U.S. stocks rose, sending the Standard & Poor�� 500 Index to a record, as Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) Corp. sales beat estimates while a drop in consumer confidence added to speculation the Federal Reserve will delay scaling back monetary stimulus.
Amazon.com surged 9.4 percent as consumers flocked to the largest online retailer ahead of the holiday shopping season, helping to curtail losses. Microsoft jumped 6 percent as the company relied on corporate software demand to make up for weak consumer personal-computer purchases. Eastman Chemical Co. slumped 5.2 percent after cutting its full-year forecast.
The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent to 1,759.77 at 4 p.m. in New York. The Nasdaq 100 Index climbed 0.6 percent to 3,383.83. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 61.07 points, or 0.4 percent, to 15,570.28. About 6 billion shares changed hands on U.S. exchanges, in line with the three-month average.
��arnings have been good enough and the liquidity spigot is open so that people see very little risk in the system,��Charlie Smith, chief investment officer of Pittsburgh-based Fort Pitt Capital Group Inc., said in a phone interview. His firm oversees $1.5 billion. ��t�� like a giant game of musical chairs. The attitude on the part of most investors is that they have to play while the Fed got the music going.��
Best Rising Stocks To Invest In 2015: American Vanguard Corp (AVD)
American Vanguard Corporation, incorporated on January 2, 1969, operates as a holding company. The Company is primarily a chemical manufacturer that develops and markets products for agricultural and commercial uses. The Company manufactures and formulates chemicals for crops, human and animal protection. The Company conducts its business through its subsidiaries, AMVAC Chemical Corporation (AMVAC), GemChem, Inc. (GemChem), 2110 Davie Corporation (DAVIE), Quimica Amvac de Mexico S.A. de C.V. (AMVAC M), AMVAC de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima (AMVAC CR), AMVAC Switzerland GmbH (AMVAC S), AMVAC do Brasil Representacoes Ltda (AMVAC B), AMVAC Chemical UK Ltd. (AMVAC UK), AMVAC CV (AMVAC CV), AMVAC Netherlands BV (AMVAC BV), and Envance Technologies, LLC (Envance). In July 2012, the Company completed the restructuring of the International Sales & Marketing function of its principal operating subsidiary, AMVAC Chemical Corporation. On November 30, 2012, AMVAC and TyraTech, Inc. formed Envance Technologies, LLC, in which the Company owns 60% of the equity interest. In July 2012, the Company formed AMVAC CV and AMVAC BV.
AMVAC is a chemical manufacturer that develops and markets products for agricultural and commercial uses. It manufactures and formulates chemicals for crops, human and animal health protection. These chemicals, which include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, molluscicides, growth regulators, and soil fumigants, are marketed in liquid, powder, and granular forms. AMVAC owns and/or operates the Company�� domestic manufacturing facilities and is also the parent company for all its foreign companies. DAVIE owns real estate for corporate use.
GemChem is a national chemical distributor. GemChem, in addition to purchasing key raw materials for the Company, also sells into the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutritional markets. GemChem is a wholly owned subsidiary of AVD.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of specialty chemical maker American Vanguard (NYSE: AVD ) fell 17% today after cautioning about second-quarter earnings.
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of specialty chemical maker American Vanguard (NYSE: AVD ) jumped 10% today after the company released earnings.
So what: First-quarter revenue jumped 39% to $121.5 million and adjusted earnings per share nearly doubled to $0.59. Analysts only expected $115.4 million in revenue and earnings of $0.46 per share so the company easily beat on both the top and bottom line. �
- [By Eric Volkman]
Investors in American Vanguard (NYSE: AVD ) will be receiving dividends twice as frequently as in the past. The company announced Monday that is has launched quarterly distributions with a $0.05-per-share payout, to be paid July 19 to shareholders of record as of July 5.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Just as Monsanto is enjoying a surge in sales of Roundup, pesticide makers are witnessing greater sales of pesticides to combat these superbugs. Revenues at Sygenta (NYSE: SYT ) rose 1.5% to $4.2 billion, FMC's (NYSE: FMC ) sales were 5% higher, and American Vanguard's (NYSE: AVD ) surged 39% last quarter. The three companies account for three-quarters of all ground pesticides sold in the United States.
Top 5 Chemical Companies To Watch In Right Now: ICL Israel Chemicals Ltd (ISCHY.PK)
ICL Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) is an Israel-based company, engaged in the fertilizer and specialty chemical sectors. The company operates in three segments: Fertilizers, Industrial Products, and Performance Products. The Fertilizers segment is engaged in the production of standard, granular, fine red and white potash from three sources, as well as in the production of phosphates, such as phosphate rock, phosphoric acid, fertilizers and animal feed addictives. The Industrial Products segment produces flame retardants, such as brominates and organ phosphorus; elemental bromine, and other chemicals. In addition the Performance Products segment produces specialty phosphates, such as technical, food grade and electronic grade phosphoric acid, phosphate salts, food additives and wildfire safety products, as well as alumina and other chemicals. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Damas]
I never thought Uralkali would get back together with Belaruskali as I expressed in this article written a day after the break-up roiled the fertilizer world, causing 20% plunges in the stocks of major producers such as Potash Corp (POT), Mosaic Company (MOS) and Israel Chemicals Ltd (ISCHY.PK).
Top 5 Chemical Companies To Watch In Right Now: Akzo Nobel NV (AKZOY)
Akzo Nobel N.V. (AkzoNobel) is a global paints and coatings company and a producer of specialty chemicals. The Company operates in three segments: Decorative Paints, Performance Coatings and Specialty Chemicals. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company two distributors in Continental Europe. During 2009, it also acquired SABA, Kronospan and Dow Powder Coatings assets. During 2009, it also divested Chemcraft Brazil and the non-stick businesses. In January 2009, the Company completed the acquisition of LII Europe. In June 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of the Dow Chemical company's powder coatings activities. In June 2010, the Company announced the sale of its National Starch business to Corn Products International. In June 2010, the Company announced the sale of its National Starch business to Corn Products International. In September 2010, the Company acquired Changzhou Prime Automotive Paint Co. In October 2010, Corn Products International, Inc. acquired National Starch, the specialty starches business of the Company.
Decorative Paints
The Decorative Paints segment supplies a range of interior and exterior decoration and protection products for both the professional and do-it-yourself markets. Its products include paints, lacquers and varnishes, as well as products for surface preparation (pre-deco products). Its architectural coatings include interior and exterior wall paints and trim paints (lacquers) for consumers and professionals. The wood care and specialty products include lacquers and varnishes for wood protection and decoration, and specialty coatings for metal, concrete and other critical building materials. Its pre-deco products include fillers, wall treatments, sealants and putties for consumers and professionals. Its building adhesives include tile and floor adhesives and floor leveling compounds used in the building and renovation industry; supplied for professional workers, such as tile, floor and parquet, layers, interior decorators ! and painters, and direct to medium-sized enterprises, wholesalers, specialized retailers.
Performance Coatings
The Company�� Performance Coatings segment serves a range of customers, including ship and yacht builders and architects, consumer electronics and appliance companies, steel manufacturers, the construction industry, furniture makers, aircraft, bus and truck producers, body shops and can makers. The Company offers metal and plastic coatings for a range of applications from huge industrial equipment to the mobile phones and music players, computers, espresso machines and sporting goods. It also offers corrosion and fire protection across a range of industries, including upstream and downstream oil and gas facilities, chemical and petrochemical installations, high value infrastructure, such as airports and stadia and power generation stations. The Company provides coatings for small and large aircraft. It also offers coatings for marine vessels, including commercial tankers, ferries and leisure craft, and act as a salt water barrier and to minimize the build-up of organic material.
Specialty Chemicals
The Company�� Specialty Chemicals products are used in a range of everyday products, such as ice cream, soups, disinfectants, plastics, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, paper and asphalt. Its Industrial Chemicals business mines salt through vacuum extraction. It�� used as a raw material for its own activities, as well as being an end product found in grocery stores under brand names, such as Jozo and Nezo. The Company offers products, such as chlorine (Industrial Chemicals) or chlorate (Pulp and Paper Chemicals). Its major products include cellulosic additives, chelates, additives, ethylene amines, salt specialties and sulfur derivatives.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Victor Selva]
The company has a current ratio of 17.8% which is higher than the industry mean of 6.55%. Also, it's higher than the one registered by Akzo Nobel NV (AKZOY), Cabot Corporation (CBT) and Olin Corporation (OLN). For investors looking for a higher ROE, PPG Industries Inc. (PPG) could be the option.
- [By Lawrence Meyers]
VAL stock trades at about 18�timesFY14 estimates of $4.08. Even accounting for the 1.4% yield, it�� a tad bit pricey at 14% long-term EPS growth. But let�� look at competitors. PPG Industries (PPG) trades at 21�times�earnings on 11% long-term growth. Sherwin-Williams (SHW) trades at 24x earnings on 14.6% long-term growth. Akzo Nobel (AKZOY) trades at 16 times earnings on 11% growth.
- [By Rich Duprey]
In a move designed to strengthen the performance of its German decorative paints business,�Netherlands-based paint giant AkzoNobel (NASDAQOTH: AKZOY ) announced today that it is divesting to independent distributors that country's�paints stores for professionals.
Top 5 Chemical Companies To Watch In Right Now: Agrium Inc.(AGU)
Agrium Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and markets agricultural nutrients, industrial products, and specialty products worldwide, as well as involves in the retail supply of agricultural products and services in North and South Americas. The company?s Retail segment markets crop nutrient products, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur, and micronutrients; crop protection products, such as herbicides, fungicides, adjuvants, and insecticides; and seeds. This segment also offers agronomic services, as well as product application, soil and leaf tissue testing and analysis, and crop scouting services. This segment operates 1,192 outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. The company?s Wholesale segment produces, markets, and distributes nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphate, and other crop nutrient products for agricultural and industrial customers. This segment also owns and operates facilities that upgrade ammonia t o other nitrogen products, such as urea, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate, as well as provides Rainbow plant food products. Agrium?s Advanced Technologies segment produces and markets controlled-release crop nutrients and micronutrients for the agriculture, specialty agriculture, professional turf, horticulture, and consumer lawn and garden markets. The company was formerly known as Cominco Fertilizers Ltd. and changed its name to Agrium Inc. in 1995. Agrium Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Taylor Muckerman]
When assessing the benefits of the three most common fertilizer components -- nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium -- potassium leaps out as the clear-cut choice when hoping to protect against arid conditions. The nutrient produced by companies like PotashCorp� (NYSE: POT ) and Agrium� (NYSE: AGU ) allows for more efficient utilization of water by corn, soy beans, and any number of other crops or plants. According to PotashCorp, treating an acre with 100 pounds of potassium has the potential to boost yields up to 50%.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Agricultural and industrial nutrients producer Agrium (AGU) raised its quarterly dividend 50% to 75 cents per share, payable on Oct. 17 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 30.
AGU Dividend Yield: 3.54%
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