DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Short-sellers hate being caught short a stock that reports a blowout quarter. When this happens, we often see a tradable short squeeze develop as the bears rush to cover their positions to avoid big losses. Even the best short-sellers know that it's never a great idea to stay short once a bullish earnings report sparks a big short-covering rally.
>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy for September Gains
This is why I scan the market for heavily shorted stocks that are about to report earnings. You only need to find a few of these stocks in a year to help enhance your portfolio returns -- the gains become so outsized in such a short time frame that your profits add up quickly.
That said, let's not forget that stocks are heavily shorted for a reason, so you have to use trading discipline and sound money management when playing earnings short-squeeze candidates. It's important that you don't go betting the farm on these plays and that you manage your risk accordingly. Sometimes the best play is to wait for the stock to break out following the report before you jump in to profit off a short squeeze. This way, you're letting the trend emerge after the market has digested all of the news.
Top Transportation Stocks To Buy For 2015: DTS Inc.(DTSI)
DTS, Inc. provides audio technologies that are incorporated into various consumer electronics devices worldwide. Its audio technologies enable the delivery and playback of clear and compelling high-definition audio. The company?s technologies are used in various product applications, including audio/video receivers, soundbars, Blu-ray disc players, DVD based products, personal computers, car audio products, video game consoles, network capable televisions, digital media players, set-top-boxes, mobile phones, tablets and home theater systems. It also offers products and services to motion picture studios, radio and television broadcasters, game developers, and other content creators to facilitate the inclusion of compelling and realistic DTS-encoded soundtracks in their content. In addition, the company provides a suite of audio processing technologies to enhance the entertainment experience in televisions, personal computers (PC), and mobile electronics. It serves home au dio/video, automotive, PC, broadcast, mobile electronics, professional content, and other consumer electronics markets. The company was formerly known as Digital Theater Systems, Inc. and changed its name to DTS, Inc. in May 2005. DTS, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Calabasas, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
DTS (NASDAQ: DTSI) surged 3.64% to $20.23. The volume of DTS shares traded 148% higher than normal. DTS's PEG ratio is 0.76.
Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) shares climbed 3.02% to $42.65. The volume of Lululemon Athletica shares traded was 138% higher than normal. Dow Jones reported that the company's founder Dennis Wilson, is exploring options, including a potential sale of the company to private equity.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
www.fossil.com From the world's largest retailer stepping up with fresh financials to a maker of fashionable timepieces proving that it can still grow in this unwelcome climate for watchmakers, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- Sounds Good DTS (DTSI) has carved a cozy living providing sound-enhancing technology in Blu-ray players, video game consoles and other devices. Despite its success, DTS is trading a lot closer to its 52-week low than its 52-week high. One thing holding it back is that it has failed to impress the market with its quarterly financials. It's coming off back-to-back quarters of falling short of Wall Street's profit expectations. It's against this setting that DTS will step up after Monday's market close to deliver its latest results. Will the streak of disappointment stretch to three quarters, or is DTS finally going to put out a report that looks as good as its audio technology sounds? We will know soon. Tuesday -- Fossil Fuel Fossil (FOSL) may seem to be toiling away in an industry worthy of its name. Aren't wristwatches dinosaurs? Who wears watches anymore when we have smartwatches to tell us the time. Folks with active lifestyles are saving their wrists for fitness bracelets. Well, Fossil is growing just nicely in this environment, thank you very much. When the trendy watchmaker reports on Tuesday analysts see revenue climbing 13 percent. They see top-line growth of 10 percent for all of 2014. Fossil's profitability isn't expected to clock in as nicely, but unlike DTS,we've seen Fossil blow Wall Street's profit targets away consistently over the past year. Wednesday -- Press Hard CafePress (PRSS) has been a disappointment for investors since going public at $19 two years ago. The stock opened higher on its first day of trading, but it's been mostly downhill for the shares, which now fetch less than a third of the initial public offering price. CafePress was hoping
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKA)
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Berkshire) is a holding company owning subsidiaries engaged in a number of diverse business activities. The Company is engaged in insurance businesses conducted on both a primary basis and a reinsurance basis. Berkshire also owns and operates a number of other businesses engaged in a variety of activities. On December 30, 2011, Medical Protective Corporation (MedPro) completed the acquisition of 100% of the Princeton Insurance Company, a professional liability insurer for healthcare providers based in Princeton, New Jersey. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Acme Building Brands (Acme) acquired the assets of Jenkins Brick Company, the brick manufacturer in Alabama. In September 2011, Berkshire acquired The Lubrizol Corporation (Lubrizol). In June 2011, the Company acquired Wesco Financial Corporation. In June 2012, Media General, Inc. sold 63 daily and weekly newspapers to World Media Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire. In July 2012, Berkshire�� The Lubrizol Corporation acquired Lipotec SA.
Insurance and Reinsurance Businesses
Berkshire�� insurance and reinsurance business activities are conducted through numerous domestic and foreign-based insurance entities. Berkshire�� insurance businesses provide insurance and reinsurance of property and casualty risks world-wide and also reinsure life, accident and health risks world-wide. Berkshire�� insurance underwriting operations are consisted of the sub-groups, including GEICO and its subsidiaries, General Re and its subsidiaries, Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group and Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group. GEICO insurance subsidiaries include Government Employees Insurance Company, GEICO General Insurance Company, GEICO Indemnity Company and GEICO Casualty Company. These companies primarily offers private passenger automobile insurance to individuals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, GEICO insures motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, recreational vehicles and s! mall commercial fleets and acts as an agent for other insurers who offer homeowners, boat and life insurance to individuals. GEICO markets its policies primarily through direct response methods in which applications for insurance are submitted directly to the companies through the Internet or by telephone.
General Re Corporation (General Re) is the holding company of General Reinsurance Corporation (GRC) and its subsidiaries and affiliates. GRC�� subsidiaries include General Reinsurance AG, a international reinsurer based in Germany. General Re subsidiaries conduct business activities globally in 51 cities and provide insurance and reinsurance coverages throughout the world. General Re provides property/casualty insurance and reinsurance, life/health reinsurance and other reinsurance intermediary and risk management, underwriting management and investment management services.
Property/Casualty Reinsurance
General Re�� property/casualty reinsurance business in North America is conducted through GRC. Property/casualty operations in North America are also conducted through 16 branch offices in the United States and Canada. Reinsurance activities are marketed directly to clients without involving a broker or intermediary. General Re�� property/casualty business in North America also includes specialty insurers (primarily the General Star and Genesis companies domiciled in Connecticut and Ohio). These specialty insurers underwrite primarily liability and workers��compensation coverages on an excess and surplus basis and excess insurance for self-insured programs. General Re�� international property/casualty reinsurance business operations are conducted through internationally-based subsidiaries on a direct basis (through General Reinsurance AG, as well as several other General Re subsidiaries in 25 countries) and through brokers (primarily through Faraday, which owns the managing agent of Syndicate 435 at Lloyd�� of London and provides capacity and particip! ates in 1! 00% of the results of Syndicate 435).
Life/Health Reinsurance
General Re�� North American and international life, health, long-term care and disability reinsurance coverages are written on an individual and group basis. Most of this business is written on a proportional treaty basis, with the exception of the United States group health and disability business which is predominately written on an excess treaty basis. Lesser amounts of life and disability business are written on a facultative basis. The life/health business is marketed on a direct basis. The Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group (BHRG) operates from offices located in Stamford, Connecticut. Business activities are conducted through a group of subsidiary companies, led by National Indemnity Company (NICO) and Columbia Insurance Company (Columbia). BHRG provides principally excess and quota-share reinsurance to other property and casualty insurers and reinsurers. BHRG�� underwriting activities also include life reinsurance and life annuity business written through Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Company of Nebraska and financial guaranty insurance written through Berkshire Hathaway Assurance Corporation.
BHRG writes catastrophe excess-of-loss treaty reinsurance contracts. BHRG also writes individual policies for primarily large or otherwise unusual discrete risks on both an excess direct and facultative reinsurance basis, referred to as individual risk, which includes policies covering terrorism, natural catastrophe and aviation risks. A catastrophe excess policy provides protection to the counterparty from the accumulation of primarily property losses arising from a single loss event or series of related events. Catastrophe and individual risk policies may provide amounts of indemnification per contract and a single loss event may produce losses under a number of contracts. BHRG also underwrites traditional non-catastrophe insurance and reinsurance coverages, referred to as multi-line property/c! asualty b! usiness.
The Berkshire Hathaway Primary Group is a collection of primary insurance operations that provide a variety of insurance coverages to insureds located principally in the United States. NICO and certain affiliates underwrite motor vehicle and general liability insurance to commercial enterprises on both an admitted and excess and surplus basis. This business is written nationwide primarily through insurance agents and brokers and is based in Omaha, Nebraska. U.S. Investment Corporation (USIC), through its three subsidiaries led by United States Liability Insurance Company, is a specialty insurer that underwrites commercial, professional and personal lines of insurance on an admitted and excess and surplus basis. Policies are marketed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia through wholesale and retail insurance agents. USIC companies underwrite and market 109 distinct specialty property and casualty insurance products. Medical Protective Corporation (MedPro) is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Through its subsidiary, the Medical Protective Company, MedPro is engaged in primary medical professional liability coverage and risk solutions to physicians, dentists, other healthcare providers and healthcare facilities.
Railroad Business
Through BNSF Railway, BNSF operates a railroad network in North America with approximately 32,000 route miles of track (excluding multiple main tracks, yard tracks and sidings) in 28 states and two Canadian provinces as of December 31, 2011. BNSF owns approximately 23,000 route miles, including easements, and operates on approximately 9,000 route miles of trackage rights that permit BNSF to operate its trains with its crews over other railroads��tracks. As of December 31, 2011, the total BNSF Railway system, including single and multiple main tracks, yard tracks and sidings, consisted of approximately 50,000 operated miles of track, all of which are owned by or held under easement by BNSF except for approximately 10,000 route! miles op! erated under trackage rights.
BNSF is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and through BNSF Railway Company operates railroad systems in North America. In serving the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Western, Southwestern and Southeastern regions and ports of the country, BNSF transports a range of products and commodities derived from manufacturing, agricultural and natural resource industries. In serving the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Western, Southwestern and Southeastern regions and ports of the country, BNSF transports a range of products and commodities derived from manufacturing, agricultural and natural resource industries. Over half of the freight revenues of BNSF are covered by contractual agreements of varying durations. BNSF�� primary routes, including trackage rights, allow it to access cities and ports in the western and southern United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico. In addition to cities and ports, BNSF efficiently serves many smaller markets by working closely with approximately 200 shortline partners. BNSF has also entered into marketing agreements with other rail carriers, expanding the marketing reach for each railroad and their customers.
Utilities and Energy Businesses
MidAmerican�� businesses are managed as separate operating units. MidAmerican�� domestic regulated energy interests are comprised of two regulated utility companies serving more than three million retail customers and two interstate natural gas pipeline companies with approximately 16,600 miles of pipeline and a design capacity of approximately 7.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. Its United Kingdom electricity distribution subsidiaries serve about 3.9 million electricity end-users. In addition, MidAmerican�� interests include a diversified portfolio of domestic independent power projects, a hydroelectric facility in the Philippines and residential real estate brokerage firm in the United States.
PacifiCorp is a regulated electric utility compa! ny headqu! artered in Oregon, serving regulated retail electric customers in portions of Utah, Oregon, Wyoming, Washington, Idaho and California. The combined service territory�� diverse regional economy ranges from rural, agricultural and mining areas to urban, manufacturing and government service centers. As a vertically integrated electric utility, PacifiCorp owns approximately 10,600 net megawatts of generation capacity. MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC) is a regulated electric and natural gas utility company headquartered in Iowa, serving regulated retail electric and natural gas customers primarily in Iowa and also in portions of Illinois, South Dakota and Nebraska. MEC has a diverse customer base consisting of residential, agricultural and a variety of commercial and industrial customer groups. In addition to retail sales and natural gas transportation, MEC sells regulated electricity to markets operated by regional transmission organizations and regulated electricity and natural gas to other utilities and market participants on a wholesale basis and sells non-regulated electricity and natural gas services in deregulated markets. As a vertically integrated electric and gas utility, MEC owns approximately 7,000 net megawatts of generation capacity.
The natural gas pipelines consist of Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern Natural) and Kern River Gas Transmission Company (Kern River). Northern Natural is based in Nebraska and owns interstate natural gas pipeline systems in the United States reaching from southern Texas to Michigan�� Upper Peninsula. Northern Natural�� pipeline system consists of approximately 14,900 miles of natural gas pipelines. Northern Natural has access to supplies from mid-continent basin and provides transportation services to utilities and numerous other customers. Northern Natural also operates three underground natural gas storage facilities and two liquefied natural gas storage peaking units.
Kern River is based in Utah and owns an interstate natural! gas pipe! line system that consists of approximately 1,700 miles and extends from the supply areas in the Rocky Mountains to consuming markets in Utah, Nevada and California. Kern River transports natural gas for electric utilities and natural gas distribution utilities, oil and natural gas companies or affiliates of such companies, electricity generating companies, energy marketing and trading companies, and financial institutions. The United Kingdom utilities consist of Northern Powergrid (Northeast) Limited (Northern Powergrid (Northeast)) and Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire) plc (Northern Powergrid (Yorkshire)), which own a substantial United Kingdom electricity distribution network that delivers electricity to end-users in northeast England in an area covering approximately 10,000 square miles. The distribution companies primarily charge supply companies regulated tariffs for the use of electrical infrastructure. MidAmerican also owns HomeServices of America, Inc. (HomeServices), a full-service residential real estate brokerage firm in the United States. HomeServices also offers integrated real estate services, including mortgage originations through a joint venture, title and closing services, property and casualty insurance, home warranties, relocation services and other home-related services. It operates under 22 residential real estate brand names with over 14,000 sales associates and in nearly 300 brokerage offices in 20 states.
Manufacturing, Service and Retailing Businesses
Berkshire�� numerous and diverse manufacturing, service and retailing businesses. Marmon consists of approximately 140 manufacturing and service businesses that operate independently within eleven diverse, stand-alone business sectors. These sectors are Building Wire, Crane Services, Distribution Services, Engineered Wire and Cable, Flow Products, Food Service Equipment, Highway Technologies, Industrial Products, Retail Store Fixtures, Transportation Services and Engineered Products and Water Treatment.
!Building Wire, providing copper electrical building wire for residential, commercial and industrial construction. Crane Services provides the leasing and operation of mobile cranes primarily to the energy, mining and petrochemical markets. Distribution Services, supplying specialty metal pipe and tubing, bar and sheet products to markets including construction, industrial, aerospace and many others. Engineered Wire & Cable, providing electrical and electronic wire and cable for energy related markets and other industries. Flow Products is producing copper tube for the plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, and industrial markets. Food Service Equipment is supplying commercial food preparation equipment for restaurants and shopping carts for retail stores. Highway Technologies, primarily serving the heavy-duty highway transportation industry with trailers, fifth wheel coupling devices and undercarriage products such as brake parts and suspension systems, and also serving the light vehicle aftermarket with clutches and related products.
Industrial Products, consisting of metal fasteners for the building, furniture, cabinetry, industrial and other markets, gloves for industrial markets, portable lighting equipment for mining and safety markets, overhead electrification equipment for mass transit systems, custom-machined brass, aluminum and copper forgings for the construction, valve and other industries, brass fittings and valves for commercial and industrial applications, and drawn aluminum tubing and extruded aluminum shapes for the construction, automotive, appliance, medical and other markets . Retail Store Fixtures, providing shelving and other merchandising displays and related services for retail stores worldwide. Transportation Services & Engineered Products, including manufacturing, leasing and maintenance of railroad tank cars, leasing of intermodal tank containers, in-plant rail services, manufacturing of bi-modal railcar movers, wheel, axle ! and gear ! sets for light rail transit and gear products for locomotives, manufacturing of steel tank heads, and services, equipment and technology for processing and distributing sulfur. Water Treatment, equipment including residential water softening, purification and refrigeration filtration systems, treatment systems for industrial markets including power generation, oil and gas, chemical, and pulp and paper, gear drives for irrigation systems and cooling towers, and air-cooled heat exchangers. Marmon operates approximately 300 manufacturing, distribution and service facilities that are primarily located in North America, Europe and China, and employs more than 16,000 people worldwide.
McLane Company, Inc. (McLane) provides wholesale distribution and logistics services in all 50 states and internationally in Brazil to customers that include discount retailers, convenience stores, wholesale clubs, quick service restaurants, drug stores and military bases. Operations are divided into five business units: grocery distribution, foodservice distribution, beverage distribution, international logistics and software development. McLane�� foodservice distribution unit, based in Carrollton, Texas, focuses on serving the quick service restaurant industry. Operations are conducted through 18 facilities in 16 states. The foodservice distribution unit services more than 20,000 chain restaurants nationwide.
Other Manufacturing, Other Service and Retailing Businesses
Berkshire�� apparel manufacturing businesses include manufacturers of a variety of clothing and footwear. Businesses engaged in the manufacture and distribution of clothing products include Fruit of the Loom, Inc. (Fruit), Russell Brands, LLC (Russell), Vanity Fair Brands, LP (VFB), Garan and Fechheimer Brothers. Berkshire�� footwear businesses include H.H. Brown Shoe Group, Justin Brands and Brooks Athletic. Fruit, Russell and VFB (together FOL) is primarily a vertically integrated manufacturer and distributor of ba! sic appar! el, underwear and athletic apparel and products. Products, under the Fruit of the Loomand JERZEES labels are primarily sold in the mass merchandise and wholesale markets. In the VFB product line, Vassarette, Bestformand Curvationare sold in the mass merchandise market, while Vanity Fairand Lily of Franceproducts are sold in the mid-tier chains and department stores. FOL also markets and sells athletic uniforms, apparel, sports equipment and balls to team dealers; college licensed tee shirts and fleecewear to college bookstores and mid-tier merchants; and athletic apparel, sports equipment and balls to sporting goods retailers under the Russell Athleticand Spaldingbrands. Additionally, Spaldingmarkets and sells balls in the mass merchandise market and dollar store channel. During the year ended December, 31, 2011, approximately 30% of FOL�� sales were to Wal-Mart. FOL generally performs its own spinning, knitting, cloth finishing, cutting, sewing and packaging.
Garan designs, manufactures, imports and sells apparel primarily for children, including boys, girls, toddlers and infants. Products are sold under its own trademark Garanimalsand private labels of its customers. Garan also licenses its registered trademark Garanimalsto independent third parties. Garan conducts its business through operating subsidiaries located in the United States, Central America and Asia. Substantially all of Garan�� products are sold through its distribution centers in the United States to national chain stores, department stores and specialty stores. In 2011, over 90% of Garan�� sales were to Wal-Mart. Fechheimer Brothers manufactures, distributes and sells uniforms, principally for the public service and safety markets, including police, fire, postal and military markets. Fechheimer Brothers is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Justin Brands and H.H. Brown Shoe Group manufacture and distribute work, rugged outdoor and casual shoes and western-style footwear under a number of brand names, including! Justin, ! Tony Lama, Nocona, Chippewas, Born, Sofft, Carolina, Double-H Boots, Corcoran, Matterhornand Kork-Ease. Brooks Athletic markets and sells running footwear to specialty retailers under Brooksbrand. In 2011, Brooksachieved #1 market share in footwear with specialty retailers. A volume of the shoes sold by Berkshire�� shoe businesses are manufactured or purchased from sources outside the United States. Products are principally sold in the United States through a variety of channels including department stores, footwear chains, specialty stores, catalogs and the Internet, as well as through Company-owned retail stores.
Acme manufactures and distributes clay bricks (Acme Brickand Jenkins Brick), concrete block (Featherlite) and cut limestone (Texas Quarries). In addition, Acme distributes a number of other building products of other manufacturers, including glass block, floor and wall tile and other masonry products. Acme also sells ceramic floor and wall tile, as well as marble, granite and other stones through its subsidiary, American Tile and Stone. Products are sold primarily in the South Central and South Eastern United States through Company-operated sales offices. Acme distributes products primarily to homebuilders and masonry and general contractors.
Benjamin Moore & Co. (Benjamin Moore) is a formulator, manufacturer and retailer of a range of architectural coatings, available principally in the United States and Canada. Products include water-thinnable and solvent-thinnable general purpose coatings (paints, stains and clear finishes) for use by the general public, contractors and industrial and commercial users. Products are marketed under various registered brand names, including Regal, Superspec, Moorcraft, Moorgard, Aura, Nattura, ben, Coronado Paint, Insl-xand Lenmar.
Benjamin Moore and its manufacturing subsidiaries rely primarily on an independent dealer network for the distribution of its products. Its distribution network includes approximately 100! Company-! owned stores as well as over 4,500 third party retailers representing over 10,300 storefronts in the United States and Canada. Benjamin Moore�� Company-owned stores represent several multiple-outlet and stand-alone retailers in various parts of the United States and Canada serving primarily contractors and general consumers. The independent retailer channel offers an array of products including Benjamin Mooreand Insl-xbrands and other competitor coatings, wallcoverings, window treatments and sundries. Benjamin Moore also has three color stations located in regional malls that serve as brand marketing tools. In addition to the independent retailer channel, Benjamin Moore has recently begun to sell direct to the consumer through e-commerce sites and its customer care program, which includes national accounts and government agencies.
Johns Manville (JM) is a manufacturer and marketer of products for building insulation, mechanical insulation, commercial roofing and roof insulation, as well as fibers and nonwovens for commercial, industrial and residential applications. JM serves markets that include aerospace, automotive and transportation, air handling, appliance, HVAC, pipe and equipment filtration, waterproofing, building, flooring, interiors and wind energy. Fiber glass is the basic material in a majority of JM�� products, although JM also manufactures a portion of its products with other materials to satisfy the broader needs of its customers. JM regards its patents and licenses as valuable, however it does not consider any of its businesses to be materially dependent on any single patent or license. JM is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and operates 40 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China and conducts research and development at several other facilities. JM sells its products through a variety of channels, including contractors, distributors, retailers, manufacturers and fabricators.
MiTek is a provider of engineered connector products, engine! ering sof! tware and services and computer-driven manufacturing machinery to the truss fabrication segment of the building components industry. Primary customers are truss fabricators who manufacture pre-fabricated roof and floor trusses and wall panels for the residential building market, as well as the light commercial and institutional construction industry. MiTek also participates in the light gauge steel framing market under the Ultra-Spanname, manufactures and markets assembly line machinery used by the lead acid battery industry, manufactures and markets a line of masonry connector products and manufactures and markets air handling systems used in commercial building. MiTek operates on six continents with sales into approximately 90 countries. MiTek has 34 manufacturing facilities located in eleven countries and 45 sales/engineering offices located in 17 countries.
The Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) is a carpet manufacturer based on both revenue and volume of production. Shaw designs and manufactures over 3,000 styles of tufted carpet, tufted and woven rugs, laminate and wood flooring for residential and commercial use under about 30 brand and trade names and under certain private labels. Shaw also provides installation services and sells ceramic and vinyl tile along with sheet vinyl. Shaw�� manufacturing operations are fully integrated from the processing of raw materials used to make fiber through the finishing of carpet. Shaw�� carpet, rugs and hard surface products are sold in a broad range of prices, patterns, colors and textures.
Shaw products are sold wholesale to over 40,000 retailers, distributors and commercial users throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico and are also exported to various overseas markets. Shaw�� wholesale products are marketed domestically by over 2,000 salaried and commissioned sales personnel directly to retailers and distributors and to national accounts. Shaw�� 10 carpet full-service distribution facilities, three hard surface an! d two rug! full-service distribution facilities and 24 redistribution centers, along with centralized management information systems, enable it to provide prompt efficient delivery of its products to both its retail customers and wholesale distributors.
Berkshire acquired an 80% interest in IMC International Metalworking Companies B.V. (IMC B.V.). Through its subsidiaries, IMC B.V. is a multinational manufacturers of consumable precision carbide metal cutting tools for applications in a range of industrial end markets under the brand names ISCAR, TaeguTec, Ingersoll, Tungaloy, Unitac, UOP It.te.diand Outiltec. IMC B.V.�� manufacturing facilities are located in Israel, United States, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, South Korea, China, India, Japan and Brazil. IMC B.V. has five primary product lines: milling tools, gripping tools, turning/thread tools, drilling tools and tooling. Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is a manufacturer of recreational vehicles, utility, cargo and office trailers, buses and pontoon boats, headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. Its products are sold in the United States and Canada through an independent dealer network.
Scott Fetzer companies are a diversified group of 20 businesses that manufacture and distribute a variety of products for residential, industrial and institutional use. The two of these businesses are Kirby home cleaning systems and Campbell Hausfeld products. Albecca Inc. (Albecca), headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, does business primarily under the Larson-Juhlname. Albecca designs, manufactures and distributes a complete line of branded custom framing products, including wood and metal moulding, matboard, foamboard, glass, equipment and other framing supplies in the United States, Canada and 15 countries outside of North America. CTB International Corp. is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of systems used in the grain industry and in the production of poultry, hogs and eggs.
Lubrizol is a specialty chemical company that pro! duces and! supplies technologies for the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. Lubrizol operates two business sectors: Lubrizol Additives, which includes engine, driveline and industrial additive products and Lubrizol Advanced Materials, which includes personal and home care, engineered polymer and performance coating products. FlightSafety International Inc.(FlightSafety) is engaged primarily in the business of providing high technology training to operators of aircraft. FlightSafety�� training activities include advanced training for pilots of business and commercial aircraft; aircrew training for military and other government personnel; aircraft maintenance technician training; flight attendant and aircraft dispatcher training, and ab-initio (primary) pilot training to qualify individuals for private and commercial pilots��licenses. FlightSafety also develops classroom instructional systems and materials for use in its training business and for sale to others.
NetJets Inc. (NJ) is a provider of fractional ownership programs for general aviation aircraft. TTI, Inc. (TTI) is a global specialty distributor of passive, interconnect, electromechanical and discrete components used by customers in the manufacturing and assembling of electronic products. Business Wire provides electronic dissemination of full-text news releases daily to the media, online services and databases and the global investment community in 150 countries and 45 languages. Berkshire�� retailing businesses principally consist of several independently managed home furnishings and jewelry operations. The home furnishings businesses are the Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM), R.C. Willey Home Furnishings (R.C. Willey), Star Furniture Company (Star) and Jordan�� Furniture, Inc. (Jordan��). NFM, R.C. Willey, Star and Jordan�� each offer a wide selection of furniture, bedding and accessories. In addition, NFM and R.C. Willey sell a line of household appliances, electronics, computers and other home furnishings. N! FM, R.C. ! Willey, Star and Jordan�� also offer customer financing to complement their retail operations. An important feature of each of these businesses is their ability to control costs and to produce high business volume by offering value to their customers.
NFM operates its business from two retail complexes with almost one million square feet of retail space and sizable warehouse and administrative facilities in Omaha, Nebraska and Kansas City, Kansas. NFM is a furniture retailer in each of its markets. NFM also owns Homemakers Furniture located in Des Moines, Iowa, which has approximately 215,000 square feet of retail space. R.C. Willey, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a home furnishings retailer in the Intermountain West region of the United States. R.C. Willey operates 11 retail stores, two retail clearance facilities and three distribution centers. Borsheim Jewelry Company, Inc. (Borsheims) operates from a single store located in Omaha, Nebraska. Borsheims is a high volume retailer of jewelry, watches, crystal, china, stemware, flatware, gifts and collectibles. Helzberg�� Diamond Shops, Inc. (Helzberg), based in North Kansas City, Missouri, operates a chain of 233 retail jewelry stores in 37 states, which includes approximately 550,000 square feet of retail space. Most of Helzberg�� stores are located in malls, lifestyle centers or power strip centers, and all stores operate under the name Helzberg Diamonds. The Ben Bridge Corporation (Ben Bridge Jeweler), based in Seattle, Washington, operates a chain of 70 upscale retail jewelry stores located in 11 states that are primarily in the Western United States. Three of its locations are concept stores that sell only PANDORA jewelry.
Finance and Financial Products
Clayton Homes, Inc. (Clayton) is a vertically integrated manufactured housing company. At December 31, 2011, Clayton operated 33 manufacturing plants in 12 states. Clayton�� homes are marketed in 48 states through a network of 1,333 retailers, inclu! ding 333 ! Company-owned home centers. Financing is offered through its finance subsidiaries to purchasers of Clayton�� manufactured homes as well as those purchasing homes from selected independent retailers. XTRA Corporation (XTRA), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a transportation equipment lessor operating under the XTRA Leasebrand name. XTRA manages a diverse fleet of approximately 83,000 units located at 63 facilities throughout the United States and two facilities in Canada. The fleet includes over-the-road and storage traile
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jesse Solomon]
Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) CEO Warren Buffett offers to break bread once a year with the biggest spender in an eBay (EBAY) auction. All proceeds go to charity.
- [By Tiernan Ray]
Berkshire B shares ended the day at $117.82 and were up another 68 cents, or 0.6%, at $118.50, in late trading. The Class A stock (BRKA) closed at $176,500 and were up another $250.04 at $176,750 after hours.
- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
Berkshire Hathaway is a well-regarded investment manager that has been led by Warren Buffett to great successes. The stock has risen consistently over the last several years and is now trading at all-time high prices. Earnings and revenue have shown steady growth, over the last four quarters, which has really pleased investors. Relative to its peers and sector, Berkshire Hathaway has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Berkshire Hathaway to OUTPERFORM.
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Cvent Inc (CVT)
Cvent, Inc., incorporated on August 20, 1999, is a cloud-based enterprise event management platform. The Company offers an integrated cloud-based software platform that addresses the lifecycle of events and meetings. It provides solutions for both sides of the events and meetings value chain, which include event and meeting planners, and hotels and venues. Its integrated, cloud-based solution addresses the entire event lifecycle by allowing event and meeting planners to organize, market and manage their meetings, conferences, tradeshows and other events. The Company�� online marketplace connects event planners and venues through its vertical search engine that accesses its database of detailed hotel and venue information. It offers six product categories: event management software, strategic meetings management (SMM) software, mobile event apps, pre- and post-event Web surveys, ticketing software and the Cvent Supplier Network (CSN).
The Company offers planners a platform that addresses the lifecycle of events and meetings, including budgeting, planning, venue sourcing, marketing, management and measurement of meetings. The combination of these solutions creates an integrated platform that allows the Company to generate revenue from both sides of the events and meetings value chain. Through the CSN, the Company has created an online marketplace to connect hotels and venues with enterprise event and meeting planners. The Company�� online marketplace, the Cvent Supplier Network (CSN), connects tens of thousands of event and meeting planners seeking the venue for their event with more than 200,000 venues featured in its database.
The Company�� solutions include online event registration; event marketing; budgeting and project management; event logistics and integrations; measurement and reporting, and training and support. Its event marketing solution provides e-marketing tools that allow planners integrate their event marketing and communication process wit! h registration. The Company�� budgeting and project management includes a project management suite that allows for assignment and tracking of event planning tasks. The Company�� event logistics and integrations solution includes tools for table and seating management, name badge and certificate creation, resource and space allocation, speaker management, appointment scheduling, continuing education credit tracking, onsite registration and check-in functionality. Its measurement and reporting platform measures aspects of the event management process. The Company provides training and support to its event management subscription customers, which is available through phone, e-mail and the Internet during the subscription period.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Cvent Inc. (NYSE: CVT) was started as Buy with a $41 price target at Stifel Nicolaus, started as Outperform with a $40 price target at Pacific Crest and started as Buy with a $42 price target at Needham & Company. Shares are up about 1.5% at $36.15
- [By Matt Jarzemsky]
The deal by the data-analysis software maker follows well-received offerings by software makers Workday Inc.(WDAY) and Cvent Inc.(CVT) last week, suggesting investor interest in cloud computing and ��ig data��analysis remain high. Those deals bucked the broader market�� sluggish tone, with indexes little changed out of the gate this year and many strategists predicting muted returns after 2013�� rally.
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: P & F Industries Inc.(PFIN)
P&F Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells tools and hardware products in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Tools and Other Products (Tools) and Hardware and Accessories (Hardware). The Tools segment manufactures, imports, and sells pneumatic hand tools, primarily for the industrial, retail, and automotive markets. Its product line includes sanders, grinders, drills, saws, impact wrenches, and pavement breakers; compressor air filters; and pipe and bolt dies, pipe taps, wrenches, vises and stands, pipe and tubing cutting equipment, hydrostatic test pumps, and replacement electrical components for pipe cutting and threading machines. This segment sells its products under the Florida Pneumatic, Universal Tool, ATP, Thaxton, THOR, and Eureka brand names to distributors, retailers, and private label customers through in-house sales personnel and manufacturers' representatives. The Hardware segment manufactures and imports door , window, and fencing hardware, including rollers, hinges, window operators, sash locks, custom zinc castings, and door closers. This segment also manufactures and imports interior wood and iron stair components, and related accessories, as well as kitchen and bath hardware; and manufactures stair products and distributes staircase components. Its products are sold through in-house sales personnel and manufacturers? representatives to distributors, retailers, and OEM customers. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Melville, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
P&F Industries (NASDAQ: PFIN) is expected to report its quarterly results.
INSYS Therapeutics (NASDAQ: INSY) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $45.63 million.
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: American Midstream Partners LP (AMID)
American Midstream Partners, LP, incorporated on August 20, 2009, owns, operates, develops and acquires a portfolio of natural gas midstream energy assets. The Company is engaged in the business of gathering, treating, processing and transporting natural gas through its ownership and operation of 10 gathering systems, four processing facilities and a 50% non-operating interest in a fifth plant, two interstate pipelines and four intrastate pipelines. Its assets are located in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, provide infrastructure, which links producers and suppliers of natural gas to diverse natural gas markets, including interstate and intrastate pipelines, as well as utility, industrial and other commercial customers. In December 2013, American Midstream Partners, LP acquired Blackwater Midstream Holdings, LLC from an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC. In February 2014, Penn Virginia Corporation sold all of its Eagle Ford Shale natural gas midstream assets to the Company.
The Company operates in two segments: Gathering and Processing, and Transmission. In its gathering and processing segment, it receives fee-based and fixed-margin compensation for gathering, transporting and treating natural gas. Where it provide processing services at the plants that it owns, or obtain processing services for its own account under its elective processing arrangements. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it owned four processing facilities that produced an average of approximately 49.9 million gallons of liquid per day of gross natural gas liquids (NGLs). In addition, under its elective processing arrangements, it contracts for processing capacity at a third-party plant where it has the option to process natural gas that it purchases. During 2012, under these arrangements, it sold an average of approximately 27.9 million gallons of liquid per day of net equity NGL volumes. It also receives fee-based and fixed-margin compensation in its transmission segment related to ! capacity reservation charges under its firm transportation contracts and the transportation of natural gas.
Gathering and Processing
The Company�� gathering and processing segment provides wellhead to market services for natural gas to producers of natural gas and oil, which include transporting raw natural gas from various receipt points through gathering systems, treating the raw natural gas, processing raw natural gas to separate the NGLs and selling or delivering pipeline quality natural gas, as well as NGLs to various markets and pipeline systems. It gathers and processes natural gas pursuant to arrangements, including fee-based arrangements, fixed-margin arrangements and percent-of-proceeds arrangements.
The Company competes with Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), Gulf South and ANR.
Transmission Segment
The Company�� transmission segment transports and delivers natural gas from producing wells, receipt points or pipeline interconnects for shippers and other customers, which include local distribution companies (LDCs), utilities and industrial, commercial and power generation customers. Results of operations from its transmission segment are determined by capacity reservation fees from firm transportation contracts and the volumes of natural gas transported on the interstate and intrastate pipelines it owns. Its transportation arrangements include firm transportation arrangements, interruptible transportation and fixed-margin contracts. Its Midla and AlaTenn systems are interstate natural gas pipelines. Its Bamagas system is a Hinshaw intrastate natural gas pipeline, which travels west to east from an interconnection point with TGP in Colbert County, Alabama to two power plants owned by Calpine Corporation (Calpine), in Morgan County, Alabama. The Bamagas system consists of 52 miles of high pressure, 30-inch pipeline with a design capacity of approximately 450 million cubic feet per day.
The AlaTenn system is an intersta! te natura! l gas pipeline that interconnects with TGP and travels west to east delivering natural gas to industrial customers in northwestern Alabama, as well as the city gates of Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama. Its AlaTenn system has a design capacity of approximately 200 million gallons of liquid per day and is consisted of approximately 295 miles of pipeline with diameters ranging from three to 16 inches and includes two compressor stations with combined capacity of 3,665 horsepower. The AlaTenn system is connected to four receipt and 61 delivery points, including the Tetco Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by Duke Energy Corporation, and the Columbia Gulf Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by NiSource Gas Transmission and Storage.
The Company�� Midla system is an interstate natural gas pipeline with approximately 370 miles of pipeline linking the Monroe Natural Gas Field in Northern Louisiana and interconnections with the Transco Pipeline system and Gulf South Pipeline system to customers near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Its Midla system also has interconnects to Centerpoint, TGP and Sonat along a high-pressure lateral at the north end of the system, called the T-32 lateral. Its Midla system is located near the Perryville Hub, which is a hub for natural gas produced in the Louisiana and broader Gulf Coast region, including natural gas from the Haynesville shale, Barnett shale, Fayetteville shale, Woodford shale and Deep Bossier formations of Northern Louisiana, Central Texas, Northern Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma and East Texas, respectively. The Midla system is connected to nine receipt and 19 delivery points. The northern portion of the system, including the T-32 lateral, consists of approximately four miles of high pressure, 12-inch diameter pipeline. Natural gas on the northern end of the Midla system is delivered to two power plants operated by Entergy by way of the T-32 lateral and the CLECO Sterlington plant by way of the Sterlington lateral.
The Company�� s mainlin! e of the system has a design capacity of approximately 198 million cubic feet per day and consists of approximately 172 miles of low pressure, 22-inch diameter pipeline with laterals ranging in diameter from two to 16 inches. During 2012, average throughput on the Midla mainline was approximately 72.7 million cubic feet per day. The southern portion of the system, including interconnections with the MLGT system and other associated laterals, consists of approximately two miles of high and low pressure, 12-inch diameter pipeline. This section of the system primarily serves industrial and LDC customers in the Baton Rouge market. In addition, this section includes two small offshore gathering lines, the T-33 lateral in Grand Bay and the T-51 lateral in Eugene Island 28, each of which are approximately five miles in length. Natural gas delivered on the southern end of the system is sold under both firm and interruptible transportation contracts with average remaining terms of two years.
The MLGT system is an intrastate transmission system that sources natural gas from interconnects with the FGT Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by Florida Gas Transmission Company, the Tetco Pipeline system, the Transco Pipeline system and its Midla system to a Baton Rouge, Louisiana refinery owned and operated by ExxonMobil and five other industrial customers. Its million cubic feet per day system has a design capacity of approximately 170 million cubic feet per day and is consisted of approximately 54 miles of pipeline with diameters ranging from three to 14 inches. The MLGT system is connected to seven receipt and 16 delivery points. During 2010, average throughput on the MLGT system was approximately 50.5 million cubic feet per day.
The Company�� other transmission systems include the Chalmette system, located in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, and the Trigas system, located in three counties in northwestern Alabama. The approximate design capacities for the Chalmette and Trigas sys! tems are ! 125 million cubic feet per day and 60 million cubic feet per day, respectively. During 2012, the approximate average throughput for these systems was 9.8 MMcf/d and 10.6 MMcf/d. It also owns a range of interconnects and small laterals that are referred to as the SIGCO assets.
The Company competes with Southern Natural Gas Company and Louisiana Intrastate Gas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) gained 96 percent in 2013 before accounting for distributions. American Midstream is engaged in the business of gathering, treating, processing, fractionating and transporting natural gas and natural gas liquids. Operations are organized into two segments, Gathering and Processing and Transmission. Assets are primarily located in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The partnership operates 2,100 miles of pipelines that gather and transport over 850 MMcf/d of natural gas. Units currently yield 6.8 percent.
- [By Robert Rapier and Igor Greenwald]
Some MLPs have experienced huge capital appreciation. Three–Icahn Enterprises (Nasdaq: IEP), Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP), and The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX)–gained over 100 percent in 2013. A fourth, American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) gained 96 percent for the year.
- [By Monica Gerson]
American Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: AMID) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.30 per share on revenue of $89.74 million.
Hill International (NYSE: HIL) is expected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $134.74 million.
- [By Robert Rapier]
2013 Performance of Alerian MLP Index versus the S&P 500 Index
While the average MLP investor was probably happy with 2013’s performance, there was of course a wide variation of performance in the MLP world. Among the conventional midstream and upstream MLPs, performance ranged from American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) — the best performing midstream MLP with a gain of 98.5 percent in 2013 — down to the upstream MLP EV Energy Partners (Nasdaq: EVEP), which lost 40 percent for the year.
2013 Performance of American Midstream Partners versus EV Energy Partners
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Komatsu Ltd (KMTUY)
Komatsu Ltd. (Komatsu), incorporated in May 13, 1921, is a global company engaged in the manufacturing, development, marketing and sale of a range of industrial-use products and services. The manufacturing operations of Komatsu are conducted primarily at plants located in Japan, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Indonesia, China, Thailand and India. Komatsu�� products are primarily sold under the Komatsu brand name and almost all of its sales and service activities are conducted through its sales subsidiaries and independent distributors who primarily sell products to retail dealers in their respective geographic area. Komatsu operates and competes in the six principal markets, such as Japan, the United States, Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), China, Asia (excluding Japan and China) and Oceania and the Middle East and Africa. In May, 2009, Komatsu acquired the additional interest in Komatsu Australia Corporate Finance Pty. Ltd.
Construction, Mining and Utility Equipment
The Company offers various types of construction, mining and utility equipment, ranging from super-large machines capable of mining applications to general construction equipment and mini construction equipment for urban use. Komatsu�� range of products in this operating segment also includes a variety of attachments to be used with its products. Komatsu�� principal products include excavating equipment, loading equipment, grading and roadbed preparation equipment, hauling equipment, forestry equipment, tunneling machines, recycling equipment, industrial vehicles, other equipment, engines and components, casting products and logistics.
Industrial Machinery and Others
The Company�� Industrial Machinery and Others segment products are used by a range of businesses and include industrial machinery, such as forging and sheet metal machinery and other services. Komatsu�� principal products include metal forging and stampi! ng presses, sheet metal machines, machine tools, defense systems, temperature-control equipment and others.
The Company competes with Caterpillar Inc., Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Volvo Construction Equipment NV, CNH Global N.V., Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Carroll]
Chinese manufacturing and materials stocks may not be the only picks in trouble, however. Leading international manufacturers could see demand in the world's second-largest economy, cutting into lofty growth expectations that relied upon China's surge to make up for weakness elsewhere around the globe. Japanese industrial power Komatsu (NASDAQOTH: KMTUY ) , the second-largest industrial machinery manufacturer in the world, is betting on�growing Chinese demand this fiscal year, in combination with the weak yen, to fuel growth.
Top 10 Prefered Companies To Invest In 2014: Solta Medical Inc(SLTM)
Solta Medical, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of energy-based medical device systems for aesthetic applications primarily in North America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. It offers Fraxel re:pair system for use in dermatological procedures requiring ablation, coagulation, and resurfacing of soft tissue, as well as for rhytides, pigmentation, dyschromia, fine lines, acne, surgical scars, deeper lines, wrinkles, and actinic keratoses; and Clear + Brilliant system for patients who want to take control of their aging process. The company also provides Thermage CPT system that provides non-invasive treatment options for skin tightening; Liposonix system to destroy unwanted fat cells resulting in waist circumference reduction; Isolaz system for the treatment of inflammatory acne, comedonal acne, and mild to moderate inflammatory acne; and the CLARO device, a consumer handheld device for the tre atment of mild-to-moderate inflammatory acne, including pustular acne. Its customers principally include dermatologists, plastic surgeons, general and family practitioners, gynecologists, and ophthalmologists. The company sells its products primarily through a direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors; and CLARO device through retail and associated retailer?s Websites, and television retail networks, as well as through its own website in the United States. The company was formerly known as Thermage, Inc. and changed its name to Solta Medical, Inc. in January 2009. Solta Medical, Inc. was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Hayward, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
On Tuesday, small cap biotech stock Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: KYTH) surged around 25% after announcing that its ATX-101 REFINE-1 and REFINE-2 Phase III trials met all primary and secondary endpoints for the reduction of so-called double chins; but if investors missed out on that rally, small caps Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc (NASDAQ: ZLTQ), Solta Medical Inc (NASDAQ: SLTM) and Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO) each have a piece of the aesthetic market as well. In the case of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, its ATX-101 can be injected to deal with double chins���meaning its less invasive than liposuction as the drug dissolves fat cells but leaves other tissue alone. JP Morgan has noted:
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