Each week, I endeavor to report the results of the Big Idea Portfolio, a collection of five tech stocks that I believe will crush the market over a three-year period. I've done it before; my last tussle with Mr. Market ended with me beating the index's average return by 13.35%.
Real money was on the line then as it is now, which means any one of the five stocks you see below could tip the scales in my favor. This time, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) reported strong gains in the wake of its first earnings beat in four tries.
Let's start with the really good news: Profits came in $0.02 ahead of estimates as revenue improved 11.3%. Credit the iPad for those gains. Revenue jumped 40% as unit sales soared 65% year-over year. Average selling prices fell from $530.93 to $449.04, no doubt because of the popularity of the lower-priced iPad Mini. Increasing interest in iTunes content may also be helping boost tablet sales.
CEO Tim Cook also agreed loosen Apple's purse strings. Existing investors will see a 15% bump in the dividend, to $3.05 a share, when the payout arrives next month. More importantly, the board has authorized up to $50 billion extra for repurchasing shares of Apple stock. Overnight, the iEmpire has become one of tech's most interesting value and income plays.
Top 10 Small Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: SilverSun Technologies Inc (SSNT)
SilverSun Technologies Inc, formerly Trey Resources, Inc., incorporated on October 3, 2002, is a business consultant for small and medium sized businesses and resellers and developers of financial accounting software. It also publishes its own electronic data interchange (EDI) software. It specializes in software integration and deployment, programming, and training and technical support, aimed at improving the financial reporting and operational efficiencies of small and medium sized companies. The sale of its financial accounting software is concentrated in the northeastern United States, while its EDI software and programming services are sold to corporations nationwide. It also provides software customization, data migration, business consulting, and implementation assistance for complex design environments. The Company�� three product categories include Financial Accounting Software, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Software and Warehouse Management Systems. Its services include network services and business consulting. In January 2012, the Company acquired the Sage software customer accounts of IncorTech. In January 2012, the Company acquired remaining 20% of SWK Technologies. In April 2012, its subsidiary, SWK Technologies, sold the Sage ERP X3 global enterprise solution to a power generation facility in the Northeastern United States. In June 2012, the Company acquired Micro-Point, Inc. In February 2013, the Company's SWK Technologies, Inc. acquired Sage business partner accounts of Point Solutions, LLC. In February 2013, its wholly owned subsidiary, SWK Technologies Inc., completed the acquisition of the Sage business partner accounts of Colleyville, Texas-based SGEN, LLC (d/b/a Software Generation).
Financial Accounting Software
The Company resells accounting software published by Sage Software, Inc. (Sage) and Intuit, Inc. for the financial accounting requirements of small and medium sized businesses focused on manufacturing and distribution, and the delivery of! related services from the sales of these products, including installation, support and training. These product sales are primarily packaged software programs installed on a user workstation, on a local area network server, or in a hosted environment. The programs perform and support a variety of functions related to accounting, including financial reporting, accounts payable and accounts receivable, and inventory management. The Company provides a variety of services along with its financial accounting software sales. These services include training, technical support, and professional services. It also provides on-site training services that are tailored to meet the needs of a particular customer. It provides end-user technical support services through our support/help desk. Its professional services include project-focused offerings, such as software customization, data migration, and small and medium sized business consulting.
The Company competes with Microsoft.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Software
The Company publishes its own EDI software MAPADOC. The MAPADOC EDI solution is a fully integrated EDI solution that provides users of Sage Software�� MAS family of accounting software products. MAPADOC provides the user with data entry time, elimination of redundant steps, the lowering of paper and postage costs, the reduction of time spent typing, signing, checking and approving documents and the ability to self-manage EDI. The Company markets MAPADOC solutions to its existing and new small and medium-sized business customers, and through a network of resellers.
The Company competes with True Commerce and Kissinger Associates.
Warehouse Management System (WMS)
The Company is a reseller of the Warehouse Management System (WMS) software published by Accellos, Inc. Accellos, Inc. develops warehouse management software for mid-market distributors. The primary purpose of a WMS is to control the movement and storage of mat! erials wi! thin an operation and process the associated transactions. The detailed setup and processing within a WMS can vary from one software vendor to another. The basic WMS uses a combination of item, location, quantity, unit of measure, and order information to determine where to stock, where to pick, and in what sequence to perform these operations. Accellos works as part of a operational solution by integrating seamlessly with RF hardware, accounting software, shipping systems and warehouse automation equipment. The Company markets the Accellos solution to its existing and new medium-sized business customers.
Network Services And Business Consulting
The Company provides network maintenance and service upgrades for its business clients. It provides various services for its clients, including server implementation, support and assistance, operation and maintenance of central systems, technical design of network infrastructure, technical troubleshooting for large scale problems, network and server security, and backup, archiving, and storage of data from servers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Today, SSNT has shed (-8.33%) down -0.010 at $.110 with 3,500 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:08AM EDT September 12, 2013).
SilverSun Technologies, Inc. previously reported its second quarter results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.
Financial highlights for 3 months ended June 30, 2013 compared to 3 months ended june 30, 2012 are as follows. The Company reported revenues increased to $3,870,598, rising 26% from $3,071,425. Software sales climbed 14% to $528,368 from $462,151. Services revenues totaled $3,342,230, increasing 28% from $2,609,264. Income from operations rose to $77,339 from a loss from operations of $319,781. Net income was $62,185, or $0.00 earnings per basic and diluted share, compared to a net loss of $334,031, or 0.00 loss per basic and diluted share.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: CMS Energy Corp (CMS)
CMS Energy Corporation (CMS Energy) is an energy company operating primarily in Michigan. CMS Energy is the parent holding company of several subsidiaries, including Consumers Energy Company (Consumers) and CMS Enterprises Company (CMS Enterprises). Consumers is an electric and gas utility, and CMS Enterprises, primarily a domestic independent power producer. Consumers serves individuals and businesses operating in the alternative energy, automotive, chemical, metal, and food products industries, as well as a diversified group of other industries. CMS Enterprises, through its subsidiaries and equity investments, is engaged primarily in independent power production and owns power generation facilities fueled mostly by natural gas and biomass. CMS Energy operates in three business segments: electric utility, gas utility and enterprises, its non-utility operations and investments. EnerBank USA (EnerBank), a wholly owned subsidiary of CMS Energy, which provides unsecured consumer installment loans for financing home improvements.
CONSUMERS ELECTRIC UTILITY
Consumers��electric utility operations include the generation, purchase, distribution, and sale of electricity. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Consumers��electric deliveries were 38 billion kilowatt hour, which included Retail Open Access (ROA) deliveries of four billion kilowatt hour. Consumers��distribution system includes 413 miles of high-voltage distribution radial lines operating at 120 kilovolts or above; ,244 miles of high-voltage distribution overhead lines operating at 23 kilovolts and 46 kilovolts; 17 miles of high-voltage distribution underground lines operating at 23 kilovolts and 46 kilovolts; 55,953 miles of electric distribution overhead lines; 10,112 miles of underground distribution lines, and substations with an aggregate transformer capacity of 24 million thousand volt-amperes.
At December 31, 2011, Consumers��electric generating system consisted of coal generation, oil/gas/st! eam generation, hydroelectric and gas/oil combustion turbine. At December 31, 2011, Consumers had contracts to purchase coal through 2014. At December 31, 2011, Consumers had 86% of its 2012 expected coal requirements under contract, as well as a 41-day supply of coal on hand. During 2011, Consumers purchased 53% of the electricity it provided to customers through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), seasonal purchases, and the Midwest Energy Market. Consumers offers its generation into the Midwest Energy Market on a day-ahead and real-time basis and bids for power in the market to serve the demand of its customers. Consumers is a net purchaser of power and supplements its generation capability with purchases from the Midwest Energy Market to meet its customers��needs during peak demand periods.
CONSUMERS GAS UTILITY
Consumers��gas utility operations include the purchase, transmission, storage, distribution, and sale of natural gas. Consumers��gas utility customer base consists of a mix of residential, commercial, and diversified industrial customers in Michigan�� Lower Peninsula. In 2011, deliveries of natural gas, including off-system transportation deliveries, through Consumers��pipeline and distribution network, totaled 337 billion cubic feet of gas, which included Gas Customer Choice (GCC) deliveries of 48 billion cubic feet of gas. Consumers��gas utility operations are seasonal. During 2011, 46% of the natural gas supplied to all customers during the winter months was supplied from storage.
Consumers��gas distribution and transmission system located in Michigan�� Lower Peninsula consists of 26,623 miles of distribution mains; 666 miles of transmission lines; seven compressor stations with a total of 150,635 installed and available horsepower, and 15 gas storage fields with an aggregate storage capacity of 307 billion cubic feet of gas and a working storage capacity of 142 billion cubic feet of gas. In 2011, Consumers purchased 70% of ! the gas i! t delivered from United States producers and 10% from Canadian producers. The remaining 20% was purchased from authorized GCC suppliers and delivered by Consumers to customers in the GCC program.
ENTERPRISES SEGMENT
CMS Energy�� enterprises segment, through various subsidiaries and certain equity investments, is engaged primarily in domestic independent power production and the marketing of independent power production. At December 31, 2011, CMS Energy had ownership interests in independent power plants totaling 1,135 gross megawatts or 1,034 net megawatts. CMS Energy Resource Management (ERM) purchases and sells energy commodities in support of CMS Energy�� generating facilities and continues to focus on optimizing CMS Energy�� independent power production portfolio. In 2011, CMS ERM marketed 17 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 2,417 gigawatt-hour of electricity.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
Looking for a way to invest in hydropower? California's PG&E (NYSE: PCG ) is the nation's largest hydropower utility, producing nearly 12 billion kilowatt-hours of water-sourced electricity each year. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS ) , which currently operates 13 hydroelectric power plants in Michigan -- including one near the site of that first Grand Rapids turbine -- provides power to about 70,000 people each year from the movement of water.
- [By David Dittman]
CMS Energy Corp (NYSE: CMS), which at 47.5 percent had the largest share of coal-fired generation among power producers in the UF Portfolio, was down just 0.1 percent.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: MFA Financial Inc (MFA)
MFA Financial, Inc., incorporated on July 24, 1997, is engaged in the business of investing, on a leveraged basis, in residential Agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and Non-Agency MBS. Its business objective is to generate net income for distribution to its stockholders resulting from the difference between the interest and other income it earn on its investments and the interest expense it pays on the borrowings, which it uses to finance its leveraged investments and its operating costs. Its operating policies require that at least 50% of its investment portfolio consist of ARM-MBS, which are either Agency MBS or rated in two rating categories by at least one of rating agency, such as Moody�� Investors Services, Inc., Standard & Poor�� Corporation (S&P) or Fitch, Inc. The remainder of its assets may consist of direct or indirect investments in other types of MBS and residential mortgage loans; other mortgage and real estate-related debt and equity; and other yield instruments.
The mortgages collateralizing the Company�� MBS portfolio are Hybrids, ARMs and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. The Hybrids collateralizing its MBS typically have fixed-rate periods ranging from three to 10 years. Interest rates on the mortgage loans collateralizing its ARM-MBS reset based on specific index rates, which include London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or the one-year constant maturity treasury (CMT) rate. The mortgages collateralizing its ARM-MBS have interim and lifetime caps on interest rate adjustments. The Company�� Non-Agency MBS have been at discounts to face/par value.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
We're seeing the exact opposite setup in shares of MFA Financial (MFA). Unlike NCT, shares of MFA have been in a well-defined downtrend since the middle of May. That high probability range puts this stock's likely target price lower for the end of August.
Since the best time to buy an uptrend is at support, it makes sense that the best time to sell a stock in a downtrend is at trendline resistance. That's the exact level that MFA is testing this week. If you own MFA right now, it makes sense to be a seller on the first semblance of a bounce lower.
Momentum provides some extra confirmation here too. RSI has been suck down in bearish territory since the uptrend began in May. Oscillators like RSI tend to become range-bound when stocks' price action trends. I'd look for a move above 50 on RSI as a precondition to a move higher in price.
- [By Dividend]
MFA Financial (MFA) has a market capitalization of $2.68 billion. The company employs 37 people, generates revenue of $499.16 million and has a net income of $306.84 million. MFA Financial�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $289.95 million. The EBITDA margin is 58.09 percent (the operating margin is 57.14 percent and the net profit margin 61.47 percent).
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
MFA Financial Inc. (NYSE: MFA) has an estimated $0.20 decline in book value. This is partially attributable to the company’s recent special dividend declaration. For the third quarter, Sterne Agee sees MFA with a core earnings per share of $0.19, yet the dividend of $0.50 is a combined $0.22 estimated and $0.28 special.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Morgans Hotel Group Co.(MHGC)
Morgans Hotel Group Co., a hospitality company, engages in the acquisition, ownership, operation, development, and redevelopment boutique hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, bars, and other food and beverage venues. It has operations primarily in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Morgans Hotel Group (MHGC) operates, owns, acquires, develops and redevelops boutique hotels, primarily in gateway cities and select resort markets in the U.S., Europe and other international locations and nightclubs, restaurants. This stock closed up 3.8% to $6.99 in Tuesday's trading session.
Tuesday's Range: $6.73-$7.06
52-Week Range: $4.66-$8.15
Tuesday's Volume: 388,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 196,219From a technical perspective, MHGC spiked higher here right above its 200-day moving average of $6.45 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of MHGC within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if MHGC manages to take out Tuesday's high of $7.06 and then once it takes out more near-term resistance at $7.20 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MHGC as long as it's trending above its 200-day at $6.41 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 196,219 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MHGC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $8 to its 52-week high at $8.15. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give MHGC a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $9 to $10.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: CGG SA (CGG)
CGG SA, formerly Compagnie Generale de Geophysique-Veritas, is a manufacturer of geophysical equipment and a provider of a range of seismic services in data acquisition and processing both onshore and offshore, principally to clients in the oil and gas exploration and production industry. The Company operates in two segments: Services and Equipment.
Services
The services segment includes land contract, marine contract, multi-client land and marine, and processing, imaging and reservoir. The land contract includes seismic data acquisition for land, transition zones and shallow water undertaken by the Company on behalf of a specific client. The marine contract includes seismic data acquisition offshore undertaken by the Company on behalf of a specific client. The multi-client land and marine includes seismic data acquisition undertaken by the Company and licensed to a number of clients on a non-exclusive basis. The processing, imaging and reservoir includes processing, imaging and interpretation of geophysical data, data management and reservoir studies for clients.
Land seismic acquisition includes all seismic surveying techniques where the recording sensor is either in direct contact with, or in close proximity to, the ground. The Company�� land business line offers integrated services, including the acquisition and on site processing of seismic data on land, in transition zones and on the ocean floor (shallow water and seabed surveys). It undertakes land surveys with both a contract and multi-client basis. The land operations include surveying and recording crews. Surveying crews lay out the lines to be recorded and mark the sites for shot-hole placement or equipment location. Recording crews produce acoustic impulses and use recording units to synchronize the shooting and record the seismic signals through geophones.
The Company provides a range of three-dimensional (3D) marine seismic services, principally in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea an! d off the coasts of West Africa and Brazil, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a fleet of 19 vessels, including 11 three dimension (3D) high capacity vessels (12 or more streamers), two 10 streamer 3D vessels, three eight streamer 3D vessels and three 3D/two dimension (2D) vessels of lower capacity. Marine seismic surveys are conducted through the deployment of submersible cables (streamers) and acoustic sources (airguns) from marine vessels.
Seismic data processing operations transform seismic data acquired in the field into 2D cross-sections, or 3D images of the earth�� subsurface or four-dimensional (4D) time-lapse seismic data using Geovation and Hampson-Russell software, or third party applications. These images are then interpreted by geophysicists and geologists for use by oil and gas companies in evaluating prospective areas, selecting drilling sites and managing producing reservoirs. The Company provides seismic data processing and reservoir services through the network of data processing centers and reservoir teams located worldwide. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 43 worldwide processing and imaging centers, including 13 dedicated client centers.
Equipment
The Company conducts its equipment development and production operations through Sercel and its subsidiaries. Sercel operates five seismic equipment manufacturing facilities, located in Nantes and Saint Gaudens in France, Houston, Singapore and Alfreton in England. In China, Sercel operates through Hebei Sercel-JunFeng Geophysical Equipment Co. Ltd, based in Hebei. Sercel offers and supports worldwide a range of geophysical equipment for seismic data acquisition, including seismic recording equipment, software and seismic sources, and provides its clients with integrated solutions. Sercel�� principal product line is seismic recording equipment, particularly the 400 family of recording systems, the 408UL and the 428XL. Sercel also markets for vibros! eismic ve! hicles and for vibrator electronic systems (VE 464). Sercel develops and produces a range of geophysical equipment for seismic data acquisition and other ancillary geophysical products, such as geophones, cables and connectors.
The Company competes with WesternGeco, Global Geophysical Services, BGP, Geokinetics, PGS, Fugro and Ion Geophysical Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vanina Egea]
Baker Hughes has seen greater activity, especially through new partnerships. With CGG (CGG), the company has signed a long-term agreement to provide RoqSCAN technology, a real-time, fully portable, quantitative and automated rock properties and mineralogical analyzer. Also, the firm will acquire Weatherford (WFT)'s pipeline and specialty services business through one of its subsidiaries. Last, the business has signed a letter of intent to develop integrated well completion solutions with TMK.
- [By David Smith]
Despite Craighead's relative ebullience regarding North America, it nevertheless appears that the sizzle at Baker Hughes lies in the international markets. As I noted last week, the company has teamed up with CGGVeritaz (NYSE: CGG ) to add substantial seismic capabilities to its global repertoire. Further, it's working with Norway's Statoil (NYSE: STO ) on new projects in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the Barents Sea. It's also been contracted by Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) for work on the giant Gorgon project in Australia, and its gearing up with Russia's Lukoil and Statoil on the West Qurna-2 oil fields in Iraq.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Puget Technologies Inc (PUGE)
PUGET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., incorporated on March 17, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the distribution of luxury wool bedding sets produced in Germany. The Company�� product includes Lama Wool, Camel Wool, Cashmere Wool and Merino Wool.
The Company�� Lama Wool is consists of 50% Lama Wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Camel wool is consists of 50% Camel wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Cashmere wool is blended with Merino wool.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Watch In Right Now: ICF International Inc. (ICFI)
ICF International Inc. provides management, technology, and policy professional services to government, commercial, and international clients. It primarily offers advisory services, which include needs and market assessments, policy analysis, strategy and concept development, organizational assessment and strategy, enterprise architecture, and program design; and implementation services to manage technological, organizational, and management solutions for clients, including information technology solutions, project and program management, project delivery, strategic communications, and training. The company also provides evaluation and improvement services consisting of program evaluations, continuous improvement initiatives, performance management, benchmarking, and return-on-investment analyses. It serves energy, environment, and transportation; health, education, and social programs; and homeland security and defense. The company was formerly known as ICF Consulting Gro up Holdings, LLC and changed its name to ICF International, Inc. in 2006. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Leonard]
Key takeaways
ICF International (ICFI) trades at an attractive multiple due to concerns that lower government spending (~three quarters of its business) will negatively affect results.However recent contract wins and an expected strong 2H mitigate these concerns.Moreover, a successful acquisition strategy reduced its dependence on government spending and resulted in significant EBITDA growth, high free cash flow and an almost 50% debt reduction.Company overview
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