Tag Archives: America Merrill Lynch

Study: Mexican wages fall below Chinese levels

Mexico is looking to penetrate the Chinese market after a new report suggested that Mexican labor costs have fallen below those of China.

President Enrique Pena Nieto visited Hong Kong on Friday, and said “I am convinced that Mexican products should take advantage of the dynamism of China‘s markets.”

Just a decade ago, Mexico‘s prospect of exporting much to China seemed distant. Mexican average labor costs were then almost double China‘s.

But a report by a chief economist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch this week estimated that Mexico‘s labor costs are now 19.6 percent lower than China‘s.

The study by chief economist Carlos Capistran cites the bank’s own estimates and official data indicating that a big increase in China‘s costs have turned the balance.

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Fox World News

Buy Apple, Don't Buy Microsoft?

By Rick Munarriz, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Microsoft and Apple are passing ships, and not in a way that you’d probably expect.

At a time when Apple is shedding investors and Microsoft’s hoping to wow the market with the operating system, mobile platform, and tablet it introduced late last year, sentiment may be shifting back in Apple’s favor.

Lazard Capital Markets is initiating coverage of Apple with a “buy” rating this morning, establishing a price target of $540.

Lazard analysts believe that the worst is behind the consumer tech giant. Sure, Android is eating its lunch and margins will continue to get squeezed, but have investors been approaching Apple the wrong way? Lazard offers up Apple as a data storage play since it’s “instrumental in driving data creation in ways its competitors are not.”

Fresh bullish perspectives are always welcome, especially with Apple trading less than 3% away from its 52-week low.

On the other end of the opinion-o-meter, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is talking down Microsoft. After gluing itself to a “buy” rating on the stock for more than four years, Merrill Lynch lowering its rating to neutral. The original bullishness surrounded a massive stock buyback and the Windows 7 product cycle that didn’t pan out as planned. Things aren’t getting any better now that we’re several months into Windows 8.

Microsoft isn’t necessarily riding high with investors these days. Mr. Softy is trading closer to its 52-week low than its 52-week high at a time when some of the market gauges are hitting new highs. However, Microsoft’s stock hasn’t fallen as hard as Apple has since peaking last year, even though Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, and Surface rollouts have fizzled out as catalysts.

Apple at least has one notable analyst backing it now. If only it could get jaded analysts and even more skeptical investors to follow along.

Got Apple? Get smart.
There’s no doubt that Apple is at the center of technology’s largest revolution ever, and that longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded with over 1,000% gains. However, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool’s senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple, and what opportunities are left for the company (and your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

VCA Antech, Inc. to Present at Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Health Care Conference

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

VCA Antech, Inc. to Present at Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Health Care Conference

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)– VCA Antech, Inc. , a leading animal healthcare company in the United States, will present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Health Care Conference on Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at the Encore at the Wynn in Las Vegas. The VCA Antech, Inc. presentation is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm Pacific.

VCA Antech, Inc. will make a presentation on the company, including recent operating results. The presentation will be webcast live during the conference and will be available for 90 days at investor.vcaantech.com.

VCA Antech, Inc. owns, operates and manages the largest networks of freestanding veterinary hospitals and veterinary-exclusive clinical laboratories in the country, provides the largest online communication, professional education and marketing solutions to the veterinary community, and supplies diagnostic imaging equipment to the veterinary industry.

VCA Antech, Inc.
Tomas W. Fuller
Chief Financial Officer
310-571-6505

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  California  Nevada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article VCA Antech, Inc. to Present at Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Health Care Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Tech Stocks Fight the Rising Dow

By Matt Thalman, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

The Department of Labor’s jobless-claims report was released this morning, and it wasn’t what investors were hoping for. Economists were expecting 350,000 claims last week, but the report indicated that the number was actually 385,000, which is 28,000 claims higher than the previous week. The 385,000 claims also represented the highest number of first-time claims in nearly four months.

But despite that dour data point, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is clinging to a 12-point gain as of 12:55 p.m. EDT. The S&P 500 is up 0.12%, and the NASDAQ is performing worst, having lost 0.15%.

The Dow’s biggest loser today is IBM , down 0.9%. And because Big Blue is the Dow’s most heavily weighted stock, its downward pressure is having a large effect on the blue-chip index. My Fool colleague Jessica Alling noted this morning that the company has been attempting to downplay an independent study indicating that Oracle‘s new chips and servers outperformed those produced by IBM. The company has long been seen as the top dog in the server realm, but it may now be losing some of its luster.

Another big technology Dow component losing today is Cisco . Investors have cut the share price by 0.19% just a day after Cisco announced that it would be purchasing the mobile connectivity company Ubiquisys. The privately held company provides technology which allows users to seamlessly connect across mobile networks. The $310 million purchase of Ubiquisys will allow Cisco to offer increased cellular data capacity in a more cost-effective way. To learn more about Cisco’s purchase and how it will help the company move one step ahead of the competition, click here.  

Shares of Microsoft have fallen 0.44% thus far today. The decline comes after a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch downgraded the stock from a “buy” to “neutral”. The analyst making the call noted that the Windows product cycle has not performed as well as some had expected and that the company’s stock buyback program has failed to give the share price a boost. 

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is looking to make a splash in this booming market. In this brand-new premium report on Microsoft, our analyst explains that while the opportunity is huge, the challenges are many. He’s also providing regular updates as key events occur, so make sure to claim a copy of this report now by clicking here.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Dow Tries to Rally, Leaves Tech Behind

By Jessica Alling, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

After falling more than 100 points yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average took a go at rallying earlier in trading, jumping 72 points after the Japanese central bank announced an accelerated QE policy this morning. But the gains were short-lived and the index fell again — though it remains in positive territory as of 11:45 a.m. Up 16 points, the Dow may have a fight ahead of it based on the weak economic news released so far this morning.

International news brought some good vibes to investors this morning as the Bank of Japan announced that it would be doubling its balance sheet by 2015 through accelerated bond purchases. The majority of the bonds would be long-term government paper as the bank tries to target a 2% inflation rate to spur on growth after years of deflation.

Yesterday’s weak labor market data really took its toll on the market, so today’s jobless claims report is likely to do the same. A spike in new claims surprised analysts, who expected claims to drop by 7,000 to 350,000 — instead, new jobless claims rose to 385,000 last week. Investors should pay close attention to tomorrow’s employment situation report, which could bring some positive news, but if it supports the trend of a softening labor market, then the Dow could be headed back south.

Tech gets left in the dust
Of the Dow’s 30 component stocks, three major tech players were in the red this morning: Intel , IBM , and Microsoft .

Intel has had some positive news lately regarding its push to join the smartphone race, with its Atom Clover Trail+ processor in the Lenovo IdeaPhone K900 beating out the new Samsung Galaxy S4’s ARM CPU in benchmark tests. The chip maker is also expanding its mobile presence in the Chinese market, with an exclusive partnership with ZTE, China‘s second-largest mobile manufacturer. Closer to home, Big Blue is still dealing with its long-running antitrust case regarding the marketing of its microprocessors. Citing a recent Supreme Court case, Comcast v. Behrend, Intel is looking to have the defendants’ right to sue as a class rejected, which could lead to settlements if the company’s motion wins.

IBM has been trying to downplay the recent independent benchmark tests that showed the new chips and servers from rival Oracle outperformed the company’s own products. The continued race for speed and low cost has always dominated the industry, and IBM has to begin to find new ways to win. The tech giant is working on other projects, which have helped it along so far. Its big data push has been moving along, with the company announcing new improvements and advances for the Hadoop System that will accelerate performance and simplify administration.

Microsoft took a blow this morning with Bank of America/Merrill Lynch analysts’ downgrade of the company from “buy” to “neutral,” along with a lower price target. Some are concerned that Mr. Softy won’t …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

MoneyGram International Announces Completion of Debt Refinancing with $975 Million Senior Secured Cr

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

MoneyGram International Announces Completion of Debt Refinancing with $975 Million Senior Secured Credit Facility

New credit facility reduces interest expense and extends maturities

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– MoneyGram International, Inc. (NYS: MGI) , a leading global payment services company, today announced that on March 28, 2013 it completed a private placement of a new $975 million senior secured credit facility consisting of a $125 million, multi-bank five-year revolving credit facility and an $850 million, seven-year term loan. The new term loan initially bears interest at LIBOR, subject to a floor of 1.0%, plus 3.25%, with a step down to LIBOR plus 3.00% upon achievement of a specified leverage ratio. MoneyGram expects to realize annual cash interest savings of approximately $28 million as a result of the refinancing.

The net proceeds from the new term loan were used to repay in full the company’s existing first lien credit facility and second lien notes. The company repaid its $485 million of existing first lien notes due in 2017 at par. The company also purchased and retired all $325 million of its outstanding 13.25% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due in 2018 held by affiliates of Goldman, Sachs & Co. The purchase price for the second lien notes was 106.625% of the outstanding principal, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

“The completion of our debt refinancing represents a true milestone in the turn-around of MoneyGram. Our new term loan expands our first lien facility under favorable terms, extends maturities into 2020 and substantially reduces our interest expense. The successful placement of the new credit facility reflects the tremendous progress the company has made since the re-capitalization in 2008,” said Pamela H. Patsley, MoneyGram’s chairman and chief executive officer.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo Securities served as joint lead arrangers and J.P. Morgan Securities, Deutsche Bank Securities and Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank served as joint bookrunners.

About MoneyGram International

MoneyGram International, a leading money transfer company, enables consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions to meet their financial needs. MoneyGram offers bill payment services in the United States and Canada and money transfer services worldwide through a global network of more than 310,000 agent locations – including retailers, international post offices and financial institutions – in 197 countries and territories. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Macquarie Group Expands Credit Sales and Trading Team

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Macquarie Group Expands Credit Sales and Trading Team

  • New hires complement current credit sales and trading efforts
  • Will expand upon the products and services currently offered to clients

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Macquarie Group (“Macquarie”) (ASX: MQG; ADR: MQBKY) today announced the further expansion of its Credit Sales and Trading Division with the addition of seven new professionals. The New York-based appointments continue the growth of the firm’s credit trading business, which was established in 2008. The hires will support a range of activities including par and distressed loan and bond trading and portfolio financing solutions.

The new hires include:

  • Brian Foley who joins as a Managing Director responsible for a team that structures and trades funding for portfolios of financial assets. He was previously with Bank of America Merrill Lynch where he was a Director in their Strategic Funding Trading business, focusing on long-term structured products funding, utilizing total return swaps and repo. Mr. Foley will be supported by Ramya Gopalakrishnan who joins as a Vice President from Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Raymond Hugel who joins as an analyst.
  • Michael Miller joins as a Managing Director focused on Distressed Bond and Loan Trading. He was previously at Nomura Securities where he was a Managing Director responsible for trading Senior High Yield/Distressed Debt. Prior to that, he was head of High Yield Trading at Oppenheimer & Co., a portfolio manager and trader in the Global Credit Strategies team at UBS, and a President of Morgan Stanley’s Special Situations Group and Co-Head U.S. High Yield / Distressed Corporate Risk Management and Trading.
  • Alan Chao joins as a Associate Director focused on Par Loan Trading Analytics. He comes from Kamsky Associates where he oversaw the development of a potential China-related private equity arm for the firm. Prior to that he spent five years as a Portfolio Manager at Canaras Capital Management where he helped create an alternative investment manager focused on leveraged finance and structured products. He will work closely with Nick Gustafson who joins as a Par Loan Trader. Mr. Gustafson previously served as a leveraged loan trader at J.P. Morgan Securities where he was a market maker of high yield, distressed and institutional corporate loans for as many …read more
    Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Boeing Keeps the Dow Flying High

By Dan Carroll, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

The market‘s recent rally to record highs has rewarded investors with plenty of green, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is all green again today. As of 2:15 p.m. EDT, the blue-chip index has picked up 94 points, or 0.65%, as it closes in on record levels once again. Most members of the Dow are rising, with numerous stocks recording gains of more than 1%. Let’s get caught up on the big movers of the day.

The 787 flies again
Boeing
is taking to the skies, with shares up 2% to rank the aerospace stock among today’s Dow leaders. The company’s 787 Dreamliner, grounded since it experienced battery faults early in the year, completed a successful two-hour test flight involving a new battery system. The FAA will still need to approve the new battery before Boeing can implement it in commercial jets, and the company is still engaged in further test flights after this one, but the success is an optimistic sign for down-on-their-luck shareholders waiting for Boeing’s newest aircraft to lift off again.

Tech stocks are also on the rise today. Intel shares have also pulled in 2% gains so far today, while IBM has recorded more modest gains of 0.6%. Intel shareholders have reacted favorably to reports that the company is considering launching an online pay-TV business and talking with network companies such as Time Warner and NBC Universal to broadcast shows and content. It’s a step outside of Intel’s comfort zone, but it’s an indicator that the company is willing to do what it takes to diversify away from the declining PC market its semiconductors dominate.

On the other side of the Dow, however, Bank of America hasn’t been so fortunate, with shares falling 0.9% to lead blue-chip laggards lower. Banks have been watching the recent Cyprus bailout situation with a close eye for any potential blowback into the eurozone, but the island nation’s relatively small economy means the bailout achieved this week won’t affect B of A and its peers significantly.

However, it will affect other parties involved: Bank of America Merrill Lynch cut its rating on Russia to “marketweight” today, citing the country as a “net loser” in the Cypriot bailout, which will impose an aggressive levy on uninsured bank deposits holding more than 100,000 euros. With many wealthy Russians using Cyprus‘ bloated financial system as a haven for bank accounts, the Eurasian nation will no doubt feel a blow from the eurozone’s final bailout agreement.

Are blue skies in the forecast for Boeing?
Boeing is a major player in a multitrillion-dollar market in which the opportunities and responsibilities are massive. However, emerging competitors and the company’s execution problems have investors wondering whether Boeing will live up to its shareholder responsibilities. In our premium research report on the company, two of The Motley Fool’s best industrial-sector minds have collaborated to provide investors with the must-know info on Boeing. They’ll be updating …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

The Dow Fights Back

By Matt Thalman, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Even though the situation in Cyprus and its repercussions throughout Europe are still playing out, investors turned their attention to positive economic data here at home today. As of 12:50 p.m. EDT the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 84 points, or 0.59%, to climb beyond the 14,500 mark once again. The S&P 500 has also joined in the fun, rising 0.52%, while the NASDAQ lags behind, gaining only 0.29%.

The moves were spurred by two data points released this morning: the Case-Shiller Index and the durable-goods orders for February. The Case-Shiller index tracks housing prices in the U.S. in the top 10 and top 20 largest U.S. cities. The 10 largest cities saw home prices rise 7.3% in January, while the top 20 cities saw prices rise 8.3%.

Durable-goods orders in February rose 5.7%, with transportation-related orders leading the charge. Both of these indicators point toward a strengthening U.S. economy, even while Europe and other parts of the world are experiencing slower growth or even struggling to grow at all.

Today’s Dow downers
Shares in JPMorgan Chase  and Citigroup  are slightly positive today. As the problems in Europe play out, some analysts believe the big U.S. banks may actually come out of this mess as big winners. If Europeans no longer trust that their deposits are safe in eurozone banks, they may move those funds to U.S. banks operating in the region.

Shares of Bank of America , however, are down a whopping 1.7%. B of A’s decline today is perhaps related to an internal issue. Bloomberg reported this morning that Derek DeVries, who was the acting head of European bank equity research at Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch unit in London, is no longer with the firm. Bloomberg News received this information via an email sent to clients, and the news outlet reported that DeVries couldn’t be contacted.

DeVries held a top position with Merrill Lynch, and it seems odd that news of his departure would not have been made public by the company. While I am totally speculating here, the sudden unannounced departure may be the result of a trading mishap or a poor decision that could ultimately hurt Bank of America.

Shares of DuPont are down 0.6% today. An announcement that DuPont and Monsanto settled an antitrust lawsuit was released late last night, which is likely the cause for the decline today. DuPont agreed to make royalty payments to Monsanto to the tune of $800 million from 2014 through 2017 for the rights to genetically modified soybean material. The settlement also dismisses a $1 billion verdict that had previously been imposed on DuPont when a court had found the company guilty of patent infringement.

More foolish insight
Bank of America’s stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool’s premium research report on …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

BofA Merrill Launches Dodd-Frank Payments Solutions for Financial Institution Clients

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

BofA Merrill Launches Dodd-Frank Payments Solutions for Financial Institution Clients

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Bank of America Merrill Lynch, a leader in global payments, today announced the formal launch of a set of solutions for financial institution clients to address new requirements for conducting cross-border payments as outlined by the Dodd-Frank Remittance Regulation 1073 (DF-1073). The solutions, which were initially developed last year, have been enhanced over the last six months with customizable features and will be updated whenthe Final Rule is published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“Bank of America Merrill Lynch is proud to be at the forefront of developing DF-1073 solutions that will help our clients not only evolve with the marketplace and expand their global payment business, but importantly serve their own retail customers as comprehensively and seamlessly as possible,” said Paul Simpson, head of Global Transaction Services (GTS).

“The initiative combines the considerable expertise – including systems and technology – of the Consumer Bank, with that of our wholesale business, which has a long history of operating in overseas markets and delivering payments around the world,” Simpson added.

Bank of America’s Consumer Bank is one of the largest in the country, serving 53 million individuals and small businesses across the United States. Through close collaboration with the Consumer Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch created optimal solutions for DF-1073 that leverage the company’s knowledge of best practices in retail banking along with the wholesale bank’s expertise in cross-border payments and foreign bank payment practices.

The lead products addressing DF-1073 requirements are FXtransact White Label and Bank of America Merrill Lynch Information Exchange for Payments. These solutions provide clients comprehensive access to fee, tax, availability date information, and disclosure capabilities. The solutions also help clients reduce costs by improving straight-through processing and by removing manual processes.

As one of the first banks in 2012 to develop a Dodd-Frank offering, the company has on-boarded a number of financial institutions – from large national banks to small community banks. “We are working with several clients of various sizes and degrees of complexity to solve for the new requirements of Dodd-Frank 1073,” said Greg Murray, head of U.S. Dollar Wire and Clearing Products in GTS. “By adopting our solutions, our clients have the ability to make payments within the new regulatory framework in more than 140 currencies, including the U.S. dollar, across 200 countries and territories.”

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Tenneco to Webcast Presentation at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 New York Auto Summit Confe

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Tenneco to Webcast Presentation at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 New York Auto Summit Conference

LAKE FOREST, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Tenneco (NYS: TEN) will participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 New York Auto Summit Conference to be held in New York on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. The webcasted presentation is scheduled to start at 1:30 pm Eastern and run for 35 minutes. Tenneco’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Gregg Sherrill, will present a general overview of the company and provide information regarding matters impacting the company’s outlook.

The live webcast can be accessed by going to the “Financial/Investors” portion of its web site at www.tenneco.com. A copy of the slides also will be available under the “Events & Presentations” tab in this section of the web site. A replay of the webcast will be available through April 26, 2013.

Tenneco is a $7.4 billion global manufacturing company with headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois and approximately 25,000 employees worldwide. Tenneco is one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of clean air and ride performance products and systems for automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment markets and the aftermarket. Tenneco’s principal brand names are Monroe®, Walker®, XNOx™ and Clevite®Elastomer.

Tenneco
Investor Inquiries
Linae Golla, 847 482-5162
lgolla@tenneco.com
or
Media Inquiries
Bill Dawson, 847 482-5807
bdawson@tenneco.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Illinois  New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Tenneco to Webcast Presentation at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 New York Auto Summit Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Just a Little Bit Rich? This Company Wants to Talk to You

By Amanda Alix, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Have you ever felt the urge to throw in your chips with the big boys, but aren’t quite affluent enough to invest with the well-heeled set? Well, worry not. Now, you don’t have to be a member of the 1% to invest in certain funds held by private equity firms like the Carlyle Group  — but you do have to be within the top 2% of wage earners.

Private equity opening up
The Wall Street Journal notes that, until recently, investors needed to fork over between $5 million and $20 million to become members of the Carlyle elite. But times have changed, and the P/E firm is looking to appeal to a wider audience, which it estimates to be worth around $10 trillion in the aggregate.

That’s not chicken feed, and Carlyle isn’t the only asset manager to see that lowering the bar a little might be a profitable move. Individuals are being seen in a new, more flattering light since the future of the old-fashioned pension plan is shaky at best.

Peers like KKR and the Blackstone Group have also added funds with lower barriers to entry. KKR now has a mutual fund that requires a mere $2,500 buy-in minimum, and Blackstone has recently begun allowing individuals to invest in specific hedge funds. Apollo Global Management also offers mutual funds for retail investors in addition to those being offered by KKR and Blackstone.

The Carlyle offering, however, is a buyout fund, and there are other parameters that must be met for admission: Net worth of at least $1 million, exclusive of one’s primary residence, or more than $200,000 in income for the two years previous.

Making a comeback
PE firms seem to be making a comeback, and fourth-quarter earnings were outstanding for Apollo, which saw revenue jump almost 80% from the same time the previous year. KKR is no slouch either, and recently reported a huge net income hike due to big gains in investment activities and dividend income. Blackstone’s performance fees went through the roof, and though Carlyle’s earnings per share number was a tad disappointing, revenues increased by 14% year over year. The firm’s founders did fine last year, too — each of the three took approximately $135 million out of the company last year, despite eschewing a bonus.

Currently, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is the only firm selling the fund, but that may change in the future. So if you’ve always dreamed of becoming a takeover artist — and you’ve got the deep pockets to buy in — here’s your chance. Just don’t forget to bring your paystubs.

Not quite up to the requirements set by this type of investment? If you’re part of the 98%, there are still loads of opportunities awaiting you. The Motley Fool’s new free report highlights three less-than-luxurious stocks the uber-rich may be overlooking. Just click here to read it now.

The article Just a Little Bit Rich? This Company …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Colony Financial Announces Key Dates for Annual Meeting of Stockholders

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Colony Financial Announces Key Dates for Annual Meeting of Stockholders

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Colony Financial, Inc. (NYS: CLNY) (the “Company”) today announced that it has scheduled its 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for May 6, 2013. The record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is March 25, 2013.

The meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. ET on Monday, May 6, 2013, at the offices of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, located at Bank of America Tower, One Bryant Park (corner of 42nd Street and 6th Avenue), New York, New York 10036.

About Colony Financial, Inc.

Colony Financial, Inc. is a real estate investment and finance company that is focused on acquiring, originating and managing a diversified portfolio of opportunistic real estate-related debt and equity investments at attractive risk-adjusted returns. Our investment portfolio and target assets are primarily composed of interests in: (i) secondary loans acquired at a discount to par; (ii) new originations; and (iii) equity in single family homes to be held for investment and rented to tenants. Secondary debt purchases may include performing, sub-performing or non-performing loans (including loan-to-own strategies). Colony Financial has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Colony Financial is a component of the Russell 2000® and the Russell 3000® indices. For more information, visit www.colonyfinancial.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Statements regarding the following subjects, among others, may be forward-looking: business and investment strategy; investment portfolio; projected operating results; ability to obtain financing …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

CommonWealth REIT Sells Remaining GOV Stake

By Eric Volkman, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

CommonWealth REIT has sold what was left of its stake in Government Properties Income Trust . The two companies both announced the sale, which saw CommonWealth REIT divest itself of 9.95 million shares of its onetime subsidiary — a stake of roughly 18% — in a public offering. The price was $25.20 per share, and the proceeds totaled just over $240 million.

The transaction is expected to be settled on March 15. The joint bookrunning managers on the sale are Citigroup, Bank of America‘s Merrill Lynch unit, and Royal Bank of Canada subsidiary RBC Capital Markets.

The article CommonWealth REIT Sells Remaining GOV Stake originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Eric Volkman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America and Citigroup. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (obj.attachEvent){
var r = obj.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
}
}

addEvent(window, "load", function(){new FoolVisualSciences();})
addEvent(window, "load", function(){new PickAd();})

var themeName = 'dailyfinance.com';
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-24928199-1']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);

(function () {

var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';

var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

BofA/Merrill Lynch Cautions on Software Valuations with Downgrades

By 24/7 Wall St.

Hand plugging ethernet cable into wall socket

Filed under: ,

In this morning’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades feature, which we run each morning, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch downgraded both Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE) and Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) in the server and enterprise software segment. What is interesting is that both downgrades are not just on valuation. They include higher price targets on the two stocks.

As far as Adobe Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBE), this was cut to Neutral from Buy, but the price target was raised to $45 from $40. BofA’s Kash Rangan said that its transition of the creative business to a subscription model is playing out and as it has approached the target price.

The Adobe report said:

We continue to see Adobe as a leading provider of Creative tools and are equally impressed by the evolution and growth prospects of Digital marketing business. However, the stock at ~$42 leaves limited room for upside in our opinion and our price objective goes to $45 from $40… Longer term, as HTML5 gains adoption, we see Adobe as well positioned with tools like Edge and Muse, and its PhoneGap acquisition to support cross-platform content creation.

Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ: INTU) was cut to Neutral from Buy, but its stock price target was raised to $71 from $65. The firm supports management and the ability to execute, although the stock is up 180% over the past four years, and it is said to be baking in a solid tax season already.

On Intuit, BofA noted positive trends for H&R Block Inc. (NYSE: HRB). It said:

Latest tax data from H&R Block indicated it grew faster than INTU in February, and if this trend persists through the season, it may risk INTU‘s tax units’ goal. However, we think it is still early and Intuit is likely to make up for any share losses later.

Intuit’s stock has fallen further on this downgrade and is down by 2.2% at $66.26, against a 52-week range of $53.38 to $68.41. Adobe’s stock price is down 0.6%, at $41.25 against a 52-week range of $29.52 to $41.91.

Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Analyst Calls, Software, Technology, Technology Companies Tagged: ADBE, HRB, INTU

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Hertz Insiders Are Cashing Out

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Car rental company Hertz Global Holdings announced a secondary offering of 60 million shares after close of trading on Wednesday. Unfortunately for investors, the company itself will collect not a penny of the more than $1.2 billion expected to be raised by such a sale.

Why not? Because every single share being offered is a share currently owned by major shareholders — investment funds associated with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, The Carlyle Group , and Bank of America . In at least two instances — two funds owned by Bank of America/Merrill Lynch — these investors will be cashing out their entire stakes in Hertz.

With Hertz shares up 40% over the past 52 weeks, it’s not surprising that insiders would want to take some profits from their investment. Nevertheless, the fact that insiders are dumping such a large number of Hertz shares on the market — about 14.2% of shares outstanding — is likely to depress the share price until the wave of selling has passed.

In an attempt to mitigate this effect, Hertz says it will repurchase about two-fifths of the offered shares itself — 23.2 million shares — and then use the entirety of the shares bought back to pay off its convertible debt. With more than $490 million in cash on its balance sheet, the company should have no problem accomplishing this, and the net effect should be that Hertz’s cash balance will go down, but its debt load will go down in tandem.

Shareholders are accordingly taking the share offering news in stride. After rising 0.4% in daytime trading, Hertz shares are flat after-hours.

The article Hertz Insiders Are Cashing Out originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America and Hertz Global Holdings. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
obj.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Sonic to Attend Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer &amp; Retail Conference

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Sonic to Attend Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference

OKLAHOMA CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Sonic Corp. (NAS: SONC) , the nation’s largest chain of drive-in restaurants, today announced that the company will be presenting at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference at The Palace Hotel in New York, New York on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. The presentation will begin at 9:40 AM Eastern Time.

Investors and interested parties can access the presentation by visiting the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.sonicdrivein.com/.

About Sonic

Sonic, America’s Drive-In, originally started as a hamburger and root beer stand in 1953 in Shawnee, Oklahoma called Top Hat Drive-In, and then changed its name to Sonic in 1959. The first drive-in to adopt the Sonic name is still serving customers in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Sonic has more than 3,500 drive-ins coast to coast, where approximately three million customers eat every day. For more information about Sonic Corp. and its subsidiaries, visit Sonic at www.sonicdrivein.com.

SONC-G

Sonic Corp.
Claudia San Pedro
Vice President of Investor Relations and Communications and Treasurer
405-225-4846

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Oklahoma

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Sonic to Attend Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,0)))}}var g=a;”undefined”!==typeof f?g=a[f]=[]:
f=”mixpanel”;g.people=g.people||[];h=[‘disable’,’track’,’track_pageview’,’track_links’,
‘track_forms’,’register’,’register_once’,’unregister’,’identify’,’alias’,’name_tag’,
‘set_config’,’people.set’,’people.increment’];for(e=0;e<h.length;e++)d(g,h[e]);
a._i.push([b,c,f])};a.__SV=1.2;})(document,window.mixpanel||[]);
mixpanel.init("9659875b92ba8fa639ba476aedbb73b9");

function addEvent(obj, evType, fn, useCapture){
if (obj.addEventListener){
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Stage Stores to Present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer &amp; Retail Conference

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Stage Stores to Present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Stage Stores, Inc. (NYS: SSI) announced today that Michael Glazer, President and CEO, and Oded Shein, CFO, will make a presentation at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference is being held at The New York Palace Hotel in New York City.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available. To access the webcast, log on to the Company’s website at www.stagestoresinc.com and then click on Investor Relations, then Webcasts and then the webcast link. A replay of the presentation will be available online for approximately 30 days.

The PowerPoint presentation that management will be using at the conference will be available for viewing in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website.

About Stage Stores

Stage Stores, Inc. operates primarily in small and mid-sized towns and communities. Its stores, which operate under the Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal, Peebles, Stage and Steele’s names, offer moderately priced, nationally recognized brand name apparel, accessories, cosmetics and footwear for the entire family. The Company operates 864 stores in 40 states. The Company also has an eCommerce website. For more information about Stage Stores, visit the Company’s web site at www.stagestoresinc.com.

Stage Stores, Inc.
Bob Aronson, 800-579-2302
Vice President, Investor Relations
baronson@stagestores.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  New York  Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Stage Stores to Present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

(function(c,a){window.mixpanel=a;var b,d,h,e;b=c.createElement(“script”);
b.type=”text/javascript”;b.async=!0;b.src=(“https:”===c.location.protocol?”https:”:”http:”)+
‘//cdn.mxpnl.com/libs/mixpanel-2.2.min.js’;d=c.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0];
d.parentNode.insertBefore(b,d);a._i=[];a.init=function(b,c,f){function d(a,b){
var c=b.split(“.”);2==c.length&&(a=a[c[0]],b=c[1]);a[b]=function(){a.push([b].concat(
…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer &amp; Retail Confere

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference

BENTONVILLE, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYS: WMT) will participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference on Tuesday, March 12. Chief Financial Officer Charles Holley will provide an update on the company’s financial priorities as the keynote speaker at the conference at approximately 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Click here to follow Charles Holley’s presentation. The presentation will be webcast live through links at http://news.walmart.com/events/ and a transcript will be available later in the week. The materials will be archived on the company’s website.


About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYS: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 200 million customers and members visit our 10,773 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2013 sales of approximately $466 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Media Relations Contact
Randy Hargrove, 800-331-0085
or
Investor Relations Contact
Carol Schumacher, 479-277-1498

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Arkansas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to present at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2013 Consumer & Retail Conference originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance