Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014

Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S  ) and Clearwire (NASDAQ: CLWR  ) have become the stars of my favorite soap opera.

Japanese mobile operator Softbank wants to buy Sprint. So does all-American satellite broadcaster DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) . This is a bidding war, sure, but also a war of words. DISH says the Japanese option is a threat to national security; Softbank asked its banking partners not to support DISH's bid. So Softbank struck an accord with American regulatory bodies that bypassed the alleged security threats, and DISH tapped a handful of other banks to finance its own bid.

Oh, but that's not all. Sprint is in the midst of buying Clearwire outright -- in a bidding war with DISH, of all potential rivals. This bidding war is a moot point if DISH walks away hand-in-hand with Sprint, but that hasn't stopped some heated auction action. Sprint's original $2.97 bid per share was topped by a $3.30 offer from DISH, and then raised by Sprint again to $3.40 -- and now there's a $4.40 DISH alternative on the table. Clearwire investors clearly love this war, but it sounds as if DISH is waving a white flag over the Sprint combination.

Top 10 China Companies To Watch For 2015: Forest Oil Corporation (FST)

Forest Oil Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company primarily has interests in the properties in the Texas Panhandle; the east Texas/north Louisiana; and the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas. As of December 31, 2011, its total estimated proved oil and gas reserves were approximately 1,904 billion cubic feet equivalent. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado with an additional office in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Tuesday morning, the energy sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from Forest Oil (NYSE: FST) and Swift Energy Co (NYSE: SFY). Financial shares declined around 0.60 percent in Tuesday's trading.

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc.(JBSS)

John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. engages in the processing and marketing of tree nuts and peanuts in the United States. It offers raw and processed nuts, including peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, filberts, cashews, English walnuts, black walnuts, pine nuts, and macadamia nuts. The company provides nut products in various styles and seasonings, such as natural, blanched, oil roasted, dry roasted, unsalted, honey roasted, flavored, spicy, butter toffee, praline, and cinnamon toasted. It also offers peanut butter; food and snack products comprising snack mixes, salad toppings, natural snacks, trail mixes, dried fruit, and chocolate and yogurt coated products; baking ingredients; bulk food products; sunflower seeds, almond butter, sesame sticks, and other sesame snack products; and toppings for ice cream and yogurt. The company provides its products under various private labels, as well as under the Fisher, Orchard Valley Harvest, and Sunshine Country brand na mes. John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. markets its products through its own sales department, a network of independent brokers, and various independent distributors and suppliers to retailers and wholesalers, as well as to industrial, food service, and contract packaging customers. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Elgin, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares rose by 0.04 percent in today’s trading. Top gainers in the sector included John B Sanfilippo & Son (NASDAQ: JBSS), up 3.3 percent, and Blyth (NYSE: BTH), up 3.1 percent.

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: Landauer Inc (LDR)

Landauer, Inc. (Landauer) is a provider of technical and analytical services to determine occupational and environmental radiation exposure. The Company is domestic provider of outsourced medical physics services. The Company operates in two segments: Radiation Monitoring and Medical Physics. The Company has provided radiation dosimetry services to hospitals, medical and dental offices, universities, national laboratories, nuclear facilities and other industries. Landauer's services include the manufacture of radiation detection monitors, the distribution and collection of the monitors to and from customers, and the analysis and reporting of exposure findings. In addition to providing analytical services, the Company leases or sells dosimetry detectors and reading equipment to customers. Medical physics services are provided through the Company's Global Physics Solutions, Inc. (GPS) subsidiary. In November 2011, it acquired IZI Medical Products, LLC.

In November 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of GPS. GPS is a nationwide service provider of clinical physics support, equipment commissioning and accreditation support and imaging equipment testing. In June 2010, Landauer, through its GPS subsidiary, completed the acquisition of Upstate Medical Physics (UMP), a provider of imaging physics services in New York. In November 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of Gammadata Matteknik AB (GDM), a Swedish provider of radon measurement services. GDM provides measurement services throughout the Scandinavian region and Europe. In October 2009, Landauer completed the acquisition of dosimetry service in Sweden, called Landauer Persondosimetri AB (PDM).

The Radiation Monitoring revenues are realized from radiation monitoring services and other services incidental to radiation dose measurement. The Company enters into agreements with customers to provide them with radiation monitoring services, for a 12 month period. As part of its services, the Company provides to its custome! rs radiation detection badges, which are produced and owned by the Company. The badges are worn for a period selected by the customers (wear period), which is usually one, two, or three months in duration. At the end of the wear period, the badges are returned to the Company for analysis. The Company analyzes the badges that have been worn and provides its customers with a report indicating their radiation exposures. The Company recycles certain badge components for reuse, while also producing replacement badges on a continual basis.

The Company offers its service for measuring the dosages of x-ray, gamma radiation and other penetrating ionizing radiations, to which the wearer has been exposed, through badges, which contain optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) material, which are worn by customer personnel. This technology is marketed under the trade names Luxel+ and InLight. A component of the Company's dosimetry system is OSL crystal material. The Company's base OSL material is manufactured utilizing a process to create aluminum oxide crystals in a structure that is able to retain charged electrons following the crystal's exposure to radiation.

Landauer's InLight dosimetry system provides in-house and commercial laboratories with the ability to provide in-house radiation monitoring services using OSL technology. InLight services involve a customer acquiring or leasing dosimetry devices, as well as analytical reading equipment from the Company. The InLight system allows customers the flexibility to tailor their dosimetry needs. Landauer's operations include services for the measurement and monitoring of radon gas. The Company offers a service, which provides radon monitoring and, when necessary, remediation to purchasers of personal residences. Testing requires the customer to deploy a radon detector and return the detector to the Company's laboratories for dose determination and reporting. The Company assists with remediation services on properties where radon measurements ! exceed a ! specified threshold.

The Company competes with Mirion Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Landauer (NYSE: LDR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  And now Apple is supposedly in talks with several credit card companies - Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) in particular - about coordinating on a mobile payment platform. A report a few weeks ago on The Information claimed the companies have already reached a deal.

• [By Dan Newman]

  "Bitcoins" either sound like a futuristic, implantable, laser-guided and rocket-pack equipped form of money, or the latest coin-shaped chocolate snack. In reality, it's probably a bit of both. The bitcoin, a digital currency, started the year worth about $15. Less than four months later, one bitcoin now trades above $70. While this past performance may be enticing and a sign of its legitimacy as a future currency, the bitcoin market is full of risks -- risks that may make bitcoins worth as much as a foil-wrapped piece of sugar. Bitcoin: A Crypto-Currency Bitcoin is based around the idea of a currency created and transacted through cryptography instead of issued and tracked through a central bank. And to add to its mystique, the creator of bitcoin only goes by a pseudonym and has never been positively identified. Instead of any legal authority, bitcoin transactions are verified through peer-to-peer interactions. If a user sends bitcoins to another user's "wallet" file, that transaction is verified through other users, and is written into the collective transaction log. And given the ease of transactions, any fees for transfers are minimal. Instead of a mint, bitcoins are created through a process called "mining," where computers attempt to solve for a certain number, and once found, are rewarded with new bitcoins. The rewards decrease with time, however, and there will only ever be about 21 million bitcoins created, three-quarters of which by 2016, and all by 2140. Even if you don't understand any of the above, the recent jump in valuation probably still has your interest. But there are plenty of reasons to continue to educate yourself before attempting to trade in bitcoins.

  bitcoincharts.com Glitches Not having any legal regulation, bitcoin has attracted plenty of thieves through the websites that create trading markets: In 2011, the third-largest trading site, Bitomat, lost its wallet file, which held 17,000 bitcoins worth more than $200,000 at th
• [By Associated Press]

  Prom spending is expected to rise this spring to an average $1,139. That's among families who are planning to spend some money to attend the annual affair, according to a survey of 1,025 parents of prom age teens by payment processor Visa (NYSE: V  ) and research company Gfk. Not included in the average were 12 percent who said they wouldn't spend anything on the prom. A majority of parents with teenagers surveyed were still unsure how much they'd spend.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Getty Images Recent events like the data breach that affected Target (TGT) customers across the nation have made consumers think twice before using credit and debit cards. In particular, prepaid cards -- onto which customers load a certain amount of money, and which can be used anywhere that accepts debit cards -- have created a great deal of confusion, as many people aren't clear about whether they offer the same fraud protections as credit cards or debit cards. Moreover, with wide variations in fees, it can be hard to figure out which prepaid card is best for you. To make it easier for consumers to choose among prepaid cards, Visa (V) came out on June 3 with a new set of standards. Although issuers won't be required to follow those standards, those cards that meet the requirements will receive Visa's designation, which it hopes will spur customers to demand those positive characteristics. But do Visa's moves go far enough? Let's look. What Visa Did Some of the most important standards are for fees. Visa wants to see banks set flat monthly fees that include everything that cardholders would generally want to do with a prepaid card. Specifically, Visa wants prepaid card issuers not to charge separate fees for declined transactions, in-network ATM transactions, PIN or signature purchase transactions, getting cash back at the point of sale or general customer service. In addition, Visa wants cards not to charge overdraft fees or provide overdraft coverage, which makes sense given that the entire point of the prepaid card is to limit users to the amount loaded on the card. Moreover, Visa wants prepaid card issuers to communicate their fee structures clearly, using some of the same methods that they are now required to use with credit cards, such as fee boxes and simple disclosures. In addition, a quick-use guide for consumers will help them minimize the costs of using particular cards. Protecting the Consumer Visa is including several important provisions fo

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: MEDL Mobile Holdings Inc (MEDL)

MEDL Mobile Holdings, Inc. incorporated on May 22, 2008 is a developer, incubator, marketer and aggregator of mobile application software (Apps). The Company is engaged in the monetization of mobile application software through four revenue generating platforms: development of customized Apps for third parties to monetize their particular intellectual property, persona or brand, incubation of Apps in partnership with third parties and from a library of more than 75,000 original Apps concept submissions, sale of advertising and sponsorship opportunities directly to brands via mobile advertising networks and acquisition of Apps from other developers and use of a application programming interface ( API).

The Company develops Apps for customers that vary in size from small start-ups to large multinational corporations, in a range of industries including retailing, fast food, air travel, medical devices, higher education and fashion. As of December 31, 2011, revenues its custom development accounted for approximately 93% of its total revenues. The Company prepares packages for sale in the Apple App Store and the Google Android Marketplace. This package includes app store copy, sample screen shots.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Digital Caddies Inc (OTCMKTS: CADY), MEDL Mobile Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: MEDL) and Yappn Corp (OTCMKTS: YPPN) offer different ways to potentially profit from Internet or mobile technology. However, all three small cap stocks have also been the subject of paid promotions or investor relations types of activities. So will investors actually profit from the efforts of these small caps to profit from the Internet or mobile technology? Here is a quick reality check:

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: OGE Energy Corporation(OGE)

OGE Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and energy services provider that offers physical delivery and related services for electricity and natural gas primarily in the south central United States. The company is involved in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy in Oklahoma and western Arkansas; and gathering, processing, transporting, storing, and marketing of natural gas. It furnishes retail electric service in 268 communities and their contiguous rural and suburban areas. OGE Energy Corp. operates coal-fired and natural gas-fired units, as well as wind-powered units. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 12 generating stations with an aggregate capability of 6,790 megawatts; and a transmission system comprising 51 substations and 4,258 structure miles of lines in Oklahoma, and 7 substations and 279 structure miles of lines in Arkansas. Its distribution system consisted of 353 substations , 27,854 structure miles of overhead lines, 1,895 miles of underground conduit, and 10,120 miles of underground conductors in Oklahoma, as well as 37 substations, 2,250 structure miles of overhead lines, 212 miles of underground conduit, and 572 miles of underground conductors in Arkansas. The company also owned approximately 6,019 miles of intrastate natural gas gathering pipelines in Oklahoma and Texas; approximately 2,250 miles of intrastate natural gas transportation pipelines in Oklahoma; and 2 underground natural gas storage facilities and 8 operating natural gas processing plants in Oklahoma. It serves residential, commercial, industrial, oilfield, public authorities, and street light operators. OGE Energy Corp. was founded in 1995 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Energy services provider OGE Energy (OGE) raised its annual dividend 7.8% to 90 cents per share, payable on Jan. 30 to shareholders of record as of January 10.
  OGE Dividend Yield: 2.6%

Hot Japanese Companies To Invest In 2014: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: JKS) is up 12.9% at $33.29 after reporting better-than-expected earnings and a strong forecast. Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is up 2.2% at $29.41 on good results. InterCloud Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ICLD) is up 48.5% at $14.05 following last Friday’s even bigger run-up in the shares.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Solar stocks are shooting higher again today as the strong run in 2013 continues. LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK  ) , Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ  ) , Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE  ) , Hanwha SolarOne (NASDAQ: HSOL  ) , and JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) led the way, gaining between 10% and 22% today.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Analysts are expecting JinkoSolar Holding Co (NYSE: JKS) to have earned $0.76 per share on revenue of $391.55 million in the second quarter. JinkoSolar shares gained 1.73% to $28.30 in after-hours trading.