Biotech ETFs are near all-time highs despite overall market weakness, due to successful trials - e.g. for Vertex's (VRTX) cystic fibrosis treatment - and because some investors are betting on deals occurring. One ETF that is doing particularly well this year is iShares Nasdaq Biotech (IBB). Others include XBI, FBT and BBH. [View news story]
Have Defensive Stocks Had Their Day? [View article]
Completely agree. Outside of perhaps WMT, many defensive stocks have had huge moves recently. BA, DIS. JNJ, CL, KMB etc. JNJ was a perpetual 60-70 dollar stock for years. Now 88+ as of today...
Where's the love for Wal-Mart (WMT -0.3%)? Despite projections the retail giant will grow earnings at a double-digit rate, the stock trades with a lower multiple than defensive-oriented peers such as Hershey, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble, observes Stephen Leeb. The company is also gobbling up market share in the grocery category and its e-commerce sales growth beat Amazon's (30% vs. 22%) during the last quarter. [View news story]
The CA and NY unions definitely own wal-mart. They like their ROI more than principles obviously
Pitney Bowes (PBI +2.6%) looks like the one of the five most interesting ideas out there to value-seeking SA contributor Ulfberht Capital. The take focuses on the premise Pitney Bowes can deleverage its balance sheet and will benefit incrementally from an improving U.S. economy. Though the dividend payout rate could be at risk, a 4.94% yield on PBI shares is also enticing. [View news story]
Enticing..... until it gets cut again. BP yields close to the same, and something tells me that in 20 years, BP will probably still be around while PBI may not (at least in its present form).
Where's the love for Wal-Mart (WMT -0.3%)? Despite projections the retail giant will grow earnings at a double-digit rate, the stock trades with a lower multiple than defensive-oriented peers such as Hershey, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble, observes Stephen Leeb. The company is also gobbling up market share in the grocery category and its e-commerce sales growth beat Amazon's (30% vs. 22%) during the last quarter. [View news story]
The best time to accumulate WMT is when everyone else hates it. It languished for years in the 40s and low 50s when it was time to buy. This might be one of the few blue-chip values left when you consider the massive run up in stocks like HSY, DIS, JNJ etc.
There is no precedent for the current market, writes The Fat Pitch. Consider: 1) The S&P (SPY) has been up 56 of 88 trading sessions this year 2) It's up an uncorrected 24% since the post-election low - the longest streak in over 3 decades 3) The Nasdaq (QQQ) is on pace for a 7th straight up month, an occurrence with a 3-in-100 probability. Long term it's bullish, writes Ukarlewitz, as this sort of strength is rarely the end of a trend. Short term? Stay nimble. [View news story]
There is no precedent for the current market, writes The Fat Pitch. Consider: 1) The S&P (SPY) has been up 56 of 88 trading sessions this year 2) It's up an uncorrected 24% since the post-election low - the longest streak in over 3 decades 3) The Nasdaq (QQQ) is on pace for a 7th straight up month, an occurrence with a 3-in-100 probability. Long term it's bullish, writes Ukarlewitz, as this sort of strength is rarely the end of a trend. Short term? Stay nimble. [View news story]
32% of Q1 U.S. smartphone sales involved prepaid phones, up from 21% a year ago, says NPD. That trend could spell trouble for AT&T (T) and Verizon Wireless (VZ, VOD), whose recent growth has been heavily tied to selling costly postpaid data plans. With 72% and 61% of the carriers' postpaid bases now respectively on smartphones, they face pressure to gain prepaid buyers without cannibalizing postpaid subs. Cannibalization fears have led AT&T and Verizon to make their prepaid plans 3G-only; Sprint (S) and T-Mobile (TMUS) offer 4G. A mix shift towards unsubsidized prepaid phones could also be a challenge for Apple (AAPL), estimated to have just 8% of the Q1 U.S. prepaid smartphone market (though that's up 4x Y/Y). [View news story]
Disney's (DIS -0.7%) Iron Man 3 officially crossed the $1B mark in global box office sales including a smashing +$100M grab from China. A strong performance from Oz: The Great and Powerful helped the company beat estimates in FQ2 and it looks like Iron Man 3 will do some of the heavy lifting in FQ3. [View news story]
Jim Cramer chooses MLPs Kinder Morgan Partners (KMP) and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) as antidotes to potential froth in the broader stock market. Cramer likes KMP's strategic acquisitions during recent years and is bullish on its outlook. On EPD, Cramer praises the management team and likes its track record of executing growth projects and integrating acquisitions. [View news story]
Nice endorsement after the big run up. Where was he last fall and christmas when EPD was in the 40s? The time to back up the truck for MLPs was when everyone was dumping them pre-fiscal cliff on worries regarding loss of their favored tax status.
There is a legitimate risk to MLPs if interest rates rise suddenly and their cost of capital jumps. That's what happens when you pay out 90% of your earnings.
Boston Beer: Almost Time To Take A Sip [View article]
SAM is definitely a premium competitor its class. I kick myself daily for not pulling the trigger last year in the 90s but did take advantage of the recent selloff to buy in the mid 140s. I'll add if it can make it down to 130.
Wal-Mart (WMT +1%) might be able to beat down competition from the dollar store group (DG, DLTR, FDO, FIVE) if it can achieve two important things: 1) Take traffic directly away from dollar stores by opening new Neighborhood stores in strategic locations. 2) Drive home with consumers its pricing advantage, especially given that a new Bloomberg Industries study found Wal-Mart beat dollar stores on prices almost all the time. [View news story]
DLTR doesn't carry the same selection as WMT, and often carries a smaller version of the same items, so the price ends up being the same or even worse than WMT when you look at the unit cost.
I do agree though that a good grocery store sale +/- coupons is cheaper than WMT
The mortgage REIT sector (MORT -1%) continues under pressure, today led by Western Asset Mortgage (WMC -7.6%) as its book value blew up in Q1 thanks to portfolio losses. American Capital Agency (AGNC -1.5%) - which started the downturn when it reported losses 2 weeks ago - nears a 52-week low, Armour Residential (ARR -3.1%) hits one. One trader suggests Capstead Mortgage (CMO -1.4%) with a portfolio of mostly reset ARMs the least affected by rising rates. CYS Investments (CYS -0.7%) - trading at a 10% discount to book and also owning ARMs - is attractive as well. [View news story]
Biotech ETFs are near all-time highs despite overall market weakness, due to successful trials - e.g. for Vertex's (VRTX) cystic fibrosis treatment - and because some investors are betting on deals occurring. One ETF that is doing particularly well this year is iShares Nasdaq Biotech (IBB). Others include XBI, FBT and BBH. [View news story]
Have Defensive Stocks Had Their Day? [View article]
Where's the love for Wal-Mart (WMT -0.3%)? Despite projections the retail giant will grow earnings at a double-digit rate, the stock trades with a lower multiple than defensive-oriented peers such as Hershey, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble, observes Stephen Leeb. The company is also gobbling up market share in the grocery category and its e-commerce sales growth beat Amazon's (30% vs. 22%) during the last quarter. [View news story]
http://nyti.ms/14p4C4r
http://huff.to/13Ga1of
Pitney Bowes (PBI +2.6%) looks like the one of the five most interesting ideas out there to value-seeking SA contributor Ulfberht Capital. The take focuses on the premise Pitney Bowes can deleverage its balance sheet and will benefit incrementally from an improving U.S. economy. Though the dividend payout rate could be at risk, a 4.94% yield on PBI shares is also enticing. [View news story]
Where's the love for Wal-Mart (WMT -0.3%)? Despite projections the retail giant will grow earnings at a double-digit rate, the stock trades with a lower multiple than defensive-oriented peers such as Hershey, Kellogg, and Procter & Gamble, observes Stephen Leeb. The company is also gobbling up market share in the grocery category and its e-commerce sales growth beat Amazon's (30% vs. 22%) during the last quarter. [View news story]
There is no precedent for the current market, writes The Fat Pitch. Consider: 1) The S&P (SPY) has been up 56 of 88 trading sessions this year 2) It's up an uncorrected 24% since the post-election low - the longest streak in over 3 decades 3) The Nasdaq (QQQ) is on pace for a 7th straight up month, an occurrence with a 3-in-100 probability. Long term it's bullish, writes Ukarlewitz, as this sort of strength is rarely the end of a trend. Short term? Stay nimble. [View news story]
" Do not get completely out."
There is no precedent for the current market, writes The Fat Pitch. Consider: 1) The S&P (SPY) has been up 56 of 88 trading sessions this year 2) It's up an uncorrected 24% since the post-election low - the longest streak in over 3 decades 3) The Nasdaq (QQQ) is on pace for a 7th straight up month, an occurrence with a 3-in-100 probability. Long term it's bullish, writes Ukarlewitz, as this sort of strength is rarely the end of a trend. Short term? Stay nimble. [View news story]
32% of Q1 U.S. smartphone sales involved prepaid phones, up from 21% a year ago, says NPD. That trend could spell trouble for AT&T (T) and Verizon Wireless (VZ, VOD), whose recent growth has been heavily tied to selling costly postpaid data plans. With 72% and 61% of the carriers' postpaid bases now respectively on smartphones, they face pressure to gain prepaid buyers without cannibalizing postpaid subs. Cannibalization fears have led AT&T and Verizon to make their prepaid plans 3G-only; Sprint (S) and T-Mobile (TMUS) offer 4G. A mix shift towards unsubsidized prepaid phones could also be a challenge for Apple (AAPL), estimated to have just 8% of the Q1 U.S. prepaid smartphone market (though that's up 4x Y/Y). [View news story]
Disney's (DIS -0.7%) Iron Man 3 officially crossed the $1B mark in global box office sales including a smashing +$100M grab from China. A strong performance from Oz: The Great and Powerful helped the company beat estimates in FQ2 and it looks like Iron Man 3 will do some of the heavy lifting in FQ3. [View news story]
Jim Cramer chooses MLPs Kinder Morgan Partners (KMP) and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) as antidotes to potential froth in the broader stock market. Cramer likes KMP's strategic acquisitions during recent years and is bullish on its outlook. On EPD, Cramer praises the management team and likes its track record of executing growth projects and integrating acquisitions. [View news story]
There is a legitimate risk to MLPs if interest rates rise suddenly and their cost of capital jumps. That's what happens when you pay out 90% of your earnings.
Boston Beer: Almost Time To Take A Sip [View article]
IBM: Excellent Value For Money [View article]
Wal-Mart (WMT): Q1 EPS of $1.14 misses by $0.01. Revenue of $114.19B (+3.9% Y/Y) misses by $2.23B. (PR) [View news story]
Wal-Mart (WMT +1%) might be able to beat down competition from the dollar store group (DG, DLTR, FDO, FIVE) if it can achieve two important things: 1) Take traffic directly away from dollar stores by opening new Neighborhood stores in strategic locations. 2) Drive home with consumers its pricing advantage, especially given that a new Bloomberg Industries study found Wal-Mart beat dollar stores on prices almost all the time. [View news story]
I do agree though that a good grocery store sale +/- coupons is cheaper than WMT
The mortgage REIT sector (MORT -1%) continues under pressure, today led by Western Asset Mortgage (WMC -7.6%) as its book value blew up in Q1 thanks to portfolio losses. American Capital Agency (AGNC -1.5%) - which started the downturn when it reported losses 2 weeks ago - nears a 52-week low, Armour Residential (ARR -3.1%) hits one. One trader suggests Capstead Mortgage (CMO -1.4%) with a portfolio of mostly reset ARMs the least affected by rising rates. CYS Investments (CYS -0.7%) - trading at a 10% discount to book and also owning ARMs - is attractive as well. [View news story]