Stocks are pushing up into record territory again, although today's gains are of the modest type a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) closed above 15,000 for the first time. As of 2:15 p.m. EDT, the Dow has gained just 25 points, although a majority of members on the blue chip index are in the green. Several big names are picking up significant gains of more than 1% today. Let's check out the news and movers you need to know.
Stocks rising higher
Shares of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH ) have surged higher today by a Dow-leading 2.5%. Despite the gains, UnitedHealth's facing hurdles: Obamacare's the big shadow on the company's radar, as the implementation of health care reform next year is still shrouded in uncertainty. More pressing, however, is that UnitedHealth's in hot water with the Department of Defense�over long medical care referral times for military personnel and families. UnitedHealth's acquisition of a contract worth more than $20 billion includes a clause indicating cost reimbursement for "poor performance," and the Pentagon is reportedly looking to get the insurer to reimburse it for the referral delays.
Top Promising Companies To Buy Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
On Thursday, IBM (NYSE: IBM ) 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 surprises inevitably arise. That way, you'll be less likely to have an uninformed, knee-jerk reaction that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.
- [By Lawrence Meyers]
It had adjusted EBITDA of only $37 million. Operation were about break-even. Yet the company is valued at ��$19 billion. How? Nobody has been able to explain to me how Twitter is going to generate much profit at all. How can the market reward this company with that valuation? Value investors may get tempted by the 50% selloff thus far, but I don�� see how this company is even worth $15 per share at this point.
IBM (IBM)I�� sorry to say it, but IBM (IBM) is not a value stock. The stock trades about 12% from its 52-week high. Yet it isn�� growing at all. FY11 net income was $15.86 billion, FY12 net came in at $16.6 billion, and FY13 came in at $16.48 billion. While analysts project 8% long-term annualized earnings growth, that doesn�� take into account the share buybacks the company engages in.
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Alamy April is Financial Literacy Month, and our goal is to help you raise your money IQ. In this series, we'll tackle key economic concepts -- ones that affect your everyday finances and investments -- to help you make smarter choices with every dollar decision you face. Today's term: net worth. In a nutshell, net worth is what you get when you subtract liabilities from assets -- what you owe from what you own. Like many economic and financial terms, net worth can apply in a variety of situations. If you're evaluating a company for your portfolio,you might glance at its balance sheet to get a handle on its net worth. Balance sheets break out assets (such as cash, inventory, and receivables) and liabilities (such as debt and accounts payable). Subtracting the latter from the former gives you net worth, which is also referred to in this context as shareholders' equity or book value. Here's an example: As of the end of 2012, IBM's (IBM) assets totaled $119 billion, and its liabilities totaled $100 billion. Thus, its net worth, or shareholders' equity, was $19 billion. Net Worth in Our Lives Each of us has an individual net worth, too, and it's arrived at in similar fashion. First, grab a sheet of paper and list all your assets. These would include the contents of your bank accounts, your investments, the equity you have in your home, your retirement accounts, the current value of your car(s), the value of your jewelry, the contents of your wallet or purse, and so on. Be thorough -- your sizable board game collection might be worth several thousand dollars, for example. Next, list all your liabilities, or debts. These would include what you owe on your mortgage or car loan, your credit card debt, any school loans outstanding, and any other debt, such as a home equity loan. Finally, subtract the liabilities from the assets. What's left is your net worth. Ideally, your net worth is positive and will grow over time. If your net worth is in negative territory,
- [By Paul Ausick]
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), with its driverless cars, is also committed to being the leader in new technology for automakers. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) are other contenders for platform dominance.
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: Apple Inc.(AAPL)
Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
Between September and April, there was an overwhelming cloud of negativity surrounding Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) ; shares plunged for months on end. Investors focused solely on the bad, while wholly ignoring the good. Competition from Samsung has been escalating. Margins were facing a tough comparison to 2012 results. Apple's unreasonable cash position kept getting more unreasonable.
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)
Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Sean Williams]
But, have you ever stopped to consider which toothpaste is America's favorite? If you've walked down the toothpaste aisle in the grocery store you've probably noticed that it goes on forever, which can make choosing a toothpaste a chore. Well, here's a big hint toward the answer: America's favorite toothpaste comes down to either Colgate, which is made by Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) , or Crest made by Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ) .
- [By Lee Jackson]
Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL) is a top consumer staples name to make the UBS. Colgate sells its products in more than 200 countries and makes more than 75% of its revenue outside the United States, which provides geographic diversification and growth opportunities in emerging markets for the company. This diversity, matched with a huge list of consumer products, keeps revenues and dividends growing. Investors are paid a 2.3% dividend. The consensus target is $67.14. Colgate closed Tuesday at $64.34.
- [By Travis Hoium]
Colgate-Palmolive
Toothpaste and toothbrushes may not be exciting business, but it's consistent and consumers tend to develop habits they rarely break. Once they find a toothpaste brand they like, it could be years before they try another one. That leads to another incredibly consistent business for Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) , one that has paid back investors with a dividend since 1895. �
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: Visa Inc.(V)
Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Getty Images Holiday shopping season is in full swing, and smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices once again top many shoppers' gift lists. Given how expensive many popular gadgets have become, one big question many shoppers are facing is whether or not to tack on an extended warranty to protect themselves should their electronic devices come to harm. They're Lining Up to Sell You Protection Retailers know that the best time to get you to pay to protect expensive items is while you are making a big-ticket purchase. For years, Best Buy (BBY), Sears (SHLD), Walmart (WMT), and other major retailers have sold extended warranty protection on high-priced electronics like computers and TVs. That coverage can be pricey, with Walmart having recently charged $65 for a two-year TV service plan and Best Buy offering two-year coverage on an $800 TV for $99.99 and five-year coverage for $179.99 . Appliance warranties can also be expensive, with Sears recently charging $280 for a three-year protection plan on a $950 refrigerator. Protection plans for smartphones and tablets are also popular. Apple (AAPL) offers its AppleCare for its devices. Coverage to extend an iPhone's warranty and other protections for two years will run you $99. Other companies have sought to offer more comprehensive coverage for electronic devices, with Protect Your Bubble offering phone and tablet insurance for $7.99 to $9.99 a month that covers not only mechanical problems but also common mishaps like damage from drops and liquid spills, as well as theft or loss. Many Items Have Built-In Protection What many consumers don't realize is how much protection against common problems they already have, even without buying extra. Nearly every purchase comes with at least limited warranty protection for mechanical defects. According to Consumer Reports, most issues that would qualify for coverage under extended warranties tend to happen during the initial warranty period, making the extended co
- [By Teresa Rivas]
Both Visa (V) and MasterCard (MA) were rising on Monday, thanks in part to upgrades from Robert W. Baird.
Analysts David Koning and Adam Dahms boosted their opinions on both stocks to Outperform. They have a $245 price target on Visa, and note that the risk/reward has become more attractive, in our view, as the stock enjoys strong secular tailwinds in its business model, solid free cash flow generation, and what they see as exaggerated concerns about regulatory and competitive issues. They call the stock�� recent pullback as an attractive entry point, given the stock�� ��ompelling valuation.��/p>
Read more detailed estimates below:
Strong business model/solid balance sheet:
We think EPS growth in the mid-teens is sustainable over time behind roughly 10%+ revenue growth (the international segment is now about 50% of revenue and can grow rapidly).
The strong balance sheet/FCF typically in excess of earnings allows for strong buyback activity (could comfortably add 5%/year to EPS) or could allow for the accretive purchase of Visa Europe.
Recent fears about the stock might be a bit overblown:
Regulatory: Risk of potential share loss due to changes in the exclusivity rules did not materialize. The US Appeals Court decided to keep existing rules intact.
MCX: Although some share loss is certainly possible, we do not see overly material displacement of V/MA as a realistic outcome.
Russia: Full displacement is unlikely so long as consumers continue to use V/MA (acceptance largely consumer driven). Russia is likely <1% of revenue, not very impactful regardless of displacement.
CQ1 weakness: Credit card data from JPM/WFC last week showed CQ1 volumes largely steady (relative to CQ4). We considered some deceleration likely this quarter.
Valuation appears compelling at these levels:
The stock has underperformed the S&P by ~10% YTD (currently trades at +33% premium to NTM S&P, low
- [By Steve Heller]
It seems that once you've grown large enough to disrupt business as usual for MasterCard (NYSE: MA ) and Visa (NYSE: V ) , you run the risk of getting muscled. MasterCard recently announced plans to raise prices on intermediated payment processors (read: digital wallets) that chose to withhold valuable transaction details from MasterCard. In other words, this measure takes direct aim at eBay's (NASDAQ: EBAY ) PayPal and other digital wallets such as Google Wallet that do not share transaction details with the payment processor.
- [By Grace L. Williams]
Many critics of that settlement have said Amex’s existing surcharging rules would prevent them from surcharging Visa (V) and MasterCard (MA) credit cards.
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)
Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Shauna O'Brien]
On Wednesday, Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) announced that its board has approved a 10.6% increase to its quarterly dividend.
PM has increased its dividend from 85 cents to 94 cents per share, or $3.76 annually.
The dividend will be paid on October 11 to shareholders of record on September 26. The stock will go ex-dividend on September 24.
Philip Morris shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock has been mostly flat YTD.
- [By Bill Maurer]
Philip Morris (PM):
Philip Morris saw a surprise short interest drop of more than 20% during the final two weeks of March. More than 2.5 million of the roughly 12.2 million shares short were covered, stopping the recent rise in short interest that you can see in the chart below.
- [By Victor Selva]
Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) manufactures and markets cigarettes outside the U.S. in 180 countries. The company麓s plan is to introduce new packaging, new blends and other line extensions. A key driver of the company is the strong market share and the economies of scale. Also, the company has combated unfavorable tax regulations with price increases, showing a good price-elasticity.
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: Chevron Corporation(CVX)
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
Shares of Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) are up 1.6% despite a 1% drop in the price of oil today. Competitors BP and Statoil were raided by EU regulators over possible oil-price fixing today. Chevron hasn't been implicated yet, so that's a good sign for now. Another factor in the pop today is that Chevron's stock goes ex-dividend tomorrow, meaning that if you hold the stock after the market closes tonight, you'll receive the $1 dividend. This can cause abnormal short-term moves in stocks.
- [By Matt Thalman]
Shares of Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) are down 1% today as the price of crude sinks. Just yesterday the stock was up 1.1% for the session, and I commented on how even at their current price, shares look rather cheap. The company is trading at less than 10 times earnings and pays a healthy 3.2% dividend yield. When we look at the company from a growth perspective, it doesn't look like a big winner with a market cap of $245 billion, so it's unlikely the stock will more than double in the coming years. But the strong dividend, combined with increasing worldwide demand for oil and energy, will make Chevron a stable winner for the years to come.
Top Blue Chip Companies To Buy For 2014: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)
McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
Fast food giant McDonald's (MCD) has been a laggard in 2013. While its 10% rally would look impressive almost any other year, it's been anemic this year, as the big indexes have churned out more than twice the performance since the calendar flipped over to January. But the golden arches could be getting ready to make up some lost ground.
McDonald's is the biggest name in fast food, with more than 34,900 restaurants spread across 120 countries. MCD isn't a typical restaurant business -- the vast majority of its locations are franchised, and the firm even owns the land underneath many of those franchised locations. Those factors give McDonald's more in common with a REIT than with the diner down the street. In recent years, the firm has made efforts to move its menus upmarket with more healthy options and amenities like in-store WiFi.
While those efforts have helped move McDonald's up the food chain a bit, the firm's real growth potential comes from emerging markets, where the chain enjoys a much more appealing image with a growing population of middle class consumers. MCD's unique business model should keep shoveling income to investors in 2014 -- at present, this Dow Dog's quarterly dividend payout works out to a 3.34% yield.
- [By Andr茅s Cardenal]
The war for breakfast is getting hotter than ever, with big fast-food companies such as Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM ) , McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) , and Burger King (NYSE: BKW ) intensifying their competitive pressure in that lucrative niche. On the other hand, at the higher end of the pricing spectrum, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX ) could be a clear winner in that competition thanks to its differentiated quality and successful menu innovations.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
A look at the stocks that are leading the Dow lower today reveals the contribution higher interest rates have made to the overall market's declines. Despite strong consumer confidence, you'll find consumer giants McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) , Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) , and Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) all among the worst performers in the Dow today, with losses of more than 2%. Ordinarily, you'd expect these defensively oriented stocks to perform well in a downturn, as their businesses enjoy largely stable demand from loyal customers who rely on having those products regardless of economic conditions.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
24/7 Wall St. is a big fan of dividends, and we expect that there will be several big dividend hikes coming down the pipe from Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) components. That is particularly the case with the new DJIA components. McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) both just hiked dividends this past week.
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