For our annual "The Lucky 13" portfolio, we attempt to select stocks that exhibit high-quality, offer good value, and have attractive dividend yields, explains dividend and value investing expert Kelley Wright, editor of IQ Trends.
Hopefully, those characteristics will provide both safe, and excellent returns over the coming year and years to follow.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is a well-established, global health care company with an S&P ����Quality Ranking. Fiscal year free operating cash flow is three times its dividend, which is no surprise for this long-time Dividend Aristocrat. A solid anchor position for any portfolio.
Baxter International (BAX), another defensive anchor position, has an S&P ��+��Quality Ranking and outstanding annual dividend growth. Its return on equity for the trailing twelve months and five-year average are 29.31 and 30.42, respectively.
ConocoPhillips (COP) is into the second phase of its multi-year makeover. Having disposed of over $12 billion in unwanted assets, the company is now focused on growth. By all measures, COP is well on its way to challenging the giants in the oil and gas industry.
Best Logistics Companies To Own In Right Now: Brown & Brown Inc. (BRO)
Brown & Brown, Inc., a diversified insurance agency, engages in the marketing and sale of insurance products and services in the United States. Its Retail division provides insurance products and services to commercial, public and quasi-public entity, professional, and individual customers. This division offers property insurance relating to physical damage to property, and resultant interruption of business or extra expense caused by fire, windstorm, or other perils; casualty insurance relating to legal liabilities, workers� compensation, and commercial and private passenger automobile coverage; fidelity and surety bonds; group and individual life, accident, disability, health, hospitalization, medical, and dental insurance, as well as provides risk management and loss control surveys and analysis, and consultation services. The company�s National Programs division offers professional liability and related package insurance products for dentists, lawyers, accountants, o ptometrists, opticians, insurance agents, financial service representatives, benefit administrators, real estate brokers, real estate title agents, and escrow agents. This division also markets its products and services to specific industries, trade groups, public and quasi-public entities, and market niches through independent agents. The company�s Wholesale Brokerage division markets and sells excess and surplus commercial insurance products and services to retail insurance agencies; and reinsurance products and services to insurance companies. Its Services division offers insurance-related services, including third-party claims administration and comprehensive medical utilization management services for the workers� compensation and various liability arenas; medicare set-aside services; and social security disability and medicare benefits advocacy services. Brown & Brown, Inc. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Brown & Brown (NYSE: BRO) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.40 per share on revenue of $348.85 million. Brown & Brown shares rose 0.58% to close at $32.99 on Friday.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Brown & Brown (NYSE: BRO) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.40 per share on revenue of $348.85 million.
Wintrust Financial (NASDAQ: WTFC) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $195.50 million.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Brown & Brown's� (NYSE: BRO ) �Q1 results have been released. For the quarter, net profit notched a new quarterly record at just over $60 million ($0.41 per diluted share), up 22% from the $49 million ($0.34) in the same period the previous year. Total revenue also improved over that time frame, coming in at $335 million against Q1 2012's figure of $302 million.
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Xerium Technologies Inc.(XRM)
Xerium Technologies, Inc. manufactures and supplies consumable products used in the production of paper clothing and roll covers primarily in North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates in two segments, Clothing and Roll Covers. The Clothing segment provides various types of industrial textiles used on paper-making machines and other industrial applications. This segment offers forming fabrics, press felts, and dryer fabrics; and fabrics used in other industrial applications, such as pulp, steel, plastics, leather, and textiles manufacturing. The Roll Covers segment manufactures, refurbishes, and replaces roll covers for working rolls, including vacuum rolls and press rolls; calendar rolls; and coater rolls that are used on paper-making machines. This segment also refurbishes previously installed roll covers; provides mechanical maintenance and repair services for the internal mechanisms of rolls used on paper-making machines; and manufactures a nd repairs spreader rolls. The company markets its products through its direct sales force under Huyck Wangner, Weavexx, Stowe Woodward, Mount Hope, Robec, and Xibe brand names. Xerium Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Xerium Technologies (NYSE: XRM ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Roberto Pedone]
One cyclical consumer goods player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Xerium Technologies (XRM), a manufacturer and supplier of two types of consumable products, clothing and roll covers, used mainly in the production of paper. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 313%.
If you take a look at the chart for Xerium Technologies, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $9.94 to its recent high of $12.97 a share. During that uptrend, shares of XRM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of XRM within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XRM if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $12.97 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 100,685 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then XRM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $14.04 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give XRM a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $18 to $20 a share.
Traders can look to buy XRM off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some near-term support at $12.28, or near its 50-day at $11.35 a share. One can also buy XRM off strength once it takes out $12.97 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Bouygues SA (BOUYF.PK)
Bouygues SA is a France-based group that operates in two sectors: Telecommunications and Media, and Construction. The Construction division comprises three core subsidiaries: Bouygues Construction, specializing in building and public works activities, notably in the areas of electrical engineering, and facility maintenance; Bouygues Immobilier, a property development company, whose activities include the development of residential, corporate and commercial properties, and the execution of urban development schemes, and Colas, engaged in the construction and maintenance of transport, urban development and leisure infrastructure. The Telecommunications and Media division of the Group comprises two companies: TF1, specializing in audiovisual and cinema production, the acquisition and sale of audiovisual rights, and the publishing and distribution of compact discs, among others, and Bouygues Telecom, which offers mobile telephone and broadband Internet services. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Mike Arnold]
I normally don't look at charts much, but comparing Orange to its competitors in the French telecommunications market is quite fascinating. As one can see, incumbents Bouygues (BOUYF.PK) and Vivendi (VIVHY.PK) (owner of SFR) saw similar price declines. The market, on the other hand, rapidly bid up the price of new entrant Iliad SA (ILIAF.PK), as a result of forecasts for Iliad to capture significant mobile market share (which it did, around 10%). The wide divergence in price relative to changes in underlying value favor going long the incumbents, including Orange. Because this time it's different.
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Kilroy Realty Corp (KRC)
Kilroy Realty Corporation, incorporated on September 13, 1996, is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company focuses on office and industrial submarkets along the West Coast. The Company owns, develops, acquires and manages real estate assets, consisting primarily of Class A real estate properties in the coastal regions of Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay Area and greater Seattle. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� portfolio consisted of 104 office buildings (the Office Properties) and 39 industrial buildings (the Industrial Properties). The Company owns its interests in all of its Office Properties and Industrial Properties through the Kilroy Realty, L.P. (the Operating Partnership) and Kilroy Realty Finance Partnership, L.P. (the Finance Partnership). In March 2012, the Company purchased Menlo Corporate Center in Menlo Park, California. In June 2012, the Company purchased two office properties in the Lake Union submarket of Seattle. In January 2013, the Company purchsed Westlake Terry, a two building 320,399 square-foot office property. In September 2013, the Company announced it has completed the purchase of a 13.8 acre Class A office campus in the coastal Del Mar sub-market of San Diego. Effective September 19, 2013, Kilroy Realty Corp acquired The Heights, a owner and operator of an office campus. In January 2014, Kilroy Realty Corp completed the disposition of 13 San Diego office properties in two tranches. In January 2014, Kilroy Realty Corp acquired from The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences an approximate four-acre parcel near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood.
On January 28, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 250 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA. On April 21, 2011, the Company acquired four buildings in 10210, 10220 and 10230 NE Points Drive; 3933 Lake Washington Boulevard NE, Kirkland, WA. On May 12, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 10770 Water! idge Circle, San Diego, CA. On June 3, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 601 108th Avenue N.E., Bellevue, WA. On June 9, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 4040 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA. On September 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 201 Third Street, San Francisco, CA. On November 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 301 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA. On December 15, 2011, the Company acquired one building in 370 Third Street, San Francisco, CA. In December 2011, it commenced redevelopment at one of its acquired properties in San Francisco. On January 30, 2012, the Company sold 15004 Innovation Drive, San Diego, CA and 10243 Genetic Center Drive, San Diego, CA. In September 2011, the Company disposed of its interest in 10350 Barnes Canyon and 10120 Pacific Heights Drive, San Diego, CA. In December 2011, the Company disposed of interest in 2031 E. Mariposa Avenue, Los Angeles, CA.
The Company conducts substantially all of its operations through the Operating Partnership of which as of December 31, 2011, it owned a 97.2% general partnership interest. Kilroy Realty Finance, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is the sole general partner of the Finance Partnership. The Company conducts substantially all of its development activities through Kilroy Services, LLC (KSLLC), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Operating Partnership. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include Kilroy Realty TRS, Inc., Kilroy Realty Management, L.P., Kilroy RB, LLC, Kilroy RB II, LLC, Kilroy Realty Northside Drive, LLC and Kilroy Realty 303, LLC. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� tenants included Intuit, Inc., Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Delta Dental of California, AMN Healthcare, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Fish & Richardson P.C., Scripps Health and Epson America, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ken McGaha]
The four REITS I reviewed are Kilroy Realty Corp. (KRC), Kimco Realty Corp. (KIM), Eastgroup Properties (EGP) and Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT).
- [By Rich Duprey]
Real estate investment trust�Kilroy Realty� (NYSE: KRC ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.35 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2009.
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings(AAWW)
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. provides air cargo and outsourced aircraft operating solutions worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI); Air Mobility Command (AMC) Charter; Commercial Charter; and Dry Leasing. The ACMI segment offers aircraft that is crewed, maintained, and insured by the company for lease. The AMC Charter segment provides full planeload charter flights to the U.S. military. The Commercial Charter segment provides planeload of capacity charter services to charter brokers, freight forwarders, direct shippers, and airlines. The Dry Leasing segment provides for the leasing of aircraft and/or engines to customers. The company operates a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters. Its customers include airlines, express delivery providers, freight forwarders, the U.S. military, and charter brokers. It operates in Asia, the Middle-East, Australia, Europe, South America, Africa, and North America. As of Decem ber 31, 2009, the company operated a fleet of 747-400 freighter aircraft. Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings was founded in 1992 and is based in Purchase, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
UPS’s (UPS) big miss got the attention today–sending its shares down 1%–but that’s nothing compared to what’s happened to Atlas Air Worldwide (AAWW).
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Splunk Inc (SPLK)
Splunk Inc. (Splunk) provides a software platform. Splunk�� software collects and indexes data regardless of format or source, and enables users to search, correlate, analyze, monitor and report on this data, all in real time. Its software is designed to help users in various roles, including information technology (IT) and business professionals, analyze machine data and realize real-time visibility into and about their organization's operations. The core of its software is a machine data engine, comprised of collection, indexing, search and data management capabilities. Its software can collect and index terabytes of information daily, irrespective of format or source. As of January 31, 2012, the Company had approximately 3,700 customers.
The Company�� software enables users to identify problems, get answers and gain new business insights and intelligence from machine data across their globally distributed enterprise all through one platform. Its software contains features and functionality, such as Universally collect, index, store and archive any machine data, from any source, search and investigate, user-friendly interface, knowledge store, monitor and alert, report and analyze, custom dashboards and views, platform extensibility, role-based access and controls.
The Company competes with BMC Software, Inc., CA, Compuware, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft Corporation, Quest Software, Adobe Systems, Google, Webtrends, EMC, Oracle and SAP.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Telis Demos and Douglas MacMillan Opower Inc., which helps electric utilities push homeowners to use]
A steady stream of so-called “big data” companies like Opower have gone public lately, including software firms Splunk Inc.(SPLK) and Tableau Software Inc.(DATA) Those stocks have each more than doubled since their debuts in 2012 and earlier this year, respectively.
- [By Anders Bylund]
Data analysis specialist Splunk's (NASDAQ: SPLK ) first-quarter report was a bit of a head-scratcher.
Splunk shares took a 4% nosedive when the report was published, because its revenues came in strong but earnings were merely adequate. Revenue jumped 54% year over year to $57.2 million, easily topping Wall Street's $54 million target. The adjusted $0.06 loss per share was right in line with analyst expectations. That's just not good enough when your last three reports absolutely crushed Street targets on the bottom line, at least in percentage terms. The backlash was strong enough to suck data analysis rival TIBCO Software (NASDAQ: TIBX ) down into a 1.5% drop in early Friday trading. There must be something wrong with this supposedly robust market, right?
Top 10 Defensive Companies To Watch In Right Now: Flow International Corporation(FLOW)
Flow International Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a technology-based company providing waterjet cutting, surface preparation, and cleaning solutions in the United States, Europe, Asia, and internationally. The company?s products include ultrahigh-pressure water pumps and power waterjet systems used to cut and clean materials. It also offers ultrahigh-pressure surface preparation and industrial cleaning systems used in waterjet cleaning for coating removal; and consumable parts used by the pump and cutting heads during operations, such as seals and orifices, as well as provides related services. The company sells its consumable parts online through flowparts.com in the United States and floweuropeparts.com in Europe. It offers its products to various end-user applications and industries, including automotive, aerospace, paper, job shop, and stone and tile industries. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Flow International (FLOW) has gained 9.6% to $3.99 after it reported a loss of 2 cents a share, below forecasts for a 1 cent profit. Profits were hit by currency fluctuations and a $1.6 million charge.
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