Tag Archives: Yahoo Finance

Thursday's Top Upgrades (and Downgrades)

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include a new buy rating for Zumiez , a higher price target for Home Depot , and a downgrade on Obagi Medical . Let’s dive right in.

Zumiez could zoom 
The day started off with a bright note for “action sports” retailer Zumiez. Ascendiant Capital initiated coverage of the stock with a buy rating Thursday, sending Zumiez shares up a full percentage point in morning trading. But could they zoom even higher than that?

It depends. On one hand, I have to say that Zumiez shares look very attractively priced relative to reported GAAP income. The stock costs about 18 times earnings, and analysts have it pegged for 18% annualized earnings growth over the next five years. On the face of it, this price looks fair — and gets fairer still when you notice that this valuation doesn’t even factor in how the stock‘s $97 million in net cash makes it even cheaper.

But that’s just the first hand. On the other hand, investors can’t be thrilled about the job Zumiez is doing with generating cash. Free cash flow at the retailer came to just $25 million over the past year — far short of the $42 million in “earnings” the company reported. Valued on free cash flow, and giving Zumiez credit for its cash in the bank, it gets an enterprise value-to-free cash flow ratio of about 25, which seems a bit steep for an 18% grower.

My advice: Leave this one on the rack for now. All retailers eventually go on sale. Zumiez, too, will become worth buying… at the right price.

Home Depot: Leave home without it?
Speaking of overpriced retailers: Home Depot. Analysts at Canaccord Genuity upped their price target on the stock this morning, saying HD shares should be worth about $61 a year from now. There’s just one problem with that, however. Home Depot shares currently cost $69! So while technically Canaccord is upping its price target on the stock, this sounds like mixed news at best for Home Depot shareholders.

So why didn’t Canaccord come out with a better price target? Maybe a buy rating as well, to go with it, instead of the half-hearted “hold” Canaccord currently rates the stock? The answer, I fear, is simple: Home Depot isn’t worth a buy rating. It might not even be worth $61, and certainly shouldn’t cost the $69 a share investors are paying for it today.

Here’s why: Home Depot shares cost 23 times earnings today, which is more than you’d ordinarily expect to pay for 14.5% annualized profits growth, even with Home Depot‘s generous 2.3% dividend yield to help bridge the gap in valuation. Or viewed under a most favorable light, Home Depot‘s superior ($5.7 billion) trailing free cash flow works out to a price-to-FCF ratio of 18… which …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Proposed Buyout

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Proposed Buyout

STEVENSON, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The securities litigation firm of Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (“Palomar” or the “Company”) (NAS: PMTI) and other violations of state law by the board of directors of Palomar relating to the proposed buyout of the Company by Cynosure, Inc. (“Cynosure”). The firm’s investigation seeks to determine, among other things, whether Palomar’s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value.

As stated in the press release announcing the proposed buyout, Palomar shareholders will receive $13.65 for each share of Palomar they own, which includes $6.825 per share in cash and $6.825 per share in Cynosure common stock. However, according to Yahoo! Finance, the high analyst price target is $14.50 per Palomar share.

If you currently own common stock of Palomar and would like to learn more about the investigation being conducted by Brower Piven, you may email or call Brower Piven, who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Brower Piven by email at hoffman@browerpiven.com, by calling (410) 415-6616, or at Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, 1925 Old Valley Road, Stevenson, Maryland 21153. Attorneys at Brower Piven have combined experience litigating securities and other class action cases of over 60 years.

Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation
Stevenson, Maryland
Charles J. Piven, 410-415-6616
hoffman@browerpiven.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Maryland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Proposed Buyout 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.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Palomar Medical Shareholder Alert: Briscoe Law Firm and Powers Taylor, LLP Investigate Sale to Cynos

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Palomar Medical Shareholder Alert: Briscoe Law Firm and Powers Taylor, LLP Investigate Sale to Cynosure

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Former United States Securities and Exchange Commission attorney Willie Briscoe and the securities litigation firm of Powers Taylor, LLP are investigating the sale of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (“Palomar”) (NasdaqGS: PMTI) to Cynosure, Inc. for shareholders. Under the terms of the proposed transaction valued at approximately $294 million, Palomar shareholders will only receive $13.65 in consideration: $6.825 in cash and $6.825 in Cynosure common stock (subject to adjustment), for each share of Palomar stock owned, well below at least one analyst’s estimated value of $14.50 per share.

If you are an affected investor, and you want to learn more about the lawsuit or join the action, contact Willie Briscoe at The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC, (214) 239-4568, or via email at WBriscoe@TheBriscoeLawFirm.com, or Zach Groover at Powers Taylor, LLP, toll free (877) 728-9607, via e-mail at zach@powerstaylor.com. There is no cost or fee to you.

The Palomar sale investigation centers on whether Palomar’s shareholders are receiving adequate compensation for their shares in the buyout, whether the transaction undervalues Palomar’s stock, and whether Palomar’s board attempted to obtain the highest share price for all shareholders prior to agreeing to the deal. Notably, at least one analyst with Yahoo! Finance has estimated that the true inherent value of Palomar shares could be as high as $14.50 per share. Shareholder rights attorney Patrick Powers stated that “due to proposed sale price, analysts’ estimates, the size of the deal and other factors, we believe this transaction may undervalue Palomar’s stock. Our proposed lawsuit will seek to ensure that shareholders are receiving the highest share price for their shares.”

The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC is a full service business litigation and shareholder rights advocacy firm with more than 20 years of experience in complex litigation and transactional matters.

Powers Taylor, LLP is a boutique litigation law firm that handles a variety of complex business litigation matters, including claims of investor and stockholder fraud, shareholder oppression, shareholder derivative suits, and security class actions.

The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC
Willie Briscoe, 214-239-4568
WBriscoe@TheBriscoeLawFirm.com
or
Powers Taylor, LLP
Zach Groover, 877-728-9607
zach@powerstaylor.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Buyout

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Buyout

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Rigrodsky & Long, P.A.:

  • Do you own shares of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ GS: PMTI )?
  • Did you purchase any of your shares prior to March 18, 2013?
  • Do you think the proposed buyout price is too low?
  • Do you want to discuss your rights?

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that it is investigating potential legal claims against the board of directors of Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. (“Palomar” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ GS: PMTI) regarding possible breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of law related to the Company’s entry into an agreement to be acquired by Cynosure, Inc. (“Cynosure”) (NASDAQ GS: CYNO) in a transaction valued at approximately $294 million.

Click here to learn more: http://www.rigrodskylong.com/investigations/palomar-medical-technologies-inc-pmti.

Under the terms of the proposal, public shareholders of Palomar will receive $13.65 per share of Palomar common stock: $6.825 per share in cash and $6.825 per share in Cynosure common stock.

The investigation concerns whether Palomar’s board of directors failed to adequately shop the Company and obtain the best possible value for Palomar’s shareholders before entering into an agreement with Cynosure. According to Yahoo! Finance, at least one analyst has set a price target for Palomar stock at $14.50 per share.

If you own the common stock of Palomar and purchased your shares before March 18, 2013, if you have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or if you wish to discuss these matters or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Seth Rigrodsky or Brian Long at Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., 2 Righter Parkway, Suite 120, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, by telephone at (302) 295-5310, or Peter Allocco at Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Analysts Debate: Is Monster Beverage Still a Top Stock?

By Alex Planes, Sean Williams, and Travis Hoium, The Motley Fool

MNST PE Ratio TTM Chart

Filed under:

The Motley Fool has been making successful stock picks for many years, but we don’t always agree on what a great stock looks like. That’s what makes us “motley,” and it’s one of our core values. We can disagree respectfully, as we often do. Investors do better when they share their knowledge.

In that spirit, we three Fools have banded together to find the market‘s best and worst stocks, which we’ll rate on The Motley Fool’s CAPS system as outperformers or underperformers. We’ll be accountable for every pick based on the sum of our knowledge and the balance of our decisions. Today, we’ll be discussing Monster Beverage , the largest publicly traded energy drink purveyor in the world.

Monster by the numbers
Here’s a quick snapshot of the company’s most important numbers:

Statistic

Result (TTM or Most Recent Available)

Market Cap 

$8.1 billion

P/E and forward P/E

26.2 and 16.4

Revenue

$2.1 billion

Operating margin

26.7%

Net income

$340 million

Free cash flow

$238 million

Cash and investments

$320 million

Sales by customer type 

  • Full-service distributors: 63%
  • Club stores, drugstores, mass merchandisers: 9%
  • International: 22%
  • Grocery, specialty chains, wholesalers: 4%
  • Other: 2%

Case sales (192-ounce cases)

  • 202.9 million

U.S. alternative* beverage market share

4.7%

Key competitors

  • Coca-Cola
  • Pepsi
  • Dr Pepper Snapple
  • Starbucks
  • Red Bull

Sources: Morningstar, corporate reports, Net Applications, and press releases.
* Includes ready-to-drink iced tea, lemonade, juice and fruit beverages, dairy and coffee drinks, sports drinks,” natural” sodas, flavored sparkling beverages, single-serve water, and energy drinks.

Alex’s take
I’ve had my eye on Monster for some time, but I found it to be too pricey an opportunity last year as its P/E soared toward bubbly territory:

Source: MNST P/E Ratio TTM data by YCharts.

However, now that investors have backed away — a flight that began, contrary to what you may think, well before the legal challenges over several purported deaths — Monster is starting to look a bit more palatable. With the exception of a brief period after the financial crash and in early 2010, Monster’s valuation hasn’t been this low in a decade. Is this an opportunity or the warning sign of a pending sales slowdown? While Monster didn’t offer up any annual guidance for its 2013 fiscal year, we can extrapolate its growth rate from analyst estimates:

Year 

Revenue Growth*

Net Income Growth*

2009

11%

94%

2010

14%

1%

2011

31%

35%

2012

21%

19%

2013 (estimated )

13%

22%

Sources: Morningstar, Yahoo! Finance. * Year-over-year growth rate.

Monster can’t keep up its monster (pardon the pun) growth rates forever. The energy drink segment is reaching maturity in the American market, according to a Nielsen report on a 13-week sales period that ended in mid-February. During this period, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Avoid This Biotech Stock

By Dan Dzombak, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Editor’s note: This article is a stock pitch made by a member on CAPS, The Motley Fool’s free investing community. The pitch is published unedited and is the opinion of the CAPS member whose pitch it is, in this case: zzlangerhans.

Each week, I cull a top stock idea from the pitches made on CAPS, the Motley Fool‘s 180,000-member free investing community. Want your idea considered for this series? Make a compelling pitch on CAPS with a minimum length of 400 words. Want to follow the weekly picks? Follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Company

Chelsea Therapeutics

Star Rating (out of 5)

*

Industry

Biotechnology

Market Cap

$128 million

 

Chelsea Therapeutics Underperform Pick

Submitted By

zzlangerhans

Member Rating

99.56

Submitted On

3/12/2013

Stock Price At Underperform Recommendation

$2.00

Sources: S&P Capital IQ, Yahoo! Finance, and Motley Fool CAPS.

This Week’s Pitch:

Chelsea is definitely the soapiest soap opera of biopharma. It’s virtually impossible to keep track of the multiple trials, the changing endpoints mid-trial, the dubious and equivocal trial results, the company’s nebulous plans for regulatory submissions, and the company’s confusing descriptions of FDA communications regarding their trials and regulatory submissions. The only consistent outcome is that the binary catalysts constantly seem to find the market wrongfooted.

I think once again the market is taking Chelsea in the wrong direction, enthusiastically bidding up the share price on news that the FDA has reversed itself and stated that study 306B has the potential to serve as the basis for a Northera NDA resubmission. Of course, there’s a big difference between serving as the basis for an NDA submission and the basis for an NDA approval. And the market seems to have forgotten that the 306B topline data was actually pretty bad, with no evidence of statistically significant benefit beyond the first week of treatment.

…The FDA has shocked me before, for example by reversing themselves and approving Vanda’s Fanapt a few years ago. But in general I find it wiser to go with the FDA‘s usual approach to this type of weak NDA application rather than to bet on the black swan.

Foolish bottom line
While this CAPS All-Star thinks you should avoid Chelsea Therapeutics, one of our top health care analysts has a stock you won’t want to avoid. Our brand new free report explores the scourge of rising health care costs and identifies a company poised to profit from one of the problem’s eventual solutions. Just click here for free, immediate access.

The article Avoid This Biotech Stock originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Dan Dzombak can be found on Twitter @DanDzombak or on his Facebook page, DanDzombak. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

TETRA Technologies Terminates Poison Pill Plan

By Rich Duprey, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Saying it understands that shareholders rights plans are looked upon unfavorably by shareholders and institutional investors, TETRA Technologies allowed its poison pill plan to expire last night at 5:00 p.m., Houston, TX time, by approving an amendment accelerating the expiration date of the preferred stock purchase rights from Nov. 6, 2018 to March 13.

“In light of the general disfavor of ‘poison pill’ plans by institutional investors and stockholder groups,” TETRA‘s president and CEO Stuart M. Brightman said in a statement, “our board of directors has determined that the termination of the rights plan will demonstrate our goal of maintaining sound corporate governance policies and procedures throughout our company.”

According to data on Yahoo! Finance, institutional investors and mutual funds own 86% of TETRA Technologies’ stock, and 89% of its float. Insiders hold just 3%. 

TETRA is a geographically diversified oil and gas services company. It adopted the stockholders’ rights plan on Oct. 27, 1998, as a means of assuring all of its stockholders receive fair and equal treatment in the event of a proposed takeover.

The article TETRA Technologies Terminates Poison Pill Plan originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

The Dow's Winning Streak Continues

By John Maxfield, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

March has been good to blue-chip stocks. Since the beginning of the month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has closed higher in every trading session. Assuming it does so again today, that will make it 10 straight days of gains. According to Yahoo! Finance, that adds up to the Dow’s longest winning streak since 1996. As of 2:55 p.m. EDT, the Dow is up 60 points, or 0.4%.

Today’s rally was fueled by news that the employment picture is continuing to improve. The Department of Labor reported this morning that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week fell by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 332,000. The median estimate of economist surveyed by Bloomberg predicted an increase to 350,000. According to The Wall Street Journal, it’s generally held among economists that the labor market is improving when claims are below 400,000.

In terms of individual stocks, technology giants Hewlett-Packard and IBM are leading the Dow higher in afternoon trading, up 2% and 1.6%, respectively. As my colleague Dan Dzombak noted earlier, the British Serious Fraud Office recently opened an investigation into HP‘s claims that U.K.-based Autonomy defrauded HP into acquiring the software company. Meanwhile, as fellow Fool Jessica Alling pointed out, IBM is riding the waves of positive publicity related to its work for the city of Boston. In addition, IBM‘s strong presence in cloud computing and data analytics has positioned it well to exploit the opportunities that will inevitably spring up in the sector.

Heading lower, alternatively, are shares of retailing giants Wal-Mart and Home Depot . Because there doesn’t seem to be a specific impetus for either of these companies being down today, it’s possible that they’re suffering by association with the likes of J. C. Penney and Sears, two failing industry giants. As three of our top analysts discussed earlier today, the former is hanging to life by a thread, while the latter is doing only marginally better.

Beyond this, there’s also reason to believe that both of these companies are somewhat countercyclical — meaning that when things are generally going good, they perform worse. Here’s what Fool Morgan Housel had to say about this last month:

Wal-Mart is a peculiar company in that its selling point — insanely low prices — gains value when the economy is weak. Families who in normal times shop where it’s most convenient flock to Wal-Mart when the economy sours. As the economy was falling apart in early 2009, CEO Mike Duke noted on a conference call: “Our company is stronger than ever because we deliver price leadership and value and help our customers save money so they can live better.”

But that can go the other way. When the economy recovers, Wal-Mart sales might take a hit as consumers gain confidence and become less price-conscious.”

And the same, by the way, could be said about Home Depot, which relies to a certain …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Thursday's Top Upgrades and Downgrades

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, as well as which ones investors should act on. Today, it’s “good” news all around as analysts upgrade shares of Avon Products and VMware , while even downgraded Progressive gets a higher price target.

Say what?
Let’s go ahead and tackle that last one right away, because it’s a bit of a puzzler. This morning, analysts at RBC Capital Markets cut their rating on Progressive by one notch, dropping the property and casualty insurer to a “sector perform” rating. However, RBC also raised its price target on the stock, predicting the shares will hit $25 within a year. What’s up with that?

Actually, the answer is pretty simple. Previously, RBC had a $24 price target on Progressive and was encouraging investors to buy the stock. But Progressive shares crossed the $24 line back in mid-February and haven’t looked back since. With Progressive having achieved its target price, it’s only logical that RBC would now cool its enthusiasm on the stock — hence the downgrade. However, with the stock trading north of $25, Progressive had to at least raise its target price to match — or else consider making a sell recommendation. So what to do?

Personally, I probably would have gone ahead and recommended selling the stock. Priced at 17 times earnings yet having a growth rate of less than 9%, the stock looks expensive. Progressive costs more than its peers: The average property and casualty insurer today sells for a P/E of eight. And although Progressive pays a dividend, its 1.1% yield is hardly big enough to make it worth sticking around and owning an overpriced stock.

Avon calling
But after selling Progressive, where do you put the cash? Stifel Nicolaus this morning put a “buy” rating on Avon Products — but honestly, I disagree with this call as well.

Don’t get me wrong; despite being unprofitable today, Avon isn’t quite as bad as it looks. Free cash flow at the firm was a respectable $327 million last year, and Avon’s a pretty consistent cash-producer. The problem is that Avon doesn’t generate enough cash to be worth the $8.9 billion market cap it currently costs (or the whopping $10.5 billion enterprise value it carries, once you factor in debt).

At the more generous price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (let alone the less generous EV/FCF ratio) of 27, Avon’s 20% long-term growth rate fails to measure up. The firm’s dividend, at 1.2% today following a recent cut, isn’t enough to make up the difference. Long story short, the stock is almost as overpriced as Progressive — and unworthy of a buy rating.

A smarter choice: VMware
Fortunately, an investor today has better options, and as it turns out, one of them got recommended this morning by none other than RBC Capital. At the same time RBC was downgrading Progressive, you see, it was upping its rating …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Is the Dow Approaching Bubble Territory?

By John Maxfield, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

If the market finishes the day where it is now, it will mark the eighth straight session in which blue-chip stocks have climbed. With roughly an hour left in the trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is clinging to a one-point gain.

Given this run into record territory, many analysts are now beginning to ask the inevitable question: Are stock prices approaching bubble territory? Leaving little to the imagination, a headline on Yahoo! Finance reads, “The Stock Market Is a Debt-Fueled Bubble.” According to an economist interviewed therein: “Nothing can accelerate forever. At some point the acceleration stops, and when it does the market breaks.”

Not surprisingly, however, there’s another side to this story. David Tepper, the founder of hedge fund Appaloosa Management, has purportedly predicted that the S&P 500  could rise an additional 20% or more through the end of this year. Citing a person “familiar with his thinking,” Kate Kelly of CNBC said Tepper is confident in the U.S. economy and is expecting gross domestic product to grow by 2.25% for the first three months of the year.

Either way, today’s rally is based in large part on the fundamentals.

This morning, the Department of Commerce released data showing that retail sales in the United States jumped last month — “a sign that consumers are gaining confidence and spending more despite higher taxes and gasoline prices,” according to The Wall Street Journal. More specifically, seasonally adjusted sales of retail and food services rose by 1.1% over January and 4.6% on a year-over-year basis. This was more than double the 0.5% advance that economists surveyed by Bloomberg had predicted.

The results were great news for both McDonald’s and Wal-Mart , both of which are up in afternoon trading. While these companies have seen their stocks gain this year — McDonald’s by nearly 10% and Wal-Mart by 6.3% — it hasn’t been a smooth ride for either. Among other things, same-store sales at the fast-food giant fell by 1.5% last month, as the prior-year period included an extra day for the leap year. And Wal-Mart has been working to stem the tide leak of emails about severely lagging sales at the nation’s largest retailer.

Meanwhile, shares of Bank of America are trading higher in anticipation of tomorrow, when the nation’s largest banks learn whether or not they’ll be allowed to increase their dividend payouts and/or repurchase more shares. As I discussed, I believe the chances are good — and it seems the market does, too. The same can be said for JPMorgan Chase , the nation’s largest bank by assets.

The question is largely a function of capital — Tier 1 common capital, that is. Banks with excess capital beyond regulatory minimums will presumably be given the green light to return more of that capital to shareholders, while those not similarly situated will be denied the opportunity.

In B of A’s case, at the end of …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

ETF Trading: It's 'No Way to Invest' Says Bogle

By David John Marotta, Contributor

In a recent interview, John Bogle talked about exchange traded funds (ETFs). Yahoo! Finance gave it a provocative title, “ETF Trading: It’s ‘No Way to Invest’ Says Bogle” which read in part: Generally speaking, Bogle says most broad index ETFs are just fine, but he warns investors that individual sector and country funds are probably “too narrow for most.” As for leveraged and inverse ETFs, Bogle says this is where the “fruitcakes, nut cases and lunatic fringe” can be found. “There’s just no possibility or any realistic way that you’re going to win that bet,” he says about leveraged ETFs. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Berry Petroleum Company Proposed Acquisition

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Berry Petroleum Company Proposed Acquisition

STEVENSON, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The securities litigation firm of Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of Berry Petroleum Company (“Berry Petroleum” or the “Company”) (NYSE: “BRY”) and other violations of state law by the board of directors of Berry Petroleum relating to the proposed acquisition of the Company by Linn Energy, LLC (“Linn”) and LinnCo, LLC (“LinnCo”). The firm’s investigation seeks to determine, among other things, whether Berry Petroleum‘s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value.

According to the press release announcing the proposed acquisition, Linn and LinnCo will acquire all of Berry Petroleum‘s outstanding shares for total consideration of $4.3 billion, including the assumption of debt. The proposed acquisition is structured as a stock-for-stock merger of LinnCo with Berry Petroleum, followed by the acquisition of Berry Petroleum‘s assets by Linn. The Company’s shareholders will receive 1.25 common shares of LinnCo for every Berry Petroleum common share they own. According to the companies’ joint press release, the consideration to be received by the Company’s shareholders is valued at $46.2375 per Berry Petroleum share based on LinnCo’s closing price as of February 20, 2013. According to Yahoo! Finance, the high analyst price target is $50.00 per Berry Petroleum share.

If you currently own common stock of Berry Petroleum and would like to learn more about the investigation being conducted by Brower Piven, you may email or call Brower Piven, who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Brower Piven by email at hoffman@browerpiven.com, by calling (410) 415-6616, or at Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, 1925 Old Valley Road, Stevenson, Maryland 21153. Attorneys at Brower Piven have combined experience litigating securities and other class action cases of over 60 years.

Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation
Stevenson, Maryland
Charles J. Piven, 410-415-6616
hoffman@browerpiven.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Maryland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Berry Petroleum Company Proposed Acquisition 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 …read more
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Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Gardner Denver, Inc. Proposed Buyout

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Gardner Denver, Inc. Proposed Buyout

STEVENSON, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The securities litigation firm of Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of Gardner Denver, Inc., (“Gardner” or the “Company”) (NYS: GDI) and other violations of state law by the board of directors of Gardner relating to the proposed buyout of the Company by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (“KKR”). The firm’s investigation seeks to determine, among other things, whether Gardner’s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value.

As stated in the press release announcing the proposed buyout, Gardner shareholders will receive $76.00 in cash for each share of Gardner they own. The transaction is being valued at $3.9 billion, including the assumption of debt. According to Yahoo! Finance, the high analyst price target is $85.00 per Gardner share.

If you currently own common stock of Gardner and would like to learn more about the investigation being conducted by Brower Piven, you may email or call Brower Piven, who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Brower Piven by email at hoffman@browerpiven.com, by calling (410) 415-6616, or at Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, 1925 Old Valley Road, Stevenson, Maryland 21153. Attorneys at Brower Piven have combined experience litigating securities and other class action cases of over 60 years.

Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation
Stevenson, Maryland
Charles J. Piven, 410-415-6616
hoffman@browerpiven.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Maryland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Gardner Denver, Inc. Proposed Buyout 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.

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Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Hot Topic, Inc. Going Private Transaction

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Hot Topic, Inc. Going Private Transaction

STEVENSON, Md.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The securities litigation firm of Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, has commenced an investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duty to current shareholders of Hot Topic, Inc. (“Hot Topic” or the “Company”) (NAS: HOTT) and other violations of state law by the board of directors of Hot Topic relating to the proposed acquisition of the Company by private equity firm Sycamore Partners. The firm’s investigation seeks to determine, among other things, whether Hot Topic‘s board of directors breached their fiduciary duties by failing to maximize shareholder value.

As stated in the press release announcing the proposed transaction, Hot Topic shareholders will receive $14.00 in cash for each share of Hot Topic they own. The transaction is currently being valued at $600 million. According to Yahoo! Finance, the high analyst price target is $16.40 per Hot Topic share.

If you currently own common stock of Hot Topic and would like to learn more about the investigation being conducted by Brower Piven, you may email or call Brower Piven, who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Brower Piven by email at hoffman@browerpiven.com, by calling (410) 415-6616, or at Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation, 1925 Old Valley Road, Stevenson, Maryland 21153. Attorneys at Brower Piven have combined experience litigating securities and other class action cases of over 60 years.

Brower Piven, A Professional Corporation
Stevenson, Maryland
Charles J. Piven, 410-415-6616
hoffman@browerpiven.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Maryland

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Law Firm Brower Piven Announces Investigation of Hot Topic, Inc. Going Private Transaction 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.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Rigrodsky &amp; Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Gardner Denver, Inc. Buyout

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Gardner Denver, Inc. Buyout

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Rigrodsky & Long, P.A.:

  • Do you own shares of Gardner Denver, Inc. (NYSE: GDI )?
  • Did you purchase any of your shares prior to March 8, 2013?
  • Do you think the proposed buyout price is too low?
  • Do you want to discuss your rights?

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that it is investigating potential legal claims against the board of directors of Gardner Denver, Inc. (“Gardner Denver” or the “Company”) (NYSE: GDI) regarding possible breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of law related to the Company’s entry into an agreement to be acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (together with its affiliates “KKR“) in a transaction valued at approximately $3.9 billion, including the assumption of debt.

Click here to learn more: http://www.rigrodskylong.com/investigations/gardner-denver-inc-gdi.

Under the terms of the proposal, public shareholders of Gardner Denver will receive $76.00 per share in cash for each share of Gardner Denver they own.

The investigation concerns whether Gardner Denver‘s board of directors failed to adequately shop the Company and obtain the best possible value for Gardner Denver‘s shareholders before entering into an agreement with KKR. According to Yahoo! Finance, at least one analyst has set a price target for Gardner Denver stock at $85.00 per share.

If you own the common stock of Gardner Denver and purchased your shares before March 8, 2013, if you have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or if you wish to discuss these matters or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Peter Allocco at Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., 825 East Gate Boulevard, Suite 300, Garden City, New York 11530, toll free at (888) 969-4242, by e-mail to info@rigrodskylong.com, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Can ADT Secure a Win for Your Portfolio?

By Michael Lewis, Lewis, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Spinoffs have the luxury of being consistently regarded as market-beating investments, yet they still go largely ignored. The newly minted company’s stock is typically gifted out to investors in the parent company, only to be discarded like day-old pizza. For value hunters, though, there is no shame in digging through the trash in search of gold. This stock came out of the IPO gates strong as a spinoff from a safety giant Tyco International — rising up 27% on the back of a long-term recovery in the residential real estate market. Though the company is still pushing its record highs through the roof, there may be room for buyers late to the game. Here’s what you need to know about ADT after its first-quarter earnings.

Alpha vs. beta
Successful stock picking is a game of generating alpha. Alpha emphasizes isolated security selection — buying companies that, independently of the market, will generate favorable returns to investors over time. This is contrast to beta, which is market-driven returns. The easy argument for home-security company ADT is one that rides market beta. Housing, regardless of short-term fluctuations and Wall Street chatter, is on a long-term upward trend. So, using residential real estate booms as the driving factor for ADT makes perfect sense. Of course, it doesn’t matter what the housing market is doing if ADT‘s stock is unfavorably priced. The company has had a nearly vertical climb since its IPO, and Yahoo! Finance lists its one-year forward P/E at just under 25 times earnings. Its parent, Tyco, trades at under 15 times earnings on the same basis.

So does ADT remain an attractive pick in light of its seemingly rich valuation?

Earnings up
Let’s take a quick glance at the most recent earnings report, which was released at the end of January.

For the fourth quarter, the company hauled in top-line sales of $809 million — a 1.8% gain over the prior year. It is important to note that 92% of the company’s revenue came from repeat customers — a pretty impressive figure, as recurring revenue is the ultimate goal for many companies. EBITDA rose 6.1% over the year-ago quarter to $417 million — implying a margin of 51.5%. On the bottom line, EPS grew 7.3% from $0.41 to $0.44 per share. Free cash flow boosted up to $160 million from just $97 million a year ago.

The company’s home automation effort, Pulse, is two years old but tracking better than ever. Out of new customers, 18.6% of them are using the service, which is a fresh source of revenue for the company. The home automation market is still nascent, but with ADT‘s nearly 25% market share of the residential home security market, it is in great position to leverage its strong brand recognition into the new line of business.

Future news
Earlier in January, ADT took out $700 million in new debt. This may have been, at least partially, due to activist …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Gardner Denver Shareholder Alert: Briscoe Law Firm and Powers Taylor, LLP Investigate Sale to Kohlbe

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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Gardner Denver Shareholder Alert: Briscoe Law Firm and Powers Taylor, LLP Investigate Sale to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Former United States Securities and Exchange Commission attorney Willie Briscoe and the securities litigation firm of Powers Taylor, LLP are investigating the sale of Gardner Denver, Inc. (“Gardner Denver“) (NYS: GDI) to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. for shareholders. Under the terms of the proposed transaction valued at approximately $3.7 billion, Gardner Denver shareholders will only receive $76 per share in cash for each share of stock owned, well below at least one analyst’s estimated value of $85 per share.

If you are an affected investor, and you want to learn more about the lawsuit or join the action, contact Willie Briscoe at The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC, (214) 239-4568, or via email at WBriscoe@TheBriscoeLawFirm.com, or Zach Groover at Powers Taylor, LLP, toll free (877) 728-9607, via e-mail at zach@powerstaylor.com. There is no cost or fee to you.

The Gardner Denver sale investigation centers on whether Gardner Denver‘s shareholders are receiving adequate compensation for their shares in the buyout, whether the transaction undervalues Gardner Denver‘s stock, and whether Gardner Denver‘s board attempted to obtain the highest share price for all shareholders prior to agreeing to the deal. Notably, at least one analyst with Yahoo! Finance has estimated that the true inherent value of Gardner Denver‘s shares could be as high as $85 per share. Shareholder rights attorney Patrick Powers stated that “due to proposed sale price, analysts’ estimates, the size of the deal and other factors, we believe this transaction may undervalue Gardner Denver‘s stock. Our proposed lawsuit will seek to ensure that shareholders are receiving the highest share price for their shares.”

The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC is a full service business litigation and shareholder rights advocacy firm with more than 20 years of experience in complex litigation and transactional matters.

Powers Taylor, LLP is a boutique litigation law firm that handles a variety of complex business litigation matters, including claims of investor and stockholder fraud, shareholder oppression, shareholder derivative suits, and security class actions.

The Briscoe Law Firm, PLLC
Willie Briscoe, 214-239-4568
WBriscoe@TheBriscoeLawFirm.com
or
Powers Taylor, LLP
Zach Groover, 877-728-9607<br …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Rigrodsky &amp; Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. Buyout

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. Announces Investigation Of Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. Buyout

WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Rigrodsky & Long, P.A.:

  • Do you own shares of Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. (NASDAQ GS: AACC )?
  • Did you purchase any of your shares prior to March 6, 2013?
  • Do you think the proposed buyout price is too low?
  • Do you want to discuss your rights?

Rigrodsky & Long, P.A. announces that it is investigating potential legal claims against the board of directors of Asset Acceptance Capital Corp. (“Asset Acceptance” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ GS: AACC) regarding possible breaches of fiduciary duties and other violations of law related to the Company’s entry into an agreement to be acquired by Encore Capital Group, Inc. (“Encore”) in a transaction valued at approximately $200 million.

Click here to learn more: http://www.rigrodskylong.com/investigations/asset-acceptance-capital-corp.

Under the terms of the proposal, public shareholders of Asset Acceptance will receive $6.50 per share in cash for each share of Asset Acceptance they own.

The investigation concerns whether Asset Acceptance‘s board of directors failed to adequately shop the Company and obtain the best possible value for Asset Acceptance‘s shareholders before entering into an agreement with Encore. According to Yahoo! Finance, at least one analyst has set a price target for Asset Acceptance stock at $8.00 per share.

If you own the common stock of Asset Acceptance and purchased your shares before March 6, 2013, if you have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or if you wish to discuss these matters or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Peter Allocco at Rigrodsky & Long, P.A., 825 East Gate Boulevard, Suite 300, Garden City, New York 11530, toll free at (888) 969-4242, by e-mail to info@rigrodskylong.com, or at: http://www.rigrodskylong.com/investigations/asset-acceptance-capital-corp.

…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

The Only Perfectly Rated Oil-Field Services Stock

By David Lee Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

There are innumerable ways to ascertain a company’s strength and attractiveness as a potential investment. For starters, there are metrics of virtually all shapes and sizes, along with judgments about management’s apparent capabilities and vision, an understanding of the corporation’s history, and finally — but hardly least — a familiarity with the current micro and macro trends in the industry in which it operates.

But think about it: The one item that, at least in theory, bakes in all of the above — and then some — is its overall analyst recommendation, which you can easily find on Yahoo! Finance. That number is simply a weighted average of the ratings of all the analysts who follow a given company. It’s arrived at by ascribing a “1” to a strong buy, a “2” to a buy, a “3” to a hold, and so on. On that basis, the lower the weighted average, the better. A weighting at or below “2” serves as something of an inflection point, where the most compelling companies reside.

Where the stars hang out
For instance, in the oil-field services sector, National Oilwell Varco , the popular and rapidly expanding maker of equipment for drilling rigs, sits right at 2.0. Schlumberger , the biggest — and many think the best — member of the sector sports a 1.7. But Houston-based Flotek Industries , a small-cap ($686 million) provider of services to oil and gas operators sits atop the heap with a can’t-be-improved-upon 1.0.

Admittedly, that number emanates from the work of just four analysts, 30 fewer than those who ante up ratings on Schlumberger. But, as an erstwhile analyst, I find the conclusions of four professionals — who have figuratively consumed hours, or even weeks, under the hood of Flotek, spent time with management, and are conversant with the services group widely defined — to constitute a good starting point in assessing the company’s value.

What’s Flotek actually do?
Flotek operates in three key areas in assisting producers of various sizes, other services companies, and drilling contractors in their daily tasks:

  • Its chemicals and logistics division develops and manufactures specialty chemicals that find application in the stimulation, cementing, and blending of oil and gas wells. 
  • The drilling products division designs, manufactures, and repairs downhole drilling tools. In addition to oil and gas producers, the unit serves the mining and water industries.
  • Flotek’s artificial lift division provides pumping system components that include electrical submersible pumps, gas separators, and production valves.

As one who spends substantial time considering the large capitalization likes of the abovementioned Schlumberger and Varco — and given my conviction that, in an economy that’s probably more precarious than many investors realize — I’m convinced that being overweighted in energy is appropriate in today’s world. Beyond that, a smaller-capitalization, albeit high-quality, company like Flotek can add a desirable element of balance to a Foolish energy portfolio.

A pair of small-cap rivals
Of course, there are other smaller companies …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance