At Tier 1 Investments, I seek out and invest in elite businesses. These include companies with the most valuable brands, best management, superior products and services, and strongest competitive advantages.
You may have heard your friends refer to Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM ) as "whole paycheck," in reference to its high prices. Whether that's a bad rap or not, perceptions can damage a brand. But can the grocery stalwart clear out this bruised fruit without getting into a defensive price-war?
It's hard to believe that a grocery store could book investors more than 30 times their initial investment, but that's just what Whole Foods has done for those who saw the organic trend coming some 20 years ago. However, it may not be too late to participate in the long-term growth of this organic foods powerhouse. In this brand-new premium report on the company, we walk through the key must-know items for every Whole Foods investor, including the main opportunities and threats facing the company. So make sure to claim your copy today by clicking here.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Hauppauge Digital Inc.(HAUP)
Hauppauge Digital Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of analog and digital TV tuner products for the personal computer (PC) market in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. It offers video recorder products, such as USB-Live2, a standard definition video recorder used to record video tapes and other types of video into a PC; HD PVR, a high-definition video recorder for making real-time H.264 compressed video recordings at resolutions up to 1080i, and to record old home video tapes into an AVCHD format; and Colossus to record high definition video from a cable TV or satellite set top box, or an Xbox 360 or Sony playstation 3 game console. The company also provides TV receivers, including Broadway that connects to a TV signal and then transmits that TV signal through a Wi-Fi network or the Internet; analog TV tuners to enable a PC user to watch analog cable TV in a resizable window; digital TV receivers and hybrid analog/digital TV receivers, which allow a PC user to watch digital television in a resizable window on a PC or laptop screen; and PCTV TV tuner products that allow users to view television programming on their computers. In addition, it offers non-TV tuner products comprising WinTV application, a PC-based TV watching, pause, and recoding application; WinTV Extend software product, a PC-based Internet video server that streams live TV or other video content to remote devices; Impact video capture board for PC-based video conferencing and video capture in industrial applications; MediaMVP-HD, a Linux-based digital media device that links TV sets and PCs; and MediaMVP to watch and listen to PC-based videos, music, and pictures on a TV set through a home network, as well as provides an on-TV-screen display of media directory listings. The company sells its products through retailers, PC manufacturers, and distributors. Hauppauge Digital Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Hauppauge Digital (NASDAQ: HAUP) shares fell 8.70% to touch a new 52-week low of $0.42. Hauppauge Digital shares have dropped 61.02% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 18.17% in the same period.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Myers Industries Inc.(MYE)
Myers Industries, Inc. manufactures and distributes polymer products for the industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial, and consumer markets primarily in the North, Central, and South America. It operates in four segments: Material Handling, Lawn and Garden, Engineered Products, and Distribution. The Material Handling segment offers plastic reusable material handling containers, and pallets and bins, as well as metal shelving, cabinets, and racking systems primarily under the Buckhorn and Akro-Mils brand names for automotive, appliance, general industrial/manufacturing, distribution, agriculture, retail, and food processing markets. The Lawn and Garden segment provides injection-molded and thermoformed pots, hanging baskets, flats and carry trays, plug trays, nursery containers, propagation sheets, and specialty pots under the Dillen, ITML, Pro Cal, Listo, Planters? Pride, and Akro-Mils Lawn & Garden brand names for the horticultural container needs of the floricult ure/horticulture market. Its customers include professional growers, greenhouses, nurseries, retail garden centers, mass merchandisers, and consumers. The Engineered Products segment offers engineered plastic and rubber original equipment and replacement parts, tire repair materials, and custom rubber and plastic components and materials under the Ameri-Kart, Patch Rubber, and WEK brand names. This segment serves the automotive, recreational vehicle and marine, construction and agriculture equipment, healthcare, and transportation markets. The Distribution segment distributes tools, equipment, and supplies used for tire, wheel, and undervehicle service on passenger, heavy truck, and off-road vehicles. It offers products under the Myers Tire Supply and Myers Tire Supply International brands to independent tire dealers, mass merchandisers, commercial auto and truck fleets, tire retreaders, and general repair facilities. Myers Industries, Inc. was founded in 1933 and is headqua rtered in Akron, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of Myers Industries (NYSE: MYE ) jumped as much as 12% today after the company reported second-quarter earnings.
So what: Sales jumped 13% to $204 million and net income was up 47% to $8.3 million, or $0.25 per share. Analysts were only expecting $198.1 million in revenue and $0.21 in earnings, so the results were much more than investors had hoped for. �
- [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 Myers Industries (NYSE: MYE ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Best Telecom Stocks To Own Right Now: 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 Daniel Cook]
If you are partial to Canadians, or just a little nervous about securing your gold, Sprott Physical Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: PHYS ) is another viable option. Gold is stored at the Royal Canadian Mint, and I think monthly dusting and shining of the bars is included in Sprott's 0.42% management fee.
- [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.
- [By Daniel Gibbs]
Gold trusts and ETFs
One of the easiest ways to profit off of a rising gold price is to buy shares in one of the various exchange-traded gold trusts. These are essentially closed-end funds that own physical gold bullion located in a vault. Each share of the trust represents a fractional ownership share of the physical bullion in the vault. Thus, these trusts could be an easy way to purchase gold exposure directly on an exchange. One example of a trust like this is the�Sprott Physical Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: PHYS ) . - [By Cameron Swinehart]
Going forward I will be looking to add investments on my watchlist and trim other positions. It will be interesting to see how an overweight commodity portfolio will perform relative to the rest of the market.
Cost Basis# SharesCurrent Price% of PortfolioCurrent ValueReturnMetal/Miners Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)$12.4985$11.043.75%$938.40-13.13%Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV)$7.95125$8.744.37%$1,092.509.04%FreePort-McMoran (FCX)$31.6731$33.874.20%$1,049.976.50%Ishares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING)$13.0695$10.644.04%$1,010.80-22.74%Energy Statoil ASA(STO)$21.7940$22.683.63%$907.203.92%Vanguard Natural Resources LLC (VNR)$27.5636$27.874.01%$1,003.321.11%ConocoPhillips (COP)$63.6822.43$71.006.37%$1,592.5310.31%Agriculture CVR Partner LP (UAN)$26.3630.9$18.932.34%$584.94-39.25%Adecoagro$6.78125$7.443.72%$930.008.87%Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM)$34.8030$37.244.47%$1,117.206.55%Mixed Commodity Powershares DB Commodity Index (DBC)$26.3540$25.954.15%$1,038.00-1.54%Sprott Resource Corp$3.34400$2.714.34%$1,084.00-23.25% Total % of portfolio49.40% Cost Basis12,666.00 Current Value12,348.86 Return-2.50% Source: Investing For The Future Surge In Commodity PricesDisclosure: I am long ADM, FCX, UAN, AGRO, RING, VNR, SCPZF.PK, COP, DBC, PHYS, PSLV. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Nortel Inversora SA ADR(NTL)
Nortel Inversora S.A., through its subsidiary, Telecom Argentina S.A., provides telecommunication services in Argentina and Paraguay. It offers voice, data, and Internet services that include local area, national long-distance, and international communications; supplementary services comprising call waiting, itemized invoicing, and voicemail; interconnection with other operators; data transmission consisting of private networks, point-to-point traffic, radio, and TV signal transmission; outsourcing of IT solutions; and Internet services. The company also provides wireless services, including high-speed wireless, videoconferencing, full track download, multimedia messaging, online streaming, corporate mailing, and BlackBerry solutions over various networks; and involves in the sale of wireless communication devices, such as cellular phones, 3G modems, 3G hotspots, wireless Internet, and netbooks. Nortel Inversora S.A. was founded in 1990 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argent ina.
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 Nortel Inversora (NYSE: NTL ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [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 Nortel Inversora (NYSE: NTL ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Uranerz Energy Corp (URZ)
Uranerz Energy Corporation (Uranerz), incorporated on May 26, 1999, is a uranium company focused on commercial in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium production. The Company is principally focused on the development of its properties in the Powder River Basin area into commercial ISR uranium mines. The Company operates in two segments: Arkose Mining Venture (Arkose) and the Company�� remaining operations. Its Wyoming properties, all in the Powder River Basin, totaling 87,414 acres include 100% owned properties, totaled 25,261 acres as of December 31, 2011, and properties of Arkose Mining Venture, in which it held an 81% interest, totaling 62,153 acres as of December 31, 2011. As of December 31, 2011, a total of 380 drill holes were completed on Powder River Basin properties, representing approximately 288,404 feet of drilling at an average depth of 755 feet per hole. The Arkose Mining Venture properties consist of unpatented mineral lode claims, state leases and fee (private) mineral leases.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� Powder River Basin properties include both its 100% owned properties and those properties included within the Arkose Mining Venture. These principal properties comprise in total approximately 87,414 acres and consist of a combination of federal mining claims, state mineral leases and private fee mineral leases. Its 100% owned properties in the Powder River Basin include Jane Dough, Collins Draw, North Rolling Pin, Hank, Nichols Ranch, Willow Creek, West North-Butte, East Nichols and North Nichols.
The Company had interests in several projects that lie within the Powder River Basin but outside of the project areas. These properties include the Verna Ann, Niles Ranch, Reno Creek, and South Reno Creek projects which cover approximately 1,694 acres. Within the Nichols Ranch Unit, Uranerz had 36 unpatented lode mining claims, two fee surface and mineral leases and one surface use agreement. Within the Hank Unit, it had 66 unpatented lode mining claims, two fe! e surface and mineral leases and one surface use agreement. The Hank Unit permit boundary encompasses approximately 2,250 acres.
The West North-Butte property covers approximately 1,960 acres of land and consists of 125 unpatented lode mining claims and one surface use agreement. The east portion of the West North-Butte property covers approximately 325 acres of land and is consists of 17 unpatented lode mining claims and one surface use agreement. The Willow Creek property covers approximately 220 acres of land and is consists of 11 unpatented lode mining claims and one surface use agreement.
The Arkose Mining Venture properties consist of unpatented lode mining claims, fee mineral leases, and state mineral leases. The land surface consists of private, federal and state lands. There are 2,641 unpatented lode mining claims included in the Arkose Property, which comprise 43,207 acres and 65 fee mineral leases and three state leases included in the Arkose Property which comprise 18,946 acres.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
You know, were it just Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE) or just Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG) or just Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ) making a decided bullish move, I might be able to dismiss it. Similarly, if URZ had only been moving higher for one or two days (or only URG or only URRE), it might be easy to not be impressed. Neither of those situations has been the actual case, however. All three stocks have been moving upward for several days now, quite a bit, on noticeably higher volume. There's something "going on", as it were, and if prior group-wide movements are any clue, it's the kind of move worth tapping into.
- [By James E. Brumley]
Well, I'll give myself an A for effort, but a C- for timing. But, I can bump that C- up to a B+ if my intuition is right as we head into the last few days of 2013 and the first few of 2014. What I'm talking about is a bullish commentary I penned back on November 26th regarding Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ), Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE), and Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG). All three stocks were perking up, and more than that, the buzz surrounding URG, URRE, and URZ was getting louder. More often than not, when the fervor and bullish action and chatter reaches the levels they had reached a month ago, an explosion is right around the corner.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
If you listened to my bullish calls from December 27th and/or February 24th about Uranerz Energy Corp. (NYSEMKT:URZ), Uranium Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ:URRE), and Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT:URG), then congratulations - you're now up as much as 50%, depending on when you stepped into a trade, and which stock you chose. Now get out. See, as well as URZ and URG have done and are doing (URRE not so much), it looks like the short-term rally I first spotted a little more than a couple of months ago has fully run its course, and now these names are setting up a pullback.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Strattec Security Corporation(STRT)
Strattec Security Corporation engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of automotive access control products. The company?s products include mechanical locks and keys, electronically enhanced locks and keys, steering column and instrument panel ignition lock housings, latches, power sliding door systems, power lift gate systems, power deck lid systems, door handles, and related products. It also provides full service and aftermarket support for its products. The company offers its products primarily for automotive manufacturers. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Korea, and China. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Martin Vlcek]
Strattec Security Corp. (STRT) is a growing small-cap company with more than 100 years in the automotive supply industry and strong sales growth since 2009. The success and growth of Strattec are still mostly influenced by the global automotive markets. As many analysts still predict ongoing industry growth, the company is poised to continue strongly benefiting from this automotive tailwind. However, the company's recent diversification efforts into new product lines, industries outside of automotive and countries outside of the U.S. have created multiple new growth drivers that will ensure Strattec's continued robust sales and EPS expansion. The company's growth has also become much more balanced and more resilient to a potential automotive industry shock or U.S. slowdown.
- [By Monica Wolfe]
Strattec Security (STRT)
Last week Mario Gabelli increased his position in Strattec Security. The guru increased his position 4.82% by adding a total of 13,136 shares to his holdings. He bought these shares at an average price of $43.15, and since then the price per share has increased approximately 5%.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Fuwei Films(Holdings)
Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and export of plastic film using the biaxially-oriented stretch technique in China. The company offers its biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) film under the ?Fuwei Films? brand name primarily for use in flexible packaging, printing, laminating, and aluminum-plating applications, as well as in electrical and electronic uses. Its products include printing base film used in printing and lamination applications; stamping foil base film and transfer base films used for the packaging of luxury items, such as cigarettes and alcohol; metallization film or aluminum plating base film used for vacuum aluminum plating for flexible plastic lamination; high-gloss film used for aesthetically enhanced packaging purposes; and heat-sealable film used for construction, printing, and heat sealable bags making. The company?s products also comprise laser holographic base film used as anti-counterfeit film for food, medicine, cosmetics, cigarettes, and alcohol packaging; dry film used in circuit boards production, and for nameplate and crafts etching; and heat shrinkage film used for special-shaped packaging for alcohol, cans, mineral water, and cleaning products. It exports its products to packaging customers and distributors primarily in Europe, Asia, and North America. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Weifang, China. As of May 1, 2011, Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co., Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Weifang State-owned Assets Operation Administration Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Adam Haigh]
Among stocks that fell, Yue Yuen Industrial (Holdings) Ltd. (551), a supplier of shoes to Nike Inc. and Adidas AG, sank 12 percent to HK$23.80. The company said its first-quarter results showed a ��ignificant downturn��compared with a year earlier and this could adversely affect interim performance.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Safety Insurance Group Inc.(SAFT)
Safety Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides private passenger automobile insurance products primarily in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company?s private passenger automobile policies offer coverage for bodily injury and property damage to others, no-fault personal injury coverage for the insured/insured?s car occupants, and physical damage coverage for an insured?s own vehicle for collision or other perils. It also provides commercial automobile policies that offer insurance for commercial vehicles used for business purposes, including private passenger-type vehicles, trucks, tractors and trailers, insure individual vehicles, and commercial fleets; and homeowners policies, which provide coverage for losses to a dwelling and its contents from various perils, and coverage for liability to others arising from ownership or occupancy. It writes policies on homes, condominiums, and apartments. In addition, the company offers business owners policie s that cover apartments and residential condominiums, limited cooking restaurants, office condominiums, processing and services businesses, special trade contractors, and wholesaling businesses. Further, it provides commercial package policies, which offer property, general liability, crime, and inland marine insurance for business enterprises; personal umbrella policies that provide personal excess liability coverage over and above the limits of individual automobile, watercraft, and homeowner?s insurance policies; and commercial umbrella policies to clients for whom the company underwrites commercial automobile and business owner policies. Additionally, the company underwrites dwelling fire insurance, inland marine coverage, and watercraft coverage. Safety Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Auto sales are booming and that�� good news for large cap auto insurer�the Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR) along with small cap auto insurers Safety Insurance Group, Inc (NASDAQ: SAFT) and�Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) as they offer income to yield hungry investors as well as income in the form of dividends. Specifically, a Yahoo! Autos blog recently noted that last month, automakers sold 1.5 million new vehicles for the highest rate in years with�most industry forecasters expecting sales to�return to the level they hit before the 2008 recession of 16 million vehicles a year. The blog post then went on to note the three forces driving auto sales:
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Safety Insurance (NASDAQ: SAFT ) , also impressive among high dividend stocks, is a rather boring company that's good at what it does�-- offering auto insurance, primarily in New England. Recently yielding 4.7%, its dividend has grown by 8.5% annually over the past five years and 24% annually over the past decade. (Its last hike, last year, was 20%.) Its payout ratio is 67%, which is not too worrisome. Its forward P/E ratio of 11 compares favorably with the five-year average near 18, and its PEG ratio is an appealing 0.70, as well.
Top Defensive Companies To Watch For 2014: Sama Resources Inc (SME)
Sama Resources Inc./Ressources Sama Inc., formerly Sama Resources Inc., is a Canada-based, exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in mineral exploration and development business. The Company�� property includes Samapleu Property and Lola Property. The Lola Project is 100% owned by the Company and is located in eastern Guinea, adjacent to the Company's Samapleu project, which is just across the border in Cote d'Ivoire. The Samapleu poroject is located approximately 600 kilometer northwest of Abidjan and encompasses approximately 446 square kilometer. On December 11, 2012, the Company commenced a 3,300 line/kilometer airborne helicopter time domain electromagnetic and magnetic survey over the Company�� Samapleu Property. In April 2012, the Company commenced a 1,500 meter drilling program at its newly discovered Gogota Deposit. As of September 30, 2012, the Company�� subsidiaries include Sama Nickel Corporation, Sama Nickel Cote d��voire SARL and Sama Resources Guinee. Advisors' Opinion:- [By GURUFOCUS]
Kingdee International Software Group Co. Ltd. (HKSE:00268) appreciated 56% during the third quarter. Kingdee is a leading provider of enterprise management software and cloud and e-commerce platforms in China, with a focus on the small/medium enterprise (SME) sector. During the third quarter, the company announced financial results, suggesting that the reorganization of its sales priorities was beginning to bear fruit. We also believe the stock's performance was aided by anticipated government reforms, which are likely to support the software sector, as well as the company's SME clients. (Michael Kass)
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