Mass hack affects almost 2 million Internet acc…

Almost 2 million accounts on Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and other social media and Internet sites have been breached, according to a Chicago-based cybersecurity firm.

The hackers stole 1.58 million website login credentials and 320,000 e-mail account credentials, among other items, the firm Trustwave reported. Included in the breaches were thefts of 318,121 passwords from Facebook, 59,549 from Yahoo, 54,437 from Google, 21,708 from Twitter and 8,490 from LinkedIn. The list also includes 7,978 from ADP, the payroll service provider. According to a Trustwave blog, "Payroll services accounts could actually have direct financial repercussions."

The hacking began Oct. 21 and might still be taking place, according to CNN.

John Miller, a security research manager at Trustwave, told CNN, "We don't have evidence they logged into these accounts, but they probably did."

There are several other servers Trustwave has not yet tracked down, Miller told CNN.

ADP, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter told CNN they have notified users and reset passwords for compromised accounts. Google declined to comment and Yahoo did not respond immediately, CNN reported.

The majority of passwords were from the Netherlands, followed by Thailand, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia and the United States, which accounted for 859 reports from machines and 1,943 passwords, according to Trustwave. In all, just over 100 countries were affected, and Trustwave said this shows the attack is "fairly global."

In compiling the data, Trustwave also discovered that many users are doing just what computer specialists advise against – using simplistic passwords that can easily be guessed. For instance, the top five passwords Trustwave found in researching the breaches were: 123456, 123456789, 1234, password and 12345.

According to its website, Trustwave helps businesses fight computer crime, protect data and reduce security risks.

The breaches operated through software maliciously installed on comput! ers around the world, CNN reports Trustwave said. The virus borne from the software has been sending the stolen information over to a server in the Netherlands controlled by the hackers, according to CNN.

Trustwave researchers on Nov. 24 detected the server and found compromised credentials for about 100,000 websites.

U.S. Index Futures Advance Before Shortened Trading Day

U.S. stock-index futures increased, indicating the Standard & Poor's 500 Index may extend a record in today's shortened trading session, before economic reports next week.

Apple Inc. climbed 0.8 percent in early New York trading after a report showed the company sold three of every four smartphones in Japan last month. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. rose 0.5 percent in European trading after Australia blocked a A$2.2 billion ($2 billion) takeover of GrainCorp Ltd.

S&P 500 futures expiring in December advanced 0.3 percent to 1,809.10 at 7:20 a.m. in New York. Dow Jones Industrial Average contracts added 51 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,125. The S&P 500 climbed 27 percent this year, and the Dow gained 23 percent, after the Federal Reserve refrained from tapering its third round of economic stimulus.

"Investors are waiting for indications on when tapering may come," said Ioan Smith, strategist at KCG Europe Ltd. "The minutes revealed a wide-ranging discussion of various policy scenarios and contingencies. It is still the case that there's not enough sustained evidence to meet the taper criteria as soon as next month."

The S&P 500 and the Dow closed at records on Nov. 27, as jobless claims unexpectedly declined and a measure of consumer confidence beat estimates. U.S. markets were closed yesterday for the Thanksgiving holiday and trading in the New York Stock Exchange will end at 1 p.m. local time today.

Fed Minutes

Minutes of the last Fed meeting released on Nov. 20 showed that officials are considering scaling back their $85 billion in monthly bond purchases "in coming months" if the economy improves as anticipated.

Investors will await reports on manufacturing and home sales next week, and the November release of non-farm payrolls on Dec. 6. Janet Yellen, who will replace Ben S. Bernanke as chairman of the Fed, has said she will ensure monetary stimulus isn't removed too soon to support economic recovery in the U.S. There are no economic reports scheduled for today.

Apple rose 0.8 percent to $550.30 in early New York trading. The company accounted for 76 percent of smartphone sales in Japan last month after the country's largest carrier, NTT Docomo Inc., began offering the iPhone, market researcher Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said yesterday.

ADM (ADM) rose 0.5 percent to $41.69 in European composite trading. Australia's rejection of the agricultural commodities producer's takeover prompted a record 22 percent drop in GrainCorp, the biggest crop handler on Australia's east coast, and a slide in the local currency.

"This proposal has attracted a high level of concern from stakeholders and the broader community," Treasurer Joe Hockey said today, ruling U.S.-based ADM's bid of A$12.20 a share isn't in the national interest. "Now is not the right time for a 100 percent foreign acquisition of this key Australian business."

4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Stocks Poised for Breakouts

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Big Stocks to Trade for Big Gains

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume today.

Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain (IRM) is a global provider of information protection and storage services. This stock closed up 5.8% to $30.15 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 7.28 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.71 million

Volume % Change: 392%

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

From a technical perspective, IRM spiked sharply higher here and broke out above some key overhead resistance at $29.06 with heavy upside volume. This move also pushed shares of IRM into its previous gap down zone from June that started near $34. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if IRM can manage to take out Friday's high of $30.31 and its 200-day moving average at $30.69 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IRM as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $28.45 and then once it sustains a move or close above $30.31 to $30.69 with volume that hits near or above 1.71 million shares. If we get that move soon, then IRM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $34 to $36.

Healthcare Services Group

Healthcare Services Group (HCSG) provides management, administrative and operating expertise and services to the housekeeping, laundry, linen, facility maintenance and dietary service departments of the health care industry in the U.S. This stock closed up 3.9% to $28 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 895,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 248,289

Volume % Change: 264% 


>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

From a technical perspective, HCSG ripped higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $27.90 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $21.57 to its intraday high on Friday of $28.01. During that uptrend, shares of HCSG have been mostly making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if HCSG can take Friday's high of $28.01 to its 52-week high at $28.07 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HCSG as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $26.87 or above its 50-day at $26.30 and then once it sustains a move or close above $28.01 to $28.07 with volume that hits near or above 248,289 shares. If we get that move soon, then HCSG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $33 to $35.

Ternium

Ternium (TX) is engaged in the manufacturing and processing of flat and long steel products for the construction, home appliances, capital goods, container, food, energy and automotive industries. This stock closed up 2.9% at $27.96 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 693,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 203,238

Volume % Change: 310%

From a technical perspective, TX trended higher here right above some key near-term support levels at $26.40 and its 50-day moving average at $26.02 with heavy upside volume. This move briefly pushed shares of TX into new 52-week-high territory, since the stock flirted with some near-term overhead resistance at $28.18. Shares of TX managed to close just below that level at $27.96. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if TX can manage to take out Friday's high of $28.40 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TX as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $27.04 or above its 50-day at $26.02 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $28.40 with volume that this near or above 203,238 shares. If we get that move soon, then TX will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are its next major overhead resistance levels at $32 to $34.

Intrexon

Intrexon (XON) is a synthetic biology company that designs, builds and regulates gene programs using its proprietary and complementary technologies. This stock closed up 8.5% at $19.67 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 1.38 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 390,792

Volume % Change: 219%

From a technical perspective, XON gapped sharply higher here with strong upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last three months, with shares dropping sharply lower from its high of $31.44 to its recent low of $17.52. During that move, shares of XON have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of XON could be ready to see an end to its downside volatility in the short-term if this stock can take out Friday's high and enter a new uptrend.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XON as long as it's trending above $19 or $18 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $20.45 with volume that's near or above 390,792 shares. If we get that move soon, then XON will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 50-day of $22.17 to $23, or even $24.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.


RELATED LINKS:



>>4 Stocks Under $10 to Trade for Breakouts



>>2 Airline Stocks You Really Should Own in 2014



>>Why You Should Buy Hedge Funds' 5 Favorite Stocks

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.


Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014

LONDON: The�FTSE 100� (FTSEINDICES: ^FTSE  ) dipped early this morning, despite the news that the U.K. economy has so far avoided a triple-dip recession by growing 0.3% in the first quarter of the year. But sentiment seems to have settled after the index was shaken by a couple of disappointing results, and the FTSE is now 11 points up on the day, to 6,442.

So which big companies have held the FTSE back today? We take a look:

Unilever
Unilever� (LSE: ULVR  ) shares fell 55p (1.9%), to 2,790p, after a first-quarter update told us of�lower-than-anticipated sales in Europe. Double-digit growth in emerging markets did, however, help drive underlying sales up 4.9%. And the firm was happy enough with these figures to lift its quarterly dividend by 10.7% to 26.9 euro cents per share.

Unilever shares have had a very good 12 months, rising by around 35%. But that does put them on a forward P/E of 20 now, which some will see as perhaps a bit overpriced for a household consumables company.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Public Storage(PSA)

Public Storage operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It engages in the acquisition, development, ownership, and operation of self-storage facilities in the United States and Europe. The company?s self-storage facilities offer storage spaces for lease on a month-to-month basis for personal and business use. Public Storage also has interests in commercial properties containing commercial and industrial rental space; facilities that lease storage containers; and ancillary operations, which include reinsurance of policies against losses to goods stored by its self-storage tenants, retail operations comprising merchandise sales and truck rental operations. As of December 31, 2008, the company had interests in 2,012 self-storage facilities with approximately 127 million net rentable square feet in 38 states; and 181 self-storage facilities with approximately 10 million net rentable square feet in 7 western European nations. It also had direct and indirect equity int erests in approximately 21 million net rentable square feet of commercial space located in 11 states in the U.S. As a REIT, the company would not be subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Public Storage was founded in 1971 and is based in Glendale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Mike Deane]

    Public Storage (PSA) announced its third quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday, posting an increase in net income and revenues.

    PSA Earnings in Brief

    -Public Storage announced total quarterly revenues of $419 million, which were up from last year’s $397 million, but below the average analyst estimate of $464.58 million.
    -The company’s net income came in at $231.4 million, or $1.34 per share, which was up from last year’s Q3 net income of $202.5 million, or $1.18 per share.
    -PSA’s core FFO per share was up from last year’s $1.76 to $1.92 for the most recent quarter; this beat analysts’ estimates of $1.89.

    Dividend Raise

    Public Storage announced that its board has approved to raise its dividend 12% to $1.40 per common share. This is a 15 cent raise from the company’s previous quarterly payout of $1.25 and brings the annualized payout to $5.60. The new dividend is payable on December 30 to all shareholders on record as of December 13.

    Share Performance

    PSA stock was down 66 cents, or 0.39%, on the day, but was up steeply in after-hours trading. YTD, the company’s stock is up 14.74%.

     

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Matthews International Corporation(MATW)

Matthews International Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets memorialization products and brand solutions for the cemetery and funeral home industries in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company's Bronze segment offers cast bronze memorials and other memorialization products; and cast and etched architectural products, as well as builds mausoleums. Its Casket segment provides wood and metal caskets; and casket components, such as stamped metal parts, metal locking mechanisms for gasketed metal caskets, adjustable beds, interior panels, and plastic ornamental hardware, as well as provides assortment planning and merchandising, and display products to funeral service businesses. The company's Cremation segment offers cremation equipment; cremation caskets; equipment service and supplies; and cremation urns and memorial products, as well as offers environmental systems; crematory operations and management services; and cremation col umbarium and niche units. Its Graphics Imaging segment provides brand management, pre-press services, printing plates, gravure cylinders, steel bases, embossing tools, special purpose machinery, engineering and print process assistance, print production management, digital asset management, content management, and package design services. The company's Marking Products segment offers a range of marking and coding products and related consumables, and industrial automation products for identifying, tracking, and conveying consumer and industrial products, components, and packaging containers. Its Merchandising Solutions segment provides merchandising displays and systems, such as permanent and temporary displays, custom store fixtures, brand concept shops, interactive kiosks, custom packaging, and screen and digitally printed promotional signage; and offers design and engineering services. The company was founded in 1850 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    The first thing to realize about StoneMor is that arcane and flexible accounting rules make it important to dig beneath its GAAP earnings. Growth throughout the industry has been substantial, as up-and-coming Carriage Services (NYSE: CSV  ) continued to stay on pace for double-digit sales growth as it rapidly expands its reach. Even well-established player Matthews International (NASDAQ: MATW  ) managed to grow revenue by nearly 14% in the quarter that ended in March, although its earnings fell slightly from the year-ago quarter. Still, StoneMor's sales haven't been able to rise as quickly as its peers, with its previous report including just a 6% gain in revenue.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: 3M Company(MMM)

3M Company, together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company?s Industrial and Transportation segment offers tapes, coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft, and specialty vehicles. Its Health Care segment provides medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, inhalation and transdermal drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems, and food safety products. The company?s Display and Graphics offers optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; computer screen filters; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; and mobile interactive solutions, includin g mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer privacy filters. The company?s Consumer and Office segment provides office supply products, stationery products, construction and home improvement products, home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Its Safety, Security and Protection Services segment offers personal protection products, safety and security products, cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments, track and trace solutions, and roofing granules for asphalt shingles. The company?s Electro and Communications segment provides packaging and interconnection devices; fluids that are used in the manufacture of computer chips, and for cooling electronics and lubricating computer hard disk drives; high-temperature and display tapes; insulating materials, including tapes and resins; and related items. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Carroll]

    The Dow's consumer stocks are also on the rise, with 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) shares up 1.9%. More jobs and increased consumer spending should help 3M's revenue stay on course in the future, but at least one leading financial firm is cautious about the company's direction. Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from "overweight" to "equal weight" earlier in the week, citing the stock's run-up this year as evidence that it may not have much more room to run ahead of rivals in its space. While that may be worrisome to short-term traders, it's no bother to long-term investors: 3M's a solid pick for income investors with its 2.3% dividend yield and highly manageable 38% payout ratio, and the company's consistent gains in sales over the past few years despite a sluggish economic recovery offers hope for a stable future. Perhaps Morgan Stanley is right and 3M will struggle to rise the rest of the year, but in the long term, this stock is as stable a cash cow as you can find.

  • [By John Maxfield]

    Alternatively, shares of 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) continue to drag on the blue-chip index. The industrial conglomerate reported its earnings yesterday, sending shares in the company down nearly 3%. Like many of its peers on the Dow, 3M saw its revenue decline on a year-over-year basis, and felt compelled to lower its forward earnings guidance for the remainder of the year.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)

PG&E Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility company that engages in electricity and natural gas distribution primarily in northern and central California. The company also involves in the generation, procurement, transmission, and distribution of electricity; and procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution of natural gas. It owns and operates electricity generation facilities, transmission and distribution lines, and substations; and an integrated natural gas transportation, storage, and distribution system, as well as has underground natural gas storage fields in California. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, public street and highway lighting, and other electric utility customers. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 5.1 million electricity distribution customers and approximately 4.3 million natural gas distribution customers. The company also operated 18,650 circuit miles of intercon nected transmission lines and 141,213 circuit miles of distribution lines for electricity; and 42,142 miles of distribution pipelines, 6,438 miles of backbone and local transmission pipelines, and 3 storage facilities for natural gas. PG&E Corporation was founded in 1905 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alyce Lomax]

    Even massive conglomerate Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) has delved into the demand response and energy efficiency arena. In March, Honeywell teamed up with Opower to provide an integrated energy management platform with five utilities, including PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) , to test-drive the relatively untapped residential market.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Utility operator�PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.455 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2010.

  • [By Alex Planes]

    Looking for a way to invest in hydropower? California's PG&E (NYSE: PCG  ) is the nation's largest hydropower utility, producing nearly 12 billion kilowatt-hours of water-sourced electricity each year. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS  ) , which currently operates 13 hydroelectric power plants in Michigan -- including one near the site of that first Grand Rapids turbine -- provides power to about 70,000 people each year from the movement of water.

  • [By Richard Stavros]

    There are also thermal energy storage systems that turn rooftop air conditioners and campus-wide cogeneration plants into virtual-grid, energy-shifting arrays, and PG&E Corp (NYSE: PCG) is developing a compressed-air energy storage (CAES) system. Meanwhile, Southern California Edison, a subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX), is looking into using plug-in electrical vehicles as storage, and Sempra Energy’s (NYSE: SRE) San Diego Gas and Electric has focused on microgrid projects.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Leggett & Platt Incorporated(LEG)

Leggett & Platt, Incorporated designs and produces various engineered components and products worldwide. Its Residential Furnishings segment offers bedding components, such as innersprings and wire forms; furniture components, including steel mechanisms, springs, seat suspensions, steel tubular seat frames, bed frames, ornamental beds, and power foundations; and structural fabrics, carpet underlay materials, and geo components. This segment serves manufacturers of finished bedding products or upholstered furniture. The company?s Commercial Fixturing & Components segment provides shelving, counters, showcases, and garment racks; standardized shelvings; point-of-purchase displays; and bases, columns, back rests, casters, and frames. This segment offers its products to retail chains and specialty shops; brand name marketers; distributors of consumer products; and office, institutional, and commercial furniture manufacturers. Its Industrial Materials segment provides steel rod s, drawn wires, steel billets, fabricated wire products, welded steel tubing, and fabricated tube components to bedding and furniture, and mechanical spring makers; automotive seating, and lawn and garden equipment manufacturers; and waste recyclers, waste removal businesses, and medical supply businesses. The company?s Specialized Products segment offers manual and power lumbar support and massage systems; seat suspension systems; automotive control cables; low voltage motors; actuation assemblies; formed metal and wire components; quilting machines; machines for shaping wire into springs; industrial sewing/finishing machines; van interiors; and docking stations, as well as specialty trailers for telephone, cable, and utility companies. It serves bedding and automobile seating manufacturers. The company sells its products through its sales representatives and distributors. Leggett & Platt, Incorporated was founded in 1883 and is based in Carthage, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dividends4Life]

    Leggett & Platt Inc. (LEG) makes a broad line of bedding and furniture components and other home, office and commercial furnishings, as well as products for non-furnishings markets. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1939 and has increased its dividend payments for 41 consecutive years. Yield: 3.6%

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Leggett & Platt (LEG) is a leading manufacturer of engineered products and components. As the pioneer of steel coil springs found in mattresses and furniture, the company continues to supply a variety of components to bedding and furniture manufacturers. Additionally, Leggett & Platt's broader product line includes retail store fixtures, office furniture components, automotive seating components and industrial steel wire and tubing. Customers choose Leggett & Platt as a supplier because the company's manufacturing scale and processes result in lower costs than customers can produce themselves. We believe earnings should grow based on the contribution of new products, cost reduction efforts and the improving housing market. Moreover, future dividend growth appears likely based on a 42-year record of dividend increases. We believe Leggett & Platt is an attractive investment based on its 3.8% dividend yield and positive growth outlook.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: CCA Industries Inc.(CAW)

CCA Industries, Inc. engages in manufacturing and selling health and beauty aid products primarily in the United States and Canada. The company primarily offers toothpastes and teeth whiteners under the Plus+White brand; anti-aging skin care products under the Sudden Change brand; nail care treatments under the Nutra Nail and Power Gel brands; medicated topical and shave gels under the Bikini Zone brand; diet supplements under the Mega-T Green Tea brand; and gums and mint products under the Mega?T Green Tea brand. It also provides hair removal and depilatory products under the Hair Off brand; foot-care products under the IPR brand; sun-care products under the Solar Sense brand; shampoos and conditioners under the Wash ?N Curl brand; vanilla fragrances, including perfumes under the Parfume de Vanille brand; ear-care products under the Lobe Wonder brand; topical analgesic products under the Pain Bust*R II brand; and scar diminishing cream under the Scar Zone brand. CCA Indus tries, Inc. markets and sells its products through its sales force, independent sales representatives, and distributors to drug, food, and mass-merchandise retail chains, as well as to warehouse clubs and wholesalers. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Plum Creek Timber Company Inc.(PCL)

Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust (REIT). The trust owns and manages timberlands in the United States. Its products include lumber products, plywood, medium density fiberboard, and related by-products, such as wood chips. The trust also focuses on mineral extraction and natural gas production, communication, and transportation. Plum Creek Timber Company was founded in 1989 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Victor Selva]

    Plum Creek Timber Co Inc. (PCL) owns 6.4 million acres of timberland across 19 states and manages timberland and manufactures wood products. The company is structured as a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust), and so, it is not required to pay federal income taxes on earnings generated by timber harvest activities. Other earnings, like those from its wood products and real estate segments are subject to federal income tax.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    High lumber prices are the key driver of earnings growth for Weyerhaeuser, and in recent years, price trends in the industry have been quite strong. Infestations of mountain pine beetles have consumed about 12% of forested land west of the Mississippi, and that pushed lumber prices to levels not seen since the housing boom in the mid-2000s. Weyerhaeuser rival Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) has benefited even more from the trend, because unlike Weyerhaeuser, much of Plum Creek's timberland is in areas not affected by the beetle. Nevertheless, Weyerhaeuser was able to triple its profits in the first quarter from the year-ago period, posting its best quarterly earnings in eight years.

  • [By John Divine]

    Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) , which is a real estate investment trust, or REIT, also lost 4.7% today. REITs had a rough go of it Wednesday; they frequently borrow money to pay their high dividends, and with the prospect of higher interest rates around the corner as the Fed starts allowing rates to rise, REITs like Plum Creek will have to pay more just to keep their payouts stagnant.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Ordinarily, price pressure might lead to decreased demand for housing, which could send Weyerhaeuser's cyclical prospects downward. But so far, that hasn't materialized, and Plum Creek Timber (NYSE: PCL  ) has seen greater investment in mills as well as expanded work-shifts at existing facilities. Furthermore, logging capacity has been under pressure, which could continue to support prices.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Kohlberg Capital Corporation(KCAP)

Kohlberg Capital Corporation is a private equity and venture capital firm specializing in buyouts and mezzanine investments. It focuses on mature and middle market companies. The firm structures its investments through senior debt, second lien debt, secured and unsecured subordinated debt, mezzanine debt, and equity. It invests in all sectors except cyclical industries. The firm invests equity in both minority and control transactions alongside other equity investors. It invests through its own balance sheet. Kohlberg Capital Corporation is based in the New York, New York.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings(LH)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as an independent clinical laboratory company in the United States. The company offers a range of testing services used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease, as well as specialty testing services. Its routine tests include blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, Pap tests, HIV tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company?s specialty tests and related services comprise viral load measurements, genotyping and phenotyping, and host genetic factors for managing and treating HIV infections; cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic, biochemical, and molecular genetic tests for diagnostic genetics; oncology tests for diagnosing and monitoring certain cancers and treatments; clinical trials testing for pharmaceutical companies, which conducts clinical research trials on diag nostic assays; forensic identity testing used in criminal proceedings and parentage evaluation services, as well as testing services in reconstruction cases; allergy testing; and occupational testing for the detection of drug and alcohol abuse. Its customers include independent physicians and physician groups, hospitals, managed care organizations, governmental agencies, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and other independent clinical laboratories. The company operates a network of 51 primary laboratories and approximately 1,700 patient service centers. In addition, it delivers a co-branded electronic health records Lite solution for physician practices. The company works with university, hospital, and academic institutions, such as Duke University, The Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, and Yale University to license and commercialize new diagnostic tests. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Burlingto n, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH  ) reported earnings on July 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks For 2014: S&P Smallcap 600(PH)

Parker Hannifin Corporation manufactures fluid power systems, electromechanical controls, and related components worldwide. Its Industrial segment offers pneumatic and electromechanical components, and systems; filters, systems, and instruments to monitor and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors that control, transmit, and contain fluid; hydraulic components and systems for builders and users of industrial and mobile machinery and equipment; critical flow components for process instrumentation, healthcare, and ultra-high-purity applications; and static and dynamic sealing devices. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their replacement markets in the manufacturing, transportation, and processing industries. The company?s Aerospace segment provides flight control systems and components, including hydraulic, electrohydraulic, electric backup hydraulic, electrohydrostatic, and electro -mechanical components for precise control of aircraft rudders, elevators, ailerons, and other aerodynamic control surfaces. It also provides electronics thermal management heat rejection systems, and single-phase and two-phase heat collection systems for radar, ISAR, and power electronics. This segment markets its products primarily to OEMs in the commercial, military, and general aviation markets, as well as to end users. Its Climate and Industrial Controls segment offers systems and components primarily for use in the mobile and stationary refrigeration, and air conditioning industry; and in fluid control applications in various industries, such as processing, fuel dispensing, beverage dispensing, and mobile emissions. This segment serves OEMs and their replacement markets. Parker-Hannifin Corporation markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, wholesalers, and sales representatives. The company was founded in 1918 and is headquartered i n Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Stephen Rosenman]

    Can you really take a company's yearly guidance seriously? Who can predict future events a year from now? It's so hard most companies skip the ordeal. Who can blame them? So many unforeseen events can derail a company's guidance. Yet, a few daredevil companies continue giving their yearly outlook. As far as I'm concerned, that's akin to writing the front page of next year's Wall Street Journal. I've already highlighted how Caterpillar (CAT) and Parker Hannifin (PH) - two excellent companies - almost never get their yearly guidance right.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Motion and control systems manufacturer Parker-Hannifin (PH) raised its quarterly dividend 4.6% to 45 cents per share, payable on Dec. 6 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 8. The increase marks the 57th consecutive annual dividend increase.
    PH Dividend Yield:�1.55%

  • [By Charles Mizrahi, President and CEO, Hampton Investors, Inc.]

    Parker Hannifin (PH) generates strong revenue from its aerospace division, while its primary industrial segment is lagging.

    Overall, we like the company's balanced portfolio. PH had solid order rates this past year with backlog of $3.6 billion between its industrial and aerospace segments.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Parker-Hannifin (NYSE: PH) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.48 per share on revenue of $3.26 billion.

    Textron (NYSE: TXT) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.47 per share on revenue of $2.97 billion.

Why Owens Corning Shares Slipped

While Fools should generally take the opinion of Wall Street with a grain of salt, it's not a bad idea to take a closer look at particularly stock-shaking upgrades and downgrades -- just in case their reasoning behind the call makes sense.

What: Shares of Owens Corning (NYSE: OC  ) slipped 2% today after Bank of America downgraded the building materials company from buy to neutral.

So what: Along with the downgrade, analyst George Staphos lowered his price target to $40 (from $43), representing about 6% worth of upside to yesterday's close. While contrarian investors might be attracted to Owens' steady slide in 2013, Staphos believes the appreciation potential remains limited given the somewhat optimistic profit estimates still built into the valuation.

Now what: B of A believes Owens' risks and rewards are pretty balanced at this point. "[Our] estimates are reduced once again which causes us to lower our normalized free cash flow (FCF) estimate (to $500mn from $600mn) and our targeted midcycle multiples by 1x," said the bank. "Ultimately, we believe OC should have leverage to a recovering housing sector." Of course, when you couple the beaten-down share price with its heavy debt load, Owens might have far more housing-fueled upside than B of A gives it credit for. 

More dynamic dividend picks
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Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now

A few months ago, Ivor Braka called me to ask if he could visit my office. Ivor is the older brother of a high school friend I haven't seen or heard from for many years. Ivor's family for many generations had been unusually successful in a variety of businesses. As a result, his family has become among the most prominent in the small, middle class, Jersey Shore, beach town where I grew up. Although I could not recall having spoken to Ivor since 1961, when I graduated from Asbury Park High School, I invited him to lunch.

When Ivor visited, we spoke principally about his family's business interests. Under his entrepreneurial leadership, the value of his family's assets had grown materially. The assets for which he is now responsible comprise interests in real estate in New York and other gateway cities around the world; international banking; and, most recently, shipping. I asked him about his staff of advisors and how he achieved the expertise I believed was necessary to invest in such a diversified group of businesses. "Like you, I invest in people," he began. "I invest with people in whose skills I am confident and whom I know well. In most cases, we also knew their grandparents well. If I am uncomfortable with a potential partner's grandparents' ethics, integrity and character, we don't invest," this successful entrepreneur told me.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: international ferro metals npv(IFL.L)

International Ferro Metals Limited operates as an integrated ferrochrome producer. It mines and processes chromite, as well as produces and sells ferrochrome for use in stainless steel production. The company owns Lesedi chromite mines in Buffelsfontein, South Africa; and 80% interest in the Sky Chrome project, which is located adjacent to the Buffelsfontein plant. It has operations in Australia, China, Europe, South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the United States. The company is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Murgor Resources Inc (MGR.V)

Murgor Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. It primarily focuses on exploring the Golden Arrow gold property that consists of 20 patented mining claims and 11 mining claims covering an area of 1,377 hectares in Hislop, McCann, and Playfair townships that are located to the east of the town of Timmins in Ontario. The company was formerly known as Advance Murgor Exploration Limited and changed its name to Murgor Resources Inc. in 1985. Murgor Resources Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Kingston, Canada.

Hot Cheap Companies To Buy For 2014: ANN Inc (ANN)

ANN INC., incorporated in 1988, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a specialty retailer of women�� apparel, shoes and accessories sold primarily under the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands. The Company�� Ann Taylor and LOFT brands offers a range of career and casual separates, dresses, tops, weekend wear, shoes and accessories. It offers updated past season sellers from the Ann Taylor and LOFT merchandise collections at its Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet stores, respectively, and the clients can also shop online at www.anntaylor.com and www.LOFT.com (together, Online Stores), or by phone at 1-800-DIAL-ANN and 1-888-LOFT-444. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 953 retail stores in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, consisted of 280 Ann Taylor stores, 500 LOFT stores, 99 Ann Taylor Factory stores and 74 LOFT Outlet stores.

Substantially all of the Company�� merchandise is developed by its in-house product design and development teams, who design merchandise exclusively for the Company. A small percentage of its merchandise is purchased through branded vendors, which is selected to complement its in-house assortment. The Company sourced merchandise from approximately 138 manufacturers and vendors in 19 countries. Approximately 42% of its merchandise unit purchases originated in China, 13% in the Philippines, 14% in Indonesia, 14% in India, and 13% in Vietnam. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, AnnTaylor Distribution Services, Inc., owns its 256,000-square-foot distribution center located in Louisville, Kentucky. The distribution center is located on approximately 27 acres. Its merchandise is distributed to stores, including the Online Stores, through this facility.

An average Ann Taylor store is approximately 5,500 square feet in size. The Company operates two Ann Taylor flagship stores, one located in New York City and one located in Chicago. LOFT stores average approximately 5,800 square feet. The Company also operates one LOFT flagship store! on the ground floor of 7 Times Square, its corporate headquarters, in New York City. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), it opened 14 LOFT stores that averaged approximately 5,500 square feet. Ann Taylor Factory stores average approximately 7,100 square feet. LOFT Outlet stores average approximately 7,000 square feet. During fiscal 2011, its LOFT Outlet stores were 38 new stores that averaged approximately 7,600 square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    In commemoration of Earth Day, retailer ANN INC (NYSE: ANN  ) , the parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, says that not only has it already met its goal two years early of reducing its "carbon footprint" by 9% by 2015 but it's doubled it. And ANN isn't done "greening" yet.

  • [By Andrew Marder]

    Last week, ANN (NYSE: ANN  ) updated its quarterly outlook, and things aren't looking great. Comparable sales are forecast to be down, gross margin compressed, and expenses up. The company owns both the Ann Taylor and Loft brands, with Ann Taylor focusing on higher-end consumers and Loft aiming at a younger, price-conscious crowd.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc.(NKBP)

China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, marketing, and sale of hospital-based medical products in the People?s Republic of China. The company?s principal products include Baquting, a hemocoagulase product derived from Bothrops atrox venom to treat and prevent bleeding; and Kaitong, a lipid emulsion alprostadil product for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases, cardiocerebral microcirculation disorders, and post-surgery thrombosis. It also offers Aiduo, a cardiovascular stress imaging agent; and Aiwen, an anti-arrhythmic agent for the diagnosis and treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, as well as provides dipyridamole aspirin capsules for the prevention of strokes. In addition, the company?s products under development comprise a hemocoagulase derived from Agkistrodon acutus snake venom; lanthanum polystyrene sulfonate product candidate for the treatment of hyperphosphat emia; and adenosine as a myocardial protection agent for various cardiovascular-related clinical settings. Further, its product pipeline includes product candidates under development that address the medical needs for bleeding control and hematological, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It sells its products to pharmaceutical distributors. China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Shenyang, the People?s Republic of China.

Top High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: InterXion Holding N.V. (INXN)

InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier-neutral colocation data center services in Europe. It enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, and other customers. The company�s data centers act as content and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data, content, applications, and media among carriers and customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to enable customers to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; connectivity services; cross connect services; and monitoring services. It also provides managed services comprising systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support services, data back-up, and storage services. The company serves the digital media and distribution sector, enterprises, the financial services sector, managed services providers, and network providers. It serves 1,200 customers through 31 data centers in 11 countries. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Schiphol Rijk, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lee Jackson]

    Interxion Holding N.V. (NYSE: INXN) provides data colocation services through its 34 data centers in 11 European countries. In 2012, the company generated approximately 62% of its total revenues from France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which represents Interxion’s “Big 4″ markets. The remaining 38% revenue came from seven other European countries. The company�� data centers act as content and connectivity hubs that facilitate processing, storage, sharing and distribution of data, content and applications. The consensus price target for the stock is $20.78. Interxion closed at $22.52.

  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Interxion Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: INXN) was downgraded to Perform from outperform at Oppenheimer.

    M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform by Credit Suisse.

How to Profit from a Potential Housing Market Downdraft

The housing market has had a nice run up over the past several years, but the party is beginning to fade.

Home prices continue to edge higher with a 12.8% jump in August, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index. While this seems positive, you also have to wonder if the housing market is headed for a bubble down the road as mortgage rates rise—and they will.

The chart of the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index below shows the currency recovery in home prices. The index is still far below the peak in 2006 and 2007, prior to the subprime blow-up. These were unrealistic levels. We saw downward moves in 2009 and 2012, but it has been clear sailing. Yet the problem is that much of the buying in the housing market was driven by institutional buying. Once this begins to fade as home prices rise, we could see a relapse in the housing market.

Also Read: NYSE Holidays 2014

S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Chart

Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com

We saw a 5.6% decline in pending home sales in September. This metric is not considered as critical as the housing starts and building permits readings, but in my view, it’s a good indicator. In August, pending home sales slid 1.6%. We may be seeing a trend of lower demand for homes, which suggests there could be some issues on the horizon if pending home sales continue to be negative.

Existing home sales were also flat at 5.29 million units in September, down from 5.39 million units in August. Less people are buying homes, and this cannot be good for the homebuilder stocks.

What makes the situation in the housing market worse is that we are failing to see strong job creation. Without confidence and jobs, there will continue to be a tendency among consumers to not want to commit to a major purchase, such as a house.

I would be avoiding the homebuilder stocks at this time. The S&P Homebuilders Index is looking vulnerable, as shown in the chart below, based on my technical analysis.

SPDR S&P Homebuilders Index Chart

Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com

What I continue to like is the home building supplies companies. At the top is The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD), which is the “Best of Breed” in this sector in my opinion.

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.

This article How to Profit from a Potential Housing Market Downdraft was originally published at Investment Contrarians

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Markets Trading Ideas

  Around the Web, We're Loving... Learn to Use Trading Platforms Like Hedge Fund Traders do Rumsfeld: Denial of Benefits to Fallen Soldiers' Families 'Inexcusable' Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Facebook, Baidu Lead Big Caps Beating Shutdown What Should You Know About AMZN? Most Popular Apple's iPhone 6 Could Be Solar-Powered New Advice for Apple's Tim Cook: Buy Tesla There Will Be Plenty of iPad Airs For Sale This Friday (AAPL) Facebook Jumps 12% After Q3 Earnings Market Wrap for October 30: Fed Worries Push Stocks Lower, Facebook Earnings Raise Concerns Coach, Dell And Others Insiders Have Been Buying (COH, DELL, FCX, SYMC) Related Articles (BECN + HD) How to Profit from a Potential Housing Market Downdraft My Favorite Picks to Ride the Recovering U.S. Housing Market Stocks to Watch for October 25, 2013 Profit from More Bad News in Housing with Stocks Economic Recovery Could Help Warm Up Home Insulation Business Buy Stocks That Profit from Real Estate, Not Rental Properties View the discussion thread. Partner Network #marketfy-ae-block { display: none; border: 2px solid #0a3f75; overflow: hidden; width: 300px; height: 125px; text-align: center; background-color: #45719E; position: relative; z-index: 1; } #marketfy-ae-block a { display: block; width: 300px; height: 125px; position: relative; z-index: 2; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text { color: #f9fc99; padding: 0px 0 0 0; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown-text-start { font-size: 12px; } #marketfy-ae-block-countdown { padding: 5px 0 5px 0; font-size: 26px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup { padding: 5px 47px; } #marketfy-ae-block-signup:hover { background-color: #457a1a; } #marketfy-ae-block #marketfy-ae-block-logo { display: block; padding: 3px 0 0 0; margin: 0; } #marketfy-ae-block-logo { text-indent: -9999px; } #marketfy-ae-block-free { display: block; position: absolute; top: 7px; right: -23px; width: 80px; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; opacity: 1; -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg); -moz-transform: rotate(45deg); -ms-transform: rotate(45deg); transform: rotate(45deg); font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; color: #333333; background-color: yellow; z-index: 500; text-shadow: 1px 1px #999999; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow { position: relative; width: 60px; height: 60px; z-index: 10; margin: -80px 0 13px -21px; } #marketfy-ae-block-arrow img { height: 60px; width: auto; }

Stocks End Week Lower As Govt. Shutdown Deadline Approaches

U.S. stock indexes fell on Friday as the September 30 deadline for an emergency budget deal in Washington to avoid a Government shutdown loomed ever closer.

So near, yet so far apart -- can politicians in Washington reach across the aisle and shake hands on budget and debt deals to avoid partial shutdown of the U.S. Government?

While most Wall Street analysts still expect the usual last-minute deal to avoid the shutdown at midnight on Monday, time is running out.

An unusual weekend vote in the House is even possible. A major sticking point is Republican opposition to the funding of the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's health care reform.

President Obama has urged Congress to meet two deadlines in the coming days and weeks. First it must pass a short-term budget by midnight on Monday (September 30) to keep the government open.

Then, Congress must also agree to raise the United States' $16.7 trillion debt ceiling — by October 17 at the latest — so America can pay its bills and avoid a default.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has warned the politicians that the United States will exhaust its current borrowing limit no later than October 17, when it would have only $30 billion cash on hand.

Even though investors and traders have been through Washington soap operas before, the uncertainty over funding of the Government is never good for market sentiment.

But it was more company-specific issues that affected many stock prices on the day.

United Continental Holdings fell about 9.3% after reports the airline cut its third-quarter forecast for an important revenue number.

J.C. Penney dropped about 13% as the retailer began selling shares to raise up to $932 million.

Accenture fell about 2.35% after reports the consulting services company forecast revenue below analysts' estimates.

Slot machine company International Game Technology fell about 7% after an analyst's downgrade on the stock.

Nike shares, though, rose about 4.7% a day after it reported strong quarterly earnings.

On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.46% to 15,258.20. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped about 0.41% to 1,691.75. The Nasdaq edged lower about 0.15% to 3,781.59.

For the week, the S&P 500 fell 1.1%, the Dow was down 1.3%, but the Nasdaq was up 0.2%.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014

Ever since humans realized the intrinsic value of gold, we've constantly searched for - and perfected - ways to find more.

From early methods like panning and trenching, to lode prospectors hunting for rock outcrops and veins, to the invention of drill bits...

In modern times, we use increasingly sophisticated tools and techniques, such as seismic sensors, magnetometry, and gravimetrics to help locate potential gold deposits.

But, after thousands of years of digging for gold, the low-hanging fruit's already been picked. Most remaining deposits are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and increasingly low grade.

Now, a surprising, brand-new gold prospecting tool may be in the offing - one that's far less technologically demanding, and much less invasive.

It seems nature itself has found a way to extract gold from the ground.

Take a look at this picture...

Money Does in Fact Grow on Trees

Resource-rich Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, was the site of a major gold rush in the 1890s. And it also happens to be where this recent discovery was made.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Lafe Corporation Limited (L05.SI)

Lafe Corporation Limited, an investment holding company, primarily engages in property development, property investment, and property related service businesses. The company is involved in the development, investment, sale, and leasing of real estate properties. It also provides property appraisal, property management, architectural consultancy, building consultancy, corporate administration, real estate agency, security guard, and property consultancy services. In addition, the company holds trademarks It has operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the People�s Republic of China. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Singapore. Lafe Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of Clarendon Investments Capital Limited.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Travelzoo Inc(TZOO)

Travelzoo Inc., an Internet media company, together with its subsidiaries, publishes travel and entertainment deals from travel and entertainment companies, and local businesses in North America and Europe. Its publications and products include the Travelzoo Websites, such as travelzoo.com, travelzoo.ca, travelzoo.co.uk, travelzoo.de, www.travelzoo.es, and travelzoo.fr; the Travelzoo Top 20 e-mail newsletter; and the Newsflash e-mail alert service. The company also operates SuperSearch, a pay-per-click travel search tool; Travelzoo Network, a network of third-party Websites that list deals published by Travelzoo; and Fly.com, a travel search engine that allows users to find the best prices on flights from various airlines and online travel agencies. In addition, it provides Local Deals and Getaways services that allow its subscribers to purchase vouchers for deals from local businesses, such as spas, hotels, and restaurants through the Travelzoo Website. As of December 31, 2011, the company?s advertiser base included approximately 2,000 travel companies, entertainment companies, and local businesses, including airlines, hotels, cruise lines, vacations packagers, tour operators, destinations, car rental companies, travel agents, theater and performing arts groups, restaurants, spas, and activity companies. Travelzoo Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tom Taulli]

    Valuation: Even with after the Expedia stock sell-off, shares of EXPE remain far from cheap. EXPE stock is trading for a trailing P/E of 46 vs. 33 for Priceline and 23 for Travelzoo (TZOO).�And considering the recent volatility, investors are certainly jittery about EXPE stock. As a result, another earnings disappointment could have a severe impact.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    If you are a Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO  ) shareholder but own fewer than 25 shares, management would really appreciate it if you would just go away.

Top 10 Energy Companies To Watch In Right Now: Tangoe Inc (TNGO)

Tangoe, Inc. (Tangoe), incorporated on February 9, 2000, is a global provider of communications lifecycle management (CLM), software and services to a range of enterprises, including large and medium-sized businesses and other organizations. CLM encompasses the entire lifecycle of an enterprise's communications assets and services, including planning and sourcing, procurement and provisioning, inventory and usage management, mobile device management (MDM), invoice processing, expense allocation and accounting, and asset decommissioning and disposal. Its on-demand Communications Management Platform is a suite of software designed to manage and optimize the complex processes and expenses associated with this lifecycle for both fixed and mobile communications assets and services. On February 21, 2012, it acquired ttMobiles Limited (ttMobiles), On January 10, 2012, Tangoe acquired Anomalous Networks Inc. On December 19, 2011, it acquired ProfitLine, Inc. (ProfitLine).On March 16, 2011, the Company acquired the telecommunications expense management division of Telwares, Inc. and its subsidiary Vercuity Solutions, Inc. (Telwares). On January 25, 2011, it acquired HCL Expense Management Services Inc. (HCL). On August 8, 2012, the Company acquired the Telecommunications Expense Management Business of Symphony Teleca (TEM Business).

The Company�� solution is implemented worldwide, providing service coverage in over 180 countries and territories in over 125 currencies with support for approximately 1,700 different communications carriers and 1,900 different billing formats. Its user interface is translated into 16 different languages and its solution supports compliance with the requirements of 63 regulatory committees around the world. Its on-demand software organizes disparate billing, ordering, asset and usage data into a format, allowing its customers to access, query and analyze their communications expense and asset profile information. Improved control of the billing process helps enterpri! ses ensure they pay their bills on time, avoiding late payments and associated service interruptions. Its software also provides customers proactive and predictive mobile usage alerts allowing them to avoid mobile bill overages. Its solution allows its customers to manage the financial, legal and reputational risks associated with unauthorized or unintended use of their communications assets and services.

Communications Management Platform

The Company�� customers can engage the Company through its client service group to manage their communications assets and services using a combination of CMP and its client services. The services it offers include help desk, asset procurement and provisioning and carrier dispute resolution. Its Communications Data Management technology processes and normalizes service-provider billing and order-related information for its customers. CMP also integrates with its customers' critical third-party enterprise systems, including enterprise resource planning, accounts payable, general ledger and human resources systems, which enables automated, real-time access to and synchronization with employee, accounting, user access authentication and security policy information.

The Company sells CMP in three standard bundles: Asset Management, Expense Management and Usage Management. The Asset Management bundle of CMP provides asset procurement, provisioning, tracking and disposal capabilities for fixed and mobile communications assets and services. The Asset Management bundle tracks and audits all add, move, change or disconnect service transaction orders and manages all customer assets and services by location, business unit and employee. Its MDM software allows its customers to manage and maintain their mobile inventory with wireless, real-time monitoring and remote update functions. Key capabilities of the Asset Management bundle of CMP include catalog management, procure, provision, track, maintain and dispose.

Catalog Manage! ment incl! ude Customer-configurable catalog of over 51,500 services, devices, features and plans with dynamic access and presentation based on corporate policy and user profile. Procure include capture, validation, approval, submission and tracking of fixed and mobile service and equipment orders. Provision is engaged in establishment of mobile device enterprise connectivity with installation of corporate applications, usage and security policies utilizing wireless provisioning capabilities. Track includes tracking of fixed and mobile assets, including information regarding characteristics, configurations, ownership and operational and connectivity status. Maintain include centralized management of mobile devices enabled through on-device software providing security and usage policy enforcement as well as automated mobile policy and mobile application deployments and updates. Dispose include collection, data cleansing and disposal of mobile devices.

The Expense Management bundle of CMP provides automated processing and services to manage every aspect of the fixed and mobile communications billing function, from receipt to payment. Key capabilities of the Expense Management bundle of CMP include contract management, billing, audit, dispute, allocate, payment and optimize. The Usage Management bundle of CMP provides enterprises with visibility and control over how communications assets and services are being used in fixed and mobile environments through a combination of real-time and historical usage tracking as well as corporate communications and security policy enforcement. The Company�� capabilities of the Usage Management bundle of CMP include secure, policy management, monitor, real-time, compliance, performance and support. The Company offers Real-time Telecommunications Expense Management (rTEM) bundled or as a point solution. Its rTEM solution serves the enterprise, medium and small business and carrier deployment markets.

The Company�� rTEM solution provides businesses and ca! rriers of! all sizes the ability to monitor, report and analyze data, voice, short message service (SMS) and roaming consumption of their mobile devices in real-time. Its rTEM solution utilizes predictive algorithms designed to proactively identify and help prevent costly, unexpected overages from occurring. Its rTEM solution also provides device location monitoring services to help find lost or stolen devices, as well as device geo-fencing features to alert appropriate individuals that an asset is leaving or entering pre-defined geographic tracking areas, providing additional device security tracking. Its rTEM solution supports implementation on smartphones, tablets and machine-to-machine communication devices.

Strategic Consulting and Other Services

The Company offers a set of strategic consulting services that address all areas of CLM for fixed and mobile environments. These services can be contracted separately or in conjunction with CMP. Its strategic consulting services offerings include sourcing, strategic advisory service, bill auditing, inventory optimization, mobile optimization and policy administration. The Company assists its customers with reviewing and negotiating contracts with communications carriers. The Company provides its clients with peer comparison analysis and benchmarking. It works with its customers to identify billing errors and other issues related to usage and contract activity. The Company advises its customers on how to align their current asset and service inventories with their business objectives. The Company aids its customers in aligning their mobile policies, assets, contracts and requirements. It works with its customers to formulate policies concerning the appropriate use of communications assets and services. In addition, the Company helps its customers develop policies regarding risk mitigation, entitlements, cost management, liability models, cost allocation methodologies and positive behavioral management. The Company also offers standard imple! mentation! services, including data conversion, system configuration, process review and corporate system integration, to assist its customers in the setup and deployment of CMP.

The Company competes with Emptoris, Rivermine, MDSL, Symphony SMS, Vodafone, XIGO, AirWatch, BoxTone, Good Technology, MobileIron, Sybase, Zenprise, CSC, Orange, Ariba and PAETEC.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Call it a hunch (because that's pretty much all it is), but Tangoe Inc. (NASDAQ:TNGO) looks likes it's on the verge of pulling back... and by more than a little. After a 75% runup since late April, TNGO shares are running out of gas, and are due for some profit-taking.

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Historically, most companies have not tried to manage this process. Tangoe (TNGO) helps companies consolidate and renegotiate contracts by using the buying power that's already there to help companies better manage this end of their business.

  • [By David Trainer]


    For examples of large investment firms propping up stock prices and fueling large moves, see my recent Danger Zone articles on InnerWorkings (NASDAQ: INWK) and Tangoe (NASDAQ: TNGO). Both stocks had heavy institutional ownership and rapid upward price moves driven by Wall Street propaganda and momentum traders. Soon after we revealed how disconnected the price moves were from the companies’ fundamentals the stocks fell 30+%.

  • [By Lee Jackson]

    The Lazard trading desk said that active traders may want to look at software stocks that still had unusually high short interest. Those included Concur Technologies (NASDAQ: CNQR), Tangoe Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGO), Jive Software (NASDAQ: JIVE), Marketo Inc. (NASDAQ: MKTO), VeriSign Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN) and VMware Inc. (NYSE: VMW). Stocks with high short interest can explode to the upside if the company gets back on track and short sellers are forced to cover.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: VocalTec Communications Ltd.(CALL)

magicJack VocalTec Ltd. provides voice over Internet protocol services over various platforms. It also offers magicJack, a competitive local exchange carrier. The company was formerly known as VocalTec Communications Ltd. and changed its name to magicJack VocalTec Ltd. on May 20, 2011. magicJack VocalTec Ltd. is based in Netanya, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    MagicJack VocalTec Ltd.(CALL) has repurchased $13 million in shares held by founder Daniel Borislow, who in turn agreed to end any further involvement with the beleaguered Internet-phone company’s operations. Investors cheered the news, sending shares up.

  • [By Alex Planes]

    The market for Vonage's services, particularly VoIP, is highly competitive, with MagicJack VocalTec (NASDAQ: CALL  ) also working to drive prices down in the consumer market. Vonage has a few tricks up its sleeve, such as free video calls to in-network subscribers,�but given the rather small Vonage user base, this may not be enough to encourage growth. However, Vonage may not need gimmicks to drive growth when its restructuring has already produced real cost savings. Fellow Fool Michael Lewis points out that the company now anticipates another $100 million in annual revenue by 2014 -- not quite enough to push it over 30% cumulative revenue growth for another passing grade, but good enough to get back into positive territory.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Micrel Incorporated(MCRL)

Micrel Incorporated, doing business as Micrel Semiconductor, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets high-performance analog power, mixed-signal, and digital integrated circuits (ICs) primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. It offers power management products, including cloud, single-board, and enterprise servers; network switches and routers; storage area networks; and wireless base stations for the networking and communications infrastructure markets. The company also provides power management standard products for industrial, consumer, defense, and automotive electronics markets. In addition, it manufactures custom analog and mixed-signal circuits; and provides wafer foundry services for the customers who produce electronic systems for communications, consumer, and military applications. Further, the company offers general linear parts; power analog circuits; high speed physical media devices and interface ICs; and Ethernet products, which comprise physical l ayer transceivers, media access controllers, switches, and system-on-chip devices. Additionally, it provides radio frequency (RF) data communications products, including QwikRadio family of RF receivers and transmitters, which include garage door openers, lighting and fan controls, automotive keyless entry, and remote controls; and RadioWire transceivers for applications, such as remote metering, security systems, and factory automation. The company?s products address a range of end markets, including cellular handsets, portable computing, enterprise and home networking, wide area and metropolitan area networks, digital televisions, and industrial equipment. Micrel Incorporated sells its products through a network of independent sales representatives, independent distributors, and stocking representative firms, as well as through a direct sales staff. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Evan Niu, CFA]

    What: Shares of Micrel (NASDAQ: MCRL  ) jumped temporarily this morning, up by as much as 10% before giving back nearly all of those gains, following first-quarter earnings.

  • [By gurujx]

    Micrel (MCRL): CFO/VP Finance/HR Ray Wallin Sold 59,701 Shares

    CFO/VP Finance/HR of Micrel, Inc. (MCRL) Ray Wallin sold 59,701 shares during the past week at an average price of $9.56.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Nortech Systems Incorporated(NSYS)

Nortech Systems Incorporated operates as a contract manufacturing company. It manufactures wire harness cable and printed circuit board assemblies, electronic sub-assemblies, higher level assemblies, and complete devices. The company also provides value added services and technical support, including design, testing, prototyping, and supply chain management; and repair services on circuit boards used in machines in the medical industry. In addition, it engages in the design, manufacture, and post-production service of electronic and electromechanical medical devices for diagnostic, analytical, and other life-science applications. Nortech Systems Incorporated serves various industries that include aerospace and defense; medical; and the industrial markets, which include industrial equipment, transportation, vision, agriculture, and oil and gas. The company markets its products through sales force and independent manufacturers? representatives. Nortech Systems Incorporated was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    In a perfect world stocks would move in predictable, manageable ways. We don't live - nor do we trade in - a perfect world. In the real world we have to adapt to and deal with the curve balls the market throws us, and there are no two stocks that illustrate that point better than Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSEMKT:DSS) and Nortech Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:NSYS) to today. While both NSYS and DSS are up today, one's overbought and ripe for a pullback, while the other is likely at the beginning of a trade-worthy rally.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Keppel Tele & Tran (K11.SI)

Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd, an investment holding company, provides integrated services and solutions for logistics and data centre businesses. The company�s Logistics segment provides port operations, integrated logistics services, supply chain solutions, warehousing, distribution, container storage and repairs, and freight forwarding services in Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Vietnam. It provides temperature-controlled storage, automobile management, international freight management, warehousing and distribution, conventional trucking, nationwide long-haul trucking, ocean/air-freight, warehouse/inventory management, custom brokerage, local and long-haul trucking, last mile delivery, multi-modal, and cross-docking distribution transfer services, as well as air, sea, and rail freight forwarding services. This segment also offers non vessel-operating common carrier, feeder services, trucking services, third party logistics, procurement, and other value -added services. Its Data Centre segment owns and operates data centre facilities; provides co-location services, including business continuity and disaster recovery services in Singapore, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. This segment also offers co-location suites and technical support to its customers. Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd is also involved in the installation and maintenance of communications systems; provision of telecommunications services; and trading and provision of communications systems and accessories. The company was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Singapore. Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd is a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation Limited.

Hot Tech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Osiris Therapeutics Inc.(OSIR)

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell company, focuses on the development and marketing of therapeutic products to treat various medical conditions in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas. It operates in two business segments, Therapeutics and Biosurgery. The Therapeutics segment focuses on developing biologic stem cell drug candidates from a readily available and non-controversial source, adult bone marrow. The Biosurgery segment works to harness the ability of cells and novel constructs to promote the body's natural healing. This segment focuses on developing biologic products for use in surgical procedures. The company?s lead biologic drug candidate is Prochymal, which is in phase 2 and 3 clinical trails for various indications, including acute graft versus host disease (GvHD), Crohn's disease, acute myocardial infarction, type 1 diabetes, pulmonary disease, and gastrointestinal injury resulting from radiation exposure. Its biologic drug candidates also include Chondrogen, a preparation of adult mesenchymal stem cells that is in phase 2 clinical trials for osteoarthritis and cartilage protection. The company has collaboration agreements with Genzyme Corporation for the development and commercialization of Prochymal and Chondrogen in various countries except in the United States and Canada. It also has a partnership with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for the development of Prochymal as a treatment for the preservation of insulin production in patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Maxx Chatsko]

    Additionally, stem cell therapies have remained elusive as the industry's ultimate Holy Grail. Osiris (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) received Canadian approval for the world's first stem cell drug, Prochymal, for children battling acute graft-versus-host disease, or GvHD, last year. The approval meant more symbolically than to the bottom line, but it definitely put the potential of stem cells front and center for investors.

  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Osiris Therapeutics Inc.(OSIR) said Friday a proposed ruling from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services won’t immediately affect reimbursements for its Grafix stem-cell product. The regenerative medicine company said Grafix will maintain its current reimbursement status — also called transitional pass-through status — potentially through late 2015.

  • [By Alexander Maxwell]

    One of the companies attempting to develop a better treatment for chronic diabetic foot ulcers is Osiris Therapeutics� (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) . Earlier this month, Osiris shares more than doubled as the company announced positive data for its CDFU drug Grafix. The study results were very impressive to say the least; the study was stopped early due to the overwhelming efficacy exhibited by the treatment. A main highlight is the fact that 62% of Grafix patients had their wound closed at 12 weeks, compared to only 21% of patients using conventional methods. Clearly, the efficacy in this endpoint was overwhelming. Grafix also achieved all of the secondary endpoints for the trial, and more importantly demonstrated a relatively benign safety record.�

Investors wait for taper news from Fed

Dow 4:15pm

Click chart for more markets data.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The Federal Reserve is not going to slow down the pace of its bond purchases yet. And that was just what investors wanted to hear.

The S&P 500 immediately jumped to a new record high, and the Dow quickly followed. The Nasdaq also moved up after the Fed's surprise announcement. All three indexes closed up more than 1%.

Fed chair Ben Bernanke added fuel to Wednesday's stock rally during his press conference.

Bernanke laid out plans to maintain the central bank's "highly accommodative monetary policy" for the foreseeable future, even if the Fed eventually chooses to taper.

Bond yields, which have been rising lately, slid back as well as investors bought more bonds. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 2.71% from 2.87% earlier in the day.

The Fed's moves also pushed down the dollar and drove up commodities. Gold prices spiked more than 4% following the announcement. Oil prices rose more than 2%.

Fed surprises: Many investors had expected the Fed to announce Wednesday that it was finally ready to begin cutting back -- or taper -- its stimulus measures.

The improving economy and falling unemployment rate was expected to be enough of a catalyst for the Fed to ease its so-called quantitative easing. The Fed has been buying $85 billion in Treasury bonds and other securities a month.

Click here for more on stocks, bonds, commodities and currencies

World reaction? European markets and Asian markets ended the day mixed, but investors around the world could rally on Thursday thanks to the Fed news.

Stocks and currencies in emerging markets such as India and Brazil have taken a big hit over the past few months on fears over potential cutbacks to the Fed's bond buying.

D.A. Davidson chief investment strategist Fred Dickson expects that emerging market currencies could rebound in the next few weeks now that the Fed has put the tapering on hold.

What housing starts? Investors received one disappointing reading on the health of the economy before the Fed meeting though. The Census Bureau's monthly reports on housing starts and building permits came in below expectations.

Trul!   ia CEO: We're not Zillow   Trulia CEO: We're not Zillow

But corporate news was better. FedEx (FDX, Fortune 500) reported an increase in quarterly sales and net income, compared to a year-ago. Earnings topped forecasts and shares rose on the news.

FedEx gives a blah reading on the economy: Despite a relatively rosy quarter, FedEx, which is often viewed as an economic bellwether because of its global footprint, gave investors an iffy assessment on the economy.

While the stock popped on earnings, some traders were wary of FedEx's longer-term trajectory.

dachria: $FDX Cost cutting as usual helps the bottom line but for how long

retail_guru: For 'tepid' economic growth as Fedex puts it, $FDX US daily volume (inc Express + Ground) +10%. That's pretty good in any book or any macro

Soccer club Manchester United (MANU) reported a jump in quarterly revenue, compared to the prior year, and a surge in net profit, compared to a loss last year. Its stock closed up more than 2%.

Adobe Systems (ADBE) shares hit all-time highs after the software maker reported strong subscription growth for its "Creative Cloud" service on Tuesday.

flounder: $ADBE New pricing model is absolutely amazing. Never could justify high price of Photoshop to buy but can certainly run with monthly subsc Bullish

AnalystWire: Adobe ($ADBE) Target Raised to $58 at Deutsche Bank http://stks.co/bj54

Priceline hits 4 digits: The online travel company's stock surged after the Fed announcement and briefly topped $1000. Priceline (PCLN) closed at $995.09. It's only a psychological milestone. But some investors thought that Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) (before it began its big pullback late last year) or Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) would win the race to $1,000 a share. Priceline is the first stock in the S&P 500 to ever top $1,000. To top of page

Is It Time to Take Advantage of This Stock's Decline?

It's been a pretty dismal summer for investors in ConAgra Foods (NYSE: CAG  ) , with the stock currently down 18% from its high at the start of August. Essentially, the market got a little bit too excited by the company's purchase of private-label food manufacturer Ralcorp.

Furthermore, the stock price reflected a significant amount of optimism over the company's prospects within a difficult economy for food retailers. Unfortunately, ConAgra managed to miss estimates for the first quarter in FY ending 05/2014, and the market punished the stock accordingly. Is now the time to take advantage of this?

ConAgra disappoints
First, in order to put the following discussion into context, here's a look at each segment's operating income for the quarter.

source: company accounts

In a previous article, I discussed the three big risks with the stock, and it's time to assess them again. In its recently reported first quarter, ConAgra disappointed with the first risk factor by failing to generate organic volume growth in its consumer-foods division.

The second risk was also somewhat disappointing. The Ralcorp integration is proceeding as planned, but Ralcorp sales have been below management's expectations for the second quarter in a row. Last time around, ConAgra argued that the problem was short term and fixable, but this time around it blamed the soft retail market.

The third issue is that ConAgra still hasn't replaced the revenues given up when it lost a key customer for its Lamb Weston (potato operations) brand earlier in the year.. Aside from declaring that it was "very confident" in making up these sales going forward, there wasn't any significant announcement on the issue. Accordingly, the commercial-food segment saw sales flat, and operating income decline 7%.  

Tough markets, tough decisions
Focusing on the issue of organic growth in consumer foods, you shouldn't be surprised to see ConAgra's weak results. The consumer market remains challenged, and particularly so in the food category. Consequently, the leading players have been forced into an ongoing cycle of raising prices only to lose market share, then discounting/marketing/promoting in order to take back share, and then the tough cycling begins all over again.

The fact is hard-pressed consumers have become highly sensitive to price. Even a company that has been doing relatively well, like General Mills (NYSE: GIS  ) , is having to invest in order to generate growth. In it's latest quarterly results General Mills outlined how its' advertising spending grew at a higher rate of 7% compared to its operating profit growth of 6%, and its organic sales growth of 3%. Sales growth doesn't come easy in this environment.

Unfortunately, it isn't getting any better. In fact, in August -- and one month into the previous quarter -- ConAgra reported that conditions were favorable, but conditions must have significantly deteriorated through the quarter. The company finished the quarter with a 3% organic-volume decline in consumer foods. Having declared that it felt a turning point had been reached thanks to the 3% organic-sales increase in the previous quarter, this result must have been disappointing.

However, as noted at the time, ConAgra had increased advertising and marketing spend by 15% in the previous quarter in order to get this growth. See what I mean by a tough cycle?

Indeed, it isn't just ConAgra. Kellogg (NYSE: K  ) gave results at the start of August, and promptly stated that "sales growth was lower than expected." A dosage of -- you guessed it -- increased advertising spending was immediately proscribed. Moreover, the only real growth is coming via acquisitions. Kellogg acquired Pringles, General Mills invested in Yoplait, and ConAgra bought Ralcorp.

Ultimately, it proved to be a quarter categorized by intensive pricing competition. Going forward, ConAgra's plan is to increase merchandising efforts, with the aim of taking back market share

What's Next for ConAgra?
Despite the gloom, there are reasons to be optimistic!

First, if the consumer market really is categorized by heightened consumer-price sensitivity, then ConAgra's merchandising efforts should lead to a pick up in volumes again. Second, the Ralcorp acquisition is going largely as planned, and management confirmed that it still expects $300 million in cost savings by 2017. Third, any announcement of a contract win for Lamb Weston's frozen-potato operations will provide some upside to the stock.

However, while ConAgra's operational performance can get better, its valuation still looks stretched.  The mid-point of its 2014 earnings-per-share guidance ($2.36) puts it on a forward P/E ratio of around 13 times. This looks good, but its implied free-cash-flow guidance is for around $1 billion this year. In other words, it's around 4.4% of its current enterprise value. 

Recall that ConAgra has around $8.6 billion in senior long-term debt, and few people are expecting rates to fall. Moreover, with debt repayment a priority, it's hard to imagine the dividend can increase for a while yet. All told, the recent pullback still hasn't made ConAgra's shares attractive enough on a risk/reward basis.

The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013
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FSI̢۪s First FA Conference Attracting Attendees, High-Profile Speakers

When Chris Paulitz started planning the Financial Services Institute's inaugural conference he wanted to set it apart from others.

"We decided that this conference has to be unique compared to all the other conferences out there,” said Paulitz of the conference for financial advisors scheduled for September. “One of the ways we did that,” said Paulitz, senior vice president for membership and marketing for the independent broker-dealer group, “is that only financial advisors would create the conference” agenda. Ten members of FSI’s advisor council were chosen to program the conference, he says, ensuring that “the majority of what they get at this conference they can’t get elsewhere.”

So far, reports Paulitz, “well more than 200” advisors have registered and paid for their attendance, a number that he expects to increase as the conference draws nearer, citing the intent of a number of independent broker-dealers to pay for some of their representatives to attend the conference, which runs from the evening of Sept. 9 to midday Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C., at the Washington Hilton. “Some are paying part of the registration fee; some are paying the whole fee, some are even paying” for their advisors’ airfare and hotel accommodations.”

Moreover, he expects that some IBD reps will decide to join FSI prior to the FSI Financial Advisor Summit to get the discounted member rate.

A highlight of the conference will be the appearance of Phyllis Borzi (left), the assistant secretary of the Department of Labor’s EBSA, who will be interviewed on stage by Dale Brown, CEO of the FSI, and who will also take questions from attendees at a Sept. 10 session.

Borzi is leading DOL’s fiduciary reproposal for retirement plan advice, which is expected to be issued in October. The issue is of particular concern to FSI and its independent broker-dealer and 35,000 advisor members, though Paulitz worried that “most people don’t get” the impact of the DOL’s upcoming ruling “that they won’t be able to charge commissions” on retirement plans. “To her credit,” Paulitz says, “she wants to be sure that our members can interact with her.”

Other general session speakers include retired Marine General Peter Pace, NEFE President Ted Beck, and ChangeLabs' CEO Peter Sheahan.

There are three tracks in the conference program, Paulitz reports, “yourself, your business, and your community.” Stressing that “we’re not competing with other broker-dealer conferences,” the conference’s Business track will include succession planning and practice management sessions, but also “how to read body language, looking at advisors’ websites–what you’re doing right and wrong” and even an advisor’s clothing choices: “What are you wearing? What does that convey?” asks Paulitz, to clients and prospects.

The Yourself track will include advice on how advisors can stay healthy, how to care for their own aging parents, and how to achieve a “better work-life balance–all which will better your business” as well, he says.

The Community track will focus on how advisors can get more involved in their communities, including looks at how regulation “changes your community," how to run for public office, and a panel of advisors who’ve won philanthropic awards. There’s an “altruistic side and a business side for being involved in your community,” Paulitz points out.

In addition to the standard education and networking, attendees will be able to get free professional headshots from a photographer and “free website strategy” advice, along with “collateral to help FAs sell the value of independence to existing and prospective clients that has been  “FINRA reviewed.”

A panel of trade press editors and a public relations professional will discuss the best ways get press coverage (this writer will participate in that panel,) and attendees will receive discounted “one-on-one image consultations” by consultant Jane Seaman during the conference.

“The real purpose of this summit is to grow the engagement” of FSI’s members, says Paulitz, which he characterizes as the “voice of one through the strength of many,” which he said will come in handy “when this rule from DOL comes out.”