On Wednesday, IBM (NYSE: IBM ) will release its quarterly report, and investors will be watching closely to see if the tech giant can finally get its sales moving higher after a long stretch of sluggishness. Although Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO ) has faced some of the same challenges as IBM, Oracle (NYSE: ORCL ) has found ways to find growth. IBM needs to work on getting its share of the growing cloud-computing and data-analytics pie in order to keep itself moving in the right direction.
IBM has a history of being ahead of the curve in technology, moving away from its historic hardware focus in a timely fashion before the bottom fell out of that market. Yet even as it has aimed to capture higher-margin services and provide value-added information for its customers, IBM nevertheless has had to deal with extensive competition from Cisco, Oracle, and other tech giants seeking to offer more integrated products. For its part, IBM needs to use its enterprise focus to its best advantage, reaching out to as many potential customers as possible. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with IBM over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.
10 Best Oil Service Stocks To Watch Right Now: Emeritus Corporation (ESC)
Emeritus Corporation operates senior living communities in the United States. The company�s communities offer Alzheimer�s and dementia care, independent living, assisted living, specialized memory care, and skilled nursing care services. It also provides management services to independent and related-party owners of assisted living communities. As of November 15, 2012, the company operated approximately 470 senior living communities in 44 states with a resident capacity for approximately 50,000 residents. Emeritus Corporation was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
One company with seemingly limitless upside potential today was senior housing operator Emeritus (NYSE: ESC ) , which gained 35.2% after agreeing to be purchased by Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD ) for $1.4 billion, excluding debt. Under the terms of the deal, Emeritus shareholders will receive 0.95 shares of Brookdale, and would effectively own 23% of the outstanding shares of the company once the merger is complete. Brookdale anticipates the deal being EPS neutral in 2014, and forecasts it adding $0.40 in EPS by the third year. The move certainly makes sense on paper, as cost synergies will help these two senior housing companies fight back against the expectation of declining Medicare reimbursement rates. However, over the long run, the Medicare reimbursement picture is still very cloudy, making Brookdale a riskier buy at the moment following today's announcement.
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Brunswick Corp (BC)
Brunswick Corporation (Brunswick), incorporated on December 31, 1907, is a worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of recreation products, including marine engines, boats, fitness equipment and bowling and billiards equipment. Brunswick�� engine products include outboard, sterndrive and inboard engines; trolling motors; propellers; engine control systems, and marine parts and accessories. The Company�� boat offerings include fiberglass boats; sportfishing convertibles and motoryachts; offshore fishing boats; aluminum fishing boats, and pontoon and deck boats. Brunswick�� fitness products include both cardiovascular and strength training equipment for the commercial and consumer markets. Brunswick�� bowling products include capital equipment, aftermarket and consumer goods. The Company also sells a range of billiards tables and other gaming tables and accessories. In addition, the Company owns and operates Brunswick bowling family entertainment centers in the United States and other countries. In August 2013, Brunswick Corporation completed the sale of the Hatteras and CABO brands of motoryachts and sportfishing convertibles to Navis HCY Acquisition.
The Company, through its Brunswick Financial Services Corporation (BFS) subsidiary, owns a 49% interest in a joint venture, Brunswick Acceptance Company, LLC (BAC). CDF Ventures, LLC (CDFV), a subsidiary of GE Capital Corporation, owns the remaining 51%. Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, BAC provides secured wholesale inventory floorplan financing to the Company�� engine and boat dealers.
Marine Engine Segment
Mercury Marine manufactures and markets a range of sterndrive propulsion systems, inboard engines and outboard engines under the Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, Mariner, Mercury Racing, Mercury SportJet and Mercury Jet Drive, MotorGuide, Axius and Zeus brand names. In addition, Mercury Marine manufactures and markets marine parts and accessories under the Quicksilver, Mercury Precision! Parts, Mercury Propellers, Attwood, Land ����Sea, Kellogg Marine Supply, Diversified Marine Products, Sea Choice and MotorGuide brand names, including marine electronics and control integration systems, steering systems, instruments, controls, propellers, trolling motors, service parts and marine lubricants. Mercury Marine�� sterndrive engines, inboard engines and outboard engines are sold to independent boat builders, local, state and foreign governments, and to the Company�� Boat segment. In addition, Mercury Marine�� outboard engines are sold to end-users through a global network of more than 7,000 marine dealers and distributors, specialty marine retailers and marine service centers.
Mercury Marine, through Cummins MerCruiser Diesel Marine LLC (CMD), a joint venture between Brunswick�� Mercury Marine division and Cummins Marine, a division of Cummins Inc., supplies integrated diesel propulsion systems to the worldwide recreational and commercial marine markets, including the Company�� Boat segment. Mercury Marine manufactures two-stroke OptiMax outboard engines ranging from 75 to 300 horsepower, all of which feature Mercury�� direct fuel injection (DFI) technology, and four-stroke outboard engine include Verado, a collection of supercharged outboards ranging from 150 to 350 horsepower, and Mercury Marine's naturally aspirated four-stroke outboards, ranging from 2.5 to 150 horsepower including the introduction of the 150 FourStroke, which is quickly becoming known for its light weight, fuel efficiency and performance. In addition, most of Mercury�� sterndrive and inboard engines are available with catalyst exhaust monitoring and treatment systems.
Mercury Marine�� sterndrive and outboard engines are produced domestically in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, with outboard engines also produced internationally in China and Japan. Mercury Marine manufactures 40, 50 and 60 horsepower four-stroke outboard engines in a facility in China, and produces smaller outboard en! gines in ! Japan pursuant to a joint venture with its partner, Tohatsu Corporation. CMD manufactures diesel marine propulsion systems in South Carolina.
Mercury Marine also operates a remanufacturing business for engines and service parts in Wisconsin. In addition, Mercury Marine has an equity ownership interest in a company that manufactures boats under the brand names Bella, Flipper and Aquador in Finland. Mercury Marine also has an interest in a company that manufactures boats under the brand names Bella, Flipper and Aquador in Finland. Mercury Marine�� parts and accessories distribution businesses include Land ����Sea, Kellogg Marine Supply and Diversified Marine Products. These businesses are the distributors of marine parts and accessories throughout North America.
Boat Segment
The Boat Group consists of the boat brands, such Sea Ray yachts, sport yachts, sport cruisers and runabouts; Bayliner sport cruisers and runabouts; Meridian motoryachts; Boston Whaler, Lund and Trophy fiberglass fishing boats, and Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris FloteBote, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Suncruiser and Triton aluminum fishing, utility, pontoon and deck boats. The Boat Group also includes a commercial and governmental sales unit that sells products to commercial customers, as well as the United States Government and state, local and foreign governments. The Boat Group procures most of its outboard engines, gasoline sterndrive engines and gasoline inboard engines from Brunswick�� Marine Engine segment.
The Boat Group has active manufacturing facilities in Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Canada, Mexico and Portugal, as well as additional inactive manufacturing facilities in Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee. The Boat Group utilizes contract manufacturing facilities in Argentina and Poland. The Boat Group has constructed a manufacturing plant in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, which has nearly 150,000 square feet of man! ufacturin! g space. The Boat Group�� products are sold to end-users through a worldwide network of approximately 2,850 dealers and distributors, each of which carries one or more of Brunswick�� boat brands.
Fitness Segment
Brunswick�� Fitness segment consists of its Life Fitness division (Life Fitness), which designs, manufactures and markets a range of cardiovascular fitness equipment (including treadmills, total body cross-trainers, stair climbers and stationary exercise bicycles) and strength-training equipment under the Life Fitness and Hammer Strength brands. Life Fitness��commercial sales customers include health clubs, fitness facilities operated by professional sports teams, the military, governmental agencies, corporations, hotels, schools and universities. Consumer products are available at specialty retailers, select mass merchants, sporting goods stores, through international distributors, and on Life Fitness��Website. The Fitness segment�� principal manufacturing facilities are located in Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota and Hungary. Life Fitness distributes its products worldwide from regional warehouses and production facilities.
Bowling & Billiards Segment
The Bowling & Billiards segment consists of the Brunswick Bowling & Billiards division (BB&B). BB&B is a worldwide designer, manufacturer and marketer of bowling products. BB&B's bowling products business designs, manufactures and markets a variety of bowling products, including capital equipment (such as automatic pinsetters and scoring devices), bowling balls and aftermarket products (such as lane machines, pinsetter parts, lane conditioners and lane cleaners). Through licensing arrangements, BB&B also offers an array of bowling consumer products, including bowling shoes, bags and accessories.
BB&B operates 95 bowling centers in the United States, Canada and Europe. BB&B retail bowling centers offer bowling and, depending on size and location, may also offer activities a! nd facili! ties: restaurants, lounges, snack bars, billiards, video and redemption games, laser tag, pro shops and meeting and party rooms. Of the Company's 95 bowling centers, 42 have been converted into Brunswick Zones, which are bowling centers that offer an array of active entertainment activities for its guests. BB&B designs and/or markets billiards tables, table tennis tables, air powered table hockey games, billiard balls, cues and other gaming tables, as well as game room furniture and related accessories, under the Brunswick and Contender brands. BB&B's primary manufacturing and distribution facilities are located in Michigan, Wisconsin, Hungary and Mexico. Brunswick�� bowling and billiards products are sold through a variety of channels, including distributors, dealers, mass merchandisers, bowling centers and retailers, and directly to consumers on the Internet and through other outlets.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Basic guidelines
In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Brunswick (NYSE: BC ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Brunswick doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, not so great. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 3.0%, and inventory increased 8.4%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue increased 3.7%, and inventory increased 8.4%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks healthy. Revenue grew 19.9%, and inventory grew 5.0%. - [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Brunswick (NYSE: BC ) were getting fired up today, climbing as much as 12% after issuing a strong quarterly report and improved guidance. �
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Brunswick (NYSE: BC ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Exelixis Inc.(EXEL)
Exelixis, Inc., a biotechnology company, develops small molecule therapies for the treatment of cancer. It focuses on developing Cabozantinib, an inhibitor of tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis that target MET, VEGFR2, and RET, which are key kinases involved in the development and progression of various cancers. The cabozantinib is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment for medullary thyroid cancer. The company also engages in various clinical programs for cabozantinib focused on the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular cancer, and melanoma. In addition, Exelixis, Inc. involves in developing a portfolio of other novel compounds to address serious unmet medical needs through collaborations with various pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, sanofi-aventis, Genentech, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Gm bH, and GlaxoSmithKline and Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited. Its products under development through collaborations include XL475, XL281, XL139, and XL413 inhibitors; ROR antagonists; therapies targeted against LXR, a nuclear hormone receptor implicated in various cardiovascular and metabolic disorders; XL147, XL765, and isoform-selective PI3K inhibitors; XL518, a small-molecule inhibitor of MEK; sphingosine-1-phosphate type 1 receptor; XL880 inhibitor; and therapies targeted against the mineralocorticoid receptor, a nuclear hormone receptor implicated in various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The company was formerly known as Exelixis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to Exelixis, Inc. in February 2000. Exelixis, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
High-risk, high-reward suggestions
Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL ) : In November Exelixis had its first drug, known as Cometriq, approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. Although the market for this disease is pretty small -- somewhere between 500 and 700 people in the U.S. -- the near-tripling in progression-free survival, or PFS, in trials would indicate to me a strong likelihood that it could translate to success in other cancer types. In mid-stage prostate cancer trials, for instance, Cometriq was found to be particularly effective in dealing with bone metastases as a second or third-line treatment. We won't get any additional data until next year on Cometriq, but positive data on the prostate cancer front could be enough to double its share price if the PFS, compared to the placebo, is notably strong. ImmunoGen (NASDAQ: IMGN ) : In February, Roche�and ImmunoGen received approval for Kadcyla as a secondary treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer. This is ImmunoGen's first drug approval, and it gives the company a chance to showcase what I feel is one of the future pathways of fighting cancer -- its targeted-antibody payload, or TAP, technology. ImmunoGen's TAP technology works by attaching a toxin -- in this case Roche's Herceptin -- to an antibody, and teaching that antibody to release the to
There's an undeniably large dollar amount being pledged to cancer research, but, even if a drug gains approval, that's no guarantee that the biotech or pharmaceutical company behind that drug will be a success. Some of the biggest gains (and losses) come from taking a leap of faith based on clinical data, or the approval of one or two drugs or devices within a pipeline. After that, it's all up to the drug or devices' effectiveness, its pricing, and the success of the marketing teams promoting the drug or device. Here are a few high-risk, high-reward names you should be keeping your eye on. - [By Sean Williams]
Where investment dollars are headed
Caprelsa: AstraZeneca's (NYSE: AZN ) Caprelsa was approved to treat unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer in April 2011. In trials, AstraZeneca's pill increased progression-free survival over the placebo and delivered an overall response rate of 44%, compared with just 1% for the placebo -- although it should be noted that all responses were partial. However, Caprelsa also comes with a laundry list of side effects that range from something as simple as rash, nausea, and hypertension, to having resulted in death from respiratory arrest and cardiac failure with arrhythmia.� Cometriq: Exelixis' (NASDAQ: EXEL ) Cometriq was approved last November to treat progressive metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. The capsules work by inhibiting multiple tyrosine kinases, which are crucial to blood vessel growth in solid and metastasizing tumors. In late-stage trials, patients receiving Cometriq demonstrated an astounding 11.2 months of progression-free survival compared with just four months for the placebo. Further, the objective response rate was 27% in the Cometriq arm and a goose egg for the placebo arm. Similar to AstraZeneca's Caprelsa, severe adverse reactions tended to increase for Cometriq users relative to the placebo.
Thyroid cancer is treated in nearly every case with a full or partial thyroid removal since the majority of thyroid cancers aren't aggressive. However, in those rare cases where surgery isn't an option or the disease has metastasized to other parts of the body, there are two drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration to choose from.Just as we've witnessed with every previous cancer in this series, not every drug trial proves successful. Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE ) Sutent, for instance, is a very successful treatment for kidney cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and pancreatic endocrine tumors, but it didn't fare as wel
- [By Selena Maranjian]
The biggest new holdings are The Finish Line�and Aeropostale. Other new holdings of interest include biotech company Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL ) , which received FDA approval last year for its thyroid cancer drug, Cometriq. The drug may also get approved to treat prostate cancer, and the company is looking at treating as many as nine different cancers with it. On the other hand, Cometriq is expensive, and the company's debt has been growing, along with its share count.
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Tenaris S.A.(TS)
Tenaris S.A., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of steel pipe products. The company produces and sells both seamless and welded steel tubular products and related services for the oil and gas industry, particularly oil country tubular goods used in drilling operations, and certain other industrial applications with a production process that consists in the transformation of steel into tubular products. It also offers welded steel pipe products primarily used in the construction of major pipeline projects for the transportation of gas and fluids. In addition, the company provides sucker rods, casing and tubing, drill pipes, thermal tubulars, coiled tubing, premium connections, pipe accessories, welded steel pipes for electric conduits, industrial equipment, and raw materials. Further, it involves in the ownership and licensing of steel technology, as well as in the financial sector. The company serves oil and gas companies, car manufacturers, ref ineries, and petrochemical and gas-processing plants, as well as engineering companies engaged in constructing oil and gas gathering, transportation, and processing facilities. It operates in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, and Oceania. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg. Tenaris S.A. is a subsidiary of San Faustin N.V.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By GURUFOCUS]
Maverick appeared to be one of the few bargains still available in the oils service and equipment sector in 2005. Shareholders were rewarded a year later when the company was acquired by Tenaris (TS) at a price of 65 dollars a share in June of 2006. - [By Charles Sizemore]
One option is via the Global X FTSE Argentina 20 ETF (ARGT), a basic of liquid Argentine stocks. ARGT is heavily weighted in international oil and gas pipeline maker Tenaris (TS) and in state oil company YPF(YPF), at 20% and 13% of the portfolio, respectively.
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Quantum Energy Inc (QEGY)
Quantum Energy, Inc. (Quantum), incorporated on February 5, 2004, is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of oil and gas properties. As of February 28, 2010, the Company did not generate any revenues from its business operations.
The Company has acquired interests in oil and gas properties. The properties are located in the Barnett Shale area of West Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Last Friday, small cap energy or mining stocks Yukon Gold Corporation (OTCMKTS: YGDC) and Quantum Energy Inc (OTCMKTS: QEGY) surged 323.5% and 41.2%, respectively, while 1st NRG Corp (OTCMKTS: FNRC) sank 25%. However, it should also be mentioned that two of these small cap stocks have been the subject of paid promotions. With that in mind, will these small cap energy or mining stocks deliver some more Christmas cheer this week? Here is a closer look and a reality check:
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Targa Resources Partners LP (NGLS)
Targa Resources Partners LP is a limited partnership formed by Targa Resources, Corp (Targa). The Company is a provider of midstream natural gas and natural gas liquid (NGL) services in the United States and is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing and selling natural gas and storing, fractionating, treating, transporting, terminaling and selling NGLs, NGL products, refined petroleum products and crude oil. It operates in two divisions: Natural Gas Gathering and Processing, which include Field Gathering and Processing and Coastal Gathering and Processing, and Logistics and Marketing, which includes Logistics Assets and Marketing and Distribution. On March 15, 2011, it acquired a refined petroleum products and crude oil storage and terminaling facility in Channelview, Texas. On September 30, 2011 it acquired refined petroleum products and crude oil storage and terminaling facilities in two separate transactions. On December 31, 2012, the Company acquired Saddle Butte Pipeline, LLC.
Natural Gas Gathering and Processing Division
The Company�� natural gas gathering and processing division consists of gathering, compressing, dehydrating, treating, conditioning, processing, transporting and marketing natural gas. The gathering of natural gas consists of aggregating natural gas produced from various wells through small diameter gathering lines to processing plants. It sells its residue gas either directly to such end users or to marketers into intrastate or interstate pipelines. The Field Gathering and Processing segment gathers and processes natural gas from the Permian Basin in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico and the Fort Worth Basin, including the Barnett Shale, in North Texas. The natural gas it processes is supplied through its gathering systems which, in aggregate, consist of approximately 10,400 miles of natural gas pipelines. The segment�� processing plants include nine owned and operated facilities. During the year ended December 31! , 2011, the Company processed an average of approximately 612 million cubic feet/day (MMcf/d) of natural gas and produced an average of approximately 74 million barrels per day (MBbl/d) of NGLs.
The Field Gathering and Processing segment�� operations consist of the Permian Business, Versado, SAOU and the North Texas System. The Permian Business consists of the Sand Hills gathering and processing system and the West Seminole and Puckett gathering systems in West Texas. These systems consist of approximately 1,400 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines. Versado consists of the Saunders, Eunice and Monument gas processing plants and related gathering systems in Southeastern New Mexico. Versado consists of approximately 3,200 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines. Covering portions of 10 counties and approximately 4,000 square miles in West Texas, SAOU includes approximately 1,667 miles of pipelines in the Permian Basin that gather natural gas to the Mertzon, Sterling, and Conger processing plants. SAOU has 31 compressor stations to inject low pressure gas into the high-pressure pipelines.
The North Texas System includes two interconnected gathering systems with approximately 4,200 miles of pipelines, covering portions of 15 counties and approximately 5,700 square miles, gathering wellhead natural gas for the Chico and Shackelford natural gas processing facilities. The Chico gathering system consists of approximately 2,100 miles of primarily low-pressure gathering pipelines. Wellhead natural gas is either gathered for the Chico plant located in Wise County, Texas, and then compressed for processing, or it is compressed in the field at numerous compressor stations and then moved through one of several gathering pipelines to the Chico plant. Its Coastal Gathering and Processing segment assets are located in the onshore region of the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. LOU consists of approximately 875 miles of gathering system pipelines, covering approximately 3,800 ! square mi! les in Southwest Louisiana. The gathering system is connected to numerous producing wells and/or central delivery points in the area between Lafayette and Lake Charles, Louisiana. The processing facilities include the Gillis and Acadia processing plants, both of which are cryogenic plants.
Logistics and Marketing Division
The Company includes the activities necessary to convert mixed NGLs into NGL products and provide certain value added services, such as the fractionation, storage, terminaling, transportation, distribution and marketing of NGLs, as well as certain natural gas supply and marketing activities in support of its other businesses. Its Logistics Assets Segment uses its platform of integrated assets to receive, fractionate, store, treat, transport and deliver NGLs typically under fee-based arrangements. Its logistics assets are connected to and supplied in part by its Natural Gas Gathering and Processing assets and are primarily located at Mont Belvieu and Galena Park near Houston, Texas and in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Across the Logistics Assets segment, it owns or operates a total of 39 storage wells at its facilities with a net storage capacity of approximately 64 million barrels of oil (MMBbl), the usage of which may be limited by brine handling capacity, which is utilized to displace NGLs from storage. It operates its storage and terminaling facilities based on the needs and requirements of its customers. Its fractionation, storage and terminaling business is supported by approximately 940 miles of company owned pipelines to transport mixed NGLs and specification products.
The Company markets its own NGL production and also purchases component NGL products from other NGL producers and marketers for resale. During 2011, the Company�� distribution and marketing services business sold an average of approximately 273 MBbl/d of NGLs. Its wholesale propane marketing operations primarily sell propane and related logistics services to multi-state retailer! s, indepe! ndent retailers and other end-users. Its propane supply primarily originates from both its refinery/gas supply contracts and its other owned or managed logistics and marketing assets. In its refinery services business, the Company provide NGL balancing services through contractual arrangements with refiners to purchase and/or market propane and to supply butanes. It uses commercial transportation assets and contract for and use the storage, transportation and distribution assets included in its Logistics Assets segment to assist refinery customers in managing their NGL product demand and production schedules.
The Company�� NGL transportation and distribution infrastructure includes a range of assets supporting both third-party customers and the delivery requirements of its marketing and asset management business. It provides fee-based transportation services to refineries and petrochemical companies throughout the Gulf Coast area. As of December 31, 2011, its transportation assets include approximately 565 railcars that it lease and manage; approximately 74 owned and leased transport tractors and approximately 100 company owned tank trailers, and 18 company owned pressurized NGL barges.
The Company competes with Atlas Gas Pipeline Company, Copano Energy, L.L.C. (Copano), WTG Gas Processing, L.P. (WTG), DCP Midstream Partners LP (DCP), Devon Energy Corp (Devon), Enbridge Inc., GulfSouth Pipeline Company, LP, Hanlon Gas Processing, Ltd., J W Operating Company, Louisiana Intrastate Gas, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., DCP, ONEOK and BP p.l.c.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Plains All American Pipeline LP (PAA) operates 18,000 miles of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and refined product pipelines, and moves approximately 3.5 million barrels of liquid product per day.
Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Alliance Data Systems Corporation (ADS)
Alliance Data Systems Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides data-driven and transaction-based marketing, and customer loyalty solutions primarily in the United States and Canada. The company operates in three segments: LoyaltyOne, Epsilon, and Private Label Services and Credit. The LoyaltyOne segment includes AIR MILES Reward Program that enables consumers to earn AIR MILES reward miles as they shop within a range of retailers and other sponsors participating in the AIR MILES Reward Program; and offers loyalty services, including loyalty consulting, customer analytics, and creative services. The Epsilon segment provides integrated direct marketing solutions, which combine database marketing technology and analytics with a range of direct marketing services comprising email marketing campaigns. This segment's products and services consist of marketing database services, analytical services, strategic consulting and creative services, proprietary data service s, and digital communications. The Private Label Services and Credit segment encompasses credit card processing, billing and payment processing, customer care and collections services for private label retailers, as well as private label retail credit card receivables financing, including securitization of the credit card receivables that it underwrites from its private label retail credit card programs. The company serves financial services, specialty retail, grocery and drugstore chains, petroleum retail, technology, hospitality and travel, media, and pharmaceuticals end markets. Alliance Data Systems Corporation was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Taulli]
A key to Facebook�� monetization success has been the company�� aggressive investments in ad technologies. For example, by leveraging third-party data sources — such as from Datalogix, Acxiom (ACXM) and Alliance Data Systems (ADS) — it has been able to provide analytics on the performance of ad campaigns. On the Q4 earnings call, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said the average return on News Feed ads was an incredible 8x.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Breaking news
Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) reported a strong rise in its third-quarter earnings. For the year, Whirlpool lifted its earnings forecast to $9.90 to $10.10 per share, versus its July outlook of $9.50 to $10 per share. To read the full news, click here. Questcor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR) announced today that it will commence a Phase 2 study to explore the efficacy and safety of H.P. Acthar庐 Gel (repository corticotropin injection) for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). To read the full news, click here. Centene (NYSE: CNC) reported a stronger-than-expected third-quarter profit. Centene's quarterly net earnings surged to $49.4 million, or $0.87 per share, up from $3.8 million, or $0.07 per share, in the year-ago period. To read the full news, click here. Dwolla and Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) today announced they have signed a new, multi-year agreement for Alliance Data's Retail Services business to provide a cardless private label credit product for the Dwolla payment network. To read the full news, click here.Posted-In: Morgan Stanley US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets
- [By James O'Toole]
S&P also announced Wednesday that clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) and communication technology firm JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSU) will be leaving the index, to be replaced by Alliance Data Systems (ADS) and floor-covering producer Mohawk Industries (MHK, Fortune 500).
- [By Lee Jackson]
Alliance Data Systems Corp. (NYSE: ADS) has had a very strong year so far. The company and its combined businesses are North America’s largest and most comprehensive provider of transaction-based, data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions serving large, consumer-based industries. The Thomson/First Call price target for the stock is set at $220.
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