Inland American offers small number of investors liquidity through tender offer

Top tenant: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is among the retailers leasing space in shopping centers owned by Inland's nontraded REITs. Bloomberg News

Inland American Real Estate Trust Inc., the largest nontraded real estate investment trust with $9.7 billion in assets, is offering a small number of investors liquidity, just a month and a half after the REIT signaled that it may be in line for a merger or a listing of its shares.

But the offer may be a disappointment to some.

In a letter to investors last Friday, the REIT's management wrote that it was offering to purchase for cash up to $350 million of its shares, or about 6%, at a price specified by the tending stockholder of not greater than $6.50 or less than $6.10 a share.

The company may increase the number of shares in the offer, called a modified “Dutch auction,” by up to two percentage points, which could increase the dollar value of the offer by about $120 million.

Launched in 2004, Inland American was sold for the most part at $10 a share and eventually raised $8.90 billion, the most ever for a nontraded REIT.

At the end of last year, Inland American said that its estimated value was $6.94 a share.

Inland American spokeswoman Nicole Spreck said that no one from the company was available to comment.

The company has seen better results of late. Last year, it posted earnings per share of 27 cents, versus an 8-cent loss in 2012.

The shareholder letter, signed by chairman Robert Parks and president Thomas McGuinness, recognized that the “Dutch auction” tender offer was less than what investors paid.

“We acknowledge that the range of prices is below the value at which most stockholders purchased their shares, but we believe our strategy will increase the value of our stock on a long-term basis,” they wrote. “Therefore, not tendering your shares and continuing as a stockholder in the company is something every stockholder should consider.”

The offer commenced March 14 and will close at the end of business April 11.

Inland American has been in the spotlight the past few months. In January, it told investors that it was suspending its share repurchase program beginning at the end of last month, with the company saying that it could reinstate the plan later this year.

Halting a share repurchase program can be an indication of a pending merger or acquisition, REIT and broker-dealer executives said at the time.

The REIT also told shareholders last week that it was becoming self-managed for no fee.

Many REIT sponsors in the past have imposed the charge — commonly referred to as an internalization fee — when the contract between the REIT and its outside adviser expires, with the REIT th! en acquiring the outside adviser. That charge, which has drawn criticism because it typically isn't fully disclosed in offering documents, has cost investors in several prominent REITs hundreds of millions of dollars.

However, over the past few years, the nontraded REIT industry has moved away from that business model and fee.

“Self-management will eliminate the quarterly advisory fee paid by the REIT to its business manager,” according to the letter. “Also, the REIT will not pay an internalization of self-management fee in connection with the acquisition of its business manager and property managers.”

Illness delays Madoff jury deliberations

NEW YORK — A juror's illness delayed deliberations Tuesday in the fraud trial of five former Bernard Madoff employees.

The nine-woman, three-man panel weighing charges the defendants knowingly aided Madoff's Ponzi scheme had completed about eight hours of deliberations over two days when a stomach ailment struck one juror.

Deliberations in the trial, one of the longest white-collar crime proceedings in Manhattan federal court history, were tentatively scheduled to resume Wednesday.

However, U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain held preliminary talks with prosecution and defense lawyers Tuesday to develop a contingency plan in case the missing juror faces a long illness.

Attorneys on both sides signaled their preference to wait at least a day, if necessary, and continue with the current panel. If that's not possible, Taylor Swain said she could recall one of three alternate jurors who were provisionally excused when deliberations started shortly after noon on Monday.

Before breaking for the day, jurors sent the judge the latest of several notes asking to review specific evidence. The request included additional testimony of Enrica Cotellessa-Pitz, a former Madoff employee who pleaded guilty in the scam and agreed to testify against her former co-workers.

The defendants include Daniel Bonventre, Madoff's former operations chief; Annette Bongiorno, who oversaw the financier's major clients; JoAnn Crupi, day-to-day manager of the investment business' bank account; and former Madoff computer programmers George Perez and Jerome O'Hara.

They have pleaded not guilty and argued Madoff and financial assistant Frank DiPascali, a former co-worker and the prosecution's star witness, hoodwinked them into doing work assignments that perpetuated the fraud.

The scam collapsed in December 2008 with Madoff's arrest. He's now serving a 150-year prison term.

The defendants face decades-long prison terms themselves if convicted of conspiracy, securities fraud, ba! nk fraud, tax evasion and other charges.

.

Best Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now

Best Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation(RL)

Ralph Lauren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, marketing, and distribution of lifestyle products. The company offers men?s, women?s, and children?s clothing; and accessories comprising footwear, eyewear, watches, jewelry, hats, and belts, as well as leather goods, including handbags and luggage. It also provides products for homes, including bedding and bath products, furniture, fabric and wallpaper, paint, tabletop, and giftware; and fragrance products for women men. In addition, the company licenses its products, such as men?s sportswear, men?s tailored clothing, men?s underwear and sleepwear, eyewear, fragrances, cosmetics, and color and skin care products. It offers its products under the Polo by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Women?s Collection, Black Label, Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, RRL, RLX, Rugby, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, American Living, Chaps, and Club Monaco brand names. Ralph Lauren sells its products to department stores, specialty stores, and golf and pro shops; full-price retail stores, factory retail stores, and concessions-based shop-within-shops; and online through RalphLauren.com and Rugby.com. As of April 3, 2010, it operated 179 full-price retail stores and 171 factory stores worldwide, as well as 281 concessions-based shop-within-shops and 2 e-commerce Websites. The company was formerly known as Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation and changed its name to Ralph Lauren Corporation in August 2011. Ralph Lauren Corporation was founded in 1967 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  For investors, there are three reasons to be bullish about luxury item stocks, ranging from well-known brands such as Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) and Coach (NYSE: COH), to promising small caps like Pre! mier Opportunities Group (OTC: PPBL).

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE: RL  ) gained 1.5% in early Wednesday trading after Wells Fargo upgraded the designer apparel company from market perform to outperform.

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  Two popular retailers–Michael Kors Holdings (KORS) and Ralph Lauren (RL)–have had a tough time in 2014, and both will report earnings this week. Will the results be enough to turn their years around?

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  Two very different retailers–supermarket chain Kroger (KR) and high-end apparel retailer Ralph Lauren (RL)–caught our eye this afternoon for the same reason: analyst downgrades that slammed stock prices.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-dividend-companies-to-buy-right-now.html

This Grocery Company Pushes Forward Amid Persistent Challenges

Supervalu Inc. (SVU) is a U.S. leading grocery retailer and wholesale distributor. The company operates its retail business under multiple banners like Albertsons, Save-A-Lot, Shaw's Supermarkets, Jewel-Osco, Acme Markets, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Lucky, Shop 'n Save, Scott's, Star Markets, Bristol Farms, bigg's, Hornbacher's and Sunflower Market. Its locations comprise three different formats, namely food stores, combination of food and pharmacy, and limited-assortment food stores. In a turnaround effort to cut costs and garner financial flexibility, the company sold out 877 underperforming units to an investment group led by Cerberus Capital, which will also invest in the firm's remaining businesses.

The New Supervalu

The company's sellout of its stores for $100 million in cash and $3.2 billion in debt represented a financial respite that provided the firm with significant debt reduction. Moreover, it lowered operating costs and also relieved the firm from the pressure set by the increasing decline of supermarkets.

As a result, the company boasts a new store count that comprises 1,332 Save-A-Lot hard discount small-format food locations, with 935 franchise-operated and 191 traditional supermarkets. Its independent business division continues to act as a wholesale and delivery distributor, providing service to roughly 2,700 independent grocery stores.

Further Initiatives

Following its store reduction, Supervalu has undertaken numerous initiatives in order to revamp its business. Along these lines, the company is expanding its private-brand portfolio through the launching of 250 new products under its Cub banner, and plans to launch another 135 before the end of fiscal 2014. Moreover, the company completed the remodeling of roughly 100 stores in fiscal 2013 and also realigned its stocks in order to enhance customers' in-store experience.

However, an aggressive competitive environment continues to jeopardize the firms' future. Giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT)'s rollout of 700 to 800 small format stores annually adds to an increasing number of dollar stores subscribing to loss-leader strategies. In this context, the firm undertook a fair price plus promotion strategy in fiscal 2013. This initiative has lowered prices to a competitive position at the expense of margins, in the hope for market share gains in the long term.

Cost Cuts

Apart from underperforming stores sellout, Supervalu has undertaken additional cost reduction initiatives which are expected to lower administrative expenses by $250 million through fiscal 2014. The reduction of its store count, I turn, is expected to generate $80 million to $90 million in savings in the next three years.

Moving Forward

In the third quarter of fiscal 2013, the firm reported adjusted earnings of $0.13, a significant improvement compared to the negative $0.07 delivered the year before. Revenues, however, fell by $1.05 in relation to the prior year, due to negative comps in the retail segment, which have been declining for four consecutive years.

Further, the firm does not have any share buyback plans for fiscal 2014 and will not pay dividends to shareholders until March 2018.

Supervalu showcases a negative return on capital of -9.24% compared to the industry average of 20.02%. And its three-year average revenue growth delivered a dismal -25.1% compared to its peers' median of 1.0%.

Investment guru John Keeley (Trades, Portfolio) recently sold out his holding in the company, backing my feeling that despite the company's efforts, a good position in a highly competitive market will be hard to achieve.

Disclosure: Vanina Egea holds no position in any stocks mentioned.

About the author:Vanina EgeaA fundamental analyst at Lone Tree Analytics

Visit Vanina Egea's Website

Currently 5.00/512345 Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes)

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10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now

Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Web-hosting company Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Rackspace and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Rackspace facts

Headquarters (founded)

San Antonio, Texas (1998)

Market Cap

$5.7 billion

Industry

Internet software and services

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$1.4 billion

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Yahoo! Inc.(YHOO)

Yahoo! Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a digital media company that delivers personalized digital content and experiences through various devices worldwide. It offers online properties and services to users; and a range of marketing services to businesses. The company?s communications and communities offerings include Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, Flickr, and Connected TV, which provide a range of communication and social services to users and small businesses enabling users to organize into groups and share knowledge, common interests, and photos. Its search products comprise Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! Local, available free to users to navigate the Internet and discover content. The company?s marketplaces offerings and services include Yahoo! Shopping, Yahoo! Travel, Yahoo! Real Estate, Yahoo! Autos, and Yahoo! Small Business, which allow users to research specific topics, products, services, or areas of interest by review ing and exchanging information, obtaining contact details, or considering offers from providers of goods, services, or parties with similar interests. Its media offerings comprise Yahoo! Homepage, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Finance, My Yahoo!, Yahoo! Toolbar, Yahoo! Entertainment & Lifestyles, Yahoo! Contributor Network, and Yahoo! Pulse, which are designed to engage users with online content and services on the Web. The company also offers marketing services, such as display and search advertising, listing-based services, and commerce-based transactions to advertisers. In addition, it provides software and platform offerings for third-party developers, advertisers, and publishers, such as Yahoo! Developer Network, Yahoo! Open Strategy, Yahoo! Application Platform, Yahoo! Updates, Yahoo! Query Language, and Yahoo! Search BOSS. The company has strategic alliances with Nokia and ABC News, Inc. Yahoo! Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Californi a.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon Friedman]

  Since Marissa Mayer became the chief executive officer of�Yahoo!� (NASDAQ: YHOO  ) a year ago, the company has gone on a much-publicized buying binge. The nagging question is whether the splashy headlines have done more to boost Mayer's image as a go-getter than Yahoo's growth prospects.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)

Symantec Corporation provides security, storage, and systems management solutions internationally. The company?s Consumer segment delivers Internet security, PC tune-up, and online backup solutions and services to individual users and home offices. Its Security and Compliance segment provides solutions for endpoint security and management, compliance, messaging management, data loss prevention, encryption, and authentication services to large, medium, and small-sized businesses, as well as offers solutions through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) security offerings. This segment?s products enable customers to secure, provision, and remotely manage their laptops, PCs, mobile devices, and servers. The company?s Storage and Server Management segment provides storage and server management, backup, archiving, and data protection solutions across heterogeneous storage and server platforms, as well as solutions delivered through its SaaS offerings to large, medium, and small-s ized businesses. Symantec?s Services segment offers implementation services and solutions, including consulting, business critical services, education, and managed security services. The company also provides various enterprise support offerings, such as annual maintenance support contracts, including content, upgrades, and technical support. It sells its products through its eCommerce platform, as well as through distributors, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, system builders, ISPs, and retail locations worldwide. Symantec markets and sells its products through distributors, retailers, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and Internet service providers; and its e-commerce channels, as well as direct sales force, value-added and large account resellers, and system integrators. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amanda Alix]

  Of course, banks can't know when an attack is merely disruptive, and when it may be covering for criminal activity. Security company Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC  ) has commented that these assaults have become a way for hackers to distract banks while funds are illegally withdrawn. Though most of the thefts have occurred in Europe, where attacks have progressed from website outages to actual bank heists, at least one U.S. bank, Citigroup, disclosed some losses due to cyber thievery earlier this year.

• [By Traders Reserve]

  For some reason, certain companies can attract buyers no matter the circumstance. I would put Symantec (SYMC) in that category. Shares have gained nearly 20% this year even as Symantec�� prospects deteriorated.

Hot Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: eBay Inc.(EBAY)

eBay Inc. provides online platforms, services, and tools to help individuals and merchants in online and mobile commerce and payments in the United States and internationally. Its Marketplaces segment operates ecommerce platform eBay.com; vertical shopping sites, such as StubHub, Fashion, Motors, and Half.com; and classifieds Websites, including Den Bl�Avis, BilBasen, Gumtree, Kijiji, LoQUo, Marktplaats.nl, mobile.de, Alamaula, Rent.com, eBay Anuncios, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and eBay Annunci, as well as provides advertising services. The company?s Payments segment offers payment and settlement services for consumers and merchants on and off eBay Websites and other merchant Websites. This segment operates PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments online and through mobile devices; Bill Me Later that enables the United States merchants to offer, the United States consumers to obtain, credit at the point of sale for ecommerce and mobile tra nsactions; Zong, which allows users with mobile phones to purchase digital goods and have the transactions charged to their phone bill; and BillSAFE that enables customers pay for purchases upon receipt of an invoice. Its GSI segment offers an ecommerce services suite for enterprise clients that operate in general merchandise categories, including apparel, sporting goods, toys and baby, health and beauty, and home; and marketing services comprising full-service digital agency, enterprise email marketing, mobile advertising, affiliate marketing, advertisement retargeting, and in-depth analytics services. The company also offers X.commerce platform that provides software developers access to the company?s applications programming interfaces to develop functionality for various merchants; and Magento Connect, which allows developers to market and sell add-on functionality and solutions to merchants that use a Magento storefront. eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquarter ed in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Divine]

  Weak forecasts were also the bane of eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) investors Thursday, as shares plummeted 6.7% lower. Unfortunately, the international markets that eBay has tried to focus its attention on to help stimulate growth in recent years aren't looking as robust as they once did. It's not that sales are worse than they were a year or two ago; it's that sales growth abroad is slowing, lowering expectations for future profitability. Revenue this year is now expected to be at the lower end of 2013 guidance.

• [By Asit Sharma]

  It's time to value Amazon for what it is today
  Accepting the reality that Amazon has grown up makes it much easier to value the company against existing businesses. Competitor Ebay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) is juicing its revenues at an annual clip of 21%, and it trounces Amazon on a profitability basis, generating $2.6 billion of net profit on only $14.1 billion of sales. The market values Ebay at 28.6 times trailing 12-month earnings, which is an aggressive, but realistic, multiple. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) , huge as it is, surprisingly is growing faster than either Amazon or Ebay, with higher profits. Like Amazon, its revenue is comprised primarily of retail sales, supplemented by services revenue. Worried about the impossibility of Apple sustaining its phenomenal results, the market has steadily discounted the company's success in order to sleep at night. As Amazon transformed our purchasing habits, Apple transformed our relationship to technology. But it now trades at just under 10 times trailing 12-month earnings.�

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)

Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Brugger]

  With Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) and Netflix knee-deep in streaming video, Google will need to do more than simply flip the YouTube subscription switch and wait for the money to roll in. Amazon raised the streaming-video bar by pouring millions into developing original content. Both have announced that their respective new offerings were a smashing success, and they'd better be. With the outpouring of cash, as Netflix and Amazon spend millions for each new original episode, success will ultimately be measured by bottom-line results.

• [By Tim Beyers]

  All Hemlock Grove has to do is get close to these numbers with hardcore horror fans. Presuming the buzz that follows is enthusiastic enough to keep viewers engaged, Netflix could have a niche hit on its hands in the same way that True Blood has grown into a win for HBO. At the very least, you can bet Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is paying close attention as it prepares to launch its own slate of self-produced programs.

• [By Bill Maurer]

  Last Thursday, Amazon (AMZN) announced its fiscal first quarter results. The company missed analyst estimates for revenues, but beat on the bottom line. Second quarter guidance was disappointing, which has become a trend for the online retailer. On Friday, Amazon shares dropped by more than 7 percent. For many, Amazon's lack of profits has led to a sky high valuation, and the shorts are quick to throw out that fact. However, Amazon shares for the most part do not stay down long, as I've been telling you how many trade this company more on price to sales than price to earnings. Today, I'll break down the results, and discuss whether the recent fall is a sign of things to come.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: Google Inc.(GOOG)

Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anders Bylund]

  It's not often that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) makes news when it's buying another computer. But this time, it's an extra-special machine that it bought in conjunction with NASA. It can do certain things thousands of times faster than a traditional supercomputer, and will�be lent out to third-party researchers.

• [By Tom Taulli]

  Secular Trends: The amount of existing data continues to grow at an incredible pace, driven by the proliferation of mobile devices, cloud computing, social networking and Big Data. These things all require high-performance storage solutions like the ones STX offers. And going forward, there are likely to be even more megatrends that will boost growth. Wearable technology — like watches or Google (GOOG) glasses — and driverless cars will both be heavy users of data.

• [By Alex Planes]

  How many times have you heard (or said) that computer programming seems like a pretty great job? Many of the best companies to work for are major employers of software engineers. The Fool's own list of the 25 best companies in America has three: Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) , Akamai (NASDAQ: AKAM  ) , and IBM. Google and Akamai also place highly on Glassdoor's latest Best Places to Work list, which is topped by Facebook (NASDAQ: FB  ) , one of the few companies to inspire an award-winning film about (among other things) coding software.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) may have given up on trying to beat Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) at its own game, but that doesn't mean that Motorola is throwing in the towel quite yet. Rumors have been circulating over the past year that Googorola was working on an "X Phone" that hoped to challenge the iPhone, but Google has reportedly stepped out of the device's development and handed over responsibility to Motorola.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Watch Right Now: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)

IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI) shot up 15.54 percent to $69.43 after the company reported that that it is reorganizing and that Greg Blatt, its CEO, will become the Chairman of the newly created Match Group.

• [By Mani]

  IAC InterActive Corp. (NASDAQ:IACI) should see improved margins and revenue from its Match business as subscriber growth could be boosted by favorable secular trends and new monetizing opportunities.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now

News from the Japanese trademark office that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) has applied to trademark "iWatch" is a strong indication that the product will ultimately come to fruition. While the release of a new device in a new product segment has the potential to be a win for Apple, there are concerns that investors should understand. As rumors continue to circulate, and anticipation builds, the stakes for Cupertino are likely on the rise.

In the video below, Fool.com contributor Doug Ehrman discusses the pros and cons of the iWatch, and how it positions Apple relative to Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) in the wearable tech space.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: Abbott Laboratories(ABT)

Abbott Laboratories engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of health care products worldwide. The company offers adult and pediatric pharmaceuticals for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease; dyslipidemia; HIV infection; prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and anemia caused by uterine fibroids; respiratory syncytial virus; adult males who have low or no testosterone; secondary hyperparathyroidism; hypothyroidism; and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, as well as anesthesia products. It also provides diagnostic products, such as immunoassay systems; chemistry systems; assays used for screening and/or diagnosis for drugs of abuse, cancer, therapeutic drug monitoring, fertility, physiological, and infectious diseases; instruments that automate the extraction, purification, and preparation of DNA and RNA from patient samples, and detect and measure infections agents; genomic-b ased tests; hematology systems and reagents; and point-of-care diagnostic systems and tests for blood analysis. In addition, the company offers a line of pediatric and adult nutritional products. Further, it provides coronary, endovascular, vessel closure, and structural heart devices, such as drug-eluting stent systems, coronary metallic stents, balloon dilatation products, coronary guidewires, vessel closure devices, carotid stent systems, percutaneous valve repair systems, and drug eluting bioresorbable vascular products. Additionally, the company provides blood glucose monitoring meters, test strips, data management software, and accessories for people with diabetes; and medical devices for the eye, including cataract surgery, lasik surgery, contact lens, and dry eye products, as well as branded generic pharmaceutical products. Abbott primarily serves retailers, wholesalers, hospitals, and health care facilities. Abbott was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kelley Wright]

  Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is a well-established, global health care company with an S&P ����Quality Ranking. Fiscal year free operating cash flow is three times its dividend, which is no surprise for this long-time Dividend Aristocrat. A solid anchor position for any portfolio.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT  ) will release its quarterly report on Wednesday, and investors haven't been entirely comfortable with the company's prospects lately. Even though analysts expect Abbott earnings to grow this quarter, the stock has been under pressure as investors assess the company's future prospects without the branded-pharmaceutical business that got spun off into AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) at the beginning of this year.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: Zhone Technologies Inc.(ZHNE)

Zhone Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and manufactures communications network equipment for telecommunications, wireless, and cable operators worldwide. It offers single line multi-service (SLMS) architecture, which provides support for voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and IP entertainment by integrating access, transport, customer premises equipment, and management functions in a standards-based system. Its SLMS products include broadband aggregation and service products that are deployed in central offices, remote offices, points of presence, curbsides, data and co-location centers, and enterprises to aggregate, concentrate, and optimize communications traffic from copper and fiber networks; customer premise equipment, which offers solution for combining analog voice and data services to the subscriber?s premises over a single platform; and Zhone Management System that provides optional software tools to manage aggregation and c ustomer premises network hardware. These products deliver voice, data, and video interface connectivity for broadcast and subscription television, Internet routers, and telephony equipment. The company also offers products that are deployed by service providers to support various voice and data services; and provides technical support, product repair, and education and support services. It sells its products to network service providers that offer voice, data, and video services to businesses, governments, utilities, and residential consumers; and telecommunications carriers through channel partners, which include distributors, resellers, system integrators, and service providers. Zhone Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Zhone Technologies (NASDAQ: ZHNE) dropped 20.94% to $4.91 on Q4 results.

  Hill-Rom Holdings (NYSE: HRC) dropped 14.43% to $37.74 after the company reported weaker-than-expected Q1 results and lowered its outlook. The company also announced its restructuring program.

Best Media Stocks To Invest In 2014: Daimler AG (DDAIF)

Daimler AG (Daimler), incorporated on May 6, 1998, develops, manufactures, distributes and sells a range of automotive products, mainly passenger cars, trucks, vans and buses. It also provides financial and other services relating to its automotive businesses. The Company offers its automotive products and related financial services primarily in Western Europe and in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) region, which consists of the United States, Canada and Mexico. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company derived approximately 46% of its revenue from sales in Western Europe and 21% from sales in the United States. It operates in five segments: Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services. Its other business interests consist primarily of its equity investments in the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS N.V. (EADS) and in Tognum AG. In October 2009, Deutsche Bank AG completed the disposal of its interest in the Company. In June 2011, Daimler AG and Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC had secured around 94% interest in Tognum AG-DJ.

Mercedes-Benz Cars

Mercedes-Benz Cars designs, produces and sells Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, Maybach luxury sedans and smart micro compact passenger cars. During 2009, Mercedes-Benz Cars contributed approximately 51% of the Company�� revenue. The Company offers Mercedes-Benz passenger cars with a range of diesel and gasoline engines. Under the AMG brand, it offers versions of Mercedes-Benz vehicles with V8 or V12 engines in all classes, except in the A-, B-, R-, GL- and GLK-Classes. The Mercedes-Benz passenger car product range consists of S-Class, E-Class, C-Class, A-/B-Classes and ML-/R-/G-/GL-/GLK-Classes.

The S-Class is a line of luxury sedans, which are available in short and long wheelbase versions. In June 2009, the Company introduced a new generation of the S-Class sedans, including a hybrid version, the new S 400 BlueHYBRID. The S-Class sed! ans are complemented by the CL, a top-of-the-line two-door coupe, and the SL, a luxury roadster. The E-Class is a line of luxury sedans, coupes, convertibles and station wagons. It also offers the CLS, a four-door coupe based on the E-Class. The C-Class is a line of compact luxury sedans and station wagons. The CLC Sports Coupe and the SLK, a two-seat roadster, complement the C-Class product family.

The A-Class is a front wheel drive compact and the B-Class is a front wheel drive 4-door Compact Sports Tourer (CST). The Company does not offer the A- and B-Classes in the United States. The ML-Class is a line of sport utility vehicles with permanent all-wheel drive. The R-Class is a line of SUV Tourers, which is available in a short and a long wheelbase version. The GL-Class is a line of seven seat luxury sport utility vehicles. The GLK-Class is a line of compact sport utility vehicles. The G-Class is a line of cross country vehicles with permanent four-wheel drive that come in a short and a long wheelbase version, and as a convertible. Under the Maybach brand, the Company offers a line of luxury sedans with outstanding luxury, comfort, and individuality. Maybach sedans are available in a short and a long wheelbase version, including the Maybach 57S and 62S as sportier variations. The smart brand represents a micro compact car concept. It offers two models, the smart fortwo coupe and the smart fortwo cabrio.

Daimler Trucks

Daimler Trucks manufactures and sells trucks and specialty vehicles under the brand names Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and Fuso. During 2009, Daimler Trucks contributed approximately 21% of its revenue. During 2009, the Company ceased production of trucks under the Sterling brand name. The Company�� European Mercedes-Benz truck lines consist of the Actros and the Axor in the heavy-duty category, the Atego in the medium-duty category, and the specialty vehicles Econic and Zetros. The Unimog, a four-wheel drive ve! hicle for! special purpose applications, complements the line-up. In Turkey and Brazil, it manufactures heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks for the respective local and certain export markets. Its Mercedes-Benz trucks range from 6 metric tons gross vehicle weight (GVW) to 41 metric tons GVW.

The Company�� United States subsidiary, Daimler Trucks North America LLC, manufactures trucks and buses (based on truck chassis) in Classes 3 through 8 (from 9,000 lbs. GVW to 160,000 lbs. GVW) and sells them under the Freightliner, Western Star, and Thomas Built Buses brand names, primarily in the NAFTA region. It also manufactures chassis for trucks, buses, walk-in vans and motor homes in Classes 3 through 7 (from 10,000 lbs. GVW to 33,000 lbs. GVW). During 2009, Freightliner introduced a new version of the Coronado, an on-highway truck. It Japan-based subsidiary, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC), offers a truck portfolio and several bus lines, primarily for the Japanese and other Asian markets. The line-up includes the Canter trucks (light-duty), the Fighter trucks (medium-duty) and the Super Great trucks (heavy-duty) and also certain bus models (Rosa and Aero). MFTBC also sells trucks in Africa, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

Mercedes-Benz Vans

Mercedes-Benz Vans designs, manufactures and sells vans under the brand names Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner. During 2009, Mercedes-Benz Vans contributed approximately 8% of its revenue. The Company offers three lines of Mercedes-Benz vans between 1.9 metric tons (t) and 7.5t gross vehicle weight (GVW): the Vario, the Vito/Viano and the Sprinter. In the NAFTA region it sells the Sprinter under the Freightliner brand name and, since January 1, 2010, also under the Mercedes-Benz brand name. As of December 31, 2009, subsidiaries of Chrysler Holding LLC sold the Sprinter in the United States under the Dodge and Freightliner brand names, and in Canada under the Dodge brand name.

Daimler Buse! s

!

Daimler Buses is a global supplier in the worldwide bus market. During 2009, Daimler Buses contributed approximately 5% of the Company�� revenue. Its product portfolio includes city buses, coaches, intercity buses, midi buses and bus chassis. It sells complete buses under the Mercedes-Benz and Setra brands in Europe, under the Mercedes-Benz brand name in Mexico, and under the Setra and Orion brand names in the United States and Canada. In addition, Daimler Buses produces and sells worldwide a range of bus chassis under the brand name Mercedes-Benz.

Daimler Financial Services

The Company�� financial services activities contributed approximately 15% of its revenue during 2009. It consists principally of financing and leasing services supporting its Mercedes-Benz and other vehicle businesses. The financial services the Company offers consist mainly of customized financing and leasing packages for its retail and wholesale customers in the automotive sector. It also provides financing to its dealers for vehicle inventory and property, plant and equipment purchases, and it offers insurance brokerage and fleet management services, including dealer property and casualty insurance. In Germany, the Company operates a licensed bank, the Mercedes-Benz Bank. The Mercedes-Benz Bank offers financial services to its customers and employees in Germany. These services include leasing and sales financing services, car savings plans, credit cards and demand deposit accounts. In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Bank operates branches in Great Britain and Spain to refinance the local dealer portfolios.

The Company competes with BMW, Volkswagen, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, PSA, Renault, Tata Motors, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Scania, Iveco, Volvo, DAF, Navistar International, Paccar, Hino, Isuzu, MAN Commercial Vehicles, Irisbus and Agrale.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Rosevear]

  Mercedes-Benz is one of the great luxury car brands of all time, but parent company Daimler (NASDAQOTH: DDAIF  ) hasn't been happy with it lately. The problem: Profits trail those at German arch-rivals Audi and BMW (NASDAQOTH: BAMXF  ) .

• [By Dan Carroll]

  The export boost will help out some of Germany's biggest corporations and stocks, however. German automakers have taken a beating in the recession, and May didn't help: New-car sales in the country fell by nearly 10% for the month after notching a rare gain in April. Both BMW (NASDAQOTH: BAMXY  ) and Daimler (NASDAQOTH: DDAIF  ) have performed better than many carmakers in Germany this year, but both saw sales flatten over the early part of the year. Daimler's stock has performed well in the year so far, but to avoid any fall, the company -- along with BMW -- announced that it will not participate in the traditional summer break during which German automakers close their factories for a few weeks. Right now, neither company can afford that.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc (TPK)

Ten Peaks Coffee Company Inc. (Ten Peaks) is a Canada-based company. It operates its business through its subsidiary, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Company Inc. (SWDCC), which is a green coffee decaffeinator located in Burnaby, British Columbia. It also owns and operates Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (Seaforth), a green coffee handling and warehousing business located in Metro Vancouver. SWDCC is engaged in the coffee decaffeination business utilizing the branded Swiss Water Process of 100% chemical free green coffee decaffeination. SWDCC has two subsidiaries, which include Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Co. USA, Inc, and Swiss Water Process Marketing Services Inc. On November 18, 2011, a subsidiary of Ten Peaks, Seaforth Supply Chain Solutions Inc., was incorporated. On January 1, 2011, in response to changes to the legislation governing the taxation of income trusts which made the income trust form of structure less advantageous, the Fund converted to a corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Travis Perkins Plc (TPK) lost 1.6 percent to 1,749 pence. The builders��merchant said its consumer division failed to grow on a comparable basis in the third quarter, slipping from an 8.6 percent increase in the two months ended June.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund Inc (DSM)

Dreyfus Strategic Municipal Bond Fund, Inc. (the fund) is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The fund�� investment objective is to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital. The Dreyfus Corporation serves as the fund�� investment adviser.

The fund invests at least 80% of its assets in municipal bonds. The fund also issues auction rate preferred stock and invests the proceeds in a manner consistent with its investment objective.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sherine El Madany]

  Dubai�� DFM General Index (DSM) posted the biggest drop in the Middle East, losing 2.3 percent, the most since June 10, to 2,345.47 at the 2 p.m. close in the emirate. Emaar Properties PJSC (EMAAR), developer of the world�� tallest tower in Dubai, registered its biggest decrease since April. The ADX General Index (MSM30) fell 0.9 percent, while the Bloomberg GCC200 Index (BGCC200) was down 0.2 percent.

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Royal DSM NV (DSM) slid 5.4 percent to 55.13 euros. The company that spent $3.2 billion on nutrition-ingredient acquisitions said profit this year may fall short of an initial target because of stagnant markets in Europe and lower chemical prices.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Royal DSM NV (DSM) gained 6.4 percent to 56.02 euros. The Dutch chemical company posted second-quarter profit that beat analyst estimates after a $3.1 billion-acquisition spree and as it cut costs. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization jumped 19 percent to 345 million euros. That exceeded the 333 million-euro average estimate of 11 analysts.

Best Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: Cresud S.A.C.I.F. y A. (CRESY)

Cresud Sociedad An贸nima Comercial, Inmobiliaria, Financiera y Agropecuaria, an agricultural company, produces basic agricultural commodities in Brazil and other Latin American countries. It is involved in the production of various crops, such as wheat, corn, sunflower, soybean, and sorghum, as well as sugarcane; breeding and fattening of beef cattle for slaughterhouses and supermarkets; production of milk for sale to dairy companies; and leasing of farms. The company is also engaged in the development and sale of residential properties; acquisition of land reserves for development and sale; acquisition, development, and operation of shopping centers, offices, and other non-shopping center properties for rent; and acquisition and operation of luxury hotels, as well as consumer financing activities. As of June 30, 2013, it owned 33 farms with approximately 643,891 hectares. The company was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Cameron Swinehart]

  Cresud (CRESY) -

  An Argentinean based agriculture company that currently owns roughly 2.4 million acres of farmland in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. CRESY produces a variety of crops consisting of soybeans, corn, and sugarcane. It also has operations in beef cattle and milk production. In the second quarter, Cresud sold 4 of its farms for roughly $60.5 million and saw large gains in its farmland development business. CRESY is currently trading down roughly 60% from its highs back in late 2010. Many farming companies have struggled to release value for shareholders with the drop in crop prices but now many are beginning to see value with the sale of farmland.

Young Love for Prepaid Debit Cards? We Take Them Out Once a Month

NEW YORK (LowCards.com) -- Two surveys from the Pew Charitable Trusts show that prepaid debit cards have become a popular alternative to checking accounts for more Americans.

Consumers loaded $64.5 billion onto prepaid debit cards in 2012, a 13% increase from $56.8 billion in 2011 and more than double the $28.6 billion in 2009.

According to one survey, 12 million people (or 5% of adults), use prepaid cards at least once a month. The average prepaid card customer had a household income of nearly $30,000 per year. Three-quarters of these consumers are under 50 years of age.

Consumers are using prepaid cards as a way to stay out of credit card debt, control their spending, make purchases online and avoid overdrafts. Among the people who have had a checking account, two in five have had problems with overdraft fees.
Also see: Prepaid Card Popularity Merits Caution From Consumers>> Prepaid cards may be a way to avoid checking accounts, but there are no federal laws or regulations that protect consumers directly from hidden fees, liability for unauthorized transactions or loss of funds in the event of an issuing institution's failure. This may change soon, since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is expected to issue some guidelines on prepaid cards this May. Prepaid cards don't have to provide disclosures of fees or terms. The study found that only 32% of consumers compared terms before choosing a card. The Pew study shows the changes in the prepaid market from 2012 to last year, including that retail banks and established financial services companies are now offering them. Prepaid cards offered by large banks were more economical last year, and some of the disclosures were clearer, including what is covered by FDIC insurance. More cards are charging monthly fees similar to traditional checking accounts instead of other transaction-based fees. Of the 66 most popular prepaid cards, the median fees were $5.95 for a monthly fee, $2 for an out-of-network or in-network ATM withdrawal, $1 for a point-of-sale signature or PIN transaction and $1.95 for a live customer service call.

The "China Worry" Effect

Fear and worry about China's economy and financial system appears to be taking its toll on China's leading insurers, and MoneyShow's Jim Jubak, thinks that's why it's important to look for a financial company in China that's firing on all cylinders.

Ping An Insurance Group ((PNGAY) in New York and (HK:2318) in Hong Kong) kicked off earnings reporting season for China's big insurance companies yesterday. Ping An, China's second largest insurer, reported a 40.3% gain in net income for 2013.

That 40% gain in net income is likely to be among the lower increases reported by China's insurance companies in the next few weeks. The average growth in net income among insurers expected by analysts is 92%. I think that makes it worthwhile holding the best of these insurers—such as Ping An and China Life (LFC), a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio, for these earnings reports, even though the systemic stress—and thus risk—in China's financial system is rising.

I would, however, take a hard look at risk at specific companies after they've reported, to judge how exposed to these systemic risks each might be.

Ping An isn't your average Chinese insurance company. The big increase in new income in 2013 was a result of a 13% increase in net premiums and a 14% increase in profits at the company's banking arm. Ping An relies less on selling insurance through banks than the average Chinese insurer—a plus, since this business carries very slim margins—and the company has been at the forefront of innovations, such as online sales (in its auto insurance lines). On the downside, especially in the current state of the financial sector, Ping An has a big banking arm. In 2012, impairment losses at the bank doubled. In 2013, impairment losses fell from the 10 billion yuan of 2012 to 8.97 billion yuan. Bank income also rose, as long margins increased. But the bank isn't without its problems, according to analysts. For the year, analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein wrote, on March 7, the lender delayed recognition of some non-performing loans that could have, the analysts argued, cut net income by half. Ping An's bank is a key reason that the stock trades at a 10% discount to peers such as China Life.

That company isn't without its problems itself. At China Life, though, the issue is a lack of growth in new business—China Life is much more dependent on sales through banks than Ping An, and this channel simply hasn't been very effective. New business value, a measure of the profitability of new business, has lagged peers. Still, back in January, China Life guided investors to a 120% increase in net income in 2013 over 2012. The cause of that, the company said, was a big jump in investment income resulting from better performance among Chinese stocks in 2013 than in 2012.

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