BlackBerry (BBRY) released its results for the three months ended May 31 this morning, and for a moment there you might have actually forgotten that the company has been struggling to stay afloat for the past few years.
Top 10 Shipping Companies To Watch For 2016: Avon Products Inc. (AVP)
Avon Products Inc. manufactures and markets beauty and related products worldwide. Its product categories include color cosmetics, fragrances, skin care, and personal care; fashion jewelry, watches, apparel, footwear, and accessories; and gift and decorative products, housewares, entertainment and leisure, and children?s and nutritional products. Avon Products Inc. markets its products through direct selling and independent representatives, as well as through distributorships. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tabitha Jean Naylor]
Some were even able to rise to the prominent positions of being publicly traded companies, including Avon (NYSE: AVP) and Herbalife (NYSE: HLF). We will take a look at how these two direct-selling companies fared in 2013 and beyond.
- [By Grace L. Williams]
You don’t have to go door to door to find dismal news about Avon (AVP) today. Between the stock tanking over 20% and the company�� announcements of a weak third-quarter topped with news that federal regulators are increasing the penalties to resolve its ongoing bribery probe, it�� one ugly afternoon for the beauty product and cosmetics company.
The Wall Street Journal�� Serena Ng and Anna Prior recapped Avon�� woes nicely this afternoon:
The government’s position, disclosed by Avon in a regulatory filing, adds another big weight on a company already struggling to turn around a string of poor results. On Thursday, the door-to-door seller of makeup and consumer products reported a third-quarter loss following a steep drop in sales in the U.S. and China.
Regarding the bribery probe, the WSJ writes:
Avon has been trying to resolve a federal bribery probe that has dogged it since 2008 and has already racked up roughly $340 million in legal and related costs. The company is in talks with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Justice Department to settle an investigation into whether Avon breached the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by providing gifts or making payments to officials in China and other countries to get licenses to sell its products.
Analysts were mixed-to-negative in reaction to the news, revising their recommendations and slashing price targets. Rommel Dionisio of Wedbush, for one, cut the price target to $21 from $24, writing:
Avon reported third-quarter revenue of $2.323 billion and adjusted earnings-per-share of 14 cents, again short of consensus forecasts of $2.443 billion and 19 cents, respectively. Overall local currency sales fell 1%, sequentially worse than the 2% growth seen in the second quarter, as sharp declines in North America (18%) and Asia-Pacific (19%) were partially offset by growth in Latin America (6%).
We believe shares of Avon should trade at a 5%-10% disc
- [By Vera Yuan]
We bought relatively small new positions in Willis Group Holdings and Avon Products in the third quarter. Willis (WSH) is a leading global insurance broker. We have followed this attractive industry for many years through investments in Aon, Brown & Brown and others (including Willis under prior management). Organic revenue growth has been solid, and Willis has a near-term opportunity to expand margins through expense initiatives and restructuring savings that are likely to kick in next year. We think the stock should be revalued higher once management follows through on its pledged cost discipline and drives operating leverage. Avon (AVP) is a direct selling, branded beauty business undergoing a turnaround in the U.S. market. The overwhelming majority of Avon�� business value comes from its stronger positions in Latin America and other emerging markets. Our investment thesis is that well-run direct selling can be a decent business with solid margins and high returns, that the Avon brand is not fundamentally broken, and that the U.S. business is bottoming as evidenced by break-even results in the most recent quarter. Avon has a wider range of potential outcomes than our typical investment and is sized accordingly.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Health and beauty products provider Avon Products� (NYSE: AVP ) �will pay a regular quarterly dividend of $0.06 on�June 3 �to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 14. That's the same amount it declared in February and November.
Hot Dividend Companies To Invest In 2015: Matthews International Corporation(MATW)
Matthews International Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets memorialization products and brand solutions for the cemetery and funeral home industries in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company's Bronze segment offers cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; and cast and etched architectural products, as well as builds mausoleums. Its Casket segment provides wood and metal caskets; and casket components, such as stamped metal parts, metal locking mechanisms for gasketed metal caskets, adjustable beds, interior panels, and plastic ornamental hardware, as well as provides assortment planning and merchandising, and display products to funeral service businesses. The company's Cremation segment offers cremation equipment; cremation caskets; equipment service and supplies; and cremation urns and memorial products, as well as offers environmental systems; crematory operations and management services; and cremation col umbarium and niche units. Its Graphics Imaging segment provides brand management, pre-press services, printing plates, gravure cylinders, steel bases, embossing tools, special purpose machinery, engineering and print process assistance, print production management, digital asset management, content management, and package design services. The company's Marking Products segment offers a range of marking and coding products and related consumables, and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking, and conveying consumer and industrial products, components, and packaging containers. Its Merchandising Solutions segment provides merchandising displays and systems, such as permanent and temporary displays, custom store fixtures, brand concept shops, interactive kiosks, custom packaging, and screen and digitally printed promotional signage; and offers design and engineering services. The company was founded in 1850 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
The first thing to realize about StoneMor is that arcane and flexible accounting rules make it important to dig beneath its GAAP earnings. Growth throughout the industry has been substantial, as up-and-coming Carriage Services (NYSE: CSV ) continued to stay on pace for double-digit sales growth as it rapidly expands its reach. Even well-established player Matthews International (NASDAQ: MATW ) managed to grow revenue by nearly 14% in the quarter that ended in March, although its earnings fell slightly from the year-ago quarter. Still, StoneMor's sales haven't been able to rise as quickly as its peers, with its previous report including just a 6% gain in revenue.
Hot Dividend Companies To Invest In 2015: ConocoPhillips(COP)
ConocoPhillips operates as an integrated energy company worldwide. The company?s Exploration and Production (E&P) segment explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas liquids. Its Midstream segment gathers, processes, and markets natural gas; and fractionates and markets natural gas liquids in the United States and Trinidad. The company?s Refining and Marketing (R&M) segment purchases, refines, markets, and transports crude oil and petroleum products, such as gasolines, distillates, and aviation fuels. Its Chemicals segment manufactures and markets petrochemicals and plastics. This segment offers olefins and polyolefins, including ethylene, propylene, and other olefin products; aromatics products, such as benzene, styrene, paraxylene, and cyclohexane, as well as polystyrene and styrene-butadiene copolymers; and various specialty chemical products comprising organosulfur chemicals, solvents, catalyst s, drilling chemicals, mining chemicals, and engineering plastics and compounds. The company?s Emerging Businesses segment develops new technologies and businesses. It focuses on power generation; and technologies related to conventional and nonconventional hydrocarbon recovery, refining, alternative energy, biofuels, and the environment. This segment also offers E-Gas, a gasification technology producing high-value synthetic gas. ConocoPhillips was founded in 1917 and is based in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than original cost. As stated in the current prospectus, the Fund�� Investor Class Share�� annual operating expense ratio (gross) is 1.28%. The Fund�� adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its fee and/or reimburse Fund expenses to limit total annual operating expenses at 1.25%, which is in effect until October 31, 2015. Other share classes may vary. The Fund charges a 2.0% redemption fee on shares redeemed within six months of purchase. For the most recent month-end performance, please call (877)328-9437 or visit the Advisor�� website at www.auxierasset.com. The recent growth rate in the stock market has helped to produce short-term returns that are not typical and may not continue in the future.Spring 2014 Market CommentaryAuxier Focus Fund�� Investor Class returned a modest 0.25% for the quarter ended March 31, while Standard and Poor�� 500 Stock Index (S&P) rose 1.81%. The Fund ended the quarter with 70% in U.S. stocks, 16% foreign stocks, 1.7 % bonds and 12.3% cash. Since inception in 1999, the Fund�� equity exposure has averaged 72%. Our stockholdings in the healthcare industry generally gained for the quarter. But many of our multinational and foreign stocks were hurt by the threat of currency repercussions from geopolitical events in Russia and Ukraine. The foreign portion of the Fund is easily the most undervalued. Longer term, we see a very favorable risk/reward potential with our UK and European holdings. Some emerging market companies we follow are the cheapest in over twenty years. In allocating capital, we much prefer the gloom of down to flat markets and the corrective process that tempers exuberance. We remember that one of th
Hot Dividend Companies To Invest In 2015: Raytheon Company(RTN)
Raytheon Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides electronics, mission systems integration, and other capabilities in the areas of sensing, effects, and command, control, communications, and intelligence systems, as well as mission support services in the United States and internationally. It operates in six segments: Integrated Defense Systems, Intelligence and Information Systems, Missile Systems, Network Centric Systems, Space and Airborne Systems, and Technical Services. The Integrated Defense Systems segment provides integrated naval, air, and missile defense and civil security response solutions. The Intelligence and Information Systems segment offers intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, advanced cyber solutions, weather and environmental solutions, and information-based solutions for law enforcement and homeland security. The Missile Systems segment develops and produces weapon systems, including missiles, smart munitions, close-in weapon systems, projectiles, kinetic kill vehicles, and directed energy effectors for the armed forces of the U.S. and other allied nations. The Network Centric Systems segment provides net-centric mission solutions, including integrated communications systems, command and control systems, combat systems, and operations and precision components for the U.S. federal, state, and local government customers, as well as civil customers. The Space and Airborne Systems segment designs and develops integrated systems and solutions for missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; precision engagement; unmanned aerial operations; and space. The Technical Services segment provides training, logistics, engineering, product support, and operational support services for the mission support, homeland security, space, civil aviation, counterproliferation, and counterterrorism markets. Raytheon Company was founded in 1922 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
On Thursday, Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon (NYSE: RTN ) reported that it has booked an order to sell $106 million worth of Paveway II smart bombs to ... somebody.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Stallard sees KEYW Holding (KEYW) and Textron (TXT) potentially missing earnings, while Honeywell (HON),� Alliant Techsystems (ATK),�Lockheed Martin (LMT),�Raytheon (RTN) and�Wesco Aircraft (WAIR) could beat.
- [By Rich Smith]
After a busy week, during�which the Department of Defense handed out literally dozens of contracts worth a combined $1.9 billion, the generals found their wallets near empty come week-end. By the time Friday rolled around, the Pentagon could only muster up a bare two contracts to award. Here they are:
Raytheon (NYSE: RTN ) won a $12.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement for the development and integration of its AGM-154C-1 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) into the operational flight program software of the Boeing F/A-18E/F fighter jet.�Raytheon is expected to complete work on this contract by February 2015.The JSOW�is a Raytheon-designed 1000-lb. "glide bomb." Dropped from a fighter at high altitude, it can travel as far as 78 miles to strike a target, guided en route by GPS signals.
Hot Dividend Companies To Invest In 2015: Resource Capital Corp.(RSO)
Resource Capital Corp. operates as a specialty finance company that focuses primarily on commercial real estate and commercial finance in the United States. The company?s commercial real estate-related investments include first mortgage loans, first priority interests in first mortgage real estate loans, subordinate interests in first mortgage real estate loans, mezzanine loans, and commercial mortgage-backed securities. It also invests in commercial finance assets, including senior secured corporate loans, other asset-backed securities, equipment leases and notes, trust preferred securities, and debt tranches of collateralized debt and loan obligations. The company qualifies as a real estate investment trust (REIT) for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it is not subject to federal corporate income tax to the extent that it distributes 90% of its REIT taxable income. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Shares of Resource Capital Corp. (RSO) �declined 3.8% to $5.82 in moderate volume after the real-estate investment trust said it would launch a $100 million offering in notes due 2018.
Hot Dividend Companies To Invest In 2015: Ventas Inc. (VTR)
Ventas, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust. The firm engages in investment, management, financing, and leasing of properties in the healthcare industry. It invests in the real estate markets of the United States and Canada. The firm primarily invests in healthcare-related facilities including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, senior housing facilities, medical office buildings, and other healthcare related facilities. Ventas, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in Chicago, Illinois with additional offices in Louisville, Kentucky and Dallas, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Justin Loiseau]
Health or wealth -- why not both?
Cliffs Natural Resources and Caterpillar shares could continue their adjustments today, but investors will also need to keep an eye on Ventas' (NYSE: VTR ) 10 a.m. EDT earnings report. The health care REIT's shares have moved from 5% gains to a 12% drop over the last three months, and year-to-date gains clock in at 6.8% so far. - [By Ben Levisohn]
HCP has dropped 1.6% to $39.17 today, while competitor Health Care REIT (HCN) has gained 0.6% to $61.97, while Ventas (VTR) has risen 0.5% to $62.31.
- [By Brad Thomas]
REITs mentioned: (VTR), (OHI), (O), (DLR), (HCP), (HTA), (KIM), (FRT), (SPG), and (SKT).
Note: This article is intended to provide information to interested parties. As I have no knowledge of individual investor circumstances, goals, and/or portfolio concentration or diversification, readers are expected to complete their own due diligence before purchasing any stocks mentioned or recommended.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Senior housing and healthcare properties real estate investment trust (REIT) Ventas (VTR) raised its quarterly dividend 8% to 72.5 cents per share, payable on Dec. 31 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 16.
VTR Dividend Yield: 5.16%
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