Both of my ETF picks for 2014 may sound speculative. But each, in its unique way, is not. In fact, each provides a stealthy way to offset their risks, suggests Jim Lowell, editor of The Forbes ETF Advisor.
First Trust US IPO (FPX) began trading in April 2006, and has a market value of over $300 million��t's a hidden gem that won't run the risk of selling at a premium or discount to its NAV.
The IPOX-100 US Index is made up of the 100 largest, best performing, most liquid US initial public offerings; measuring the IPO's performance during their first 1,000 trading days. (IPOs get placed into the index on their sixth trading day and remain in the index for 1000 days.)
The top three sectors are consumer discretionary (25.9%), information technology (19.3%), and health care (16.8%). The top ten holdings are Facebook, AbbVie, GM, Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan, Kraft Foods, Marathon Petroleum, HCA Holdings, Dollar General, and Delphi Automotive.
First Trust US IPO is US-centric and a great complement to my more speculative pick, WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity (DXJ), which is made up of dividend paying Japanese companies and an inbuilt hedge against Yen movements versus our almighty US dollar.
Top Sliver Stocks To Watch For 2015: Tableau Software Inc (DATA)
Tableau Software, Inc., incorporated on July 19, 2004, is a computer software company. The Company�� products are used by people across all kinds of organizations, including Fortune 500 corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, government agencies, universities, research institutions and non-profits. Organizations employ its products in a range of use cases, such as increasing sales, streamlining operations, improving customer service, managing investments, assessing quality and safety, studying and treating diseases, completing academic research, addressing environmental problems and improving education. The Company�� product helps a single user on a laptop analyze data from a simple spreadsheet, or to enable thousands of users across an enterprise to execute queries against databases.
The Company�� technology includes VizQL and its Hybrid Data Architecture. VizQL, translates drag-and-drop actions into data queries and then expresses that information visually. VizQL unifies the formerly disparate tasks of query and visualization and allows users to transform questions into pictures without the need for software scripts, chart wizards or dialogue boxes that inhibit speed and flexibility. The Company�� Hybrid Data Architecture combines the power and flexibility of its Live Query and In-Memory Data Engines. The Company�� Live Query Engine allows users to instantaneously connect to volumes of data in its existing format and location, reducing the need for time-consuming data transformation processes that only technical specialists can perform. In addition, this capability allows customers to leverage investments in their existing data platforms and to capitalize on the capabilities of high performance databases. The Company�� In-Memory Data Engine enables users to import amounts of data into its own in-memory database.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Telis Demos and Douglas MacMillan Opower Inc., which helps electric utilities push homeowners to use]
A steady stream of so-called “big data” companies like Opower have gone public lately, including software firms Splunk Inc.(SPLK) and Tableau Software Inc.(DATA) Those stocks have each more than doubled since their debuts in 2012 and earlier this year, respectively.
Top 5 Japanese Companies For 2014: Pound/Rand(PX)
Praxair, Inc. engages in the production, distribution, and sale atmospheric and process gases, as well as surface coatings in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The company offers atmospheric gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and rare gases; and process gases comprising carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene. It also designs, engineers, and builds equipment that produces industrial gases; and manufactures precious metal and ceramic sputtering targets used primarily in the production of semiconductors. In addition, the company supplies surface coatings consisting of wear-resistant and high-temperature corrosion-resistant metallic and ceramic coatings and powders to the aircraft, energy, printing, textile, plastics, primary metals, petrochemical, and other industries. Further, it provides electric arc, plasma, and oxygen fuel spray equipment, as well as arc and flame wire equipment used for the application of wea r-resistant coatings; and distributes welding equipment purchased from independent manufacturers. The company sells its products primarily through independent distributors. It serves various industries, such as healthcare, petroleum refining, computer-chip manufacturing, beverage carbonation, fiber-optics, steel making, aerospace, chemicals, and water treatment industries. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Industrial gasses supplier Praxair (PX) raised its quarterly dividend 8% to 65 cents per share, payable on Mar. 17 to shareholders of record as of Mar. 7.
PX Dividend Yield: 2.08% - [By Ben Levisohn]
As a reminder, Air Products & Chemicals was in the low $90s when activist Bill Ackman told investors in July 2013 that he had taken a major position in a large-cap, investment-grade US corporation. Since then Air Products & Chemicals has closed its valuation gap with Praxair (PX), although restructuring has been limited so far.
- [By Tom Rojas and Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]
Praxair Inc.'s(PX) second-quarter earnings grew nearly 5% as new projects in North America and Asia helped drive overall sales growth, but the company sounded a cautious tone for the remainder of the year. Shares were inactive premarket.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Industrial gas maker Praxair (NYSE: PX ) announced today it is expanding its presence in southern Russia with the acquisition of Volgograd Oxygen Factory, an�industrial gas producer with�some 2,000 customers across the�steel, aerospace, health care, and food and beverage industries, which it says will offer "immediate synergies" with Praxair's newly built�air separation plant in�Volgograd.
Top 5 Japanese Companies For 2014: Microchip Technology Incorporated(MCHP)
Microchip Technology Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor products for various embedded control applications. It offers a family of microcontroller products that include 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit PIC microcontrollers; and 16-bit dsPIC digital signal controllers, which feature on-board flash memory technology. The company also provides a set of application development tools that enable system designers to program a PIC microcontroller and dsPIC DSC for specific applications. In addition, it offers analog and interface products, which consist of various families with approximately 600 power management, linear, mixed-signal, thermal management, safety and security, and interface products. Further, the company provides memory products comprising serial electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. Its products are used in various applications in automotive, communications, computing, consumer, and industrial contr ol markets. Microchip Technology Incorporated markets its products primarily through a network of direct sales personnel and distributors in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company was founded in 1989 and is based in Chandler, Arizona.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
If you are looking for a semiconductor stock that�� focus on an area that�� not so cyclical, mid cap microcontroller (MCU) stock Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) could be a good choice���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with other�microcontroller�players like Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MCHP), STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE: STM) and Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: CY). Microcontrollers are programmable and�embedded�chips that are increasingly�hidden inside a all sorts of products these days e.g. if you have an appliance�with a�LED or LCD screen and a keypad, it contains some kind of�microcontroller plus all new�automobiles contain at least one�and often several. I should mention that we have also recently added Atmel Corporation to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio and we are down about 5.6% mostly due to the recent market volatility.
- [By CRWE]
Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ:MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, reported that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of 35.1 cents per share.
- [By Srdjan Bejakovic]
In the first quarter, semiconductor maker Atmel� (NASDAQ: ATML ) recorded $337 million in revenue, $7 million above the upper end of its own guidance range. Additionally, management claims that 2014 will be a year of growth and increased profitability for the company, driven by continuing demand for microcontrollers and an improving picture in Atmel's touch business. What's lying behind the surprising revenue numbers, and can Atmel prosper in spite of increasing competition from such solid companies as Microchip Technologies� (NASDAQ: MCHP ) and Synaptics (NASDAQ: SYNA ) ?
- [By Beth Piskora]
They are listed below:
Altera (ALTR)��ielding 1.7%
Apple (AAPL)��ielding 2.5%
Applied Materials (AMAT)��ielding 2.6%
Cisco (CSCO)��ielding 2.9%
EMC Corp. (EMC)��ielding 1.5%
International Business Machines (IBM)��ielding 2.0%
KLA-Tencor (KLAC)��ielding 3.2%
Microchip Technology (MCHP)��ielding 3.6%
Oracle (ORCL)��ielding 1.5%
Qualcomm (QCOM)��ielding 2.1%
Texas Instruments (TXN)��ielding 2.9%
Xilinx (XLNX)��ielding 2.3%
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Top 5 Japanese Companies For 2014: First Cash Financial Services Inc (FCFS)
First Cash Financial Services, Inc., incorporated on April 24, 1994, is an operator of retail-based pawn and consumer finance stores in the United States and Mexico. As of February 18, 2013 , the Company had approximately 829 locations twelve states in United States and 24 states in Mexico. The Company's primary business is the operation of pawn stores, which engage in retail sales, purchasing of secondhand goods and consumer finance activities. The pawn stores generate retail sales from the merchandise acquired through collateral forfeitures and over-the-counter purchases from customers. Pawn stores are also a convenient source for small consumer loans to help customers meet their short-term cash needs. Personal property, such as jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods and musical instruments are pledged as collateral for the loans. In addition, some of the Company's pawn stores offer consumer loans or credit services products.
In March 2012, the Company acquired three Dallas-area pawn stores. In June 2012, the Company acquired 24 pawn stores located in the states of Colorado (13), Kentucky (seven), Wyoming (three) and Nebraska (one). In June 2013, First Cash Financial Services Inc announced the acquisition of 19 format U.S. pawn stores located in Texas.
Pawn Merchandise Sales
The Company's pawn merchandise sales are primarily retail sales to the general public from its pawn stores. The items retailed are primarily used consumer electronics, jewelry, household appliances, tools, musical instruments, and sporting goods. The Company also melts down certain quantities of scrap jewelry and sells the gold, silver and diamonds in commodity markets.
The Company acquires pawn merchandise inventory primarily through forfeited pawn collateral and, to a lesser extent, through purchases of used goods directly from the general public. Merchandise acquired by the Company through forfeited pawn collateral is carried in inventory at the amount of the ! related pawn loan, exclusive of any accrued service fees. The Company does not provide financing to customers for the purchase of its merchandise, but does permit its customers to purchase merchandise on an interest-free layaway plan. Should the customer fail to make a required payment, the item is returned to inventory and previous payments are forfeited to the Company. Interim payments from customers on layaway sales are credited to deferred revenue and subsequently recorded as income in which final payment is received or when previous payments are forfeited to the Company.
Pawn Lending Activities
The Company's pawn stores make small loans to their customers in order to help them meet short-term cash needs. All pawn loans are collateralized by personal property such as jewelry, electronic equipment, household appliances, tools, sporting goods and musical instruments. Pawn loans are non-recourse loans and the pledged goods provide the only security to the Company for the repayment of the loan. At the time a pawn transaction is entered into, an agreement, commonly referred to as a pawn ticket, is delivered to the borrower for signature that sets forth, among other items, the name and address of the pawnshop, borrower's name, borrower's identification number from his/her driver's license or other identification, date, identification and description of the pledged goods, including applicable serial numbers, amount financed, pawn service fee, maturity date, total amount that must be paid to redeem the pledged goods on the maturity date, and the annual percentage rate. Pledged property is held through the term of the loan, unless the pawn is paid earlier or renewed. The typical loan term is generally one month plus an additional grace period (typically 30 to 90 days). The Company contracts for pawn loan fees and service charges as compensation for the use of the funds loaned and to cover direct operating expenses related to the transaction and holding the pledged property. These pa! wn loan f! ees and service charges accounted for approximately 26% of the Company's revenue from continuing operations during the year ended December 31, 2012 .
Credit Services and Consumer Loan Activities
The Company has significantly reduced its U.S.-based consumer loan activities, primarily from payday lending, over the past several years. In September 2012, the Company closed seven of its consumer loan stores located in the Texas cities of Austin and Dallas. The Company offers a fee-based credit services organization program (CSO Program) to assist consumers, in Texas markets, in obtaining extensions of credit. The Company's consumer loan and pawn stores in Texas offer the CSO Program, and, in Texas, credit services are also offered via an Internet platform. Under the CSO Program, the Company assists customers in applying for a short-term extension of credit from an independent, non-bank, consumer lending company (the Independent Lender) and issues the Independent Lender a letter of credit to guarantee the repayment of the extension of credit.
The Company subsequently collects a percentage of these bad debts by redepositing the customers' checks, ACH collections or subsequent cash repayments by the customers. The profitability of the Company's credit services operations is dependent upon adequate collection of these returned items. The Company also offers an automobile title lending product under the CSO Program. These credit services fees accounted for approximately 8% of the Company's revenue from continuing operations during 2012 . In Mexico, the Company also offers an installment loan product with a term of 365 days and bears weekly service fees of 7% on the loan amount. These consumer loan fees accounted for less than 1% of the Company's revenue from continuing operations during 2012 .
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Victor Selva]
We can appreciate that Capital One麓s ROE is lower than that of American Express, Discover Financial Services, First Cash Financial Services (FCFS) and Nelnet Inc. (NNI).
- [By Eric Volkman]
First Cash Financial Services (NASDAQ: FCFS ) is becoming a pawn star. The company announced it has acquired a set of 19 large-format pawn shops in Texas, most of which operate under the Valu + Pawn brand name. The price was around $70 million in cash, funded for the most part under the company's revolving credit facility.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of First Cash Financial Services (NASDAQ: FCFS ) plunged as low as 14% today after the consumer finance company cut its short-term guidance outlook.
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