When retailers have sales, the unknown names are often the ones that get discounted the most. It’s common to get a deal on names that no one’s ever heard of before, but when a brand name goes on sale, everyone takes notice. That discounted price won’t last long. The recent correction in the marketplace created some value opportunities across the board — brand names included. Normally, value investors look for relatively unknown or obscure names that analysts have glossed over or ignored entirely to find price disparities that they can take advantage of. But when certain conditions align, even big… Read More

When retailers have sales, the unknown names are often the ones that get discounted the most. It’s common to get a deal on names that no one’s ever heard of before, but when a brand name goes on sale, everyone takes notice. That discounted price won’t last long. The recent correction in the marketplace created some value opportunities across the board — brand names included. Normally, value investors look for relatively unknown or obscure names that analysts have glossed over or ignored entirely to find price disparities that they can take advantage of. But when certain conditions align, even big names can get discounted and make for an easy portfolio pick-up. Like the name brand retail sale, these high quality stocks won’t stay under-priced for long. Take a look at Magna International, Inc. (NYSE: MGA), a $20 billion automotive parts wholesaler that operates on a global scale. The company has been aggressively expanding with the acquisition of Techform Group Of Companies, as well as the opening of two new plants in India. The auto industry is set to grow for 2015. U.S. sales rose 9% in September compared to the same month last year, while IHS Automotive predicts total… Read More

Space: The final business frontier. The necessity of global communications and defense along with the advent of commercial space programs is changing the way businesses look at opportunities beyond Earth. Entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk are already involved in private spaceflight. While the industry is still in its infancy, exploration is becoming evermore the realm of private enterprise rather than government. From deep space exploration to running supplies to the International Space Station, companies are building businesses around space travel. Orbital Sciences Corp. (NYSE: ORB) is doing just that, with a diversified aerospace and defense portfolio. The company… Read More

Space: The final business frontier. The necessity of global communications and defense along with the advent of commercial space programs is changing the way businesses look at opportunities beyond Earth. Entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk are already involved in private spaceflight. While the industry is still in its infancy, exploration is becoming evermore the realm of private enterprise rather than government. From deep space exploration to running supplies to the International Space Station, companies are building businesses around space travel. Orbital Sciences Corp. (NYSE: ORB) is doing just that, with a diversified aerospace and defense portfolio. The company is small-cap developer of rockets, spacecraft and satellites. It has segments in both missile defense and commercial enterprises, putting the company on the leading edge of the new frontier. It’s Antares and Cygnus spacecraft are major re-suppliers for the International Space Station, and its clientele include NASA, the Department of Defense and various private companies. Sales over the trailing twelve months were $1.34 billion, while Orbital has a backlog of more than $5 billion. This essentially means that the company has revenues already earned for the next three years and then some. Profit and operating margins have been steadily climbing… Read More

The bull market may not be over quite yet, but there are strong signals that an extended pullback is imminent as volatility and geopolitical concerns mount. One way to play an upcoming correction is to find a large-cap, low-volatility stock that’s risen along with the overall market. When the market reverses down, that stock should follow suite. And when it does, using the strategy I’ll discus today could make outsized gains that will help offset any losses. #-ad_banner-#Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a good representative of the long-term bull market. This blue-chip… Read More

The bull market may not be over quite yet, but there are strong signals that an extended pullback is imminent as volatility and geopolitical concerns mount. One way to play an upcoming correction is to find a large-cap, low-volatility stock that’s risen along with the overall market. When the market reverses down, that stock should follow suite. And when it does, using the strategy I’ll discus today could make outsized gains that will help offset any losses. #-ad_banner-#Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a good representative of the long-term bull market. This blue-chip stock has a market cap close to $170 billion and has profited from the revival in the tech sector. The chipmaker is globally known for its PC hardware and has outperformed so far in 2014, up 32% year to date compared with 6% for the S&P 500. But the good times may be ending. The explosive popularity of smartphones and tablets has led to a global slump in PC sales. IDC said it expects worldwide PC shipments to fall 6% this year, following last year’s drop of 10%, and it predicts continuing difficulty through 2018. … Read More

It’s that time of year again; Football is back. The great American past time is treated much like a national holiday and celebrated in its own unique way with raucous cheering, spicy wings, and copious amounts of beer. One company comes to mind that offers a one-stop-shop for any fans needs — Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD). An option trade in this stock could have your portfolio celebrating right alongside you this season. #-ad_banner-#Buffalo Wild Wings is a casual dining company with a focus on sports entertainment. In addition to its namesake menu item, wings, it offers a selection of… Read More

It’s that time of year again; Football is back. The great American past time is treated much like a national holiday and celebrated in its own unique way with raucous cheering, spicy wings, and copious amounts of beer. One company comes to mind that offers a one-stop-shop for any fans needs — Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD). An option trade in this stock could have your portfolio celebrating right alongside you this season. #-ad_banner-#Buffalo Wild Wings is a casual dining company with a focus on sports entertainment. In addition to its namesake menu item, wings, it offers a selection of burgers, sandwiches, and salads as well. The company recently made a majority investment in the Dallas-based restaurant Rusty Taco. Buffalo Wild Wings hopes to foster the small chain’s growth and expand across the country.  Unlike most casual dining restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings has a selection of alcoholic drinks that includes craft beers. It’s taking advantage of a growing trend in the United States that has shifted toward microbreweries and specialty beers over mainstream brands. Today, there are over 3,000 breweries in the country compared to just 1,020 in 2009 — almost triple the number in just five years. Fundamentally, the… Read More

There’s a wonderful little Mexican restaurant near my house that serves great food, stays busy all day, yet still manages to provide timely service. Each time I go, I am told I will have to wait 15 minutes, but manage to find myself at a table in a fraction of the time. It keeps me coming back ’to the restaurant time and time again. #-ad_banner-#​There’s a common saying in business: “under promise and over deliver.” The Mexican restaurant certainly understands the concept. It’s a good way to keep customers happy and enhance the business’ reputation. In… Read More

There’s a wonderful little Mexican restaurant near my house that serves great food, stays busy all day, yet still manages to provide timely service. Each time I go, I am told I will have to wait 15 minutes, but manage to find myself at a table in a fraction of the time. It keeps me coming back ’to the restaurant time and time again. #-ad_banner-#​There’s a common saying in business: “under promise and over deliver.” The Mexican restaurant certainly understands the concept. It’s a good way to keep customers happy and enhance the business’ reputation. In the stock market, though, promises and positivity are risky things to throw around. A disappointing quarter can hurt a stock after investors bail out of a seemingly inconsistent company. That’s why I was surprised to find a company that hasn’t just raised expectations once, but twice this year. The stock is only up around 1% year-to-date leaving plenty of room for investors to hop aboard before it takes off. The stock I’m talking about is Alliance Data Systems Corp. (NYSE: ADS). The company beat earnings for the last three quarters… Read More

Investors love “sexy” investments. Green energy, IoT technology and trendy retailers tend to catch the eye more than say, a waste management company or a utility. In practice, however, dividend paying stocks in non-cyclical industries can outpace even so-called high-growth stocks. The private prison industry might not be “sexy,” some would argue it’s hated, but investors should pay attention. #-ad_banner-#​Overcrowding is a huge problem that the prison system hasn’t been able to keep up with. On a federal level, prisons operate at 136% capacity while some states report even higher figures –… Read More

Investors love “sexy” investments. Green energy, IoT technology and trendy retailers tend to catch the eye more than say, a waste management company or a utility. In practice, however, dividend paying stocks in non-cyclical industries can outpace even so-called high-growth stocks. The private prison industry might not be “sexy,” some would argue it’s hated, but investors should pay attention. #-ad_banner-#​Overcrowding is a huge problem that the prison system hasn’t been able to keep up with. On a federal level, prisons operate at 136% capacity while some states report even higher figures – California operates at 145%. This is due to a drastic increase in people in jail. In the United States, there are approximately two million incarcerated citizens. In 1972, the prison population was around 300,000 — a staggering 567% increase in 42 years. And many facilities are run down, over 100 years old and requiring major renovations.​ Just ten years ago, there were only five private prisons in operation in the United States and now there are well over 100. Still, private prisons account for just 10% of a $74 billion market, allowing plenty of… Read More

Shares of American icon Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) have been on quite a ride this year. The stock sold off on July 22, following the company’s Q2 earnings announcement despite a solid beat on both the top and bottom line. Revenue rose 12% year over year to $2 billion, and earnings came in 34% higher at $1.62 per share. The Street had only been looking for EPS of $1.46 on $1.8 billion in sales. #-ad_banner-#However, management said it was disappointed with the sales figures, which it blamed on poor weather conditions, and slashed its… Read More

Shares of American icon Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) have been on quite a ride this year. The stock sold off on July 22, following the company’s Q2 earnings announcement despite a solid beat on both the top and bottom line. Revenue rose 12% year over year to $2 billion, and earnings came in 34% higher at $1.62 per share. The Street had only been looking for EPS of $1.46 on $1.8 billion in sales. #-ad_banner-#However, management said it was disappointed with the sales figures, which it blamed on poor weather conditions, and slashed its full-year shipment growth expectations to 3.5% to 5.5% from a previous 7% to 9%. This prompted a downgrade from Argus to “neutral” from “buy.” Yet, the stock appears to have bottomed in early August, making a higher low versus its February low, and shares have begun to tick up. I think the downside has already been priced in at these levels. The company’s share buyback program and stock’s 1.7% dividend yield should also help put a floor under shares. HOG currently trades at 14.6 times next year’s estimated earnings of $4.38 per share, below its historical… Read More

Amidst the of cacophony of Wall Street earnings, lesser-known companies can report stellar results that get muted in the headlines about more popular stock names. However, real profits can be found simply by ignoring what’s right in front of you and focusing on the company hidden in the corner.  #-ad_banner-#Oil and gas pipeline companies are great places to find diamonds in the rough. Natural gas inventories in the U.S. are high, keeping prices low and resulting in strong demand from utilities and other industries. The widespread use of natural gas means that a reliable network of pipelines must be available… Read More

Amidst the of cacophony of Wall Street earnings, lesser-known companies can report stellar results that get muted in the headlines about more popular stock names. However, real profits can be found simply by ignoring what’s right in front of you and focusing on the company hidden in the corner.  #-ad_banner-#Oil and gas pipeline companies are great places to find diamonds in the rough. Natural gas inventories in the U.S. are high, keeping prices low and resulting in strong demand from utilities and other industries. The widespread use of natural gas means that a reliable network of pipelines must be available to process and transport it.  Pipeline capacity is the largest concern for drillers. But it should be a recipe for success if you’re an oil and gas pipeline company, like Atlas Pipeline Partners, LP (NYSE: APL). Atlas is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP) – a company structured in such as way that passes taxable gains onto partners and shareholders and allows Atlas to pay a heftier dividend than most companies.      As a MLP, Atlas must pass at least 90% of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. With the dividend increase to $2.52 per… Read More

Options trading offers leveraged strategies that ratchet up percentage gains and lower upfront costs. Today, I’m going to show you how you could make triple-digit returns in just three months and risk as little as $200. Stamps.com (Nasdaq: STMP) looks like it could be on the verge of a breakout. As one of only three vendors licensed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to sell stamps, the company is part of an oligopoly that includes FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and UPS (NYSE: UPS). While the latter names are strong companies, they’re more aligned with… Read More

Options trading offers leveraged strategies that ratchet up percentage gains and lower upfront costs. Today, I’m going to show you how you could make triple-digit returns in just three months and risk as little as $200. Stamps.com (Nasdaq: STMP) looks like it could be on the verge of a breakout. As one of only three vendors licensed by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to sell stamps, the company is part of an oligopoly that includes FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and UPS (NYSE: UPS). While the latter names are strong companies, they’re more aligned with the transportation industry, while STMP is a pure play on online postage services. The company is a virtual cash cow. The secret is its monthly subscription model, in which customers pay a fee in order to use its services in addition to postage costs. This business model works well for a company with little overhead like Stamps.com, giving it wide profit margins — over 35% in this case. #-ad_banner-#​Due to the company’s online business structure, it carries no short-term or long-term debt, giving it the ability to easily make acquisitions like the $50… Read More

As kids, we’re taught that “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.”  #-ad_banner-#There’s always a trade-off, always an opportunity cost to forgo in exchange for something else. For investors, it means that you can have growth, but not value — or value, but not growth. Luckily, the stock market doesn’t deal in absolutes.  I’ve found a company that offers both high growth potential along with a bargain valuation and a generous dividend. Yet where I’ve found this stock may be the biggest surprise of all. Shipping stocks haven’t been held in high regard for some time… Read More

As kids, we’re taught that “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.”  #-ad_banner-#There’s always a trade-off, always an opportunity cost to forgo in exchange for something else. For investors, it means that you can have growth, but not value — or value, but not growth. Luckily, the stock market doesn’t deal in absolutes.  I’ve found a company that offers both high growth potential along with a bargain valuation and a generous dividend. Yet where I’ve found this stock may be the biggest surprise of all. Shipping stocks haven’t been held in high regard for some time now. A look at the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) tells you everything you need to know about investor sentiment in the sector: ^BDIY data by YCharts This might cause concern among investors currently looking at these stocks, but it doesn’t reflect the general attitude that shippers and charters currently have. A strong rally is widely expected as Chinese demand for steel and coal continue to climb, and iron exports from Brazil and Australia are expected to rise as well.  Analysts predict an average range around 1,500… Read More