At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we are still awaiting word on Spain and its bailout by the European Central Bank. On Thursday we shall also hear a report concerning China's growth rate.
This is a good moment to discuss why, after the momentous announcement by the Fed last month of essentially unlimited stimulus activity when needed, we still have not seen gold leave high Earth orbit and rocket to the moon.
Effectively, gold is where it was before the Fed's announcement. That should drive gold higher. But, the ECB, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have more or less followed suit, which devalues their respective currencies, leaving the dollar a tad weaker, but not significantly so. (For now, let's leave China and its bush league currency contortions off the table.)
What will happen to interest rates in 2013 through 2015? One can speculate as to how the world might break out of the slough it's in. But, one has to ask if 4 or 5% growth can ever again occur in the developed regions.
So, where does that leave gold? We need to keep our eye on inflation very intently, and hope for an uptick, although not so strong an uptick that the Fed, as the leader of the band, will impose much higher rates too quickly.
We do see inflation creeping into fuel prices, and to some extent, temporarily, into food prices. Generally, we have to look for a wild card to strongly influence the price of gold.
Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2015: Analog Devices Inc (ADI)
Analog Devices, Inc. (Analog Devices), incorporated on January 18, 1965, is engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of a range of analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing integrated circuits (ICs). The Company produces a range of products, including data converters, amplifiers and linear products, radio frequency (RF) ICs, power management products, sensors based on micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and other sensors, and processing products, including DSP and other processors, which are designed to meet the needs of a base of customers. The Company's products are embedded inside many different types of electronic equipment, including industrial process control systems; instrumentation and measurement systems; wireless infrastructure equipment, and aerospace and defense electronics. The Company designs , manufactures and markets a range of ICs, which incorporate analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing technologies. The Company's product portfolio includes both general-purpose products used by a range of customers and applications, as well as application-specific products. On March 30, 2012, the Company acquired Multigig, Inc.
Analog Products
The Company's product portfolio includes several thousand analog ICs. The Company's analog IC customers include original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and customers who build electronic subsystems for integration into larger systems. The Company is a supplier of data converter products. Data converters translate real-world analog signals into digital data and also translate digital data into analog signals. The Company is also a supplier of amplifiers. Amplifiers are used to condition analog signals. The Company provides precision, instrumentation, intermediate frequency/radio frequency (RF), broadband, and other amplifiers. The Company also offers a range of precision voltage references, which are used in a range of applications. The Company's analog product line also includes a range port! folio of RF ICs covering the RF signal chain, from RF function blocks, such as phase locked loops, frequency synthesizers, mixers, modulators, demodulators, and power detectors, to broadband and short-range single chip transceiver solutions.
The Company's RF ICs support the requirements of cellular infrastructure and a range of applications in the Company's target markets. Also within the Company's analog technology portfolio are products, which are based on MEMS technology. This technology enables the Company to build small sensors, which incorporate an electromechanical structure and the supporting analog circuitry for conditioning signals obtained from the sensing element. The Company's MEMS product portfolio includes accelerometers used to sense acceleration, gyroscopes used to sense rotation, inertial measurement units used to sense multiple degrees of freedom combining multiple sensing types along multiple axis, and MEMS microphones used to sense audio. The Company's current revenue from MEMS products is derived from the automotive end market. In addition to the Company's MEMS products, its other analog product category includes isolators. The Company's isolators have been designed for applications, such as universal serial bus isolation in patient monitors, where it allows hospitals and physicians to adopt the advances in computer technology to supervise patient health and wirelessly transmit medical records. In smart metering applications, the Company's isolators provide electrostatic discharge performance. In satellites, where any malfunction can be catastrophic, the Company's isolators help protect the power system while enabling designers to achieve small form factors. Power management & reference products make up the balance of the Company's analog sales. Those products, which include functions such as power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing and energy management, are developed to complement analog signal chain components across core market segments from micro power, en! ergy-sens! itive battery applications to power systems in infrastructure and industrial applications.
Digital Signal Processing Products
Digital Signal Processing products (DSPs) complete the Company's product portfolio. DSPs are optimized for numeric calculations, which are essential for instantaneous, or real-time, processing of digital data generated, from analog to digital signal conversion. The Company's DSPs are designed to be fully programmable and to execute specialized software programs, or algorithms, associated with processing digitized real-time, real-world data. Programmable DSPs are designed to provide the flexibility to modify the device's function using software. The Company's DSP IC customers write their own algorithms using software development tools provided by the Company and third-party suppliers. The Company's DSPs are designed in families of products, which share common architectures and therefore can execute the same software across a range of products. The Company's customers use the Company's products to solve a range of signal processing challenges across its core market and segment focus areas within the industrial, automotive, consumer and communications end markets. As an integrated part of the Company's customers' signal chain, there are other Analog Devices products connected to its processors, including converters, audio and video codecs and power management solutions.
The Company competes with Broadcom Corporation, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Cirrus Logic, Inc., Microchip Technology, Inc., Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Intersil Corporation, Silicon Laboratories, Inc., Knowles Electronics, Texas Instruments, Inc. and Linear Technology Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By ovenerio]
The company has a current ROE of 22.99% which is higher than the one exhibit by Microchip Technology (MCHP), Analog Devices (ADI) and�Nvidia Corp. (NVDA).In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking those levels or more, Micron Technologies (MU) could be the option. It is very important to understand this metric before investing and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: Endocan Corp (ENDO)
Endocan Corp, formerly The X-Change Corporation, incorporated on October 4, 2000, offers nutraceuticals and cosmetics in the United States. The Company provides lip balms, eczema moisturizing cream, sunscreen, and anti-ageing serum under the Phytiva brand name. The Company specializes in developing all natural, organic, bio hemp health, beauty, and cosmetics products.
The Phytiva serum uses only natural ingredients, including, but not limited to, hemp oil extract. The Company specializes in Cannabinoid-based extracts and products that target medical cannabis, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and social usage solutions through multiple Phytiva Brand product lines, products, and services.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Next Generation Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: NGMC) and Dutch Gold Resources, Inc (OTCMKTS: DGRI) are the latest small cap stocks to announce their entry into the marijuana business while peer Endocan Corp (OTCMKTS: ENDO) sees some paid promotions or investor relations activities, but otherwise remains quiet. So will investors and traders alike achieve a high with any of these small cap marijuana stocks? Here is a quick reality check:
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: SciQuest Inc.(SQI)
SciQuest, Inc. provides an on-demand strategic procurement and supplier enablement solution worldwide. The company?s solution integrates its customers with their suppliers for automating the source-to-settle process. Its solution include various modules, such as sourcing director, spend director, requisition manager, order manager, settlement manager, supplier contract management and authoring, total supplier manager, supplier diversity manager, and materials management. The company delivers its solutions over the Internet using a software-as-a-service model. It serves higher education, life sciences, healthcare, state and local government entities, and commercial customers through direct sales force. SciQuest, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
What:�Shares of SciQuest, (NASDAQ: SQI ) plunged 19% Friday after the cloud-based business-automation specialist released�in-line first-quarter results, but followed with disappointing forward guidance.
- [By Holly LaFon]
A second company that makes enterprise software is SciQuest (SQI), which provides procurements and spending management software on a subscription basis. Unlike one of its chief competitors, which targets everyday supply purchases made by big companies, SciQuest provides automated purchasing to a different segment by focusing on universities, hospitals, local and state governments, etc.
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kadant Inc (KAI)
Kadant Inc., incorporated in November 1991, is a supplier of equipment used in the global papermaking and paper recycling industries and a manufacturer of granules made from papermaking byproducts. Through its Papermaking Systems segment, the Company develops, manufactures and markets a range of equipment and products for the global papermaking, paper recycling, and process industries. Through its Fiber-based Products business, the Company manufacture and sell granules derived from pulp fiber for use as carriers for agricultural, home lawn and garden, and professional lawn, turf and ornamental applications, as well as for oil and grease absorption. Its Papermaking Systems segment consists of product lines, such as stock-preparation, fluid-handling, doctoring and water-management. On May 27, 2011, its subsidiary, Kadant Johnson Europe B.V., acquired all the interests in m-clean papertech holding AB. In April 2013, it completed the acquisition of Companhia Brasileira de Tecnologia Industrial (CBTI).
The Company�� customer base includes major global paper manufacturers and with its equipment found in most of pulp and paper mills. The Company manufactures its products in nine countries in Europe, North and South America and Asia. It develop, manufacture and market complete custom-engineered systems and equipment, as well as standard individual components, for pulping, de-inking, screening, cleaning, and refining recycled and virgin fibers for preparation for entry into the paper machine. Its principal stock-preparation products include recycling and approach flow systems and Virgin pulping process equipment.
The Company develop, manufacture and market rotary joints, precision unions, steam and condensate systems, components, and controls used primarily in the dryer section of the papermaking process and during the production of corrugated boxboard, metals, plastics, rubber, textiles, chemicals and food. Its principal fluid-handling systems include rotary joints, siphons, turbul! ator bars, and engineered steam and condensate systems. Its mechanical devices, used with rotating shafts, allow the transfer of pressurized fluid from a stationary source into and out of rotating machinery for heating, cooling, or the transfer of fluid power. Its devices, installed primarily inside the rotating cylinders of paper machines, are used to remove condensate from the drying cylinders through rotary joints located on either end of the cylinder. Its steel or stainless steel axial bars, installed on the inside of cylinders, are used to induce turbulence in the condensate layer to improve the uniformity and rate of heat transfer through the cylinders. Its steam systems control the flow of steam from the boiler to the paper drying cylinders, collect condensed steam, and return it to the boiler to improve energy efficiency during the paper drying process.
The Company develop, manufacture and market a range of doctoring systems and related consumables that continuously clean rolls to keep paper machines running efficiently; doctor blades made of a variety of materials to perform functions, including cleaning, creping, web removal, flaking, and the application of coatings, and profiling systems that control moisture, Web curl, and gloss during paper converting. Its principal doctoring products include doctor systems and holders, profiling systems and doctor blades. Its doctor systems clean papermaking rolls to maintain the operation of paper machines and other equipment by placing a blade against the roll at a constant and uniform pressure. A doctor system consists of the structure supporting the blade and the blade holder. It offers profiling systems that control moisture, Web curl, and gloss during paper converting. It manufacture doctor and scraper blades made of a variety of materials, including metal, bi-metal, or synthetic materials that perform a variety of functions, including cleaning, creping, Web removal, flaking and the application of coatings.
The Company devel! ops, manu! facture and markets water-management systems and equipment used to continuously clean paper machine fabrics and rolls, drain water from pulp mixtures, form the sheet or Web, and filter the process water for reuse. Its principal water-management systems include shower and fabric-conditioning systems, formation systems, and water-filtration systems. Its shower and fabric-conditioning systems assist in the removal of contaminants that collect on paper machine fabrics used to convey the paper Web through the forming, pressing and drying sections of the paper machine. A typical paper machine has between 3 and 12 fabrics. It supplies structures that drain, purify, and recycle process water from the pulp mixture during paper sheet and Web formation. It offer a variety of filtration systems and strainers that remove contaminants from process water before reuse and recover reusable fiber for recycling back into the pulp mixture.
The Company competes with Voith Paper GmbH, Metso Corporation, Maschinenfabrik Andritz AG, Deublin Company, Barco Company, Christian Maier GmbH & Co. KG, Duff-Norton Company, Joh. Clouth GmbH & Co. KG, Bonetti, S.p.A., Metso Corporation and IBS-Paper Performance Group.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Kadant (NYSE: KAI ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: Barratt Developments PLC (BDEV)
Barratt Developments PLC is a holding company. The Company�� principal activities consists of acquiring and developing land, planning, designing and constructing residential property developments and selling the homes it builds. The Company operates in two segments: housebuilding and commercial developments. The Company operates across a spectrum of the market from flats to family homes and urban regeneration schemes. The Company also has a focused commercial developments business. The Company builds a range of homes ranging from those for first-time buyers, to family homes, to high-rise flats and affordable housing. The Company�� housebuilding business trades under the Barratt Homes, David Wilson Homes and Ward Homes brands. The Company�� subsidiaries include BDW Trading Limited, BDW North Scotland Limited, David Wilson Homes Limited and Wilson Bowden Developments Limited. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Inyoung Hwang]
U.K. homebuilders declined as increasing bond yields spurred concern rising interest rates may hinder the housing recovery. Barratt Developments Plc (BDEV) sank 7.4 percent, Persimmon Plc fell 3.6 percent and Taylor Wimpey Plc lost 3.7 percent.
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: Image Systems Nordic AB (IS)
Image Systems Nordic AB, formerly Digital Vision AB, is a Sweden-based company active in the media industry. The Company specializes in high resolution image processing, film scanning and solutions for motion analysis. The Company operates within three business areas: Media, Defense and Motion. The Company�� product portfolio includes the Nucoda software products, providing a suite of colour grading and finishing solutions used in film and television post production; the Phoenix software products, providing image restoration tools for film archives and content owners; the Golden Eye film scanners, which provide high resolution scanning, archive and restoration, and the Image Systems Motion Unit with its TEMA software platform, providing a range of motion analysis solutions, among others. As of March, 1, 2012, the Company acquired Sawco Holding AB and RemaControl Sweden AB. As of March 31, 2012, the Company�� largest shareholder was Tibia Konsult AB (19.1%). Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
��The ranking exercise (is) based on growth and fundamental analysis. EXC ranks at the bottom in both analyses��op 4 results are Apple, BHP Billiton (BHP), Mosaic (MOS) and Rio Tinto (RIO). MOS was eliminated as it has one year of negative FCF.
Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Watch Right Now: CSP Inc.(CSPI)
CSP Inc. engages in the development and marketing of information technology (IT) integration solutions and high-performance cluster computer systems to industrial, commercial, and defense customers worldwide. The company operates in two segments: Systems, and Service and System Integration. The Systems segment designs and manufactures specialty, high-performance computer signal processing systems for the aerospace and defense markets. These systems are used on land, and in airborne and shipboard platforms for high-speed digital signal processing in radar, sonar, and surveillance applications. The Service and System Integration segment consists of the computer maintenance and integration services, and third-party computer hardware and software value added reseller businesses. It also provides professional IT consulting services, including maintenance and technical support; implementation, integration, configuration, and installation services; enterprise security intrusion p revention, network access control, and unified threat management services; IT security compliance services; custom software applications and solutions development and support; and monitoring, reporting, and management of alerts for the resolution and preventive general IT and IT security support tasks. This segment offers its solutions and services for IT environments, including storage and servers, unified communications solutions, IT security solutions, and consulting services. The company markets its products and services through direct sales force, distributors, and resellers. CSP Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Tuesday
Earnings Expected From: Jabil Circuit, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSPI), Verifone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY) Economic Releases Expected: Japanese trade balance, New Zealand current account, US current account, US CPIWednesday
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