Friday, July 25, 2014

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now

The New York-based information technology juggernaut, IBM Corp. (IBM), made two announcements on Tuesday that resonated well among shareholders.

First, the company’s board of directors approved an additional $15 billion to be used for stock repurchases. This brings the total amount designated for share buybacks to over $20 billion, seeing as how there were approximately $5.6 billion left at the end of September 2013 from the prior repurchase authorization. According to company officials, IBM expects to request another repurchase authorization at the October board meeting in 2014.

Top 5 Valued Companies To Invest In 2015: Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund (NIM)

Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund invests primarily in municipal securities rated Baa/BBB or better. It invests in securities that provide income exempt from federal income tax. The fund employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P Intermediate Municipal Bond Index and the S&P National Municipal Bond Index. Nuveen Select Maturities Municipal Fund was formed on September 18, 1992 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ning Jia]

    Net interest margin (NIM): The NIM is calculated by dividing net interest income by average earning
    assets. The NIM can vary with the particular business mix and risk taken.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Connecticut Water Service Inc. (CTWS)

Connecticut Water Service, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated water company in Connecticut. It operates in three segments: Water Activities, Real Estate Transactions, and Services and Rentals. The Water Activities segment supplies drinking water. The Real Estate Transactions segment involves in the sale or donation of its real estate holdings. The Services and Rentals segment provides contracted services to water and wastewater utilities and other clients, which include contract operations of water and wastewater facilities; Linebacker, an optional service line protection program that comprises repairing or replacing leaking or broken water service line, curb box, curb box cover, meter pit, meter pit cover, meter pit valve, and in-home water main shut off valve before the meter; and providing bulk deliveries of emergency drinking water to businesses and residences through tanker trucks. This segment also engages in leasing and renting residential and c ommercial properties. As of December 31, 2009, Connecticut Water Service, Inc. served 88,534 customers in 54 towns in Connecticut. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Clinton, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By David Dittman]

    Note that water utilities and UF Portfolio Holdings American Water Works Co Inc (NYSE: AWK), Aqua America Inc (NYSE: WTR) and Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS) posted 2013 total returns of 16.1 percent, 18.8 percent and 23.1 percent, respectively, underperforming the broader S&P 500 but besting the traditional safe-haven subgroups.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: HNI Corp (HNI)

HNI Corporation, incorporated in 1944, is a provider of office furniture and hearth products. The Company operates in two segments: office furniture and hearth products. A broad office furniture product offering is sold to dealers, wholesalers, national office product distributors, end-user customers, and federal, state and local governments. Hearth products include a range of gas, electric, wood and biomass burning fireplaces, inserts, stoves, facings and accessories. These products are sold through a national system of dealers and distributors, as well as Corporation-owned distribution and retail outlets. It manufactures office furniture in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Texas and China. The Company manufactures hearth products in Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Washington and Pennsylvania. On November 14, 2011, the Company acquired Sagus International, Inc. (Sagus), a designer and manufacturer of educational furniture solutions. In August 2012, the Company BP Ergo Limited, a manufacturer and marketer of office furniture in India.

Eight operating units, marketing under various brand names, participate in the office furniture industry. These operating units include The HON Company, Allsteel Inc., Maxon Furniture Inc., The Gunlocke Company L.L.C., Paoli Inc., Hickory Business Furniture, LLC (HBF), Sagus and HNI Hong Kong Limited (Lamex). The operating unit Hearth & Home Technologies Inc. (Hearth & Home) participates in the hearth products industry. The retail and distribution brand for this operating unit is Fireside Hearth & Home. HNI International Inc. (HNI International) sells office furniture products manufactured by the Company�� operating units in select markets outside the United States and Canada. With dealers and servicing partners located in more than 50 countries, HNI International provides project management services virtually worldwide. The Company distributes its products through a network of independent office furniture dealers,! office products dealers, wholesalers and retailers. The Company is a supplier of office furniture to the nationwide distributors of office products.

Office Furniture

The Company designs, manufactures and markets a range of office furniture in four categories: storage, including vertical files, lateral files and pedestals; seating, including task chairs, executive desk chairs, conference/training chairs, side chairs and educational chairs and desk combinations; office systems (modular and moveable workspaces with integrated work surfaces, space dividers and lighting), and desks and related products, including tables, bookcases and credenzas. Its products are sold under the brand names, such as HON, Allsteel, Maxon, Gunlocke, Paoli, HBF, Artco Bell, Midwest Folding Products, LSI Corporation of America, basyx and Lamex, as well as private labels.

The Company offers a range of storage options designed either to be integrated into its office systems products or to function as freestanding furniture in office applications. The Company sells its freestanding storage through independent office products and office furniture dealers, nationwide chains of office products dealers, wholesalers and national office product distributors. The Company's seating line includes chairs designed for all types of office work.

It offers a complete line of office panel system products for team work settings, private offices and open floor plans. The Company offers whole office solutions, movable panels, storage units and work surfaces that can be installed and reconfigured. The Company and its dealer partners also offer consultative selling and design services for its office system products.

The Company�� offering of desks and related products includes stand-alone steel, laminate and wood furniture items, such as desks, bookshelves, credenzas and mobile desking. The Company's desks and related products are sold to a range of customers from those designing office config! urations ! to small retail and home office purchasers. It offers a range of tables designed for use in conference rooms, private offices, educational institutions, training areas, team work settings and open floor plans. It is North America�� manufacturer and marketer of prefabricated fireplaces, hearth stoves and related products, primarily for the home, which it sells under Heatilator, Heat & Glo, Quadra-Fire and Harman Stove brand names.

The Company�� line of hearth products includes a range of gas, electric and wood burning fireplaces, inserts, stoves, facings and accessories. Heatilator and Heat & Glo are brand in the two segments of the home fireplace market: vented-gas and wood fireplaces. In addition, the Company is also engaged in pellet-burning stoves and furnaces with its Quadra-Fire and Harman product lines, which provide home heating solutions using renewable fuel.

The Company competes with Steelcase Inc., Haworth, Inc., Herman Miller, Inc., Knoll, Inc., The Global Group, Kimball International, Inc., KI, Virco Mfg. Corporation, Teknion Corporation, Travis Industries Inc., Lennox International Inc., Monessen Hearth Systems Co., FMI Products, LLC, Wolf Steel Ltd. (Napoleon) and FPI Fireplace Products International Ltd. (Regency).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    HNI Corporation (NYSE:HNI) reported that it has acquired BP Ergo Limited, a leading manufacturer and marketer of office furniture in India which goes to market through a national network of sales branches and dealers supported by two manufacturing locations.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap office furniture stock Steelcase Inc (NYSE: SCS) jumped 11.66% after beating earnings expectations, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with potential office or commercial furniture stock peers like�HNI Corp (NYSE: HNI), Knoll Inc (NYSE: KNL) and Virco Mfg. Corporation (NASDAQ: VIRC). After all, the performance of any company selling office or commercial furniture would tend to give some insights into the office or employment markets.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: IHS Inc. (IHS)

IHS Inc. (IHS), incorporated on May 5, 1994, is a source of information and insight in areas, such as energy and power; design and supply chain; defense, risk, and security; environment, health and safety (EHS) and sustainability; country and industry forecasting, and commodities, pricing, and cost. The Company is organized by geographies into three business segments: Americas, which includes the United States, Canada, and Latin America; EMEA, which includes Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and APAC (Asia Pacific). IHS sources data and transforms it into information and insight that businesses, Governments, and others use every day to make decisions. Its product development teams have also created Web services and application interfaces. These services allow its customers to integrate the Company�� information with other data, business processes and applications (computer-aided design, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, and product data/lifecycle management). The Company develops its offerings based on its customers' workflows, and it sells and delivers them into the industries in which IHS�� customers operate. As of November 30, 2011, HIS focused on five customer workflows: strategy, planning, and analysis; energy technical; product engineering; supply chain, and EHS & sustainability. As of November 30, 2011, it was focused on six verticals: energy and natural resources; Government, defense and security; chemicals; transportation; manufacturing, and technology, media, and telecommunications. In March 2012, the Company acquired Displaybank, a global authority in market research and consulting for the display industry; the Computer Assisted Product Selection (CAPSTM) electronic components database and tools business, including CAPS Expert, from PartMiner Worldwide, and the digital oil and gas pipeline and infrastructure information business from Hild Technology Services. In March 2012, the Company acquired IMS Research. In March 2012, the Company acquired BDW Automotive GmbH. I! n May 2012, it acquired Xedar Corporation, a developer and provider of geospatial information products and services. In July 2012, the Company acquired CyberRegs business from Citation Technologies, Inc. In July 2012, the Company acquired GlobalSpec, Inc. On April 16, 2011, IHS acquired ODS-Petrodata (Holdings) Ltd. ODS-Petrodata is a provider of data, information, and market intelligence to the offshore energy industry. On April 26, 2011, it acquired Dyadem International, Ltd. (Dyadem). Dyadem offers operational risk management and quality risk management solutions. On May 2, 2011, the Company acquired Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI). CMAI is a leading provider of market and business advisory services for the worldwide petrochemical, specialty chemicals, fertilizer, plastics, fibers, and chlor-alkali industries. On August 10, 2011, the Company acquired Seismic Micro-Technology (SMT). SMT offers Windows-based exploration and production software, and its solutions are used by geoscientists worldwide to evaluate potential reservoirs and plan field development. On November 10, 2011, it acquired Purvin & Gertz. Purvin & Gertz is a global advisory and market research firm that provides technical, commercial, and strategic advice to international clients in the petroleum refining, natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and petrochemical industries. Energy and Power IHS covers the technical and economic spectrum of energy and power. Detailed records and forecasts on oil, gas and coal supplies, combined with insights on traditional and emerging energy markets, help enable its customers to make decisions. Its offerings include production information on more than 90 % of the world's oil and gas production in more than 100 countries; oil and gas well data that includes geological information on more than four million current and historic wells worldwide; energy activity data that includes current and future seismic, drilling and development activities in more than 180 countries and 335 hydrocarbon-producing regions worldwide; information and research to develop unconventional hydrocarbon resources-shale gas, coal bed methane and heavy oil; knowledge of energy markets, strategies, industry trends, and companies; information and research summits, such as IHS CERAWeek and the IHS Herold Pacesetters Energy Conference, which offer decision makers the opportunity to interact with its experts, and critical information about analysis of coal, nuclear and renewables, including wind, solar, and hydro power. The Company competes with DrillingInfo, Inc., TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, Accenture, Deloitte, Wood Mackenzie, Ltd., Schlumberger Limited, Halliburton, LMKR and Paradigm Ltd. Design and Supply Chain IHS Design and Supply Chain solutions provide information for customers that allow them to manage a product from conception to research and development to production, maintenance and disposal. It also provides companies access to specifications and standards. The Company�� offerings include market and technology research and analysis; standards management solutions, including more than 370 commercial and military standards and specification publishing organizations; advanced product design and process engineering; strategic product content and supply chain management; environmentally compliant product design; counterfeit part risk mitigation; product performance and cost optimization, and indirect parts and maintenance, repair, and operations logistics, inventory and cash flow optimization tables, including wind, solar, and hydro power. The Company competes with SAI Global and Thomson Reuters Corporation. Defense, Risk and Security IHS delivers open source intelligence in the areas of global defense, risk, and security, including maritime domain awareness. IHS offers open source intelligence solutions for military planners, national security analysts, and defense and maritime industry strategy and planning professionals. The Company�� offerings include military and national security assessments; defense equipment and technology information; defense budgets and procurement forecasting; defense industry trends and analysis; terrorism and insurgency analysis; global commercial ship identification and specifications; live tracking of commercial ship movements; shipping and shipbuilding markets and forecasts, and ports and port security information. The Company competes with McGraw-Hill, Gannett, Forecast International and Control Risks Group. EHS and Sustainability IHS EHS and Sustainability solutions support critical decisions around environmental, health and safety, operational risk, greenhouse gas and energy, product stewardship and corporate responsibility. The Company�� offerings include global and local software implementations; material compliance and lifecycle information content; strategic planning services in greenhouse gas management and cap-and-trade; compliance and verification expertise for local, regional, national, and international EHS and sustainability management system responsibilities, and risk management assessment across a range of industries. The Company competes with SAP and Verisk. Country and Industry Forecasting IHS delivers detailed forecasts and analysis of economic conditions within political, economic, legal, tax, operational, and security environments worldwide. Additionally, IHS provides forecasts, market-sizing, and risk assessments for a number of industries worldwide, including aerospace and defense, agriculture, automotive, chemicals, construction, consumer and retail, energy, finance, government, healthcare and pharmaceutical, military and security, mining and metals, commerce and transport, and telecommunications. Its offerings include in-depth analysis of the business conditions, economic prospects, and risks in more than 200 countries and more than 170 industries; security risk analysis and daily updates on both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and sovereign risk ratings in more than 200 countries; event-driven updates of its risk analysis and ratings; short-, medium- and long-term forecasts for business planning and decision making; historical information since 1970; Deep market intelligence for the automotive, agriculture, chemicals, construction, consumer goods, commerce and transport, energy, financial, healthcare and pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and steel industries; and scenario explorations examining alternative outcomes to the questions impacting global business. The Company competes with Economist Intelligence Unit and Moody's Corporation. Commodities, Pricing and Cost IHS offers information, forecasts, and analysis to help its customers understand the how, when, and what of commodity prices and labor costs. IHS analysts monitor and forecast more than 1,300 global price, wage, and manufacturing costs across the regions for sectors, including energy products, chemicals, steel, nonferrous metals, industrial machinery and equipment, electronic components, paper and packaging, transportation, and building materials. Its offerings include analysis and forecasts for more than 1,300 global price, wage, and manufacturing costs; market intelligence of drivers, assumptions, and risks relating to commodity and service prices; cost and price data with actionable insights; forecasts covering global spot market prices, wages, and material costs; advisory forums to assist in monitoring, forecasting, and managing power and energy portfolio project costs, and consulting capabilities that enable clients to source materials. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

    IHS Inc.(IHS) said its fiscal second-quarter profit jumped 29% as the market research provider continued to enjoy growth driven by acquisitions. The results easily topped analysts’ expectations.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top Headline
    IHS (NYSE: IHS) reported an upbeat fourth-quarter profit.

    IHS projects FY14 subscription revenue to rise 6% to 7%. The company projects total revenue of $2.17 to $2.23 billion and an adjusted profit of $5.50 to $5.85 per share. However, analysts projected a profit of $5.58 per share on revenue of $2.2 billion.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    IHS (NYSE: IHS) is estimated to report its Q2 earnings at $1.44 per share on revenue of $551.27 million.

    The Kroger Co (NYSE: KR) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.05 per share on revenue of $32.64 billion.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    The dollar value of global merger & acquisition (M&A) transactions in the oil & gas industry plunged by nearly 50% in 2013 from a record high level in 2012. The transaction count fell by 20% led by a very sluggish first half of the year. The data was reported last Thursday by research firm IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS).

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: 1st NRG Corp (FNRC)

1st NRG Corp., incorporated on January 18, 1988, is an exploration and production company. The Company is engaged in the development of the Clabaugh Ranch Field, which is a project developing and producing coal bed methane reserves (CBM). This project includes a development of 6,025 gross acres in the Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming. The Company is expanding its activities into unconventional shale through a participation agreement covering approximately 7,000 acres initially and subsequently acquired acreage covering an Area of Mutual Interest in South Eastern Ohio. Its production revenues are entirely from the natural gas produced at Clabaugh Ranch.

The targeted coal seams in the Powder River Basin are part of the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union formation and have been mapped as natural resource developments and exploration have occurred throughout the region. The Company has 42 drilled wells, which have encountered developed coal seams in the Werner, Upper and Lower Smith, Wyodak/Anderson Lower, Gates and Wall formations. In total the Company has identified 515 separate coals seams for development of which only 126 (42 wells X 3 seams) have been completed.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    What�� the Catch With Quantum Energy Inc? According to various disclosures, transactions of $2k and $3.5k have or will occur to mention Quantum Energy in various investment newsletters. On Friday, Quantum Energy released the pricing of its recently announced $5,000,000 BDC funding to be arranged by Data Capital Corp (DCC) where the latter has agreed to assist the former in the formation of a Business Development Company (BDC) by forming Quantum Funding, Inc. as a BDC to raise an initial $5,000,000. Upon receipt of the funding, Quantum Funding, Inc. will then be acquired as a subsidiary by QEGY in a share exchange where the $5,000,000 subsidiary will be acquired for 10,000,000 shares of newly issued restricted common stock for a valuation of $0.50 cents per share. Otherwise and early in the month, Quantum Energy announced it was shifting its focus from the West Texas Barnett Shale fields to North Dakota with the opening of an office in Williston, North Dakota. However, a quick look on Google Finance (as there are no up to date financials on Yahoo! Finance) reveals Quantum Energy has no revenues; a net loss of $0.01M (most recent reported quarter), net income of $2.01M and a net loss of $0.02M for the past three fiscal quarters; and $0.01M in cash to cover $0.34M in current liabilities at the end of last August. Then again, the recent financing deal could get things moving for Quantum Energy next year.

    1st NRG Corp (OTCMKTS: FNRC) Gives a Drilling and Production Update

    Small cap 1st NRG Corp is an exploration and production company currently developing and producing coal bed methane reserves (CBM) in Wyoming. On Friday, 1st NRG Corp fell 25% to $0.0003 for a market cap of $5.02 million plus FNRC is down 97.1% since the start of the year and down 99.8% since July 2010 according to Google Finance.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Tumi Holdings Inc (TUMI)

Tumi Holdings, Inc. (Tumi), incorporated in September 2004, offers a range of travel and business products and accessories in various categories. The Company designs its products for, and markets its products to, professionals, travelers and individuals. As of December 31, 2011, the Company distributed its products worldwide in over 70 countries through approximately 1,600 points of distribution. The Company sells its products worldwide to consumers through both direct and indirect channels and manages its business through four operating segments: Direct-to-Consumer North America, Direct-to-Consumer International, Indirect-to-Consumer North America and Indirect-to-Consumer International.

Tumi utilizes an array of channels, including retail, wholesale and e-commerce. The Company�� retail stores are located in retail venues worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo, Munich, Moscow, Milan and Barcelona. The Company designs its products in its United States design studios. The Company sells its products directly to consumers through a worldwide network of approximately 100 company-owned locations, consisting of full-price stores located in retail malls or street venues, outlet stores in outlet malls and its e-commerce Websites. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Direct-to-Consumer sales consisted approximately 48% of its net sales.

The Company sells its products indirectly to consumers through various channels that include partner stores (wholesale accounts operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products), its worldwide wholesale distribution network of specialty luggage retailers, department stores and business-to-business channels, retail concessions within department stores and third-party e-commerce sites, such as Amazon.com, Zappos.com. Indirect-to-Consumer sales consisted of approximately 52% of its net sales during 2011. Tumi offers travel and business products, as well as accessories. Travel produc! ts include wheeled and soft carry-on luggage, garment bags, totes, duffels, wheeled packing cases and travel kits. Business products include business cases, day bags and totes. Its accessories include agendas and planners, passport cases, umbrellas and travel accessories, such as electric current adapters, key fobs, packing accessories, toiletry kits and foldable travel totes. Its accessories also include belts, outerwear and sunglasses and eyewear.

Direct-to-Consumer North America

The Company sells its products directly to consumers through a network of 83 company-owned retail stores consisting of full-price stores and outlet stores located in retail malls or street venues. It also sells its product directly to consumers through its e-commerce Website.

Direct-to-Consumer International

As of December 31, 2011, the Company sold directly to consumers through a network of 14 company-owned full-price and outlet stores in street venues and select malls in international locations. It also sells its products directly to consumers through its two international e-commerce Websites.

Indirect-to-Consumer North America

As of December 31, 2011, the Company sold to wholesale customers in North America through approximately 700 doors, including specialty luggage retailers, department stores and business-to-business channels. Many of its wholesale customers also operate their own e-commerce Websites through which it sells. The Company�� products are also sold in partner stores operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products.

Indirect-to-Consumer International

The Company sells its products to wholesale customers through approximately 800 doors, approximately 59% of which are in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, 39% of which are in the Asia-Pacific region, and 2% of which are in the Central and South America region. It has distribution channels in Australia, China, Europe, Hong Kon! g, the Mi! ddle East, South Africa, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Its products are also sold in partner stores operated by local distributors or retailers that carry only Tumi products. The Company also operates concessions in department stores throughout Europe and the Middle East. Many of its wholesale customers also operate their own e-commerce Websites through which they sell its products.

Tumi competes with Rimowa, Samsonite, Bally, Burberry, Dunhill, Ferragamo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Porsche, Prada, Victorinox, Briggs and Riley, Mandarina Duck, Piquadro, Porter, Ace Brand, and Coach.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Luke Jacobi]

    Tumi Holdings (NYSE: TUMI) was also up, gaining 6.09 percent to $20.55 after the company signed a licensing agreement with David Peyser Sportswear.

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Response Genetics Inc.(RGDX)

Response Genetics, Inc., a life sciences company, engages in the research, development, marketing, and sale of clinical diagnostic tests and pharmacogenomic tests for use in the treatment of cancer primarily in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The company develops genetic tests that measure predictive factors for tumor response in tumor tissue samples. It offers tests for non-small cell lung cancer under the ResponseDX: Lung trade name; colorectal cancer under the ResponseDX: Colon trade name; and gastric and gastroesophageal cancer under the ResponseDX: Gastric trade name. The company also develops tests for other types of cancer that identify genetic profiles of tumors that recur after surgery. Response Genetics, Inc. offers its products through its sales force to community based oncologists, hospitals, and physician offices. In addition, it provides pharmacogenomic testing services to pharmaceutical companies. The company was formerly known as Bio Type, Inc. and cha nged its name to Response Genetics, Inc. in August 2000. Response Genetics, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Response Genetics (NASDAQ: RGDX) slipped 9.47% to $1.34 after the company reported Q4 results. The company posted a quarterly net loss of $3.2 million, or $0.09 per share, versus a year-ago net loss of $0.5 million, or $0.01 per share.

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