Stem Cell Funding Band Reversed: What About the Stocks?

XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF

dow2664 Last week was a busy week for stem cells. The suspension of Federal funding for stem cell research has just been overturned by a United States Appeals Court. The two to one ruling last week said that the law against Federal funding was ambiguous. In addition, Dr. Paul Sharpe spoke at the First International Conference on Dental and Craniofacial Stem Cells in New York last week. He discussed the use of regenerative dentistry to regrow teeth with dental stem cells. Research has been continuing into the use of stem cells for gene therapy and the treatment of Parkinson's disease, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and many other medical conditions. Stem cells can come from various sources including embryos, cord blood , which is the blood from umbilical cords, and even in baby teeth. There are several publicly traded companies in the stem cell field, according to the free list of stem cell stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. For example, Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) is a Connecticut based company with an $8.9 billion market capitalization that is involved in the development of biologic therapeutic products for the treatment of hematologic and cardiovascular disorders, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. The company licenses porcine embryonic stem cells for transgenic animals. The stock has a price to earnings ratio of 93 and a forward PE of 32. Cellgene (CELG) is a $27.4 billion market cap company involved in the discovery and production of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory-related diseases. One of the company’s main products is Thalomid, which is used for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum, a complication of leprosy. They also received a patent on placental stem cell recovery. The stock sports a PE ratio of 31 and a forward PE of 14. Integra Lifesciences Holdings (IART) is a New Jersey based $1.5 billion market cap company that develops, manufactures, and sells medical devices, implants, biomaterials, and instruments to the stem cell, surgery, and soft tissue repair markets. The stock trades at 24 times current earnings, and 16 times forward earnings. For a free list of over a dozen stem cell stocks which you can download, sort, and update, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written. By Stockerblog.com

Monday May 2, 2011

XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF

tdp2664 Penny Stock Live Having already banked CMCI once, I’m back in for more. As you know, Friday afternoon I added 10k shares at $1.30 in my main account and 5k shares at $1.30 in my ‘Challenge’ account. This is my only position to start the week and for all the new subscribers, I rarely carry more than 3-5 trades at a time. Yes, I am a scalper who uses guerrilla warfare tactics to pick off profits one trade at a time. That doesn’t mean I won’t let a trade run through swing and short term trading, but generally I don’t like to stay in these stocks long e.g. ESYL, LEXG, ALZM and DOGO! Challenge account balance: $8,029 up 13% in 2011 Main account balance: $236,376 up 14% in 2011 Earlier today I read through the annual report on CMCI and I’d suggest you do the same. Here is a link to their 10-K annual report Below I’ve pulled a piece from their most recent 8-K – click here to read it “As a result of our reverse acquisition of Value Development Holdings Ltd., we have assumed the business and operations of Zhongxian Information with our principle activities engaged in the breeding of cows and the sale of milk, calves and organic fertilizer in Harbin of the Heilongjiang Province of the Peoples Republic of China” “Operating revenue for the year ended June 30, 2010 was $14,357,334, representing a 22.2% increase from the year ended June 30, 2009. Our net income for the year ended June 30, 2010 was $4,562,835, representing a 23.8% increase from $3,685,034 for the year ended June 30, 2009.” I continue to think something big is brewing here or I wouldn’t have bought back in after my first trade where I flipped it from bid to ask for a big gain. It’s hard to say where it will go, everything depends on whether or not it picks up traction. After getting flushed on ESYL I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on this one and if all goes well I’d be happy with $1.60 – $2.00. Keep in mind that doesn’t mean I’m sticking around for $2.00, it simply means that when $1.60 hits I’ll be looking to take some profits, if not all. My hope is that it trades 10% a day all week but that’s probably wishful thinking. Additionally, this setup is very much like the charts PrePromotion Stocks picks up regularly so that could add a lot of buyers if it hits his list. If that does happen then I might consider sticking around longer based on his research. That’s just speculation at this point since to my knowledge he hasn’t discussed anything yet, but if I hear anything I’ll let you know.

Basic terms you should know:

XCSFDHG46767FHJHJF

tdp2664 Penny Stock Live Market Cap This is the total dollar market value of all of a company’s outstanding shares. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a company’s shares outstanding by the current market price of one share. The investment community uses this figure to determining a company’s size, as opposed to sales or total asset figures. If a company has 35 million shares outstanding, each with a market value of $100, the company’s market capitalization is $3.5 billion (35,000,000 x $100 per share). Company size is a basic determinant of asset allocation and risk-return parameters for stocks and stock mutual funds. The stocks of large, medium and small companies are referred to as large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap, respectively. Investment professionals differ on their exact definitions, but the current approximate categories of market capitalization are: Large Cap: $10 billion plus and include the companies with the largest market capitalization. Mid Cap: $2 billion to $10 billion Small Cap: Less than $2 billion I like stocks with a $100 million dollar market cap because the apply to retail and institutional investors. Revenue The amount of money a company actually receives during a specific period. It is the “top line” or ”gross income” figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income. Revenue is calculated by multiplying the price at which goods or services are sold by the number of units or amount sold. Net Income This is a company’s total earnings or profit. Net income is calculated by taking revenues and adjusting for the cost of doing business, depreciation, interest, taxes and other expenses. This number is found on a company’s income statement and is an important measure of how profitable the company is over a period of time. The measure is also used to calculate earnings per share.  Often referred to as “the bottom line” since net income is listed at the bottom of the income statement. When basing an investment decision on net income numbers, it is important to review the quality of the numbers that were used to arrive at this value. Net income, like other accounting measures, is susceptible to manipulation through such things as aggressive revenue recognition or by hiding expenses. Earnings This is the amount of profit that a company produces during a specific period, which is usually defined as a quarter (three calendar months) or a year. Earnings typically refer to after-tax net income. Ultimately, a business’s earnings are the main determinant of its share price, because earnings and the circumstances relating to them can indicate whether the business will be profitable and successful in the long run. Earnings are perhaps the single most studied number in a company’s financial statements because they show a company’s profitability. A business’s quarterly and annual earnings are typically compared to analyst estimates and guidance provided by the business itself. In most situations, when earnings do not meet either of those estimates, a business’s stock price will tend to drop. On the other hand, when actual earnings beat estimates by a significant amount, the share price will likely surge. Profit A financial benefit that is realized when the amount of revenue gained from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes needed to sustain the activity. Any profit that is gained goes to the business’s owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business. = Total Revenue – Total Expenses. Profit is the money a business makes after accounting for all the expenses. Regardless of whether the business is a couple of kids running a lemonade stand or a publicly traded multinational company, consistently earning profit is every company’s goal. The path toward profitability can be long. For example, online bookseller Amazon.com was founded in 1994 and did not produce its first annual profit until 2003. Many startups and new businesses fail when the owners run out of capital to sustain the business. Earnings per Share The portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. Earnings per share is an indicator of a company’s profitability. = Net Income – Dividends on Preferred Stock / Average Outstanding Share Earnings per share are generally considered to be the single most important variable in determining a share’s price. It is also a major component used to calculate the price-to-earnings valuation ratio. For example, assume that a company has a net income of $25 million. If the company pays out $1 million in preferred dividends and has 10 million shares for half of the year and 15 million shares for the other half, the EPS would be $1.92 (24/12.5). First, the $1 million is deducted from the net income to get $24 million, and then a weighted average is taken to find the number of shares outstanding (0.5 x 10M+ 0.5 x 15M = 12.5M). An important aspect of EPS that’s often ignored is the capital that is required to generate the earnings (net income) in the calculation. Two companies could generate the same EPS number, but one could do so with less equity (investment) – that company would be more efficient at using its capital to generate income and, all other things being equal, would be a “better” company. Investors also need to be aware of earnings manipulation that will affect the quality of the earnings number. It is important not to rely on any one financial measure, but to use it in conjunction with statement analysis and other measures. Top Line A reference to the gross sales or revenues of a company, or an reference to a course of action that increases or reduces revenues. The “top” reference relates to the fact that on a company’s income statement, the first line at the top of the page is generally reserved for gross sales or revenue. A company that increases its revenues is said to be “growing its top line”, or “generating top-line growth”. This contrasts with net income (or net earnings per share), which is usually the bottom line of the company’s income statement. While there are number of different business models that have proved to be successful, every company is faced with the two simple goals of: 1. Growing revenues, or generating top-line growth 2. Growing net income, or generating bottom-line growth. Part of the reason why the term is used so often is that it clarifies minor nuances between the sources of revenue, whether it’s from selling a product, collecting interest or servicing an account. “Top-line” is broad enough to include all of the company revenues into one category prior to calculating other income statement metrics such as operating profit and net income. Bottom Line This refers to a company’s net earnings, net income or earnings per share (EPS). Bottom line also refers to any actions that may increase/decrease net earnings or a company’s overall profit. A company that is growing its net earnings or reducing its costs is said to be “improving its bottom line”. The reference to “bottom” describes the relative location of the net income figure on a company’s income statement; it will almost always be the last line at the bottom of the page. This reflects the fact that all expenses have already been taken out of revenues, and there is nothing left to subtract. This stands in contrast to revenues, which are considered the “top line” figures. Most companies aim to improve their bottom lines through two simultaneous methods: growing revenues (i.e., generate top-line growth) and increasing efficiency (or cutting costs). Source: Investopedia

Top 10 U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks with Highest Dividend Yield: NPD, KEYP, DSWL, HNP, HIHO, CTEL, TPI, CHL, PTR, GSH (May 01, 2011)

tdp2664
Epic Stock Picks
Below are the top 10 U.S.-listed Chinese stocks with highest dividend yields for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd.(ADR) (NYSE:NPD) has the 1st highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 7.89%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Keyuan Petrochemicals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KEYP) has the 2nd highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 7.38%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Deswell Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:DSWL) has the 3rd highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 6.25%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Huaneng Power International, Inc. (ADR) (NYSE:HNP) has the 4th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 5.49%. Its dividend payout ratio was 83.96% for the last 12 months. Highway Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:HIHO) has the 5th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 5.30%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. City Telecom (H.K.) Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:CTEL) has the 6th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 4.88%. Its dividend payout ratio was 70.55% for the last 12 months. Tianyin Pharmaceutical Co, Inc. (AMEX:TPI) has the 7th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 4.46%. Its dividend payout ratio was 2.67% for the last 12 months. China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) has the 8th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 4.20%. Its dividend payout ratio was 43.31% for the last 12 months. PetroChina Company Limited (ADR) (NYSE:PTR) has the 9th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 3.55%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Guangshen Railway Co. Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:GSH) has the 10th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 3.47%. Its dividend payout ratio was 42.90% for the last 12 months.

Top 10 Telecom Equipment Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: CGRE, LORL, TCCO, IDCC, RIMM, ZSTN, ZOOM, HRS, TSTC, ADTN (May 01, 2011)

tdp2664
China Analyst

Below are the top 10 Telecom Equipment stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a company's efficiency in making profits from shareholders' equity. It is equal to net profits divided by shareholders' equity. Four Chinese companies (CGRE, ZSTN, ZOOM, TSTC) are on the list.

China Green Energy Industries Inc (NASDAQ:CGRE) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 145.55% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 14.47% for the same period. Loral Space & Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ:LORL) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 73.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 34.66% for the same period. Technical Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:TCCO) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 57.24% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 30.79% for the same period. InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 42.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 35.91% for the same period. Research In Motion Limited (USA) (NASDAQ:RIMM) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 41.24% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 17.13% for the same period.

ZST Digital Networks Inc (NASDAQ:ZSTN) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 36.94% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 16.42% for the same period. Zoom Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZOOM) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 31.97% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 5.15% for the same period. Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 28.30% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 11.24% for the same period. Telestone Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:TSTC) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 27.43% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.96% for the same period. ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 22.25% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.82% for the same period.

Monday May 2, 2011

tdp2664Penny Stock Live
Having already banked CMCI once, I’m back in for more. As you know, Friday afternoon I added 10k shares at $1.30 in my main account and 5k shares at $1.30 in my ‘Challenge’ account. This is my only position to start the week and for all the new subscribers, I rarely carry more than 3-5 trades at a time. Yes, I am a scalper who uses guerrilla warfare tactics to pick off profits one trade at a time. That doesn’t mean I won’t let a trade run through swing and short term trading, but generally I don’t like to stay in these stocks long e.g. ESYL, LEXG, ALZM and DOGO! Challenge account balance: $8,029 up 13% in 2011 Main account balance: $236,376 up 14% in 2011 Earlier today I read through the annual report on CMCI and I’d suggest you do the same. Here is a link to their 10-K annual report Below I’ve pulled a piece from their most recent 8-K – click here to read it “As a result of our reverse acquisition of Value Development Holdings Ltd., we have assumed the business and operations of Zhongxian Information with our principle activities engaged in the breeding of cows and the sale of milk, calves and organic fertilizer in Harbin of the Heilongjiang Province of the Peoples Republic of China” “Operating revenue for the year ended June 30, 2010 was $14,357,334, representing a 22.2% increase from the year ended June 30, 2009. Our net income for the year ended June 30, 2010 was $4,562,835, representing a 23.8% increase from $3,685,034 for the year ended June 30, 2009.” I continue to think something big is brewing here or I wouldn’t have bought back in after my first trade where I flipped it from bid to ask for a big gain. It’s hard to say where it will go, everything depends on whether or not it picks up traction. After getting flushed on ESYL I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on this one and if all goes well I’d be happy with $1.60 – $2.00. Keep in mind that doesn’t mean I’m sticking around for $2.00, it simply means that when $1.60 hits I’ll be looking to take some profits, if not all. My hope is that it trades 10% a day all week but that’s probably wishful thinking. Additionally, this setup is very much like the charts PrePromotion Stocks picks up regularly so that could add a lot of buyers if it hits his list. If that does happen then I might consider sticking around longer based on his research. That’s just speculation at this point since to my knowledge he hasn’t discussed anything yet, but if I hear anything I’ll let you know.

Top 10 U.S.-Listed Chinese Stocks with Highest Dividend Yield: NPD, KEYP, DSWL, HNP, HIHO, CTEL, TPI, CHL, PTR, GSH (May 01, 2011)

Below are the top 10 U.S.-listed Chinese stocks with highest dividend yields
for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. China Nepstar Chain
Drugstore Ltd.(ADR) (NYSE:NPD) has the 1st highest dividend yield in this
segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 7.89%. Its dividend payout
ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Keyuan Petrochemicals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KEYP)
has the 2nd highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current
dividend yield is 7.38%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12
months. Deswell Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:DSWL) has the 3rd highest dividend
yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 6.25%. Its
dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Huaneng Power
International, Inc. (ADR) (NYSE:HNP) has the 4th highest dividend yield in this
segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 5.49%. Its dividend payout
ratio was 83.96% for the last 12 months. Highway Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:HIHO)
has the 5th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current
dividend yield is 5.30%. Its dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12
months. City Telecom (H.K.) Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:CTEL) has the 6th highest
dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is
4.88%. Its dividend payout ratio was 70.55% for the last 12 months. Tianyin
Pharmaceutical Co, Inc. (AMEX:TPI) has the 7th highest dividend yield in this
segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 4.46%. Its dividend payout
ratio was 2.67% for the last 12 months. China Mobile Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE:CHL) has
the 8th highest dividend yield in this segment of the market. Its current
dividend yield is 4.20%. Its dividend payout ratio was 43.31% for the last 12
months. PetroChina Company Limited (ADR) (NYSE:PTR) has the 9th highest dividend
yield in this segment of the market. Its current dividend yield is 3.55%. Its
dividend payout ratio was N/A for the last 12 months. Guangshen Railway Co. Ltd
(ADR) (NYSE:GSH) has the 10th highest dividend yield in this segment of the
market. Its current dividend yield is 3.47%. Its dividend payout ratio was
42.90% for the last 12 months.

Top 10 Telecom Equipment Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: CGRE, LORL, TCCO, IDCC, RIMM, ZSTN, ZOOM, HRS, TSTC, ADTN (May 01, 2011)

Below are the top 10 Telecom Equipment stocks with highest Return on Equity
(ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a
companys efficiency in making profits from shareholders equity. It is equal to
net profits divided by shareholders equity. Four Chinese companies (CGRE, ZSTN,
ZOOM, TSTC) are on the list. China Green Energy Industries Inc (NASDAQ:CGRE) has
the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
145.55% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 14.47% for the same
period. Loral Space & Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ:LORL) has the 2nd highest
Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 73.08% for the last
12 months. Its net profit margin was 34.66% for the same period. Technical
Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:TCCO) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in
this segment of the market. Its ROE was 57.24% for the last 12 months. Its net
profit margin was 30.79% for the same period. InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC)
has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
42.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 35.91% for the same
period. Research In Motion Limited (USA) (NASDAQ:RIMM) has the 5th highest
Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 41.24% for the last
12 months. Its net profit margin was 17.13% for the same period. ZST Digital
Networks Inc (NASDAQ:ZSTN) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment
of the market. Its ROE was 36.94% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin
was 16.42% for the same period. Zoom Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZOOM) has the
7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 31.97%
for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 5.15% for the same period.
Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this
segment of the market. Its ROE was 28.30% for the last 12 months. Its net profit
margin was 11.24% for the same period. Telestone Technologies Corporation
(NASDAQ:TSTC) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the
market. Its ROE was 27.43% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was
18.96% for the same period. ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADTN) has the 10th highest
Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 22.25% for the last
12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.82% for the same period.

Stem Cell Funding Band Reversed: What About the Stocks?

dow2664

Last week was a busy week for stem cells. The suspension of Federal funding for stem cell research has just been overturned by a United States Appeals Court. The two to one ruling last week said that the law against Federal funding was ambiguous. In addition, Dr. Paul Sharpe spoke at the First International Conference on Dental and Craniofacial Stem Cells in New York last week. He discussed the use of regenerative dentistry to regrow teeth with dental stem cells. Research has been continuing into the use of stem cells for gene therapy and the treatment of Parkinson's disease, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and many other medical conditions. Stem cells can come from various sources including embryos, cord blood , which is the blood from umbilical cords, and even in baby teeth. There are several publicly traded companies in the stem cell field, according to the free list of stem cell stocks at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. For example, Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) is a Connecticut based company with an $8.9 billion market capitalization that is involved in the development of biologic therapeutic products for the treatment of hematologic and cardiovascular disorders, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. The company licenses porcine embryonic stem cells for transgenic animals. The stock has a price to earnings ratio of 93 and a forward PE of 32. Cellgene (CELG) is a $27.4 billion market cap company involved in the discovery and production of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory-related diseases. One of the company’s main products is Thalomid, which is used for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum, a complication of leprosy. They also received a patent on placental stem cell recovery. The stock sports a PE ratio of 31 and a forward PE of 14. Integra Lifesciences Holdings (IART) is a New Jersey based $1.5 billion market cap company that develops, manufactures, and sells medical devices, implants, biomaterials, and instruments to the stem cell, surgery, and soft tissue repair markets. The stock trades at 24 times current earnings, and 16 times forward earnings. For a free list of over a dozen stem cell stocks which you can download, sort, and update, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written. By Stockerblog.com

Basic terms you should know:

tdp2664Penny Stock Live
Market Cap This is the total dollar market value of all of a company’s outstanding shares. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying a company’s shares outstanding by the current market price of one share. The investment community uses this figure to determining a company’s size, as opposed to sales or total asset figures. If a company has 35 million shares outstanding, each with a market value of $100, the company’s market capitalization is $3.5 billion (35,000,000 x $100 per share). Company size is a basic determinant of asset allocation and risk-return parameters for stocks and stock mutual funds. The stocks of large, medium and small companies are referred to as large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap, respectively. Investment professionals differ on their exact definitions, but the current approximate categories of market capitalization are: Large Cap: $10 billion plus and include the companies with the largest market capitalization. Mid Cap: $2 billion to $10 billion Small Cap: Less than $2 billion I like stocks with a $100 million dollar market cap because the apply to retail and institutional investors. Revenue The amount of money a company actually receives during a specific period. It is the “top line” or ”gross income” figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income. Revenue is calculated by multiplying the price at which goods or services are sold by the number of units or amount sold. Net Income This is a company’s total earnings or profit. Net income is calculated by taking revenues and adjusting for the cost of doing business, depreciation, interest, taxes and other expenses. This number is found on a company’s income statement and is an important measure of how profitable the company is over a period of time. The measure is also used to calculate earnings per share.  Often referred to as “the bottom line” since net income is listed at the bottom of the income statement. When basing an investment decision on net income numbers, it is important to review the quality of the numbers that were used to arrive at this value. Net income, like other accounting measures, is susceptible to manipulation through such things as aggressive revenue recognition or by hiding expenses. Earnings This is the amount of profit that a company produces during a specific period, which is usually defined as a quarter (three calendar months) or a year. Earnings typically refer to after-tax net income. Ultimately, a business’s earnings are the main determinant of its share price, because earnings and the circumstances relating to them can indicate whether the business will be profitable and successful in the long run. Earnings are perhaps the single most studied number in a company’s financial statements because they show a company’s profitability. A business’s quarterly and annual earnings are typically compared to analyst estimates and guidance provided by the business itself. In most situations, when earnings do not meet either of those estimates, a business’s stock price will tend to drop. On the other hand, when actual earnings beat estimates by a significant amount, the share price will likely surge. Profit A financial benefit that is realized when the amount of revenue gained from a business activity exceeds the expenses, costs and taxes needed to sustain the activity. Any profit that is gained goes to the business’s owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business. = Total Revenue – Total Expenses. Profit is the money a business makes after accounting for all the expenses. Regardless of whether the business is a couple of kids running a lemonade stand or a publicly traded multinational company, consistently earning profit is every company’s goal. The path toward profitability can be long. For example, online bookseller Amazon.com was founded in 1994 and did not produce its first annual profit until 2003. Many startups and new businesses fail when the owners run out of capital to sustain the business. Earnings per Share The portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. Earnings per share is an indicator of a company’s profitability. = Net Income – Dividends on Preferred Stock / Average Outstanding Share Earnings per share are generally considered to be the single most important variable in determining a share’s price. It is also a major component used to calculate the price-to-earnings valuation ratio. For example, assume that a company has a net income of $25 million. If the company pays out $1 million in preferred dividends and has 10 million shares for half of the year and 15 million shares for the other half, the EPS would be $1.92 (24/12.5). First, the $1 million is deducted from the net income to get $24 million, and then a weighted average is taken to find the number of shares outstanding (0.5 x 10M+ 0.5 x 15M = 12.5M). An important aspect of EPS that’s often ignored is the capital that is required to generate the earnings (net income) in the calculation. Two companies could generate the same EPS number, but one could do so with less equity (investment) – that company would be more efficient at using its capital to generate income and, all other things being equal, would be a “better” company. Investors also need to be aware of earnings manipulation that will affect the quality of the earnings number. It is important not to rely on any one financial measure, but to use it in conjunction with statement analysis and other measures. Top Line A reference to the gross sales or revenues of a company, or an reference to a course of action that increases or reduces revenues. The “top” reference relates to the fact that on a company’s income statement, the first line at the top of the page is generally reserved for gross sales or revenue. A company that increases its revenues is said to be “growing its top line”, or “generating top-line growth”. This contrasts with net income (or net earnings per share), which is usually the bottom line of the company’s income statement. While there are number of different business models that have proved to be successful, every company is faced with the two simple goals of: 1. Growing revenues, or generating top-line growth 2. Growing net income, or generating bottom-line growth. Part of the reason why the term is used so often is that it clarifies minor nuances between the sources of revenue, whether it’s from selling a product, collecting interest or servicing an account. “Top-line” is broad enough to include all of the company revenues into one category prior to calculating other income statement metrics such as operating profit and net income. Bottom Line This refers to a company’s net earnings, net income or earnings per share (EPS). Bottom line also refers to any actions that may increase/decrease net earnings or a company’s overall profit. A company that is growing its net earnings or reducing its costs is said to be “improving its bottom line”. The reference to “bottom” describes the relative location of the net income figure on a company’s income statement; it will almost always be the last line at the bottom of the page. This reflects the fact that all expenses have already been taken out of revenues, and there is nothing left to subtract. This stands in contrast to revenues, which are considered the “top line” figures. Most companies aim to improve their bottom lines through two simultaneous methods: growing revenues (i.e., generate top-line growth) and increasing efficiency (or cutting costs). Source: Investopedia

10 Stocks Increasing Dividends Last Week

tdp2664
InvestorPlace
The earnings cavalcade continued last week, and with a little over half of the S&P 500 companies already reporting first-quarter results, things are looking far better than they did just one year ago. According to The Wall Street Journal , profits at America’s biggest corporations are running 26% higher than a year ago. Many of the market’s biggest corporate names reported earnings last week, and many of those companies shared the excellent results with shareholders. Among the biggest names on last week’s list of dividend payout performers were Dow components Chevron (NYSE: CVX ), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: X OM ), IBM (NYSE: IBM ) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ). Let’s take a look at each of these big names, as well as six other biggies dividend stocks increasing their payouts last week. Chevron (NYSE: CVX ): The oil giant reported first-quarter net income that was 36% higher than the same quarter a year ago. The company posted net income of $6.21 billion, or $3.09 per share, from $4.55 billion, or $2.27 per share a year ago. The results easily topped Wall Street forecasts, and the big quarter prompted Chevron to pump up its quarterly dividend by 8.3%. The new dividend has been raised to 78 cents from 72 cents. Chevron said it will pay the higher dividend on June 10 to shareholders of record on May 19. Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM ): This was the other big oil company upping its payout to shareholders last week, boosting its dividend 6.8% to 47 cents per share from 44 cents. The world’s largest publicly traded oil company said the new dividend will be paid on June 10 to shareholders of record on May 13. On Thursday, Exxon Mobil reported first-quarter earnings of $10.65 billion, or $2.14 a share, a number that topped analysts’ expectations of $2.06 per share. Despite the big quarter, the company actually failed to match its previous quarterly profit record. IBM (NYSE: IBM ): The company upped its quarterly payout by a 10 cents per share, or 15%. The new dividend of 75 cents per share will be paid June 10 to shareholders of record on May 10. The increase represents the 16th straight year the technology giant has upped its payout to shareholders. Along with news of the dividend, IBM’s board approved an $8 billion stock buyback. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ): The health care products company announced a healthy 5.6% increase in its quarterly dividend, upping its payout to 57 cents per share from 54 cents. The new dividend is payable on June 14 to shareholders of record as of May 31. Although the dividend increase made news, the company made a bigger news splash with its announcement that it would buy U.S.-Swiss medical device maker Synthes Inc. for $21.3 billion. The move will greatly increase its share of the market for surgical trauma equipment and orthopedic implants. Coach (NYSE: COH ): The maker of luxury handbags and fashion accessories accessorized its payout to shareholders last week, after reporting an 18% rise in fiscal third-quarter net income. The company explained that higher demand in North America and China helped to offset an estimated $20 million hit to its Japan sales due to the tsunami and earthquake. The company increased its annual cash dividend by 50% to 90 cents per share. The new annual dividend will be paid to shareholders in July. Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE ): The iconic beverage maker’s bottling division said its first-quarter net income fell 12% even as revenue rose 22%. The company said the revenue gains came from strong demand for Coke Zero, and its new beverage line, Ocean Spray. The company did beat estimates on the top line; however, its bottom-line number fell short of Street expectations. Still, Coca-Cola Enterprises filled shareholders’ cups with an 8.3% increase in its quarterly dividend. The new dividend of 13 cents per share will be paid on June 23 to shareholders of record as of June 10. Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST ): The membership warehouse is famous for its great deals on all kinds of essential products, and last week it gave a great deal to shareholders. The company’s board approved a $4 billion share buyback program while also raising its quarterly dividend by 17%. The new dividend of 24 cents per share from 20.5 cents will be paid on May 27 to shareholders of record on May 13. The payout increase comes a little over a month since Costco reported a 16% rise in fiscal second-quarter net income. Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC ): The third largest U.S. defense contractor reported a first-quarter profit that topped estimates, and that came in 20.9% higher than a year ago. The company cited the spinoff of its shipbuilding unit as part of the reason for its stellar quarter. Northrop also brought out the big guns on the dividend front, upping its payout to shareholders by 6% to 50 cents per share from 47 cents. The new dividend is payable on June 11 to shareholder of record on May 31. The move higher represents the eighth year of dividend increases for the aerospace and defense firm. Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH ): The manufacturer of motion and control devices put its dividend in motion last week, increasing its quarterly payout by 16%. The new dividend is 37 cents per share, up from the previous quarterly dividend of 32 cents. The bump represents the industrial giant’s 244th consecutive quarterly dividend. Along with the new payout, Parker Hannifin said its third-quarter net income nearly doubled on stronger demand from industrial customers. The stellar quarter also prompted Parker to raise its outlook for the full year. Williams Co. (NYSE: WMB ): This producer and midstream processor of natural gas gassed up its quarterly dividend by 60% to 20 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid on June 27 to shareholders of record as of June 10. The dividend hike is part of the company’s plan to boost shareholder value this year. Williams has already signaled that it is targeting an additional 10% to 15% increase in quarterly dividends by June 2012. At the time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.

10 Stocks Increasing Dividends Last Week

The earnings cavalcade continued last week, and with a little over half of the
S&P 500 companies already reporting first-quarter results, things are looking
far better than they did just one year ago. According to The Wall Street Journal
, profits at Americas biggest corporations are running 26% higher than a year
ago. Many of the markets biggest corporate names reported earnings last week,
and many of those companies shared the excellent results with shareholders.
Among the biggest names on last weeks list of dividend payout performers were
Dow components Chevron (NYSE: CVX ), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: X OM ), IBM (NYSE: IBM )
and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ). Lets take a look at each of these big names,
as well as six other biggies dividend stocks increasing their payouts last week.
Chevron (NYSE: CVX ): The oil giant reported first-quarter net income that was
36% higher than the same quarter a year ago. The company posted net income of
$6.21 billion, or $3.09 per share, from $4.55 billion, or $2.27 per share a year
ago. The results easily topped Wall Street forecasts, and the big quarter
prompted Chevron to pump up its quarterly dividend by 8.3%. The new dividend has
been raised to 78 cents from 72 cents. Chevron said it will pay the higher
dividend on June 10 to shareholders of record on May 19. Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM
): This was the other big oil company upping its payout to shareholders last
week, boosting its dividend 6.8% to 47 cents per share from 44 cents. The worlds
largest publicly traded oil company said the new dividend will be paid on June
10 to shareholders of record on May 13. On Thursday, Exxon Mobil reported
first-quarter earnings of $10.65 billion, or $2.14 a share, a number that topped
analysts expectations of $2.06 per share. Despite the big quarter, the company
actually failed to match its previous quarterly profit record. IBM (NYSE: IBM ):
The company upped its quarterly payout by a 10 cents per share, or 15%. The new
dividend of 75 cents per share will be paid June 10 to shareholders of record on
May 10. The increase represents the 16th straight year the technology giant has
upped its payout to shareholders. Along with news of the dividend, IBMs board
approved an $8 billion stock buyback. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ): The health
care products company announced a healthy 5.6% increase in its quarterly
dividend, upping its payout to 57 cents per share from 54 cents. The new
dividend is payable on June 14 to shareholders of record as of May 31. Although
the dividend increase made news, the company made a bigger news splash with its
announcement that it would buy U.S.-Swiss medical device maker Synthes Inc. for
$21.3 billion. The move will greatly increase its share of the market for
surgical trauma equipment and orthopedic implants. Coach (NYSE: COH ): The maker
of luxury handbags and fashion accessories accessorized its payout to
shareholders last week, after reporting an 18% rise in fiscal third-quarter net
income. The company explained that higher demand in North America and China
helped to offset an estimated $20 million hit to its Japan sales due to the
tsunami and earthquake. The company increased its annual cash dividend by 50% to
90 cents per share. The new annual dividend will be paid to shareholders in
July. Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE ): The iconic beverage makers bottling
division said its first-quarter net income fell 12% even as revenue rose 22%.
The company said the revenue gains came from strong demand for Coke Zero, and
its new beverage line, Ocean Spray. The company did beat estimates on the top
line; however, its bottom-line number fell short of Street expectations. Still,
Coca-Cola Enterprises filled shareholders cups with an 8.3% increase in its
quarterly dividend. The new dividend of 13 cents per share will be paid on June
23 to shareholders of record as of June 10. Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST
): The membership warehouse is famous for its great deals on all kinds of
essential products, and last week it gave a great deal to shareholders. The
companys board approved a $4 billion share buyback program while also raising
its quarterly dividend by 17%. The new dividend of 24 cents per share from 20.5
cents will be paid on May 27 to shareholders of record on May 13. The payout
increase comes a little over a month since Costco reported a 16% rise in fiscal
second-quarter net income. Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC ): The third largest U.S.
defense contractor reported a first-quarter profit that topped estimates, and
that came in 20.9% higher than a year ago. The company cited the spinoff of its
shipbuilding unit as part of the reason for its stellar quarter. Northrop also
brought out the big guns on the dividend front, upping its payout to
shareholders by 6% to 50 cents per share from 47 cents. The new dividend is
payable on June 11 to shareholder of record on May 31. The move higher
represents the eighth year of dividend increases for the aerospace and defense
firm. Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH ): The manufacturer of motion and
control devices put its dividend in motion last week, increasing its quarterly
payout by 16%. The new dividend is 37 cents per share, up from the previous
quarterly dividend of 32 cents. The bump represents the industrial giants 244th
consecutive quarterly dividend. Along with the new payout, Parker Hannifin said
its third-quarter net income nearly doubled on stronger demand from industrial
customers. The stellar quarter also prompted Parker to raise its outlook for the
full year. Williams Co. (NYSE: WMB ): This producer and midstream processor of
natural gas gassed up its quarterly dividend by 60% to 20 cents per share. The
new dividend will be paid on June 27 to shareholders of record as of June 10.
The dividend hike is part of the companys plan to boost shareholder value this
year. Williams has already signaled that it is targeting an additional 10% to
15% increase in quarterly dividends by June 2012. At the time of publication,
Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.

Live at Berkshire’s ‘Circus’: Buffett Reigns as Ringmaster

tdp2664
InvestorPlace
If you've never been to Warren Buffett's annual Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A , NYSE: BRK.B ) shareholder meeting, you're missing out. This is the fourth time I've attended, and while much of the weekend feels pretty similar from year to year, it's always an adventure. For example, last year, my connecting flight in Chicago was canceled so my father and I (we always go together) had to rent a car one way for $500 and drive over 400 miles to Omaha. We got two or three hours of sleep before leaving for the Qwest Center , where the meeting is held, a little after 7 a.m. This year, we took the earliest possible flight from Baltimore and fortunately arrived in Omaha without a hitch. Though that also meant we were so exhausted we had to take a very long nap before the shareholder cocktail reception at Borsheim's , a jewelry store owned by Berkshire Hathaway. The cocktail reception is held each year on Friday, the night before the meeting, which always occurs on a Saturday—usually the first Saturday of May, but moved this year due to Mother's Day. The first thing you'll notice when you attend the cocktail reception is that it doesn't matter how much money people have: They still can't resist free food and drinks. Thousands of shareholders wearing anything from regular street clothes to expensive suits and dresses line up in a queue snaking the entire length of the Regency Court mall to get free appetizers from three buffet tables. This year it took about 45 minutes to get to the food—about average. If you wait until 8:30 or 8:45, the line speeds up, but you also risk not getting any before they close shop at 9. The food varies from year to year, but there's always a mix of vegetables, cheese, crackers and dip as well as a few varieties of meat (meatballs, sausage, and chicken in various sauces this year). At the end of the table are rolls, condiments, and roast beef for making sandwiches. The bar is another story. The main floor of the mall is set up with bars facing outward in a rough oval so shareholders can attack from all sides. There are no clear lines, just a mob of people thronging around hoping to find a breach in the wall. Wait times vary depending on your strategy, but you'd be wise to order whatever you can carry so you don't have to return soon. Outside Borsheim's in the mall parking lot, a giant white tent is set up with a live band. This year, the band played funk music to which a fair number of (possibly) intoxicated shareholders danced, while the rest sat at tables or thronged around more bars lining the walls of the tent. Of course, one of the purposes of the cocktail reception is to allow shareholders to socialize and share stories. At the first meeting I attended in 2007, a man standing in line next to my father and me explained that while the question and answer session with Buffett and his partner, Charlie Munger, lasts about 6 hours each year, the business meeting itself is only allotted 5 minutes. (In 2009, after one of the worst bear markets in history, that was increased to 15 minutes.) The shareholder also told us that in 2006, he went to Borsheim's to find out what their most expensive item was, saying he wanted to buy a gift for his girlfriend. The woman at the counter pulled out a necklace and showed him the price tag: $300,000. He said, "Nevermind, she's not worth it." The woman leaned closer and whispered, "Come back tomorrow. I'll make you a deal." And therein lies the genius of Warren Buffett. While most companies have a rather mundane approach to shareholder meetings, keeping it rather formal and brief, Buffett turns his not only into a weekend of entertainment (live music and free drinks galore) and education (six hours of questions and answers with the world's greatest investor and his right-hand man), but also an opportunity for Berkshire businesses to sell their wares. For example, in his 2010 letter to shareholders , Buffett says, "The best reason to exit [the meeting], of course, is to shop. We will help you do that by filling the 194,300-squarefoot hall that adjoins the meeting area with products from dozens of Berkshire subsidiaries. Last year, you did your part, and most locations racked up record sales. In a nine-hour period, we sold 1,053 pairs of Justin boots, 12,416 pounds of See's candy, 8,000 Dairy Queen Blizzards and 8,800 Quikut knives (that's 16 knives per minute). But you can do better. Remember: Anyone who says money can't buy happiness simply hasn't learned where to shop." And of course, the rest of Omaha jumps on the bandwagon, advertising "discounts" and "specials" left and right for Berkshire shareholders and welcoming them with open cash registers. Hotels downtown typically sell out the summer before. Hotels on the outskirts also often sell out, as do flights and reasonably priced rental cars. After all, with attendance growing each year—from over 25,000 in 2007 to an expected 40,000 this year—there's only so much to go around. All in all, the annual meeting has a significant financial impact for Omaha, and I'd bet that's a big part of why Buffett refuses to webcast it. Of course, not everyone has a favorable opinion of the event. Last year, Alice Schroeder, author of The Snowball, a biography of Warren Buffett, said in an article on Bloomberg that the annual meeting was "overvalued" and just "one more corporate bubble," and finally called it "a circus." All I can say is, if it's a circus, it sure has one smart ringmaster. Billy Currano owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway.

Top 10 Best-Performing Small Cap Stocks in April: SIFY, REDF, GNOM, MOBI, GLBC, IDIX, SIMO, IMGN, RIC, BTH

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tdp2664 China Analyst Below are the top 10 best-performing Small Cap stocks for the past month. One Chinese company (MOBI) is on the list. Sify Technologies Limited (NASDAQ:SIFY) is the 1st best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 129.81% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 265.04% year-to-date. Rediff.com India Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:REDF) is the 2nd best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 119.07% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 210.59% year-to-date. Complete Genomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNOM) is the 3rd best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 82.50% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 120.62% year-to-date. Sky mobi Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:MOBI) is the 4th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 76.18% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 305.58% year-to-date. Global Crossing Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLBC) is the 5th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 67.96% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 80.96% year-to-date. Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDIX) is the 6th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 53.01% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 0.79% year-to-date. Silicon Motion Technology Corp. (ADR) (NASDAQ:SIMO) is the 7th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 50.74% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 186.59% year-to-date. ImmunoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMGN) is the 8th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 47.30% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 44.28% year-to-date. Richmont Mines Inc. (USA) (AMEX:RIC) is the 9th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 46.32% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 90.41% year-to-date. Blyth, Inc. (NYSE:BTH) is the 10th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 45.09% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 36.72% year-to-date.

Top 10 Advertising Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: CCME, ARB, CDM, ISIG, SGRP, CHRM, CNYD, VCLK, VCI, HHS (May 01, 2011)

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tdp2664 China Analyst Below are the top 10 Advertising stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a company's efficiency in making profits from shareholders' equity. It is equal to net profits divided by shareholders' equity. Four Chinese companies (CCME, CDM, CHRM, CNYD) are on the list. China MediaExpress Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CCME) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 69.78% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 49.26% for the same period. Arbitron Inc. (NYSE:ARB) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 68.07% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 11.73% for the same period. China Century Dragon Media, Inc. (NYSE:CDM) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 50.59% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.18% for the same period. Insignia Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISIG) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 47.70% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 25.41% for the same period. SPAR Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SGRP) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 39.83% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.61% for the same period. Charm Communications Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:CHRM) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 31.49% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.73% for the same period. China Yida Holding, Co. (NASDAQ:CNYD) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 25.10% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 48.59% for the same period. ValueClick, Inc. (NASDAQ:VCLK) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 18.34% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.71% for the same period. Valassis Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCI) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 17.65% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.62% for the same period. Harte-Hanks, Inc. (NYSE:HHS) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 12.77% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 6.23% for the same period.

Top 10 Best-Performing Micro Cap Stocks in April: GENE, CT, HRZ, TSTY, KUTV, ADAT, GRAN, ACAD, GTXI, USCR

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tdp2664 Epic Stock Picks Below are the top 10 best-performing Micro Cap stocks for the past month. One Chinese company (KUTV) is on the list. Genetic Technologies Limited (ADR) (NASDAQ:GENE) is the 1st best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 121.92% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 446.92% year-to-date. Capital Trust, Inc. (NYSE:CT) is the 2nd best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 120.09% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 225.16% year-to-date. Horizon Lines, Inc. (NYSE:HRZ) is the 3rd best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 108.24% for the past month. Its price percentage change was -59.50% year-to-date. Tasty Baking Company (NASDAQ:TSTY) is the 4th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 102.54% for the past month. Its price percentage change was -37.17% year-to-date. Ku6 Media Co., Ltd. (ADR) (NASDAQ:KUTV) is the 5th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 89.80% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 50.30% year-to-date. Authentidate Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:ADAT) is the 6th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 88.52% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 153.93% year-to-date. Bank of Granite Corporation (NASDAQ:GRAN) is the 7th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 81.48% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 78.18% year-to-date. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:ACAD) is the 8th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 69.75% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 129.17% year-to-date. GTx, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTXI) is the 9th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 65.76% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 60.75% year-to-date. US Concrete Inc (NASDAQ:USCR) is the 10th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 65.22% for the past month. Its price percentage change was -79.12% year-to-date.

Gold Prices Today; Silver Prices Today; Spot Gold Per Gram Kilo; Spot Silver Per Ounce; Today’s Contract Gold and Silver

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dow2664 Gold prices today have been moving in a positive direction as have today’s recent silver prices. The one month change for gold and silver price has been positive and the month of April was an exceptional month for contract gold and contract silver price per ounce trending. On the last open trading session of April, contract gold for June delivery had pushed higher once again and settled the day by increasing by 18.00 to finish at 1556.40. Another consecutive finish above the 1500 price per ounce mark. Gold and Silver were positive safe haven bets during the month of April. Investors will observe closely to determine if this type of trending will continue into and through the month of May. Silver contract for May delivery finished off the last trading session in April with a close value higher by 2.23 percent at 48.60 an ounce. Silver had an exceptional month as well and ended the month by flirting with the 50 an ounce close for several consecutive days. Both metal contracts moved positively and recent market tracking of spot gold and spot silver prices reveals similar progressions. Spot silver per ounce ended the last session higher by .36 at 47.889 and spot silver per kilo was higher by 11.48 at 1539.28. Spot gold per gram was higher by 1.04 at 50.26 and spot gold per kilo was higher by 1041.04 at 50257.40. Today’s gold and silver prices are positioned higher and many will monitor closely to see if these trends continue into and through May. Author: Camillo Zucari

Top 10 Focus Stocks of The Day: CONN, QLIK, KONG, MSA, SIMO, VQ, RAH, ARGN, TRLG, OXY (May 01, 2011)

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tdp2664 Epic Stock Picks Below are today's top 10 focus stocks. These momentum stocks are attracting a lot of interest from traders. One Chinese company (KONG) is on the list. CONN'S, Inc. (NASDAQ:CONN) is today's 1st best focus stock. Its daily price change was 11.6% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is -11% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $6 on the stock. It is rated positively by 25% of the 4 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 36% based on analysts' average estimate. Qlik Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:QLIK) is today's 2nd best focus stock. Its daily price change was 10.9% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is -4% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $31 on the stock. It is rated positively by 64% of the 11 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 38% based on analysts' average estimate. KongZhong Corporation (ADR) (NASDAQ:KONG) is today's 3rd best focus stock. Its daily price change was 10.1% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 30% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $11 on the stock. It is rated positively by 67% of the 3 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 32% based on analysts' average estimate. Mine Safety Appliances (NYSE:MSA) is today's 4th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 9.6% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 2% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $41 on the stock. It is rated positively by 60% of the 5 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 15% based on analysts' average estimate. Silicon Motion Technology Corp. (ADR) (NASDAQ:SIMO) is today's 5th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 9.1% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is -2% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $12 on the stock. It is rated positively by 83% of the 6 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 20% based on analysts' average estimate. Venoco, Inc. (NYSE:VQ) is today's 6th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 9.0% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 14% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $21 on the stock. It is rated positively by 29% of the 14 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 10% based on analysts' average estimate. Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RAH) is today's 7th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 8.9% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 0% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $78 on the stock. It is rated positively by 58% of the 12 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 9% based on analysts' average estimate. Amerigon Incorporated (NASDAQ:ARGN) is today's 8th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 8.8% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 13% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $19 on the stock. It is rated positively by 67% of the 6 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 23% based on analysts' average estimate. True Religion Apparel, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRLG) is today's 9th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 8.7% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is -8% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $28 on the stock. It is rated positively by 57% of the 7 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 20% based on analysts' average estimate. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) is today's 10th best focus stock. Its daily price change was 8.7% in the previous trading day. Its upside potential is 1% based on brokerage analysts' average target price of $116 on the stock. It is rated positively by 74% of the 23 analyst(s) covering it. Its long-term annual earnings growth is 11% based on analysts' average estimate.

Gold Prices Today; Silver Prices Today; Spot Gold Per Gram Kilo; Spot Silver Per Ounce; Today’s Contract Gold and Silver

Gold prices today have been moving in a positive direction as have todays
recent silver prices. The one month change for gold and silver price has been
positive and the month of April was an exceptional month for contract gold and
contract silver price per ounce trending. On the last open trading session of
April, contract gold for June delivery had pushed higher once again and settled
the day by increasing by 18.00 to finish at 1556.40. Another consecutive finish
above the 1500 price per ounce mark. Gold and Silver were positive safe haven
bets during the month of April. Investors will observe closely to determine if
this type of trending will continue into and through the month of May. Silver
contract for May delivery finished off the last trading session in April with a
close value higher by 2.23 percent at 48.60 an ounce. Silver had an exceptional
month as well and ended the month by flirting with the 50 an ounce close for
several consecutive days. Both metal contracts moved positively and recent
market tracking of spot gold and spot silver prices reveals similar
progressions. Spot silver per ounce ended the last session higher by .36 at
47.889 and spot silver per kilo was higher by 11.48 at 1539.28. Spot gold per
gram was higher by 1.04 at 50.26 and spot gold per kilo was higher by 1041.04 at
50257.40. Todays gold and silver prices are positioned higher and many will
monitor closely to see if these trends continue into and through May. Author:
Camillo Zucari

9 Signs Inflation is Crushing America

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InvestorPlace
Inflation is far from under control, and it's time that Americans demand our government officials do something about it. The Federal Reserve would have you believe that everything is fine, focusing on "core" inflation rates and ignoring broader measures of inflation as they affect food and energy. These commodity-driven prices, as our central banking overlords would have you believe, are naturally more volatile and shouldn't be overstated. You would think after Fed bureaucrat William Dudley was castigated for talking up the affordability of iPads while ignoring real family expenses, our Federal Reserve officials would have woken up to reality. But after the publicity stunt by Chairman Ben Bernanke last week, it's clear that the Fed — and perhaps many Americans as a result — is in denial when it comes to the inflationary trends crippling U.S. households. While it's all well and good for investors to focus on surging precious metals and the profit opportunities there, let's not overlook the dark side of inflation that is eating away at family budgets. Here are 9 crushing costs of inflation that are breaking many American households: Beef: In a revised forecast Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said consumers will see higher price tags on ground beef and steak, projecting 6% to 7% increases year over year. That's up from a previous forecast of just 4.5% to 5.5% inflation for beef prices. Beef prices have surged in the last several months as supplies shrink, exports boom and grain costs soar. Pork: Don't think you can just switch from cow to pig to avoid this trend — pork could see retail price increases of as much as 7.5% over 2010 levels according to the USDA. Grains: Even going vegetarian is more expensive than it was a year ago. Corn prices have doubled, from $3.49 a bushel in July to well over $7.70 currently. Wheat prices have rolled back a bit in recent weeks, but topped 2008 highs in February to set a new record and remain very high currently. Gasoline: The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped about 12 cents over the last two weeks to $3.88, with the highest average price for gas tallying $4.27 in Chicago. This is with oil at $112 a barrel – if crude prices reach 2008 peak levels of $145, four bucks for gas may seem cheap. Copper: The price of copper at the end of 2008 was just $1.30 per pound. Currently, copper is trading around $4.30 after setting a record of $4.60 set in February. Unlike gold and silver, which are largely used in luxury goods or as investments, copper is used in a wide range of household items – from electrical wiring to air conditioners to water pipes. Diapers: Consumer products giant Procter and Gamble (NYSE: PG ) this week that list prices for Pampers are up 7% on average over last year, with even Pampers wipes up 3%. To be clear, that's not a retail price hike – just a cost increase to stores. Retailers will decide how much of those price increases to pass along to shoppers. Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ), maker of Huggies, said Monday it plans to raise prices for similar reasons – rising costs for the petroleum products and paper pulp that go into the diapers. It will be the third such announcement for Kimberly-Clark since the middle of March. Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: If you don't have infants, you're not off the hook. P&G also said that Charmin toilet paper and Bounty paper towels are both listing for 5% more now with retailers and distributors than they were a year ago. KMB's diaper price update will also be accompanied by a boost for its flagship Kleenex tissues, too. Shipping Surcharges: Freight giant UPS (NYSE: UPS ) will be hiking its fuel surcharges from 7.5% to 8.5% as of May 2 for ground freight, and from 13% to 15% for air freight. That really hurts small businesses. If you are a storekeeper simply trying to keep your shelves stocked, you have no choice but to pay more and endure smaller margins – or hike prices yourself and add to this inflationary mess. Wages: Perhaps the most insidious factor of our current inflationary spiral is the fact that while all these other items are costing more, household purchasing power is shrinking because wages and salaries aren't keeping up. While the consumer price index rose 2.7% in March to clock the fastest 12-month pace since December 2009, a staggering 18.3% of per personal income is now made up of government assistance like unemployment and food stamps while wages account for just 50.5%. That's the lowest since the government started keeping records in 1929. Jeff Reeves is editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he owned a long position in Bank of America stock. Follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook.

Use GLD and SLV Options to Beat Inflation

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InvestorPlace
Sometimes — no, if you are trading, the word should be always — you need to trade perception and not reality. It is time to hook onto the current trade on inflation — it picked up this week after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he is not raising interest rates anytime soon. The Reality – the thought there could be real inflation in the U.S. is laughable. Perception – traders are increasingly fearful of Fed created inflation. Therefore, you should think precious metals, and options trading on ETFs on gold and silver, such as the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD ) and the iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV ). That’s my recommendation. First, let’s consider some background on reality versus perception. First, the reality. Inflation is the upward movement in prices created by too much money available to buy too few goods. Historically, when the Fed lowers interest rates, capital is cheap so people buy too many homes and stuff, and businesses build too many factories. This time, consumers are broke and not spending, and business is awash with capacity and is not building. Wait a second, you say, what about the $4 a gallon and rising I'm paying at the pump? Energy is a very small portion of GDP so it has little impact on the core rate of inflation. Now, let's get into the perception. Many believe low interest rates MUST mean extra liquidity created by the Fed MUST mean inflation is coming. These folks are very loud, indeed they are screaming – and that is creating fear among traders and many foreign investors. Forget reality and trade the perception. What trades are best for this next leg of the inflation trade? Precious Metals. Everyone says that precious metals are too hot and are in a bubble. Nope. They are a key long-side play on the inflation trade. They may have run too far too fast but that does not mean the run will end. It may pause, but it should continue. And in addition to inflation fears, silver is actually used in electronics and medical treatments. First, do not play the commodities themselves, play the exchange-traded funds, such as the SPDR Gold Trust and the iShares Silver Trust . Look at two different trades depending on your appetite for risk. Straight Calls: The metals may be taking a pause — SLV sure will as it nears $50 — so either look at late summer out-of-the-money calls or buy Weeklies to minimize your exposure to a correction. A Buy-Write: Think about buying the GLD ETF and immediately writing covered calls, either to average down the price you paid or to generate some cash. You can do this every week if you want to, these ETFs have Weekly options. Always sell out-of-the-money calls. There are many other plays against inflation but why stray from great charts and the current attitude towards precious metals. And think about the price of gold and silver is something nasty happens in Saudi Arabia? Or if Egypt's new leaders make too much noise about Israel? Traders will switch from inflation to geopolitical fears, and you win that way as well.

Top 10 Beverage Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: KO, DEO, FIZZ, ABV, BORN, HANS, SAM, COKE, CCE, PEP (May 01, 2011)

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Below are the top 10 Beverage stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a company's efficiency in making profits from shareholders' equity. It is equal to net profits divided by shareholders' equity. One Chinese company (BORN) is on the list. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 42.33% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 31.87% for the same period. Diageo plc (ADR) (NYSE:DEO) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 41.49% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 19.60% for the same period. National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ:FIZZ) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 37.20% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 6.50% for the same period. Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (ADR) (NYSE:ABV) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 32.61% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 30.19% for the same period. China New Borun Corp (NYSE:BORN) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 30.23% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 15.14% for the same period. Hansen Natural Corporation (NASDAQ:HANS) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 30.00% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 16.26% for the same period. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 29.60% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.81% for the same period. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (NASDAQ:COKE) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 29.53% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 2.61% for the same period. Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:CCE) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 29.22% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 8.65% for the same period. PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 27.53% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.01% for the same period.

Top 10 Advertising Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: CCME, ARB, CDM, ISIG, SGRP, CHRM, CNYD, VCLK, VCI, HHS (May 01, 2011)

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China Analyst

Below are the top 10 Advertising stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a company's efficiency in making profits from shareholders' equity. It is equal to net profits divided by shareholders' equity. Four Chinese companies (CCME, CDM, CHRM, CNYD) are on the list.

China MediaExpress Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CCME) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 69.78% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 49.26% for the same period. Arbitron Inc. (NYSE:ARB) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 68.07% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 11.73% for the same period. China Century Dragon Media, Inc. (NYSE:CDM) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 50.59% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.18% for the same period. Insignia Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISIG) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 47.70% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 25.41% for the same period. SPAR Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SGRP) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 39.83% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.61% for the same period.

Charm Communications Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:CHRM) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 31.49% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.73% for the same period. China Yida Holding, Co. (NASDAQ:CNYD) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 25.10% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 48.59% for the same period. ValueClick, Inc. (NASDAQ:VCLK) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 18.34% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.71% for the same period. Valassis Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCI) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 17.65% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.62% for the same period. Harte-Hanks, Inc. (NYSE:HHS) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 12.77% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 6.23% for the same period.

Top 10 Automotive Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: VC, TRW, TRS, CXDC, CTB, CAAS, ALV, XIDE, GM, LEA (May 01, 2011)

Below are the top 10 Automotive stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE)
ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a
companys efficiency in making profits from shareholders equity. It is equal to
net profits divided by shareholders equity. Two Chinese companies (CXDC, CAAS)
are on the list. Visteon Corporation (NYSE:VC) has the 1st highest Return on
Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 420.49% for the last 12
months. Its net profit margin was 14.75% for the same period. TRW Automotive
Holdings Corp. (NYSE:TRW) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment
of the market. Its ROE was 51.75% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin
was 6.08% for the same period. Trimas Corporation (NASDAQ:TRS) has the 3rd
highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 48.08% for
the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 4.44% for the same period. China
XD Plastics Co Ltd (NASDAQ:CXDC) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this
segment of the market. Its ROE was 41.63% for the last 12 months. Its net profit
margin was 11.54% for the same period. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE:CTB)
has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
30.67% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.99% for the same
period. China Automotive Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAAS) has the 6th highest Return
on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 28.67% for the last 12
months. Its net profit margin was 13.25% for the same period. Autoliv Inc.(ADR)
(NYSE:ALV) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market.
Its ROE was 23.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 8.60% for
the same period. Exide Technologies (NASDAQ:XIDE) has the 8th highest Return on
Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 23.08% for the last 12 months.
Its net profit margin was 2.86% for the same period. General Motors Company
(NYSE:GM) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market.
Its ROE was 19.85% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.74% for
the same period. Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA) has the 10th highest Return on
Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 19.69% for the last 12 months.
Its net profit margin was 3.86% for the same period.

Gold Prices Today; Silver Prices Today; Spot Gold Per Gram Kilo; Spot Silver Per Ounce; Today’s Contract Gold and Silver

dow2664

Gold prices today have been moving in a positive direction as have today’s recent silver prices. The one month change for gold and silver price has been positive and the month of April was an exceptional month for contract gold and contract silver price per ounce trending. On the last open trading session of April, contract gold for June delivery had pushed higher once again and settled the day by increasing by 18.00 to finish at 1556.40. Another consecutive finish above the 1500 price per ounce mark. Gold and Silver were positive safe haven bets during the month of April. Investors will observe closely to determine if this type of trending will continue into and through the month of May. Silver contract for May delivery finished off the last trading session in April with a close value higher by 2.23 percent at 48.60 an ounce. Silver had an exceptional month as well and ended the month by flirting with the 50 an ounce close for several consecutive days. Both metal contracts moved positively and recent market tracking of spot gold and spot silver prices reveals similar progressions. Spot silver per ounce ended the last session higher by .36 at 47.889 and spot silver per kilo was higher by 11.48 at 1539.28. Spot gold per gram was higher by 1.04 at 50.26 and spot gold per kilo was higher by 1041.04 at 50257.40. Today’s gold and silver prices are positioned higher and many will monitor closely to see if these trends continue into and through May. Author: Camillo Zucari

9 Signs Inflation is Crushing America

Inflation is far from under control, and it's time that Americans demand our
government officials do something about it. The Federal Reserve would have you
believe that everything is fine, focusing on "core" inflation rates and
ignoring broader measures of inflation as they affect food and energy. These
commodity-driven prices, as our central banking overlords would have you
believe, are naturally more volatile and shouldn't be overstated. You would
think after Fed bureaucrat William Dudley was castigated for talking up the
affordability of iPads while ignoring real family expenses, our Federal Reserve
officials would have woken up to reality. But after the publicity stunt by
Chairman Ben Bernanke last week, it's clear that the Fed and perhaps many
Americans as a result is in denial when it comes to the inflationary trends
crippling U.S. households. While it's all well and good for investors to focus
on surging precious metals and the profit opportunities there, let's not
overlook the dark side of inflation that is eating away at family budgets. Here
are 9 crushing costs of inflation that are breaking many American households:
Beef: In a revised forecast Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said
consumers will see higher price tags on ground beef and steak, projecting 6% to
7% increases year over year. That's up from a previous forecast of just 4.5%
to 5.5% inflation for beef prices. Beef prices have surged in the last several
months as supplies shrink, exports boom and grain costs soar. Pork: Don't
think you can just switch from cow to pig to avoid this trend pork could see
retail price increases of as much as 7.5% over 2010 levels according to the
USDA. Grains: Even going vegetarian is more expensive than it was a year ago.
Corn prices have doubled, from $3.49 a bushel in July to well over $7.70
currently. Wheat prices have rolled back a bit in recent weeks, but topped 2008
highs in February to set a new record and remain very high currently. Gasoline:
The average U.S. price of a gallon of gasoline has jumped about 12 cents over
the last two weeks to $3.88, with the highest average price for gas tallying
$4.27 in Chicago. This is with oil at $112 a barrel – if crude prices reach
2008 peak levels of $145, four bucks for gas may seem cheap. Copper: The price
of copper at the end of 2008 was just $1.30 per pound. Currently, copper is
trading around $4.30 after setting a record of $4.60 set in February. Unlike
gold and silver, which are largely used in luxury goods or as investments,
copper is used in a wide range of household items – from electrical wiring to
air conditioners to water pipes. Diapers: Consumer products giant Procter and
Gamble (NYSE: PG ) this week that list prices for Pampers are up 7% on average
over last year, with even Pampers wipes up 3%. To be clear, that's not a
retail price hike – just a cost increase to stores. Retailers will decide how
much of those price increases to pass along to shoppers. Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:
KMB ), maker of Huggies, said Monday it plans to raise prices for similar
reasons – rising costs for the petroleum products and paper pulp that go into
the diapers. It will be the third such announcement for Kimberly-Clark since the
middle of March. Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: If you don't have infants,
you're not off the hook. P&G also said that Charmin toilet paper and Bounty
paper towels are both listing for 5% more now with retailers and distributors
than they were a year ago. KMB's diaper price update will also be accompanied
by a boost for its flagship Kleenex tissues, too. Shipping Surcharges: Freight
giant UPS (NYSE: UPS ) will be hiking its fuel surcharges from 7.5% to 8.5% as
of May 2 for ground freight, and from 13% to 15% for air freight. That really
hurts small businesses. If you are a storekeeper simply trying to keep your
shelves stocked, you have no choice but to pay more and endure smaller margins
– or hike prices yourself and add to this inflationary mess. Wages: Perhaps
the most insidious factor of our current inflationary spiral is the fact that
while all these other items are costing more, household purchasing power is
shrinking because wages and salaries aren't keeping up. While the consumer
price index rose 2.7% in March to clock the fastest 12-month pace since December
2009, a staggering 18.3% of per personal income is now made up of government
assistance like unemployment and food stamps while wages account for just 50.5%.
That's the lowest since the government started keeping records in 1929. Jeff
Reeves is editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, he owned a long
position in Bank of America stock. Follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and
become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook.

Top 10 Advertising Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: CCME, ARB, CDM, ISIG, SGRP, CHRM, CNYD, VCLK, VCI, HHS (May 01, 2011)

Below are the top 10 Advertising stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE)
ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a
companys efficiency in making profits from shareholders equity. It is equal to
net profits divided by shareholders equity. Four Chinese companies (CCME, CDM,
CHRM, CNYD) are on the list. China MediaExpress Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CCME) has
the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
69.78% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 49.26% for the same
period. Arbitron Inc. (NYSE:ARB) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this
segment of the market. Its ROE was 68.07% for the last 12 months. Its net profit
margin was 11.73% for the same period. China Century Dragon Media, Inc.
(NYSE:CDM) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market.
Its ROE was 50.59% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.18% for
the same period. Insignia Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISIG) has the 4th highest Return
on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 47.70% for the last 12
months. Its net profit margin was 25.41% for the same period. SPAR Group, Inc.
(NASDAQ:SGRP) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the
market. Its ROE was 39.83% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was
3.61% for the same period. Charm Communications Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:CHRM) has the
6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 31.49%
for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.73% for the same period.
China Yida Holding, Co. (NASDAQ:CNYD) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in
this segment of the market. Its ROE was 25.10% for the last 12 months. Its net
profit margin was 48.59% for the same period. ValueClick, Inc. (NASDAQ:VCLK) has
the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
18.34% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 18.71% for the same
period. Valassis Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCI) has the 9th highest Return on
Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 17.65% for the last 12 months.
Its net profit margin was 3.62% for the same period. Harte-Hanks, Inc.
(NYSE:HHS) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market.
Its ROE was 12.77% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 6.23% for
the same period.

Top 10 Automotive Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: VC, TRW, TRS, CXDC, CTB, CAAS, ALV, XIDE, GM, LEA (May 01, 2011)

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Epic Stock Picks
Below are the top 10 Automotive stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a company's efficiency in making profits from shareholders' equity. It is equal to net profits divided by shareholders' equity. Two Chinese companies (CXDC, CAAS) are on the list. Visteon Corporation (NYSE:VC) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 420.49% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 14.75% for the same period. TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE:TRW) has the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 51.75% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 6.08% for the same period. Trimas Corporation (NASDAQ:TRS) has the 3rd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 48.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 4.44% for the same period. China XD Plastics Co Ltd (NASDAQ:CXDC) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 41.63% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 11.54% for the same period. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE:CTB) has the 5th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 30.67% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.99% for the same period. China Automotive Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAAS) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 28.67% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 13.25% for the same period. Autoliv Inc.(ADR) (NYSE:ALV) has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 23.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 8.60% for the same period. Exide Technologies (NASDAQ:XIDE) has the 8th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 23.08% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 2.86% for the same period. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 19.85% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.74% for the same period. Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA) has the 10th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 19.69% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 3.86% for the same period.

Use GLD and SLV Options to Beat Inflation

Sometimes no, if you are trading, the word should be always you need to trade
perception and not reality. It is time to hook onto the current trade on
inflation it picked up this week after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke
said he is not raising interest rates anytime soon. The Reality – the thought
there could be real inflation in the U.S. is laughable. Perception – traders
are increasingly fearful of Fed created inflation. Therefore, you should think
precious metals, and options trading on ETFs on gold and silver, such as the
SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD ) and the iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV ). Thats my
recommendation. First, lets consider some background on reality versus
perception. First, the reality. Inflation is the upward movement in prices
created by too much money available to buy too few goods. Historically, when the
Fed lowers interest rates, capital is cheap so people buy too many homes and
stuff, and businesses build too many factories. This time, consumers are broke
and not spending, and business is awash with capacity and is not building. Wait
a second, you say, what about the $4 a gallon and rising I'm paying at the
pump? Energy is a very small portion of GDP so it has little impact on the core
rate of inflation. Now, let's get into the perception. Many believe low
interest rates MUST mean extra liquidity created by the Fed MUST mean inflation
is coming. These folks are very loud, indeed they are screaming – and that is
creating fear among traders and many foreign investors. Forget reality and trade
the perception. What trades are best for this next leg of the inflation trade?
Precious Metals. Everyone says that precious metals are too hot and are in a
bubble. Nope. They are a key long-side play on the inflation trade. They may
have run too far too fast but that does not mean the run will end. It may pause,
but it should continue. And in addition to inflation fears, silver is actually
used in electronics and medical treatments. First, do not play the commodities
themselves, play the exchange-traded funds, such as the SPDR Gold Trust and the
iShares Silver Trust . Look at two different trades depending on your appetite
for risk. Straight Calls: The metals may be taking a pause SLV sure will as it
nears $50 so either look at late summer out-of-the-money calls or buy Weeklies
to minimize your exposure to a correction. A Buy-Write: Think about buying the
GLD ETF and immediately writing covered calls, either to average down the price
you paid or to generate some cash. You can do this every week if you want to,
these ETFs have Weekly options. Always sell out-of-the-money calls. There are
many other plays against inflation but why stray from great charts and the
current attitude towards precious metals. And think about the price of gold and
silver is something nasty happens in Saudi Arabia? Or if Egypt's new leaders
make too much noise about Israel? Traders will switch from inflation to
geopolitical fears, and you win that way as well.

Top 10 Beverage Stocks with Highest Return on Equity: KO, DEO, FIZZ, ABV, BORN, HANS, SAM, COKE, CCE, PEP (May 01, 2011)

Below are the top 10 Beverage stocks with highest Return on Equity (ROE) ratio
for the last 12 months, UPDATED TODAY before 4:30 AM ET. ROE shows a companys
efficiency in making profits from shareholders equity. It is equal to net
profits divided by shareholders equity. One Chinese company (BORN) is on the
list. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) has the 1st highest Return on Equity in
this segment of the market. Its ROE was 42.33% for the last 12 months. Its net
profit margin was 31.87% for the same period. Diageo plc (ADR) (NYSE:DEO) has
the 2nd highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
41.49% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 19.60% for the same
period. National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ:FIZZ) has the 3rd highest Return on
Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 37.20% for the last 12 months.
Its net profit margin was 6.50% for the same period. Companhia de Bebidas das
Americas (ADR) (NYSE:ABV) has the 4th highest Return on Equity in this segment
of the market. Its ROE was 32.61% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin
was 30.19% for the same period. China New Borun Corp (NYSE:BORN) has the 5th
highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 30.23% for
the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 15.14% for the same period. Hansen
Natural Corporation (NASDAQ:HANS) has the 6th highest Return on Equity in this
segment of the market. Its ROE was 30.00% for the last 12 months. Its net profit
margin was 16.26% for the same period. The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE:SAM)
has the 7th highest Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was
29.60% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.81% for the same
period. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated (NASDAQ:COKE) has the 8th highest
Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 29.53% for the last
12 months. Its net profit margin was 2.61% for the same period. Coca-Cola
Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:CCE) has the 9th highest Return on Equity in this segment
of the market. Its ROE was 29.22% for the last 12 months. Its net profit margin
was 8.65% for the same period. PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) has the 10th highest
Return on Equity in this segment of the market. Its ROE was 27.53% for the last
12 months. Its net profit margin was 10.01% for the same period.