Which sectors with lackluster returns this year are the best candidates to rebound in 2014? asks Mike Burnick. In Money and Markets, he notes that industries at the back of the pack one year often rise to the top in following years.
That is the time-tested dynamic of mean reversion, which I have seen play out time and again over many decades. And one sector at the top of my list of potential outperformers is energy.
In October, for the first time in nearly two decades, the US produced more crude oil than it imported. That will be the lowest amount of imported oil since 1985.
And within the next ten years, the US will become the world's largest oil producer. This is truly a great American success story that's still unfolding, because the domestic energy boom is just getting started.
So why are energy stocks underperforming? In what seems like a glaring disconnect to the booming domestic energy business, energy stocks have been lagging the broader market, not only in 2013, but for the past several years.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Cbeyond Inc.(CBEY)
Cbeyond, Inc. provides managed information technology (IT) and communications services to small businesses in the United States. Its services include local and long-distance voice, broadband Internet, mobile services, broadband laptop access, voicemail, email, Web hosting, fax-to-email, data backup, file-sharing, virtual private networking, and cloud servers; and cloud applications, data center infrastructure as a service, cloud private branch exchange phone systems, metro Ethernet, multi-protocol label switching, information security, administration management, and professional services to migrate and manage customer environments. It sells its products and services through direct sales; value-added resellers, local area network consultants, and other IT and communications consultants; and managed services providers, systems integrators, and software vendors. The company was formerly known as Cbeyond Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Cbeyond, Inc. in July 2006. Cbeyond, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Cbeyond (NASDAQ: CBEY) soared 6.29% to $6.76 in the pre-market trading. Cbeyond shares have dropped 10.67% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 26.42% in the same period.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Cbeyond (NASDAQ: CBEY) shares gained 38.56% to touch a new 52-week high of $9.81 after the company agreed to be acquired by Birch Communications in all-cash transaction valued at $323 million.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Giga-tronics Inc (GIGA)
Giga-tronics Incorporated (Giga-tronics), incorporated on March 5, 1980, includes the operations of the Giga-tronics Division and Microsource Inc. (Microsource), a wholly owned subsidiary. Giga-tronics Division designs, manufactures and markets a line of test and measurement equipment used in the development, test and maintenance of wireless communications products and systems, flight navigational equipment, electronic defense systems and automatic testing systems. These products are used primarily in the design, production, repair and maintenance of commercial telecommunications, radar, and electronic warfare equipment. The Company manufactures products used in test, measurement and control. The Company has two segments: Giga-tronics Division and Microsource. In April 2013, it completed the sale of its product line known as SCPM to Teradyne, Inc.
Giga-tronics
The Giga-tronics Division produces signal sources, generators and sweepers, and power measurement instruments for use in the microwave and radio frequency (RF) range (10 kilohertz (kHz) to 50 gigahertz (GHz)). Within each product line are a number of different models and options allowing customers to select frequency range and specialized capabilities, features and functions. The end-user markets for these products can be divided into three segments: commercial telecommunications, radar and electronic warfare. These instruments are used in the design, production, repair and maintenance and calibration of other manufacturers' products, from discrete components to complex systems.
The Giga-tronics Division also produces switch modules and interface adapters that operates with a bandwidth from direct current (DC) to optical frequencies. These switch modules may be incorporated within its customers' automated test equipment. The end-user markets for these products are primarily related to defense, aeronautics, communications, satellite and electronic warfare, commercial aviation and semiconductors.
The Microsource segment develops and manufactures a broad line of yttrium, iron, garnet (YIG) tuned oscillators, filters and microwave synthesizers, which are used by its customers in operational applications and in manufacturing a variety of microwave instruments or devices.
Giga-tronics competes with Agilent, Anritsu, EADS, Aeroflex and Rohde & Schwarz.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Giga-tronics (NASDAQ: GIGA) dropped 14.84% to $1.32. Giga-tronics' trailing-twelve-month profit margin is -30.58%.
MER Telemanagement Solutions (NASDAQ: MTSL) dropped 14.62% to $2.09 after the company terminated MVNE solution provider agreement with SBC Communications.
Top Heal Care Companies To Own In Right Now: Valassis Communications Inc.(VCI)
Valassis Communications, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a media and marketing services company primarily in the United States and Europe. Its Shared Mail segment combines the individual print advertisements of various clients into a single shared mail package and distributes the shared mail advertising products to approximately 70 million U.S. households primarily on a weekly basis through the United States Postal Service (USPS). This segment also offers solo mail and other products and services, including list procurement, addressing, processing, and the distribution of brochures and circulars; ancillary services, such as list rentals; and direct mail advertising solutions for local neighborhood businesses. It primarily serves grocers, restaurants, drug stores, discount and department stores, home furnishing stores, and other retailers. The company?s Neighborhood Targeted segment is involved in the print and media placement of traditional free-standing solo insert formats and specialty print promotion products; offers newspaper-delivered or direct-to-door sampling products that give manufacturers the ability to cover approximately 60 million households; and helps clients to run their promotional advertising directly on the pages of newspapers by brokering advertising space. The company?s Free-standing Inserts segment prints and distributes four-color booklets containing promotions, primarily coupons from multiple clients through newspapers and shared mails. Its International, Digital Media, and Services segment provides coupon clearing, analytical promotion information management products, and marketing services for retailers and consumer-packaged goods manufacturers; and promotion security and consulting services, as well as produces direct-mail programs based on multiple data sources, including frequent shopper card data. Valassis Communications, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Valassis Communications Inc.(VCI) and Gogo Inc.(GOGO)
Valassis agreed to be acquired by Harland Clarke Holdings Corp. in a deal valuing the coupon publisher at roughly $1.31 billion that the companies expect will create a leading diversified payment and marketing-services company. Shares surged 21% to $34.29 premarket.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading UP
Valassis Communications (NYSE: VCI) shot up 22.16 percent to $34.57 after the company agreed to be acquired by Harland Clarke Holdings Corp for $34.04 per share in cash.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc.(BBRG)
Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. owns and operates Italian restaurant brands in the United States. Its brands include BRAVO! Cucina Italiana, and BRIO Tuscan Grille. The company also operates an American-French bistro restaurant under the brand Bon Vie. As of March 02, 2012, it owned and operated 95 restaurants in 30 states. The company was formerly known as Bravo Development, Inc. and changed its name to Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. in June 2010. Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Columbus, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Wolfe]
Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (BBRG)
During the second quarter Ashton increased his position in Bravo Brio by 540%. Ashton purchased 108,000 shares at a second quarter price range of $15.37 to $19.01, with an estimated average price range of $17.28. Since then the price per share has dropped approximately -8.7%.
- [By Shaun Currie, CFA]
Bravo Brio Restaurant Group (BBRG) presented at a retail/restaurant conference on Tuesday and provided very important information to investors. To give some background, the stock has been an underperformer for two reasons:
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc (BEE)
Strategic Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (SHR), incorporated on January 27, 2004, operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio included 18 full-service hotel interests located in urban and resort markets in the United States; Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico; Hamburg, Germany, and London, England. SHR conducts its operations through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including its operating partnership, Strategic Hotel Funding, L.L.C. (SH Funding), which holds all of the Company�� assets. SHR is the sole managing member of SH Funding and held approximately 99% of its membership units as of February 27, 2013. SHR manages all business aspects of SH Funding, including the sale and purchase of hotels, the investment in these hotels and the financing of SH Funding and its assets. In September 2012, it acquired the JW Marriott Essex House Hotel in New York City. In October 2013, the Company announced that it has sold the Lakeshore Athletic Club property adjacent to the Fairmont Chicago hotel.
As of December 31, 2012, SH Funding owned interests in or leased 18 hotels, which included Fairmont Chicago, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, Four Seasons Punta Mita Resort, Four Seasons Silicon Valley, Four Seasons Washington, D.C., Hotel del Coronado, Hyatt Regency La Jolla, InterContinental Chicago, InterContinental Miami, JW Marriott Essex House Hotel, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, Marriott Hamburg, Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, Marriott London Grosvenor Square, Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and Westin St. Francis.
The Hotel del Coronado is operated by a specialty management company, KSL Resorts. As of February 27, 2013, the Company wholly owned or leased 14 hotels, had a 53.5% and 51.0% interest in an affiliate that owned a hotel where it asset managed such hotel, and had 50.0% and 36.4% interests in, and acted as asset manager for, two affiliates that eac! h owned one hotel, and owned land held for development, including 20.5 acres of oceanfront land adjacent to its Four Seasons Punta Mita Resort, Nayarit, Mexico and 60 acres of oceanfront land near the Four Seasons Punta Mita Resort; a 20,000 square-foot parcel of land on the ocean in Santa Monica, California adjacent to its Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel entitled for development and residential units; a 50% interest in an affiliate that owned 10 acres of land adjacent to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess hotel, and a 31% interest in an affiliate with two parties that was developing the fractional ownership program known as the Four Seasons Residence Club Punta Mita.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marshall Hargrave]
Well, that's exactly the case with Strategic Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: BEE), the only publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) that focuses exclusively on the luxury hotel and resort markets.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Axis Capital Holdings Limited (AXS)
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited provides specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance products in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and Latin America. The company�s Insurance segment offers property insurance for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, and onshore energy installations; marine insurance covering offshore energy, cargo, liability, recreational marine, fine art, specie, hull, and war; and aviation, terrorism, credit and political risk, and liability insurance. It also provides professional lines that cover directors� and officers� liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity, and other financial insurance related coverage; and accidental death, travel, and specialty health products for employer and affinity groups, financial institutions, schools, and colleges, as well as accident and health reinsurance for catastrop hic or per life events. This segment offers its products through wholesale and retail brokers, managing general agents, and underwriters. Its Reinsurance segment provides non-life reinsurance to insurance companies, including catastrophe; property reinsurance covering property damage and related losses resulting from natural and man-made perils; professional lines; credit and bond reinsurance; and motor reinsurance providing coverage to cedants for motor liability and property damage losses. This segment also offers coverage to insurers of standard casualty business, excess and surplus casualty business, and specialty casualty programs; coverage for various types of construction risks and risks associated with the erection, testing, and commissioning of machinery and plants during the construction stage; and aviation, marine, personal accident, and crop reinsurance. AXIS Capital Holdings Limited was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Avg. High Yield Price 2. 20-Year DCF Price 3. Avg. P/E Price 4. Graham Number CINF is trading at a discount to only 3.) above. The stock is trading at a 36.8% premium to its calculated fair value of $34.96. CINF did not earn any Stars in this section. Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Free Cash Flow Payout 2. Debt To Total Capital 3. Key Metrics 4. Dividend Growth Rate 5. Years of Div. Growth 6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% CINF earned two Stars in this section for 1.) and 2.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1954 and has increased its dividend payments for 54 consecutive years. Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA The NPV MMA Diff. of the $62 is below the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as CINF has. If CINF grows its dividend at 1.2% per year, it will take 5 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.68%. Memberships and Peers: CINF is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Divid
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Republic Bancorp Inc.(RBCAA)
Republic Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank, which provides banking, tax refund solutions, and mortgage banking services to individuals and businesses in the United States. The company offers a range of deposit products, including demand deposits, money market accounts, brokered and Internet money market accounts, savings deposits, individual retirement accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. It also provides single family residential real estate loans; commercial loans; residential construction real estate loans; and consumer loans, which consists of home improvement and home equity loans, as well as secured and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers private banking services; treasury management services, such as lockbox processing, remote deposit capture, business online banking, account reconciliation, and automated clearing house processing services; Internet banking service s and products through its Website, republicbank.com; and trust, title insurance, and other financial institution related products and services. Further, it provides tax refund solutions that include the payment of federal and state tax refunds through third party tax preparers. The company facilitates the payment of these tax refunds through refund anticipation loans, electronic refund checks, and electronic refund deposits. Its mortgage banking activities comprise origination and sale of loans in the secondary market, and the servicing of loans for others. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 44 banking centers, including 35 located in Kentucky; 5 located in metropolitan Tampa, Florida; 3 located in southern Indiana; and 1 located in metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. Republic Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
In the fourth quarter, he bought 32 new stocks. The largest new buys are: Air Lease (AL), Colfax (CFX) and Republic Bancorp Inc. (RBCAA).
Air Lease (AL)
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Knight Transportation Inc (KNX)
Knight Transportation, Inc. (Knight), incorporated on August 31, 1989, is a provider of multiple truckload transportation services, which generally involve the movement of full trailer or container loads of freight from origin to destination for a single customer. The Company is a provider of multiple truckload transportation services with a nationwide network of service centers through which it operates one of the tractor fleets. In addition to its own fleet, the Company also partners with third-party equipment providers to provide truckload capacity and a broad range of solutions to truckload shippers. The Company has five operating segments comprised of three asset-based operating segments: dry van truckload, temperature-controlled truckload and port services and two non-asset-based operating segments brokerage and intermodal services. Through its asset-based and non-asset-based capabilities the Company is able to transport, or can arrange for the transportation of, general commodities for customers throughout the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico.
The Company's asset-based businesses generally include dry van truckload, refrigerated truckload, dedicated truckload, and drayage services. Its non-asset-based services generally include rail intermodal and truckload brokerage services. However, within its asset-based services, the use of independent contractors to provide tractors lowers the capital investment in its dry van and refrigerated operations. In addition, drayage operations generally involve less expensive tractors with longer lives and do not require a investment in trailering equipment. As of December 31, 2012, it operated 3,627 company-owned tractors with an average age of 1.9 years. It also had under contract 507 tractors owned and operated by independent contractors. Its trailer fleet consisted of 9,564 53-foot long trailers with an average age of 5.5 years and includes 1,092 temperature-controlled trailers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Victor Nguyen]
A report released Thursday morning, Citigroup analyst Christian Wetherbee upgrades Knight Transportation (NYSE: KNX) to BUY from NEUTRAL, increasing price target from $17 to $22.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: China Auto Logistics Inc.(CALI)
China Auto Logistics Inc. primarily engages in the sale and trading of imported automobiles in the People?s Republic of China. It also offers financing services, including letter of credit issuance, purchase deposit financing, and import duty advances, as well as automobile value-added services, including customs clearance, storage, and nationwide delivery services to automobile dealers and agents. In addition, the company operates Websites that provide subscribers with sales and trading information for imported and domestically manufactured automobiles. Its Websites include cali.com.cn, which provides auto living public with information about auto and auto-related products and services; at188.com that provides sales and trading information about imported automobiles, as well as parts and components information; at160.com, which provides sales and trading information about domestically manufactured automobiles; and goodcar.cn that provides information relating to automoti ve products and services, including discounted gas, car washes, emergency roadside assistance, body-shop repairs, and car maintenance. The company sells automobiles to authorized dealers, free traders or wholesalers, government agencies, and individual customers. China Auto Logistics Inc. is based in Tianjin, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
China Auto Logistic (NASDAQ: CALI) shares dropped 9.06% to $3.17 after the company announced 2013 results. China Auto Logistic posted its net income of $524,260, or $0.14 per share.
Top Performing Stocks For 2015: Sinner AG (SIN)
Sinner AG is a Germany-based company active in the lease of property. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, 55% of the Company's rentals were leased to commercial and service companies, 31% were leased to manufacturing companies, 8% were leased to public authorities, public institutions, craft factories and others, and 6% were leased as office and residential properties. Sinner AG is majority owned by STINAG Stuttgart Invest AG, which holds a 75.14% of total share capital in the Company. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vanina Egea]
As China enters a new phase of economic development, characterized by slower growth, analysts begin to wonder about the future of companies deeply related to state activities. Common knowledge indicates that as the economy�� growth slows down, activities at the industries associated with that growth will slow too. Nonetheless, that simple take on economics can be deceiving and an analysis of Sinopec (SIN) will uncover considerable growth opportunities. The reasoning is the following. First, the Chinese economy will not stop growing. Second, the slowdown is not a product of model exhaustion, but a mere capacity readjustment. Third, the oil and gas industry will remain a key to continue growing for the Chinese economy. And the priority placed upon the oil and gas is where growth opportunities for the industry lie. Gurus are divided over this position, but their trading activities on Sinopec have not ceased.
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