It's prime selling season for real estate, but one thing is missing: homes that are for sale. The bad news is that this problem won't be fully solved until more homeowners have equity in their homes. The good news is that we're definitely moving in the right direction.
The housing inventory conundrum
Data from multiple industry sources show that the available-for-sale inventories of both new and existing homes are at or near their all-time lows. The number of new homes for sale equates to only 4.1 months' worth of demand at the current sales rate. And the supply of existing homes is enough to satisfy only 5.1 months' worth of demand. Both figures are roughly 30% below their long-run averages.
This is particularly perplexing in light of the recent surge in home prices. The National Association of Realtors estimates that home prices rose by 15.8% in May on a year-over-year basis. CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX ) pegs the number at 12.2%.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Ever-Glory International Group Inc.(EVK)
Ever-Glory International Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of apparel for women, men, and children. Its products include coats, jackets, slacks, skirts, shirts, trousers, vests, skiwear, down jackets, knitwear, and jeans. The company offers its products to the casual wear, sportswear, and outerwear brands, as well as retailers, such as department stores, flagship stores, stores-within-a-store, and specialty stores primarily in Europe, the United States, Japan, and the People?s Republic of China. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 293 retail stores in the People?s Republic of China. The company is based in West Covina, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap apparel stock G-III Apparel Group, Ltd (NASDAQ: GIII) has been making bullish moves lately plus the stock is up 97.1% since the start of the year, making it the third best performing apparel stock (according to stock screener Finviz)�after small cap�Ever-Glory International Group Inc (NYSEMKT: EVK) and mid cap Fifth & Pacific Companies Inc (NYSE: FNP) followed by mid cap Hanesbrands Inc (NYSE: HBI). But is the G-III Apparel Group dressed for long term success for investors?
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Oi SA (OIBR)
Oi S.A., formerly Brasil Telecom S.A., incorporated on November 27, 1963, is a telecommunication service provider in Region II in Brazil. The Company offers a range of integrated telecommunication services that includes fixed-line and mobile telecommunication services, data transmission services (including broadband access services), Internet service provider (ISP) services and other services, for residential customers, small, medium and large companies, and governmental agencies. The Company provides services, which include Fixed-Line Telecommunications Services and Data Transmission Services, Mobile Telecommunications Services and other services.
Local Fixed-Line Services
As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 7.2 million local fixed-line customers in Region II. Local fixed-line services include installation, monthly subscription, metered services, collect calls and supplemental local services. Metered services include local calls that originate and terminate within a single local area. ANATEL has divided Region II into 1,772 local areas. Local fixed-line services also include in-dialing services (direct transmission of external calls to extensions) for corporate clients. For corporate clients in need of lines, the Company offers digital trunk services, which optimize and increase the speed of the customer�� telephone system.
Long-Distance Services
The long distance services include fixed line-to-fixed line and mobile long distance services. It provides domestic long-distance services for calls originating from Region II through interconnection agreements, mainly with Telemar in Region I and Telecomunicavoes de Sao Paulo S.A. (Telesp), in Region III permit the Company to interconnect directly with their local fixed-line networks, and through its network facilities in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. It provides international long-distance services originating from Region II through agreements to interconnect its netw! ork with those of the main telecommunication service providers worldwide. It provides mobile long-distance services originating from Region II through interconnection agreements, with Telemar in Region I, Telesp in Region III, and each of the principal mobile services providers operating in Brazil that permit it to interconnect directly with their local fixed-line and mobile networks. It provides international long-distance services originating or terminating on its customer�� mobile handsets through agreements to interconnect its network with those of the main telecommunication service providers worldwide.
Mobile Telecommunication Services
As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 7.8 million subscribers located in 1,281 municipalities in Region II. As of December 31, 2010, 87.5% of the Company�� customers subscribed to pre-paid plans and 12.5% subscribed to post-paid plans. The Company markets Oi Ligador subscriptions to its pre-paid customers, which allow these customers to receive bonus minutes with each purchase of additional credits. It charges a nominal subscription fee to enroll a customer in the Oi Ligador program and provide bonus minutes to these customers that may be used for local calls to its fixed-line or mobile subscribers, long-distance calls to its fixed-line subscribers, and sending Short Message Service (SMS, messages to mobile subscribers of any Brazilian mobile service provider.
The Company has roaming agreements with TNL PCS S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Telemar which provides mobile services and which it refers to as Oi, Companhia de Telecomunicacoes do Brasil Central (CTBC), and Sercomtel S.A. Telecomunicacoes (Sercomtel), providing its customers with automatic access to roaming services when traveling outside of Region II in areas of Brazil where mobile telecommunication services are available on the GSM standard. As of December 31, 2010, it had launched third generation (3G) services in a total of 84 municipalities, ! including! the nine state capitals in Region II and the Federal District. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 175,200 3G mobile broadband customers.
Data Transmission Services
The Company provides Internet access services using ADSL technology, which it refers as broadband services, to residential customers and businesses in the primary cities in Region II under the brand name Oi Velox. As of December 31, 2010, the Company offered broadband services in 1,810 municipalities in Region II and it had 1.9 million ADSL customers. Its network supports ADSL2+, VDSL2 and FTTx technologies. ADSL2+ is a data communications technology that allows data transmission at speeds of up to 24 megabits per second downstream and 1 megabits per second upstream. ADSL2+ permits offer a range of services than ADSL, including Internet protocol television (IPTV). As of December 31, 2010, approximately 50% of its fixed-line network had been updated to support ADSL2+. Very-high-bitrate digital subscriber line (VDSL2), is a DSL technology providing faster data transmission, up to 100 megabits per second upstream (downstream and upstream). Fiber to the x (FTTx), is a broadband network architecture that uses optical fiber to replace all or part of the usual metal local loop used for last mile telecommunications.
The Company provides a range of data transmission services through various technologies and means of access. Its commercial data transmission services include Industrial Exploitation of Dedicated Lines (Exploracao Industrial de Linha Dedicada (EILD)), under which it leases trunk lines to other telecommunication services providers, primarily mobile services providers, which use these trunk lines to link their radio base stations to their switching centers; Dedicated Line Services (Servicos de Linhas Dedicadas (SLD)), under which it leases dedicated lines to other telecommunication services providers, Internet service providers (ISPs) and corporate customers for use in private networks that! link dif! ferent corporate Websites; Internet Protocol (IP) services, which consist of dedicated private lines and dial-up Internet access, which it provides to the ISPs in Brazil, as well as Virtual Private Network (VPN), services that enable its customers to operate private Intranet and extranet networks, and frame relay services, which the Company provides to its corporate customers to allow them to transmit data using protocols based on direct use of its transmission lines, enabling the creation of VPNs.
The Company provides these data transmission services using its service network platform in Region II and its nationwide fiber optic cable network and microwave links. In addition, it provides services at the six cyber data centers located in Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre and Fortaleza. It provides hosting, collocation and information technology (IT) outsourcing at these centers, permitting its customers to outsource their IT structures to it or to use these centers to provide backup for their IT systems. It also owns and operates a submarine fiber optic network, which connects Brazil with the United States, Bermuda, Venezuela and Colombia. Through this network, it offers international data transportation services, primarily leased lines to other telecommunication services providers.
Network Usage Services (Interconnection Service)
The Company is authorized to charge for the use of its local fixed-line network on a per-minute basis for all calls terminated on its local fixed-line network in Region II that originate on the networks of other local fixed-line, mobile and long-distance service providers, and all long-distance calls originated on its local fixed-line network in Region II that are carried by other long-distance service providers. In addition, the Company charges network usage fees to long-distance service providers and operators of trunking services that connect switching stations to its local fixed-line networks.
Traffic Transporta! tion Serv! ices
The Company offers a long-distance usage service, called national transportation, under which it provides discounts to its long-distance network usage fees based on the volume of traffic and geographic distribution of calls generated by a long-distance or mobile services provider. The Company also offers international telecommunication service providers the option to terminate their Brazilian inbound traffic through its network, as an alternative to Embratel and Intelig Telecomunicacoes Ltda. (Intelig). The Company charges international telecommunication service providers a per-minute rate, based on whether a call terminates on a fixed-line or mobile telephone and the location of the local area in which the call terminates.
Public Telephone Services
The Company owns and operates public telephones throughout Region II. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately 266,100 public telephones in service, which are operated by pre-paid cards.
Value-Added Services
Value-added services include voice, text and data applications, including voicemail, caller identification (ID), and other services, such as personalization (video downloads, games, ring tones and wallpaper), short message service (SMS)subscription services (horoscope, soccer teams and love match), chat, mobile television, location-based services and applications (mobile banking, mobile search, email and instant messaging). The Company also provides advanced voice services to its corporate customers, mainly 0800 (toll free) services, as well as voice portals where customers can participate in real-time chats and other interactive voice services. The Company also operates an Internet portal under the brand name iG.
The Company competes with Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicacoes, GVT S.A., Vivo Participacoes S.A., Telecom Americas Group, TIM Participacoes S.A., Telesp and Intelig.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By alicet236]
Oi SA (OIBR) Reached the Five-Year Low of $1.63
The prices of Oi SA (OIBR) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $1.63, which is 87.6% off the five-year high of $11.48. Oi SA is owned by three Gurus we are tracking. Among them, zero have added to their positions during the past quarter. 3 reduced their positions. Oi SA is a telecommunication service providing company in Brazil. Oi Sa has a market cap of $2.67 billion; its shares were traded at around $1.63 with a P/E ratio of 4.50 and P/S ratio of 0.14. The dividend yield of Oi Sa stocks is 23.36%. Oi Sa had an annual average earnings growth of 10.00% over the past 10 years.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Oi (OIBR), through its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services for residential customers, companies and governmental agencies in Brazil. This stock closed up 8.6 % to $1.89 in Thursday's trading session.
Thursday's Range: $1.73-$1.91
52-Week Range: $1.44-$4.69
Thursday's Volume: 5.48 million
Three-Month Average Volume: 3.91 millionFrom a technical perspective, OIBR bounced sharply higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $1.83 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of OIBR within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if OIBR manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.94 to $2.29 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in OIBR as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $1.83 or above more key near-term support at $1.72 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 3.91 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then OIBR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.44 to its 200-day at $3.06.
5 Best Quality Stocks To Own Right Now: Life Technologies Corporation(LIFE)
Life Technologies Corporation operates as a global life sciences company. The company?s Molecular Biology Systems division offers molecular biology-based technologies, including basic and real-time PCR, RNA interference, DNA synthesis, sample preparation, transfection, cloning and protein expression profiling, protein analysis, and thermo-cycler instrumentation technologies. Its Cell Systems division provides cell culture media and sera, stem cells and related tools, cellular imaging products, antibodies, drug discovery services, and cell therapy related products used in the study of cell function. The company?s Genetic Systems division offers capillary electrophoresis systems and reagents, and next generation sequencing systems and reagents comprising SOLiD and Ion Torrent systems, as well as reagent kits developed specifically for applied markets, such as forensics and food safety, pharmaceutical quality monitoring, and animal health markets. Life Technologies Corporat ion also provides repair and maintenance services; and custom services, such as cell line development, custom media modification, and primers and custom assays development services. Its products offer research tools for genomics studies, proteomics studies, gene splicing, cellular analysis, and other research applications required by laboratories associated with universities, medical research centers, and government and other research institutions, as well as biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies; and serves clinical labs, medical institutions, medical researchers, and various industries through sales and service professionals, e-commerce capabilities, and onsite supply center solutions. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
It's been only a few trading days since Illumina surged on a strong earnings report, showing that there's still plenty of life in the sequencing sector. However, competition is only bound to increase now that erstwhile rival Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE ) has found its white knight in Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO ) . I've been optimistic on Life Tech's prospects for some time -- you can read more about my opinions in an analyst debate I held with fellow Fools Travis Hoium and Sean Williams last year -- and that opinion hasn't changed now that Life Tech has even deeper pockets to dip into for research dollars:
- [By Sean Williams]
Analyzing the short-sellers
The overwhelming boost in the number of short-sellers stems from Thermo Fisher Scientific pricing the largest public stock offering all year earlier this month. The $2.2 billion offering comes on the heels of its agreement to purchase rival Life Technologies (NASDAQ: LIFE ) for $13.6 billion. As with Pfizer, there are a lot of mixed emotions about the deal and the share offering. - [By Rich Smith]
No sooner had Life Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: LIFE ) announced its successful purchase of KDR Biotech last week, then out came Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO ) with a $13.6 billion bid to buy Life Technologies itself.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Vanguard Long Term Bond ETF (BLV)
Vanguard Bond Index Funds (the Fund), formerly Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF, seeks to track the performance of a market-weighted bond index with a long-term, dollar-weighted average maturity. It employs a passive management or indexing strategy designed to track the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S.Long Government/Credit Bond Index (the Index). The Index includes all medium and larger issues of the United States Government, investment-grade corporate, and investment-grade international dollar-denominated bonds that have maturities of greater than 10 years and are publicly issued. The Fund invests by sampling the Index, meaning that it holds a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full Index in terms of key risk factors and other characteristics. All of the Fund�� investments will be selected through the sampling process, and at least 80% of its assets will be invested in bonds held in the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is The Vanguard Group, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:- [By GURUFOCUS]
In addition to individual stocks several funds pay a monthly dividend. Below is a sampling of these:
Monthly Bond Funds- iShares Barclays 1-3 Year Credit Bond (CSJ) | Yield: 1.29%
- Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) | Yield: 1.25%
- Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond ETF (BIV) | Yield: 2.96%
- Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) | Yield: 4.42%
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Verizon Communications Inc.(VZ)
Verizon Communications Inc. provides communication services. The company operates through two segments, Domestic Wireless and Wireline. The Domestic Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data services; and sells equipment in the United States. The Wireline segment provides voice, Internet access, broadband video and data, Internet protocol network, network access, long distance, and other services in the United States and internationally. The company serves consumer, business, and government customers, as well as carriers. As of December 31, 2010, its network covered a population of approximately 292 million and provided service to a customer base of approximately 94.1 million. The company was formerly known as Bell Atlantic Corporation and changed its name to Verizon Communications Inc. in June 2000. Verizon Communications Inc. was founded in 1983 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
There's been rumblings that Nokia (NYSE: NOK ) was preparing to go bigger with wireless carrier Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) . In March, rumors surfaced that the top domestic carrier was preparing to launch a high-end Lumia model, following the mid-range Lumia 822 that was released late last year.
- [By Dan Carroll]
Earnings season marches on, and two big reports have shaken up the stock market today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) is down 79 points, or 0.54%, as of 2:10 p.m. EDT. Today's earnings releases from Dow components Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) and UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) have investors headed in opposite directions with these stocks, while one major disappointment from earlier in the week continues to haunt the market. Let's check out what you need to know.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Full-spectrum opportunity
Yet telecom presented an interesting avenue of attack, too, as Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) had the second "less bad" performance of Dow components, pulling back by less than half of a percent. That was no doubt largely in response to a two-fold development: its willingness to pay $1.5 billion for Clearwire's (NASDAQ: CLWR ) spectrum and DISH Network's (NASDAQ: DISH ) offer to buy Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S ) for $25.5 billion.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Cape Bancorp Inc.(CBNJ)
Cape Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for the Cape Bank that provides a line of business and personal banking products to retail customers and small and mid-sized businesses primarily in Cape May and Atlantic Counties, New Jersey. Its deposit products include non-interest-bearing demand deposits, such as checking accounts; interest-bearing demand accounts, including NOW and money market accounts; savings accounts; and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises commercial mortgage loans, one-to-four family residential mortgage loans, commercial business loans, construction loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, and other consumer loans. It operates through its 16 full service branch offices located in Atlantic and Cape May counties in southern New Jersey; and a loan production office in Burlington County. The company was founded in 1923 and is based in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Melvin]
Right now I know that silver miners like Pan American Silver (PAAS) and Coeur Mining (CDE) are very cheap on an asset basis. I know that oil and gas producers like Swift Energy (SFY) and WPX Energy (WPX) are priced as if no one will ever use the stuff again. I know that small banks like Cape Bancorp (CBNJ) and Essa Bancorp (ESSA) are crazy-cheap — and if the world does not end, those stocks will be a lot higher in a few years.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: American Financial Group Inc (AFG)
American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), incorporated on July 1, 1997, is a holding company, which through subsidiaries, is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses and in the sale of traditional fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the individual, bank and education markets. The Company�� segment includes: property and casualty insurance, annuity, run-off long-term care and life and other. In August 2012, the Company sold its Medicare supplement and critical illness businesses.
Property and Casualty Insurance
AFG�� specialty property and casualty insurance operations consist of approximately 30 niche insurance businesses offering a range of commercial coverages. Under the property and transportation segment, inland and ocean marine provides coverage primarily for builders' risk, contractors' equipment, property, motor truck cargo, marine cargo, boat dealers, marina operators/dealers and excursion vessels. The agriculture-related business provides federally reinsured multi-peril crop (allied lines) insurance covering perils, as well as crop-hail, equine mortality and other coverages for operating farms/ranches and agribusiness operations on a nationwide basis. The commercial automobile business provides coverage for vehicles (such as buses and trucks) in a range of businesses, including the moving and storage and transportation industries, and a specialized physical damage product for the trucking industry.
Under the specialty casualty segment, executive and professional liability business markets coverage for directors and officers of businesses and non-profit organizations, errors and omissions, and provides non-United States medical malpractice insurance. The umbrella and excess liability business provides higher layer liability coverage in excess of primary layers. The excess and surplus business provides liability, umbrella and excess coverage for risks, using rates and forms that ge! nerally do not have to be approved by state insurance regulators. The general liability business provides coverage for contractor-related businesses, energy development and production risks, and environmental liability risks. The targeted programs includes coverage (primarily liability and property) for social service agencies, leisure, entertainment and non-profit organizations, customized solutions for other targeted markets and alternative risk programs using agency captives. The Workers��Compensation provides coverage for prescribed benefits payable to employees who are injured on the job.
Under the specialty financial segment, fidelity and surety provides fidelity and crime coverage for government, mercantile and financial institutions and surety coverage for various types of contractors and public and private corporations. Lease and loan services provides coverage for insurance risk management programs for lending and leasing institutions, including equipment leasing and collateral and mortgage protection.
Annuity Operations
AFG�� annuity operations is engaged primarily in the sale of fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the individual, bank and education markets through independent producers and also sell annuities through direct relationships with banks. Annuities are long-term retirement saving instruments that benefit from income accruing on a tax-deferred basis. The issuer of the annuity collects premiums, credits interest or earnings on the policy and pays out a benefit upon death, surrender or annuitization. Single premium annuities are generally issued in exchange for a one-time lump-sum premium payment. Certain annuities, primarily in the education market, have premium payments that are flexible in both amount and timing as determined by the policyholder and are generally made through payroll deductions.
A fixed-indexed annuity provides policyholders with the opportunity to receive a crediting rate tied, in part, to the performanc! e of an e! xisting market index (generally the S&P 500) while protecting against the related downside risk through a guarantee of principal (excluding surrender charges, market value adjustments, and certain benefit charges). AFG purchases call options designed to substantially offset the effect of the index participation in the liabilities associated with fixed-indexed annuities.
Run-off long-term care and life
The majority of AFG�� investment in its run-off long-term care and life operations (including 100% of its long-term care business) is in the following subsidiaries: United Teacher Associates Insurance Company, Continental General Insurance Company and Manhattan National Life Insurance Company. United Teacher Associates Insurance Company�� products include Long-term care, life and annuities. Continental General Insurance Company�� products include Long-term care, life and annuities.
Other Operations
Through subsidiaries, AFG is engaged in a range of other operations, including commercial real estate operations in Cincinnati (office buildings and The Cincinnatian Hotel), New Orleans (Le Pavillon Hotel), Whitefield, New Hampshire (Mountain View Grand Resort), Chesapeake Bay (Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort and Bay Bridge Marina), Charleston (Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina), Palm Beach (Sailfish Marina and Resort), Florida City, Florida (retail commercial development) and apartments in Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of American International Group have dropped 1.7% to $49.67 at 1:19 p.m. today, while American Financial Group (AFG) has, dropped 0.2% to $57.23, HCC Insurance (HCC) is little changed at $45.12,�Travelers (TRV) has dipped 0.1% to $83.52 and Chubb (CB) is off 0.1% at $86.58.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: AspenBio Pharma Inc.(APPY)
AspenBio Pharma, Inc. operates as an emerging biomedical company focused on obtaining the United States FDA clearance for its lead product, AppyScore. Its research and development activities primarily focus on a human appendicitis blood-based test. The company?s lead product candidate, AppyScore, is a blood-based diagnostic test to help physicians manage patients who enter emergency rooms complaining of abdominal pain and suspected of having acute appendicitis. It is also developing animal healthcare products focusing on reproduction. The company was formerly known as AspenBio, Inc. and changed its name to AspenBio Pharma, Inc. on September 26, 2005. AspenBio Pharma, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Castle Rock, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
To tell the truth, I'm not the least bit surprised that I'm chiming in on Venaxis Inc. (NASDAQ:APPY) today. It was a stock I dissected just two days ago (on Tuesday - here's that chat), pointing out how all the telltale signs of bullishness were brewing. Sure enough, APPY popped on Wednesday, and as a result has gone from a mere potential big mover to an actual mover.
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: KAR Auction Services Inc (KAR)
KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides vehicle auction services in North America. It operates in three segments: ADESA Auctions, IAA, and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. This segment also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, and analytical services. The ADESA Auctions segment sells its products and services through commercial fleet operators, financial institutions, rental car companies, new and used vehicle dealers, and vehicle manufacturers and their captive finance companies to franchise and independent used vehicle dealers. The IAA segment offers salvage vehicle auctions and related services that facilitate the remarketing of damaged or low value vehicles designated as total losses by insurance companies and charity donation vehicles, as well as recovered stolen vehicles. This segment also provides inbound transportation, titling, salvage recovery, and claims settlement administrative services. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing, to independent used vehicle dealers. As of December 31, 2012, the company had a network of 67 whole car auction and 163 salvage auction locations, as well as serviced auctions through 104 locations. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Vehicle auction services company KAR (KAR) raised its quarterly dividend 31% to 25 cents per share, payable on Jan. 3 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 20.
KAR Dividend Yield: 3.53%
Best Dow Dividend Stocks To Own For 2015: Ironwood Pharmaceuticals Inc.(IRWD)
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines targeting therapeutic needs. The company is developing Linaclotide, a first-in-class compound that is in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, chronic constipation, and other lower gastrointestinal conditions. It also focuses on the research and development of early stage product candidates and preclinical research in various therapeutic areas, including gastrointestinal disease, pain and inflammation, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease. The company has a collaboration agreement with Forest Laboratories, Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize linaclotide in North America; a license agreement with Almirall, S.A. to develop and commercialize linaclotide in Europe; and a license agreement with Astellas Pharma Inc. that provides Astellas Pharma with the right to develop and commercialize linaclotide in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. It serves patients, payors, and healthcare providers. The company was formerly known as Microbia, Inc. and changed its name to Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in April 2008. Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lee Jackson]
While very upbeat on the sector as a whole, UBS was very cautious on sell-rated Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: IRWD) and ImmunoGen Inc. (NASDAQ: IMGN). Neutral-rated Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: VRTX) and Seattle Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: SGEN) were also viewed with a skeptical eye.
- [By Keith Speights]
Flood of expenses
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IRWD ) shares fell 12% this week, after the company reported first-quarter results. A big part of the drugmaker's problems stemmed from soaring sales and administrative costs. - [By gurujx]
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IRWD) Reached the 3-year Low of $10.02
The prices of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IRWD) shares have declined to close to the 3-year low of $10.02, which is 51.0% off the 3-year high of $19.67.
- [By Sean Williams]
What: Shares of Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IRWD ) , a specialty biopharmaceutical company, gained as much as 11% after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings results.
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