With the rise of social media and the ease and speed with which consumers can give a favorable or unfavorable review of a product, advertisers are looking to engage their customers in ways never imagined before. The company that can connect companies and their products with their customers the fastest and most efficiently has the best chance of emerging as the leader in the digital advertising market. The real key for success in this market lies in the software as a service (SaaS) business model. SaaS is most commonly associated with cloud computing because the software is hosted in the… Read More

With the rise of social media and the ease and speed with which consumers can give a favorable or unfavorable review of a product, advertisers are looking to engage their customers in ways never imagined before. The company that can connect companies and their products with their customers the fastest and most efficiently has the best chance of emerging as the leader in the digital advertising market. The real key for success in this market lies in the software as a service (SaaS) business model. SaaS is most commonly associated with cloud computing because the software is hosted in the cloud. This allows companies to reduce their overall IT support costs because everything is handled by the SaaS provider.#-ad_banner-#​ So what company is at the forefront of combining SaaS and digital advertising? The answer is Bazaarvoice (Nasdaq: BV), which runs a network that connects brands and retailers with the voices of their customers.  Each month, more than 400 million people share and view opinions and experiences about the millions of products in the Bazaarvoice network. Using Bazaarvoice network analytics, various marketers and advertisers can increase their brand awareness, ideally leading to increased sales. In its fiscal second quarter, Bazaarvoice posted… Read More

Being healthy is no longer a fad. In many respects, it’s becoming a requirement.#-ad_banner-# People are spending increasing amounts of money on healthy lifestyles, from gym memberships to supplements. However, there has been some controversy recently around multivitamins and whether they actually provide any health benefits. Most notably, an editorial last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a prestigious academic journal, questioned the validity of vitamins in preventing heart attacks and cancer. But nutritionists are rushing to the defense of the multivitamin industry, noting that the purpose of taking a multivitamin is to address the nutritional deficiencies in our… Read More

Being healthy is no longer a fad. In many respects, it’s becoming a requirement.#-ad_banner-# People are spending increasing amounts of money on healthy lifestyles, from gym memberships to supplements. However, there has been some controversy recently around multivitamins and whether they actually provide any health benefits. Most notably, an editorial last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a prestigious academic journal, questioned the validity of vitamins in preventing heart attacks and cancer. But nutritionists are rushing to the defense of the multivitamin industry, noting that the purpose of taking a multivitamin is to address the nutritional deficiencies in our diets. For vitamin company investors, the thing to remember is that this isn’t the first time that the benefits of multivitamins have been called into question. The same debate came up in the early ’90s, but the industry has remained resilient and grown into a billion-dollar market. People want to look and feel good, and they’ll continue to spend on supplements to do so. With 6,500 stores and a growing presence in e-commerce, GNC (NYSE: GNC) is one of the top retailers of vitamins and supplements. One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of GNC is its suite of proprietary… Read More

The number of consumers participating in recreational activities has declined over the past half decade, in part because people have been looking to save as much money as possible. However, as discretionary money starts flowing back into consumers’ pockets, what better way to spend that money than on recreational activities? A higher level of disposable income should help drive spending on recreation and outdoor activities higher in 2014. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) sell various apparel and recreational equipment, but one of the best plays in the market is a one-stop shop that offers a cornucopia of sports… Read More

The number of consumers participating in recreational activities has declined over the past half decade, in part because people have been looking to save as much money as possible. However, as discretionary money starts flowing back into consumers’ pockets, what better way to spend that money than on recreational activities? A higher level of disposable income should help drive spending on recreation and outdoor activities higher in 2014. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) sell various apparel and recreational equipment, but one of the best plays in the market is a one-stop shop that offers a cornucopia of sports gear, Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS). Beyond that, this particular recreational retailer has a number of growth levers that it is set to pull in 2014.#-ad_banner-# Dick’s operates the Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy retail brands, covering 44 states with over 600 locations. With its variety of sports apparel and equipment, the company will be one of the biggest benefactors of rising employment and personal income — but the story that investors should really be excited about is on the growth side. Earnings per share (EPS) and sales for Dick’s fiscal year (which ended in October) bested consensus estimates,… Read More

Global investing isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s constant worries over politics, elections, the rule of law, economic policies, global trade… let’s face it, when you invest outside the U.S., you’re not in Kansas anymore. Anything can happen and sometimes does.#-ad_banner-#   Perhaps the most cautionary tale is investing in Argentina. Billionaire and hedge fund manager Paul Singer and his Elliott Management have had to sue the country to get paid on bonds the government defaulted on. Spanish oil giant Repsol had its 51% stake in YPF (NYSE: YPF) seized as Argentina sought to assert more control… Read More

Global investing isn’t for the faint of heart. There’s constant worries over politics, elections, the rule of law, economic policies, global trade… let’s face it, when you invest outside the U.S., you’re not in Kansas anymore. Anything can happen and sometimes does.#-ad_banner-#   Perhaps the most cautionary tale is investing in Argentina. Billionaire and hedge fund manager Paul Singer and his Elliott Management have had to sue the country to get paid on bonds the government defaulted on. Spanish oil giant Repsol had its 51% stake in YPF (NYSE: YPF) seized as Argentina sought to assert more control over its natural resources. This has kept Argentina off the radar screens of most investors. But now the smart money is venturing back into YPF. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim purchased an 8.4% stake last year and is now the fourth-largest shareholder. Slim’s fellow billionaires George Soros and Richard Perry are also significant shareholders. The fact remains that Argentina is sitting on billions of barrels of shale oil that will be drilled for in the next 10 years — and YPF is the best way to play the coming oil boom in South America. YPF is a major integrated oil and gas… Read More

The major oil companies (also known as Supermajors) have long been known for their steady growth and cash flow generating capabilities. This has translated into share buybacks and rock solid dividends for investors.#-ad_banner-# But what happens when the United States threatens to become energy independent? Well, that would seem to be great news for the major oil companies that have exposure to the fast growing oil and gas shale plays scattered across the United States. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes the United States can become the world’s top oil producer by 2015, with complete self-sufficiency being achieved in less… Read More

The major oil companies (also known as Supermajors) have long been known for their steady growth and cash flow generating capabilities. This has translated into share buybacks and rock solid dividends for investors.#-ad_banner-# But what happens when the United States threatens to become energy independent? Well, that would seem to be great news for the major oil companies that have exposure to the fast growing oil and gas shale plays scattered across the United States. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes the United States can become the world’s top oil producer by 2015, with complete self-sufficiency being achieved in less than two decades. The Supermajors that are leveraged to oil production will be the biggest benefactors. There’s one major U.S. oil and gas company that is heavily levered to liquids, as opposed to lower margin natural gas. This same company has also transformed itself into the largest U.S. exploration and production company, having divested its lower growth downstream operations. This Supermajor looks to be one of the markets best investments for 2014, while also paying the highest dividend in the exploration and production (E&P) space. With a 4% dividend yield, ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is that company. However, it’s not just… Read More

Investing in foreign markets can be scary. You have to deal with geopolitical issues, currency fluctuations and a general lack of available information.#-ad_banner-#​ Fortunately for investors, some fast-growing emerging markets are much better than others. This includes Latin America’s largest economy, Brazil.  Although it’s still the prize of South America, the country has yet to live up its true growth potential. As a result, the Brazilian economy is expected to grow by close to 3% in 2014, with unemployment remaining below 6%. (Two of my colleagues are split on the country’s prospects: Andy Obermueller, Chief Investment Strategist of… Read More

Investing in foreign markets can be scary. You have to deal with geopolitical issues, currency fluctuations and a general lack of available information.#-ad_banner-#​ Fortunately for investors, some fast-growing emerging markets are much better than others. This includes Latin America’s largest economy, Brazil.  Although it’s still the prize of South America, the country has yet to live up its true growth potential. As a result, the Brazilian economy is expected to grow by close to 3% in 2014, with unemployment remaining below 6%. (Two of my colleagues are split on the country’s prospects: Andy Obermueller, Chief Investment Strategist of Game-Changing Stocks, is bullish on Brazil. My colleague Joseph Hogue, on the other hand, thinks the country may be headed for bankruptcy.)  What the country needs is a catalyst. Enter next year’s World Cup, which is expected to bring more than 600,000 tourists to Brazil, with another 3 million Brazilians traveling around the country for the monthlong tournament.  With all this activity, Brazil is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest aviation market in 2014, with more than 100 million passengers. That growth is poised to continue with the Summer Olympics coming in 2016.  Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (NYSE: GOL) is one… Read More

Technology is all around us and in everything: our homes, cars, offices — and even in our clothing.#-ad_banner-# Apparel companies are looking more and more like technology companies these days. Wearable technology has become one of the fastest-growing markets over the past year, with apparel companies pushing the limits on recording our physical activity and then transforming it into useful data.  One of the fastest-growing and most innovative companies in the apparel space, Under Armour (NYSE: UA) is at the forefront of this trend. Under Armour has the insight of real-life athletes, the look of an apparel company… Read More

Technology is all around us and in everything: our homes, cars, offices — and even in our clothing.#-ad_banner-# Apparel companies are looking more and more like technology companies these days. Wearable technology has become one of the fastest-growing markets over the past year, with apparel companies pushing the limits on recording our physical activity and then transforming it into useful data.  One of the fastest-growing and most innovative companies in the apparel space, Under Armour (NYSE: UA) is at the forefront of this trend. Under Armour has the insight of real-life athletes, the look of an apparel company and the feel of a tech company. Under Armour’s products are sold to a number of teams and athletes, from colleges to the pros. The company’s founder, Kevin Plank, came up with the idea of performance apparel during the mid-1990s as the special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team.  When you look under the hood, Under Armour operates a little like a tech startup, hosting contests to improve its products and hiring more developers to build and improve their technology. And even though Under Armour has a well-recognized brand by now, it’s still a growth story.  Its… Read More

Data sets are getting larger and larger, and there’s a lot of useful information just waiting to be made sense of. Nowhere is this truer than in the health care industry.#-ad_banner-#       Different hospitals have different platforms for managing data, which makes it exceedingly difficult to exchange information. Although it has been a slow process, the U.S. is moving toward a health care market that provides care more efficiently. Part of this includes implementing electronic health records and managing hospital costs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment… Read More

Data sets are getting larger and larger, and there’s a lot of useful information just waiting to be made sense of. Nowhere is this truer than in the health care industry.#-ad_banner-#       Different hospitals have different platforms for managing data, which makes it exceedingly difficult to exchange information. Although it has been a slow process, the U.S. is moving toward a health care market that provides care more efficiently. Part of this includes implementing electronic health records and managing hospital costs. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated about $20 billion for electronic health records. This portion of the act offers financial incentives to hospitals and physicians to adopt and use health care information technology. The other positive is that many organizations face penalties for non-compliance, starting in 2015. With all this “reform” coming to the health care industry, one of the best ways to invest in the coming health care data boom is Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (Nasdaq: MDRX). Yet the stock hasn’t been all that great to investors over the past couple of years. Thanks to a botched acquisition, MDRX is still down nearly 50%… Read More

Even with the rapid rise in new and exciting technological devices, one thing’s for sure: People love watching TV. It doesn’t matter when or where — or on what device.#-ad_banner-# The companies that provide the infrastructure for viewing content across a large and growing variety of devices are frequently overlooked. Harmonic (Nasdaq: HLIT), a market leader in video-on-demand services, is one such company. Harmonic has many opportunities to expand its market share, especially with the proliferation of video on demand and high-definition TV. Yet the biggest opportunity for Harmonic is in the expansion of pay-TV services in international markets. The… Read More

Even with the rapid rise in new and exciting technological devices, one thing’s for sure: People love watching TV. It doesn’t matter when or where — or on what device.#-ad_banner-# The companies that provide the infrastructure for viewing content across a large and growing variety of devices are frequently overlooked. Harmonic (Nasdaq: HLIT), a market leader in video-on-demand services, is one such company. Harmonic has many opportunities to expand its market share, especially with the proliferation of video on demand and high-definition TV. Yet the biggest opportunity for Harmonic is in the expansion of pay-TV services in international markets. The emergence of the global middle class is leading the demand for pay-TV services, which has compelled providers to expand their content offerings. Harmonic sells high-performance video infrastructure products that enable content providers to efficiently create and deliver a full range of video services to consumer devices, including TVs, PCs, tablets and smartphones. Its revenues are generated from selling video processing solutions to various media companies and providers, including broadcasters (HBO, NBC, ESPN), satellite providers (Dish (Nasdaq: DISH), DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV)), telcos (SingTel, Vodafone (Nasdaq: VOD)), cable providers (Charter (Nasdaq: CHTR), Cox, Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA)) and new media (Amazon.com… Read More

They say investing in the stock market is all about forward thinking. That’s certainly the case with the biotech sector. A biotech’s pipeline can mean the difference between boom and bust.#-ad_banner-# The Medicines Co. (Nasdaq: MDCO) is a global biotech company with seven drugs in the pipeline that could prove to be big hits in the acute and intensive care hospital product market. The company’s key legacy product and top revenue generator, Angiomax, continues to bring in profits, and in addition to its robust in-house development pipeline, the company also recently teamed up with two major drug companies and made… Read More

They say investing in the stock market is all about forward thinking. That’s certainly the case with the biotech sector. A biotech’s pipeline can mean the difference between boom and bust.#-ad_banner-# The Medicines Co. (Nasdaq: MDCO) is a global biotech company with seven drugs in the pipeline that could prove to be big hits in the acute and intensive care hospital product market. The company’s key legacy product and top revenue generator, Angiomax, continues to bring in profits, and in addition to its robust in-house development pipeline, the company also recently teamed up with two major drug companies and made a key acquisition — all of which should only further accelerate  its growth. The biggest factor keeping Medicines below what I consider its fair value is its ongoing lawsuit with Hospira (NYSE: HSP). In 2010, Hospira sued to market its generic version of Angiomax before Medicines’ patents expire. A decision is expected next year, but regardless of the outcome, Medicines could lose its Angiomax exclusivity as soon as mid-2015. What many investors are missing is that Medicines appears to have a bright future despite its legal fight over Angiomax, thanks to the clinical successes within its pipeline. When Angiomax does… Read More