As technology and the Internet of Things advance, our cars are turning into rolling entertainment centers. All of that fun and distraction, of course, means safety is becoming a huge priority for the industry.
Though it seems somewhat counterintuitive, one way to address the safety issue is to make sure the processors driving the infotainment systems are extremely powerful. �After all, if they trouble handling all the applications quickly and flawlessly, that introduces even more distractions to the driver.
NVIDIA�(NASDAQ: NVDA)�believes it's helping in this regard through the sheer power of its new Tegra K1 chip. The new chip mark the first time NVIDIA has brought the Kepler GP architecture to mobile applications. With a 192-core GPU, it's same architecture that runs supercomputers, powerful workstations, and PCs. �
NVIDIA introduced the Tegra K1 at the 2014 International CES earlier this year. Motley Fool analyst Rex Moore was in Las Vegas for CES, and spoke with NVIDIA's Danny Shapiro about the chip and what it will mean for drivers.
Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Vector Group Ltd (VGR)
Vector Group Ltd is a holding company. The Company operates in Tobacco and Real Estate. The Tobacco segment consists of the manufacture and sale of cigarettes. The Real Estate segment includes the Company�� investments in consolidated and non-consolidated real estate businesses. The Company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States through its Liggett Group LLC (Liggett) and Vector Tobacco Inc. (Vector Tobacco) subsidiaries, and the real estate business through its New Valley LLC (New Valley) subsidiary, which is seeking to acquire additional operating companies and real estate properties. New Valley has real estate-related investments, including Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC (Douglas Elliman Realty) (50% interest), New Valley Oaktree Chelsea Eleven LLC (40% interest) and Fifty Third-Five Building LLC (50% interest), Sesto Holdings S.r.L (7.2% interest), MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC (1107 Broadway) (5% interest), NV SOCAL LLC (26% interest) and HFZ East 68th Street (18% interest), where other partners hold interests.
As of February 15, 2012, 52 of the 54 units in the Chelsea Eleven LLC real estate development had been sold. During the year ended December, 31, 2011, New Valley invested in MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC for an approximate indirect 5% interest. In September 2011, MS/WG 1107 Broadway Holdings LLC acquired the 1107 Broadway property in Manhattan, New York. In February 2011, New Valley invested in Lofts 21 LLC for an approximate 12% interest. In October 2011, New Valley invested in Hill Street Partners LLP (Hill) for an approximate 17.39% interest. Hill purchased a 37% interest in Hill Street SEP (Hotel Taiwana), which owns a hotel located in St. Barts, French West Indies. The hotel consists of 30 suites, six pools, a restaurant, lounge and gym. The purpose of the investment is to renovate and the sell the hotel in its entirety or as hotel-condos. In December 2011, New Valley invested in a condominium conversion project for an approximate 1! 8% interest. The building is a 12-story, 105,000 square foot residential rental building located on 68th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Tobacco Operations
Liggett is the operating successor to Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. During 2011, Liggett was a manufacturer of cigarettes in the United States. Liggett�� manufacturing facilities are located in Mebane, North Carolina where it manufactures most of Vector Tobacco�� cigarettes pursuant to a contract manufacturing agreement. As of December 31, 2011, Liggett and Vector Tobacco have no foreign operations. The Company�� tobacco subsidiaries manufacture and sell cigarettes in the United States. Liggett produces cigarettes in approximately 118 combinations of length, style and packaging. Liggett�� brand portfolio includes PYRAMID, GRAND PRIX , LIGGETT SELECT , EVE and USA and various Partner Brands and private label brands.
Liggett Vector Brands LLC (LVB), which coordinates its tobacco subsidiaries��sales and marketing efforts, along with certain support functions, has an agreement with Circle K Stores, Inc., which operates more than 3,300 convenience stores in the United States under the Circle K and Mac�� names, to supply MONTEGO, a deep discount brand, exclusively for the Circle K and Mac�� stores. The MONTEGO brand was offered under LVB's Partner Brands program. LVB also has an agreement with Sunoco Inc., which operates approximately 675 Sunoco APlus branded convenience stores in the United States, to manufacture SILVER EAGLE. SILVER EAGLE, a deep discount brand, is exclusive to Sunoco and was the second brand to be offered under LVB's Partner Brands program. Liggett also manufactures BRONSON cigarettes as part of a multi-year Partner Brands agreement with QuikTrip, a convenience store chain with more than 580 stores.
New Valley LLC
New Valley is engaged in the real estate business and is seeking to acquire additional real estate properties an! d operati! ng companies. New Valley owns a 50% interest in Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC, which operates residential brokerage company in the New York City metropolitan area. New Valley also holds an investment in a 450-acre approved master planned community in Palm Springs, California (Escena), holds investment interests in various real estate projects in Manhattan, New York, southern California and Milan, Italy through both debt and equity investments.
Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC
Douglas Elliman Realty is engaged in the real estate brokerage business through its two subsidiaries which conduct business as Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate. The two brokerage companies have 62 offices with approximately 3,975 real estate agents in the metropolitan New York area. The Long Island brokerage operation, is the residential brokerage company on Long Island with 44 offices and approximately 1,850 real estate agents. During 2011, the Long Island brokerage operation closed approximately 6,163 transactions. Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate acts as a broker in residential real estate transactions.
Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate also offers relocation services to employers, which provide a variety of specialized services primarily concerned with facilitating the resettlement of transferred employees. These services include sales and marketing of transferees��existing homes for their corporate employer, assistance in finding homes, moving services, educational and school placement counseling, customized videos, property marketing assistance, rental assistance, area tours, international relocation, group move services, marketing and management of foreclosed properties, career counseling, spouse/partner employment assistance, and financial services. Clients can select these programs and services on a fee basis according to their needs. DE Capital Mortgage LLC primarily originates loans for purchases of properties located on Long Island, New York City and Westchester. Approx! imately o! ne-half of these loans are for home sales transactions, in which Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate acts as a broker.
Douglas Elliman Realty is also engaged in the management of cooperatives, condominiums and apartments though its subsidiary, Residential Management Group, LLC, which conducts business as Douglas Elliman Property Management and is a manager of apartments, cooperatives and condominiums in the New York metropolitan area. Residential Management Group provides service third-party fee management for approximately 350 properties, representing approximately 47,000 units in New York
The Company competes with Philip Morris USA Inc., Reynolds America Inc., Lorillard Tobacco Company, Commonwealth Brands, Inc., Century-21, ERA, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, GMAC Home Services and NRT LLC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By alicet236]
Vector Group Ltd. (VGR): President and CEO Howard M Lorber sold 300,000 Shares
President and CEO of Vector Group, Ltd. (VGR) Howard M Lorber sold 300,000 shares on Dec. 19 at an average price of $16.3. Vector Group Ltd. is a Delaware Corporation. It operates as a holding company and is engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States through its subsidiaries, Liggett Group LLC and Vector Tobacco Inc. Vector Group. It has a market cap of $1.55 billion; its shares were traded at around $16.38 with and P/S ratio of 1.44. The dividend yield of Vector Group stocks is 9.54%. Vector Group Ltd. had an annual average earnings growth of 15.60% over the past 10 years.
- [By Dan Dzombak]
Vector Group (NYSE: VGR ) is the third-highest-yielding dividend stock in June with a trailing yield of 9.9%. The company has two main businesse: tobacco and real estate. The company manufactures and sells cigarettes through its Liggett Group and Vector Tobacco subsidiaries under the Pyramid, Grand Prix, Liggett Select, and Eve brands. The company is the fourth-largest cigarette manufacturer in the U.S. behind giants Altria (NYSE: MO ) , Lorillard, and Reynolds American. There are some advantages to being small. Vector has a cost advantage stemming from the settlement between Vector and the U.S.: The company does not have to make annual payments unless its market share exceeds 1.65% of the U.S. market. As such, the company positions its brands as discount cigarettes to capitalize on its advantage.
- [By Sean Williams]
But, it isn't just Lorillard's premium brands that are doing the talking! Lorillard's discount brands, such as Maverick and Old Gold, are giving discount-only brand Vector Group (NYSE: VGR ) , as well as traditionally bigger tobacco producers Altria and Reynolds American a run for their money. This helped push Lorillard's overall cigarette market share up 0.4% year over year to 14.9%. Not surprisingly, Lorillard has delivered market share increases in each of the past 10 years!�
- [By Alex Planes]
At the time of the breakup, the American Tobacco Trust controlled or held significant interests in 65 subsidiary companies in the United States, as well as two British companies. These interests were eventually separated into 14 different tobacco companies, of which four became an American tobacco oligopoly to replace the monopoly: R. J. Reynolds (now Reynolds American), Liggett and Myers (now Vector Group (NYSE: VGR ) ), Lorillard (NYSE: LO ) , and a diminished American Tobacco.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Luxottica Group SpA (LUX)
Luxottica Group S.p.A. (Luxottica), incorporated in 1961, is an Italy-based company engaged in the design, manufacture and distribution of prescription frames and sunglasses in the mid-and premium-price categories. It operates in two segments: manufacturing and wholesale distribution and retail distribution. Through its manufacturing and wholesale distribution segment, it is engaged in the design, manufacture, wholesale distribution and marketing of house and designer lines of mid-to premium-priced prescription frames and sunglasses. The Company operates its retail segment principally through its retail brands, which include, among others, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical and its Licensed Brands (Sears Optical and Target Optical), as well as through the retail brands of its business, Oakley, which include, among others, Oakley O Stores and Vaults, David Clulow e nel segmento Licensed Brand. Among its subsidiaries there are: Air Sun, Bazooka Inc, David Clulow Brighton Ltd and Ecotop Pty Ltd.
In May 2010, the Company acquired a 35.16% interest held by minority stockholders in Luxottica Gozluk Endustri ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, (Luxottica Turkey). On July 30, 2010, Luxottica acquired a 34% interest held by minority stockholders in Sunglass Hut (UK) Limited. On November 26, 2010, it acquired the Optifashion Australia Pty Limited group from HAL Optical Investments B.V. The acquisition included 47 corporate stores (40 optical and seven sun) and nine franchises, trading under brands including Just Spectacles. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of the David Clulow chain, bringing its ownership in the subsidiary to 100%. Luxottica�� house brands include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Arnette, Persol, REVO, Vogue, Oliver Peoples, K&L, Luxottica, Mosley Tribes, Sferoflex and Eye Safety Systems (ESS). Its licensed designer brands include Anne Klein, Brooks Brothers, Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, D&G, Donna Karan, DKNY, Fox, Miu ! Miu, Paul Smith, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Tiffany & Co, Tory Burch and Versace. Polo Ralph Lauren includes Chaps, Polo, Ralph and Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Product design, development and manufacturing takes place in six production facilities in Italy, two wholly owned factories in China and two sports sunglasses production facilities in the United States. Luxottica also has a small plant in India serving the local market.
During 2010, the Company produced approximately 56.6 million units. In North America, the Company operates the points of sale for its Licensed Brands, with over 1,140 stores under the Sears Optical and Target Optical brands. During 2010, it distributed approximately 20.4 million prescription frames and approximately 38.4 million sunglasses, in approximately 5,900 different styles. During 2010, it announced the signing of a license agreement with Coach, Inc. (Coach) for the design, manufacturing and global distribution of sun and prescription eyewear under the Coach, Coach Poppy and Reed Krakoff brands. Essilor S.A. (Essilor) is the supplier of the Company�� retail operations.
Luxottica�� distribution system is globally integrated and supplied by a centralized manufacturing programming platform. The network linking the logistics and sales centers to the production facilities in Italy and China also provides daily monitoring of global sales performance and inventory levels so that manufacturing resources can be programmed and warehouse stocks re-allocated to meet local market demand. This integrated system serves both the retail and wholesale businesses with 18 distribution centers worldwide, of which eight are in the Americas, seven are in the Asia-Pacific region and three are in the rest of the world. It has three main distribution centers (hubs) in locations serving its markets: Sedico in Europe, Atlanta in the Americas and Dongguan in the Asia-Pacific region. They operate as centralized facilities, offering custo! mers a au! tomated order management system. During 2010, it managed over 13,500 orders per day, including eyeglasses and spare parts. Sedico ships over 170,000 units daily to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and to its distribution centers in the rest of the world, from which they are then shipped to local customers.
Wholesale Distribution
The Company�� wholesale distribution network, covering 130 countries across five continents, has 18 logistics centers and 42 commercial subsidiaries providing direct operations in key markets. Luxottica also distributes certain brands, including Oakley, to sporting goods stores and specialty sports stores, including bike, surf, snow, skate, golf and motor sports stores.
Retail Distribution
The retail portfolio offers a range of differentiation points for consumers, including the latest in designer and sun frames, lens options, eye care and everyday vision care health benefits. As of March 31, 2011, the Company�� retail business consisted of 5,911 corporate stores and 514 franchised or licensed locations. In its retail sun business, Luxottica operates over 2,480 retail locations in North America, Asia-Pacific, South Africa, Europe and the Middle East, mainly through the Sunglass Hut brand. Luxottica�� retail stores sells not only prescription frames and sunglasses that it manufactures but also a range of prescription frames, lenses and other ophthalmic products manufactured by other companies. During 2010, units manufactured with its brand names or its licensed brands represented approximately 80.2% of the total sales of frames based on units sold by the retail division.
Luxottica�� optical retail operations are anchored by brands, such as LensCrafters and Pearle Vision in North America, and OPSM, Laubman & Pank and Budget Eyewear, which are available in Australia and New Zealand. It also has a retail presence in China, where the Company operates in the eyewear market with LensCrafters. As of ! March 31,! 2011, the Company�� optical retail business consisted of approximately 3,650 retail locations globally. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a retail network of 1,191 LensCrafters stores, of which 989 are in North America and 202 stores are in China and Hong Kong. LensCrafters stores offer a range of selection of prescription frames and sunglasses, mostly made by Luxottica, in addition to a range of lenses and optical products made by other suppliers. LensCrafters' products include lenses, such as FeatherWates (lightweight, thin and impact-resistant lenses), DURALENS (super scratch-resistant lenses), Advanced View Progressive (free-form, digitally surfaced progressive lenses), Invisibles (anti-reflective lenses) and MVP Maximum View Progressives (multi-focal lenses without visible lines).
Pearle Vision is a optical retail chain in North America. As of March 31, 2011, Pearle Vision operated 330 corporate stores and had 350 franchise locations throughout North America. The Company also operates a network of retail locations in North America operating as Sears Optical and Target Optical, its Licensed Brands, which uses the brand names of their respective American department store. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 828 Sears Optical and 323 Target Optical locations throughout North America. OPSM includes three optical chains that it operates in Australia and New Zealand. In July 2010, the brand launched its new flagship store OPSM Eye Hub and in September 2010, the brand launched its new OPSM Loves Eyes marketing campaign. As of March 31, 2011, the Company owned 357 OPSM corporate stores throughout Australia. OPSM also has 43 corporate-owned stores in New Zealand, mainly in large urban areas.
Laubman & Pank focuses on the independent optical shopper looking for eyecare and service. As of March 31, 2011, Luxottica owned 65 Laubman & Pank corporate stores throughout Australia. As of March 31, 2011, the Company owned 92 Budget Eyewear corporate stores throughout Australia and had nine! franchis! e locations. Budget Eyewear also has 14 corporate stores in New Zealand. EyeMed Vision Care is a managed vision care operators in the United States, serving over 28.5 million members in large and medium size companies and government entities and through insurance companies. EyeMed has a network of over 24,000 locations, including opticians, ophthalmologists, optometrists and chains operated by Luxottica. Together with LensCrafters' over 900 in-store labs, Luxottica operates five central lens finishing labs in North America. In addition, it operates Oakley optical lens laboratories in the United States, Ireland and Japan. As of March 31, 2011, Sunglass Hut had 2,385 stores worldwide, of which 2,329 are corporate stores and 56 are franchise locations. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated approximately 590 Sunglass Hut departments in Macy's.
ILORI is Luxottica's fashion sunwear retail brand, with 24 stores in North America, as of March 31, 2011, including flagship stores in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City and in Beverly Hills, California. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated 24 Optical Shop of Aspen stores in locations throughout the United States. Luxottica operates six luxury retail stores under the Oliver Peoples brand. The Oliver Peoples brand retail stores only offer Oliver Peoples, Mosley Tribes and Paul Smith branded optical products. Two additional Oliver Peoples retail locations are operated under license in Tokyo and Los Angeles. In Europe, it operates David Clulow, an optical retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. As of March 31, 2011, David Clulow operated 39 corporate-owned locations (including nine joint ventures), four franchise locations and 36 sun stores/concessions. As of March 31, 2011, Bright Eyes operated 51 corporate store locations and 73 franchise locations. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated 159 Oakley O Stores and Vaults worldwide, offering a range of Oakley products, including sunglasses, apparel, footwear and accessories. An! other sal! es channel is e-commerce, including the Oakley and the Ray-Ban Websites (www.oakley.com, www.Ray-Ban.com).
The Company competes with De Rigo S.p.A., Marchon Eyewear, Inc., Marcolin S.p.A., Safilo Group S.p.A., Silhouette International Schmied AG, Maui Jim, Inc., Wal-Mart, Eye Care Centers of America, Vision Service Plan (VSP), Davis Vision and Spectera.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By shash63]
While analysts might say that Google Glass is not an imminent driver for Himax, but over the long run, it is one of its most important drivers. Google recently entered into a pact with Luxottica (LUX), the maker of Ray-Ban and Oakley brand of sunglasses. Through this deal, Google will be able to sell its Glass as a fashion accessory to a wide range of consumers around the world with the help of Luxottica�� retail network.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
First up is $25 billion eyewear stock Luxottica Group (LUX). Luxottica has posted some solid performance year-to-date, rallying more than 28% since the calendar flipped over to January. But this stock looks downright toxic right now. Here's why.
Luxottica is currently forming a bearish price setup called a descending triangle. The pattern is formed by a horizontal support level below shares at $51 and downtrending resistance to the topside. As shares bounce between those two technically significant price levels, LUX is getting squeezed closer to a breakdown below that $51 price floor. When that happens, we've got our sell signal in this fashion stock.
Declining volume over the course of the setup in LUX adds some confirmation to the trade, but the downtrend in relative strength is the real problem in this chart. LUX has been underperforming the broad market horrifically in the last quarter, and a move through the $51 level would sap a lot more buying pressure from shares.
If you still own LUX, look for that sell signal as your exit.
- [By Holly LaFon]
Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s CIO Howard Ward likes Luxottica (LUX), Novo Nordisk (NOVO), Diageo (DEO), Apple (AAPL) and CVS (CVS).
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- [By Victor Selva]
The company has a very attractive current ratio of 33.03% which is higher than its comps: Becton Dickinson & Co (BDX), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH), Cooper Companies (COO) and Luxottica Group S.p.A. (LUX).
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Bowl America Inc (BWL.A)
Bowl America Incorporated, incorporated in July 22, 1958, is engaged in the entertainment business. The Company operates in one segment. Its principal source of revenue consists of fees charged for the use of bowling lanes and other facilities and from the sale of food and beverages for consumption on the premises. Merchandise sales, including food and beverages, were approximately 30% of operating revenues. The balance of operating revenues (approximately 70%) represents fees for bowling and related services. During the fiscal year ended July, 1 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries operated 19 bowling centers. These 19 bowling centers contain a total of 756 lanes. As of September 1, 2012 the Company and its subsidiaries operated 10 bowling centers in the greater metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., one bowling center in the metropolitan area of Baltimore, Maryland, one bowling center in Orlando, Florida, three bowling centers in the metropolitan area of Jacksonville, Florida, and four bowling centers in the metropolitan area of Richmond, Virginia.
These establishments are air-conditioned with facilities for service of food and beverages, game rooms, rental lockers, and meeting room facilities. All centers provide shoes for rental, and bowling balls are provided free. In addition, each center retails bowling accessories. Most locations are equipped for glow-in-the-dark bowling, popular for parties and non-league bowling. The bowling equipment essential for the Company's operation is readily available. Two of the Company's bowling centers are located in leased premises, and the remaining seventeen centers are owned by the Company.
The Company competes with Brunswick Corporation and AMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Fredrik Arnold]
The balance of the top ten included one technology firm, AT&T Inc. (T) in fourth place; one consumer goods, Altria Group Inc. (MO), placed fifth; Bowl America Class A (BWL.A) in seventh place was the lone service dog. Two utilities, Northwest Natural Gas (NWN), and Consolidated Edison (ED), in ninth and tenth places completed the representation of market sectors in the champions index.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Tableau Software Inc (DATA)
Tableau Software, Inc., incorporated on July 19, 2004, is a computer software company. The Company�� products are used by people across all kinds of organizations, including Fortune 500 corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, government agencies, universities, research institutions and non-profits. Organizations employ its products in a range of use cases, such as increasing sales, streamlining operations, improving customer service, managing investments, assessing quality and safety, studying and treating diseases, completing academic research, addressing environmental problems and improving education. The Company�� product helps a single user on a laptop analyze data from a simple spreadsheet, or to enable thousands of users across an enterprise to execute queries against databases.
The Company�� technology includes VizQL and its Hybrid Data Architecture. VizQL, translates drag-and-drop actions into data queries and then expresses that information visually. VizQL unifies the formerly disparate tasks of query and visualization and allows users to transform questions into pictures without the need for software scripts, chart wizards or dialogue boxes that inhibit speed and flexibility. The Company�� Hybrid Data Architecture combines the power and flexibility of its Live Query and In-Memory Data Engines. The Company�� Live Query Engine allows users to instantaneously connect to volumes of data in its existing format and location, reducing the need for time-consuming data transformation processes that only technical specialists can perform. In addition, this capability allows customers to leverage investments in their existing data platforms and to capitalize on the capabilities of high performance databases. The Company�� In-Memory Data Engine enables users to import amounts of data into its own in-memory database.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
In addition, the IPO of Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA ) has returned attention to the sector. With Tableau having gained 64% on its first day of trading, investors clearly have strong expectations for the company, which specializes in data visualization. In particular, Tableau has gross margins that put even Splunk's near-90% figures to shame, and if Tableau can retain that advantage, it could pose a long-term threat to Splunk.
- [By Tim Beyers]
Tableau Software (NYSE: DATA ) , one of this year's most exciting new IPOs, burst onto the scene with two straight days of surging stock prices. There's much to like about the business of data visualization, so keep an eye on this stock.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Tableau Software (DATA) provides various business analytics software products in the U.S., Canada and internationally. This stock closed up 3.1% at $76.20 in Friday's trading session.
Friday's Volume: 2.76 million
Three-Month Average Volume: 1.20 million
Volume % Change: 185%From a technical perspective, DATA popped notably higher here right above some near-term support at $72.05 with above-average volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month and change, with shares moving lower from its high of $102.37 to its recent low of $72.05. During that downtrend, shares of DATA have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of DATA have now started to move into oversold territory, since its current relative strength index reading is 32.03. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can make a powerful rebound higher from.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in DATA as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $72.05 or above its 200-day moving average of $70.13 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $76.20 with volume that this near or above 1.20 million shares. If that move gets underway soon, then DATA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $80 to its 50-day moving average of $87.22.
- [By Lauren Pollock]
Tableau Software Inc.'s(DATA) third-quarter profit increased more than sixfold driven by another surge in revenue. Revenue jumped 90% to $61.1 million in the quarter as the company reported growth in customer accounts. Shares of Tableau rose 10% to $69.50 premarket as the results beat expectations.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: RLJ Lodging Trust(RLJ)
RLJ Lodging Trust is an independent equity real estate investment trust. The firm also manages real estate funds. It invests in the real estate markets of the United States. The firm primarily invests in premium-branded, focused service, and compact full-service hotels. RLJ Lodging Trust was launched in 2000 and is domiciled in Bethesda, Maryland.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Markus Aarnio]
American Hotel Income Properties' competitors include Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT), RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ), and Hersha Hospitality Trust (HT).
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Portlogic Systems Inc (PGSY)
Portlogic Systems Inc. (Portologic), incorporated on June 22, 2004, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in developing and licensing portal software products and related services. The Company operates six divisions, including m2Meet, m2Bank (Mobile to Bank), m2Market, m2Ticket, m2Kiosk and m2Workflow. The Company has developed a product that it licensed to its customers to enable them to operate their own online social networking portal without requiring any technical programming or Website design skills. The Company licenses portal software products and provide custom software programming services to customers who license its products. The Company�� portal software products are designed to enable customers to administer a ��ortal��that can be accessed online by other users. Each type of portal that it licenses to customers has a standard pre-programmed functional framework along with content and appearance customized according to the customer�� particular requirements. The Company�� customers retain ownership rights over any content that they provide to customize their portal. On June 18, 2012, Portlogic incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, VOIP 1, Inc.
The Company hosts the portal software licensed to its customers on the Company�� own servers. The Company�� portal software products include an online administration interface which its customers can use to manage the functionality, appearance, and content of their portal, such as what users are able to see and do when they visit the portal. As a result, customers that license its software can operate their online portal using only a personal computer and Internet connection. They do not need to have any programming knowledge, additional software, hosting capabilities, or additional hardware.
The Company also offers, in exchange for additional licensing fees, plug-in products that can provide additional functions to the basic portal software licensed by the Company�� customers. The Company eithe! r owns the plug-ins or licenses them from third parties. The Company offers one fully developed portal software product. This product is an online social networking system marketed to entrepreneurs who wish to operate their own online social networking or dating business. The Company markets this product through one of its Websites, at www.internetdatingsoftware.com.
The m2Meet is a community networking software solution, being developed from its Web based source code. m2Bank is a financial transactions system that facilitates bill payments, money transfers, and account management. The m2Market is a mobile marketing solutions, including a Bluetooth push technology that is used to deliver marketing materials to mobile phones. The m2Ticket is a mobile ticketing sales engine, which manages the sale and delivery of tickets through mobile phones for the transportation and entertainment industry. The m2Kiosk is a line of standard and custom kiosks hardware and software which integrates with mobile phone applications in the marketing, financial, and ticketing industries. Its m2Workflow is a customer relations management (CRM) on mobile phones for service industries.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Muscle Warfare International (OTCMKTS: MWAR), Portlogic Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: PGSY) and Sterling Consolidated Corp (OTCBB: STCC) were all the subject of a few paid promotions as recently as last week but they sure did not start the new week out right because all were sinking on Monday. So are these small cap stocks that are either the subject of promotions or investor awareness campaigns hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Northwest Natural Gas Company(NWN)
Northwest Natural Gas Company stores and distributes natural gas primarily in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company operates in two segments, Local Gas Distribution and Gas Storage. The Local Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Oregon and southwest Washington. The Local Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Oregon and southwest Washington. This segment engages in building and maintaining pipeline distribution system, purchasing gas from producers and marketers, contracting for the transportation of gas over pipelines from the supply basins to service territory, and reselling the gas to customers. It also transports gas owned by customers from the interstate pipeline connection, or city gate, to the customers? facilities. This segment serves various industries, including pulp, paper, and other forest products; companies manufacturing electronic, electrochemical, and electrometallurgical products; companies engaged in processing of fa rm and food products; metal fabrication and casting companies; organizations that produce various mineral products, machine tools, machinery, and textiles; companies that manufacture asphalt, concrete, and rubber; printing and publishing companies; nurseries; government and educational institutions; and electric generation companies. It has approximately 674,000 utility customers comprising approximately 611,000 residential, 62,000 commercial, and 1,000 industrial customers. The Gas Storage segment offers underground natural gas storage services to interstate and intrastate customers. It holds interests in approximately 9,900 net acres of underground natural gas storage in Oregon and approximately 5,000 net acres of underground natural gas storage in California. This segment serves primarily natural gas distribution, electric generation, and energy marketing companies. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Fredrik Arnold]
The balance of the top ten included one technology firm, AT&T Inc. (T) in fourth place; one consumer goods, Altria Group Inc. (MO), placed fifth; Bowl America Class A (BWL.A) in seventh place was the lone service dog. Two utilities, Northwest Natural Gas (NWN), and Consolidated Edison (ED), in ninth and tenth places completed the representation of market sectors in the champions index.
