Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015

Getty Images By Sam Ro At the beginning of the year, gas prices were surging at an usually high clip. But the summer has now come and gone and in hindsight, gas prices were quite tame. "As the Labor Day weekend approaches, the U.S. national average retail price for regular gasoline has fallen 13 cents per gallon below the apparent summer peak of $3.68 per gallon, reached on July 22," noted the Energy Information Association. "Last Monday, August 26, it was $3.55 per gallon, despite an increase in crude oil prices since early July. At $3.55 per gallon, the average U.S. retail price for regular gasoline is 19 cents below last year's price at that time and 3 cents below the level in 2011 leading into the holiday weekend." "According to the American Automobile Association, gasoline prices were $3.59 per gallon August 29." Check out the chart: EIA

Top Managed Healthcare Companies For 2016: Coherent Inc.(COHR)

Coherent, Inc. provides photonics-based solutions for a range of commercial and scientific research applications worldwide. The company engages in designing, manufacturing, servicing, and marketing lasers, laser tools, precision optics, and related accessories. Its products are used in a range of applications, including microelectronics, scientific research and government programs, original equipment manufacturer components and instrumentation, and materials processing markets. The company markets its products primarily through a direct sales force, as well as through independent representatives. Coherent, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  For decades, the standard technology in the laser industry has been the carbon-based laser. In reality, these lasers are still commonly used, and sold in bulk by the likes of Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI  ) and Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR  ) . They are used largely for precision cutting of large pieces of metal.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR  ) ran higher by as much as 16% after the company reported fiscal second-quarter earnings.

  So what: Revenue in the quarter added up to $200.1 million, with adjusted earnings per share of $0.84. Both headline figures were ahead of consensus forecasts, which were perched at $198.2 million in sales and an adjusted profit of $0.80 per share. CEO John Ambroseo said demand in Coherent's commercial end markets improved, resulting in record bookings for materials processing.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Rofin-Sinar (NASDAQ: RSTI  ) , Coherent (NASDAQ: COHR  ) , Newport (NASDAQ: NEWP  ) , and JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU  ) all offer fiber-optic lasers as well.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015: Fuel Tech Inc.(FTEK)

Fuel Tech, Inc. uses a suite of advanced technologies to provide boiler optimization, efficiency improvement, and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers worldwide. It operates through two segments, Air Pollution Control Technologies and FUEL CHEM Technologies. The Air Pollution Control Technologies segment includes technologies, such as low and ultra low NOx Burners, over-fire air systems, NOxOUT and HERT selective non-catalytic reduction systems, and advanced selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce NOx emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces, and other stationary combustion sources. This segment distributes its products through direct sales force and agents. The FUEL CHEM Technologies segment uses chemical processes in combination with advanced computational fluid dynamics and chemical kinetics modeling boiler modeling for the control of slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity, and other sulfur trioxide-r elated issues in furnaces and boilers through the addition of chemicals into the furnace using Targeted In-Furnace Injection technology. This segment?s programs improve the efficiency, reliability, and environmental status of plants operating in the electric utility, industrial, pulp and paper, waste-to-energy, university, and district heating markets; and are installed on combustion units in North America, Europe, China, and India for treating various solid and liquid fuels, including coal, heavy oil, biomass, and municipal waste. It provides operational, financial, and environmental benefits to owners of boilers, furnaces, and other combustion units. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Fuel-Tech (FTEK), which uses a suite of advanced technologies to provide boiler optimization, efficiency improvement and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers. This stock is off to a slow start in 2013, with shares up just 7% so far.

  If you take a look at the chart for Fuel Tech, you'll notice that this stock has entered a tight consolidation chart pattern over the last month, with shares moving between $4.19 on the downside and $4.78 a share on the upside. Shares of FTEK are now starting to trend higher and move within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in FTEK if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.66 to $4.68 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $4.78 to its 52-week high at $5.20 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 77,549 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then FTEK will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets of that breakout are $5.50 to $6, or even $7 a share.

  Traders can look to buy FTEK off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $4.33 a share, or just below its 200-day at $4.14 a share. One can also buy FTEK off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Fuel Tech Inc.(FTEK) said its revenue fell 9% in the fourth quarter, dragged down by declines in its air pollution control segment. Revenue and earnings fell short of market expectations. Shares dropped 18% to $5.65 premarket.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of Fuel Tech Inc. (FTEK) �fell 15% to $5.86 on moderate volume. The air-pollution control technology company reported fourth-quarter earnings of 2 cents a share on revenue of $24.2 million. Only two analysts on FactSet estimated earnings averaging at 7 cents a share, while only one expected revenue of $28 million.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015: American Express Company(AXP)

American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services worldwide. The company?s product portfolio consists of charge and credit card products; expense management products and services; consumer and business travel services; stored value cards, including travelers cheques and other prepaid products; network services; merchant acquisition and processing, point-of-sale, servicing and settlement, and marketing and information products and services for merchants; and fee services comprising market and trend analyses and related consulting services, fraud prevention services, and the design of customer loyalty and rewards programs. In addition, it publishes luxury lifestyle magazines; business and travel resources; general interest, cooking, travel, wine, cocktail, financial, and time management books; and international and electronic editions. The company sells its products and services to consumer s, small businesses, mid-sized companies, and large corporations through direct mail, on-line applications, targeted direct and third-party sales forces, and direct response advertising worldwide. American Express Company was founded in 1850 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  American Express Co.'s(AXP) fourth-quarter profit more than doubled, as customers spent more in the U.S. and abroad, though the company’s results still came in shy of Wall Street expectations. SunTrust said the earnings miss was due to a higher tax rate and noted the company’s results show evidence of “strong and accelerating billed-business growth, moderate loan growth, cost control and sustained high capital return.” Shares climbed 1.4% to $89 premarket.

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  Say all you want about Discover Financial (DFS) and American Express (AXP), but MasterCard (MA) and Visa own the vast majority of the credit card world and always will. Discover came along years ago and hasn�� done much to penetrate the outer walls of its competitors. And we always want to own companies that dominate their space.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015: Korea Electric Power Corp (KEP)

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), incorporated on January 1, 1982, is engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity and development of electric power resources in the Republic of Korea. KEPCO�� business operations include nuclear, hydro and thermal generation; transmission and distribution, and resources development. KEPCO consists of power generation companies, subsidiaries and affiliates, and other share-holding companies. On January 5, 2010, KEPCO developed the prototype of next-generation electric vehicle chargers.

KEPCO completed consulting projects in Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia, Libya, Ukraine and Paraguay, and is working on 12 projects in Western Africa, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. KEPCO is investing in green growth business, which includes implementation of Smart Grid and electric vehicle charging infrastructure and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. KEPCO is engaged in development of renewable energy projects, including photovoltaic, wind and tidal energy to realize low carbon green growth. KEPCO��s overseas renewable energy projects include wind farms in Gansu (99 megawatts) and Inner Mongolia (1,075 megawatts) in China. KEPCO has secured an annual 520,000 tons worth of carbon emission rights. KEPCO has nine CDM projects related to wind generation project in China, out of 18 CDM projects.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Utilities shares fell around 0.30 percent in trading on Friday. Top losers in the sector included Pampa Energia SA (NYSE: PAM), revesed loses and is currently up 1.75 percent, and Korea Electric Power (NYSE: KEP), off 3.16 percent.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Among the sector stocks, Pure Cycle (NASDAQ: PCYO) was down more than 1.3 percent, while Korea Electric Power (NYSE: KEP) tumbled around one percent.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Utilities shares rose around 0.45 percent in trading on Tuesday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte S.A. (NYSE: EDN), up 4.7 percent, and Korea Electric Power (NYSE: KEP), up 3.9 percent.

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation(GLDD)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation engages in the business of marine construction, primarily dredging, and commercial and industrial demolition primarily in the east, west, and Gulf Coasts of the United States. The company?s Dredging segment is involved in capital dredging projects consisting of primarily port expansion projects, land reclamations, trench digging for pipelines, tunnels and cables, and other dredging related to the construction of breakwaters, jetties, and canals; beach nourishment projects, which involve moving sand from the ocean floor to shoreline locations; and maintenance dredging that includes the re-dredging of previously deepened waterways and harbors to remove silt, sand, and other accumulated sediments, as well as lake and river dredging, inland levee and construction dredging, environmental restoration, and habitat improvement. Its Demolition segment provides commercial and industrial demolition services. It is involved in exterior demolition that comprises dismantling and demolition of structures and foundations; and interior demolition, which includes removing specific structures within a building. This segment also engages in site development, removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials, and remediation of contaminated demolition materials. The company serves federal, state, and local governments; foreign governments; domestic and foreign private concerns, such as utilities and oil companies; general contractors; corporations that commission projects; nonprofit institutions, such as universities and hospitals; and local government and municipal agencies. It has a fleet of 33 dredges, including 8 deployed internationally; 19 material transportation barges; 2 drill boats; and various other specialized support vessels. The company was formerly known as Lydon & Drews Partnership and changed its name to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation in 1905. The company was founded in 1809 and is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (Nasdaq: GLDD  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (Nasdaq: GLDD  ) .

Best Healthcare Technology Companies To Own For 2015: AirAsia Bhd (AIRA.KL)

AirAsia Berhad (AirAsia) is principally engaged in providing air transportation services. It has covered over 80 destinations via 160 routes crisscrossing 18 countries. AirAsia has in the pipeline approximately 355 single-aisle aircraft from Airbus - 264 A320 new engine options (neo) and 93 A320 current engine options (ceo). The Company�� ancillary services include in-flight meals, check-in baggage, counter check-in, Pick-a-Seat, Hot Seat selection, Fly-Thru, Red Carpet and various merchandise (on-board, as well as in its online Megastore) and cargo service. Indonesia AirAsia introduced approximately 10 new routes. Of these, 11 were internal: Bandung - Pekanbaru, Jakarta - Semarang, Denpasar - Yogyakarta, Denpasar - Surabaya, Medan - Pekanbaru, Medan - Banda Aceh, Surabaya - Bandung, Surabaya - Jakarta, Surabaya - Semarang, Makassar - Jakarta and Makassar - Balikpapan. The Company�� operations are conducted in Malaysia. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  But AirAsia (AIRA.KL) shares, which were also downgraded by AllianceDBS, fell 8.5% on the local exchange. The airplane�� lead insurer, Allianz SE (AZSEY), and the manufacturer, Airbus Group (EADSY), each fell roughly 1% in early afternoon market action.