The major pre-market indexes ��the Dow Jones industrial average, Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq ��all rose around 0.1% before the opening bell.
The U.S. stock market lost ground Thursday as electronics retailer Best Buy, Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and railroad CSX had disappointing earnings news.
The S&P 500 index slipped 0.1% to 1,845.89, the Dow fell 0.4% to 16,417.01 and the Nasdaq composite had a modest gain of 0.1% to 4,218.69.
THURSDAY: Big stock drops rock Wall Street
Most Asian markets declined Friday following the retreat in Wall Street. Japan's Nikkei 225 dipped 0.1% to 15,734.46 and China's Shanghai composite index sank 0.6% to 2,004.95.
Benchmark crude for February delivery added 13 cents to $94.09 in electronic trading at the New York Merchantile Exchange. The contract fell 21 cents to settle at $93.96 on Thursday.
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB)
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (the Fund) is a non-diversified index fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (the Index).
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Index measures the performance of the home construction sector of the United States equity market, and includes companies that are constructors of residential homes, including manufacturers of mobile and prefabricated homes.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ryan Detrick, Senior Technical Strategist, Schaeffer's Investment Research, Inc.]
The action in housing stocks is another concern. The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index Fund (ITB) is in the midst of making a very bearish-looking head-and-shoulders peak.
- [By Paul Ausick]
The recovery may be real, but it is stalling a bit today. The iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction (NYSEMKT: ITB) is down 1.3%, at $20.92 in a 52-week range of $17.67 to $26.21.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Susquehanna’s head of derivative strategy Trevor Mottl, however, recommends betting against the sector with options on the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) following Friday’s big drop in new home sales. He writes:
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: RCM Technologies Inc.(RCMT)
RCM Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and delivery of business and technology solutions for commercial and government sectors in North America. It operates through three segments: Information Technology (IT), Engineering, and Commercial Services. The IT segment provides enterprise business solutions, application services, infrastructure solutions, competitive advantage and productivity solutions, and life sciences solutions. The Engineering segment offers engineering and design, engineering analysis, engineer-procure-construct, configuration management, hardware/software validation and verification, quality assurance, technical writing and publications, manufacturing process planning and improvement, reliability centered maintenance, component and equipment testing, and risk management engineering services. The Commercial Services segment provides long-term and short-term staffing, executive search, and placement servic es in various fields, including rehabilitation, nursing, managed care, allied health care, health care management, and medical office support, as well as offers in-patient, outpatient, sub-acute and acute care, multilingual speech pathology, rehabilitation, geriatric, pediatric, and adult day care services to hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools, sports medicine facilities, and private practices. This segment also offers contract and temporary services, and permanent placement services for full-time and part-time personnel in various functional areas, including office, clerical, data entry, secretarial, light industrial, shipping, receiving, and general warehousing. The company offers its services to aerospace/defense, energy, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing and distribution, public sector, and technology industries. RCM Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is based in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
RCM Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:RCMT) reported that primarily due to unexpected and extended client procedural delays in awarding certain engagements under an existing contract with a major North American utility, the Company’s second quarter revenues and operating income will fall short of its expectations.
5 Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2015: GATX Corp (GMT)
GATX Corporation (GATX) leases, operates, manages and remarkets assets primarily in the rail and marine markets. GATX has three segments: Rail, American Steamship Company (ASC) and Portfolio Management. Rail and its affiliates lease tank cars, freight cars and locomotives in North America and Europe. ASC operates a fleet of United States flagged vessels on the Great Lakes. Portfolio Management has investments in affiliated companies. As of December, 31, 2011, the Company held 37.5% interest in AAE Cargo AG (AAE), a 12.5% interest in Adler Funding LLC (Adler) and a 50% interest in Southern Capital Corporation (ACC). In January 2012, ASC entered into a five-year lease for a newly constructed articulated tug-barge. The tug is diesel powered and the barge is 740 feet in length with a carrying capacity of 34,000 gross tons. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Clipper Fourth Limited and Clipper Fourth APS marine joint ventures, in each of which GATX held a 45% interest, were dissolved.
Rail
Rail is exploring leasing opportunities in Asia through both wholly owned subsidiaries, as well as joint venture arrangements. As of December 31, 2011, Rail�� worldwide fleet, consisted of wholly owned and leased-in railcars, totaled approximately 130,000 railcars. Rail offers customers financial, operational, management and maintenance expertise. In addition, Rail actively manages fleets for an affiliate and other third-party owners of approximately 8,000 railcars, in aggregate.
Rail�� customers primarily operate in the chemical, petroleum, food/agriculture and transportation industries. Rail�� fleet consists of a diverse selection of railcar types that are used by its customers to ship approximately 700 different commodities. Rail also had an ownership interest in approximately 32,000 railcars through investments in affiliated companies. Affiliate fleets consist primarily of freight and intermodal railcars. Additionally, Rail manages approximately 2,000 railcars f! or third-party owners. Rail primarily provides railcars pursuant to full-service leases under which it maintains the railcars, pays ad valorem taxes and insurance and provides other ancillary services. Rail also offers net leases for railcars under which the lessee is responsible for maintenance, insurance and taxes.
In North America, Rail leases railcars for terms that generally range from three to 10 years. Rail�� North American operations also include a locomotive leasing business. As of December 31, 2011, Rail�� locomotive fleet totaled 572 locomotives. The majority of Rail�� leases are full-service contracts under which Rail maintains the railcars. Rail operates an extensive network of service facilities across North America that perform repair, maintenance, modification and regulatory compliance work on the fleet. Maintenance services include interior cleaning of railcars, general repairs to the car body and safety appliances, regulatory compliance work, wheelset replacements, exterior blast and painting, and car stenciling.
Rail leases standard gauge railcars to customers throughout Europe. Lease terms generally range from one to seven years and at December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term of the fleet was approximately two years. Rail acquires new railcars primarily from the IRS Group and VRZ Karlovo. The owned service centers are supplemented by a number of third-party repair facilities.
ASC
ASC operates a fleet of United States flagged vessels on the Great Lakes, providing waterborne transportation of dry bulk commodities primarily for customers in the steel, electric utility and construction industries. The primary commodities carried by ASC�� vessels are iron ore, coal, limestone aggregates and metallurgical limestone. End markets for these commodities include domestic automobile manufacturing, electricity generation and non-residential construction. At December 31, 2011, ASC�� fleet consisted of 17 vessels. Fourteen ! of the ve! ssels are diesel powered. The diesel vessels range in size from 635 to 1,004 feet in length with maximum load capacities between 23,800 and 80,900 gross tons. The three remaining vessels are steam powered. The steamer vessels range in size from 690 to 767 feet in length with maximum load capacities between 22,300 and 26,300 gross tons. In 2011, ASC carried 28.4 million net tons of cargo including both contracted volume and spot business.
Portfolio Management
Portfolio Management leverages its equipment knowledge by managing portfolios of assets for third parties. Portfolio Management generates fee and residual sharing income through portfolio administration and remarketing of these assets. Affiliate activities include aircraft spare engine leasing, shipping operations and gas compression equipment leasing. Rolls-Royce and Partners Finance (RRPF) is a collection of 50%-owned domestic and international joint ventures with Rolls-Royce plc, a manufacturer of commercial aircraft jet engines. RRPF leases spare engines to Rolls-Royce plc and commercial airlines. The RRPF portfolio in aggregate is comprised of approximately 370 Rolls-Royce and International Aero Engine aircraft engines. Cardinal Marine Investments LLC (Cardinal Marine) is a 50%-owned marine joint venture with IMC Holdings, a subsidiary of the IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group (IMC).
Cardinal Marine owns six chemical parcel tankers (each with 45,000 dead weight tons that operate under a pooling arrangement with IMC�� other chemical tankers in support of the movement of liquid bulk chemicals in the Middle East Gulf/Far East and United States Gulf/Far East trades. Somargas II Private Limited (Somargas) and Singco Gas Pte, Limited (Singco), respectively, are 35% and 50%-owned joint ventures with IM Skaugen ASA (Skaugen). Clipper Third Limited (Clipper Third) is a 50%-owned joint venture with Clipper Group Invest Ltd. (the Clipper Group). Clipper Third owns two handysize vessels that support the worldwide movement! of dry b! ulk products, such as grain, cement, coal and steel. Enerven Compression, LLC (Enerven) is a 45.6%-owned joint venture with ING Investment Management and Enerven management. Enerven provides natural gas compression equipment leasing through its subsidiary, Enerven Compression Services (ECS) and third-party maintenance and repair services through its subsidiary, Worldwide Energy Solutions Company (WESCO).
The Company competes with Union Tank Car Company, General Electric Railcar Services Corporation, American Railcar Leasing, CIT Group Inc., Trinity Leasing, First Union Rail, Helm Financial Corporation, National Railway Equipment Corporation, Relco Locomotives, Inc., VTG Aktiengesellschaft, Ermewa, CTL Logistics Group, PCC Rail Group, Interlake Steamship Company, VanEnkevort Tug and Barge, Grand River Navigation, Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. and Central Marine Logistics.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number
GWW is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 10.0% premium to its calculated fair value of $219.95. GWW did not earn any Stars in this section.
Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
GWW earned three Stars in this section for 1.), 2.) and 3.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. GWW earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured.
Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% means that dividends grew on average in excess of 15% for each consecutive 4 year period over the last 10 years (2003-2006, 2004-2007, 2005-2008, etc.) I consider this a key metric since dividends will double every 5 years if they grow by 15%. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1965 and has increased its dividend payments for 42 consecutive years.
Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: Vanguard Industrials Etf (VIS)
Vanguard Industrials ETF (the Fund), formerly known as Vanguard Industrials VIPERs, is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard Industrials Index Fund. The Fund employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) US Investable Market Industrials Index (the Index). The Index is an index of stocks of large, medium and small United States companies in the industrials sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). This GICS sector is made up of companies whose businesses are dominated by activities, such as the manufacture and distribution of capital goods (including aerospace and defense, construction, engineering and building products, electrical equipment, and industrial machinery); the provision of commercial services and supplies (including printing, employment, environmental and office services), or the provision of transportation services (including airlines, couriers, marine, road and rail, and transportation infrastructure).
The Fund attempts to replicate the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. It also may sample its target Index by holding stocks that, in the aggregate, are intended to approximate the Index in terms of key characteristics, such as price/earnings ratio, earnings growth and dividend yield.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sofia Horta e Costa]
Viscofan SA (VIS) fell 9.6 percent, its largest weekly drop in more than five years, after saying it may miss its targets for 2013 because of weak currencies. The Spanish maker of sausage casings in July predicted annual net income of 107 million euros to 108 million euros and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of as much as 195 million euros.
- [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]
Unusual volume (at least 5X ADV): iShares Utilities ETF (NYSE: IDU), First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (NYSE: FXU), iShares MSCI Germany Small Cap ETF (NYSE: EWGS), iShares MSCI USA ETF (NYSE: EUSA), SPDR S&P Emerging Europe ETF (NYSE: GUR), PowerShares Water Resources (NYSE: PHO) and the Vanguard Industrials ETF (NYSE: VIS).
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.(BECN)
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. distributes residential and non-residential roofing materials. The company?s residential roofing products include asphalt shingles, synthetic slates and tiles, clay and concrete tiles, slates, nail base insulation, metal roofing, felt, wood shingles and shakes, nails and fasteners, metal edgings and flashings, prefabricated flashings, ridges and soffit vents, gutters and downspouts, and other accessories. Its non-residential roofing products comprise single-ply roofing; asphalt; metal; modified bitumen; built-up roofing; cements and coatings; insulation?flat stock and tapered; commercial fasteners; metal edges and flashings; skylights, smoke vents, and roof hatches; and sheet metal products, including copper, aluminum, and steel. The company also provides complementary building products, such as vinyl siding; red, white, and yellow cedar siding; fiber cement siding; soffits; house wraps; vapor barriers; and stone veneer, as well as vinyl windo ws, aluminum windows, wood windows, turn-key windows, and wood and patio doors. In addition, it offers specialty lumber products comprising redwood, red cedar decking, mahogany decking, pressure treated lumber, fire treated plywood, synthetic decking, PVC trim boards, millwork, and custom millwork. Further, the company provides waterproofing systems, building insulations, air barrier systems, gypsum, moldings, cultured stone, and patio covers. Its customer base consists of contractors, home builders, building owners, and other resellers. Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. distributes its products through 194 branches in 38 states of the United States; and 6 Canadian provinces. The company was founded in 1928 and is based in Peabody, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.'s(BECN) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings declined slightly as higher costs offset a jump in sales. “We continued to experience a challenging pricing environment, which drove down our gross margins from the prior year,” Chief Executive Paul Isabelle said. Results missed estimates, sending shares down 4.4% to $34.50 in light premarket trading.
- [By Investment Contrarians]
In the small-cap area, take a look at the suppliers to the housing market. Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ: BECN) is a stock that you should keep an eye on. The company supplies builders and roofing companies with roofing supplies.
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals Inc (KYTH)
KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated in June 2004, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription products for the aesthetic medicine market. The Company�� initial focus is on the facial aesthetics market. The Company�� product candidate, ATX-101, is a injectable drug in Phase III clinical development for the reduction of submental fat, which commonly presents as an undesirable double chin. Based on clinical trials conducted, ATX-101 has exhibited results in the reduction of submental fat. ATX-101 contains a synthetic form of sodium deoxycholate. In the United States and Canada, the Company is conducting two pivotal Phase III trials of ATX-101 for the reduction of submental fat. The Company initiated this pivotal Phase III clinical program, with planned enrollment of 1,000 patients, in March 2012.
In Europe, Bayer, its collaborator outside the United States and Canada, recently completed two pivotal Phase III trials of ATX-101 for the reduction of submental fat. In these multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal trials involving 723 patients, ATX-101 resulted in a reduction in submental fat, as assessed by a validated clinician scale and a patient satisfaction scale.
ATX-101 contains a synthetic form of sodium deoxycholate. ATX-101 is designed to be a locally-injected drug that causes proximal, preferential destruction of adipocytes, or fat cells, with minimal effect on surrounding tissue. Upon subcutaneous injection under the skin, ATX-101 disrupts cell membranes in protein-poor tissues, such as fat, while being attenuated by interactions with protein-rich tissue, such as skin, muscle and blood vessels. This attenuation by protein-rich tissue results in the preferential destruction of adipocytes by ATX-101. The destruction of adipocytes, or adipocytolysis, elicits a natural response, in which macrophages are attracted to remove cellular debris and fat particles t! hrough the lymphatic system. The macrophages also emit low levels of chemical messengers, known as cytokines, which attract fibroblasts, another cell type, to the area. Fibroblasts produce collagen, and it is believed that new collagen production, or neocollagenesis, promotes retraction of the skin in the areas of fat reduction. The fat removal process with ATX-101 is incremental with each treatment, thereby allowing for control of the aesthetic outcome.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Kythera Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KYTH) shares surged 24.40% to touch a new 52-week high of $41.71 after the company reported positive ATX-101 top line phase III trial results for the reduction of submental fat.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Kythera Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KYTH) shares moved up 24.01% to $41.58. The volume of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals shares traded was 6431% higher than normal. Kythera reported positive ATX-101 top line phase III trial results for the reduction of submental fat.
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: Hospitality Properites Trust (HPT)
Hospitality Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in buying, owning, and leasing hotels. The company�s hotels are operated as Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, Candlewood Suites, AmeriSuites, Prime Hotels and Resorts, Homestead Studio Suites, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, and SpringHill Suites by Marriott or Marriott Hotels and Resorts. As of June 30, 2005, it owned 298 hotels located in 38 states in the United States; Puerto Rico; and Ontario, Canada. The company�s hotels are primarily designed for business, governmental, and family travelers. As a REIT, the company would not be subject to federal income tax provided it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. Hospitality Properties was formed in 1995 and is based in Newton, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Hotel and travel center operator Hospitality Properties Trust� (NYSE: HPT ) �announced today�its second-quarter dividend of $0.4453125 per�share on its 7.125% Series D�preferred stock that trades on the NYSE under the symbol HPT-PD.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Hotel and travel REIT Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT) raised its quarterly dividend 2.1% to 48 cents per share, payable Nov. 22 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 25.
HPT Dividend Yield: 6.71% - [By John Udovich]
Small cap TravelCenters of America LLC is the largest full-service travel center company in the United States, serving professional drivers and motorists traveling on highways with the finest full-service facilities on the road. More specifically, TravelCenters of America LLC offers�diesel fuel and gasoline plus�full-service restaurants, branded lodging and nationally known fast food restaurants at�165 sites with 145�sites owned by Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE: HPT) and operated by TA; 10 sites owned by HPT and franchise operated; and 10 franchisee-owned and operated.
- [By Russ Krull]
Hospitality Properties (NYSE: HPT ) sold $300 million of 10-year, 4.25% paper to fund the redemption of 7% preferred shares.�There are 6.7 million preferred shares at $25 each for total of $167.5 million.�The new debt service will cost about $1 million more per year than the preferred dividends, but Hospitality is getting quite a bit of additional cash for "funding hotel renovation or rebranding costs and potential future acquisitions."
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: Realogy Holdings Corp (RLGY)
Realogy Holdings Corp., incorporated on December 14, 2006, is an integrated provider of residential real estate services in the United States. The Company is the franchisor of residential real estate brokerages with some of the recognized brands in the real estate industry, the owner of United States residential real estate brokerage offices, the global provider of outsourced employee relocation services and a provider of title and settlement services. The Company's operating platform is supported by the Company's portfolio of industry franchise brokerage brands, including Century 21 , Coldwell Banker , Coldwell Banker Commercial , ERA , Sotheby's International Realty and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and the Company also owns and operates the Corcoran Group and CitiHabitats brands. In October 2013, Realogy Holdings Corp's Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate LLC announced that it has acquired the assets of Coldwell Banker Cocoa Beach Realty's two offices in Cocoa Beach, Fla. In October 2013, Realogy Holdings Corp's NRT LLC announced the acquisition of Frank Howard Allen Realtors Company-owned operations in Northern California.
The Company operates in four segments: Real Estate Franchise Services (RFG), Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services (NRT), Relocation Services (Cartus) and Title and Settlement Services (TRG).As of December 31, 2012 , the Company's franchise systems had approximately 13,600 franchised and company owned offices and 238,900 independent sales associates operating under its franchise and brands in the United States and 101 other countries and territories around the world, which includes approximately 710 of its company owned and operated brokerage offices.
Real Estate Franchise Services
The Company is the franchisor of residential real estate brokerages in the world through its portfolio of well known brokerage brands, including Century 21 , Coldwell Banker , Coldwell Banker Commercial , ERA , Sotheby's International Realty an! d Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. The Company derives substantially all of its real estate franchising revenues from royalty fees received under long-term (typically ten year) franchise agreements with its franchiseesThe Company's franchisees pay the Company fees for the right to operate under one of the Company's trademarks and to enjoy the benefits of the systems and business enhancing tools provided by its real estate franchise operations.
As of December 31, 2012 , the Company's real estate franchise systems had approximately 13,600 offices worldwide in 102 countries and territories, including approximately 6,100 brokerage offices in the United States and approximately 238,900 independent sales associates worldwide (which included approximately 41,300 independent sales agents working with its company owned brokerage offices) including approximately 166,000 sales associates operating under its franchise and brands in the United States, with an average tenure among United States franchisees of approximately 19 years as of December 31, 2012 .
Company Owned Real Estate Brokerage Services
The Company owns and operates the residential real estate brokerage business in the United States under the Coldwell Banker , Sotheby's International Realty , ERA , Corcoran Group and CitiHabitats brand names. The Company offers full-service residential brokerage services through approximately 710 company owned brokerage offices in more than 35 metropolitan areas of the United States. In addition, the Company participates in the mortgage process through its 49.9% ownership of PHH Home Loans LLC (PHH Home Loans), its home mortgage venture with PHH. The Company's home mortgage joint venture with PHH is the recommended provider of mortgages for the Company's real estate brokerage and relocation service customers (unless exclusivity is waived by PHH). The Company also assists landlords and tenants through property management services. In addition, as a full-service real estate br! okerage c! ompany, the Company promotes the complementary services of its relocation and title and settlement services businesses, in addition to PHH Home Loans.
Relocation Services
The Company is a global provider of outsourced employee relocation services. The Company is the provider of such services in the United States and also operates in key international relocation destinations. The Company offers a range of employee relocation services designed to manage all aspects of an employee's move to facilitate a smooth transition in what otherwise may be a complex and difficult process for the employee and employer. The Company's relocation services business serves corporations, including over 64% of the Fortune 50 companies, as well as affinity organizations such as insurance companies and credit unions that provide the Company's services to their members. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company assisted in over 158,000 relocations in more than 150 countries for approximately 1,500 active clients and as of December 31, 2012, its top 25 relocation clients had an average tenure of 17 years with the Company.
The Company primarily offers corporate clients employee relocation services, such as homesale assistance, including the evaluation, inspection, purchasing and selling of a transferee's home; the issuance of home equity advances to transferees permitting them to purchase a new home before selling their current home (these advances are generally guaranteed by the client); certain home management services; assistance in locating a new home; and closing on the sale of the old home, generally at the instruction of the client; expense processing, relocation policy counseling, relocation-related accounting, including international assignment compensation services, and other consulting services; arranging household goods moving services, with approximately 72,000 domestic and international shipments in 2012 , and providing support for all aspects of moving a transferee'! s househo! ld goods, including the handling of insurance and claim assistance, invoice auditing and quality control; coordinating visa and immigration support, intercultural and language training, and expatriation/repatriation counseling and destination services, and group move management services providing coordination for moves involving a number of transferees to or from a specific regional area over a short period of time.
Title and Settlement Services
The Company assists with the closing of real estate transactions by providing full-service title and settlement, which is closing and escrow services to customers, real estate companies, including its Company-owned real estate brokerage and relocation services businesses, as well as a targeted channel of financial institution clients, including PHH. In 2012, TRG was involved in the closing of approximately 194,000 transactions of which approximately 54,000 related to NRT. In addition to the Company's own title and settlement services, the Company also coordinates a nationwide network of attorneys, title agents and notaries to service financial institution clients on a national basis. The Company also serves as an underwriter of title insurance policies in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. As of December 31, 2012 , the Company had approximately 340 offices, approximately 200 of which are co-located within one of its company owned brokerage offices.
The Company competes with HSF Affiliates LLC, Brookfield Residential Property Services, HomeServices of America, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices; RE/MAX International, Inc.; and Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: Kellogg Co. (NYSE: K) is up 0.7% at $62.72 after announcing a restructuring program. CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) is down 1.2% at $73.77 after reporting earnings this morning. Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) is up 7.7% at $43.79.
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap mortgage originator and servicer stock PHH Corporation (NYSE: PHH), which has real estate services stock Realogy Holdings Corp (NYSE: RLGY) as a joint venture partner and small cap�Walter Investment Management Corp (NYSE: WAC) as a potential peer, has elevated short interest of 34.37% according to Highshortinterest.com. PHH Corporation did sell its more stable Fleet Management business last summer in order to concentrate on its more volatile residential mortgage business.�
- [By Lisa Abramowicz]
Drugstore chain Rite Aid Corp. (RAD) and residential property firm Realogy Corp. (RLGY) are two of the 283 junk-rated borrowers identified in March 2009 by Moody�� Investors Service as being at the highest risk of default that have since sold bonds.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
The IPO has a mixed impact on other real-estate related companies.�Realogy (RLGY) has fallen 0.2% to $43.62, while Vector Group (VGR), which has both tobacco and real-estate brokerage businesses, has dropped 0.5% to $15.99. Zillow�(Z) has jumped 4.1% to $90.44.
Best Asian Stocks To Watch Right Now: Pain Therapeutics Inc (PTIE)
Pain Therapeutics, Inc., incorporated in May 1998, is a biopharmaceutical company that develops drugs. The Company has four drug candidates in clinical programs, including REMOXY, abuse-resistant hydromorphone, abuse-resistant hydrocodone and a radio-labeled monoclonal antibody to treat metastatic melanoma. It is also working on a new treatment for patients with hemophilia. The Company�� lead drug candidate is REMOXY, which is a painkiller. It has collaboration agreement with King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (King) develops and commercializes REMOXY and other opioid painkillers. The Company and King jointly managed a Phase III clinical program and New Drug Application (NDA) submission for REMOXY. It is also developing a pipeline of drug candidates in the area of oncology and hematology. It owns all commercial rights to its pipeline of drug candidates in oncology and hematology. As of December 31, 2010, the Company leased approximately 30,700 square feet of space in San Mateo, California and all of its operations are located in San Mateo.
REMOXY
REMOXY is a controlled-release oral capsule form of oxycodone in a highly viscous liquid formulation matrix that includes excipients. It is formulated to help address issues of abuse and misuse of time-release oxycodone tablets. REMOXY�� capsule dosage form provides therapeutic drug levels of oxycodone on a twice-daily dosing schedule, while resisting the rapid increases in plasma levels of oxycodone associated with common methods of abuse and misuse. Its formulation also resists delivery by unapproved routes of administration, such as injection, snorting or inhalation.
Metastatic Melanoma
The Company is developing a drug candidate called PTI-188 to treat metastatic melanoma, a form of skin cancer. PTI-188 is a monoclonal antibody linked to a radioisotope, intended to deliver doses of radiation lethal to melanoma tumors without harming normal tissue. In March 2010, the Company announced data from two open-label! , dose-escalating Phase I studies conducted in Israel to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, dosimetry and anti-tumor activity of PTI-188. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the second study was completed. The technology used in this program was developed at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (AECOM). It had licensed worldwide commercial rights to this technology from AECOM.
Hemophilia
The Company has a gene transfer program, initially developed at Stanford University, focused at correcting a genetic disorder in which patients are unable to stop bleeding. During 2010, it conducted a variety of pre-clinical studies with this technology. The Company has licensed worldwide commercial rights to the technology used in this program from Poetic Genetics, LLC (Poetic).
Other product candidates
The Company�� alliance with King includes development of three other abuse-resistant opioid product candidates: hydromorphone, hydrocodone and oxymorphone. Its abuse-resistant formulations of hydromorphone and hydrocodone have completed Phase I clinical trials. In January 2011, the Company announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had accepted its investigational IND, for abuse-resistant oxymorphone.
The Company competes with Roxane Laboratories, Purdue Pharma, King Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Cephalon, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Elkins-Sinn, Watson Laboratories, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical and Forest Pharmaceuticals.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
However, all isn't well when it comes to the future of abuse-resistant painkiller Remoxy, which was developed by Pain Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTIE ) , using Durect's�special technology-based gel capsule to prevent abuse, and is licensed by Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ) . Remoxy has been rejected twice by the FDA -- the most recent coming in mid-2011 -- and Pfizer commented this morning that if it were to seek reapproval for the drug it wouldn't be for at least two more years. Given Pfizer's extensive product pipeline, losing Remoxy wouldn't be a big deal. For micro-cap clinical-stage companies like Pain Therapeutics and Durect, it'd be a gigantic blow. Fittingly, Pain Therapeutics and Durect shares imploded by 50% and 34%, respectively, on Friday.
- [By Jessica Alling]
Elsewhere, Pfizer is evaluating its continued partnership on an experimental oxycodone capsule, Remoxy. The drug is an extended-release formula that is targeted at reducing abuse of the painkiller. After years of setbacks and postponements for FDA approval, Pfizer is weighing its options. Its partners for the drug, Pain Therapeutics (NASDAQ: PTIE ) and Durect, have both fallen heavily due to the news, with Pain Therapeutics falling more than 50% -- its largest decline ever.
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