If 2013 was one for the investment banks, then 2014 should be the year for the big bank holding companies like Bank of America (BAC) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM), according to a new Citigroup report.
ReutersLast year, Bank of America returned 35%, while JPMorgan returned 36%, a great year, unless you compare those gains to Goldman Sachs (GS), which� returned 41%, and Morgan Stanley (MS), which surged 65%.
Expect Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase to outperform in 2014, says Citigroup’s Keith Horowitz and team. They write:
We are upgrading BAC to a buy with a target price of $19 (23% expected total return), which reflects a cost of equity more in line with history and no longer impacted by legacy issues. We believe BAC has built-in earnings drivers on the cost side which puts us slightly ahead of consensus. Also, if US economy continues to improve, we believe investors will look to BAC (as well as JPM) as a play on the US economy due to an asset sensitive balance sheet and exposure to the US consumer. We see similar value in JPM, and are raising the target price to $72 with an expected total return of 27%. We expect JPM to beat modestly in 4Q13 and BAC to report in-line results for 4Q.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: United-Guardian Inc.(UG)
United-Guardian, Inc. researches, develops, manufactures, and markets cosmetic ingredients, personal and health care products, pharmaceuticals, and specialty industrial products in the United States, Canada, China, France, and internationally. Its personal care products include LUBRAJEL, a line of water-based moisturizing and lubricating gel formulations; KLENSOFT, a surfactant for cosmetic formulations; UNITWIX, a cosmetic additive used as a thickener for oils and oil-based liquids; CONFETTI DERMAL DELIVERY FLAKES for use in various water-based products; ORCHID COMPLEX, a base for cosmetics; LUBRASLIDE and B-122 lubricants used in cosmetics; AQUATHIK, a powder used as a gelling agent for aqueous solutions or emulsions; and HYDRAJEL PL, a personal lubricant for the feminine personal care market. The company?s medical products comprise LUBRAJEL RR and RC water-based gels used as lubricants for catheters; LUBRAJEL MG to lubricate urinary catheters, prelubricated enema tips, and other medical devices; LUBRAJEL LC, a mouth moisturizer for oral use; and LUBRAJEL FLUID to lubricate water-soluble products. Its pharmaceuticals consists of RENACIDIN, a prescription drug to prevent and dissolve calcifications in urethral catheters and the urinary bladder; and CLORPACTIN WCS-90, an antimicrobial for use in urology and surgery to treat infections in the urinary bladder. United-Guardian?s industrial products include DESELEX Liquid, a sequestering and chelating agent; and POLYCOMPLEX M and Q complexing agents to produce clear solutions of water-insoluble materials. The company distributes its products to drug wholesalers, drug stores, hospitals, physicians, long-term care facilities, Veteran?s Administration, and other government agencies through marketing partners, distributors, advertising in medical and trade journals, mailings to physicians, and exhibitions. United-Guardian, Inc. was founded in 1942 and is based in Hauppauge, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonathan Morgan]
PSA Peugeot (UG) Citroen added 5.4 percent as its chief executive officer predicted a market-share increase in an interview with Le Parisien. Telecom Italia SpA rose 8.4 percent after a report that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris may buy a stake in Italy�� biggest phone company. TeliaSonera AB slid 1.9 percent as Finland cut its holding in the network operator.
- [By Dorothee Tschampa]
Volkswagen AG (VOW) (VOW), PSA Peugeot Citroen (UG) and Renault SA (RNO) (RNO), Europe�� three largest carmakers, all dropped 5 percent or more after preliminary data showed Chinese manufacturing is unexpectedly contracting.
- [By Inyoung Hwang]
PSA Peugeot (UG) Citroen climbed to a 17-month high after saying it won�� cut prices for the Peugeot brand. Glencore Xstrata Plc advanced 2.3 percent after raising its estimate for financial gains from its merger with Xstrata Plc. Neste Oil Oyj surged to a five-year high after upgrading its full-year forecast. GlaxoSmithKline Plc slid 2.5 percent as new U.S. guidelines opened the door for generic versions of its Advair drug.
- [By Marc Bastow]
Cosmetics maker United-Guardian (UG) raised its semi-annual dividend 13% to 50 cents per share, payable on Dec. 20 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 6. This marks the 37th consecutive annual increase to the dividend.
UG Dividend Yield: 4.86%
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Latteno Food Corp (LATF)
Latteno Food Corp. (Latteno), incorporated on August 24, 1994, is engaged in acquiring, organizing, developing and upgrading companies in the international food and beverage market. Latteno is specializing in the dairy industry and coffee industry. The Company operates through its subsidiary in Brazil. On February 10, 2010 Latteno acquired Global Milk Businesses and Administration of Private Properties Ltda. (Global Milk). Global Milk holds the rights of certain intellectual property of the brand name products manufactured and sold under the brand name Teixeira. In March 2013, the Company acquired Green Cannabis Collective Inc.
Latteno is leasing an instant and roasted coffee factory located in Cruzeiro, Sao-Paulo, which was property the Company previously owned under its BDFC Brasil Alimentos Ltda (BDFC) subsidiary. In addition to the lease, the Company has maintained ownership of four brand names, Samba Cafe, Vivenda, Torino and Brazilian Best, used in the past by Latteno to sell its instant and roasted coffee across the world. The Company engaged the service companies to assist with its operations, such as Log-Frio Ltda, SigaSolutions Ltda, Microsiga Ltda and Varistao Transportes Ltda.
The Company competes with Nestle, Companhia Cacique de Cafe Soluvel, Cafe Soluvel Brasilia and Companhia lguacu de Cafe Soluvel.
Top Energy Stocks For 2015: Ass British Food(ABF.L)
Associated British Foods plc operates as a diversified food, ingredients, and retail group. The company operates through five segments: Sugar, Agriculture, Retail, Grocery, and Ingredients. The Sugar segment engages in growing and processing sugar beet and sugar cane for sale to industrial users. The Agriculture segment procures grain and oilseeds from farmers and co-products from the food, drink, and bioethanol industries. It manufactures and sells animal feeds and premixes to farmers; and micro ingredients to farmers and feed manufacturers. This segment also provides agronomy advice and crop inputs. The Retail segment is involved in buying and merchandising clothing and accessories. It offers womenswear, lingerie, childrenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, hosiery, and home ware through the Primark and Penneys retail chains primarily in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, and Belgium. The Grocery segment manufactur es hot beverages; sugar and sweeteners; vegetable oils; bread, baked goods, and cereals; ethnic foods, herbs, and spices; and meat products that are sold to retail, wholesale, and foodservice businesses. The Ingredients segment produces bakers? yeast, bakery ingredients, specialty proteins, enzymes, lipids, and yeast extracts. The company operates in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Associated British Foods plc is a subsidiary of Wittington Investments Limited.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Torotrak(TRK.L)
Torotrak plc engages in the design and development of traction drive systems for vehicle makers and transmission manufacturers in Europe, North America, India, and Japan. The company licenses its patented traction drive technology for use in main drive transmissions for vehicles, such as buses, trucks, and small cars; variable drive pressure charging for fuel economy; and mechanical flywheels that recover braking energy. It also provides engineering consultancy services, including supporting projects through advice and helping customers to apply the Torotrak plc?s technology. The company was founded in 1988 and is based in Leyland, the United Kingdom.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Dole Food Company Inc(DOLE)
Dole Food Company, Inc. engages in sourcing, growing, processing, marketing, and distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, and food products to wholesale, retail, and institutional customers worldwide. It operates in three segments: Fresh Fruit, Fresh Vegetables, and Packaged Foods. The Fresh Fruit segment involves in growing and selling bananas under the DOLE brand name primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia; ripening and distributing DOLE and non-DOLE branded fresh produce in Europe; growing, sourcing, and selling fresh pineapples under the DOLE TROPICAL GOLD label; and exporting Chilean fruits, including grapes, apples, pears, stone fruits, and kiwifruits primarily to North America, Latin America, and Europe. The Fresh Vegetables segment engages in sourcing, harvesting, cooling, distributing, and marketing various fresh and fresh-cut vegetables, including iceberg lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, butter lettuce, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, c arrots, Brussels sprouts, green onions, asparagus, snow peas, artichokes, and radishes, as well as fresh strawberries and raspberries. This segment also processes and markets value-added vegetable products, such as packaged salads and packaged fresh-cut vegetables. The Packaged Foods segment produces and markets canned pineapples, canned pineapple juice, fruit juice concentrate, fruit parfaits, snack foods, and frozen fruits, as well as fruits in plastic cups, jars, and pouches. Its principal customers include mass merchandisers and supermarkets. Dole Food Company, Inc. was founded in 1851 and is based in Westlake Village, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
It didn't take long for Dole Foods (NYSE: DOLE ) to reverse its policy on stock repurchases. Less than three weeks after initiating a buyback program, the company has suspended it. Instead, it will plow capital into upgrading its fleet of ships, a project it anticipates will cost roughly $165 million.
- [By Michael Lewis]
On a valuation basis, Chiquita isn't richly valued, though not the extreme bargain it once was, either. Set to return to profitability this year, Chiquita is trading at a little over 10 times forward earnings. Competitor Dole (NYSE: DOLE ) , which just this week received a buyout offer led by its CEO, is now valued at 20 times forward earnings. On an EV/EBITDA basis, Dole has been valued by its CEO's offer at nearly 19 times. Chiquita trades at 12.6 times.
- [By Rich Duprey]
That's why seeing Dole Foods (NYSE: DOLE ) lurch from a stock buyback program one day to suspending it weeks later so it can buy new ships instead, rattled investors and caused its stock to drop 10% so far.
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Dole Food� (NYSE: DOLE ) were looking sweeter today, gaining as much as 22% after CEO David Murdock offered to pay $12 a share for the remaining 60% of the company that he doesn't already own.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Lindeteves-jacoberg Ltd (L15.SI)
Lindeteves-Jacoberg Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the distribution of electric motors and components. The company sells its products under Brook Motors, Brook Crompton, Western Electricm, and Fumex trademarks in Singapore, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, and the Middle East Asia. It also licenses its Brook Crompton trade mark. The company was incorporated in 1947 and is based in Singapore. As of May 3, 2006, Lindeteves-Jacoberg Limited operates as a subsidiary of ATB Austria Antriebstechnik AG.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Domino Printing(DNO.L)
Domino Printing Sciences plc engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of industrial printing equipment, controllers, and consumables for the high-speed printing of variable information. Its primary products include printers, controllers, consumables, fluids, and spare parts, as well as provides after sales support services. The company also offers black ink for a range of plastic-based substrates; coding and marking solutions to identify, authenticate, and personalize products; and codes and marks for protection of brand value. In addition, Domino Printing Sciences plc provides various technology solutions, including ink jet, thermal ink jet, scribing laser, binary, thermal transfer overprinting, drop on demand, print and apply labelling machinery, and laser printers. Further, it offers digital printing technologies, which are used in Web-based applications. Domino Printing Sciences plc serves beverage, binding, cable and wire, construction, cosmetics and personal care, electronics, finishing, food, games management, mailing, pharmaceutical, plastic cards, newspaper, postal systems, and tobacco, as well as for tickets, tags, and labels industries. The company distributes its products through third party distributors primarily in North America, South America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Middle East/Africa. Domino Printing Sciences plc was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Enviro-hub Holdings Ltd (L23.SI)
Enviro-Hub Holdings Ltd., an investment holding company, provides environmental restoration services through its technology and solutions. The company engages in the recovery, processing, and trade of ferrous and non-ferrous metals; melting and refining of copper; recycling and trade of electronic waste; refining of platinum group metals; conversion of waste plastic into fuel oil; piling works; sale, rental, and servicing of engineering hardware, construction machinery, and equipment; and property development activities. It operates primarily in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and Europe. Enviro-Hub Holdings Ltd. is based in Singapore.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Pacrim Intl Cap Com Npv(PCN.TO)
Pacrim International Capital Inc., an investment holding company, engages in the rental of real estate properties. It also focuses on the production and sale of various packaging products. The company?s packaging products include paper boards, cartons, color boxes, and other paper products, as well as flexo series printed packages, offset series printed packages, paper pallet cardboard insert packages, slip sheets, and assembly display products. In addition, the company engages in the printing of trademarks. It offers its packaging materials primarily to the manufacturers of electronics, computers, machinery and equipment, non-perishable food products, toys, sport equipment, and various other products in China. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: China Sports Intl Limited (FQ8.SI)
China Sports International Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of sports fashion footwear, and sports fashion apparel and accessories under the YELI brand. It also produces shoes for original equipment manufacturer customers under the Kappa brand name. The company sells its products through distributors in approximately 20 provinces in the People�s Republic of China, as well as exports its products to Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia, and South Africa. China Sports International Limited was founded in 1998 and is based in Jinjiang, the People�s Republic of China.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Viterra Inc (VT.TO)
Viterra Inc. operates as an integrated agri-business company in Canada and internationally. The company�s Grain Handling and Marketing segment sells commodities comprising grains, oilseeds, and special crops; and provides related ancillary services, such as grain handling, blending, cleaning, and storage. Its Agri-Products segment manufactures, distributes, and retails fertilizers, crop protection products, and seed and seed treatments; and sells private label and third-party crop protection products, including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides, as well as general merchandise, small agricultural equipment, general merchandise, and wool through a network of retail locations. This segment also offers various financial services, which include loans to feed products customers to purchase feeder cattle, as well as related feed inputs; and distributes bulk fuel. The company�s Processing segment manufactures and markets food ingredients associated with pasta, oats, canol a, wheat, and malt barley, as well as feed products and other related products for consumer products companies and food processors. Viterra Inc. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Regina, Canada. As of December 15, 2012, Viterra, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Glencore International plc.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Tesla Motors Inc.(TSLA)
Tesla Motors, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles and advanced electric vehicle powertrain components. It offers Tesla Roadster, an electric sports car. The company markets and sells its vehicles directly to consumers through the phone and Internet, as well as through its network of Tesla stores. It operates 18 Tesla stores located in Boulder, Chicago, Los Angeles, Menlo Park, Miami, New York, Newport Beach, San Jose, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Copenhagen, London, Milan, Monaco, Munich, Paris, Tokyo, and Zurich. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]
Tesla (TSLA) shares recovered 3.8%. The electric car company has asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to fully investigate the recent Model S fires, according to�Chief Executive Elon Musk. The announcement on a company blog Monday outlined a three-pronged plan to fight investor concerns.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Ridley Inc (RCL.TO)
Ridley Inc. engages in the commercial animal nutrition business in North America. The company manufactures and markets a range of animal nutrition products, including formulated complete feeds, premixes, and feed supplements; block supplements, such as low moisture, pressed, compressed, composite, and poured blocks as well as loose minerals; vitamin and trace mineral premixes, small packaged specialty products, medicated and non-medicated feed additives, and micro feed ingredients; and animal health products. It also provides nutrition and sales support services for retailers. The company offers its products in bulk, as well as in various sizes, bags, and barrels. It primarily serves consumers, commercial producers, dealers, and mass merchandisers; livestock and poultry breeders and growers; and the equine, companion animal, and hobby farm segments directly, as well as through distributor and dealer channels. The company is headquartered in Mankato, Minnesota. Fairfax Fina ncial Holdings Limited is a subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Great Group Holdings Limited (I5H.SI)
Great Group Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the design, manufacture, distribution, and sale of men�s and women�s undergarments primarily in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America. It also designs, manufactures, and sells children�s and infants� apparel, swimwear, casual home wear, and pyjamas; produces garments, weaving products, ribbon, printing, shoes, hats, and bags; and provides contract manufacturing services. In addition, the company engages in the sale and distribution of garments and apparel; trading of clothes; and wholesale of footwear, headwear, boxes, fabrics, and accessories. It sells garments under its GRAT.UNIC brand in 140 points of sales, such as specialty stores and dedicated shelf-spaces located in shopping malls, department stores, and commercial areas in the People�s Republic of China, as well as in a specialty store in Hong Kong. The company was incorporated in 2008 and is based in Quanzhou City, the People�s Republic of China. Great Group Holdings Limited operates as a subsidiary of G & W Investment Management Co., Ltd.
Top Consumer Companies To Watch In Right Now: Express Scripts Holding Co (ESRX)
Express Scripts Holding Company, incorporated in 2011, provides healthcare management and administration services on behalf of its clients, which include health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, workers compensation plans, and government health programs. The Company operates in two segments: Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) and Emerging Markets (EM). PBM services include network claims processing, home delivery services, patient care and direct specialty and fertility home delivery to patients, benefit plan design consultation, drug utilization review, formulary management, drug data analysis services, distribution of injectable drugs to patients homes and physicians offices, bio-pharma services, and fulfillment of prescriptions to low-income patients through manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs. EM segment provides distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to providers and clinics, healthcare account administration and implementation of consumer-directed healthcare solutions. In September 2013, it announced the acquisition of the SmartD Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).
On July 20, 2011, Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) entered into a merger agreement (the Merger Agreement) with Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (Medco). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it reorganized its FreedomFP line of business from its EM segment into its PBM segment. On April 2, 2012, the Company completed the Merger Agreement, and after which ESI and Medco became the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The Company�� customers include HMOs, health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, government health programs, office-based oncologists, renal dialysis clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, primary care physicians, retina specialists and others.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon] ss Scripts is a pharmacy benefit manager that generates revenue through delivering prescription drugs through its network of contracted retail pharmacies, specialty pharmacy services, home delivery and EM services.
Express Scripts��stock tumbled to a 52-week low of $34.37 at the end of the third quarter, from a high of $60.89. Cooperman bought 719,000 shares of the company at an average of $43 per share. He previously owned shares of Express Scripts in 2007 when the price was about $23 per share, and sold over the next several quarters as the stock climbed to $34 in the second quarter of 2008, when he closed his position.
Express Scripts Inc. has a market cap of $24.76 billion; its shares were traded at around $50.17 with a P/E ratio of 17.8 and P/S ratio of 0.5. Express Scripts Inc. had an annual average earnings growth of 28.6% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Express Scripts Inc. the business predictability rank of 5-star.
Over the past decade, Express Scripts has generated strong and growing free cash flow, which grew from $1.6 billion in 2009 to a record of almost $2 billion in 2010.
In October, the company had to lower its earnings per share guidance from the previously expected $3.15 to $3.25, to a range of $2.95 to $3.05. The decrease was due to multiple factors: a greater shortfall in claims versus expectations, a stagnant economy impacting claims volumes, additional expenses, including accelerating spending on projects in preparation for the integration of Medco Health Solutions Inc., expenses to support clients and members as they transfer from Walgreen�� pharmacies and to comply with new regulations. The company is also facing heightened competition.
Later, on October 25, the company announced that it expects 95% of its clients��prescription volume to continue after it loses Walgreens as a network supplier in 2012. It also expects that the merger with Medco, another PBM, will be slightly accretive to EPS in
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