Ahead of the start to regular trading on Tuesday, the three major benchmark indexes all rose.
MERCK: Laying off thousands
JOBS REPORT: Delayed due to shutdown
Dow Jones industrial average index futures, Standard & Poor's 500 index futures and Nasdaq composite index futures were each up about 0.3%.
With the fourth-quarter kicking off today, Wall Street is still betting that the shutdown will be shortlived and the impact on financial markets and the economy will be minimal.
Rod Smyth, chief investment officer at Riverfront Investment Group, says his firm is not turning defensive, or raising cash, just yet.
"None of the government shutdowns since 1976 produced chaos in financial markets or prolonged speculation of default," he told clients in a research note.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)
Sprott Physical Gold Trust (the Trust) is a closed-end mutual fund trust. The Trust was created to invest and hold substantially all of its assets in physical gold bullion. The Trust seeks to provide an exchange-traded investment alternative for investors interested in holding physical gold bullion. The Trust invests primarily in long-term holdings of unencumbered, fully allocated, physical gold bullion and does not speculate with regard to short-term changes in gold prices. Sprott Asset Management LP (the Manager) is the manager and RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust (RBC Dexia), a trust company, is the trustee of the Trust.
The Trust employs two custodians. The Royal Canadian Mint (Mint) acts as custodian for the Trust's physical gold bullion, pursuant to a precious metals storage agreement between the Manager, for and on behalf of the Trust, and the Mint, to which it refers as the precious metals storage agreement. RBC Dexia acts as custodian of the Trust's assets other than physical gold bullion pursuant to the trust agreement. As of December 31, 2010, the Trust held 90% of its total net assets in physical gold bullion in London Good Delivery bar form. The Trust does not invest in gold certificates or other financial instruments that represent gold or that may be exchanged for gold.
In making investments on behalf of the Trust, the Manager is subject to certain investment and operating restrictions, to which the Trust refers to as the Investment and Operating Restrictions. The Investment and Operating Restrictions provide that the Trust will invest in and hold a minimum of 90% of the total net assets of the Trust in physical gold bullion in London Good Delivery bar form and hold no more than 10% of the total net assets of the Trust, at the discretion of the Manager, in physical gold bullion (in London Good Delivery bar form or otherwise), gold coins, debt obligations of or guaranteed by the Government of Canada or a province of Canada or by the Government of the United St! ates or a state thereof.
The Trust will invest in short-term commercial paper obligations of a corporation or other person whose short-term commercial paper is rated R-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited or its successors, or assigns or F1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Fitch Ratings or its successors, or assigns or A-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Standard & Poor's or its successors, or assigns or P-1 (or its equivalent, or higher) by Moody's Investor Service or its successors, or assigns, interest-bearing accounts and short-term certificates of deposit issued or guaranteed by a Canadian chartered bank or trust company, money market mutual funds, short-term government debt or short-term investment grade corporate debt, or other short-term debt obligations approved by the Manager from time to time. The Trust will not purchase, sell or hold derivatives.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Boris Mikanikrezai]
As India and China are the largest buyers of gold, physical demand (PHYS) out of Asia has been moderated in the recent weeks for different reasons.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Bankrate Inc (RATE)
Bankrate, Inc. (Bankrate), incorporated on April 13, 2011, is a publisher, aggregator and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. The Company provides consumers with personal finances editorial content across multiple vertical categories, including mortgages, deposits, insurance, credit cards, and other categories, such as retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. The Company provides financial applications and information to a network of distribution partners and through national and state publications. The Company develops and provides Web services to over 75 co-branded partners, including personal finance sites on the Internet such as Yahoo!, CNN Money, CNBC and Comcast. The Company licenses editorial content to over 100 newspapers on a daily basis, including including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe. The Company offers services, including Mortgages and Home Lending, Deposits, Insurance, Credit Cards and Other financial products, including those related to retirement, tax, auto, and debt management.
The Company online publishing, is the sale of advertising, sponsorships, leads and hyperlinks, and lead generation within its Online Network through Bankrate.com, Interest.com, Bankaholic.com, Mortgage-calc.com, CreditCardGuide.com, Nationwidecardservices.com, Creditcardsearchengine.com, Feedisclosure.com, Insureme.com, Bankrate.com.cn (China), CreditCards.com, Creditcards.ca, Netquote.com, CD.com, CarInsuranceQuotes.com and InsWeb.com. The print publishing and licensing business is primarily engaged in the sale of advertising in the Mortgage Guide and CD & Deposit Guide.
Mortgages and Home Lending
The Company offers information on rates for different types of mortgages, home lending and refinancing options. The Company�� rate information is specific to geographic location and contains nearly 600 local markets, covering all 50 United States. Consumers can customize searches for mor! tgage rates by loan size, maturity, and location through its online portals. The Company also provides original articles that cover topics, such as trends in housing markets and refinancing perspectives to help consumers with their decision making.
Deposits
The Company offers rate information on different deposit products, such as money market accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit. It also provides online analytic tools to help consumers calculate investment value using customized inputs.
Insurance
The Company facilitates a consumer�� ability to receive multiple competitive insurance quotes for auto, business, home, life, health and long-term care based on a single application. It also provides advice and detailed descriptions of insurance terms, aiding consumers in deciding amongst a range of policy options. Insurance quotes can be customized by age, marital status and location. In addition, the Company provides articles on topical subjects, such as recent healthcare reforms, as well as the basics to understanding an insurance policy.
Credit Cards
The Company offers a selection of consumer and business credit and prepaid cards for visitors. It provides detailed credit card information and comparison capabilities, and allows consumers to search for cards that cater to their specific needs. It displays cards by bank or issuer, credit quality, reward program, or card limit. The Company further hosts news and advice on credit card debt and bank policies, as well as tools to estimate credit score and credit card fees.
Other Personal Finance Products
The Company offers information on retirement, taxes, auto, and debt management. The content provided on such topics include 401(k), Social Security, tax deductions and exemptions, auto loans, debt consolidation, and credit risk.
The Company sells leads to insurance agents, insurance carriers and credit card issuers. Its credit c! ard compa! rison marketplace is one of the third party online application sources for all issuers. The Company charges its advertisers on a per-lead basis based on the total number of leads generated for insurance products, and on a per-action basis for credit cards (upon approval or completion of an application). Advertisers that are listed in the Company�� rate tables have the opportunity to hyperlink their listings. In addition, advertisers can buy hyperlinked placement within its qualified insurance listings. It sells its hyperlinks on a per-click pricing model. The Company provides a variety of digital display formats. Its common digital display advertisement sizes are leader boards and banners, which are prominently displayed at the top or bottom of a page, skyscrapers, islands and posters. The Company charges for these advertisements based on the number of times the advertisement is displayed or based on a fixed amount for a campaign.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Goldman Sachs thinks Bankrate must fall�
Our marquee ratings change this morning is Bankrate (NYSE: RATE ) , operator of the website of the same name, and many home shoppers' and credit card customers' go-to site for finding up-to-date rates on financial products. Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to "sell" this morning, and they're not shy about telling you why. - [By Rich Smith]
Meridian Studios, Getty Images It's no great secret that across the nation, insurance premiums are on the rise. Over the past five years, the cost of insuring a home against fire and other casualty has crept up about 10 percent a year -- every year. Health insurance increases, while they've been muted of late, still rose 4 percent this year. But if you think those hikes are steep, get a load of this next one. Congratulations! You're a Father! (Now Open Your Wallet) Kids are expensive. If you're a parent, you know this already. If you're a parent of a kid who hasn't turned 16 just yet, you're on track to get another lesson in how expensive they can be. Because once your offspring passes the driver's test and receive a license to drive from the state, he's going to need to be insured -- and that will cost you an extra $2,000 a year, on average. (By the way, if your kid is getting driver's license, your wallet won't take quite as big a hit, girls being 25 percent less expensive to insure than boys on average. But it'll still be some serious coin.) According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driving is a risky activity for teens. The are more prone to get into accidents -- about four times as likely as older, more experienced drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And traffic accidents are the leading causes of death for Americans ages 16 to 19. Between lives lost and property destroyed, this all makes insurance companies very wary of insuring teen drivers. And when they do agree to insure a teen, they make you pay through the nose. According to a recent report posted on Bankrate.com's (RATE) InsuranceQuotes.com, across both genders, all age categories, and all 50 states, parents pay an average 84 percent more for their car insurance after adding a teen to their policy. Stay Between the (State) Lines Think that's bad? It might get worse. Unless you're fortunate enough to live in a state like North Carolina or Hawaii,
- [By Rich Smith]
Alamy 2013 is turning out to be a banner year for bank customers -- in a bad way. According to a recent survey by personal finance website Bankrate.com (RATE), this year has already seen record highs set for the amounts that banks charge their customers for ATM fees, overdraft fees, and monthly maintenance fees -- just for keeping a bank account open. According to Bankrate's
- [By Rich Smith]
This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include upgrades for both AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX ) and Bankrate (NYSE: RATE ) , but a downgrade for LabCorp Holdings (NYSE: LH ) . Let's dive right in.
Hot Biotech Stocks For 2015: Stage Stores Inc.(SSI)
Stage Stores, Inc. operates as a specialty department store retailer that offers branded and private label apparel, accessories, cosmetics, and footwear for women, men, and children in the United States. The company also offers sportswear, dresses, intimates, home and gift products, outerwear, swimwear, and other products. It primarily focuses on consumers in small and mid-sized markets. The company operates stores under the names of Bealls, Goody?s, Palais Royal, Peebles, and Stage. Stage Stores, Inc. also sells its products through its Web site. As of March 06, 2012, it operated 819 stores in 40 states. Stage Stores, Inc. is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
On Friday, Stage Stores (NYSE: SSI ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Republic Bancorp Inc.(RBCAA)
Republic Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank, which provides banking, tax refund solutions, and mortgage banking services to individuals and businesses in the United States. The company offers a range of deposit products, including demand deposits, money market accounts, brokered and Internet money market accounts, savings deposits, individual retirement accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. It also provides single family residential real estate loans; commercial loans; residential construction real estate loans; and consumer loans, which consists of home improvement and home equity loans, as well as secured and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers private banking services; treasury management services, such as lockbox processing, remote deposit capture, business online banking, account reconciliation, and automated clearing house processing services; Internet banking service s and products through its Website, republicbank.com; and trust, title insurance, and other financial institution related products and services. Further, it provides tax refund solutions that include the payment of federal and state tax refunds through third party tax preparers. The company facilitates the payment of these tax refunds through refund anticipation loans, electronic refund checks, and electronic refund deposits. Its mortgage banking activities comprise origination and sale of loans in the secondary market, and the servicing of loans for others. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 44 banking centers, including 35 located in Kentucky; 5 located in metropolitan Tampa, Florida; 3 located in southern Indiana; and 1 located in metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. Republic Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
In the fourth quarter, he bought 32 new stocks. The largest new buys are: Air Lease (AL), Colfax (CFX) and Republic Bancorp Inc. (RBCAA).
Air Lease (AL)
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOL)
Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GoL) is a low-cost, low-fare airline in the world providing service on routes connecting all of Brazil�� cities and from Brazil to cities in South America and select touristic destinations in the Caribbean. As of March 31, 2010, GoL offered approximately 800 daily flights per day to 61 destinations connecting cities in Brazil, as well as destinations in Argentina, Bolivia, Curacao, Aruba, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. GoL is a holding company, which owns directly or indirectly shares of five subsidiaries: VRG Linhas Aereas S.A. (VRG) and four offshore finance subsidiaries, Gol Finance Cayman and GAC Inc., which owns Sky Finance and Sky Finance II. VRG is the Company�� operating subsidiary, under which it conducts its business. Gol Finance, GAC Inc., Sky Finance and Sky Finance II are off-shore companies established for the purpose of facilitating cross-border general and aircraft financing transactions.
GoL�� passenger transportation services include ticketless travel; online sales, check-in, seat assignment and flight change and cancellation services; online flight status service; Web-enabled cell phone ticket sales and check-in; self check-in at kiosks at designated airports; designated female lavatories; friendly and efficient in-flight service; modern aircraft interiors; quick turnaround times at airport gates; free or discounted shuttle services between airports and drop-off zones on certain routes; buy on board services on certain flights; mobile check-in and boarding pass (100% paperless boarding), and iPhone application for check-in, electronic boarding pass and Smiles account management. On December 31, 2009, the Company had an operational fleet of 108 operational aircraft and a total fleet of 127. As of March 31, 2010, one of its Boeing 767 aircrafts was subleased to a charter company in the United States, one is under final formalization process for a wet lease to a Brazilian company for flights connecting Brazil to! Angola and three are under final stages of negotiation to be chartered to operate intercontinental flights. At December 31, 2009, GoL had a total of 127 aircraft, 94 of which were under operating leases and 33 were under finance leases.
The Company competes with TAM Linhas Aereas S.A.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Gol Linhas A茅reas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL) is a Brazilian airline carrier, as well as a mail and cargo carrier. At $4.65, the 52-week trading range is $2.74 to $7.67.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One airline player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (GOL), through its subsidiaries, engages in the air transportation of passengers, cargo, and mailbags in Latin America. This stock has been hammered by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off by 42%.
If you look at the chart for Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.74 to its recent high of $3.83 a share. During that uptrend, shares of GOL have been mostly making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. Shares of GOL just recently formed a double bottom above its 50-day moving average at $3.57 to $3.55 a share. Shares of GOL are now starting to spike higher above those support levels and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GOL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.83 to $4.14 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.19 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GOL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at its 200-day moving average of $5.30 a share to $6 a share.
Traders can look to buy GOL off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $3.46 a share. One can also buy GOL off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (KGET)
Kleangas Energy Technologies, Inc., incorporated on January 7, 2008, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in designing, manufacturing and selling oxy-hydrogen systems. These systems function by creating oxygen and hydrogen from distilled water through electrolysis and injecting these gases into the mixture of fuel and air used in gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines. In August 2013, the Company acquired a Patent Pending Oxy-Hydrogen Generator Technology for all types of gas and diesel internal combustion engines. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Green Day Technologies, Inc.
The Company designs, develops and markets a range of technologies, including oxy-hydrogen on-demand generators, reverse fuel cells, hydrogen powered devices, welding and cutting systems and other products to deliver a clean gas. The Company�� technology can separate these two basic life giving elements or recombine them into a clean source of gas that can be implemented in a wide variety of applications
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Vision Industries Corp (OTCMKTS: VIIC), Bravo Enterprises Ltd (OTCMKTS: OGNG) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have reported recent news and/or they are being promoted. Of course, it goes without saying that small cap green stocks tend to be more volatile that other types of investments. So will investors and traders alike see some greenbacks from these green stocks? Here is a quick reality check:
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Essential Innovations Technology Corp (OTCBB: ESIV), Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters ��either because they were sinking, because of paid promotions or a combination of both. However, there aren�� many green stocks out there that have actually produced some green for investors in the form of profits. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about all three green small cap stocks to help you decide whether any have the potential for long-term success:
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Monro Muffler Brake Inc.(MNRO)
Monro Muffler Brake, Inc. provides automotive undercar repair and tire services. The company offers a range of services on passenger cars, light trucks, and vans for brakes; mufflers and exhaust systems; and steering, drive train, suspension, and wheel alignment. It also provides other products and services, including tires and routine maintenance services, including state inspections. The company?s maintenance services include oil change, heating and cooling system flush and fill service, belt installation, fuel system service, and a transmission flush and fill service. In addition, it replaces and services batteries, starters, and alternators, as well as offers air conditioning services. As of June 25, 2011, the company had 802 company-operated stores and 3 franchised locations. It operates stores primarily under the Monro Muffler Brake & Service, Tread Quarters Discount Tire, Mr. Tire, Autotire Car Care Center, and Tire Warehouse names in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maine, Illinois, and Missouri. Monro Muffler Brake, Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Monro Muffler Brake (Nasdaq: MNRO ) reported earnings on May 21. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 30 (Q4), Monro Muffler Brake beat expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share. - [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 Monro Muffler Brake (Nasdaq: MNRO ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sapient Corporation(SAPE)
Sapient Corporation helps clients to leverage marketing and technology to transform their businesses in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: SapientNitro, Sapient Global Markets, and Sapient Government Services. The SapientNitro segment offers Web and interactive development, traditional advertising, media planning and buying, strategic planning and marketing analytics, and multi-channel commerce strategy and solutions, including a focus on mobile, and content and asset management strategies and solutions. This segment also provides integrated marketing and creative services, such as visual concept, design, and implementation through multiple media; brand building and direct response programs, audience segmentation, and profiling strategies; customer loyalty strategies; customer relationship strategy and implementation; customer lead generation and management; and integrated advertising campaigns. The Sapient Global Markets segment offers i ntegrated advisory, program management, analytics, technology, and operations services to capital and commodity markets. This segment also provides business and information technology strategy, process and system design, program management, custom development and package implementation, systems integration, and outsourced services to financial services and energy services markets. The Sapient Government Services segment offers digital marketing strategy and execution, program management, solution delivery, strategy, and communications and outreach services, as well as provides consulting, technology, and marketing services to the United States governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. The company serves financial services, technology and communications, consumer, travel, automotive, energy services, government, health, and education sectors. Sapient Corporation was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
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 Sapient (Nasdaq: SAPE ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By CRWE]
Sapient (NASDAQ:SAPE) reportedthat Alan J. Herrick, president and chief executive officer, and Joseph S. Tibbetts, Jr., senior vice president and chief financial officer, will present at the Sanford C. Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference at The Waldorf Astoria in New York on Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. ET.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Telephone and Data Systems Inc.(TDS)
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., a diversified telecommunications service company, provides wireless and wireline telecommunications services in the United States. The company?s wireless services comprise postpaid and prepaid service plans, which consist of voice minutes, messaging, and data services; national consumer plans; business rate plans; smartphone messaging, data, and Internet services to access the Web, e-mail, social network sites, text, picture and video messages, and turn-by-turn GPS navigation, as well as to browse and download various applications; and data services, including news, weather, sports information, games, ring tones, and other services. It provides wireless devices, such as handsets, modems, and tablets; and a range of accessories comprising carrying cases, hands-free devices, batteries, battery chargers, and memory cards, as well as wireless device repair services. The company also offers voice services, including local and long-distance tel ephone service, voice over Internet protocol, voice mail, caller ID, and call forwarding services; broadband services comprising digital subscriber lines and other high-speed Internet data services; network access services; hosted and managed services consisting of co-location, hosting, hosted application management, and cloud computing services; and satellite and terrestrial video services to commercial and residential customers and carriers. In addition, it provides printing and distribution services. As of December 31, 2011, the company served approximately 5.9 million wireless customers and 1.1 million wireline equivalent access lines. It sells its products through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents, as well as through Website and telesales. Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE: TDS ) is phoning home another shareholder payout. The company has declared a dividend for its Q2, which will be $0.1275 per share of its common stock, paid on June 28 to shareholders of record as of June 14. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution that was disbursed at the end of March. Prior to that, the firm paid $0.1225 per share.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch For 2015: Scholastic Corporation(SCHL)
Scholastic Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a children?s publishing, education, and media company primarily in the United States. The company?s Children?s Book Publishing and Distribution segment publishes and distributes children?s books through school-based book clubs and book fairs, ecommerce, and the trade channel in the United States. Its Educational Publishing segment publishes and distributes educational technology products and services, curriculum materials, children?s books and collections, classroom magazines, and print and online reference and non-fiction products for grades pre-K to 12 to schools and libraries in the United States. The company?s Media, Licensing, and Advertising segment creates and produces programming and digital content for various platforms, including television, DVDs, audio, movies, interactive games, applications, and Websites. This segment produces and sells a television library consisting of approximately 50 0 half-hour productions; produces television programming, including the animated series; creates audiovisual adaptations of classic children?s picture books; produces young adult and children?s audio recordings; and creates original and licensed consumer software, including handheld and console products with accessories and mobile applications for grades pre-K to 8. This segment also develops sponsored educational materials and supplementary classroom programs in partnership with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and business organizations; and operates a direct-to-home catalog business specializing in children?s toys. Its International segment publishes and distributes products and services in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, China, Singapore, and other parts of Asia, as well as includes its export and foreign rights businesses. Scholastic Corporation was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Diane Alter]
Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September
Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) announced a 14.8%, or $0.12 per share, increase to its semiannual dividend. The management consulting firm will now pay a semiannual dividend of $0.93. Shares yield 2.53%. Agruim Inc. (NYSE: AGU) boosted its dividend by $1.00 per share to a total dividend of $3.00 on an annualized basis. Shares of the global retailer of agricultural products now sprout a 3.54% yield. Air Industries Group Inc. (NYSE: AIRI) doubled its dividend to $0.125 per share. The maker of airplane and helicopter parts now floats a lofty yield of 6.6%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) upped its dividend 4.6% to $0.68 per quarter for a yield of 4.21%. Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) boosted its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. The parent company of Banner and Islander Bank serves the Pacific Northwest region. Brady Corp. (NYSE: BRC) lifted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.78 per share. It was the 28th straight dividend increase from the identification solutions company. Shares yield 2.57%. Campbell Soup Co. (NSE: CPB) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, up from $0.29. The company last raised its dividend in November 2010. Shares yield a hearty 3.06%. CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC) raised its quarterly dividend 26% to $0.17 per share. It's the largest percentage increase from the Tennessee-based diversified marketer of mobile filtration and packaging products in the last 20 years, and it continues the company's consecutive streak of increasing dividends for the last 30 years. Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.10 per share. Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: FRS) increased its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18. Shares yield 3.10% The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), in a move that suggests good times are ahead, reinstated its dividend at $0.05 per share. Good - [By Roberto Pedone]
Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is children'�s publishing, education, and media company Scholastic (SCHL), which is set to release its numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Scholastic to report revenue $299.70 million on a loss of 68 cents per share.
The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Scholastic is very high at 13.3%. That means that out of the 27.7 million shares in the tradable float, 3.41 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 12.9%, or by about 388,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of SCHL could rip sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.
From a technical perspective, SCHL is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $28.68 on the downside and $31.44 on the upside. Any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a near-term breakout trade for shares of SCHL post-earnings.
If you're in the bull camp on SCHL, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this manages to break out above its 50-day moving average at $30.43 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $31.44 a share high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 170,081 shares. If that breakout hits, then SCHL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $33 to its 52-week high at $34.55 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give SCHL a chance to tag $40 a share.
I would simply avoid SCHL or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fail
- [By Jeremy Bowman]
What: Shares of Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL ) were sliding again today, falling as much as 10% after the company posted another disappointing earnings report.
- [By Dividends4Life]
Scholastic Corporation (SCHL) operates as a children�� publishing, education, and media company in the United States and internationally. Sept. 18, the company increased its dividend 20% to $0.15 per share. The dividend is payable Dec. 16, 2013 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on Oct. 31, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 2.0%.
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