Hot Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now

 Have you heard the one about the Internet fund that�� afraid of dot-coms?

It sounds like a bad money manager joke, but that�� actually the best way to describe the Kinetics Internet Fund. ��ruthfully, if we changed the name, we�� probably get more money,��says cofounder and portfolio manager Peter Doyle, jacket slung over a chair in a conference room at his midtown Manhattan office.

Doyle�� quip has two meanings: His Internet Fund was once the darling of Wall Street��ne of the top-performing mutual funds of 1998 and 1999. But it crashed and burned a lot of investors, falling from $1.4 billion in assets in early 2000 to as low as $188 million by 2002.

But Doyle is not just referring to his fund�� lingering tech-bubble taint��e�� also speaking about his alternative approach.

Despite its seemingly self-evident name and legacy as the first ever Internet-focused mutual fund, there aren�� many websites left in Doyle�� 56-company portfolio today. Instead Doyle is proving that in the current bubbly environment for stocks of social networks and mobile apps, the best way to make money from the Net is old-fashioned: value stocks with long product life cycles, deep content libraries, ample cash flow��nd ideally a billionaire behind the wheel.

Top 10 Japanese Companies To Watch In Right Now: eBay Inc.(EBAY)

eBay Inc. provides online platforms, services, and tools to help individuals and merchants in online and mobile commerce and payments in the United States and internationally. Its Marketplaces segment operates ecommerce platform eBay.com; vertical shopping sites, such as StubHub, Fashion, Motors, and Half.com; and classifieds Websites, including Den Bl�Avis, BilBasen, Gumtree, Kijiji, LoQUo, Marktplaats.nl, mobile.de, Alamaula, Rent.com, eBay Anuncios, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and eBay Annunci, as well as provides advertising services. The company?s Payments segment offers payment and settlement services for consumers and merchants on and off eBay Websites and other merchant Websites. This segment operates PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments online and through mobile devices; Bill Me Later that enables the United States merchants to offer, the United States consumers to obtain, credit at the point of sale for ecommerce and mobile tra nsactions; Zong, which allows users with mobile phones to purchase digital goods and have the transactions charged to their phone bill; and BillSAFE that enables customers pay for purchases upon receipt of an invoice. Its GSI segment offers an ecommerce services suite for enterprise clients that operate in general merchandise categories, including apparel, sporting goods, toys and baby, health and beauty, and home; and marketing services comprising full-service digital agency, enterprise email marketing, mobile advertising, affiliate marketing, advertisement retargeting, and in-depth analytics services. The company also offers X.commerce platform that provides software developers access to the company?s applications programming interfaces to develop functionality for various merchants; and Magento Connect, which allows developers to market and sell add-on functionality and solutions to merchants that use a Magento storefront. eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquarter ed in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Ebay is an established company that has made a name for itself pioneering internet commerce. Reported in Sunday’s New York Times magazine story “Buy It Now,” eBay is no longer the online auction house of old. The stock has moved higher in recent years and is currently surging higher. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been rising which has left investors pleased. Relative to its peers and sector, eBay has been a weak year-to-date performer. Look for Ebay to OUTPERFORM.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Alamy SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple (AAPL) has cut in half the time it takes to give refunds to online store customers who want to return their iPhones and other gadgets, a small but crucial step to try to get more people to buy direct from its website. The move is a big upfront expense on Apple's part, but could pay off in the long run if the company can lure online customers away from retailers such as Amazon.com (AMZN) and Best Buy (BBY), industry experts say. According to retail-intelligence firm StellaService, customers who buy a product from Apple's online store can get a refund in under a week, versus 10 days previously. Apple is processing refunds at a faster rate because the company now uses an expedited service, FedEx 2Day, to let customers ship returned items with prepaid labels to its warehouse in three days. StellaService researchers first noted the improvement in refund processing times in November, but chalked it up to a temporary measure for the busy holiday season. The company, which orders items from Apple's website several times a day for research purposes, also discovered that packages were stamped with FedEx 2Day, rather than a Newgistics prepaid label. A source with knowledge of the new procedure confirmed that customers will incur no additional cost. "This is the first time we're seeing an investment like this on the returns side," Kevon Hills, StellaService's vice president of research, told Reuters. StellaService does business with Amazon-owned Zappos, but declined to disclose whether its customer base included Apple, Amazon or eBay (EBAY). Amazon remains the frontrunner in online retail, but the race is heating up. Trade publication Internet Retailer estimated that Apple recently took the No. 2 spot from Staples (SPLS) in worldwide sales. These rankings don't include sales by third parties. Apple experienced a 24 percent increase in online sales to $18.3 billion in 2013, Internet Retailer estimated. E-commerce experts say Apple

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  Carl Icahn is holding nothing back in his battle to force eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) to spin off its PayPal payment processing business.

  On the same day eBay rejected two of Icahn's nominees for its board, the billionaire activist investor fired off another open letter to the company's stockholders berating Chief Executive Officer John J. Donahoe's handling of the Skype deal.
  
  "We believe based on evidence we've uncovered that Donahoe's inexcusable incompetence cost eBay stockholders over $4 billion," the letter begins.

• [By Tamara Rutter]

  One of Musk's earlier achievements came in 2002 when eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) coughed up a cool $1.5 billion to buy PayPal, an online payments system co-founded by Musk. In many ways, PayPal has saved the online auction giant. In fact, PayPal now boasts 128 million active registered accounts and has grown to span 193 markets.

Hot Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Google Inc.(GOOG)

Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) have cornered the mobile operating system market, but let's not assume that it's just BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) fighting to be the distant third place finisher.

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  Allegion will not only benefit from all this growth - we believe it will advance at a faster rate than the market... for four key reasons:

  A Tighter Strategic Focus: Companies like Abbott or Ingersoll-Rand break themselves up for several reasons. But a key one is strategic focus. As an independent entity, Allegion will be able to make long-term decisions that provide maximum benefits to itself - instead of having to craft strategies that also benefit the "parent." The newly independent firm can devote more money to research and development, to marketing, and to purchases of technology or product lines. For spin-off companies, this new reality generally leads to a tighter, value-maximizing focus - and faster growth than would otherwise have been possible. More Attention to Shareholders: Allegion will improve its strategic focus as a result of the spin-off. And it will be free to focus on its shareholders, too. The company already announced a $200 million stock buyback and has established a modest dividend. Expect more of the same as the company grows in both size and stature. A Less-Confusing Competitive Situation: When Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) announced it was dumping its Motorola handset business in a deal with China's Lenovo Inc. (OTC ADR: LNVGY) last month, it was partly because the search giant didn't want to be in the manufacturing business. But there was another reality at play here: By selling handsets, Google was actually competing with the same companies that use its Android operating system. In other words, it was competing with some of its customers. That's why a spin-off firm often benefits from additional business once it's freed from its parent: Once independent, it's much easier to grab business from rivals of its former parent. You can bet that Allegion will see some incremental growth for this very same reason. Building Through Buyouts: Now freed from Ingersoll-Rand, Allegion will be free to do d

Hot Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)

IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  AP/Jim Mone Is Bitcoin a slam-dunk as the currency of the future? The Sacramento Kings seem to think so. The NBA team recently became the first pro sports franchise to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Basketball fans will be able not only to purchase tickets and merchandise online with the digital cryptocurrency, but also to use it to buy souvenirs at the arena come game time. The team is the latest in a growing number of commercial entities finding a slot in their virtual cash registers for Bitcoin. Little by little, momentum is building for a widespread acceptance of the upstart currency. Overstocking The Kings' drive towards the Bitcoin basket comes a week after the big online retailer Overstock.com (OSTK) announced it would start accepting payments in the currency. The move was an instant hit -- the first day the company had the nifty Bitcoin button as an option in its shopping cart, its customers used it to make more than 800 transactions for total sales of around $130,000. Overstock.com was by no means the first online marketplace to accept the currency. Numerous web retailers have been doing so for some time. It's a natural fit, %VIRTUAL-article-sponsoredlinks in a way, since Bitcoin exists solely in the digital realm. Customers booking flights on discount travel operator CheapAir.com, for example, can use Bitcoin to buy their tickets, as can love seekers on dating site OkCupid, owned by IAC/InteractiveCorp (IACI). These digital players are going to have plenty of company. Earlier this month, online games purveyor Zynga (ZNGA) started to dip its toes in the water, announcing that it was testing Bitcoin payments for some of its titles in conjunction with specialist transaction facilitator BitPay. But if Overstock.com didn't get there first, it's still the largest and most prominent e-retailer to take the Bitcoin plunge thus far. This is a big win for the currency and its advocates, and Overstock.com will surely be followed by more well-known comp

Hot Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Yahoo! Inc.(YHOO)

Yahoo! Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a digital media company that delivers personalized digital content and experiences through various devices worldwide. It offers online properties and services to users; and a range of marketing services to businesses. The company?s communications and communities offerings include Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, Flickr, and Connected TV, which provide a range of communication and social services to users and small businesses enabling users to organize into groups and share knowledge, common interests, and photos. Its search products comprise Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! Local, available free to users to navigate the Internet and discover content. The company?s marketplaces offerings and services include Yahoo! Shopping, Yahoo! Travel, Yahoo! Real Estate, Yahoo! Autos, and Yahoo! Small Business, which allow users to research specific topics, products, services, or areas of interest by review ing and exchanging information, obtaining contact details, or considering offers from providers of goods, services, or parties with similar interests. Its media offerings comprise Yahoo! Homepage, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Finance, My Yahoo!, Yahoo! Toolbar, Yahoo! Entertainment & Lifestyles, Yahoo! Contributor Network, and Yahoo! Pulse, which are designed to engage users with online content and services on the Web. The company also offers marketing services, such as display and search advertising, listing-based services, and commerce-based transactions to advertisers. In addition, it provides software and platform offerings for third-party developers, advertisers, and publishers, such as Yahoo! Developer Network, Yahoo! Open Strategy, Yahoo! Application Platform, Yahoo! Updates, Yahoo! Query Language, and Yahoo! Search BOSS. The company has strategic alliances with Nokia and ABC News, Inc. Yahoo! Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Californi a.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Sparks]

  Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO  ) undoubtedly paid a hefty fee to acquire Tumblr. The company must have some very good plans of what exactly to do with the microblogging service. While Yahoo! has made it very clear that it wants to keep Tumblr operating independently, it's less clear how Tumblr will help Yahoo!.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO  ) recently spent $1.1 billion on Tumblr and is now reportedly in the market for streaming company Hulu. This is a major strategic shift from generating search and display ads to becoming strictly an Internet portal. Now, the company relies on Microsoft for search technology and Google�for display ads, meaning Yahoo! needs to shop for more eyeballs. Fool contributor Travis Hoium sat down to discuss what he thinks of Mayer's most recent moves.�