7 A-Rated Stocks to Buy in the Second Quarter

The Federal Reserve came out of its most recent meeting about as dovish as it could get. This is marked change from where it was in the fourth quarter of last year. As it unwound its portfolio of mortgage-backed securities and kept a keen eye on inflation, many market sectors were wondering how they were going to keep growth going after the steroid shot of a tax cut.

But December changed all that.

The Fed backed off its intent to raise rates as planned in 2019. And it would hold on to its portfolio. And the markets have been feeling good ever since. However, it recent announcement that it has no plans to raise rates or sell anything in its portfolio has actually frightened the markets.

Now, investors are worried that the economy may be weaker than we expected and that 2% growth may not be as easy to get as anticipated. And today’s manufacturing PMI sliding to 21-month lows reinforces that.

But the 7 A-rated stocks for Q2 that follow will be top performers because they’re best in class stocks in well-performing sectors.

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CyberArk Software (CYBR)

Source: Shutterstock

CyberArk Software (NASDAQ:CYBR) is a cybersecurity company that’s based out of Israel but has clients all over the globe. Its claim to fame is its privileged-access security software.

Privileged accounts are the most secure properties that exist in most organizations. And when those organizations are storing very critical data like financial institutions, healthcare companies, utilities and other enterprise organizations that have significant amounts of these types of accounts, it’s crucial that they’re secure internally and externally.

And this is CYBR does. It also offers other products, but this is the hub of its cybersecurity wheel.

As we see bigger and more sophisticated hacks of major databases and the information inside those databases, more and more companies are doing their best to avoid being the next embarrassing headline.

The A-rated stock is up 138% in the past 12 months, which is testament to the growing global demand for CYBR’s platform.

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Lululemon (LULU)

Source: Shutterstock

Lululemon athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) is an upscale sportswear company that pretty much coined the term ‘athleisure’.

What LULU has done very well is know its customers and maintain control of its brand. Its products are not cheap. But that’s the point. They’re well made, and by not distributing them outside of its own retail shops and e-commerce site, it has been able to keep prices where it needs them to be.

Bigger brands in the market have massive distribution networks, which means pricing premiums are harder to maintain and that makes it tough to control margins.

LULU has built a great and growing customer base and has patiently expanded its market in to menswear.

LULU stock is up more than 80% in the past 12 months, yet it still trades a trailing P/E of 51. That’s amazing given the growth potential out there and how well run this company is.

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First BanCorp (FBP)

Source: Shutterstock

 First BanCorp (NYSE: FBP) is a Puerto Rican bank that has been in business since 1948. It also has operations in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

While the recent devastating hurricane is still fresh in our minds and the Caribbean — in particular Puerto Rico — is still recovering, the fact is that redeveloping the island is underway. And that redevelopment means money has to start flowing in.

That’s why being one of the top local banks is a great position to be in right now. Also remember that other islands were affected by the hurricane and Puerto Rico is a big financial hub for other Caribbean islands.

This increase in rebuilding and redevelopment has certainly been reflected in FBP’s stock price. The stock is up more than 80% in the past 12 months. That’s pretty spectacular for a financial stock.

And there’s plenty more to come, given the fact that this A-rated stock is still trading at a trailing P/E of 12.

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Intuit (INTU)

Source: Mike Mozart via Wikimedia (Modified)

 Intuit Inc (NASDAQ: INTU) is a software development company that is best known to consumers — especially this time of year — for TurboTax.

It also owns QuickBooks which is a suite of financial and business tools geared toward small businesses. It allows small business owners a place to do payroll, sort out taxes, integrate all the accounting inputs and even market and hire.

INTU’s other division sells similar products that are focused on professional accountants and larger businesses.

But the real growth potential is in the products focused on small businesses and consumers. In this gig economy both tools are increasingly popular and their brands have a commanding presence in the market.

As the economy grows, so will INTU’s fortunes. It’s up 51% in the past 12 months but only trades at a trailing P/E of 46.

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Costco (COST)

Source: Shutterstock

Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) is the Land of Giant Portions and a great favorite for small businesses and consumers alike.

Last year, Costco was doing well. It tends to reflect the broader economy, so when the economy is chugging along, so is COST. But in December, it hit the same wall most consumer stocks did.

Worries about growth moving forward and all the feel-good valuations up to that point disintegrated.

However, COST came roaring back like it was a beaten down semiconductor stock.

At this point, its 12-month return is 32% and its trailing P/E is 31. COST should have a strong year, with decent growth ahead and wages improving. That means more people shopping and spending.

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Mastercard (MA)

Source: Håkan Dahlström via Flickr (Modified)

Mastercard (NYSE: MA) is one of the leading and oldest payment processing companies out there. Now, a decade ago, I would have likely called it a credit card company. My how the world has changed.

Granted, MA got started as Interbank in 1966 and landed on its current incarnation in 1979. Remember, back then, if you were traveling, you couldn’t just whip out a card and buy things. Banks and their merchants needed to be interconnected so that your card could charge a dinner at a California restaurant even though your bank was in Kansas.

The credit card was a revolution at the time. Just as electronic payments are today. And now that national transaction has given way to international transactions that are all done without cards at all.

This history and brand recognition is what has propelled MA in this new financial services transformation. It’s up 35% in the past 12 months, but this new financial digital world has only just begun.

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Texas Pacific Land Trust (TPL)

Source: Nicolas Henderson via Flickr

 Texas Pacific Land Trust (NYSE: TPL) has been around since 1888, when the Texas and Pacific Railway went belly up.

Obviously, at the time, railroads owned huge amounts of land so they could develop their lines. And the Texas and Pacific was no different. Also, given its name, most of this land was in west Texas on the way to the Pacific.

At the time of its demise, the railway owned 3.5 million acres that was transferred to TPL. Today, TPL still holds about 900,000 acres of this land, which still makes it one of the largest landholders in Texas today.

Fundamentally, TPL leases the land to companies that are either energy firms (not just oil and natural gas but wind and solar farms as well) or water companies and it takes those rents as its revenues.

This is a solid business in slow times. But in good times — like now — it promises some big gains. TPL is up 47% in the past year and 71% in just the past 3 months, so momentum is growing significantly in 2019.

Louis Navellier is a renowned growth investor. He is the editor of four investing newsletters: Growth Investor, Breakthrough Stocks, Accelerated Profits and Platinum Growth. His most popular service, Growth Investor, has a track record of beating the market 3:1 over the last 14 years. He uses a combination of quantitative and fundamental analysis to identify market-beating stocks. Mr. Navellier has made his proven formula accessible to investors via his free, online stock rating tool, PortfolioGrader.com. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more o

5 Ways This Tech Leader Is Crushing a $700 Billion Market

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Michael A. Robinson

This time, Wall Street didn't freak out.

In fact, the S&P 500 had its best day in eight sessions last Thursday as stocks across the board entered a rally.

You can chalk that up to the fact that just the day before the Federal

Reserve struck a very dovish tone, suggesting interest rates won't rise far or fast this year.

What didn't get much notice is just how volatile the bond market had become over the past six weeks.

Here's the thing. Choppy bond trades by definition means there's quite a frenzy of both buying and selling.

And that's great news for savvy tech investors.

Let me explain. Even on a "calm day," the nation's bond market is highly active. We're talking a daily volume of $700 billion, more than three times that for stocks.

And it's our mission to look for a tech angle into this massive segment that will give us market-crushing profits.

Today, I'm going to reveal a firm that is doing just that.

And I'll show you the five reasons why this is the single best way to play this massive market…

Check it out…

Where the Money's At

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm in no way suggesting you bypass big tech winners and other equities in favor of bonds, even if we see higher interest rates ahead.

It's just that many investors buy bonds or bond funds for the income, and give up a lot of growth. But as I always say – avoid false dichotomies. You want at least a portion of your "fixed income" portfolio to give you so-so growth.

Otherwise, inflation can eat up a lot of your paper profits. If we could just capture a fraction of the bond market's amazing volume, we stand to make a lot of money.

Now, the U.S. stock market boasts roughly 6,500 shares traded on major exchanges. Though that's quite a lot to choose from, it's only a fraction of the more than 200,000 types of unique taxable bonds offered.

Here's the thing. Despite the rise of the Web and electronic trading, most broker dealers still buy and sell directly with each other. Analyst say that electronic bond trading only accounts for a little more than 20% of all transactions.

As you can see, that's quite a fertile field for MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq:MKTX). This is the premier high-tech firm serving the bond market, and it's a company with a lot of room to grow.

For instance, the tech leader in this space right now handles 95% of all electronic bond deals. But that is still less than 20% of all bond trades made today.

To show you why this exciting stock still has plenty of upside ahead, let's run it through my five filters for building wealth with market-crushing tech winners.

Tech Wealth Builder Rule No. 1: Great Companies Have Great Operations

I'm talking about well-run firms with top-notch leaders.

And MarketAxess Holdings has a CEO/founder who is second to no one in the fixed income market. Richard M. McVey began his career at storied Wall Street firm JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM).

Beginning in 1992, he spent four years serving as managing director and head of JP Morgan's North American futures and options business, and then served as head of North American fixed income sales and institutional client relations.

Concannon has a Master's degree in business, as well as a law degree. He's also had stints at Nasdaq, Instinet, and Cboe Global Markets, one of the world's largest exchange holding companies.

And just a few weeks ago, at MarketAxess, McVey moved to strengthen the senior team. He named Chris Concannon as president and chief operating officer.

Tech Wealth Builder Rule No. 2: Separate the Signal from the Noise

To create real wealth, you have to ignore the hype and find companies that have rock-solid fundamentals.

The firm has that in spades. It boasts a 49% operating market, and a 27% return on equity. This is a company with nearly $267 million in cash, and stockholder's equity is seven times greater than the firm's total liabilities.

Right now, Wall Street looks at the bond and stock markets as plain binary choices. The heard doesn't seem to grasp the major fundamental here. As the world goes digital, there's plenty of upside for a firm that is leading the way.

While Wall Street busies itself handicapping the Fed's actions, our team at MarketAxcess is getting ready for more trading volume. They recently added a module that lets clients use data analytics to improve their bond trades, and now count more than 1,500 active clients.

Join the conversation. Click here to jump to comments…

Michael A. Robinson

About the Author

Browse Michael's articles | View Michael's research services

Michael A. Robinson is one of the top financial analysts working today. His book "Overdrawn: The Bailout of American Savings" was a prescient look at the anatomy of the nation's S&L crisis, long before the word "bailout" became part of our daily lexicon. He's a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer and reporter, lauded by the Columbia Journalism Review for his aggressive style. His 30-year track record as a leading tech analyst has garnered him rave reviews, too. Today he is the editor of the monthly tech investing newsletter Nova-X Report as well as Radical Technology Profits, where he covers truly radical technologies – ones that have the power to sweep across the globe and change the very fabric of our lives – and profit opportunities they give rise to. He also explores "what's next" in the tech investing world at Strategic Tech Investor.

… Read full bio

Ulta Beauty (ULTA) Hits New 12-Month High After Earnings Beat

Shares of Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ:ULTA) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Friday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $345.24 and last traded at $340.93, with a volume of 72609 shares. The stock had previously closed at $312.51.

The specialty retailer reported $3.61 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.56 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $2.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.11 billion. Ulta Beauty had a return on equity of 33.75% and a net margin of 9.99%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.75 earnings per share.

Get Ulta Beauty alerts:

Several research firms recently issued reports on ULTA. Nomura boosted their price objective on Ulta Beauty from $311.00 to $315.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on Ulta Beauty from $335.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Ulta Beauty from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday. Piper Jaffray Companies boosted their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty to $318.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Ulta Beauty from $280.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, eighteen have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $306.25.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Securian Asset Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Ulta Beauty by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc now owns 5,971 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $1,462,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares in the last quarter. Sigma Investment Counselors Inc. raised its stake in Ulta Beauty by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Sigma Investment Counselors Inc. now owns 10,626 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $2,602,000 after buying an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Bremer Trust National Association raised its stake in Ulta Beauty by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Bremer Trust National Association now owns 1,033 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $252,000 after buying an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Sigma Planning Corp raised its stake in Ulta Beauty by 3.7% in the fourth quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 1,727 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $423,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Telemus Capital LLC raised its stake in Ulta Beauty by 4.8% in the fourth quarter. Telemus Capital LLC now owns 1,462 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $358,000 after buying an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.72% of the company’s stock.

The company has a market cap of $18.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.01.

ILLEGAL ACTIVITY NOTICE: “Ulta Beauty (ULTA) Hits New 12-Month High After Earnings Beat” was reported by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are accessing this piece on another domain, it was illegally copied and reposted in violation of United States and international copyright law. The original version of this piece can be viewed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4224857/ulta-beauty-ulta-hits-new-12-month-high-after-earnings-beat.html.

About Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA)

Ulta Beauty, Inc operates as a beauty retailer in the United States. The company's stores offer cosmetics, fragrances, haircare and skincare products, bath and body products, and salon styling tools; salon services, including hair, skin, and brow services; and others, including nail products and accessories.

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Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:HSBA,FCF,WFC,CM,AP, An East Coast blizzard hasn't stopped the Federal Reserve from its two-day meeting.

A Fed rate hike is expected at the end of its widely watched meeting Wednesday. It would be the Fed's second rate hike since December and a sign that the central bank's leaders are moving interest rates up at a faster pace this year.

"It's really time to move," says Dan North, chief economist at Euler Hermes, an insurance firm.

Here's 4 things to know before the Fed's announcement Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.

1. A rate hike reflects a healthier economy

America is still adding jobs at a healthy clip, unemployment is low and wage growth continues to gain momentum. Those positive trends clear the way for the Fed to raise rates further.

The Fed put interest rates at 0% in 2008 to help the collapsed housing market recover during the Great Recession.

But America is no longer in crisis mode, and it can weather higher interest rates. The Fed raised rates once in 2015 and 2016, but this year its leaders project they'll increase rates three times.

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: HSBC Holdings PLC (HSBA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  HSBC (LON:HSBA) had its target price lowered by equities research analysts at Shore Capital from GBX 721 ($9.60) to GBX 625 ($8.32) in a report issued on Tuesday. The brokerage presently has a “sell” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Shore Capital’s price objective indicates a potential downside of 14.71% from the company’s previous close.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  HSBC (LON:HSBA) had its price target dropped by equities research analysts at Citigroup from GBX 810 ($10.78) to GBX 800 ($10.65) in a report released on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Citigroup’s price target points to a potential upside of 9.59% from the stock’s previous close.

• [By Max Byerly]

  HSBC Holdings plc (LON:HSBA) has received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the sixteen analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have issued a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is GBX 768.33 ($9.80).

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Morgan Stanley set a GBX 855 ($10.91) price target on HSBC (LON:HSBA) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  HSBC (LON:HSBA) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Credit Suisse Group to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday. The firm presently has a GBX 720 ($9.38) target price on the financial services provider’s stock, up from their previous target price of GBX 680 ($8.86). Credit Suisse Group’s price target suggests a potential upside of 5.82% from the company’s previous close.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Credit Suisse Group set a GBX 720 ($9.32) price target on HSBC (LON:HSBA) in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation(FCF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Barclays PLC increased its holdings in First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF) by 24.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 33,717 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 6,593 shares during the period. Barclays PLC’s holdings in First Commonwealth Financial were worth $476,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: Wells Fargo & Company(WFC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Wall Financial Co. (TSE:WFC) Director Peter Ufford sold 900 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of C$28.00, for a total transaction of C$25,200.00.

• [By Matthew Frankel, CFP]

  Two bank stocks that look attractive right now are Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC). The former trades for a significant valuation discount relative to peers, while Wells Fargo has been beaten down in recent history thanks to its numerous high-profile scandals and resulting penalties. Here's a quick rundown of where the two banks stand, and which could be the better choice for your portfolio now.

• [By ]

  So where do you find them? Well, preferred stocks trade just like common shares on one of the major stock exchanges. They are a popular fundraising tool for companies that need capital to grow and expand, but don't want to borrow or issue more common stock. Well-known businesses like Ford Motor (NYSE: F), General Electric (NYSE: GE), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and T-Mobile (Nasdaq: TMUS) have all issued preferred stock. 

• [By ]

  JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) , Citigroup Inc. (C) and Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) each reported strong earnings beats Friday, April 13, kicking off what analysts expect to be a solid quarter for the sector.

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) saw unusually large options trading activity on Monday. Traders acquired 2,517 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 3,772% compared to the typical volume of 65 call options.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Sigma Planning Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) by 12.6% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 7,383 shares of the bank’s stock after acquiring an additional 826 shares during the period. Sigma Planning Corp’s holdings in Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce were worth $642,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM)Q3 2018 Earnings Conference CallAug. 23, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) Q1 2019 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 28, 2019 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation(AP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Vatican City (AP) -- Pope Francis has recognized as martyrs 19 people who were slain in Algeria in the 1990s, including a bishop killed by a car bomb and beheaded monks.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Ampco-Pittsburgh (AP)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By ]

  Wellington, New Zealand (AP) -- New Zealand plans to slaughter about 150,000 cows as it tries to eradicate a strain of disease-causing bacteria from the national herd.

You'll use these smartphone apps over and over…

There are two ways to look at your favorite app store: (1) Yay, there are so many apps! It's a treasure trove of possibilities! (2) Ugh, there are so many apps. How could I ever wade through all the junk and find something useful?

Whether you prefer the Apple App Store or Google Play, the sheer number of apps can excite and confound. Thousands of apps are free, and few cost more than a few dollars. But if you're looking for the real diamonds in the rough – the apps that can ease your workload or enhance your leisure time – you can stop browsing and check out this list.

These 14 apps cover the gamut of uses, from entertainment to clerical duties to the public good. They're expertly designed, and each has the potential to become a personal game-changer.

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1. Make objects disappear from your photos

This first app is specific to iPhones, and it's excellent for taking spectacular photos, especially when you travel, and you want to capture photos without a bunch of strangers in the background. Say you're in Times Square in New York, and you want the lights and the buildings in your shot, but you don't want traffic.

Spectre Camera app for iPhones works like a long-exposure shutter on a camera. It holds the shutter open, so cars, people and moving objects are nearly invisible. The best thing about the app is it doesn't require a tripod for the long-exposure shutter. It's $2.99 in Apple's store.

Whether you prefer the Apple App Store or Google Play, the sheer number of apps can excite and confound. (Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA)

2. Manage your travel documents with one app

Speaking of travel, the app Google Trips organizes your scheduling, confirmation numbers, and other details. The magic of Google Trip is that it integrates Gmail and Inbox, so you can keep your travel information in one place.

Trips also helps you figure out what to do at your destination, with half-day and full-day suggestions. This feature can replace the cumbersome travel guide with tailor-made lists of activities.

You can also tell Google Trips (in Google Play and the App Store) about the types of things you enjoy doing. You might be a museum-goer, or maybe you prefer the beach or both – Google Trips will help you find those places.

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3. Skip the customs line

One more incredibly useful travel app, especially if you travel internationally, is Mobile Passport. I have been recommending it for years, and I still get people thanking me all the time for saving them time and hassles. Passports are your key to crossing borders, but they are also a source of anxiety and even panic. If you lose it, you're sunk. This app lets you load your passport's information onto your smartphone.

The best part about Mobile Passport (find it on Google Play or Apple's App Store) is that it allows you to skip U.S. Customs and Immigration lines (the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol developed the app). It's available at 25 U.S. airports and three cruise ports, mostly in large cities like New York and Atlanta, and more are coming. Get it and use it. You can thank me later.

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4. Multi-player game for family and friends

I like this game because it blends two cultural phenomena – family game night and smart devices.

Triple Agent is a smartphone game (and family-friendly app) that'll have everyone scheming, plotting, planning – and laughing.

The 10-minute game (find it on Google Play or the App Store) is designed for five to nine players, who pass around a single smartphone. You are secretly assigned to either be a good guy on The Service or a double-agent on The Virus – you each get to vote on who is sent to prison.

5. Scan your old photos with this app

When smartphones became de rigueur, many people found themselves taking snapshots of old photographic prints. This technique wasn't perfect, but it was a simple way to archive all those fragile memories.

Now, you can use Google's PhotoScan app, which digitally scans your photos (find it on Google Play and the App Store). It scans to the edges of photos, pieces together multiple images and you can send your photos to apps like Google Photos, where your scanned images will be sorted and organized.

6. Share your phone's processing power

More and more, the public is acknowledging smartphones as (literal) life-savers. DreamLab is one example: Researchers use massive amounts of nocturnal data to create personalized cancer treatments. In theory, this data will revolutionize the way patients are treated and, hopefully, cured.

Yet such a massive amount of data requires far more processing power than institutions can muster on their own. That's where your smartphone comes in – they'll borrow your phone's processing power while you're sleeping, and your little device can help compile and analyze all that information. You can find the app in Google Play or the App Store.

7. Best weather app

You'll find lots of weather apps for your smartphone, but Dark Sky (on Google Play and in the App Store) has become a leader in its field. By zooming in on precise locations, Dark Sky provides minute-by-minute forecasts of upcoming weather conditions in your neighborhood. Dark Sky will also send you alerts, maps, and continually updated forecasts.

8. Reserve tables at pretty much any restaurant

It's a challenge to find a good restaurant, whether you're in a foreign country, on a business trip or driving around your neighborhood. You can spend hours searching review sites and sending texts to friends to ask for suggestions.

The OpenTable app (on Google Play or in the App Store) can help save you a lot of time and frustration. You use it to make reservations, look over menus and read reviews, all from one app.

9. On the West Coast? Get alerts about earthquakes

ShakeAlert is an app that's triggered during an earthquake. The seismic waves are recorded by seismometers and, in seconds, sends an alert to ShakeAlert users. Those few seconds, like a recent 8-second alert in San Francisco, is enough time for many people to find a safe place.

It's available only in California, Oregon, and Washington, and let me tell you: It works! I was in Los Angeles last month, and sure enough, while I was there, the app notified me that an earthquake occurred. It was subtle. I didn't feel it, but my phone sure did. You can find the app on Google Play or in the App Store.

10. Edit photos on your iPhone or iPad

There are a lot of photo editing apps for mobile devices, but very few as good as Enlight for your iPhone or iPad. It starts with easy-to-use, high-quality photo editing.

But Enlight also has tools that are routinely used by professional photographers. Enlight makes those tools simple and streamlined, no matter how limited your graphics experience. For example, you can superimpose images on top of one another, add text, and even design posters. One tool also makes photographs look hand-painted.

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A winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge contest. Dina Alfasi, courtesy of Apple.FullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge contest. Andrew Griswold, courtesy of Apple.FullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge contest. LieAdi Darmawan, coutes y of AppleFullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge contest. Robert Glaser, courtesy of Apple.FullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone contest. Bernard Antolin, courtesy of Apple.FullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge contest. Elizabeth Scarrott, courtesy of Apple.FullscreenA Shot on iPhone Challenge winner. Nikita YaroshFullscreenA Shot on iPhone Challenge winner. Darren SohFullscreenA Shot on iPhone Challenge winner. Blake MarvinFullscreenA winning image in Apple's Shot on iPhone Challenge. Alex Jiang courtesy of AppleFullscreenInterested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:Replay1 of 102 of 103 of 104 of 105 of 106 of 107 of 108 of 109 of 1010 of 10AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide11. Manage your TV shows with one app

Suppose you want to see a favorite movie, but you've subscribed to several streaming services, and you don't want to run a search on each one. You'll find several apps that will help you manage your TV binge-watching, but this one will also help you track and plan your movie theater outings.

JustWatch tells you when new movies and TV show episodes are added to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube Channel, The Roku Channel and dozens of others. It's similar to having your onscreen TV guide on your smartphone, but for all the streaming channels you watch.

Plus, you can even find out when movies are playing at your local movie theater. Select the movie you want to see and type in your ZIP code - you'll see theater locations and movie times. Find the app on Google Play and the App Store.

12. Get recipes based on your dietary needs and limits

Dietary science is more sophisticated than ever, and more people are benefitting from vegan diets, gluten-free diets, paleo cuisine, and lots of other dietary parameters. The downside: You may struggle to develop new and exciting meals.

Yummly (on Google Play or in the App Store) can recommend recipes based on the ingredients you already have on the shopping list (or in your refrigerator). You can save recipes that you'll use over and over. Just input your dietary preferences, and Yummly will suggest recipes that are right for you.

13. Scan documents and share

CamScanner is a huge time-saver, especially if you send documents to clients or you're in the process of sending documents back and forth with a real estate agent or lawyer. You can scan documents from your smartphone and they're turned into PDFs that you can send by email or message.

Just think of all the times you've needed a PDF, say in a hotel when you were on vacation. With CamScanner, you no longer need to ruin your vacation to run back to the hotel's business center to print a document and fax it - just do it from your phone. Find it in Google Play or the App Store.

14. Create photo books, gifts from your photos

Shutterfly has been around for years, but some photographers still haven't used it. The Shutterfly app is kind of like having your own, personal greeting-card store on your smartphone.

In short, you can print your photographs onto just about anything, from coffee mugs to pillow. Shutterfly (on Google Play and in the App Store) is best known for their photobooks, and these beautiful books are still easy to create and publish. But the service has radically branched out into other printing services as well.

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The new Apple iPhone XR is on display at the Steve Jobs Theater after an event to announce new products Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in Cupertino, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez, APFullscreenThe new Apple Watch Series 4 is displayed during an Apple special event at the Steve Jobs Theatre on Sept. 12, 2018, in Cupertino, Calif. Justin Sullivan, Getty ImagesFullscreenAn Apple iPhone Xs Max, right, and an iPhone Xs rest on a table during a launch event on Sept. 12, 2018, in Cupertino, Calif. NOAH BERGER, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreenA customer examines the newly released iPhone X at an Apple Store in Atlanta, Nov. 3 2017. ERIK S. LESSER, EPA-EFEFullscreenSome Apple iPhones at its headquarters in London, Aug 1, 2018. ANDY RAIN, EPA-EFEFullscreen Matthew Lee was the first customer to come out of the Apple Store at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles with the new iPhone X, Nov. 3, 2017. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAYFullscreenApple CEO Steve Jobs holds up the new MacBook Air on Jan. 15, 2008 after giving the keynote address at the Apple MacWorld Conference in San Francisco. Jeff Chiu, APFullscreenApple CEO Tim Cook uses the Swift Playgrounds App on the new 9.7-inch iPad to maneuver a ball, bottom right, at an Apple educational event at Lane Technical College Prep High School March 27, 2018, in Chicago. CHARLES REX ARBOGAST/ APFullscreenThe 2002 iMac G4. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenThe new 9.7-inch iPad is used to demonstrate the dissecting of a frog during an event held at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago, March 27, 2018. SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGESFullscreenA guest draws the bones of the hand on Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad during an event held to introduce the device at Lane Tech College Prep High School on March 27, 2018 in Chicago. The device will work with Apple Pencil and is available today. SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGESFullscreenApple CEO Tim Cook gets a demonstration of an app during an event held to introduce the new 9.7-inch Apple iPad at Lane Tech College Prep High School in Chicago, March 27, 2018. SCOTT OLSON/ GETTY IMAGESFullscreenHere is a gallery of Apple hardware through the years, starting with the Apple II computer. Eric Risberg, ApFullscreenSteve Jobs, Founder and acting CEO of Apple Computer Inc., holds up one of the company's new consumer laptops called "iBook" after his keynote address at the Macworld Expo in New York on July 21, 1999. BEBETO MATTHEWS, APFullscreenApple Lisa from 1984 Jonathan ZufiFullscreenThe Apple Lisa 2 computer. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenAn early Apple joystick. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenA 1986 Apple mouse. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenThe 2001 iMax G3 "Flower Power." Jonathan ZufiFullscreenQuicktake_200, an early Apple digital camera. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenA prototype of the eMate computer. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenThe original iPod is displayed after its introduction by Apple Computer Inc. chief executive officer Steve Jobs during a news conference in Cupertino, Calif. on Oct. 23, 2001. JULIE JACOBSON, APFullscreenThe 1987 Macintosh SE. Jonathan ZufiFullscreenApple's iPad Mini is seen during Apple's special event on October 23, 2012 in San Jose, Calif. KIMIHIRO HOSHINO, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreenThe new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are on display at the Apple Store in Pasadena, Calif. on September 19, 2014. ROBYN BECK, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreenApple CEO Steve Jobs displays his company's iPod mini at the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco on Tuesday, Jan 6, 2004. MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ, APFullscreenApple's original iPhone is displayed on Jan. 9, 2007 at the Macworld Conference in San Francisco. TONY AVELAR, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreenAn iPod with video is displayed in 2005. Chung Sung-Jun, Getty ImagesFullscreenThe Apple iPhone 4 is seen outside an Apple Store on June 24, 2010 in Chicago. Kiichiro Sato, APFullscreenThe new iPad pro, at right, is seen next to an older version and the Apple pencil, middle, during an event at Apple headquarters on March 21, 2016 in Cupertino, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez, APFullscreenApple MacBook computers are on display in San Francisco on March 9, 2015. Robert Hanashiro, USATFullscreenA customer uses an Apple iPad on the first day of Apple iPad sales at an Apple Store in San Francisco on April 3, 2010. Paul Sakuma, APFullscreenA customer selects a song on the iPod Touch at an Apple Store in Palo Alto, Calif. on Sept. 17, 2007. Paul Sakuma, APFullscreenA black MacBook computer is on display at the Apple Store in Palo Alto, Calif. on July 17, 2006. PAUL SAKUMA, APFullscreenA MacBook computer is seen in New York on May 18, 2006. MARK LENNIHAN, APFullscreenThe new Apple iPod Nano at the Apple Store in Palo Alto, Calif. on Sept. 9, 2005. PAUL SAKUMA, APFullscreenFrom left, an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X are displayed in New York on Oct. 31, 2017. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAYFullscreenA Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro computer is displayed in Cupertino, Calif. on Oct. 27, 2016. TONY AVELAR, EPA-EFEFullscreenA man holds an iPod as he sits in front of an Apple Powerbook laptop on which the software to the "iTunes music store" is running in 2004. OLIVER STRATMANN, AFP/Getty ImagesFullscreenMembers of the media get their first hands-on look at the new Apple Watch in San Francisco on March 9, 2015. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAYFullscreenAn iMac is displayed after Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced new versions of the iMac on Aug. 7, 2007 in Cupertino, Calif. David Paul Morris, Getty ImagesFullscreenApple AirPods are seen on Sept. 7, 2016 in San Francisco. Marcio Jose Sanchez, APFullscreenApple's Apple TV unit and remote control are seen on display in an Apple Store March 23, 2007 in New York. Mario Tama, Getty ImagesFullscreenAn Apple TV streaming device is on display in New York on Sept. 15, 2017. Mark Lennihan, APFullscreenBlogThis!