Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now

According to a recent Deloitte survey focused on U.S. consumers and their pantries, name brand loyalty has declined for the third consecutive year. An astounding nine out of 10 consumers are still trading down to private-label brands, despite improvements in the economy. This survey suggests that consumers have not only grown more mindful of their spending habits, but also learned along the way that in-store alternative brands are often comparable. Motley Fool contributor Steve Heller believes that the trend of continued frugality is likely to persist, putting Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM  ) and Costco (NASDAQ: COST  ) in great position to benefit to boost their margins. Check out the video below to hear his thoughts on the issue.

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Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: MicroStrategy Incorporated(MSTR)

MicroStrategy Incorporated provides enterprise software platforms for business intelligence (BI), and mobile and social intelligence applications worldwide. The company offers MicroStrategy 9, an integrated BI platform that enables businesses to make business decisions. The MicroStrategy 9 platform?s product components comprise Intelligence Server, a foundation for the BI platform; Report Services, a reporting engine delivering production and operational reports, managed metrics reports, and interactive dashboards; OLAP Services that allows Web and desktop users to manipulate Intelligent Cubes databases; Web, a Web interface providing query, reporting, and analysis; Distribution Services that offers automated report and dashboard distribution; Office, which enables Microsoft Office users to create, run, edit, and format MicroStrategy report; and Desktop that provide users access to data through analytical applications. The MicroStrategy 9 platform?s product components al so include Architect, whose data sources are modeled through an intuitive graphical user interface; SDK to integrate MicroStrategy 9 features and functionality into any application on multiple platforms; Integrity Manager to compare and verify reports? consistency; Command Manager that automates MicroStrategy administrative tasks; Enterprise Manager to provide prebuilt reports and dashboards; Object Manager that allows administrators to manage disparate and distributed environments; MultiSource Option allowing users to report, analyze, and monitor data; Transaction Services that provides write-back capabilities; and Clustering Option, a plug-and-play add-on to Intelligence Server. The company also offers technical support, consulting, education, and cloud-based solutions. It serves retail, communications, financial services, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, consumer goods, and public services industries. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR  ) have plunged today by as much as 13% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.

  So what: Revenue in the first quarter added up to $130.2 million, a 6% decline from a year ago. That translated into a loss from continuing operations of $5.2 million, or $0.46 per share. Those figures looked poor relative to consensus estimates, which were calling for $152.4 million in sales and $0.35 per share in profit.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  MicroStrategy (Nasdaq: MSTR  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings around July 29. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict MicroStrategy's revenues will wither -1.9% and EPS will wither -40.0%.

• [By Tim Beyers and Erin Miller]

  Importantly, the BI sector as a whole isn't seeing gains. MicroStrategy (NASDAQ: MSTR  ) fell as much as Qlik gained on a 6% decline in revenues in the most recent quarter. Qlik, by contrast, reported a 22% rise in revenue and told analysts to expect another 20% or better bump in the quarter.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Vero Energy Inc Com Npv(VRO.TO)

Vero Energy Inc. engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the province of Alberta in Canada. As of December 31, 2011, the company?s properties included 265 producing natural gas wells and 76 producing oil wells; and land holdings of 162,832 gross developed acres and 111,997 undeveloped acres. Vero Energy Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Best Casino Companies To Watch In Right Now: TECO Energy Inc.(TE)

TECO Energy, Inc., an electric and gas utility company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy. It provides retail electric service to approximately 672,000 customers in West Central Florida with a net winter system generating capability of 4,684 megawatts. The company also engages in the purchase, distribution, and marketing of natural gas. It serves approximately 336,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and electric power generation customers in Florida. In addition, the company owns mineral rights, owns or operates surface and underground mines, and owns interests in coal processing and loading facilities. TECO Energy, Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  TECO Energy (NYSE: TE  ) is known for its coal-centric capacity and ownership of Appalachian mines, but the company relies on natural gas for 39% of its overall generation.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  TECO Energy (NYSE: TE  ) reported Q1 earnings (link opens a PDF) today, missing on sales but topping analysts' earnings estimates. First-quarter revenue clocked in at $661 million, just shy of Mr. Market's $668 million prediction. But what the company cut off the top line, it made up for on bottom-line numbers. EPS came in at $0.19, two cents above analyst expectations. Compared with Q1 2012, sales are down 5.2% and net income dropped 18%.�

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  TECO Energy (NYSE: TE  ) has agreed to purchase Continental Energy Systems' New Mexico Gas Co. for $950 million, the company announced today.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Around the same time, TECO Energy's (NYSE: TE  ) Tampa Electric utility requested an even larger average $11.68 bill boost, but only around $1.28 of that accounts for fuel costs. TECO has been behind the times on its return on equity (the single-most important investment indicator for regulated utilities), and previously expected its ROE to clock in at less than 9% for 2013. But TECO's request was approved in September, and the company can now enjoy 10.25% ROE off its 5.5% increase in regulated revenue.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Snap-On Incorporated(SNA)

Snap-on Incorporated provides tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information, and systems solutions for professional users. Its products include hand tools, such as wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, pliers, ratchets, saws and cutting tools, pruning tools, and torque measuring instruments; power tools, including pneumatic, hydraulic, cordless, and corded tools; and tool storage products comprising tool chests, roll cabinets, and tool control systems. The company?s diagnostics and repair information products include handheld and PC-based diagnostics products, service and repair information products, diagnostic software solutions, electronic parts catalogs, business management systems, business services, point-of-sale systems, integrated systems for vehicle service shops, original equipment manufacturer purchasing facilitation services, and warranty management systems and analytics to manage and track performance. Snap-on Incorporated?s equipment products comprise solutions for the diagnosis and service of automotive and industrial equipment, such as wheel alignment, collision repair, air conditioning service, brake service, fluid exchange, transmission troubleshooting, and safety testing equipment, as well as wheel balancers, tire changers, vehicle lifts, test lane systems, battery chargers, and hoists. The company also provides financial services, including business loans and vehicle leases to franchisees; loans to the franchisees? customers; and loans to its industrial and other customers for the purchase of tools, equipment, and diagnostics products. Snap-on Incorporated sells its products and services through mobile vans, franchisees, company-direct sales, distributors, and the Internet in approximately 130 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Argentina, China, and Brazil. Snap-on Incorporated was founded in 1920 and is based in Kenosh a, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Snap-on (NYSE: SNA  ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 30 (Q1), Snap-on met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Metminco Ltd(MNC.AX)

Metminco Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and development of mineral prospects primarily located in Chile and Peru, South America. It primarily focuses on exploring copper, as well as on gold, molybdenum, and zinc. The company principally holds interests in the Los Calatos copper and molybdenum porphyry deposit located in southern Peru. Metminco Limited was incorporated in 2006 and is based in North Sydney, Australia.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Triumph Group Inc.(TGI)

Triumph Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, engineering, manufacture, repair, overhaul, and distribution of aircraft components. The company operates in two segments, Aerospace Systems and Aftermarket Services. The Aerospace Systems segment provides mechanical and electromechanical controls, such as hydraulic systems and components, main engine gearbox assemblies, and accumulators and mechanical control cables. It also involves in stretch forming, die forming, milling, bonding, machining, welding, and assembling and fabricating various structural components used in aircraft wings, fuselages, and other assemblies. In addition, this segment provides composite assemblies for floor panels, environmental control system ducts, non-structural cockpit components, and thermal acoustic insulation systems. The Aftermarket Services segment provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for commercial and military markets. This segment offers its services on auxiliary power units, and air frame and engine accessories, including constant-speed drives, cabin compressors, starters and generators, and pneumatic drive units; and on thrust reversers, nacelle components, and flight control surfaces, as well as supplies spare parts of cockpit instruments and gauges for a range of commercial airlines. The company serves the aerospace industry, including original equipment manufacturers of commercial, regional, business, and military aircraft and components, as well as commercial airlines, air cargo carriers, and military customers. Triumph Group, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  On Friday, Triumph Group's (NYSE: TGI  ) Aerostructures-Vought Aircraft Division announced that it has been awarded the contract to design and build the center fuselage section III, rear fuselage section, and also the rudder and elevator components on the tail section on Embraer's second-generation family of E-Jets.

• [By Seth Jayson]

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

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Textron have gained 1.2% to $36.63 at 1:09 p.m., while Embraer (ERJ) has risen 0.5% to $32.30, Triumph Group (TGI) has advanced 0.2% to $75.73 and Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) is off 0.8% at $33.90.

• [By Alex Planes]

  What: Shares of Triumph Group (NYSE: TGI  ) are down nearly 7%, and reached an intraday low of 10% beneath yesterday's close, after releasing an earnings report that pairs solid quarterly results with disappointing forward guidance.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Rogers Communication Inc.(RCI)

Rogers Communications, Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. The company?s Wireless segment provides wireless voice and data communications services. It operates a global system for mobile communications and general packet radio service network. This segment markets its products and services under Rogers Wireless, Fido, and chatr brands. Its Cable segment offers cable television, high-speed Internet access, and cable telephony services. As of December 31, 2010, this segment provided digital cable services to approximately 1.7 million households; Internet service to approximately 1.7 million residential subscribers; and residential circuit-switched telephony services to approximately a million subscribers. This segment also offers local and long-distance telephone, enhanced voice and data services, and IP access. In addition, this segment operates a retail distribution chain consisting of approximately 400 stores that provide cable services and digi tal and Internet equipment, as well as offers digital video disc and video game sales and rentals. The company?s Media segment publishes magazines, trade and professional publications, and directories, as well as operates 55 radio stations in Canada; multicultural OMNI broadcast television stations; the 5 station Citytv television network; specialty sports television services, including Rogers Sportsnet, Sportnet ONE, and Setanta Sports Canada; specialty services, which comprise Outdoor Life Network, The Biography Channel Canada, and G4 Canada; and televised shopping service, The Shopping Channel. It also holds an ownership in a mobile sports and events production and distribution joint venture; delivers content and conducts ecommerce through the Internet; and owns Blue Jays, a League Baseball club, as well as Rogers Centre sports and entertainment venue. The company was founded in 1920 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  Big competitors for BCE include Rogers Communications (RCI) and Telus (TU), though it also faces niche players such as Public Mobile, Wind Mobile and Mobilicity. Until recently, there was buzz that Verizon (VZ) might enter the market by buying up the latter two, though VZ apparently scrapped plans for Canadian expansion until 2014.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The big news for Madison Square Garden has been the success of its key sports franchises. The New York Knicks basketball team made the playoffs and earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even more importantly, the long-delayed National Hockey League season finally got going in January, helping resurrect what many had feared would be a lost season, sending shares of MSG, as well as Canadian venue/team-owners Rogers Communications (NYSE: RCI  ) and BCE (NYSE: BCE  ) , higher. As it turned out, MSG's New York Rangers made the playoffs and will go up against the Washington Capitals in the first round. Playoffs are an especially lucrative time for sports viewership, and usually translate into extra profits for the company's broadcast businesses.

Top Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Medidata Solutions Inc.(MDSO)

Medidata Solutions, Inc. provides software-as-a-service based clinical development solutions for life science organizations worldwide. Its solutions comprise software and services that allow customers to increase the value of their development programs by designing, planning, and managing key aspects of the clinical trial process, including study and protocol design, trial planning and budgeting, site negotiation, clinical portal, trial management, randomization and trial supply management, clinical data capture and management, safety events capture, medical coding, clinical business analytics, and data flow and interoperability. The company primarily offers Medidata Rave, a comprehensive platform for capturing and managing clinical data. It also provides Medidata CTMS, a clinical trial management solution that streamlines operational workflows; Medidata Designer, a protocol development tool that enhances the efficiency of clinical trial start-up; Medidata Insights, a busi ness analytics platform; and Medidata Balance, a randomization and trial supply management solution, which streamlines the process of developing, building, and implementing subject allocation plans. In addition, the company offers Medidata Grants Manager, an application to benchmark the investigator budgets against industry data; Medidata contract research organization (CRO) Contractor, an analytical tool for CRO outsourcing, budgeting, and negotiation; and iMedidata, a hosted portal application that allows investigative sites and sponsor study teams to start trial activities. Further, it provides hosting, support, and professional services. The company serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies; academic institutions; and CROs and other entities engaged in clinical trials through a direct sales force; and through relationships with CROs and other strategic partners. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of cloud-based clinical development technologist Medidata Solutions (NASDAQ: MDSO  ) surged 19% today after its quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations.�

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Mid-cap medical software stock Medidata Solutions (MDSO) is the smallest name on today's list by far, but it's hard to ignore the technical trade that's been setting up in shares. Even though MDSO has already rallied more than 52% since the start of 2013, this name looks well positioned for some serious continuation in the New Year.

  That's because Medidata is currently forming an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish price setup that's formed by overhead resistance at $62.50 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as shares bounce in between those two technical price levels, they're getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above resistance. When that move through $62.50 happens, we've got our buy signal.

  MDSO is another name that's been showing off outsized relative strength lately. Considering the fact that the S&P look likely to show us a healthy correction sooner rather than later, positive relative strength trends are the single most important technical indicator traders can ask for right now. When the buy signal comes, I'd recommend putting a stop on the other side of the 50-day moving average.

  
  Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)

  Berkshire Hathaway, on the other hand, hasn't been seeing much in the way of relative strength in the last few months. Since the start of July, Berkshire's shares have only managed to gain a third of what the broad market has returned. But a breakout in shares of Warren Buffett's favorite stock means that fortunes are likely about to turn for shareholders.

  Berkshire had been forming symmetrical triangle, a pattern that's formed by converging trendlines squeezing in on the stock's price at a nearly even rate. The symmetrical triangle has less upside bias than the ascending triangle we just looked at, but the trading trigger is essentially the same -- a breakout outside of the pattern is the signal to make a move. So, shares of Berkshire are flashing "buy" now.

  With the brea

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  But I'm not here to talk about these two companies
  I offer those two up as examples that this trend of profiting while helping medical companies save money, is very real. The company I'd like to introduce you to today is much smaller: Medidata Solutions (NASDAQ: MDSO  ) .