Most investors concentrate on the best-known stocks in the market. But by looking beyond the ordinary run-of-the-mill companies that everybody knows about, you can find some insight on prevailing trends that you might otherwise never notice.
One little-followed niche investment is the closed-end fund. These predecessors to exchange-traded funds differ from traditional mutual funds in that they trade on stock exchanges throughout the market day. Yet unlike ETFs, they have only a fixed number of shares available, making the funds subject to supply and-demand pressures. As a result, you can tell which areas are hot and which are cold just by looking at whether investors are willing to pay a premium for shares compared to their net asset value, or whether buyers are only willing to pay a discounted price for shares.
Let's take a look at three interesting conclusions you can draw from the current state of the closed-end fund market.
Lesson 1: Income is king.
A look at the four funds trading at the highest premiums to net asset value reveals a common thread: They're all focused on maximizing income. What's interesting, though, is that they use different methods to reach the same ends. Among the three PIMCO funds, PIMCO High Income (NYSE: PHK ) looks largely to the high-yield bond market for its holdings, while PIMCO Corporate & Income Opportunities (NYSE: PTY ) has a somewhat lower distribution rate but has a sizable allocation to investment-grade debt. The fund with the highest premium, PIMCO Global StocksPLUS, uses futures contracts to add stock exposure to its portfolio of income-producing bonds. Finally, BlackRock Virginia Municipal Bond rounds out the top four with its tax-free bond portfolio.
Hot Trucking Stocks To Watch Right Now: Giant Interactive Group Inc (GA)
Giant Interactive Group Inc. (Giant Interactive), incorporated on July 26, 2006, is an online game developer and operator in China. The Company focuses on massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG) that are played through networked game servers, in which a number of players are able to simultaneously connect and interact. The Company operates 11 online games, among which nine are self-developed, including the five games in the Zheng Tu (ZT) Online Series. As of December 31, 2010, its game development team consisted of 934 members, which includes product development and enhancement teams for each of its MMORPG and multiplayer online (MMO) games.
In January 2010, the Company acquired China operation licenses for Elsword and Allods Online, two three dimensional (3D) MMORPGs. In November 2010, the Company acquired Julun Network. On December 6, 2010, Zhengtu Information, Giant Network and Shanghai Juyan Network Technology jointly established Beijing Huayi Juren Information Technology Co., Ltd with 51%, 34% and 15% interest, respectively. On December 31, 2010, Zhengtu Information sold its 51% interest in Huayi Juren Information to Huayi Brothers Media Corporation. In May 2010, the Company acquired Snow Wolf.
The Company has built nationwide distribution and marketing networks to sell and market its prepaid game cards and game points. As of December 31, 2010, its distribution network consisted of more than 130 non-exclusive regional distributors and reached over 96,000 retail outlets, including Internet cafes, software stores, supermarkets, bookstores, newspaper stands and convenience stores located throughout China. The Company also sells game points through its official game Website. The Company generates its revenues from licensing of its games to third party operators in other territories, including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Russia and other Russian speaking territories. In addition, it has also licensed its ZT Online Green Edition to! Shenzhen Tencent Computer Systems Company Limited (Tencent), on a non-exclusive basis for operation of such game on Tencent�� QQ game platform in China.
ZT Online
ZT Online is a two-dimensional, online role-playing game set in ancient China, and was the first game that was wholly developed by its internal product development team. ZT Online players assume one of five different roles, including soldiers and magicians, in 10 different kingdoms. In order to play ZT Online, players must log into one of multiple shards, or independent copies of the game world. Players can only interact with other players in his or her respective shard at any given time, and its technology enables players to travel among the different shards. The Company has developed technology for use in ZT Online that allows up to 40,000 players to play together in a single shard at any given time. ZT Online is free of charge to play. Players may purchase physical or virtual prepaid game cards and game points on its game Website or from Internet cafes and other distribution points, which allow their characters to obtain gold coins, one of the currencies used in the ZT Online game. Players may also earn silver coins for their characters when they fulfill tasks or adventures in the game world.
The game has gold coin vouchers, which are offered both as a salary to players who meet certain requirements and as a reward in connection with certain of its promotions. Players may trade silver coins for gold coins, and vice-versa, inside the game. Neither gold coins, gold coin vouchers, nor silver coins may be used by players to purchase any items or services outside of the ZT Online game. ZT Online allows players to purchase a range of virtual items and services for their characters using their gold and/or silver coins. These include weapons, clothing, pets, ceremonies and rites, and others. Weapons may be repaired or replaced by purchases of certain in-game raw materials or by payment of additional gold or! silver c! oins. ZT Online offers a play experience, where players can choose to enter the game 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ZT Online can be accessed from any location with an Internet connection. It has licensed ZT Online to Lager Network for operation in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, licensed ZT Online to VinaGame for operation in Vietnam, and licensed ZT Online to Atrum Nival for operation in the Russia and other Russian speaking territories.
ZT Online PTP
ZT Online PTP is pay-to-play MMORPG game developed by the Company, and is based on the ZT Online free-to-play game. As in ZT Online, players assume one of five different roles in 10 different kingdoms. ZT Online PTP also requires players to log into one of multiple shards, while enabling players to travel between different shards. ZT Online PTP requires players to pay to play the game by purchasing physical or virtual prepaid game cards on its game Website or from Internet cafes and other distribution points. ZT Online PTP shares the same graphics and system requirements as ZT Online.
Giant Online
Giant Online is a military-themed MMORPG. Giant Online players may assume one of 14 different roles, such as detectives and spies. As with ZT Online, the game world in Giant Online is divided into a number of regions. Each player must guide his or her character to develop skills and cooperate with other players to fight against players from other regions. Players can equip their characters with a range of modern weaponry. Apart from waging war, characters can also engage in forms of in-game social interaction, such as friendship and even romance. Giant Online enables players, and groups of players, to purchase a range of virtual items and services. These virtual items and services include weapons, vehicles and pets. Giant Online is a 2.5 dimensional game, the background and items in the game are depicted three dimensionally, while the characters are depicted two dimensionally.
King of! Kings IIIK III is a three-dimensional online role-playing experience set in a European-style magical world. Players assume the roles of K III heroes as they explore across a virtual world of forests and medieval cities and castles. K III is the third episode of the King of Kings series of MMORPGs.
My Sweetie
My Sweetie is a 2.5D free-to-play casual MMO game, which allows players to create virtual characters, raise virtual pets on their personal computer desktops and go online to interact with other virtual pet-owners. My Sweetie is the game developed pursuant to its Win@Giant program.
XT Online is a 2.5D ancient Chinese martial arts MMORPG that was developed by Snow Wolf, a game development studio. XT Online enables users to practice different schools or styles of martial arts with the goal of becoming a master, while focusing on brotherhood and trust-building with other martial artists. The Golden Land is a free-to-play medieval strategy browser game, which was developed by Juhe Network, one of its 51% owned game development studios. ZT Online II is an internally-developed free-to-play 2D sequel to its game ZT Online. ZT Online II was developed by an internal studio that it is reorganizing into Jujia Network, one of its 51% owned game development studios.
Dragon Soul is an internally developed 3D ancient Chinese MMORPG developed by Chengdu Jufan Network Technology Co. Ltd. (Jufan Network) one of its 51% owned game development studios. Spirits of the Warriors is a free-to-play 3D MMORPG based on the Three Kingdoms period of ancient Chinese history.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
With their stock trading near a 52-week high, and up 61% from a year ago, a Giant Interactive Group (NYSE: GA ) insider is cashing out at the top.
5 Best Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now: Steel Excel Inc (SXCL)
Steel Excel Inc., formerly ADPT Corp., incorporated in 1981, is primarily focused on capital redeployment and identification of new business operations. The identification of new business operations includes, but is not limited to, the oilfield servicing, sports, training, education, entertainment and lifestyle businesses. The Company operates in two segments: oilfield servicing and sports-related segment. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired two sports-related businesses and one oilfield servicing business. On June 27, 2011, the Company acquired Baseball Heaven LLC and Baseball Cafe, Inc. On August 15, 2011, the Company acquired The Show, LLC. On December 7, 2011, the Company acquired Rogue Pressure Services, LLC. On February 9, 2012, the Company acquired Eagle Well Services, Inc. In May 2012, the Company acquired Sun Well Service, Inc. Effective December 16, 2013, Steel Excel Inc acquired Black Hawk Energy Services Inc, a provider of oil and gas field services.
The Company�� oilfield servicing segment provides services in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Services include snubbing services (controlled installation and removal of all tubulars - drill strings and production strings) in and out of the wellbore with the well under full pressure, flowtesting, and hydraulic work over/simultaneous operations (allows customers to perform multiple tasks on multiple wells on one pad at the same time). The Company�� sports-related services segment provides services related to marketing and providing baseball facility services, including training camps, summer camps, leagues and tournaments, concession and catering events and other events and related Websites. In addition, the Company outfit little league baseball and softball players and coaches in official major league baseball uniforms.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
1. Steel Excel (SXCL)
2. FormFactor (FORM)
3. Imation (IMN)
4. Tuesday Morning (TUES)
5. Pacific Biosciences (PACB)
6. Maxygen (MAXY)
7. Westell (WSTL)
8. Volt Information Sciences (VISI)
9. Yasheng Group (YHGG)
5 Best Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now: Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (CWCO)
Consolidated Water Co. Ltd., through its subsidiaries, develops and operates seawater desalination plants and water distribution systems. It operates through three segments: Retail, Bulk, and Services. The Retail segment produces and supplies water to end-users, including residential, commercial, and government customers, as well as tourist properties. The Bulk segment supplies potable water to government utilities and private customers. The Services segment designs, constructs, and sells desalination plants to third parties, as well as provides desalination plant management and operating services to plants owned by others. The company uses reverse osmosis technology to produce fresh water from seawater. It operates approximately 14 reverse osmosis desalination plants in the Cayman Islands, The Bahamas, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, and the United States. Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is based in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Utilities shares gained around 0.83 percent in today’s trading. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Consolidated Water Co (NASDAQ: CWCO), up 4.5 percent, CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP), up 2.4 percent.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Utilities shares dropped by 0.37 percent in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Consolidated Water Co (NASDAQ: CWCO) was down more than 2.3 percent, while Pepco Holdings (NYSE: POM) tumbled around 1.5 percent.
- [By David Dittman]
Answer: I like Consolidated Water Co Ltd (NSDQ: CWCO), which specializes in large-scale desalination systems.
Question: Why has the Australian currency shown such weakness recently compared to the US dollar and the euro?
- [By Garrett Cook]
Utilities shares gained around 0.83 percent in today’s trading. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Consolidated Water Co (NASDAQ: CWCO), up 4.3 percent, CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP), up 2.1 percent.
5 Best Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now: Agree Realty Corp (ADC)
Agree Realty Corporation, incorporated in December 1993, is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company�� operations are conducted through, directly or indirectly, Agree Limited Partnership (Operating Partnership), of which the Company is the sole general partner, and in which it 96.59% interest as of December 31, 2011. The Company is focused primarily on the ownership, development, acquisition and management of retail properties net leased to national tenants. It specializes in acquiring and developing single tenant net leased retail properties for industry retail tenants. As of December 31, 2011, approximately 96% of its annualized base rent was derived from national tenants and regional tenants. At December 31, 2011, its portfolio consisted of 87 properties, located in 21 states containing an aggregate of approximately 3.6 million square feet of gross leasable area (GLA). At December 31, 2011, its portfolio included 75 freestanding single tenant net leased properties and 12 community shopping centers that were 92.7% leased. All of its freestanding property tenants and the majority of its community shopping center tenants have triple-net leases, which require the tenant to be responsible for property operating expenses, including property taxes, insurance and maintenance. In December 2012, the Company acquired LA Fitness and an AutoZone. In January 2013, the Company acquired 317 South State Street for redevelopment. In December 2012, the Company acquired a portfolio of four Applebee's restaurants, as well as an Advance Auto Parts. In Jnauary 2013, the Company sold Walgreens on Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti , Michigan. In January 2013, it acquired Dick's Sporting Goods and Petsmart in St. Joseph, Missouri. In March 2013, it acquired three single tenant assets leased to retailers. In May 2013, the Company acquired two single tenant assets leased to Petsmart and Starbucks. In June 2013, Agree Realty Corp announced that it has acquired two single tenant assets ! leased to Wal-Mart Stores and AutoZone. In August 2013, Agree Realty Corporation acquired four single tenant assets leased to industry retailers. In September 2013, Agree Realty Corporation acquired an 112,230 square foot BJ's Wholesale Club located on Airport Road South in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In November 2013, Agree Realty Corp acquired two assets net leased to The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Mattress Firm, Inc. In January 2014, the Company acquired Cannon Station in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. In February 2014, the Company announced the acquisition of two net lease properties and sale of Ironwood Commons shopping center.
In January 2011, the Company acquired a retail property net leased to AT&T located at the northwest corner of New Centre Drive and South College Road in Wilmington, North Carolina. In October 2011, it acquired a retail property leased on a long-term basis to Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah. In December 2011, the Company acquired Wawa convenience store and fuel station in Baltimore, Maryland, as well as a Walgreens pharmacy in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and a CVS pharmacy in Leawood, Kansas. In May 2012, the Company acquired a 133,000 square foot retail property ground leased to Lowe's Home Improvement in Portland, Oregon. In June 2012, the Company sold the Charlevoix Commons shopping center in Charlevoix. In June 2012, the Company acquired a store leased to Dollar General Market in Cochran, Georgia, as well as the fee interest in the land underlying its Walgreens store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In July 2012, the Company acquired a portfolio of three Wawa convenience and fuel stores. The stores are located in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, Newark, Delaware and Vineland, New Jersey and are master leased by Wawa. In July 2012, it acquired auto service store in Fort Mill, South Carolina leased to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. In August 2012, the Company closed on the acquisition of a parcel of land in Pinellas County, Florida. In August 2012,! the Comp! any sold Plymouth Commons shopping center and the Shawano Plaza shopping center. In September 2012, it acquired a Family Dollar store in Spartanburg, South Carolina, a USAA Financial Services Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina and an AutoZone store in Springfield, Illinois. In September 2012, it disposed its remaining assets that were formerly leased to Borders. In September 2012, the Company acquired a a parcel of land in Casselberry, Florida for the development of gas and convenience retailing. In November 2012, the Company acquired a Harris Teeter supermarket in Charlotte, North Carolina. In November 2012, the Company acquired a Big Lots store and a Dollar General Market.
Freestanding Properties
At December 31, 2011, the Company's 75 operating freestanding properties were leased to Walgreens (30), Rite Aid (7), CVS (6), Kmart (2), JP Morgan Chase (3), Los Tres Amigos (1), Dick�� Sporting Goods (1), Lake Lansing RA Associates, LLC (1), Meijer (1), Wal-Mart (Sam�� Club) (1), Kohl�� (2), PNC Bank (1), Lowe�� (1), Off Broadway Shoes (1), Wawa (1), Simply Amish (1), Advance Auto (1), Aldi (1), Natural Grocers (1), AT&T (1), TBC Tire stores (2), Books-A-Million (1), and vacant (8). Its freestanding properties provided $23,953,036, or approximately 70.4%, of its annualized base rent as of December 31, 2011, at an average base rent per square foot of $14.10. These properties contain, in the aggregate, 1,697,953 square feet of GLA or approximately 48% of its total GLA as of December 31, 2011. Of its 75 operating freestanding properties, 47 were developed by the Company. Its freestanding properties had a weighted average remaining lease term of 14.8 years as of December 31, 2011. The Company�� freestanding properties range in size from range in size from 3,215 to 170,393 square feet of GLA and are located in Arizona (one), California (one), Connecticut (one), Florida (one), Georgia (two), Illinois (four), Indiana (two), Kansas (four), Maryland (three), Michigan (36), Neb! raska (tw! o), New Jersey (one), New York (two), North Carolina (two), Ohio (two), Oklahoma (one), Pennsylvania (one), Texas (one), and Utah (one).
Community Shopping Centers
The Company�� 12 community shopping centers range in size from 20,000 to 241,458 square feet of GLA. The community shopping centers are located in five states: Florida (one), Illinois (one), Kentucky (one), Michigan (six) and Wisconsin (three). The Company�� community shopping centers are located in high traffic centers, in which customers of its tenants purchase day-to-day necessities. The Company�� community shopping centers are anchored by national tenants.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By shash63]
Under this expanded alliance, Citrix will deliver its ADC technology 'NetScaler' to Cisco. NetScaler is a device that provides load balancing across multiple computer networks. In addition, this alliance recently released the next-generation of NetScaler called Netscaler10. NetScaler 10, its next-generation application delivery controller (ADC) that is the company's answer for bringing dynamic elasticity to the network. NetScaler 10 has automatic failure identification and management, which means that if there is a failure, NetScaler will identify it and automatically switch workloads to another ADC.
- [By Brad Thomas]
In the Triple-Net classroom, I consider Agree Realty (ADC) to be a "terrific kid." Like my younger bambino, Agree does not set any big records but they always show up ready to perform the best, every day.
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