raise or promotion at your current company. Just be prepared to walk if you use this tactic and your boss decides not to budge.



Monday, June 1, 2015

5 Foreign Stocks You Need to Sell This Summer

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!"

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Trade in July

Soccer fans across the country are getting ready to root for the U.S. men's national soccer team for the World Cup match this evening. What you might not realize is that, less conspicuously, investors around the world have already been chanting "U-S-A!" all year long.

Since the calendar flipped to January, the MSCI World ex-USA Index has returned a pretty tepid 3.28% gain. That's around half the performance that investors in the U.S.-centric S&P 500 have earned over that same stretch. But that's only part of the story; while overseas markets trail the U.S., lots of individual foreign stocks that trade here in the U.S. are looking downright toxic for your portfolio.

Today, we're taking a closer technical look at five of them.

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

Just to be clear, the companies I'm talking about today aren't exactly junk. By that, I mean they're not next up in line at bankruptcy court. But that's frankly irrelevant; from a technical analysis standpoint, sellers are shoving around these foreign toxic stocks right now. For that reason, fundamental investors need to decide how long they're willing to take the pain if they want to hold onto these firms in the weeks and months ahead. And for investors looking to buy one of these positions, it makes sense to wait for more favorable technical conditions (and a lower share price) before piling in.

For the unfamiliar, technical analysis is a way for investors to quantify qualitative factors, such as investor psychology, based on a stock's price action and trends. Once the domain of cloistered trading teams on Wall Street, technicals can help top traders make consistently profitable trades and can aid fundamental investors in better planning their stock execution.

>>5 Dividend Stocks That Want to Pay You More

So, without further ado, let's take a look at five "toxic" foreign stocks you should be unloading.

Itau Unibanco Holding


First up is Itau Unibanco Holding (ITUB), the Brazilian banking giant. Make no mistake, ITUB has posted some strong performance so far in 2014 .Shares of the $75 billion bank are up more than 16% since the calendar flipped to the new year. But after six months of rallying, this stock is starting to show signs of a top.

>>5 Stocks Ready for Breakouts

Itau Unibanco is currently forming a double top, a bearish reversal pattern that looks just like it sounds. The double top is formed by a pair of swing highs that max out at approximately the same price level. The sell signal comes when the trough that separates the two highs gets violated. For ITUB, that breakdown level is right at $13.75. If $13.65 gets taken out, it's time to be a seller.

Relative strength adds some extra evidence for downside in ITUB. The relative strength line has been trending lower since May, an indication that this stock isn't just dropping now, it's also dramatically underperforming the rest of the broad market in the process. Since relative strength is statistically a very good predictor of price action on a rolling three-to-10-month time horizon, it's a red flag worth watching closely in July.

Royal Dutch Shell



We're seeing the exact same setup in shares of Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.B). In this big integrated energy name, the breakdown level to watch is support at $82. Shell has been a solid performer for the last year, bouncing its way higher in a well-defined uptrend up to now, so while lower levels aren't a given at this point, the uptrend is definitively over if $82 gets violated.

>>3 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

What makes $82 matter? Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to keep buyers and sellers in mind. Patterns such as double tops are a good way to quickly describe 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 of Shell.

That horizontal $82 level in RDS.B is the spot where there's previously been an excess of demand for shares. In other words, it's a price at which buyers have been more eager to step in and buy shares at a lower price than sellers were to sell. That's what makes a breakdown below support so significant -- the move means that sellers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess demand at the at price level. If you decide to short RDS.B on a breakdown below $82, I'd recommend keeping a protective stop just above the 50-day moving average.

Rio Tinto



UK-based mining stock Rio Tinto (RIO) is another name that's starting to look toxic right now. RIO hasn't done much in the way of performance for the last nine months -- shares are effectively flat since the end of last October. But a sideways churn is one thing, and a free-fall is quite another; RIO looks ready for the latter in the second half of 2014.

>>Must-See Charts: 5 Large-Caps to Trade for Gains

Rio Tinto is currently forming a descending triangle pattern, a bearish setup that's formed by horizontal support to the downside (at $51 in this case), and downtrending resistance above shares. Basically, as RIO bounces between those two technically important price levels, it's getting squeezed closer to a breakdown below support at $51. When that happens, we've got our sell signal in RIO -- support at $46 looks like the next nearest price floor from there.

Momentum, measured by 14-day RSI, provides some foreshadowing for the downside in RIO. The RSI line has been sloping lower alongside the highs in RIO's share price. Look for RSI to break below 30 as an early warning sign before shares fall below $51 support.

WuXi PharmaTech



You don't have to be an expert technical trader to figure out what's going on in shares of WuXi PharmaTech (WX) -- a quick glance at the chart should tell you just about everything you need to know about this $2.4 billion Chinese pharmaceutical firm. In short, WX looks toxic right now.

>>3 Huge Stocks on Traders' Radars

WuXi is currently bouncing its way lower in a textbook downtrending channel. The setup is formed by a pair of parallel trend lines: a resistance line above shares, and a support line below them. Those two lines on the chart provide traders with the high-probability range for WX's shares to stay within. When it comes to trend channels, up is good and down is bad. It's really as simple as that.

And as shares bounce off of trend line resistance for a sixth time in this short span, it makes sense to sell the bounce. The 50-day moving average has been a solid proxy for trend line resistance on the way down, so until that level gets taken out, expect more lows in shares of WX.

China Mobile



China Mobile (CHL) is another Chinese stock that's showing us a tradable downtrend this week. CHL's toxic price action has been much longer-term than the downtrend in WX: China's largest wireless provider has been bouncing its way under a falling resistance line since back in September. Now it makes sense to sell the next bounce lower off of that resistance line.

Waiting for that move down before clicking "sell" is a critical part of risk management for two big reasons: First, it's the spot where prices are the highest within the channel, and alternatively, it's the spot where you'll get the first indication that the downtrend is ending. Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for the bounce to happen first, you're confirming that sellers are still in control before you unload shares of CHL.

CHL's downtrend hasn't exactly been textbook over the last year. While resistance has swatted shares lower consistently, support has been defined by three levels instead of just one. That lack of a single solid price floor is an important indication that buyers are lacking in shares of CHL right now. That means that China Mobile is likely to end the summer significantly lower than it started.

To see this week's trades in action, check out the Technical Setups for the Week portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.


RELATED LINKS:



>>Love the Stocks Everyone Hates: 5 Short-Squeeze Stocks Ready to Pop



>>5 Stocks Under $10 Setting Up to Soar



>>4 Big Stocks Getting Big Attention

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Jonas Elmerraji, CMT, is a senior market analyst at Agora Financial in Baltimore and a contributor to

TheStreet. Before that, he managed a portfolio of stocks for an investment advisory returned 15% in 2008. He has been featured in Forbes , Investor's Business Daily, and on CNBC.com. Jonas holds a degree in financial economics from UMBC and the Chartered Market Technician designation.

Follow Jonas on Twitter @JonasElmerraji


Sunday, May 31, 2015

Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Lower; Macy's Posts Rise In Profit

Related BZSUM #PreMarket Primer: Wednesday, May 14: Markets Surprised To Hear Bundesbank Is On Board With ECB Stimulus Market Wrap For May 13: Markets Close Again At Record Highs

Following the market opening Wednesday, the Dow traded down 0.36 percent to 16,655.95 while the NASDAQ declined 0.21 percent to 4,121.47. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.27 percent to 1,892.38.

Leading and Lagging Sectors
Basic Materials shares gained around 0.24 percent in trading on Wednesday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Harmony Gold Mining Company (NYSE: HMY), up 4.1 percent, and Thompson Creek Metals Company (NYSE: TC), up 3.8 percent. In trading on Wednesday, cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.36 percent.

Top decliners in the sector included Fossil Group (NASDAQ: FOSL), down 8.2 percent, and Kandi Technolgies Group (NASDAQ: KNDI), off 4.4 percent.

Top Headline
Macy's (NYSE: M) reported a rise in its first-quarter earnings. Macy's reaffirmed its outlook for the full year. It also increased its share-buyback plan by $1.5 billion and lifted its dividend by 25% to 31.25 cents per share. Macy's posted a quarterly profit of $224 million, or $0.60 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $217 million, or $0.55 per share. Its revenue slipped 1.7% to $6.28 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.59 per share on revenue of $6.46 billion. Its revenue at stores open at least a year dropped 0.8%.

Equities Trading UP
SunOpta (NASDAQ: STKL) shares shot up 12.89 percent to $12.70 after the company reported upbeat Q1 earnings.

Shares of Isis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ISIS) got a boost, shooting up 10.16 percent to $27.64 after the company reported positive Phase 2 data on ISIS-GCGR Rx in HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The Rubicon Project (NYSE: RUBI) shares were also up, gaining 27.09 percent to $14.45 after the company reported upbeat Q1 results and issued a strong outlook.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Fossil Group (NASDAQ: FOSL) were 8.04 percent to $102.49 after the company issued a downbeat guidance. The company projected Q2 earnings of $0.90 to $0.97 per share, versus analysts' estimates of $1.16 per share.

USA Compression Partners LP (NYSE: USAC) shares tumbled 6.80 percent to $24.95 after the company priced 6.6 million units at $25.59 per unit.

Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO) was down, falling 3.32 percent to $19.95 after the company issued a weak outlook. For the first quarter, the company expected an adjusted loss of $0.35 to $0.25 per share on revenue of $120 million to $125 million. However, analysts expected a loss of $0.12 per share on revenue of $209.6 million.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.35 percent to $102.06, while gold traded up 0.95 percent to $1,307.10.

Silver traded up 1.86 percent Wednesday to $19.91, while copper rose 0.94 percent to $3.17.

Eurozone
European shares were lower today.

The eurozone's STOXX 600 declined 0.25 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.05 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index dropped 0.65 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX slipped 0.10 percent and the French CAC 40 tumbled 0.21 percent while UK shares fell 0.18 percent.

Economics
The MBA reported that its index of mortgage application activity rose 3.60% in the week ended May 9.

U.S. wholesale prices increased 0.6% in April, versus a revised 0.5% rise in March. However, economists were expecting a 0.2% gain in the PPI.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Futures Forex Global Econ #s Economics Intraday Update Markets Movers Tech

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Charge Up on the MasterCard and Visa Stock Pullback

Last week, traders weren't very kind to the equity markets. They were particularly hard on financial stocks, as the Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) was down more than 4% in the week ended 4/11. Things were even worse for many individual financial-related stocks, including credit card payment processors MasterCard (MA) and Visa (V).

Mastercard stock sank nearly 4.9% for the week ended 4/11, while Visa stock was down 5.3%. Both stocks enjoyed a nice rebound in Monday trade, with MA stock jumping 3.7% and V spiking 2.2%. The move higher Monday was due to several positives for the leading payment companies, positives that I suspect will charge up both stocks in the weeks and months to come.

First off, part of today's gains in Mastercard and Visa stock were due to the wider buying in stocks after last week's aforementioned drubbing. If and when that buying cools, so too will the buying in MA and V. However, the gains in the two stocks weren't just driven by tag-along buying.

On Monday morning, Wall Street woke up to a research note from analyst David Konig of Robert W. Baird that upgraded MA stock to "Outperform" from "Neutral." Konig cited credit card metrics from JP Morgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) showing credit card use volumes were about where they were in Q4. That helped quell fears that Q1 volumes will come in weaker than expected.

MA chart 286x300 Charge Up on the MasterCard and Visa Stock Pullback
Click to EnlargeKonig also said Mastercard stock wouldn't likely be tainted much from ongoing litigation with some merchants, or from the economic weakness caused by Russia's recent aggression in Ukraine. Konig has an $83 price target on Mastercard stock.

Visa stock also got some favorable analyst coverage on Monday from Pacific Crest, which initiated coverage on the shares. The firm rates Visa stock with an "Outperform," saying that the company is poised to benefit from the growth of mobile payments and digital payment systems in hitherto under served markets. Pacific Crest's price target on Visa stock is $241.

The upbeat research calls on both Mastercard and Visa stock were particularly welcome, considering both shares have been pummeled lately. For example, in the month leading up to the April 11 close, Mastercard stock fell 10% while Visa stock plummeted 10.9%. This intense selling pushed both stocks below their respective short-term, 50-day moving average and their long-term, 200-day moving average.

The breakdown below the 200-day was particularly noteworthy for both stocks, because the slide below this all-important technical support level can either make or break a stock's next move.

V chart 286x300 Charge Up on the MasterCard and Visa Stock Pullback
Click to EnlargeWhat usually happens when a high-flyer quickly falls below the 200-day average is one of two things: Either the shares breakdown below the 200-day and come tumbling down in free fall, or the smart money starts to pile into the shares as a value play, taking advantage of good stocks at a bargain price.

I suspect the next phase for Mastercard stock and Visa stock are a case of the latter at work, and judging by Monday's trade, my suspicions are starting to be confirmed.


However, on Monday we received some rather upbeat retail sales data for March, a metric that could act as a tailwind for both Mastercard stock and Visa stock going forward. The Commerce Department reported a retail sales increase of 1.1% in the previous month, which was the biggest gain in the measure since September 2012.

More people spending more money is good news for credit card processors, and that might just be the added push both Mastercard stock and Visa stock need to break back firmly above technical resistance.

As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Emerging-markets fixed income: A constructive view for the discriminating eye

emerging markets, fixed income, bonds

Following a challenging year, 2014 has started off with continued volatility. Some clients are asking their advisers about risks in emerging markets while others are wondering if the turmoil presents a buying opportunity.

Encouragingly, the strong economic fundamentals that have driven emerging markets debt over several years remain largely intact, technical dynamics are supportive, and valuations have improved. Developed economies are gaining traction, removing a headwind in place for several years.

Significant risks remain, however, and country differentiation and asset allocation will be a key theme this year. Recent volatility in the asset class stems from two broad types of risk: those specific to the countries themselves, and those presented by a less predictable U.S. interest rate environment. Also, uneasiness persists regarding China's economic rebalancing.

NOT ALL EMs ARE PAINTED WITH THE SAME BRUSH

Brazil and South Africa's diminished growth prospects, and anti-government protests in Turkey, Ukraine and Thailand are high-profile examples of sovereign risk that have damaged sentiment recently. These stories are balanced by countries such as Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines that are reaping the rewards of market-friendly reforms. Several Eastern European countries are benefiting from an ongoing recovery in the European Union, while Sub-Saharan Africa offers investors a fresh selection of rapidly-expanding economies.

The sudden increase in U.S. Treasury yields beginning in May 2013 left investors anxious about the transition away from years of exceedingly easy monetary policy. Though interest rates appear set to climb, the speed and magnitude will be muddled by conflicting signals about the U.S. and global economic recovery. Importantly, subdued inflation is allowing major central banks to commit to a low rate environment through 2014.

The ramifications of reduced global liquidity have been borne by emerging market currencies; several have depreciated 5-20% versus the U.S. dollar over the past year. In the process, markets have tested local-currency bonds in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey as investors and central banks struggle to calibrate interest rate differentials between developed and developing countries. Encouragingly, floating exchange rate regimes in emerging markets are playing their designed role of acting as economic shock absorbers and preventing more damaging dislocations.

Diversified opportunities in emerging markets fixed income ensure that not all assets have or will perform similarly. Within local markets, Hungary, Romania and Nigeria delivered positive returns on an un-hedged basis last year. In U.S. dollar bonds, many high yield sovereigns posted gains, moderating the losses in interest rate sensitive investment-grade securities. Emerging market corporates have been more resilient on whole, given their short! er duration profile.

AN ATTRACTIVE ENTRY POINT

The yield back-up across assets is providing an improved entry point for investors. The spread on U.S. dollar sovereigns, close to 350 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, is above the 10-year average. Emerging market corporate bonds offer significant spread premiums over similarly-rated U.S. corporates, and emerging markets' domestic interest rate differentials are at five-year highs versus U.S. Treasuries.

Valuations are enhanced given that economic fundamentals in emerging markets have improved and remain largely superior to developed countries. Though expanding slower than recent years, emerging economies maintain their growth edge, and they run more balanced budgets. Public indebte

Monday, May 25, 2015

Average rate on 30-year loan falls to 4.23%

WASHINGTON — Average U.S. rates for fixed mortgages fell this week as the latest data continued to indicate a pause in the housing market's recovery.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for the 30-year loan declined to 4.23% from 4.32% last week. The average for the 15-year loan dipped to 3.33% from 3.40%.

Mortgage rates have risen about a full%age point since hitting record lows roughly a year ago. The increase was driven by speculation that the Federal Reserve would reduce its $85 billion a month in bond purchases. Saying the economy was gaining strength, the Fed pushed ahead last week with a plan to reduce the bond purchases, which have kept long-term interest rates low.

Data released Tuesday by real estate specialist CoreLogic showed that U.S. home prices slipped from November to December, and the year-over-year increase slowed, likely a result of weaker sales at the end of last year.

The December decline was the third straight month-to-month drop. Home prices had risen for eight straight months through September. For all of 2013, prices rose a healthy 11%.

The Commerce Department reported Monday that U.S. construction spending rose modestly in December, slowing from healthy gains a month earlier.

Most economists expect home sales and prices to keep rising this year, but at a slower pace. They forecast that both will likely rise around 5%, down from double-digit gains in 2013.

Steady job gains are putting more people to work and enabling them to buy a home. And rising prices should encourage more owners to sell their homes. A larger supply of available homes would likely boost sales.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country between Monday and Wednesday each week. The average doesn't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1% of the loan amount.

The average fee for a 30-year mortgage was unchanged at 0.7 point. The! fee for a 15-year loan rose to 0.7 point from 0.6 point.

The average rate on a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage fell to 2.51% from 2.55%. The fee increased to 0.5 point from 0.4 point.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable mortgage slipped to 3.08% from 3.12%. The fee held at 0.5 point.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

LinkedIn Stock Makes a Great Connection for Investors LNKD

Facebook Logo Twitter Logo RSS Logo Louis Navellier Popular Posts: Ring in the New Year Right – 3 Best Booze Stocks to Buy Now6 New Year's Resolutions for InvestorsBoeing Stock Continues to Soar for Investors Recent Posts: LinkedIn Stock Makes a Great Connection for Investors LNKD While The Dollar Dives, Multinational Stocks Rise 4 Reasons Markets May Be Even Better in 2014 View All Posts

Welcome to the Stock of the Day!

Today is a big day for social media, now that word is out that online video advertising is expected to double to $8.1 billion by 2016. But while competitor Twitter (TWTR) took flight on the news, LinkedIn (LNKD) stock remains in the red.

What is weighing on LNKD shareholders? Is this a buying opportunity? Find out today.

Company Profile

LinkedIn is a social networking website that contends with the likes of Facebook (FB) and Twitter by catering to professionals looking to advance their careers. But while LinkedIn competes with Facebook and Twitter for user attention, its business is quite different—as career and job markets become increasingly Internet-based, LinkedIn’s services will become even more useful.

For example, many companies are offering applicants the opportunity to simply upload their LinkedIn data to a hiring application to save time. With over 225 million users in more than 200 countries, LinkedIn brought in $972 million in FY 2012.

Analyst Buzz

What sent LNKD shares lower was that a Citigroup (C) analyst cautioned that the number of job postings on LinkedIn grew more slowly in the fourth quarter than in the third quarter. The analyst, Mark May, believes that LinkedIn will at best match the consensus sales estimate for hiring solutions revenue. Investors reacted to these remarks but it’s clear that much of the analyst community disagrees with May.

Currently, the consensus estimate is that LinkedIn will earn 32 cents per share on $384.17 million in total sales for the fourth quarter. This represents 45.5% annual earnings growth and 52.4% sales growth. So all eyes will be on the social media giant when it reports earnings later this month.

Looking Ahead

In any event, I’m considering LNKD a great long-term position. Looking ahead to FY 2014, analysts forecast 41.6% annual earnings growth and 41.2% sales growth. In just the past week, the analyst community has revised both this year’s and next year’s consensus EPS estimates up 5% and 4% respectively. And this is head and shoulders above the competition.

The rest of the Internet Information Providers industry is headed towards an average of 25.9% earnings growth for FY 2014. Then again, a recent Pew Research Center study said as much, as 22% of its participants replied that they use LinkedIn, vs. 21% for Pinterest and 18% for Twitter.

Current Ratings

Before you buy any stock, you should always run it through my free Portfolio Grader ratings system. For the past 12 months LNKD has stayed in buy territory. That’s because this company has solid fundamentals. LinkedIn has figured out how to maximize sales growth, operating margin growth, as well as how to top analyst estimates consistently.

Of the eight fundamental metrics I graded this stock on, LNKD receives A- or B-ratings on four. The exceptions are cash flow (C-rated) and return on equity (D-rated), and earnings growth, but I imagine these will firm up in the company’s next earnings announcement. So LNKD receives a C for its Fundamental Grade.

Meanwhile, institutional buying pressure (as indicated by its B-rated Quantitative Grade) remains strong.

Bottom Line: As of this posting I consider LNKD a B-rated Buy.

Would you like to check the fundamentals backing up one of your stocks? For more stock grades, please visit my Portfolio Grader website!

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

U.S. postpones 2014 hike in mortgage fees

mel watt

New housing finance chief Mel Watt says he will postpone fee increases set for April.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) It's a Christmas miracle! Planned fee increases that would have added to the cost of millions of mortgages will be postponed.

Currently, borrowers seeking loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are set to pay higher upfront fees starting April 1.

The fees, ordered by the Federal Housing Finance Agency earlier this month, are meant to help safeguard banks against risky borrowers who might default.

But housing experts say they will add thousands of dollars to the cost of all mortgages insured by Fannie and Freddie, with the biggest hits taken by borrowers with less than perfect credit histories.

On Friday, the incoming chief of the FHFA, Mel Watt, said he intends to postpone the fees -- and perhaps even cancel them -- until more analysis is done. The FHFA oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Watt, a former Democratic member of Congress, has been confirmed to his post by the Senate and takes office on January 6.

In a statement, Watt said he intends to "evaluate fully the rationale" for the fees and their impact on Fannie and Freddie and the "availability of credit."

The mortgage industry has been bracing for substantial increases in the price of loans in 2014.

"If these [policies] had been implemented, it would have increased borrowing costs dramatically," said David Stevens, CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The hit for individual borrowers would depend on the amount of the home purchase being financed, according to Brian Koss, executive vice president at Massachusetts-based lender Mortgage Network.

Borrowers would have paid a fee when they took! out the loan, or they could have effectively rolled the higher fees into their interest rate, raising monthly mortgage payments by as much as a quarter percentage point.

Even with the reversal, however, mortgages will probably get more expensive over the next few months anyway as the Federal Reserve cuts back on its purchases of mortgage backed securities, a program designed to keep interest rates low.

Stevens, the mortgage industry representative, said the proposed increases made little sense. Defaults on mortgages made in recent years have been much lower than on those made before the housing crash.

As a result, Fannie and Freddie are flush with profits, so much so that they have already returned almost all of their $187 billion taxpayer-funded bailout.

"The GSEs are making a lot of money," said Stevens. "There's no rationale for the increases." To top of page

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Why Support.com Shares Sank

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Support.com (NASDAQ: SPRT  ) plunged 26% during intraday trading Thursday after the company beat expectations with its third-quarter results, but outlined disappointing support program changes which will negatively affect its business at Comcast in 2014.

So what: Quarterly adjusted revenue rose 30% year over year to $23.7 million, which translated to non-GAAP income from continuing operations of $4.6 million, or $0.08 per share.  By contrast, analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of just $0.03 per share on $21.51 million in sales.

What's more, Support.com also stated fourth-quarter non-GAAP revenue should be in the range of $24 to $26 million, with non-GAAP earnings in the range of $0.06 to $0.08 per share. The midpoint of both ranges came out well ahead of analysts estimates, which were modeling adjusted earnings of $0.03 per share on sales of $23.24 million.

However, CEO Joshua Pickus also elaborated on the company's subsequent earnings conference call that today's beat largely occurred thanks to a later-than-anticipated transition by Comcast away from its current signature support program. As it stands, Pickus stated, though they expected revenue from the program to decrease this quarter, the "subscriber cutover is largely occurring toward the end of the year."

Now what: Going forward, Comcast's signature support program should be discontinued by the end of this year in favor of a bundled network support package, which will be fully implemented in 2014. As a result, though Pinkus says Support.com's Comcast revenue next year should be "at least equal and likely exceed Comcast revenue in 2013," it will come at the price of "considerably lower margins."

In the end, while Support.com should have little trouble continuing to grow its top line, I can't blame investors for bidding the stock price down today given its impending reduced profitability going forward.

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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Go Global With This Generic Drugmaker

Facebook Logo Twitter Logo RSS Logo Louis Navellier Popular Posts: 2 Top Healthcare Stock Picks for ObamacareQuality Is King This Q3 Earnings Season2 Fundamental Winners for Earnings Season Recent Posts: Go Global With This Generic Drugmaker Quality Is King This Q3 Earnings Season 23 Buzzwords to Know for Earnings Season View All Posts

Believe it or not, there is a silver lining to the dysfunctional politics occurring in our nation's capital right now.

While our elected leaders embarrass the U.S. on the world stage, the U.S. dollar has been on a slippery slope. And that's great news for two parties: multinational companies, and those who invest in multinational companies.

For the first half of 2013, the U.S. dollar steadily gained ground against many of the world's major currencies. This weighed on the margins of multinational companies that paid their bills in U.S. dollars but received sales in global currencies.

But now the tables have turned.

Global confidence in the U.S. dollar is once again eroding because of the fiscal irresponsibility of our elected leaders and the fact that the Federal Reserve is about to pass into the hands of another dove — current vice chair Janet Yellen.

The weaker U.S. dollar should boost the corporate profits of these companies, making them appear very attractive looking ahead to the fourth quarter and beyond. So if you're looking for more conservative ways to invest abroad, I'd start with companies that have their operations around the world and get paid in a variety of currencies.

One such company is Actavis (ACT), one of the world's largest generic drugmakers. With a portfolio of more than 750 pharmaceutical products, Actavis has its name on everything from antibiotics to contraceptives to smoking-cessation treatments. ACT operates in more than 60 countries and out-licenses generic products in more than 100 countries, so it is a direct beneficiary of the falling dollar.

What really caught my eye about Actavis is its work on biosimilars — generic versions of biologic drugs. Biologic drugs are at the cutting edge of modern medicine, so many treatments run at tens of thousands of dollars. Generic biosimilars are potentially cheaper, and to date they're not available in the U.S. Thus, right now there is a race between biotechs to develop and get their biosimilars approved. Considering that the global market for biosimilars is forecast to be between $10 billion to $20 billion by 2020, this is a lucrative opportunity.

Actavis is based in the U.K. — specifically in Dublin, Ireland. For the better part of the past three decades, Actavis (formerly known as Watson Pharmaceuticals) was headquartered in the United States. But just a few months ago, the company acquired Warner Chilcott and took advantage of the $8.5 billion deal to make the leap across the pond.

With Warner Chilcott now under the Actavis umbrella, the company has increased expertise in gastroenterology and dermatology. And now that the company is based in the U.K., Actavis will pay lower taxes. In fact, management estimates that the deal will add a sizable 30% to earnings per share in 2014.

The new Actavis Plc is a company that dominates the global market for generic drugs — taking in $11 billion in annual sales — and enjoys tremendous tax savings by being based in Ireland.

Actavis is a prime example of the kind of multinational company you should have your eye on.

Louis Navellier is the editor of Blue Chip Growth. As of this writing, ACT was on the Blue Chip Growth buy list.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Advisers can report elder financial abuse without violating client privacy

Investment advisers and brokers who suspect that elderly clients are the victims of financial abuse can report it to appropriate government agencies without worrying about violating their privacy, according to guidance issued by federal financial agencies Tuesday.

Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, a financial firm cannot disclose a client's information to a third party without telling the client and giving him or her a chance to decline to release the information.

In a conference call with reporters, federal regulators clarified that notifying local, state or federal officials about suspicions of elderly clients being ripped off is protected under the law.

“Reporting suspected elder financial abuse to the appropriate authorities is typically the right thing to do and generally will not violate the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act,” said Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The elderly are attractive targets because they often have accumulated assets and sometimes suffer from diminished mental capacity, Mr. Cordray said.

Employees of financial institutions “may be able to spot irregular transactions, abnormal account activity, or unusual behavior that signals financial abuse sooner than anyone else can,” he said. “When seniors fall victim to theft by a trusted family member or a scam, they may be too embarrassed or too frail to pursue legal action — so it is critical that other folks are looking out for them, too.”

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Wells Fargo Downgrades Travelers Co. to “Market Perform” (TRV)

Travelers Companies Inc (TRV) was downgraded by analysts at Wells Fargo on Thursday, as they believe shares of the insurance provider will lose some steam going forward.

The analysts downgraded TRV from “Outperform” to “Market Perform” and see shares reaching a valuation range of $89-$92, down from the previous target range of $94-$98. This new price target range suggests a 6% to 10% upside to the stock’s Wednesday closing price of $83.73.

Furthermore, the analysts note that TRV is up 41% since they started recommending the stock in January 2012, versus a 32% gain for the S&P 500. “Travelers has been a leader in gaining commercial lines renewal rate increases utilizing a disciplined, segmented approach. Yet as TRV reaches rate adequacy across more of its segmentation bands, we think there is less profit leverage, which could slow multiple expansion going forward.”

Travelers shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Thursday. The stock is up 16.58% year-to-date.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Falling Energy Prices Keep Wholesale Prices in Check

wholesale producer prices inflation energy gas consumer spendingWlifredo Lee/AP WASHINGTON -- Falling energy prices kept a lid on wholesale inflation in July after a jump in gasoline had boosted prices in June. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that wholesale prices showed no change last month compared with June, when they had risen 0.8 percent. That was the most in nine months. Energy costs fell 0.2 percent, after June's 2.9 percent surge. Gasoline prices dropped 0.8 percent and natural gas costs slid 3.9 percent. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices rose just 0.2 percent. Core wholesale prices are up 1.2 percent over the past 12 months, the smallest one-year increase since November 2010. Tame inflation has helped consumers increase spending this year despite slow income growth and higher Social Security taxes. Aside from sharp swings in gas prices, consumer and wholesale inflation has barely increased in the past year. Overall wholesale prices rose 2.1 percent in July compared with the previous July. For July, drug prices rose 1 percent, the largest gain since a 2.5 percent rise in January. Drug companies have been introducing price increases in January and July of each year. Food costs were flat in July as a jump in pork prices was offset by a decline in the cost of fresh vegetables. On Thursday, the government will report on consumer prices for July, and economists estimate that overall and core prices rose just 0.2 percent. For the 12 months ending in June, overall consumer prices rose 1.8 percent and core prices 1.6 percent. Those levels are below the Fed's 2 percent target for inflation. At its last meeting in July, the Fed added language to its policy statement to express concern that inflation persistently below 2 percent could pose risks to the economy. The Fed announced after the meeting that it planned to keep buying $85 billion a month in bonds to keep downward pressure on long-term interest rates. It also said it planned to keep its key short-term rate near zero, where it's remained since December 2008 -- at least as long as unemployment is above 6.5 percent. Chairman Ben Bernanke and other Fed officials have said the central bank could start slowing its bond purchases later this year. Some economists think that could begin after the Fed's next meeting in September. Most expect the slowdown to be gradual. New bond purchases might not end until mid-2014 -- and only then if the unemployment rate has dropped to around 7 percent. Unemployment fell in July to 7.4 percent from 7.6 percent in June. The July figure was a 4½-year low, but it was still well above the 5 percent to 6 percent range that economists associate with a healthy economy. The combination of modest economic growth and still-high unemployment has kept wages from rising quickly. That's made it harder for businesses to raise prices.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Indian Railway tax free bonds issue to open on January 21

As per the terms of the CBDT notification, the aggregate volume of the issue of bonds by the company during the fiscal 2013 shall not exceed Rs 10,000 crore.

The company has already raised Rs 1,113.6 crore through the private placements of bonds. "In case company raises any further funds through private placement not exceeding Rs 2,500 crore, i.e. upto 25% of the allocated limit for raising funds through tax free bonds during fiscal year 2013, during the process of the present issue, the shelf limit for the issue shall get reduced by such amount raised," the company said in its draft prospectus.

In case of series I, the interest rate of 7.68 percent is applicable to retail investors and HUFs while for the qualified institutional buyers and HNIs the interest rate is 7.18 percent.

In case of series II, the interest rate of 7.84 percent is applicable to retail investors and HUFs while for the qualified institutional buyers and HNIs the interest rate is 7.34 percent.

Investors will received the payment of interest on annual basis and these bonds will get redeemed after 10 (Series I) & 15 (Series II) years from the deemed date of allotment.

Bids can be made for a minimum of 5 bonds and in multiples of one bond thereafter.

SBI Capital Markets Limited, A.K. Capital Services Limited, Enam Securities Private Limited, ICICI Securities Limited and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited are the book running lead managers to the issue.

Rating agencies namely CRISIL, CARE and ICRA have assigned AAA rating with stable outlook.

The bonds are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE within 12 working days of the respective issue closing date.

Strong Sell on MRC Global - Analyst Blog

Zacks Investment Research downgraded MRC Global Inc. (MRC) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong sell) on Jul 2, 2013.

Why the Downgrade?

Weak top-line results in the last quarter as well as below expected sales outcome in the two months ended May 2013 resulted in lower earnings estimates for MRC Global.

As per recent disclosures, management of MRC Global revised its revenue guidance down from $5.75-$5.95 billion to $5.4-$5.8 billion for 2013 while it anticipates the second quarter 2013 revenue to range within $1.25-$1.35 billion.

Line pipe sales are expected to be $100 million below the original forecast and roughly 10% down on a year-over-year basis for the second quarter 2013. The same is expected to be down roughly $300 million year over year for 2013. MRC Global's OCTG sales are expected to be down $70 million for the second quarter 2013 and $200 million for 2013 compared with their respective year-ago periods.

A weak revenue outlook as well as lower earnings guidance raises skepticism over the financial results in the quarters ahead. Currently, for MRC Global, we have an Earnings ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method) of -5.0% for the second quarter 2013, -5.0% for 2013 and -0.4% for 2014.

Also in the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 has gone down by 11.9% to $1.99 while for 2014, the estimate decreased 8.9% to $2.47.

Other Stocks to Consider

MRC Global primarily engages in the distribution of pipes, valves, and fittings (PVF), and related products and services to the energy industry worldwide. The company currently has a $2.9 billion market capitalization.

Other stocks to watch out for in the industry are Mueller Water Products, Inc. (MWA), Valmont Industries, Inc. (VMI) and W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW).

Monday, April 20, 2015

TodayĆ¢€™s 3 Worst Stocks

Generally positive economic data, in combination with a blowout quarter from social networking giant Facebook, sent most stocks higher Thursday. Although jobless claims rose last week, the potentially negative repercussions were muted by a third consecutive month of domestic durable goods orders. The S&P 500 Index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) , reinvigorated after two consecutive days of losses, added four points, or 0.3%, to close at 1,690. But no matter what happens to durable goods orders, there will always be a few bad apples in the market, and three stocks in particular stood out today as rotten.

The biggest decliner in the entire S&P 500, PulteGroup (NYSE: PHM  ) , shed 10.3%, as homebuilders fell dramatically. It's odd: The company reported quarterly earnings today, doubling profits from the same period a year ago. So what's the catch? Well, orders fell, but the main reason behind the brutal fall was simply the result of high expectations. Analysts wanted more than 100% earnings growth. Analysts are hard to please sometimes. 

Oil and gas explorer Newfield Exploration (NYSE: NFX  ) lost 6.3% Thursday after its quarterly earnings also failed to impress investors. In sharp contrast to PulteGroup, however, profits actually fell by nearly 40% in the quarter due to lower gas volumes. Newfield's profitability has fluctuated wildly over the years: The company lost $542 million in 2009, then made more than $1 billion in the combined years of 2010 and 2011, only to lose nearly $1.2 billion in 2012. It's not a very predictable business, and shareholders suffered for that today.

Digital storage company Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC  ) rounds out today's list of laggards, tumbling 5.9% after its net income fell 44% in the fiscal fourth quarter. Western Digital's fall from grace exemplifies the declining PC market, as Western Digital's hard drives become less and less relevant in an era of shifting consumer tastes. Most mobile devices use chips to store data instead of the antiquated hard drive, a fact evidenced by a 22% revenue slump in the recent quarter.

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Tuesday, April 14, 2015

An Interview With Scott Di Valerio, CEO of Coinstar

The Motley Fool is on the road in Seattle! Recently we visited Coinstar -- now officially renamed Outerwall  (NASDAQ: OUTR  ) -- to speak with CFO-turned-CEO Scott Di Valerio about the 22-year-old company's well-known coin-cashing machines, as well as its more recent acquisition of Redbox, and future initiatives to expand into other aspects of the automated retail market.

In this interview, Scott chats with The Fool about the economics of coin and video kiosks, Coinstar's share repurchase program, and its exciting initiatives in a number of new automated retail spaces as well as related online services. From coffee and breakfast to cosmetics and photo shoots, Coinstar is looking to move into much more than coins and video.

A full transcript follows the video.

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Austin Smith: Scott, thanks so much for joining us today.

Scott Di Valerio: Thanks, I appreciate you being here.

Austin: Thanks for having us.

Newly in the CEO role, came up from the CFO ranks -- I'm wondering if you could maybe talk a little bit about that transition and what it's like now that you're steering the ship?

Di Valerio: Yeah. It's been a lot of fun. I've been on the team for three-and-a-half years, so really working hard to set the strategy with our executive team and coming in as the CEO, working with that team to continue to push forward.

The good thing is we have a good, strong strategy that's leveraging our leadership in automated retail. We're focusing across six sectors that we set up. That gives us about a $16 billion revenue sweet spot for us in the automated retail space, in an $85 billion market.

We're really setting course with our team to be able to get after that part of the business.

Austin: When you say $85 billion, is that what you see as the addressable market for automated retail?

Di Valerio: For automated retail, yes. Then when we narrow it down to the six sectors that we're looking at and the sweet spots that we think we can get after, it's around $16 billion. With some adjacencies around it, it'll go out to around $20 billion, so we've got a nice, big market for us to get after, and being a leader will allow us to get after it pretty quickly.

Austin: Nice to have those good runways.

Di Valerio: That's right.

Austin: You said you were looking at all these markets. If you look five years out in all of your adjacent markets, where do you see automated retail five years from today, both from your perspective, and from an industry perspective?

Di Valerio: I think automated retail really plays into the trends that we're seeing here -- urbanization, the 24/7 gratification that people want -- as well as people getting very comfortable with technology, and technology getting very good so that we can deliver products and services in a kiosk format or automated retail format.

I think people are getting much more used to getting products and services from an automated retail format. I see it expanding out.

One of the things we do at Coinstar, and have done, is we develop a relationship with our customers through the automated retail solution or the kisosk.

We do that through our email capture, and being able to have communication back and forth with them through having a good customer experience, to where people go to stores -- certain stores and certain kiosks -- because they've developed a relationship with Redbox or with Coinstar. We're going to look to continue to do that with some of our other products as well, as we bring it in the marketplace.

As we look out, we see it continuing to expand. We see it as being a way to sit in between that brick-and-mortar and the Web fulfillment. There's lots of opportunities for us in areas that we haven't even addressed yet.

Austin: You said you're neatly positioned between bricks-and-mortar and that Web experience. Those seem to be industries that have a lot of "once great" success stories here. There's a lot of once-great retailers out there; companies like Sears or J.C. Penney. There's also a lot of once-great tech companies out there: Apple famously down, Microsoft's not done a lot the past few years.

Given that you guys are at the intersection of that, what are you doing, as an executive and as a company, to continue the creative machine, to make sure that you guys stay relevant and avoid the pitfalls that are inherent in both of those industries?

Di Valerio: One of the things we always do is we start with the customer. We do a lot of work trying to understand what customer trends are, and what our customers want, and what new customers that would be coming to us would want.

We start there, and then start building backwards, about how do we develop a solution? If you look at our core businesses, the coin business, we're rolling out our PayPal solution, where you're able to load up your PayPal account with coins or cash, or withdraw from your PayPal account as well at our Coinstar machines.

What that does is open up Internet merchandising, or merchandisers, to maybe the under-banked and non-banked customers there, by being able to fill out your PayPal. Again, some adjacencies and extensions onto our business, that's physical, moving into the Web world.

If you think about our Redbox business, we have our tickets business that we're testing out, we have Reserve Online, so we're always stepping out past what we're doing from the physical presence as well.

We have a team that's really focused around new business ventures. We have Rubi -- which you guys have tasted -- the Rubi machine, our coffee business.

Austin: The reviews were good.

Di Valerio: That's right, good. Yeah, we have Crisp Market, which is prepared food in the breakfast and lunch daypart, and we have Star Studio, which is in the mall channel, which is a whole new take on photo booth, so green screens and music and fun, really geared toward the teenager that goes to the mall -- particularly the teen girls that go to the mall -- and making it a fun experience for them.

We continue to stretch out around those kinds of businesses in order to be able to bring new customers to the Coinstar brand, but also to bring new products to our customers and continue to extend out that relationship that we have with them.

Austin: It sounds like a lot of new products. I believe Rubi is, what, a partnership with Starbucks as well, right? Seattle's Best is a Starbucks label?

Di Valerio: Seattle's Best is a Starbucks label. We have an agreement with Seattle's Best in certain channels, to provide beans as well as to brand the machines. We certainly are a very good partner with them, but Rubi is 100% owned by Coinstar; we've generated business. It's a partnership that we have with them in bean supply, as well as obviously brand across key channels.

Austin: OK, so it looks like we have Rubi, some sort of food-based vending machines, and some photo-based vending machines. If you were to pick a "favorite child," so to speak, which one do you think has the most growth? Which one are you the most excited about, going out a few years?

Di Valerio: Certainly our Rubi machines. The other businesses are relatively early-stage businesses.

It's always hard to say, "OK, which one's going to hit?" Again, Crisp Market is performing well in the couple of stores that they're in today, the couple offices that they're in today. Star Studio is in around 60-70 mall locations and doing quite well, so we think that could be a nice business there.

We also have a business we call Sample It, which is beauty samples, today. Think about paying a dollar at a CVS or a Walgreen's [ (NYSE: WAG  ) ] for a couple samples of a cosmetic and a coupon. Not only do you, for a dollar, get to try out whether the product is going to work for you, but then you get a coupon to be able to purchase it.

The machines we have in market there are performing well, and the coupon redemption is quite high, which the brands love, as well as the retailers. In fact, Walgreen's just opened a brand-new banner store in downtown Boston and the sample machine was built into the store there, and again was a key focal point as they opened up the store.

Austin: Sample It! -- it seems like you've got some friendships with Walgreen's. I know you have a lot of kiosks with them. What other brands are people sampling? Is it Avon, is it... ?

Di Valerio: Yeah. Right now it's geared on beauty. We think it can extend to personal care and then on past that as well.

If you go into a Sample It! there will be a fragrance product from Halle Berry with the Halle Berry brand, Beyonce has branded products in there. It's across a number of the different traditional cosmetic brands. There's face products, there are fragrances, there are lotions, those kinds of things.

It's, again, starting there. Small samples you can test out, eye care products, see if it works for you and then be able to go back and buy the regular size.

Austin: Great. I want to talk about the specter in the room of Redbox; obviously your cash-cow business, you've had a lot of success with it, but a lot of the naysayers would say, "You guys are already at 50% market share, and the DVD rental industry is an eroding space."

I'm wondering, what is it about Redbox, and Coinstar in general, that is going to... what would you say to the naysayers who are looking at this industry and saying, "Well, it's eroding. How are you guys going to maintain relevance?"

Di Valerio: Certainly. One of the key things with the Redbox business is we continue to grow our market share and continue to increase overall rents by focusing on the customer and bringing a great new release product to the customer.

There's not a company that can deliver a new release product at the price point we do, and I think our customers are rewarding us for that. The first quarter of 2013, we have 40 million unique credit card transactions, which was up a million from the fourth quarter of 2012 and up over 6% from the year before, so we're growing our customer base.

We rented nearly 200 million discs in the first quarter, so we're continuing to grow out that business; that was an increase. What we're seeing, the NPD data shows that there's a slowing -- the decline in the physical rental market -- as the market has absorbed the demise of the brick-and-mortar stores, where lots of rentals were going, the national chains, and have converted to Redbox, for the most part.

You're seeing revenues come down in the rental market, but those revenues are coming down in large part because of the price point differential from, when you went to brick-and-mortar, you paid a higher price point than the $1.20 or $1.50 that you do at Redbox.

Austin: OK. I'm wondering if you could discuss the economics of your different kiosks, maybe useful life, the revenue generation that you see out of them, if you could, maybe across your big ones -- Coinstar, Redbox, Rubi.

Di Valerio: You bet. The Redbox kiosk is a kiosk that costs us about $15,000 to manufacture and put into the market. It pays back for itself in about 18 to 24 months. It begins positive cash flow in about eight to 12 months, so it's a very nice machine.

They start off, from a ramp perspective, $35,000 in year one in revenue, $50[,000] in year two and $55[,000] in year three, so it's a nice ramp-up business that returns on itself quite nicely, and continues to go out from that perspective.

The useful life of the machines, we have Redbox machines that have been in market since the start. We certainly bring machines in and refurbish them and do those types of things over time, but they're very stable, very long-lasting machines, and have been built quite well from that perspective.

Uptimes are extremely high on both the coin and the Redbox machines. In fact, on the Redbox machines about 85%-90% of any issues we have with the machines are resolved remotely, from our network operating center. There's very few break-fix services that go out on the machines.

The same is true with the Coinstar machine. Again, very high uptime on those. All the machines are connected wirelessly, so we communicate with the machines routinely during the day. We can fix issues on the machines routinely.

Again, it's a quite nice business. The coin machines are in the $11[,000]-$12,000-kiosk range.

Austin: That's cost to build?

Di Valerio: Cost to build. They pay back in a little bit longer time than the Redbox machine because it's got fewer transactions going through, but again we've had coin machines in the marketplace... 22 years that we've been in the business, we've had machines that are in the marketplace 15 years. They're very solid.

We're always having to replace monitors and upgrades, and do those kinds of things on a refurb basis, but they're very strong, long-lasting machines with high uptime.

Austin: Great. You guys, it seems, have retail relationships with everybody. You've got Safeway, Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreen's I think we talked about earlier. I'm sure they're all great partners, but what's your favorite retail partner and why?

Is there one that just provides really great entry points for you, that you really enjoy working with, or do you see a lot of use from your machines at certain locations?

Di Valerio: It really depends on the business. For the coin business, what we've found is grocery and mass merch is the best way to go. It has enough traffic and has a high enough traffic pace to where people come into the stores and utilize machines and those kinds of things. The drug and convenience channel really don't work for the coin business.

We look at it from that perspective. A new, emerging market for us -- channel for us, I should say -- for the coin business is the financial institution business. We just put 350 kiosks in, in TD Bank Canada, and are processing points for TD Bank, and we're looking to expand.

We have a few machines in the U.S. today in the banking or financial institution channel and we're looking to expand that out as we go out.

It really depends on business from a channel perspective. When we look at Redbox, for example, we're in the grocery channel, we're in the mass merch channel, we're in convenience, and we're in drug, but we have the machines located at different places.

For convenience and drug, we're primarily outdoors. What that allows us to do is be open for 24 hours a day, it allows customers to see the machine, and it gets the right amount of traffic, both for us and as well for our retailers. And, again, it utilizes space that's very underutilized and turns it into very profitable space as well.

We really do focus based on the channel. If I look at some of our new businesses like Rubi, the grocery channel will be a very good channel for us. The mass merch channel will be a very good channel for us as well. I think we really do try to take a look at it based on the channels, as opposed to an individual retailer that's out there.

Austin: It's the right channel, the right placement, and the right machine is really what dictates it.

Di Valerio: Exactly.

Austin: Who would be the best retail partner that you don't already have? Who do you really want to become a partner with, that you haven't already tied the knot?

Di Valerio: We're very fortunate in the Redbox business, for example, that we have the top 10 national grocery chains under our banners. We have Wal-Mart, which is the largest mass merch center, as well as CVS and Walgreen's in the drug channel, and 7-Eleven and Circle K in convenience, so we have very, very strong channel space there.

With the coin business, we have nine of the 10 grocery chains under the coin banner, and Wal-Mart as well in the mass merch, so we have very strong relationships, as you've mentioned, across there. Certainly there are a couple on the coin side.

There's one grocery chain that we don't have, which we would love to bring up underneath the banner, which is Publix. Certainly, we always are looking and talking to Target as another large mass merch, to see if there are some opportunities with them for some of our businesses on a general basis.

Austin: OK. I wanted to talk a little bit about the progress of Redbox Instant and your partnership with Verizon [ (NYSE: VZ  ) ]. I'm wondering if you could maybe just elaborate on that, any progress you guys have going there, or what you're seeing as the early results?

Di Valerio: You bet. Yeah, we're very pleased with our partnership with Verizon, to bring Redbox Instant to the marketplace. We signed that deal in February of 2012, and about 15 months later were able to launch a product through kind of a beta, general availability. We're pleased with it so far.

One of the things we've been really doing is trying to understand from the customer, is there enough content between the around 5,000 titles that you have on the streaming side, as well as getting great new release content from the kiosk?

The surveys from our customers are saying yes, there's enough content, and they're finding great new-release content because you get four nights at the kiosk each month on the subscription, as well as the streaming, as we think about the business; that's both from customers who have stayed on and are paid subscribers, as well as ones who churned out of the business, so we're always trying to find the best mix there.

One of the great things about the Redbox Instant business is you basically have the full old brick-and-mortar store available to you.

If you think about it, when you used to go to a brick-and-mortar store you'd walk around the outside walls because that's where the new-release content was. We've taken that new-release content, and that's Redbox. Basically we've taken those outside walls and put them into 12 square feet. With Redbox Instant, we now have the center of the store available to our customers.

We think it's a great opportunity for our customers, it's a great value for our customers today at $8 for four standard-def rentals a month, plus unlimited streaming, or $9 for Blu-ray, for four nights at the kiosk.

We're really pleased; we think it's a great value for our customers, and as we roll into the third quarter, Redbox Instant will do a lot more work around promoting the service as we've brought on more CE device manufacturers so that people are going to get that 10-foot experience for being able to get it up on the TV in a much broader way.

Austin: Now, obviously there's a lot of incumbents in the streaming space. We can't talk about this without saying Netflix [ (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) ] and Amazon [ (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) ] Prime. Are they your biggest competitors here, or am I misreading it? Do you think about it differently?

Di Valerio: Yeah, I think our competitor is people's time, is what we look at. What are people going to choose to do for their entertainment value? Certainly those folks are in that space across there, plus a whole host of other people as well.

We think we are very well positioned because, for customers who love movies, you've got a service where you get new-release content. We're the only service that can bring new-release content, and the physical aspect of it, as well as the streaming in there.

What you're really doing is getting real new-release content when you want it, how you want it, and then be able to get your stream from around that.

Again, we're doing the business in a different way than some of the competitors on the streaming side. We are paying for content on a per-subscriber basis, which means each subscriber we bring on for Redbox Instant is gross margin positive.

It's different than... A lot of our competitors are buying content up front and having to build up the subscriber base in order to be able to cover off the costs, so they run negative a much longer time period than we will, from a profitability standpoint.

Because of the way that we're structured and running the business, we can be the No. 3 or No. 4 streaming business, and still be very, very successful, both for us and for Verizon.

Austin: It's because of that margin dynamic.

Di Valerio: The margin dynamic, and the fact that we're combining new-release content at the kiosk, on a physical basis, along with the stream, which is something that people are finding very compelling.

Austin: Now, the new-release issue has definitely been a user negative, leveled against Netflix and Verizon. What is it about you guys that allows you to bring new releases to users? I think a lot of people aren't really familiar with the dynamic of why some of the streaming people have to wait and why you're able to get the new-release content out there earlier, in front of users.

Di Valerio: There's a couple of ways to get new-release content from the studios. One is physical, which certainly we do here at the kiosk, and are really focused on that as a company. The other way is through what they call paid video on demand -- not the subscription video on demand -- so to pay $5-$6 to view a movie at home on your TV.

Really, we provide that same content at $1.20 for standard def and $1.50 for Blu-ray. People are continuing to buy Blu-ray players at very high rates. People love to get that physical disc and put it in, because there isn't a better way, from a Blu-ray perspective, to get really high-definition-quality picture and sound. The way you get it is through the disc. You can't get that through a stream.

We feel very good about that. We obviously are focused on it, and we think that combination, as you look at Redbox Instant, combined with Redbox on the physical side, is a winning combination.

Austin: Good combo there for users.

What's next in the pipeline for Coinstar? You guys obviously are rolling out a lot of new devices, looking at new automated kiosks. What else is there for users, that they should be looking forward to over the next few years?

Di Valerio: We're going to continue to look and bring great automated retail solutions. Certainly, with our coin line of business we are rolling out the PayPal, so that's a great opportunity for people to lever their PayPal accounts and do some things they want to do there.

We also have a business in the coin business called Gift Card Exchange, where you can exchange your gift cards that you've been getting for years, at stores that you might not go to, or stores that you have a little bit of money left on those cards, and get those turned in for cash.

We think that's going to be a very interesting business for us. We're starting to roll that business out. There's around 50 kiosks in the market today and we'll expand that out over the next year to capture that, and also be looking to do that with both your physical gift card, but also your digital gift cards, to be able to be the place where you're turning in your gift cards and then we're remonetizing those out.

As I look at Redbox, for example, we're obviously beginning to roll out Redbox Instant in a broader fashion, along with Verizon. We're testing tickets out, and we're putting in some very good CRM and loyalty programs that will roll out in the third and fourth quarters that will continue to extend out that Redbox brand and value: simplicity, convenience, and entertainment.

We are the No. 1 place for people to watch new-release content. We want to be the No. 1 place that people come to for overall entertainment.

If I look at the business broader, we think there are some great opportunities to bring new products into the marketplace, but also to extend them out, both from a physical perspective as well as from an online perspective, and keep marrying those two things up as we go forward.

Austin: Great. You guys have dramatically reduced shares outstanding in just a few quarters. I think it was about 3 million shares. I'm wondering, now that you're CEO, if you could discuss the logic and strategy behind that share repurchase program and whether or not you guys are interested in continuing it?

Di Valerio: You bet. We do capital allocation on a holistic basis. You first take a look and say, "OK, I need to invest in my core businesses to continue to grow them, both from new innovations into the core businesses, as well as the existing. I need to invest in new businesses" -- like we've been talking about -- "to bring new concepts into the marketplace, and then also in infrastructure in the corporation."

You calculate out what those returns are, and also returning money to the shareholders through share buyback. We'll continue to do that. We balance those out to make sure that we're doing it in a smart way, but a way that really does drive the highest return.

Four years ago, our return on invested capital, for example, was in the low single digits. Last year we finished out at 18.3%.

Austin: Congratulations.

Di Valerio: It's a nice focus for us to continue to do that, and as we try to grow out this business -- and we've talked about doubling the size of the company over the next five years -- we're going to do that while getting our return on invested capital up to 20%, which isn't necessarily the easiest thing to do, but that's how we stay in this very structured and balanced approach to getting returns for our shareholders.

Austin: Got to aim high.

Di Valerio: That's right.

Austin: What do you think is the single biggest thing that retail investors may be missing, or should know, about Coinstar today?

Di Valerio: It's a business that really focuses on its customer, and it's a business that is very operationally sound, and a business that continues to be inventive, innovative, and to bring new products to the market that customers want, and do it in a way that's efficient and effective, that's driving top-line and bottom-line growth.

If you look at our business, we've grown double-digits over the last four or five years, both top line and bottom line, and we've driven great free cash flow: well over $250 million of free cash flow last year, we'll generate between $185 [million] and $205 million of free cash flow this year.

It's a business that's very strong, very growth-oriented, but we're growing profitability at the same time we're growing revenue and free cash flows, which is, again, a business that is very good to run. It's a business that should be very good to invest in, and one that's probably a little bit misunderstood, given the fact that we have a lot of great businesses and we're in a business that we think is going to continue to grow, and grow quite rapidly.