So what are blue chips, exactly? Exact definitions vary, but the term generally applies to large, established corporations with a strong management team and consistent earnings growth. Think McDonald�� (NYSE:MCD), Coca Cola (NYSE:KO) and technology giant IBM (NYSE:IBM), just to name a few.
Many of these firms have paid a dividend for decades, which is an enticing feature for investors seeking a more immediate return on their investment. And while these payouts aren�� always huge, they tend to be more predictable than increases in share price.
Here are some tips for evaluating a blue-chip stock and finding out whether it�� a good addition to your portfolio.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: China BAK Battery Inc.(CBAK)
China BAK Battery, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture, commercialization, and distribution of various standard and customized lithium ion rechargeable batteries. The company offers various products, including aluminum-case prismatic, cylindrical, lithium polymer, and high-power lithium battery cells. Its battery cells are the principal component of rechargeable batteries used to power cellular phones and smart phones; notebook computers, tablet computers, and e-book readers; portable consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, portable media players, portable gaming devices, personal digital assistants, camcorders, and Bluetooth headsets; and electric bicycles, light electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, cordless power tools, and uninterruptible power supplies. The company serves battery pack manufacturers, original equipment manufactures, and replacement battery manufacturers primarily in the People?s Republic of China, Taiwan, Hon g Kong, India, the United States, the Middle East, Italy, Germany, and Turkey. China BAK Battery, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is based in Shenzhen, China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Antè´¸nio Costa] China BAK Battery Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAK) still looks pretty good on the technical daily chart with volume expanding as it moves higher, MACD crossover too. CBAK continues to look bullish and had a decent day Friday. ( click to enlarge )
- [By Bryan Murphy]
It's fun to be right, but there's such a thing as being a little too right, too fast. Such is the case with China BAK Battery Inc. (NASDAQ:CBAK) ... a stock yours truly was touting as a buy-worthy ticker just two days ago following news from Tesla Motors (NASDAQ:TSLA) that it was getting into the battery-pack business so it could become its own supplier for its electric vehicle business (Tesla automobiles need a huge battery pack to run). If there was enough demand for a carmaker to get into the game, then surely it meant there was enough potential business for an established battery market to bear plenty of fruit for CBAK too.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: The9 Limited(NCTY)
The9 Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development and operation of online games, and Internet and Website related businesses in the People?s Republic of China. The company offers online games, including MMORPGs, Web, and SNS games. As of December 31, 2010, it owned or had exclusive licenses to operate SUN, EA Sports FIFA Online 2, Atlantica, World of Fighter, Kingdom Heroes 2 Online, Winning Goal, ShenXianZhuan, Planetside 2, Free Realms, and Seoyugi games in China. The9 Limited also involves in the provision of Internet protocol television services and SMS services; Website solutions and advertising services, and mobile game platform; and licensing of its proprietary games to third parties. The company was formerly known as GameNow.net Limited and changed its name to The9 Limited in February 2004. The9 Limited was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sally Jones]
Here’s a look at three application software companies currently on a 52-week low and still held by a few billionaires. The9 Ltd. (NCTY), Merge Healthcare Inc. (MRGE) and FAB Universal Corp. (FU) are more than 52% off a 52-week high.
Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc (LL)
Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc. (Lumber Liquidators) is retailer of hardwood flooring, and hardwood flooring enhancements and accessories. The Company offers an assortment of wood flooring, which includes prefinished domestic and exotic hardwoods, engineered hardwoods, unfinished hardwoods, bamboo, cork and laminates, as well as resilient flooring. Its flooring enhancements and accessories include moldings, noise-reducing underlay and adhesives. Lumber Liquidators and Bellawood are it brands. Its hardwood flooring products are available in various widths and lengths. It offers approximately 350 different flooring product stock-keeping units. In September 2011, it acquired certain assets of Sequoia Floorings Inc. (Sequoia) relating to Sequoia�� quality control and assurance, product development and logistics operations in China.
In June 2013, Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc announced that the Company has opened its 300th store, located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company opened 40 stores. As of February 20, 2012, the Company operated 266 stores located in 46 states and Canada. During 2011, Lumber Liquidators opened its first stores in Canada. It operates a central distribution center located in Hampton, Virginia, supplemented by its facilities in Toano, Virginia. In addition, it operates a facility in Toronto, Canada, with both a store front and a small warehouse serving that metropolitan market. In 2011, Lumber Liquidators finished approximately 79% of its Bellawood products at its finishing facility in Toano, Virginia.
Solid Hardwood
The Company�� solid hardwood products are milled from one thick piece of wood, which can be sanded and refinished numerous times. It offers flooring products made from more than 25 wood species, including both domestic woods, such as ash, beech, birch, hickory, northern hard maple, northern red oak, pine and American walnut, and exotic woods, such as bloodwood, cherry, cypress, e! bony, koa, mesquite, mahogany, rosewood and teak. Lumber Liquidators sells these products either prefinished or unfinished.
Engineered Hardwood
The Company�� engineered hardwood products are produced by bonding a layer of hardwood to a plywood or fiber board backing. Its engineered hardwood floors are offered in domestic and exotic wood species, and in either glue down or floating application. All of its engineered hardwood products are prefinished. Engineered flooring is designed primarily to be installed in areas where hardwood is not conducive, such as slab construction, basements and areas where moisture may be a factor.
Laminates
Lumber Liquidators Holdings, Inc.�� laminate flooring is constructed with a fiber board core, inserted between a melamine laminate backing and photographic paper displaying an image of wood and a ceramic finish, abrasion-resistant laminate top. Its laminate flooring brands allow for easy-click installation, and some include a pre-glued undersurface, moisture repellent, soundproofing, single-strip format or a handscraped textured finish.
Moldings and Accessories
Lumber Liquidators offer a variety of wood flooring moldings and accessories. It sells stair treads and risers in both finished and unfinished versions. Accessories include underlayments that are placed between the new floor and the sub-floor, insulating sound and cushioning the floors. In addition, it sells installation supplies, such as sealers, adhesives and trowels, floor cleaning supplies, and butcher-block kitchen countertops.
Bamboo and Cork
The Company�� bamboo products, harvested from the bamboo plant, are offered as a prefinished, natural or stained, solid or engineered floor. Its cork flooring is produced by harvesting the outer bark of the cork oak tree.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
If that sounds familiar, it's because Tile Shop's hardwood counterpart in�Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL ) follows nearly the exact same business model by negotiating directly with the lumber mills which produce its products. Of course, this is also the same Lumber Liquidators that recently taught me a humbling lesson�after I doubted its seemingly rich valuation.
- [By Steve Symington]
It's about that time again,�Lumber Liquidators� (NYSE: LL ) investors! With the hardwood flooring specialist all set to announce earnings on Wednesday, July 24, it's a good idea to begin thinking about what we should expect from this fast-growing niche business.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Quanta Services Inc.(PWR)
Quanta Services, Inc. provides specialty contracting services primarily in North America. The company?s Electric Power Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, upgrades, repairs, and maintains electric power transmission and distribution networks, and substation facilities; renewable energy generation facilities; and offers emergency restoration services, including repairing infrastructure to the electric power industry. Its Natural Gas and Pipeline Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, repairs, and maintains natural gas and oil transmission and distribution systems, compressor and pump stations, and gas gathering systems, as well as offers related trenching, directional boring, and automatic welding services; and pipeline protection, integrity testing, rehabilitation and replacement, and fabrication of pipeline support systems, and related structures and facilities. This segment also provides airport fueling systems, and water and sewer infrastruct ure. It services customers engaged in the transportation of natural gas, oil, and other pipeline products. The company?s Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segment designs, installs, repairs, and maintains fiber optic, copper, and coaxial cable networks for video, data and voice transmission; and designs, installs, and upgrades wireless communications networks, including towers, switching systems, and backhaul links, as well as offers emergency restoration services. This segment serves customers in the wireline and wireless telecommunications, and cable television industries. Its Fiber Optic Licensing segment designs, procures, constructs, owns, and maintains fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure; and markets and licenses the right to use these point-to-point fiber optic telecommunications facilities. It provides its services to enterprise, education, carrier, financial services, and healthcare customers. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
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 Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Chad Tracy]
TransCanada is not the only company that stands to profit from the possible Keystone XL approval. Refiners such as Valero and LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB), as well as construction companies Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) and Quanta Services (NYSE: PWR) all stand to gain if Keystone XL gets the green light.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: M.D.C. Holdings Inc. (MDC)
M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in homebuilding and financial services businesses in the United States. Its homebuilding business activities include the purchase of finished lots or development of lots for the construction and sale of single-family detached homes to first-time and first-time move-up homebuyers under the Richmond American Homes name. The company�s financial services business activities comprise the origination of mortgage loans primarily for homebuyers; provision of third-party insurance products to homebuyers; and title agency services to homebuyers in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia. It also provides insurance coverage on homes sold and for work performed in completed subdivisions; and re-insures the claims. M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is based in Denver, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Buckingham, Chief Investment Officer, Al Frank Asset Management, Inc. (AFAM)]
MDC Holdings (MDC) is a builder and seller of homes in California, Colorado, Maryland, Virginia, Arizona, and Nevada under the name Richmond American Homes, and an originator of mortgage loans for home buyers.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Applied Industrial Technologies Inc. (AIT)
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. distributes industrial products for maintenance, repair, and operational needs, as well as original equipment manufacturing applications primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The company offers bearings, power transmission components, fluid power components and systems, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, tools, safety products, and other industrial supplies; and fluid power products, such as hydraulic, pneumatic, lubrication, and filtration components and systems. It also operates regional fabricated rubber shops, which modify and repair conveyor belts and make hose assemblies; and rubber service field crews to install and repair belts and rubber linings at customer locations. In addition, the company assembles fluid power systems and components; performs equipment repair; offers technical advice to customers; and provides maintenance training, and inventory and stor eroom management solutions. It serves various industries, such as agriculture and food processing, automotive, chemical processing, forest products, industrial machinery and equipment, mining, primary metals, transportation, and utilities, as well as to government entities. The company offers industrial products through a network of service centers; and fluid power products directly to customers. Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Industrial distributor�Applied Industrial Technologies� (NYSE: AIT ) announced today its third-quarter dividend of $0.23�per share, the same rate it's paid for the past two quarters after raising the payout 9.5% from $0.21 per share.
- [By Dividends4Life]
Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number
GWW is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 10.0% premium to its calculated fair value of $219.95. GWW did not earn any Stars in this section.
Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
GWW earned three Stars in this section for 1.), 2.) and 3.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. GWW earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured.
Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% means that dividends grew on average in excess of 15% for each consecutive 4 year period over the last 10 years (2003-2006, 2004-2007, 2005-2008, etc.) I consider this a key metric since dividends will double every 5 years if they grow by 15%. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1965 and has increased its dividend payments for 42 consecutive years.
Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked - [By Marc Bastow]
Industrial components distributor Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT) raised its quarterly dividend 8.7% to 25 cents per share, payable on Feb. 28 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 14.
AIT Dividend Yield: 1.98%
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Franco-Nevada Corp (FNV)
Franco-Nevada Corporation (Franco-Nevada) is a gold-focused royalty and stream company with interests in platinum group metals (PGMs), oil and gas and other resource assets. The majority of revenues are generated from a diversified portfolio of properties in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Africa. The portfolio includes over 340 assets covering properties at various stages from production to early stage exploration. Franco-Nevada considers its stream/royalty interest in the Palmarejo and Goldstrike projects to be its only material mineral projects. The oil and gas assets are located primarily in the Western Canadian sedimentary basin with a larger amount of revenue generated from conventional oil than from natural gas properties. The oil and gas assets also include mineral rights to approximately 100,000 gross acres of unproved land in Canada primarily related to oil and natural gas rights, as well as working interests in Arctic gas resources. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Adrian Day]
The names, yeah, I'll give some names, and, of course, everything depends, I mean, all the qualifications, it depends on the person and depends on the price when you go to buy, but you know, I love a company like Franco-Nevada (FNV) which is a royalty company; it's the largest of the royalty companies.
- [By Tyler Laundon]
This royalty business model of Franco-Nevada Gold (FNV) is a winner, especially in this environment, since Franco-Nevada avoids various risks associated with developing and operating gold mines.
- [By Marc Bastow]
The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week came from gold-focused royalty and stream company Franco-Nevada (FNV), which raised its quarterly dividend 11% to 20 cents per share. The dividend is payable on a as-yet-undetermined date in May.
FNV Dividend Yield: 1.69%
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Yandex N.V.(YNDX)
Yandex N.V., an Internet and technology company, operates an Internet search engine in Russia and internationally. It offers access to a range of information available online; localized homepages for specific geographic markets; and personalized and email services. The company also provides specialized search services comprising news aggregation and information services; and price comparison services, such as product information, price comparisons, and consumer-generated reviews of products and online retailers, as well as other specialized search services, including search services for images, videos, music, theatres, televisions, weather, jobs, transportation, cars, and real estate. In addition, it offers desktop applications consisting of specialized toolbar for Web browsers, Russian-to-English and English-to-Russian keyboard layout switcher, and customized browser versions; and server applications for indexing and searching files in various formats. Further, the compan y provides text-based advertising and display advertising services for advertisers on its Websites and Yandex ad network member Websites; and Yandex.Market, a price comparison service, which offers a platform for retailers to reach consumers in a targeted manner. Additionally, it provides services and tools for businesses comprising Yandex.Webmaster that allows Webmasters to control how their Website is seen by its search engine; Yandex.Metrica, a Web statistics analysis tool; Yandex Site Search, a search tool for Webmasters and Website owners; Yandex.Mail for Domain Owners that allows users to create email accounts with their own domain names; Yandex APIs and Widgets that enable developers to use its technologies in their own businesses; and Yandex.Money, an online payment system. Yandex N.V. was incorporated in 2004 and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Vivian Lewis]
Steve Halpern: Now another off-the-radar stock that you've been recommending is called Yandex (YNDX), which is a Dutch company that offers internet services in markets such as Russia and Turkey.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
In trading on Thursday, technology shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.08%. Top decliners in the sector included KVH Industries (NASDAQ: KVHI), off 8.6%, and Yandex NV (NASDAQ: YNDX), down 7.3%.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Whole Foods Market Inc.(WFM)
Whole Foods Market, Inc. engages in the ownership and operation of natural and organic food supermarkets. The company offers produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared foods and catering, coffee and tea, nutritional supplements, and vitamins. It also provides specialty products, such as beer, wine, and cheese; body care and educational products, such as books; and floral, pet, and household products. As of February 9, 2011, the company operated 302 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Associated Press]
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says she's glad Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM ) is reviewing its employee language policy after two of its Spanish-speaking workers in Albuquerque were suspended.
- [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
AP With the studio behind this weekend's biggest opening reporting quarterly results and an update from the company behind the world's best-selling video game franchise, there will be plenty of news breaking in the coming days. Let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week ahead on Wall Street. 1. Organic Growth: Whole Foods Market (WFM) is the undisputed champ among grocers specializing in whole and organic foods. No, a trip to Whole Foods Market isn't exactly cheap, but customers haven't been flinching at the register. The high-end supermarket chain has been posting positive comps for a couple of years now. Whole Foods Market reports quarterly results on Tuesday, and the market's ready for more growth. Analysts see the retailer earning $0.73 a share, well ahead of the $0.64 a share it rang up a year earlier. The retailer hasn't made any substantial acquisitions lately, so I guess you can call this organic growth in more ways than one. 2. Activision Blizzard Fires Again: The country's largest video game developer has been putting out new "Call of Duty" games every November for years, so it wasn't a surprise when Activision Blizzard (ATVI) announced that its next installment will hit gamers on Nov. 5. However, the leading publisher isn't going to settle for another "Modern Warfare" or "Black Ops" entry this year. "Call of Duty: Ghosts" will be the name of the new combat simulator. Diehard gamers hungry for a glimpse will get a preview on May 21 when the new Xbox is unveiled. Investors hungry for more gaming news will get Activision Blizzard's quarterly report on Wednesday. Analysts see improving profitability and revenue for the quarter, but those same analysts see revenue and earnings declining for all of 2013. Call this quarter a battle that Activision Blizzard is winning -- but it's going to have to do better to win the war. 3. Stark Was the Spark: Everyone knew that "Iron Man 3" would kick off the summer box office season with a punch
- [By Lauren Pollock]
Whole Foods Market Inc.'s(WFM) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 7.1% as the high-end supermarket chain continued to record sales growth. However, shares fell 9.2% to $58.56 in premarket trading as results missed expectations and the company cut its fiscal year guidance, citing current sales trends.
Top 10 Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Halcon Resources Corp (HK)
Halcon Resources Corporation (Halcon Resources), incorporated on February 5, 2004, is an independent energy company focused on the acquisition, production, exploration and development of onshore liquids-rich oil and natural gas assets in the United States. The Company has oil and natural gas reserves located primarily in Texas, North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Montana. On August 1, 2012, the Company acquired GeoResources by merger. On December 6, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of entities owning approximately 81,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations primarily located in Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie and Dunn Counties, North Dakota (the Williston Basin Assets), from Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. and Pillar Energy, LLC (the Petro-Hunt parties). As of December 31, 2012, the Company has working interests in approximately 128,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations in North Dakota and Montana.
The Company�� Woodbine / Eagle Ford acreage is prospective for the Woodbine, Eagle Ford and other formations, with targeted depths ranging anywhere from 7,000 feet to 10,400 feet. As of December 31, 2012, The Company has approximately 198,000 net acres leased or under contract primarily in Leon, Madison, Grimes, Brazos, and Polk Counties, Texas. The Company is the operator and has a 100% working interest in more than 12,000 net acres in Wichita and Wilbarger Counties, Texas that it is actively water flooding in shallow Cisco aged Pennsylvania sandstone and limestone reservoirs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company produced 484 million barrels of oil equivalent from approximately 700 active producing wells and approximately 230 active water injection wells.
The Company�� position in the La Copita Field covers 3,720 gross acres and 2,829 net acres in Starr County, Texas. As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� average net daily production was 623 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Company operates 100% of this production a! nd its working interest ranges from 75% to 100%. The Company has various other oil and natural gas properties with varying working interests located across the United States, including the Austin Chalk Trend and Eagle Ford Shale in Texas, the Fitts-Allen Fields in Central Oklahoma, and various other areas across South Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Sterman]
2. Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK) Insiders bought more than $2 million of this energy exploration firm in early August as part of a secondary share offering priced at $5.10 a share. In the past 10 days, as shares have slipped below the $5 mark, insiders have continued to accumulate shares.Halcon has a legion of fans in the financial blogosphere, and this recent post typifies the bullish sentiment of some.
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