The S&P 500 Index returned a modest +1.1% over the three months ended September 30th, the seventh consecutive positive quarter for the index. In August, the index closed above 2,000 for the first time, peaking at 2,011 in mid-September before a slight pullback. Unlike prior market peaks (e.g. 1999, 2007), elevated stock prices today are supported by both strong corporate earnings and an improving economic environment. At 16.5x forward earnings, the S&P 500 Index trades at a valuation slightly higher than the 25-year median of 16.0x. Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury yields 2.5% versus the 25-year median of 4.8%; considering the low interest rate environment equity valuations appear reasonable. The U.S. housing market continues to recover, with new home sales considerably higher than consensus expectations and home prices on the rise. Higher home values create a wealth effect that boosts confidence and drives consumer spending, which accelerated during the quarter��onsumer spending comprises two-thirds of U.S. GDP, so the housing market�� economic impact is material. Meanwhile, employment has steadily improved and inflation has remained in check. The U.S. dollar strengthened as a result of the productive economy, appreciating by more than 6% relative to a basket of major developed market currencies1. While the tense geopolitical landscape poses risks to the equity market, the earnings power of our portfolio holdings provides considerable valuation support. The portfolio trades at 10.8x our estimate of normal/sustainable earnings, a significant discount to the market average2.
Top 10 Information Technology Companies To Buy Right Now: Mattress Firm Holding Corp (MFRM)
Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (Mattress Firm), incorporated on January 5, 2007, is a specialty retailer of mattresses and related products and accessories in the United States. The Company conducts its operations through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, Mattress Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries. As of August 2, 2011, the Company and its franchisees operated 620 and 107 stores, respectively, primarily under the Mattress Firm name, in 60 markets across 25 states. The Company focuses on the national brands, but also offers its customers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses. The Company has introduced its YuMe brand. On October 15, 2010, the Company acquired Peak Management, LLC. On December 1, 2010, the Company acquired Maggie's Enterprises, Inc. In May 2012, Mattress Firm announced the completion of its acquisition of regional bedding company, Mattress Giant Holding Corp. Effective September 9, 2013, Mattress Firm Holding Corp, a unit of JW Childs Associates LP, acquired Olejo Inc, a provider of ecommerce retail services.
The Company�� stores carry national mattress brands, with a range of styles, sizes, price points and features. The Company provides its customers with their choice of traditional mattresses, including Sealy and Simmons, as well as specialty mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic. In addition to its mattress selection, the Company offers a range of bedding-related products and accessories.
Conventional Mattresses
Conventional mattresses, such as those of Sealy (including Sealy Posturepedic and Stearns and Foster) and Simmons (including Simmons Beautyrest), utilize steel-coil innersprings. During the fiscal year ended February 1, 2011, the conventional mattresses represented approximately 75% of bedding industry sales in the United States and approximately 60% of the Company�� total sales. In addition to these national brands, the Company also offers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses.
Specialty Mattresses
Specialty mattresses, such as those manufactured by Tempur-Pedic and select comfort, utilize materials other than steel-coil innersprings to provide comfort and support. In fiscal 2010, the specialty mattresses represented approximately 30% of the Company�� total sales. The Company is expanding its assortments in the categories, including viscoelastic foam mattresses and yume sleep system. Viscoelastic foam, also referred to as memory foam or polyurethane foam, features a temperature sensitive foam core that reduces pressure points and tossing and turning by contouring to one's body. The Company has introduced a sleep system made of foam produced from coconut oil, utilizing a technology that uses ambient air to heat and cool the mattress surface.
Furniture and Accessories
During fiscal 2010, the Company was in the process of introducing new headboards and footboards, which complement its current bedding products. All of the Company�� stores carry an assortment of bedding-related accessories, including bed frames, mattress pads and pillows. In fiscal 2010, bedding-related products and accessories represented approximately 7% of the Company�� total sales from Company-operated stores.
The Company competes with Mattress Giant, American Mattress, Haverty's, Rooms-To-Go, Macy's, Sears, JC Penney, Walmart, Costco and Original Mattress.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Mattress Firm Holding (NASDAQ: MFRM) shares reached a new 52-week high of $47.03 after the company reported upbeat Q4 earnings and raised its FY14 forecast.
Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own Right Now: Chart Industries Inc (GTLS)
Chart Industries, Inc., incorporated on June 25, 1992, is an independent global manufacturer of engineered equipment used in the production, storage and end-use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases. The Company supplies engineered equipment used throughout the global liquid gas supply chain. It operates in three segments: energy and chemicals (E&C), distribution and storage or (D&S), and biomedical. The E&C and D&S segments manufacture products used primarily in energy-related and general industrial applications, such as the separation, liquefaction, distribution and storage of hydrocarbon and industrial gases. Through its BioMedical segment, it supplies cryogenic and other equipment used in the storage and distribution of biological materials and oxygen, used primarily in the medical, biological research and animal breeding industries.
The Company�� products, including vacuum insulated containment vessels, heat exchangers, cold boxes and other cryogenic components, are used throughout the liquid gas supply chain for the purification, liquefaction, distribution, storage and end-use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases. It is a manufacturer of standard and engineered equipment primarily used for low-temperature and cryogenic applications. The Company�� primary customers are multinational producers and distributors of hydrocarbon and industrial gases and their suppliers. The Company sells its products and services to more than 2,000 customers worldwide.
Energy and Chemicals Segment
The Company is a designer and manufacturer of cryogenic brazed aluminum and air cooled heat exchangers. The Company�� brazed aluminum heat exchangers are incorporated into assemblies and cold boxes to facilitate the progressive cooling and liquefaction of air or hydrocarbon mixtures for the subsequent recovery or purification of component gases. In hydrocarbon processing industries, its brazed aluminum heat exchangers allow producers to obtain purified hydrocarbon by-products, such ! as methane, ethane, propane and ethylene, which are commercially marketable for various industrial or residential uses. In the industrial gas market, its brazed aluminum heat exchangers are used to produce high purity atmospheric gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon, which have diverse industrial applications. The Company�� air cooled heat exchangers are used in multiple markets to cool fluids to allow for further processing or to provide condensing of fluids, including hydrocarbon, petrochemical, natural gas processing, and power generation. Its compact Core-in-Kettle heat exchangers are designed to replace shell-and-tube exchangers, offering significantly more heat transfer surface per unit volume and improving the efficiency of chillers, vaporizers, reboilers and condensers in hydrocarbon applications including ethylene, propylene and LNG.
The Company is a designer and fabricator of cold boxes. Cold boxes are engineered systems used to reduce the temperature of gas mixtures to the point where component gases liquefy and can be separated and purified for further use in multiple industrial, scientific and commercial applications. In the hydrocarbon processing industry, its cold box systems are used in natural gas processing and in the petrochemical industry. In the industrial gas industry, cold box systems are used to separate air into its atmospheric components, including nitrogen, oxygen and argon, where the gases are used in a diverse range of applications, such as metal production and heat treating, enhanced oil and gas production, coal gasification, chemical and oil refining, the quick-freezing of food, wastewater treatment and industrial welding. The construction of a cold box system generally consists of one or more brazed aluminum heat exchangers and other equipment packaged in a box consisting of a structural metal frame encasing a complex system of piping, valves and instrumentation.
The Company designs and manufactures of engineered hydrocarbon process syst! ems speci! fically for those markets requiring cryogenic processing technology. These Concept-to-Reality process systems incorporate many of Chart�� core products, including brazed aluminum heat exchangers, Core-in-Kettles, cold boxes, vessels, pipe work and air cooled heat exchangers. These systems are used for global LNG projects, including projects in the United States and China for both domestic LNG production for diesel displacement and in the conversion of LNG import terminals to export terminals, and also for use in global nitrogen rejection units (NRU) and propane dehydrogenation (PDH).
Distribution and Storage Segment
The Company is a supplier of cryogenic equipment to the global bulk and packaged industrial gas industry as well as for energy-related applications. Its products span the entire spectrum of industrial gas demand from small customers requiring cryogenic packaged gases to large users requiring custom engineered cryogenic storage systems. Its products in the D&S segment include Cryogenic Bulk Storage Systems, Cryogenic Packaged Gas Systems, Cryogenic Systems and Components, LNG Applications, Beverage Liquid CO2 Systems, and Cryogenic Services. The Company is a supplier of cryogenic bulk storage systems (stationary tanks, trailers, and ISO tanks) of various sizes ranging from 500 gallons to 250,000 gallons. End use customers for its cryogenic storage equipment include industrial gas producers and distributors, chemical producers, manufacturers of electrical components, health care organizations, food processors and businesses in the oil and natural gas industries.
The Company is supplier of cryogenic packaged gas systems of various sizes ranging from 160 liters to 3,000 liters. Cryogenic liquid cylinders are used extensively in the packaged gas industry to allow smaller quantities of liquid to be easily delivered to the customers of industrial gas distributors on a full-for-empty or fill-on-site basis. Principal customers for its liquid cylinders are th! e same gl! obal industrial gas producers and the North American industrial gas distributors who purchase its cryogenic bulk storage systems. It has developed two technologies in the packaged gas product area: ORCA Micro-Bulk systems and Tri-fecta Laser Gas assist systems. ORCA Micro-Bulk systems bring the ease of use and distribution economics of bulk gas supply to customers formerly supplied by high pressure or cryogenic liquid cylinders. The Tri-fecta Laser Gas assist system was developed to meet the assist gas performance requirements for new high powered lasers being used in the metal fabrication industry. The Company�� line of cryogenic components, including VIP, engineered bulk gas installations, specialty liquid nitrogen (LN2), end-use equipment and cryogenic flow meters are recognized in the market for their reliability, quality and performance. These products are sold to industrial gas producers, as well as to a diverse group of distributors, resellers and end users.
The Company supplies cryogenic solutions for the storage, distribution, vaporization, and application of LNG. LNG may be utilized as a primary source of heat or power at industrial or residential complexes located away from a natural gas pipeline. LNG may also be used for peak shaving or as a backup supply at remote locations. It refers to its LNG distribution products as a Virtual Pipeline as the natural gas pipeline is replaced with cryogenic distribution to deliver the gas to the end user. It supplies cryogenic trailers, bulk storage tanks, tap-off facilities, and vaporization equipment specially configured for LNG into Virtual Pipeline applications. LNG may also be used as a fuel to power vehicles or ships. The Beverage Liquid CO2 Systems product line consists primarily of vacuum insulated, bulk liquid CO2 containers used for beverage carbonation in restaurants, convenience stores and cinemas, in sizes ranging from 100 pounds to 750 pounds of liquid CO2 storage. It also manufactures and market non-insulated, bulk fountain ! syrup con! tainers for side-by-side installation with its CO2 systems. Its beverage systems are sold to national restaurant chains, soft drink companies and CO2 distributors. Its primary competitors for bulk liquid CO2 beverage delivery systems are Taylor-Wharton and other producers of high-pressure gaseous CO2 cylinders. The Company operates locations in the United States and Europe providing installation, service, repair and maintenance of cryogenic products, including storage tanks, liquid cylinders, cryogenic trailers, cryogenic railcars, cryogenic pumps, cryogenic flow meters and VIP.
BioMedical Segment
The Company�� BioMedical segment consists of various product lines built around its core competencies in cryogenics and pressure swing adsorption, but with a focus on the respiratory and biological users of the liquids and gases instead of the large producers and distributors of cryogenic liquids. Its products in the BioMedical segment include Respiratory Products, Cold Storage Systems, and Commercial Oxygen Generation Systems. Its respiratory oxygen product line consists of a range of medical respiratory products, including liquid oxygen systems and ambulatory oxygen systems, both of which are used primarily for the in-home supplemental oxygen treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.
The Cold Storage Systems product line consists of vacuum insulated containment vessels for the storage of biological materials. The primary applications for this product line include medical laboratories, biotech/pharmaceutical, research facilities, blood and tissue banks, veterinary laboratories, large-scale repositories and artificial insemination, particularly in the beef and dairy industry.
The Company competes with Linde, Sumitomo, Kobe, Fives, Linde, Air Products, Praxair, Air Liquide, Taylor-Wharton International or Taylor-Wharton and CVA/INOX, Taylor-Wharton and Beijing Tenhai Industrial Cylinders, Acme Cr! yogenics,! Vacuum Barrier Corporation, and Ind-Burma Petroleum Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Courtenay]
Chart Industries (GTLS), which reports earnings on April 22nd, has been bandied about for months as a takeover target. It manufactures and supplies engineered equipment used in the production, storage, and end-use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases in the United States, the Czech Republic, China, Germany, and internationally.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top losers in the sector included Chart Industries (NASDAQ: GTLS), Jacobs Engineering Group (NYSE: JEC), and ABB (NYSE: ABB).
Top Headline
Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) reported a 7% rise in its first-quarter profit. Merck's quarterly profit surged to $1.71 billion, or $0.57 per share, compared to a year-ago profit of $1.59 billion, or $0.52 per share. Excluding certain items, Merck earned $0.88 per share, up from $0.85 per share Its revenue dropped 4% to $10.26 billion versus $10.67 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.79 per share on revenue of $10.43 billion. Merck reiterated its full-year earnings forecast of $2.15 to $2.47 per share.
Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own Right Now: Cytori Therapeutics Inc(CYTX)
Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and sale of medical products and devices to enable the practice of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicines focus on repairing or restoring lost or damaged tissue and cell function. Its principal products include the Celution family of products, which processes patients' adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) at the point of care. The Celution family of products consists of a central device, a related single-use consumable used for each patient procedure, proprietary enzyme reagents, and related instrumentation. Its core product, the Celution System, provides physicians with clinical grade stem and regenerative cells for use in the cosmetic and reconstructive surgery market. The company also provides PureGraft, a consumable product that provides grafts for use in aesthetic body contouring procedures. In addition, it sells the StemSource family of products worldwide, including in the United States, for research, as well as for the cryopreservation and storage of ADRCs. It offers the StemSource System as a standalone product, or as a part of a comprehensive suite of systems, equipment, and protocols collectively referred to as a StemSource Cell Bank. Further, the company develops Celution System, which has completed two clinical trials for applications in cardiovascular disease, wound healing, gastrointestinal disorders, stress urinary incontinence, liver and renal disease, spinal disc degeneration, and pelvic health conditions. It has strategic development and manufacturing joint venture agreement, and other related agreements with Olympus Corporation. The company was formerly known as MacroPore Biosurgery, Inc. Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Rojas var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]
Cytori Therapeutics Inc.(CYTX) on Tuesday said it is putting a clinical hold on enrollment in two chronic-heart-failure clinical trials, citing safety concerns. Shares sank 32.9% to $1.41 premarket.
- [By James E. Brumley]
If you're reading this, then odds are you already know that Cytori Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:CYTX) is up a whopping 8% today. In some ways that's encouraging, as it proves there's a lot of trade-worthy momentum to be tapped. In other ways, however, it's bad, because CYTX is overbought and ripe for a pullback. No matter how you're seeing Cytori Therapeutics in the short run, though, when you take a step back and look at the longer-term picture, there's a lot to like.
Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own Right Now: Chalmers Ltd (CHR)
Chalmers Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in transport, logistic services, warehousing and container storage, repairs and sales. The Company operated in three segments: Transport, Containers and Property. Transport consists of road transport, predominantly import/export FCL containers and the interface with logistics/ warehousing/hubbing services. Containers represent the empty container park operations concerned with handling, storage, repairs, upgrades, pretrips and so on of empty containers on behalf of shipping and leasing company customers. Property represents the capital investment Chalmers has in freeholds located in Melbourne. The Company�� subsidiaries include Chalmers Industries Pty Ltd, Chalmers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Chalmers Industries (Brisbane) Pty Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Corinne Gretler]
Chr. Hansen A/S (CHR) slid 1.7 percent to 186 kroner after Credit Suisse Group AG cut the stock to neutral, the equivalent of hold, from outperform. The brokerage said that profit from its natural-color business remains under pressure. The world�� biggest maker of dairy enzymes cut its full-year sales forecast on July 3 because of lower prices for the red pigment carmine.
Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own Right Now: Calumet Specialty Products Partners L.P.(CLMT)
Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. produces and sells specialty hydrocarbon products in North America. It operates in two segments, Specialty Products and Fuel Products. The Specialty Products segment processes crude oil and other feedstocks into various customized lubricating oils, white mineral oils, solvents, petrolatums, gelled hydrocarbons, cable fillers, natural petroleum sulfonates, waxes, and compressor lubricants. Its products are used in applications in a range of industries, such as industrial goods, including metal working fluids, belts, hoses, sealing systems, batteries, hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive tapes, electrical transformers, refrigeration compressors, and drilling fluids; consumer goods, including candles, petroleum jelly, creams, tonics, lotions, coating on paper cups, chewing gum base, automotive aftermarket car-care products, lamp oils, charcoal lighter fluids, camping fuel, and various aerosol products; and automotive goods, such as motor oils, greases, transmission fluid, and tires. The Fuel Products segment processes crude oil into various fuel and fuel-related products, such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and heavy fuel oils. This segment also offers fuel-related products, including fluid catalytic cracking feedstock, asphalt vacuum residuals, and mixed butanes. Calumet GP, LLC serves as the general partner for Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. The company was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
As its name suggests, Calumet Specialty Products Partners (Nasdaq: CLMT) isn’t a conventional refiner. It’s a refiner of petroleum-based specialty products and fuels, with 11 domestic production facilities spread across Louisiana, Texas, Montana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. In addition to gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and asphalt, the partnership produces solvents, mineral oils, waxes and specialty lubricants.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
The price of crude oil in the U.S. has dropped nearly 9% during the past month of trading, and Credit Suisse believes it’s time to take another look at the refiners, including Tesoro (TSO) and� Calumet Specialty Products (CLMT).
- [By Robert Rapier]
Calumet Specialty Products Partners (Nasdaq: CLMT) also reported a net loss for the quarter of $34.8 million, or ($0.54) per diluted unit, compared with net income of $42.4 million, or $0.69 per diluted unit, for the same quarter in 2012. Units traded down nearly 13 percent for the week.
Best Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own Right Now: Sa Sa International Holdings Ltd (SAXJF)
Sa Sa International Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The Company�� subsidiaries are principally engaged in the retailing and wholesaling of cosmetic products. Its business covers Hong Kong and Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. The Company operates in two segments: retail segment, engaged in the operation of cosmetics specialty stores, which offer a variety of products from over 600 beauty brands, covering a wide of products from skin care, fragrance, make-up, body care and hair care to health foods, and brand management segment, engaged in the management of over 100 beauty brands. It also offers round-the-clock online shopping services along with product and corporate information through its e-commerce platform, sasa.com. The Company�� subsidiaries include Alibaster Management Limited, Base Sun Investment Limited, Cyber Colors Limited, Docile Company Limited and Elegance Trading (Shanghai) Company Limited, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks swung between small gains and losses early Thursday after hitting a seven-month high in the previous session, with the Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) down less than 0.1%. Most mainland Chinese property developers outperformed the markets, with Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. (HK:2777) (GZUHF) rallying 3.4%, after the company reported a 44% month-on-month jump in sales for June. Shimao Property Holdings Ltd. (HK:0813) (SIOPF) climbed 2.6%, and China Resources Land Ltd. (HK:1109) (CRBJF) rose 1.7%. However, several retailers were weak, as Want Want China Holdings Ltd. (HK:0151) (WWNTF) , the country's top food and beverage maker, declined 2%. Hong Kong-based cosmetics brand Sa Sa International Holdings (HK:0178) (SAXJF) fell 1.6%, with a decline in Chinese June non-manufacturing data helping weigh on some retailers. Over on the Chinese mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) retreated 0.4%, pulling back from its highest close in two weeks.
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