It’s not every day that the CEO of Charles Schwab & Co. (SCHW) speaks to the advisor press, though in previous interviews Walt Bettinger has said that he regularly does talk to advisors who custody with Schwab or are considering doing so.
In a telephone interview on June 20, during Schwab’s invitation-only Explore event for its RIAs in Tucson, Ariz., Bettinger (at left in photo) and Bernie Clark (right), who runs Schwab Advisor Services (SAS), spoke of the opportunities for RIAs and some initiatives that SAS was rolling out. However, Bettinger also spoke of some other topics dear to his heart, and reiterated that “advisors are core to our overall corporate strategy; they’re not a sideline business.” Advisors in Schwab Advisor Services, he said, “are our primary strategy in the high-net-worth” space.
Top 10 Trucking Companies To Watch In Right Now: LifePoint Hospitals Inc.(LPNT)
LifePoint Hospitals Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates general acute care hospitals in non-urban communities in the United States. The company?s hospitals provide a range of medical and surgical services comprising general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic care, coronary care, rehabilitation services, and pediatric services, as well as specialized services, such as open-heart surgery, skilled nursing, psychiatric care, and neuro-surgery. Its hospitals also offer outpatient services, including one-day surgery, laboratory, x-ray, respiratory therapy, imaging, sports medicine, and lithotripsy. As of December 31, 2009, LifePoint Hospitals owned or leased 47 hospitals with a total of 5,552 licensed beds in 17 states. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NasdaqNM:LPNT) operates independently of HCA Inc. as of May 11, 1999.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Keith Speights]
The fun wasn't just limited to the big three hospital operators. Lifepoint Hospitals (NASDAQ: LPNT ) stock jumped 5% on the CMS news, reflecting a $109 million market cap expansion. Likewise, Vanguard Health Systems (NYSE: VHS ) shares climbed 5%, bumping its market cap up by�$55 million.
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Northwest Pipe Company (NWPX)
Northwest Pipe Company manufactures and markets large-diameter, high-pressure steel pipeline systems for use in water infrastructure applications, primarily related to drinking water systems. Its pipeline systems are also used for hydroelectric power systems, wastewater systems, and other applications. The company also manufactures smaller diameter, electric resistance welded steel pipes and other welded steel pipe products for use in a range of applications, including energy, construction, agriculture, industrial, and traffic signpost systems. In addition, it manufactures products for various structural piling applications and in-plant pipeline systems for power plants and other industrial applications. The company sells its water transmission products to public water agencies directly or through installation contractors; and tubular products to distributors and original equipment manufacturers through a network of direct sales force personnel and sales agents in the Unit ed States and Canada. Northwest Pipe Company was founded in 1966 and is based in Vancouver, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aaron Levitt]
Enter Northwest Pipe (NWPX).
NWPX is the leading supplier of high-pressure steel pipe used in wastewater, hydroelectric power and potable drinking water applications. While Northwest�� steel pipes are more expensive to install and use than similar concrete ones, water authorities in dryer climates prefer them as they have zero evaporation rises.
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Washington Federal Inc (WAFD)
Washington Federal, Inc., incorporated on November 15, 1994, is a bank holding company, which conducts its operations through a federally-insured savings association subsidiary, Washington Federal (Bank). The Bank is a federal savings association. The business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from the general public and investing these funds in loans of various types, including first lien mortgages on single-family dwellings, construction loans, land acquisition and development loans, loans on multi-family and other income producing properties, home equity loans and business loans. It also invests in United States government and agency obligations and other investments permitted by applicable laws and regulations. As of September 30, 2013, Washington Federal had 182 full service branches located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. Through its subsidiaries, the Company is also engaged in real estate investment and insurance brokerage activities. The principal sources of funds for the Company's activities are retained earnings, loan repayments (including prepayments), net deposit inflows, repayments and sales of investments and borrowings. Washington Federal's principal sources of revenue are interest on loans and interest and dividends on investments. Its principal expenses are interest paid on deposits, credit costs, general and administrative expenses, interest on borrowings and income taxes. On October 31, 2012, South Valley Bancorp, Inc. merged with and into the Company, followed by the merger of South Valley's wholly owned subsidiary, South Valley Bank & Trust, into the Bank.
Lending Activities
As of September 30, 2013, the Company's net portfolio of loans totaled $7.5 billion representing approximately 58% of its total assets. The Company concentrates its lending activities on the origination of 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loans, which are neither insured nor guaranteed by agencies of the United States government. Washin! gton Federal's lending activity is concentrated on the origination of loans secured by real estate, including long-term fixed-rate mortgage loans, adjustable-rate construction loans, adjustable-rate land development loans, fixed-rate multi-family loans and business loans.
The Company's lending activity is the origination of real estate mortgage loans to purchase or refinance single-family residences. The Company also originates a range of construction and land development loans, along with multi-family residential and commercial loans. As of September 30, 2013, single-family residential loans totaled $5.4 billion, or 67.2% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction- speculative loans totaled$131 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction - custom loans totaled $303 million, or 3.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land acquisition and development loans totaled $82 million, or 1.0% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land - consumer lot loans totaled $125 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; multi-family loans totaled $836 million, or 10.5% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial real estate loans totaled $625 million, or 7.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial and industrial loans totaled $326 million, or 4.1% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; home equity line of credit (HELOC) loans totaled $134 million, or 1.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio and consumer loans totaled $55 million, or 0.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio.
The Company originates 30 year fixed-rate loans secured by single-family residences. The Company originates construction loans to finance construction of single-family and multi-family residences, as well as commercial properties. Loans made to individuals for construction of their home generally are 30 year fixed rate loans. Multi-family residential (five or more dwelling units) loans are secured by multi-family rental properties, such as apartment build! ings.
!The Company makes various types of business loans to customers in its market area for working capital, acquiring real estate, equipment or other business purposes, such as acquisitions. The terms of these loans range from less than one year to a maximum of 10 years. Consumer loans are home improvement loans made through third party originators that bear interest at rates of 10% and higher.
Investment Activities
As a federal association, the Bank is obligated to maintain adequate liquidity and does so by holding cash and cash equivalents and by investing in securities. These investments include, among other things, certain certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, bankers��acceptances, loans to financial institutions whose deposits are federally-insured, federal funds, United States government and agency obligations and mortgage-backed securities.
Sources of Funds
Deposits are the source of the Company�� funds for use in lending and other general business purposes. In addition to deposits, Washington Federal derives funds from loan repayments, advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and other borrowings and from investment repayments and sales. The Company�� deposits are obtained from residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. The Company obtains advances from the FHLB upon the security of the FHLB capital stock it owns and certain of its loans, provided certain standards related to credit worthiness have been met. The Company also uses reverse repurchase agreements as a form of borrowing. Under reverse repurchase agreements, the Company sells an investment security to a dealer for a period of time and agrees to buy back that security at the end of the period and pay the dealer a stated interest rate for the use of the dealer's funds. The Company also offers two forms of repurchase agreements to its customers. One form has an interest rate, which floats like that of a money market d! eposit ac! count. The other form has a fixed rate and is offered in a minimum denomination of $100,000. Both forms are fully collateralized by securities. As of September 30, 2013, the Company had $46.1 million of such agreements outstanding.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD ) is keeping its dividend level even as it effects a corporate transformation by the end of next month. The company has declared a quarterly distribution of $0.09 per share, to be paid on July 19 to shareholders of record as of July 5. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in April. Prior to that, it handed out a penny less at $0.08 per share.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of financial holding company Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD ) climbed as high as 10% today after its quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.�
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: CYNK Technology Corp (CYNK)
Cynk Technology Corp., formerly Introbuzz, Inc., is a development stage-company. The Company intends to develop a social network business. Social networks are Web based services that allow individuals to post a profile and link their profile to other friends and organizations.
The Company intends to develop a database of professional and other business persons, as well as other interested persons in providing and utilizing contacts. As of November 14, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
CYNK Technology (CYNK), the mysterious over-the-counter stock that at one point broke a $6 billion market cap, dropped roughly 80 percent in its first trades after a Securities and Exchange Commission halt. The SEC halted CYNK for two weeks following a massive rise in the stock's value -- it had been worth only a few cents per share in June, but it jumped above $21 on July 10. The Belize-based CYNK Technology supposedly operates a social networking site, but filings indicate it only has one employee and virtually no assets. Experts told CNBC the week of the SEC halt that they expected CYNK to fall precipitously after reopening, and its first day of trading is proving those predictions correct. When it was halted, the stock was worth just less than $14 per share, and is now below $3 a share after briefly hovering around $5 earlier Friday morning. An OTC Markets spokeswoman told Reuters that CYNK's shares were not trading on its platform, but were occurring over the phone. Earlier this week Reuters reported that OTC's CEO did not expect CYNK to trade on its platform at all after reopening, as no brokerages would file the required paperwork for the stock to trade on their exchanges. An SEC spokesman said that the organization cannot comment on the status of a company after a suspension period ends, citing an online explanation of the process. That document notes that broker-dealers may not solicit investors to trade the previously suspended OTC stock until they satisfy several regulatory requirements. The SEC warned, however, that "unsolicited" trading may occur after a reopening -- as CYNK is now seeing -- but "even though such trading is allowed, it can be very risky for investors without current and reliable information about the company."
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Magna International Inc (MGA)
Magna International Inc. (Magna), incorporated on November 16, 1961, is a diversified global automotive supplier. The Company designs, develops and manufactures automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components, and engineers and assembles complete vehicles, primarily for sale to original equipment manufacturers of cars and light trucks. Its capabilities include interior systems, exterior systems, seating systems, powertrain systems, closure systems, roof systems, body and chassis systems, vehicle engineering and contract assembly, vision systems, hybrid and electric vehicles/systems, electronic systems, and through its Magna E-Car Systems partnership (E-Car Systems). Magna operates in three geographic reporting segments: North America, Europe and Rest of World. In January 2011, the Company acquired Automobiltechnik Durbheim, a manufacturer of tapping plates, which assist in the fastening of bolts. The acquired business is located in Germany and has sales to various automobile manufacturers. In May 2011, it acquired a 51% interest in Wuhu Youth Tongyang Auto Plastic Parts Co., Ltd., a supplier of exterior products, mainly front and rear bumpers. In June 2011, it acquired Continental Plastics Co., a supplier of interior products, mainly door panel and seat back assemblies. In August 2011, it acquired Grenville Castings Ltd. In November 2011, Magna acquired ThyssenKrupp Automotive Systems Industrial do Brasil Ltda. In November 2012, the Company's Magna Powertrain operating unit had completed the transaction to acquire ixetic Verwaltungs GmbH (ixetic).
The Company�� North American production sales accounted for approximately 49% of its consolidated sales during the year ended December 31, 2011. Its primary customers in North America in 2011, included BMW, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, Mazda, Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen Group. Its European production and vehicle assembly sales accounted for approximately 39% of its consolidated ! sales during 2011. Magna�� primary customers in Europe in 2011, included Aston Martin, BMW, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, Ford, Geely Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault-Nissan, Tata Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen Group. The Company�� Rest of World production sales accounted for approximately 5% of the Company�� consolidated sales in 2011, respectively. Its primary customers in Rest of World in 2011, included Brilliance Auto, BMW, Chery Automobile, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, First Automobile Works, Ford, Geely Group, General Motors, Great Wall Motor Company, Guangzhou Automobile, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault-Nissan, Shanghai Automotive, Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen Group and Yulon Motors.
Interior Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures interior components and systems for the global automotive industry. The primary technologies and processes involved in the manufacturing of interior components and systems include low pressure and injection molding, compression molding, vacuum forming, slush molding, spray urethane and manual and automated assembly and sequencing. Its capabilities include sidewall and trim systems, overhead systems, cargo management systems and cockpit systems.
Seating Systems
It develops and manufactures seating solutions and seat hardware systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities range from market and consumer research, full concept development, design and engineering, testing and validation to manufacturing. Its capabilities include complete seating systems, seat structures and mechanisms and foam and trim products. The technologies and processes used in the manufacture of seating and seat hardware systems include traditional cut and sew technology; manual and automated assembly, as well as its Multi-Material Mold-In-Place technology.
Closure Systems
Magna engineers and manufactures cl! osure sys! tems and modules for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities include door modules, window systems, power closure systems, latching systems, driver controls, electronic features and handle assemblies. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of closure systems and modules include light stamping; injection molding, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Body and Chassis Systems
The Company provides metal body systems, components, assemblies and modules, including complete vehicle frames, chassis systems and body-in-white systems, as well as related engineering services, for the global automotive industry. Magna employs a number of different forming technologies, such as hydroforming; stamping; hot stamping; roll forming; aluminum casting; draw bending; advanced welding technologies; as well as finishing technologies such as: e-coating; heat treating, and high temperature wax coating.
Vision Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures vision systems for the global automotive industry. Its vision systems capabilities include interior mirrors, exterior mirrors, electronic vision systems and actuators. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of its vision products include electronics integration; injection molding; painting, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Electronic Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures electronic components and sub-systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities include driver assistance and safety systems, engine electronics and sensors, body systems and human-machine interfaces (HMI), intelligent power systems and industrial products. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of electronics products include surface mount placements of electronic components on printed circuit boards, as well as manual and automated assembly of electronic modules.
Exterior Systems
Magna designs, engineers and ma! nufacture! s various exterior components and systems for the global automotive and commercial truck product markets. Its capabilities include front and rear fascia systems, class a composite panels, structural components, sealing systems, modular systems, under hood and underbody components, exterior trim, engineered glass and sheet molding compound material. It utilizes a number of different technologies and processes in connection with these products, including molding technologies, such as injection molding, structural reaction injection, reaction injection, compression and thermoset molding; metal forming processes, such as metal stamping, roll forming, tube forming and stretch bending; extrusion processes, such as co-extrusion, thermoset and thermoplastic extrusion; and finishing processes, including painting, hardcoating, chrome plating, vacuum metallization and anodizing, and manual and automated assembly and sequencing.
Powertrain Systems
Magna designs, engineers and manufactures powertrain systems and components for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities are driveline systems, fluid pressure systems, metal-forming solutions and engineering services and system integration. It employs a variety of different manufacturing capabilities and processing technologies in its powertrain operations, including metal die-forming; flow-forming; stamping and spinning; synchronous roll-forming; die-spline rolling; precision-heavy stamping; fineblanking; aluminum die casting and precision machining; magnesium machining; plastic injection molding and plastic welding; soft and hard processing of gear wheels and shafts; rotary swaging; hardening; laser welding; manual and automated assembly, and end-of-line testing.
The Company y conducts some of its powertrain operations through joint ventures, including a non-controlling, 76.7% equity partnership interest in the Litens Automotive Partnership, which is a supplier of drive subsystems and components. Product offerings include! accessor! y drive systems and products, including auto tensioners and idlers, overrunning alternator decoupler assemblies, Torqfiltr crankshaft vibration control technology, isolating crank pulley assemblies and clutched waterpump pulleys and assemblies; timing drive systems and products, including tensioners (both for belt and chain) and idlers, SmartSprocket tuned sprockets and clutched waterpump pulleys and assemblies, and other specialty products, including vehicle start/stop subsystems. Litens has manufacturing operations in North America (Canada), Europe (Germany) and Rest of World (China, Brazil and India).
Roof Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures vehicle roof systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities are retractable hard tops, soft tops and sliding folding and modular roofs.
Vehicle Engineering and Contract Assembly
Magna provides components, systems and vehicle engineering and contract vehicle assembly services for the automotive industry. It is also the brand-independent assembler of complete vehicles and an engineering and manufacturing partner in the field of fuel systems. Its capabilities include engineering services, contract manufacturing and fuel systems. Processes employed in its vehicle engineering and contract assembly operations include manual and automated welding; bonding and riveting; manual and automated painting/coating (dipped and sprayed) and sealing, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles/Systems
Magna develops, manufactures and integrates hybrid and electric products and vehicle systems through E-Car Systems. Its capabilities under the Hybrid and Electric Vehicles/Systems include components, batteries and vehicle systems. Processes employed in its hybrid and electric vehicles/systems operations include manual and automated assembly; surface mount assembly; wave soldering and point-to-point solder assembly; automated servo changeover for! surface ! mount technology conveyance; stator winding, wire lead fusing, end turn blocking and lacing; rotor core assembly, magnetization and balancing; laser and ultrasonic welding, and dynamometer testing.
Tooling, Engineering and Other
Magna designs, engineers and manufactures tooling for our own use, as well as for sale to its customers. Additionally, the Company provides engineering support services, independent of particular production programs on which it may have production sales.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
When most people think of electric vehicle stocks, they probably think of troubled Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) or one of the several Chinese stocks active in the space, but North America based large cap Magna International Inc (NYSE: MGA) and small caps Polypore International, Inc (NYSE: PPO), UQM Technologies Inc (NYSEMKT: UQM) and Green Automotive Company (OTCMKTS: GACR) are all players, one way or the other, in the electric vehicle space that most investors have probably overlooked or just aren�� aware of. Of course, we can argue�about whether or not purely electric vehicles or some sort of hybrid vehicles are the way of the future, but what cannot be argued about is the fact that the following electric vehicle stocks are at the forefront of EV or�hybrid technology and design:
- [By Rich Smith]
Shares of auto-parts makers such as Lear (NYSE: LEA ) and Magna International (NYSE: MGA ) have rocketed this past year, outperforming the S&P 500 with 46% and 56% returns, respectively. Yet Johnson Controls stock has lagged the market average by more than five points. Why?
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FOMC)
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FEMSA) is a Mexico-based holding company engaged in the beverages industry. Through its subsidiary Coca-Cola FEMSA SAB de CV, the Company is active in the production and distribution of a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, bottled water and still beverages such brands as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Powerade, Delaware Punch and other trademark beverages of The Coca-Cola Company in Mexico. Through FEMSA Comercio SA de CV, it operates the OXXO convenience-store chain in Latin America. The Company operates in a number of Latinamerican countries and in Philippines. Advisors' Opinion:- [By CanadianValue]
Former Philadelphia Fed President Edward Boehne elegantly described the approach at a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in late 1989:
��ow, sooner or later, we will have a recession. I don�� think anybody around the table wants a recession or is seeking one, but sooner or later we will have one. If in that recession we took advantage of the anti-inflation (impetus) and we got inflation down from 4 1/2 percent to 3 percent, and then in the next expansion we were able to keep inflation from accelerating, sooner or later there will be another recession out there. And so, if we could bring inflation down from cycle to cycle just as we let it build up from cycle to cycle, that would be considerable progress over what we��e done in other periods in history.��/p>
- [By Canadian Value]
Also interesting is that the duration of rising rate environments is distinctly shorter after 1982. The average duration declines to 14 months from 40 months prior to 1982. A possible explanation could be changes in the monetary mechanism influencing interest rates. In 1982, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) first referenced a targeted federal funds rate.7
Best Industrial Disributor Companies To Own For 2014: Hasbro Inc.(HAS)
Hasbro, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of games and toys. The company principally provides children?s and family leisure time and entertainment products and services. It offers various games, including traditional board, card, hand-held electronic, trading card, roleplaying, and DVD games, as well as electronic learning aids and puzzles. Hasbro?s toy products include boy?s action figures, vehicles and playsets, girl?s toys, electronic toys, plush products, preschool toys and infant products, electronic interactive products, creative play products, and toy related specialty products. The company also licenses certain of its trademarks, characters, and other property rights to third parties for use in connection with consumer promotions and for the sale of noncompeting toys and games, and non-toy products. It offers its products primarily under PLAYSKOOL, TRANSFORMERS, NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, LITTLEST PET SHOP, TONKA, G.I. JOE, SUPER SOAKER, MILTON BRAD LEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM, AVALON HILL, TIGER, FURREAL FRIENDS, BABY ALIVE, STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brand names. The company markets its products to various customers, including wholesalers, distributors, chain stores, discount stores, mail order houses, catalog stores, department stores, and other retailers, as well as Internet-based e-tailers. It has a strategic licensing agreement with Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), which provides EA with the worldwide rights to create digital games for various platforms, including mobile phones, personal computers, and game consoles, as well as; and a strategic relationship with Universal Pictures to produce approximately three motion pictures based on certain of company?s brands. Hasbro sells its products through its own sales force and distributors primarily in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and South America. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Paw tucket, Rhode Island.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jason Clark]
Shares of Hasbro (HAS) advanced 10% after the maker and seller of toys reported earnings and revenue that beat analyst expectations.
HAS reported earnings of $1.31 per share, versus consensus estimates for $1.28, on revenue of $1.37 billion. Period results were supported by cost control initiatives and strong international sales.
- [By Chuck Saletta]
Similarly, fellow iPIG pick Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS ) announced earlier this year that it badly missed its estimates for the all-important holiday quarter in 2012. Still, its shares are up an astounding 27% since making the cut to be a part of the iPIG portfolio in December. That's luck, all right, but it's luck aided by the fact that when selected, the stock had what looked like a nearly 25% margin of safety built into its price.
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