With shares of Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) trading around $28, is HPQ an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:
T = Trends for a Stock’s MovementHewlett-Packard provides products, technologies, software, solutions, and services to individual consumers, small and medium businesses, and large enterprises worldwide. The company offers commercial notebooks and desktops, consumer notebooks, desktops, software, and services for the commercial and consumer markets. The services segment provides consulting, outsourcing, and technology services to infrastructure, applications, and business process domains. The diverse technological products and services offered by Hewlett-Packard make it a leading provider that sees increased demand through global expansion.
Hewlett-Packard Company is reportedly planning to launch a big and less expensive smartphone (also called ��hablet�� as the company had been discussing its re-entry to the mobile industry for more than a year now.�According to report from The Information, the PC maker aims to introduce 6-inch and 7-inch smartphones for consumers in emerging markets including China, India, and the Philippines. The mobile devices will be sold at around $200 to $250 without carrier contract.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Evertec Inc (EVTC)
EVERTEC, Inc. (EVERTEC), formerly Carib Latam Holdings, Inc., incorporated on January 26, 1989, is a full service transaction processing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Company provides a range of merchant acquiring, payment processing and business process management services across 19 countries in the region. It processes over 1.8 billion transactions annually, and manages the electronic payment network for over 4,100 automated teller machines (ATM) and over 104,000 point-of-sale payment terminals. It is the merchant acquirer in the Caribbean and Central America and in Latin America. The Company owns and operates the ATH network, one of ATM and personal identification number debit networks in Latin America. In addition, it provides a suite of services for core bank processing, cash processing and technology outsourcing. It serves a diversified customer base of financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with technology solutions.
The Company serves a diversified customer base of financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with technology solutions that are essential to their operations, enabling them to issue, process and accept transactions securely. The Company�� broad suite of services span the entire transaction processing value chain and include a range of front-end customer facing solutions as well as back-end support services. These include: merchant acquiring services, which enable POS and e-commerce merchants to accept and process electronic methods of payment such as debit, credit, prepaid and electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards; payment processing services, which enable financial institutions and other issuers to manage, support and facilitate the processing for credit, debit, prepaid, ATM and EBT card programs; and business process management solutions, which provide mission critical technology solutions such as core bank processing, as well as information technology (IT) outsourcing and cash mana! gement services to financial institutions, enterprises and governments. The Company offers its customers end-to-end products and solutions across the transaction processing value chain from a single source across numerous channels and geographic markets.
Merchant Acquiring
Merchant Acquiring business provides services to merchants at over 25,000 locations that allow them to accept electronic methods of payment such as debit, credit, prepaid and EBT cards carrying the ATH, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express brands. Its suite of merchant acquiring services includes, but is not limited to, the underwriting of each merchant�� contract, the deployment of POS devices and other equipment necessary to capture merchant transactions, the processing of transactions at the point-of-sale, the settlement of funds with the participating financial institution, detailed sales reports and customer support. The Company�� Merchant Acquiring business generated 20.4%, of total revenues and 26.6%, of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.
Payment Processing
It provide diversified suite of payment processing products and services to blue chip regional and global corporate customers, government agencies, and financial institutions across Latin American and the Caribbean. These services provide the infrastructure technology necessary to facilitate the processing and routing of payments across the transaction processing value chain. At the point-of-sale, it sell transaction processing technology, similar to the services in its Merchant Acquiring business, to other merchant acquirers to enable them to service their its merchant customers. It also offer terminal driving solutions to merchants, merchant acquirers (including its Merchant Acquiring business) and financial institutions, which provide the technology to securely operate, manage and monitor POS terminals and ATMs. It also sells and rent POS devices to financial insti! tution cu! stomers who seek to deploy them across their own businesses. As of December 31, 2012, the Company provides technology services for over 4,100 ATMs and over 104,000 POS terminals in the region and is continuously certifying new machines and devices to expand this reach. The Company�� Payment Processing business accounted for 27.7%, of total revenues and of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.
Business Solutions
The Company provides its financial institution, corporate and government customers with a full suite of business process management solutions including specifically core bank processing, network hosting and management, IT consulting services, business process outsourcing, item and cash processing, and fulfillment. The Company�� Business Solutions business accounted for 51.9%, of total revenues and 31.3%, of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.
The Company Competes with Vantiv, Inc., First Data Corporation, Global Payment Inc., Elavon, Inc., Sage Payment Solutions, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., Fiserv, Inc. and Total System Services, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Shares of EVERTEC (NYSE: EVTC) got a boost, shooting up 8.91 percent to $22.99 after the company reported the commencement of offering by selling holders.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Diana Containerships Inc.(DCIX)
Diana Containerships Inc. owns and operates containerships in Greece. The company engages in the seaborne transportation of semi-finished and finished consumer and industrial products. As of February 23, 2012, its fleet consisted of 8 containerships with a carrying capacity of approximately 32,693 twenty-foot equivalent units. Diana Containerships Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Athens, Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Diana Containerships (NASDAQ: DCIX) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $13.22 million.
Intrawest Resorts Holdings (NYSE: SNOW) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $2.69 per share on revenue of $294.89 million.
5 Best Japanese Stocks To Watch Right Now: Raymond James Financial Inc (RJF)
Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) is a financial services holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in various financial services businesses predominantly in the United States of America and Canada. At September 30, 2011, its principal subsidiaries include Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (RJ&A), Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. (RJFSA), Raymond James Ltd. (RJ Ltd.), Eagle Asset Management, Inc. (Eagle), and Raymond James Bank, FSB (RJ Bank). All of these subsidiaries are wholly owned by RJF. In April 1, 2011, the Company acquired Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett (Howe Barnes). The Company operates through eight business segments: Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, Emerging Markets, Securities Lending, Proprietary Capital and various corporate activities combined in the Other segment. In April 2012, Regions Financial Corporation sold Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and related affiliates to RJF.
PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP
The Company provides securities transaction and financial planning services to approximately two million client accounts through the branch office systems of RJ&A, RJFS, RJFSA, RJ Ltd. and Raymond James Investment Services Limited (RJIS), a joint venture in the United Kingdom. Its financial advisors offer a range of investments and services, including both third-party and products, and a variety of financial planning services. The Company charges sales commissions or asset-based fees for investment services it provides to its Private Client Group clients based on established schedules. Varying discounts may be given, generally based upon the client's level of business, the trade size, service level provided, and other relevant factors. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the portion of revenues from this segment that the Company considers recurring include sources, such as asset-based fees, including mutual fund and annuity trailing commissions, ! and interest income and represented approximately 61% of the Private Client Group's total revenues. Its financial advisors offer a number of professionally managed load mutual funds, as well as a selection of no-load funds. RJ&A and RJFS maintain dealer sales agreements with distributors of mutual fund shares sold through broker-dealers.
The Company�� principal subsidiary, RJ&A, is the full service brokerage and investment firm headquartered in the state of Florida and with over 220 locations throughout the United States, is a retail brokerage firms in the country. RJ&A is a self-clearing broker-dealer engaged in most aspects of securities distribution, trading, investment banking and asset management. RJ&A also offers financial planning services for individuals and provides clearing services for RJFS, RJFSA, other affiliated entities and several unaffiliated broker-dealers. RJFS is an independent contractor brokerage firms in the United States., is a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC), but is not a member of any exchanges. Financial advisors affiliated with RJFS may offer their clients all products and services offered through RJ&A, including investment advisory products and services which are offered through its affiliated registered investment advisor, RJFSA. RJ Ltd. is its Canadian broker-dealer subsidiary, which is engaged in both retail and institutional distribution and investment banking. RJ Ltd. is a member of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Its United States broker-dealer subsidiary is a member of FINRA and SIPC.
CAPITAL MARKETS
Capital Markets activities consist primarily of equity and fixed income products and services. Its institutional clients are serviced by institutional equity departments of RJ&A and RJ Ltd.; the RJ&A fixed income department; RJ&A�� European offices; Raymond James Financial Intern! ational, ! Ltd, an institutional UK broker-dealer, and Raymond James European Securities, Inc., a joint venture, in which the Company hold a controlling interest. The Company charges commissions on equity transactions based on trade size and the amount of business conducted annually with each institution. Fixed income commissions are based on trade size and the characteristics of the specific security. Some European and United States offices also provide services to high net worth clients. RJ Ltd. has approximately 40 institutional equity sales and trading professionals servicing predominantly Canadian, United States and European institutional investors from offices in Canada and Europe.
Trading equity securities involves the purchase and sale of securities from and to its clients or other dealers. RJ&A makes markets in over 900 common stocks. The RJ Ltd. trading desks not only support client activity, but also take positions that are closely monitored within well defined limits. RJ Ltd. also provides specialist services in approximately 150 TSX listed common stocks. RJ&A trades both taxable and tax-exempt fixed income securities. The taxable and tax-exempt RJ&A fixed income traders purchase and sell corporate, municipal, government, government agency, and mortgage-backed bonds, asset-backed securities, preferred stock and certificates of deposit from and to its clients or other dealers.
Fixed income investment banking includes debt underwriting and public finance activities. The syndicate department consists of professionals who coordinate the marketing, distribution, pricing and stabilization of lead and co-managed equity underwritings. In addition to lead and co-managed offerings, this department coordinates the firm's syndicate and selling group activities in transactions managed by other investment banking firms. Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc. (RJTCF) is the general partner or managing member in a number of limited partnerships and limited liability companies. These partnershi! ps and li! mited liability companies invest in real estate project entities that qualify for tax credits under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.
ASSET MANAGEMENT
The Company�� Asset Management segment includes the operations of Eagle, the Eagle Family of Funds (Eagle Funds), the asset management operations of RJ&A (AMS), Raymond James Trust, and other fee-based programs. The majority of the revenue for this segment is generated by the investment advisory fees related to asset management services for individual investment portfolios and mutual funds. Investment advisory fees are also earned on assets held in managed and non-managed programs. Eagle Fund Distributors, Inc. (EFD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Eagle, is a registered broker-dealer engaged in the distribution of the Eagle Funds. The Eagle Funds utilize unaffiliated sub-advisors for the Capital Appreciation Fund and International Equity Fund. The Small Cap Growth Fund, Mid Cap Growth Fund, Growth and Income Fund, Large Cap Core Fund, Mid Cap Stock Fund, Investment Grade Bond Fund, and Small Cap Core Value Fund are managed by Eagle.
AMS
AMS manages several investment advisory programs which maintain an approved list of investment managers, provide asset allocation model portfolios, establish custodial facilities, monitor performance of client accounts, provide clients with accounting and other administrative services, and assist investment managers with certain trading management activities. In addition, AMS offers additional managed accounts managed within fee based asset allocation platforms under its Freedom accounts and other managed programs. Freedom�� investment committee manages portfolios of mutual funds, exchange traded funds and separately managed account models on a discretionary basis. AMS also provides certain services for their non-managed fee-based programs (Passport, Ambassador and other non-managed programs). They provide performance reporting, research, sales, accounting, trad! ing and o! ther administrative services. Client fees are based on the individual account or relationship size and may also be dependent on the type of securities in the accounts.
Raymond James Trust, National Association, (RJT) provides personal trust services primarily to existing clients of its broker-dealer subsidiaries. Portfolio management of trust assets can be subcontracted to its asset management operations. This subsidiary had a total of approximately $2 billion in client assets at September 30, 2011, including nearly $120 million in the donor-advised charitable foundation known as the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund.
RJ BANK
RJ Bank is a federally chartered savings bank, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which provides corporate, residential and consumer loans, as well as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts, to clients of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public. RJ Bank is active in corporate loan syndications and bank participations as well as purchases residential whole loan packages to hold for investment. RJ Bank generates revenue principally through the interest income earned on loans and investments, which is offset by the interest expense it pays on client deposits and on its borrowings.
RJ Bank�� assets include C&I loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans that were purchased or originated by RJ Bank. Corporate loans represent approximately 75% of RJ Bank�� loan portfolio of which 90% are Shared National Credits (SNC) or other large syndicated loans. RJ Bank purchases and originates corporate loans secured by corporate assets, commercial and industrial (C&I) loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans, all of which are funded primarily by cash balances swept from the investment accounts of our broker-dealer subsidiaries��clients.
EMERGING MARKETS
Raymond! James In! ternational Holdings, Inc. (RJIH), through its subsidiaries, has interests in operations in Latin American countries including Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Through these entities it operates securities brokerage, investment banking, asset management and equity research businesses. In fiscal 2011, approximately 75% of this segments��investment banking revenues arose from one client.
SECURITIES LENDING
This segment conducts its business through the borrowing and lending of securities from and to other broker-dealers, financial institutions and other counterparties. The Company conducts these activities as an intermediary. Securities Lending will also loan customer marginable securities held in a margin account containing a debit to counterparties. The borrower of the securities puts up a cash deposit on which interest is earned. The lender in turn receives cash and pays interest. These cash deposits are adjusted daily to reflect changes in the current market value of the underlying securities. Additionally, securities are borrowed from other broker-dealers to facilitate RJ&A�� clearance and settlement obligations. The net revenues of this securities lending business are the interest spreads generated.
PROPRIETARY CAPITAL
This segment consists of its principal capital and private equity activities, including various direct and third-party private equity and merchant banking investments; Raymond James Employee Investment Funds I and II (the EIF Funds), and a private equity fund which we sponsor-Raymond James Capital Partners, L.P. As of September 30, 2011, certain of its merchant banking investments include an investment in a manufacturer of crime investigation and forensic supplies, an event photography business, and an indirect investment in an allergy immunotherapy testing and treatment supply company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
The joint book-running managers of the issue are Raymond James Financial (NYSE: RJF ) unit Raymond James & Associates, Royal Bank of Canada's (NYSE: RY ) RBC Capital Markets, and the Securities divisions of Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB ) . The sale is expected to close on May 28.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: 51job Inc.(JOBS)
51job, Inc. provides integrated human resource services primarily in the People?s Republic of China. . The company provides recruitment related advertising services, including print advertising services through 51job Weekly, which is a city-specific recruitment advertising publication that is published once a week and is distributed as an insert in local newspapers and/or on a stand-alone basis; and online recruitment services through its Website, www.51job.com. It also offers other human resource related services, such as business process outsourcing, which consist of social insurance and welfare payment processing, regulatory compliance, and payroll processing; and executive search services, as well as conducts training seminars in the areas of business management, leadership, sales and marketing, human resource, negotiation skills, financial planning and analysis, public administration, manufacturing, secretarial, and other skills for the general public and corporate cl ients. In addition, the company provides campus recruitment services; conducts salary, employee retention, and other human resource related surveys; organize and host annual human resource conferences and events, which include lectures, seminars, workshops, and networking opportunities for human resource professionals; and provides assessment tools to assist human resource departments in evaluating capabilities and dispositions of job candidates and existing employees, aiding employee placement, and allocating employee resources, as well as hiring and support services to employers on select recruitment projects. It provides recruitment and other human resource related services to employers through its sales offices, as well as through its sales and customer service call center. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Rooney]
51job (JOBS), an online job search website similar to Monster.com (MWW), has surged more 60% this year.
But there is one notable Chinese dot-com stock that's sitting out the big rally. Shares of Renren (RENN), the social network known as China's Facebook (FB, Fortune 500), are down 3% for the year.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Hastings Entertainment Inc.(HAST)
Hastings Entertainment, Inc. operates as a multimedia entertainment retailer. It operates entertainment superstores that buy, sell, trade, and rent various home entertainment products, including books, music, software, periodicals, movies on DVD and Blu-Ray, video games, video game consoles and consumer electronics. The company?s stores also provide consumables and trends products, such as apparel, t-shirts, action figures, posters, greeting cards, and seasonal merchandise. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 145 superstores in medium-sized markets located in 20 states, primarily in the western and midwestern United States. The company also operates a concept store, Sun Adventure Sports that sells a range of bicycles and related accessories, skateboards, other athletic equipment, apparel, and shoes, as well as offers bicycle repair services and cycling classes. In addition, it operates a multimedia entertainment e-commerce Web site, which offers a range of books, software, video games, movies on DVDs and Blu-Ray, music, trends, and electronics. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Amarillo, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
At first glance it would be easy to assume the recent bullishness from Hastings Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAST) was nothing more than a little volatility, as is common for many small cap stocks. After all, HAST shares have been beaten down pretty well since the middle of last year, and a little bit of "up" relief is likely in the cards. As it turns out, however, the current reversal we're seeing from this stock may be a far bigger - and a far longer lasting - turnaround than traders may realize with just a quick look.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: TC PipeLines LP (TCP)
TC PipeLines, LP (the Partnership), incorporated on December 16, 1998, acquires, owns and participates in the management of energy infrastructure businesses in North America. The Company�� pipeline systems transport natural gas in the United States. The Partnership is managed by the Company�� General Partner, which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of TransCanada. The Company has equity ownership interests in four natural gas interstate pipeline systems. The Company�� pipeline systems include Great Lakes, Northern Border, GTN, Bison, North Baja and Tuscarora. The Company owns 46.45% interest in Great Lakes. Great Lakes connect with the TransCanada Mainline at the Canadian border near Emerson, Manitoba, Canada and St. Clair, Michigan, near Detroit. Great Lakes are a bi-directional pipeline that can receive and deliver natural gas at multiple points along its system. In July 2013, TC PipeLines, LP announced the closing of its acquisition of an additional 45% interest in each of Gas Transmission Northwest LLC (GTN) and Bison Pipeline LLC (Bison) from subsidiaries of TransCanada Corporation.
The Company owns 50% interest in Northern Border. Northern Border Extends between the Canadian borders near Port of Morgan, Montana to a terminus near North Hayden, Indiana, south of Chicago. Northern Border is capable of receiving natural gas from Canada, the Williston Basin and Rockies Basin. The Company owns 25% interest in GTN. GTN extends between an interconnection near Kingsgate, British Columbia, Canada at the Canadian Border to a point near Malin, Oregon at the California border. The Company owns 25% interest Bison. Bison extends from a location near Gillette, Wyoming to Northern Border's pipeline system in North Dakota. The Company owns 100% interest in North Baja. North Baja extends between an interconnection with the El Paso Natural Gas Company pipeline near Ehrenberg, Arizona to an interconnection with a natural gas pipeline near Ogilby, California on the Mexican border. The Compa! ny owns 100% interest in Tuscarora. Tuscarora extends between GTN near Malin, Oregon to its terminus near Reno, Nevada and delivers natural gas in northeastern California and northwestern Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Next week�� issue will tackle the three remaining questions: one on MLP equivalents in Canada and Australia, one on Enbridge Energy Partners (NYSE: EEP) �and TC Pipelines (NYSE: TCP), and a third query on Access Midstream Partners (NYSE: ACMP), Crestwood Midstream Partners (NYSE: CMLP) and Mid-Con Energy Partners (Nasdaq: MCEP).
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Vector Group Ltd (VGR)
Vector Group Ltd is a holding company. The Company operates in Tobacco and Real Estate. The Tobacco segment consists of the manufacture and sale of cigarettes. The Real Estate segment includes the Company�� investments in consolidated and non-consolidated real estate businesses. The Company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States through its Liggett Group LLC (Liggett) and Vector Tobacco Inc. (Vector Tobacco) subsidiaries, and the real estate business through its New Valley LLC (New Valley) subsidiary, which is seeking to acquire additional operating companies and real estate properties. New Valley has real estate-related investments, including Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC (Douglas Elliman Realty) (50% interest), New Valley Oaktree Chelsea Eleven LLC (40% interest) and Fifty Third-Five Building LLC (50% interest), Sesto Holdings S.r.L (7.2% interest), MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC (1107 Broadway) (5% interest), NV SOCAL LLC (26% interest) and HFZ East 68th Street (18% interest), where other partners hold interests.
As of February 15, 2012, 52 of the 54 units in the Chelsea Eleven LLC real estate development had been sold. During the year ended December, 31, 2011, New Valley invested in MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC for an approximate indirect 5% interest. In September 2011, MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC acquired the 1107 Broadway property in Manhattan, New York. In February 2011, New Valley invested in Lofts 21 LLC for an approximate 12% interest. In October 2011, New Valley invested in Hill Street Partners LLP (Hill) for an approximate 17.39% interest. Hill purchased a 37% interest in Hill Street SEP (Hotel Taiwana), which owns a hotel located in St. Barts, French West Indies. The hotel consists of 30 suites, six pools, a restaurant, lounge and gym. The purpose of the investment is to renovate and the sell the hotel in its entirety or as hotel-condos. In December 2011, New Valley invested in a condominium conversion project for an approximate 1! 8% interest. The building is a 12-story, 105,000 square foot residential rental building located on 68th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Tobacco Operations
Liggett is the operating successor to Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. During 2011, Liggett was a manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States. Liggett�� manufacturing facilities are located in Mebane, North Carolina where it manufactures most of Vector Tobacco�� cigarettes pursuant to a contract manufacturing agreement. As of December 31, 2011, Liggett and Vector Tobacco have no foreign operations. The Company�� tobacco subsidiaries manufacture and sell cigarettes in the United States. Liggett produces cigarettes in approximately 118 combinations of length, style and packaging. Liggett�� brand portfolio includes PYRAMID, GRAND PRIX , LIGGETT SELECT , EVE and USA and various Partner Brands and private label brands.
Liggett Vector Brands LLC (LVB), which coordinates its tobacco subsidiaries��sales and marketing efforts, along with certain support functions, has an agreement with Circle K Stores, Inc., which operates more than 3,300 convenience stores in the United States under the Circle K and Mac�� names, to supply MONTEGO, a deep discount brand, exclusively for the Circle K and Mac�� stores. The MONTEGO brand was offered under LVB's Partner Brands program. LVB also has an agreement with Sunoco Inc., which operates approximately 675 Sunoco APlus branded convenience stores in the United States, to manufacture SILVER EAGLE. SILVER EAGLE, a deep discount brand, is exclusive to Sunoco and was the second brand to be offered under LVB's Partner Brands program. Liggett also manufactures BRONSON cigarettes as part of a multi-year Partner Brands agreement with QuikTrip, a convenience store chain with more than 580 stores.
New Valley LLC
New Valley is engaged in the real estate business and is seeking to acquire additional real estate properties an! d operati! ng companies. New Valley owns a 50% interest in Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC, which operates residential brokerage company in the New York City metropolitan area. New Valley also holds an investment in a 450-acre approved master planned community in Palm Springs, California (Escena), holds investment interests in various real estate projects in Manhattan, New York, southern California and Milan, Italy through both debt and equity investments.
Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC
Douglas Elliman Realty is engaged in the real estate brokerage business through its two subsidiaries which conduct business as Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate. The two brokerage companies have 62 offices with approximately 3,975 real estate agents in the metropolitan New York area. The Long Island brokerage operation, is the residential brokerage company on Long Island with 44 offices and approximately 1,850 real estate agents. During 2011, the Long Island brokerage operation closed approximately 6,163 transactions. Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate acts as a broker in residential real estate transactions.
Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate also offers relocation services to employers, which provide a variety of specialized services primarily concerned with facilitating the resettlement of transferred employees. These services include sales and marketing of transferees��existing homes for their corporate employer, assistance in finding homes, moving services, educational and school placement counseling, customized videos, property marketing assistance, rental assistance, area tours, international relocation, group move services, marketing and management of foreclosed properties, career counseling, spouse/partner employment assistance, and financial services. Clients can select these programs and services on a fee basis according to their needs. DE Capital Mortgage LLC primarily originates loans for purchases of properties located on Long Island, New York City and Westchester. Approx! imately o! ne-half of these loans are for home sales transactions, in which Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate acts as a broker.
Douglas Elliman Realty is also engaged in the management of cooperatives, condominiums and apartments though its subsidiary, Residential Management Group, LLC, which conducts business as Douglas Elliman Property Management and is a manager of apartments, cooperatives and condominiums in the New York metropolitan area. Residential Management Group provides service third-party fee management for approximately 350 properties, representing approximately 47,000 units in New York
The Company competes with Philip Morris USA Inc., Reynolds America Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Company, Commonwealth Brands, Inc., Century-21, ERA, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, GMAC Home Services and NRT LLC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Dzombak]
Vector Group (NYSE: VGR ) is the third-highest-yielding dividend stock in June with a trailing yield of 9.9%. The company has two main businesse: tobacco and real estate. The company manufactures and sells cigarettes through its Liggett Group and Vector Tobacco subsidiaries under the Pyramid, Grand Prix, Liggett Select, and Eve brands. The company is the fourth-largest cigarette manufacturer in the U.S. behind giants Altria (NYSE: MO ) , Lorillard, and Reynolds American. There are some advantages to being small. Vector has a cost advantage stemming from the settlement between Vector and the U.S.: The company does not have to make annual payments unless its market share exceeds 1.65% of the U.S. market. As such, the company positions its brands as discount cigarettes to capitalize on its advantage.
- [By alicet236]
Vector Group Ltd. (VGR): President and CEO Howard M Lorber sold 300,000 Shares
President and CEO of Vector Group, Ltd. (VGR) Howard M Lorber sold 300,000 shares on Dec. 19 at an average price of $16.3. Vector Group Ltd. is a Delaware Corporation. It operates as a holding company and is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States through its subsidiaries, Liggett Group LLC and Vector Tobacco Inc. Vector Group. It has a market cap of $1.55 billion; its shares were traded at around $16.38 with and P/S ratio of 1.44. The dividend yield of Vector Group stocks is 9.54%. Vector Group Ltd. had an annual average earnings growth of 15.60% over the past 10 years.
- [By Sean Williams]
But, it isn't just Lorillard's premium brands that are doing the talking! Lorillard's discount brands, such as Maverick and Old Gold, are giving discount-only brand Vector Group (NYSE: VGR ) , as well as traditionally bigger tobacco producers Altria and Reynolds American a run for their money. This helped push Lorillard's overall cigarette market share up 0.4% year over year to 14.9%. Not surprisingly, Lorillard has delivered market share increases in each of the past 10 years!�
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc (HAWK)
Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc., incorporated on January 27, 2006, is a prepaid payment network utilizing technology to offer a range of gift cards, other prepaid products and payment services in the United States and 18 other countries. The Company is a third-party distributor of gift. Its product offerings include gift cards, prepaid telecom products and prepaid financial services products (including general purpose reloadable (GPR), cards and its reload network). In addition, it sells physical and electronic gift cards to consumers through both online distributors and its Website, GiftCardMall.com. It offers gift cards from consumer brands, such as Amazon.com, Applebee��, iTunes, Lowe��, Macy�� and Starbucks and from payment networks, such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa. In addition, it distributes GPR, cards provided by Green Dot and NetSpend, as well as PayPower, its own GPR card. REloadit, its reload network, allows consumers to reload funds onto certain of their previously purchased GPR cards. In November 2013, Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc completed the acquisition of InteliSpend Prepaid Solutions. Effective December 2013, Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc, a unit of Safeway Inc, acquired Retailo AG.
The Company also offers prepaid solutions, including functionality and connectivity for digital wallet products within digital payments space, as well as an online gift card exchange called Cardpool. The Company�� extensive prepaid network provides benefits to its three primary constituents: consumers who purchase the products and services it offers, content providers who offer branded gift cards and other prepaid products that are redeemable for goods and services, and distribution partners who sell those products. Its extensive network connects to more than 500 content providers and over 100,000 active retail distribution locations, providing access to over 160 million consumer visits per week. For consumers, the Company provides a variety of brands and content at ! retail distribution locations and online. For its content providers, it provides access to millions of consumers and creates new customer relationships. For its distribution partners, it provides product category that drives incremental store traffic and customer loyalty. It also distributes prepaid telecom products offered by prepaid wireless telecom brands. The Company distributes its products across multiple traffic channels, such as grocery, convenience, specialty and online retailers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Blackhawk Network Holdings (NASDAQ: HAWK) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $210.94 million.
E2open (NASDAQ: EOPN) is projected to post a Q2 loss at $0.15 per share on revenue of $17.23 million.
Best Services Companies To Watch For 2015: Belgacom SA (BELG)
Belgacom SA is a Belgium-based company registered under the Belgian public law that provides both fixed and mobile telecommunication services, including telephony, Internet and television services for both professional and private customers. Its activities are divided into five product lines: Packs (offering mixed all-in-one products, such as Internet together with Television and Mobile telephony); Proximus telephony, Internet, Television and Fixed telephony. It also offers its customers e-services (helping in account managing online), help and support through its Website. The Belgian State is the Company's major shareholder. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
Belgacom SA (BELG) rallied 9.1 percent to 18.34 euros, its biggest gain since at least 2004, after reporting second-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and some items of 430 million euros. Analysts on average had estimated Ebitda of 414.2 million euros.
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