Quantcast
Channel: DailyFinance.com
Viewing all 9760 articles
Browse latest View live

Looking for a Turnaround Story? Consider This Company

0
0

Filed under:

After a name change last summer, PVR Partners , formerly Penn Virginia Resources Partners, set out on a path to switch its business model from coal-oriented loser, to natural-gas-and-coal-diversified winner. This master limited partnership has a lot going for it, so today we're going to take a closer look.

The right way to play coal
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners
made headlines when it announced that it planned to augment its terminals business by buying up natural resource properties and charging a fee for its customers to mine them. It seemed like a great way to play coal while mitigating commodity risk, it seemed new and different, but PVR Partners has been doing that forever! Really, though, since 1882.

PVR controls about 871 million tons of coal reserves, and it does not mine them. Instead, its coal customers are some of the bigger names in the industry, including Arch Coal and Cliffs Natural Resources , and they do the dirty work. Those two companies were among PVR's lessees that mined 30.2 million tons of coal from its 98 mines last year. Though coal volumes are down so far this year, PVR's business is based on royalties and long-term contracts, which means there hasn't been much pain, relative to what the rest of the industry is experiencing. 


Additionally, the majority of its coal revenue comes from its properties in Appalachia. The advantage here is the proximity to East Coast export terminals, compared to the mines out West, where export terminal projects are being canceled right and left. Exports are driving the industry as domestic consumption has dropped off in recent years, and therefore the location of these eastern mines is increasingly important.

PVR is not looking to grow its coal business at all, opting instead to focus on developing the midstream side of things. Still, it remains a cash cow for now.

Let's talk money
The other thing PVR has going for it, that will be especially important in the coming days of rising interest rates, is that it acquired its general partner in 2011. Enterprise Products Partners is one of the other rare examples of an MLP with no general partner, that therefore does not pay out a 2% GP stake, or incentive distribution rights. 

This type of structure leaves a lot of cash leftover to plow back into the business, pay off debt, or pay out to unit holders. And that means PVR has a lower cost of capital than the competition, which will prove to be invaluable when interest rates rise down the line.

Going forward
Beginning last year, PVR has launched several projects that point to sustained profitability. Most notably was its acquisition of Chief Gathering in the Marcellus Shale, which gave PVR six natural gas gathering systems spread out over 300,000 acres. 

The partnership's other assets are in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandle regions, and this segment is particularly exposed to commodity risk. PVR has announced its ongoing effort to mitigate that risk by switching from margin-based revenue generation to fee-based revenue in its natural gas midstream operations. It's already made dramatic improvement in this effort, growing from 30% fee-based revenue to an estimated 80% fee-based revenue in just three years. 

One other important thing to note is that PVR's distributable cash flow did not cover distributions in 2012 as it had done for the previous four years. Management claims that this was because of the Chief acquisition and was expected. Its target distribution coverage ratio is now 1.05-1.10 times payouts, which it expects to achieve by the second half of this year. First-quarter adjusted EBITDA was up year over year, so it is certainly on the right track.

Bottom line
Let's face it, the big companies get the headlines and that leaves companies like PVR floating under the radar. We praise the Kinder Morgans and the Enterprises for their entrepreneurial daring and low cost of capital, and ignore the small guys that employ the same strategies. PVR Partners reports earnings on July 22, investors looking for a new opportunity should pay close attention.

PVR is a great turnaround opportunity, but as the whole economy turns around, you might to want to own the three stocks in this Motley Fool report, "3 Strong Buys for a Global Economic Recovery". It's free, and it outlines three companies that could take off when the global economy gains steam. Click here to read the full report!

 

The article Looking for a Turnaround Story? Consider This Company originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Aimee Duffy has no position in any stocks mentioned. If you have the energy, follow her on Twitter: @TMFDuffy. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners L.P. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments


Carmanah Technologies Corporation Announces the Appointment of Michael Sonnenfeldt and John Simmons

0
0

Filed under:

Carmanah Technologies Corporation Announces the Appointment of Michael Sonnenfeldt and John Simmons to the Board of Directors

VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX: CMH) announces the appointment of Michael Sonnenfeldt and John Simmons to the Carmanah Board of Directors, and the resignation of Bruce Cousins from the Board, both effective June 26th, 2013.

For more information about the Carmanah Board of Directors, including bios of the most recent appointments, visit carmanah.com/company/leadership/board-of-directors.


About Carmanah Technologies Corporation

As one of the most trusted names in solar technology, Carmanah has earned a reputation for delivering strong and effective products for transportation applications worldwide. Industry proven to perform reliably in some of the world's harshest environments, Carmanah solar LED lights and solar power systems provide a durable, dependable and cost effective energy alternative. Carmanah is a publicly traded company, with common shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMH". For more information, visit carmanah.com .

For further information:

Investors:

Investor Relations: Roland Sartorius (CFO)

Toll-Free: 1.877.722.8877


investors@carmanah.com

 

Media:

Public Relations: Natasha Bartlett

Tel: +1.250.412.8315


nbartlett@carmanah.com

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements about the delivery of strong and effective products for transportation applications worldwide, and the performance of such products.

With respect to the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, Carmanah has made numerous assumptions, including assumptions regarding Carmanah's ability to continue delivery of its products. While Carmanah considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause Carmanah's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: Carmanah's ability to continue delivery of its products, and the standard of quality of such products, may be negatively affected by numerous risk factors and uncertainties, as disclosed in Carmanah's most recently filed Annual Information Form, Annual MD&A, and other continuous disclosure filings which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Carmanah disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.



Carmanah Technologies Corporation
Investors:
Roland Sartorius, 1-877-722-8877
CFO
investors@carmanah.com
or
Media:
Natasha Bartlett, 1-250-412-8315
Public Relations
nbartlett@carmanah.com

KEYWORDS:   North America  Canada

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Carmanah Technologies Corporation Announces the Appointment of Michael Sonnenfeldt and John Simmons to the Board of Directors originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

What Does Obama's Climate Change Policy Mean for Utilities?

0
0

Filed under:

In the eyes of President Obama, there's little doubt about it: Climate change is happening and we have a moral obligation to stop it. With electricity output as the primary greenhouse gas polluter, will the president's new policy pave the way for environmental electricity - or will it put us all in the dark? Here's what you need to know.

The facts
Electricity production accounted for 33% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2011. That's higher than both transportation's 28% and industry's 20% piece of the pollution pie. 


Source: whitehouse.gov 

When considering utilities (and power plants, specifically), the numbers look even more negative. Power plants account for 40% of all domestic greenhouse gas pollution, despite significant emissions reductions.

In a response letter to the president, the Edison Electric Institute noted that utilities have "been a leader in reducing criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the last two decades." Power sector carbon dioxide emissions are 15% below 2005 levels, and sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide levels are just 25% of their 1990 levels.

But that's not enough. President Obama is issuing a "Presidential Memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency to work expeditiously to complete carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants."

The POTUS' plan remains light on details, but there are three main conclusions to be drawn from his newest initiative.

1. Existing power plants aren't protected
The biggest news for the utilities sector came from the inclusion of one word: existing. The Edison Electric Institute made special mention of this in its response statement, noting that new policies and regulations should be "achievable" and "consistent with ongoing investments to transition." EEI might've been describing any number of transitioning traditional fuel utilities. TECO Energy currently relies on coal for 61% of its regulated generation capacity, and also owns and operates coal mines capable of processing nine million tons annually. Just last month, TECO announced that it is spending $950 million to acquire a New Mexico regulated natural gas utility - but its moves may not be fast enough if Obama gets anxious.

2. Renewables are ramping up
Wind and solar generation more than doubled during the president's first term, and it doesn't look to be letting up anytime soon. NextEra Energy recently celebrated its 10,000 net MW of wind power, but it could be in the market for much more with new goals to accelerate clean energy permitting. In addition to a recent production tax credit extension, the president has set a goal to issue another 10,000 MW in renewables permits on public land by the end of the year.

3. "Clean" energy is in the clear
As the nation's largest producer of nuclear energy, Exelon can rest easy. The White House included "support for the safe and secure use of nuclear power" in its latest plan. Not only does the utility rely on nuclear power for 55% of its own capacity, but Exelon's massive 19,000 MW nuclear fleet produces 20% of the nation's total nuclear energy.

In the eyes of Obama, all coal is not created equal, either. "Clean coal" got a shout out from the POTUS, putting innovative coal companies like AEP and Duke Energy in the clean energy clear. AEP was recently awarded the Edison Electric Institute's 2013 Edison Award for its $1.7 billion 600 MW "clean coal" facility, capable of squeezing 39% efficiency out of low-sulfur coal with its "advanced ultra-supercritical steam cycle technology." Likewise, Duke just rolled out the red carpet on a 618 MW "clean coal" facility touted as "one the world's cleanest coal-fired power generating facilities." The new plant replaced an older coal-fired facility, and is capable of producing 10 times the power with 70% fewer emissions.

Foolish bottom line
As his latest inauguration speech promised, President Obama is getting serious about climate change. But for now, his moves seem mostly in line with exactly what progressive utilities are already doing. For companies that haven't kept up with the times, doing the bare minimum will continue to keep environmental costs high from year to year. For more progressive utilities taking the leap, Obama's latest should serve as nothing more than a pat on the back.

If you're on the lookout for high-yielding stocks, The Motley Fool has compiled a special free report outlining our nine top dependable dividend-paying stocks. It's called "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks." You can access your copy today at no cost! Just click here.

The article What Does Obama's Climate Change Policy Mean for Utilities? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Justin Loiseau has no position in any stocks mentioned, but he does use electricity. You can follow him on Twitter, @TMFJLo, and on Motley Fool CAPS, @TMFJLo. The Motley Fool recommends Exelon. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Lockheed Simplifies In-Air Drone Control

0
0

Filed under:

Lockheed Martin has announced another step into the world of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

Six months ago, the defense contractor acquired substantially all the assets of Canadian unmanned aerial vehicle software maker CDL Systems, which had created an open, standards-based, commercial off-the-shelf system of software for controlling UAVs and unmanned ground vehicles. Today, Lockheed announced a new move into the UAV space, demonstrating the use of a different software package -- privately held DreamHammer's Ballista drone control software -- to operate multiple UAVs with a single control system.

Integrating with Navy command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C2ISR) systems, Lockheed says it was able to both fly, and control sensor data, from multiple unmanned air systems.


In a statement, Lockheed described how "a combined C2 and ISR capability will be essential as the Navy integrates [unmanned aerial systems], beginning with UCLASS, into its [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] enterprise. We believe in their vision and this demonstration is an example of our work to reduce risk and make the Common Control System a reality."

UCLASS, the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike System, is the Navy's project to develop pilotless surveillance and combat drones that can launch from and land on aircraft carriers.

A Lockheed spokeswoman says the Ballista software is not related to the CDL Systems software acquired when it purchased CDL last year.

link

The article Lockheed Simplifies In-Air Drone Control originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Lockheed Martin. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bottomline Receives Prestigious Customer Service Accreditation

0
0

Filed under:

Bottomline Receives Prestigious Customer Service Accreditation

Independent Assessment Rates Bottomline's Customer Care as 'World-Class'

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bottomline Technologies (NAS: EPAY) , a leading provider of cloud-based payment, invoice and banking solutions, has been awarded the prestigious ServiceMark Accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), the UK's leading independent, professional membership body for customer service. ServiceMark is a well-recognized organizational standard which commends excellence in customer service. The ServiceMark Accreditation is based upon the results of an independent survey of Bottomline's customers and an on-site assessment of the business' customer experience.


Achieving ServiceMark Accreditation, in addition to the Customer Excellence Standard, which Bottomline achieved in December 2012, makes Bottomline the only software provider to hold both awards concurrently. The combination of independently achieving these two highly regarded standards confirms Bottomline's position as a technology market leader in customer service and emphasizes its on-going commitment to outstanding customer care.

"Bottomline Technologies has experienced incredible success by providing our customers with the best experience possible. Customer delight is a fundamental part of our company culture," said Rob Eberle, President and Chief Executive of Bottomline Technologies. "Our C1 Customer Care program is a key part of our operations and pivotal to us achieving the ServiceMark Accreditation. The award is a fantastic testament to the commitment and dedication of all the Bottomline staff who strive to deliver outstanding customer service on a daily basis."

Over 100 of Bottomline's largest customers participated in the customer feedback survey. The survey was measured against nationally recognized benchmarks, including the UK Customer Satisfaction Index which rated Bottomline as 'World-Class' for its high quality of customer care.

"ServiceMark is increasingly recognized as the standard for customer service excellence. Over 100 organisations have completed or are working towards ServiceMark. It enables organizations to benchmark themselves against best practice, gain a better insight into their customers' needs and develop strategies to meet them," says, Jo Causon, Chief Executive, Institute of Customer Service.

About Bottomline Technologies

Bottomline Technologies (NAS: EPAY) provides cloud-based payment, invoice and banking solutions to corporations, financial institutions and banks around the world. The company's solutions are used to streamline, automate and manage processes involving payments, invoicing, global cash management, supply chain finance and transactional documents. Organizations trust Bottomline to meet their needs for cost reduction, competitive differentiation and optimization of working capital. Headquartered in the United States, Bottomline also maintains offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific. For more information, visit www.bottomline.com.

About the Institute of Customer Service

The Institute of Customer Service is the professional body for customer service delivering tangible benefit to organisations and individuals so that our customers can improve their customers' experience and their own business performance.

The Institute is a membership body with a community of over 400 organisational members - from the private, public and third sectors - and over 3,000 individual memberships.

For more information about the Institute of Customer Service go to:www.instituteofcustomerservice.com

About ServiceMark

ServiceMark is the National Customer Standard from the Institute of Customer Service. It is an organisational accreditation achieved by reaching recognised standards of performance based on customer feedback, and an assessment of employee engagement with the organisation's customer service strategy. It helps organisations understand how effective their customer service strategy is, and identify areas for development.

There are 3 stages to ServiceMark:

  1. An assessment of customer service is made through the a customer satisfaction survey such as the Institute's UKCSI business benchmarking tool
  2. Internal assessment is carried out through ServCheck, an online tool developed by the Institute which asks employees to rate their company and how it delivers against the capabilities in the Institute's model of world class customer service.
  3. Independent evaluation by an Institute-approved assessor.

Over 100 companies have either completed or are undergoing ServiceMark.

Bottomline Technologies and the Bottomline Technologies logo are trademarks of Bottomline Technologies (de), Inc. which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All other brand/product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Cautionary Language
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from our expectations as a result of various important factors, including but not limited to competition, market demand, technological change, strategic relationships, recent acquisitions, international operations and general economic conditions. For additional discussion of these and other factors that could impact our operational and financial results, refer to our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 and subsequent filings. Any forward-looking statements represent our views only as of today and we do not assume any obligation to update such statements.



Bottomline Technologies
Heather Bridges, +1 603-501-5267
hbridges@bottomline.com

KEYWORDS:   United Kingdom  United States  Europe  North America  New Hampshire

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Bottomline Receives Prestigious Customer Service Accreditation originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

SanDisk Buying SMART Storage for $307 Million

0
0

Filed under:

In one sense, at least, SanDisk is getting smarter.

On Tuesday, the flash memory giant announced it has signed an agreement to acquire private-equity-owned enterprise solid state drive developer SMART Storage Systems for $307 million, cash, plus certain unspecified "equity-based incentive awards" that could increase the deal's value.

SMART, currently owned by a parent company that is itself owned by private equity firm Silver Lake, generated $25 million in revenues in its most recent quarter, and, according to SanDisk, is growing rapidly. Thus, exclusive of the cost of the equity component of the price, today's purchase appears to value SMART at approximately 3 times annual revenues -- roughly on par with SanDisk's own 2.9 price-to-sales ratio.


In a statement, SanDisk warned that the purchase will be slightly dilutive to earnings in H2 2013, before becoming accretive in 2014. This is the company's fourth acquisition in the enterprise storage market. The deal is expected to close in August. Approximately 250 employees of SMART Storage Systems will join SanDisk when the deal is done.

link

The article SanDisk Buying SMART Storage for $307 Million originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

U.S. Corporations Pay Average Effective Tax Rate of 12.6 Percent

0
0

Filed under:

apple taxes
AP
By JAMES O' TOOLE

U.S. companies face the highest official corporate tax rate in the world. But there's a big difference between the rates set out by law and the cash that's actually collected.

Large, profitable U.S. corporations paid an average effective federal tax rate of 12.6% in 2010, the Government Accountability Office said Monday.

The federal corporate tax rate stands at 35%, and jumps to 39.2% when state rates are taken into account. But thanks to things like tax credits, exemptions and, the actual tax burden of American companies is much lower.

In a report commissioned by Senators Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.), the GAO looked at taxes paid by profitable U.S. corporations with at least $10 million in assets.

Even when foreign, state and local taxes were taken into account, the companies paid only 16.9% of their worldwide income in taxes in 2010.

Coburn said in a statement that the report "underscores the need for comprehensive tax reform."

"An individual's or corporation's tax rate shouldn't be dependent on their ability to hire a tax lobbyist," Coburn said. "It's especially wrong to ask families who are struggling to make ends meet to subsidize special breaks for corporations."

Republicans as well as President Obama have called for a lower statutory corporate rate along with the closing of loopholes. The prospects for such reform appear remote for now, given the fractious nature of the current Congress.

The GAO's calculation for effective corporate tax rates is lower than a number of previous estimates. That's in part because the office excluded unprofitable firms, which pay little or no taxes, from its analysis.

Including those firms' losses would reduce the total net income from which the average tax rate is calculated, and would not "accurately represent the tax rate on the profitable corporations that actually pay the tax," the GAO said.

The GAO used figures on taxes paid from actual IRS returns, which it noted were "on the whole, lower than the tax liabilities reported in the corporate financial statements."

U.S. corporate tax collection totaled 2.6% of GDP in 2011, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That was the eleventh lowest in a ranking of 27 wealthy nations.

The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has hauled several corporate executives to Capitol Hill over the past year for testimony on their tax practices.

A report released by the subcommittee last month charged that Apple (AAPL) used a complicated system of international subsidiaries and cost-shifting strategies to avoid paying taxes on some $74 billion in income from 2009 to 2012.

In September, the subcommittee heard from Microsoft (MSFT) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), whom Levin called "case studies of how U.S. multinational corporations... exploit the weaknesses in tax and accounting rules and lax enforcement."

A subcommittee report at the time alleged that Microsoft had saved nearly $7 billion off its U.S. tax bill since 2009 by using loopholes to shift profits offshore. H-P, the report said, avoided paying taxes through a series of loans that shifted billions of dollars between two offshore subsidiaries.

More from CNNMoney:
Student Loan Horror Stories
11 Disappearing Car Features
The Cayenne Diesel is a Greener SUV

%Gallery-184788%

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

More Positive Economic Data Sends Markets Upward

0
0

Filed under:

This morning we saw strong numbers from the auto industry and increasing U.S. factory orders, which have given investors the confidence to continue yesterday's bullish rally and buy stocks again today. As of 11:45 a.m. EDT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is higher by 55 points, or 0.37%, and now rests above 15,000, at 15,030. The S&P 500 has risen 0.45%, while the Nasdaq is up 0.38% this morning. Currently, 24 of the Dow's 30 components are moving higher; let's take a look at the best performer of the day.

JPMorgan Chase is currently leading all components higher as it is up 2.14%. The reason for the move was an upgrade from Raymond James from "outperform" to "strong buy." Additionally, Raymond James increased its target price for JPMorgan to $64 per share, while the stock currently trades in the $53 area.  

A big winner outside the Dow today is Abercrombie & Fitch , which is currently up 5% today, and up more than 10% this past week alone. We may be seeing a short squeeze happening right now, as the stock had 8.5% of shares outstanding sold short per the most recent data, which is a few weeks old. The move over the past few days may have put traders in a tight position, and instead of suffering any further, they are now buying back shares and pushing the price of the retailer even higher.


A big loser outside the Dow is Best Buy , as shares are now down 2.49%. One negative news report surrounding Best Buy says that Capital One is selling its Best Buy-branded credit card accounts. Citigroup is buying the portfolio of cards and no financial details have been released about the transaction, which is scheduled to close sometime in September, but the idea that Capital One is selling the portfolio would indicate that it has not been an overachiever. And this may be an indication that Best Buy is performing worse than some had previously expected.  

More foolish insight
Tax increases that took effect at the beginning of 2013 affected nearly every American taxpayer. But with the right planning, you can take steps to take control of your taxes and potentially even lower your tax bill. In our brand-new special report "How You Can Fight Back Against Higher Taxes," the Motley Fool's tax experts run through what to watch out for in doing your tax planning this year. With its concrete advice on how to cut taxes for decades to come, you won't want to miss out. Click here to get your copy today -- it's absolutely free.

The article More Positive Economic Data Sends Markets Upward originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Matt Thalman owns shares of Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase.  Check back Monday through Friday as Matt explains what caused the Dow's winners and losers of the day, and every Saturday for a weekly recap. Follow Matt on Twitter @mthalman5513 The Motley Fool owns shares of Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments


Economic Confidence at All-Time High: Gallup

0
0

Filed under:

100267991Americans' confidence in the U.S. economy nearly matched its highest monthly reading since 2008 in June, posting a reading of -8 compared with May reading of -7, according to the latest data from Gallup. On a quarterly basis, the index level was the highest ever recorded since Gallup began the survey in January 2008, and marked the third consecutive month that the confidence measure has improved.

A combination of factors contributed to the increase in confidence, according to Gallup. Higher stock prices and increasing home prices are the likely causes of the higher confidence readings.

When assessing current economic conditions, Americans' confidence was unchanged from -12 in May, one of the best ratings since Gallup began this tracking poll five years ago. Looking further ahead, Americans' confidence in the outlook for the U.S. economy slipped slightly to a reading of -3 from a reading of -1 in May.

Gallup notes that although confidence is growing, Americans remain negative about economic prospects. Job growth is barely growing and coming debates about raising the U.S. debt limit could set off another round of despair over the country's ability to solve its problems.

Monthly Economic Confidence Index score


Filed under: Economy

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Belden to Host 2013 Industrial Ethernet Infrastructure Design Seminar

0
0

Filed under:

Belden to Host 2013 Industrial Ethernet Infrastructure Design Seminar

Four-Day Event Focuses on Practical Skills through Hands-On Training

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Belden Inc. (NYS: BDC) , a global leader in signal transmission solutions for mission-critical applications, has opened registration for its 2013 Industrial Ethernet Infrastructure (IEI) Design Seminar. The seminar takes place Oct. 6-9, 2013, in Philadelphia and is intended for anyone who designs or maintains mission-critical industrial Ethernet networks. Professionals such as network design engineers, controls engineers, machine builders, plant engineers and IT specialists will benefit from learning how to reduce costs and installation time, while implementing highly reliable and resilient networks.


"The adoption of industrial Ethernet technology has been among the most transformative of all trends in industry. The challenge for industrial professionals is to avoid being overwhelmed by the complexity of features and functions used in enterprise Ethernet implementations," said Mike Miclot, vice president of marketing, Industrial Solutions, Belden. "Our IEI Design Seminar breaks down the design process to simple, practical and proven steps for building an Ethernet infrastructure that is very dependable, supportable and expandable for the future."

As industrial Ethernet invades every corner of industry, companies need to organize ad-hoc networks into a maintainable and reliable infrastructure that can continue to grow to meet their future needs. The 20 presentations and nine hands-on labs in the Design Seminar provide essential and practical advice to guide attendees in how to do that.

Suitable for both beginners and advanced participants, the Design Seminar features seven topic areas, or "tracks." The tracks include: Basic Ethernet Networking, Control Systems and Industrial Ethernet Networks, Network Redundancy, Ethernet Concepts and Network Management, Network Security, Industrial Wireless and Industrial Ethernet for Power Transmission and Distribution/Electric Utilities.

The sessions are 100 percent industrial-focused and take into account the unique requirements of manufacturing networks used for control, safety, security and data acquisition. Capabilities such as very high availability, rapid recoverability and the ability to operate in harsh environments are essential for industrial networks. They also need to be expandable and future-proof because the lifespan of industrial equipment is 15-20 years or longer. Finally, networks need to be simple to implement and easy to maintain by engineering, operations and maintenance staffs who have a different skill set than IT networking professionals.

Limited in size to approximately 200 attendees, the atmosphere at the event is friendly and informal. Belden experts from around the world representing the market-leading Hirschmann, GarrettCom, Tofino Security and Belden brands will lead the sessions, and be available to answer questions, give advice and help companies customize their approach - from design to implementation.

As a result of participating in this event, attendees will have the knowledge and skills necessary to plan, design and implement industrial Ethernet infrastructures.

Visit www.belden.com/designseminar to register for the seminar.

Additional information is also available in a blog article that accompanies this release:

http://www.belden.com/blog/industrialethernet/Industrial-Ethernet-Infrastructure-Design-Seminar-5-Reasons-to-Attend_051115.cfm

The hashtag for this event is: #BeldenDSx13

About Belden

Belden Inc., a global leader in high-quality, end-to-end signal transmission solutions, delivers a comprehensive product portfolio designed to meet the mission-critical network infrastructure needs of industrial, enterprise and broadcast markets. With innovative solutions targeted at reliable and secure transmission of rapidly growing amounts of data, audio and video needed for today's applications, Belden is at the center of the global transformation to a connected world. Founded in 1902, the company is headquartered in St. Louis and has manufacturing capabilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit us at www.belden.com; follow us on Twitter @BeldenInc.

Belden, Belden Sending All The Right Signals, Hirschmann, GarrettCom, Tofino Security and the Belden logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Belden Inc. or its affiliated companies in the United States and other jurisdictions. Belden and other parties may also have trademark rights in other terms used herein.



Belden Inc.
Michelle Foster, 314-854-8006
Corporate Communications
michelle.foster@belden.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Missouri

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Belden to Host 2013 Industrial Ethernet Infrastructure Design Seminar originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

GE Capital to Manage Phillips 66 Gas Cards

0
0

Filed under:

So as it turns out, General Electric doesn't want to exit the business of financing fuel purchases after all.

Earlier this year, GE made headlines with its decision to get out of the Australian gas card business, when it announced it was selling its Fleet Card gas charge-card business to FleetCor. This set off a mini-acquisition spree at FleetCor itself, which proceeded to acquire the CardLink fuel card business in neighboring New Zealand a month later.

As for GE, though, it appears to be only shifting focus. On Tuesday, GE Capital Retail Bank announced a deal to provide private label credit card support to Phillips 66 . Beginning Aug. 1, GE will begin to manage and service credit cards for Phillips customers -- both individual consumers using Phillips 66 , Conoco, and 76 personal gas cards, and commercial customers using revolving charge cards also branded Phillips 66, Conoco, and 76.


In a statement on the program, GE Capital Retail Finance CEO Margaret Keane said the company is "excited to build this relationship with Phillips 66 and look[s] forward to working with the 8,000+ branded locations in their network to provide valuable financing solutions for their customers."

As part of the agreement, GE Capital Retail Bank will acquire the existing card program assets from Citibank. Financial terms were not disclosed.

link

The article GE Capital to Manage Phillips 66 Gas Cards originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of General Electric Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

5 States Where Home Prices Are Soaring

0
0

Filed under:

There's a growing chorus of evidence that nationwide home prices have turned the corner. In May, the median price of newly constructed homes across the country shot up by 10.3% compared to the same month last year. And in April, two separate measures of existing-home prices estimated the annual increase to be somewhere between 7.4% and 12.1%.

But not all states are experiencing the same degree of price appreciation. According to data released today by CoreLogic, in fact, there were two states in which prices actually fell last month. In Delaware, home prices declined by 0.6%. And in Alabama, they dropped by 0.1%. Though, in the interest of full disclosure, if distressed sales are excluded from the calculation, even these two states saw year-over-year growth in existing-home prices last month.

So, where are home prices up the most? It turns out that all five of the top states in this regard are located west of the Mississippi River. As CoreLogic's president and CEO Anand Nallathambi noted, "Home price appreciation, particularly in much of the western half of the U.S., is increasing at a torrid pace." You can see this in the table below.

State

Year-Over-Year Increase in Home Prices

Nevada

26%

California

20.2%

Arizona

16.9%

Hawaii

16.1%

Oregon

15.5%


Source: CoreLogic's May 2013 Home Price Index Report.

While some of these probably come as no surprise, it's a bit perplexing why, say, Oregon has found itself among the ranks. Nevada, California, and Arizona all experienced some of the sharpest drops in prices after the bubble burst. So it makes sense that they would experience the sharpest rebound. The same cannot be said for Oregon.

In the latter case, one is left to conclude that it's the beneficiary of more fundamental economic trends. In Portland, for instance, both Nike and Intel have major headquarters. And both are in the process of expanding their Oregon-based operations. Nike is in the process of building 500,000 square feet of office space in the area and hiring 500 new employees. And at the end of last year, it was reported that Intel will add 3.6 million square feet of new construction to one of its manufacturing campuses there.

Whatever the explanation, the objective for investors is to profit off of these trends. And the most obvious way to do so is through exposure to homebuilders like D.R. Horton and Lennar , both of which have major operations in many of these states. Now, to be clear, much of the opportunity here has already passed. In anticipation of these trends, both companies' stock prices have increased by more than 80% over the last two years alone.

It's for this reason that one of the best and safest stocks that will benefit from the continued improvement in housing is the one identified by our analysts in the recent free report: "The Stock Warren Buffett Wishes He Could Buy." The name of the company might surprise you, but after you read our analysis, I suspect you'll be as convinced about its promise as I am. To access the report instantly, simply click here now.

The article 5 States Where Home Prices Are Soaring originally appeared on Fool.com.

John Maxfield owns shares of Intel. The Motley Fool recommends Intel and Nike. The Motley Fool owns shares of Intel and Nike. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Medco Containment Company and Medco Containment Insurance Company of Ne

0
0

Filed under:

A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Medco Containment Company and Medco Containment Insurance Company of New York

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings of "a-" of Medco Containment Life Insurance Company (MCLIC) (headquartered in Franklin Lakes, NJ) and Medco Containment Insurance Company of New York (MCICNY) (Clifton Park, NY). The outlook for all ratings is stable.

The ratings are based on MCLIC and MCICNY's continued favorable operating results, strong capitalization at both entities and the strategic importance of their ultimate parent company, Express Scripts Holding Company (Express Scripts) [NASDAQ: ESRX]. During 2012, these companies were acquired by Express Scripts, and the newly merged organization is the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States. Each respective company's underwriting results have been trending favorably over the medium term driven by margin improvement. Capital levels at the companies are more than adequate for their current level of business. Near-term capital growth levels are mainly the result of strong net earnings and lack of dividends paid. A.M. Best expects capital support will be provided by Express Scripts, when necessary.


MCLIC and MCICNY offer very limited product portfolios, which primarily consist of Medicare Part D business offered to Express Scripts' clients and individuals. All long-term revenues are expected to be derived from Medicare Part D products. This narrow focus on Medicare poses a market concentration risk. A.M. Best expects that MCLIC and MCICNY will focus their business in support of Express Scripts' clients.

Factors that may positively affect the ratings include a change in product diversity and sustained long-term earnings. Key rating drivers that could lead to negative rating actions include a trend of losses, capital deteriorating beyond A.M. Best's expectations or the Medco companies becoming less strategically important to Express Scripts.

The methodology used in determining these ratings is Best's Credit Rating Methodology, which provides a comprehensive explanation of A.M. Best's rating process and contains the different rating criteria employed in the rating process. Best's Credit Rating Methodology can be found at www.ambest.com/ratings/methodology.

A.M. Best Company is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright © 2013 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.



A.M. Best Company
Wayne Kaminski, 908-439-2200, ext. 5061
Senior Financial Analyst
wayne.kaminski@ambest.com
or
Rachelle Morrow, 908-439-2200, ext. 5378
Senior Manager, Public Relations
rachelle.morrow@ambest.com
or
Jeffrey Lane, 908-439-2200, ext. 5567
Managing Senior Financial Analyst
jeffrey.lane@ambest.com
or
Jim Peavy, 908-439-2200, ext. 5644
Assistant Vice President, Public Relations
james.peavy@ambest.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  Europe  North America  New Jersey

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article A.M. Best Affirms Ratings of Medco Containment Company and Medco Containment Insurance Company of New York originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ivy Funds Announces Portfolio Manager Changes

0
0

Filed under:

Ivy Funds Announces Portfolio Manager Changes

Long-time manager Sturm announces retirement

Ginther named manager of Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund


Prince-Fox takes over Ivy Dividend Opportunities Fund

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ivy Funds announced today that, as a result of the planned retirement of Frederick Sturm as portfolio manager of the subadvised Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund, it will internalize the management of that fund and make the following portfolio manager changes, effective immediately:

  • Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund will be managed by David Ginther, who also manages the Ivy Energy Fund and Waddell & Reed Advisors Energy Fund. Ginther has 18 years of investment industry experience and has been with the Waddell & Reed/Ivy Funds organization since 1995.
  • Ivy Dividend Opportunities Fund and Waddell & Reed Advisors Dividend Opportunities Fund, previously managed by Ginther, will be managed by Cynthia Prince-Fox, a 30-year industry veteran who also manages Ivy Balanced Fund and Waddell & Reed Advisors Continental Income Fund.

Sturm, 53, who had been portfolio manager of Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund since its inception in 1997, is also chief global investment strategist at Mackenzie Investments, subadvisor to the fund. With 32 years of experience, Sturm was a driving force behind the growth of Ivy Global Natural Resources over its history. The Fund had approximately $2.4 billion in total assets at March 31, 2013.

Ivy Funds executives noted that the firm retains a strong and important relationship with Mackenzie Investments overall, as Mackenzie continues to subadvise Ivy Cundill Global Value Fund, and Ivy Investment Management Company is a subadvisor for Mackenzie across five different asset categories.

"Fred has been a tremendous steward of the Global Natural Resources Fund for many years, a great partner to the Ivy Funds, and we have benefitted from his commitment and insight. We wish him the very best in his retirement," said Henry Herrmann, CEO of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. "We will put the expertise we have internally, through David Ginther, to work on the Global Natural Resources Fund, while expanding Cynthia Prince-Fox's role with the Dividend Opportunities Funds."

Herrmann noted that Ginther is particularly well-suited to assume the reigns of Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund, having started his career as an energy analyst and having spent the last seven years as manager of the Ivy and Waddell & Reed Advisors Energy Funds. Prince-Fox's three decades of experience, with a focus on large domestic high-quality companies that typically pay dividends, provides strong background for work with the Ivy and Waddell & Reed Advisors Dividend Opportunities Funds, he said.

"Fred has been a great friend and advocate of the Ivy Funds since our early days together. He has left a strong legacy here as we maintain our key partnership with Mackenzie," said Thomas W. Butch, president and CEO of Ivy Funds Distributor, Inc. "Today's portfolio management changes keep our investors in very good hands and align well with our ongoing product initiatives."

The above management changes also carry over to the related Global Natural Resources and Dividend Opportunities portfolios within the Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios family. The Ivy Funds offer a broad fund lineup covering all major asset categories, including international and domestic equity funds, asset allocation funds, sector funds, fixed-income funds and a money market fund.

Both Ivy Funds Distributor, Inc. and Waddell & Reed, Inc. are affiliates of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (NYS: WDR) . Ivy Funds are offered through the company's wholesale channel, which includes national and regional broker/dealers, registered investment advisors and retirement platforms. The Waddell & Reed Advisors Funds are offered through Waddell & Reed financial advisors, the company's network of personal financial planners with offices around the country.

Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios are only available as investment options in variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts issued by participating insurance companies. They are not offered or made available directly to the general public.

Through its subsidiaries, Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. provides investment management and financial planning services to clients throughout the U.S. The firm had approximately $104 billion in total assets under management at March 31, 2013. Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company serves as investment advisor to the Waddell & Reed Advisors Group of Mutual Funds, Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios and InvestEd Portfolios, while Ivy Investment Management Company serves as investment advisor to the Ivy Funds. Waddell & Reed, Inc. serves as principal underwriter and distributor to the Waddell & Reed Advisors Group of Mutual Funds, Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios, and InvestEd Portfolios, while Ivy Funds Distributor, Inc. serves as principal underwriter and distributor to the Ivy Funds.

Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of a fund carefully before investing. For a prospectus, or if available, a summary prospectus, containing this and other information for any of the funds mentioned, call your financial advisor or visit www.ivyfunds.com Please read the prospectus or summary prospectus carefully before investing.

Investment return and principal value will fluctuate, and it is possible to lose money by investing. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

Ivy Global Natural Resources Fund: Investing in companies involved in one specified sector may be more risky and volatile than an investment with greater diversification. International investing involves additional risks, including currency fluctuations, political or economic conditions affecting the foreign country, and differences in accounting standards and foreign regulations. These risks are magnified in emerging markets. Investing in natural resources can be riskier than other types of investment activities because of a range of factors, including price fluctuation caused by real and perceived inflationary trends and political developments; and the cost assumed by natural resource companies in complying with environmental and safety regulations. Investing in physical commodities, such as gold, exposes the fund to other risk considerations such as potentially severe price fluctuations over short periods of time.

Ivy Dividend Opportunities Fund: An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Dividend-paying investments may not experience the same price appreciation as non-dividend paying instruments.

These and other risks are more fully described in the Funds' prospectuses. Not all funds or fund classes may be offered at all broker/dealers.



Ivy Funds
Roger Hoadley, 913-236-1993
Director of Communications
rhoadley@waddell.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Kansas  Missouri

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Ivy Funds Announces Portfolio Manager Changes originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Artisan Infrastructure Selects Global Colocation Solutions Provider CyrusOne

0
0

Filed under:

Artisan Infrastructure Selects Global Colocation Solutions Provider CyrusOne

CyrusOne's rapid facility deployment, redundant design, high-density capabilities, and geographic reach clinched the deal for the wholesale-only Infrastructure-as-a-Service provider

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Global colocation solutions provider CyrusOne (NAS: CONE) is pleased to announce that Artisan Infrastructure has selected its data center facilities for enterprise class colocation and Internet Exchange (IX) services. Artisan is a world leader in wholesale-only Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) for cloud solution providers. Selecting CyrusOne enables Artisan to access more than 100 carriers across the state of Texas and deliver services to CyrusOne customers.


Artisan uses carrier-grade, best-of-breed enterprise technology products and is driven by an exceptional commitment to customer support, as demonstrated by the telecom, software, and IT industry expertise all available on staff. Artisan's enterprise-class infrastructure was architected specifically for service providers, and the highly secure platform promotes multi-tenancy and full native control.

Artisan's Cornerstone Virtual Private Data Center (vPDC) platform allows telcos, managed solution providers, IT integrators, data center operators, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) providers, and software developers to build, manage, and control their own public and private cloud solutions. The Cornerstone on-demand, pay-as-you-grow model is highly scalable and helps enable the ecosystem of service providers and their solutions.

"We chose CyrusOne because they are best-of-breed where it counts most for us, including the industry-leading speed at which they are able to deploy new space and the 2N design and power densities that meet both our current and anticipated future needs," said Brian Hierholzer, chief executive officer of Artisan Infrastructure. "As we look to grow and expand over time, CyrusOne can scale to our needs within a given facility and also across their global data center footprint."

Delivering Best-in-Class Facilities and Interconnectivity

CyrusOne specializes in highly reliable enterprise data center colocation, engineering facilities with the highest power redundancy (2N architecture), and power-density infrastructure required to deliver excellent availability. Earlier this year, CyrusOne launched its National Internet Exchange (IX). With the CyrusOne National IX, customers can now connect to their own enterprise-owned facilities and to third-party facilities to seamlessly engage the full ecosystem of business partners, content providers, networks, carriers, Internet service providers, and Ethernet buyers and sellers within a single metro area, between cities, and across regions.

Moreover, the CyrusOne National IX provides customers with the opportunity to drive additional revenue by improving their immediately addressable market; reduce expenses with a lower-cost option for point-to-point connectivity between data centers; and improve service quality through higher levels of resiliency.

CyrusOne operates 24 carrier-neutral data center facilities across the United States, Europe, and Asia that give customers the flexibility and scale to perfectly match their specific growth needs. The company is renowned for exceptional service and for building enduring customer relationships and high customer satisfaction levels. Customers include nine of the global Fortune 20 companies and more than 100 of the Fortune 1000.

For more information about CyrusOne, call 1-866-CYRUSONE (1-866-297-8766) or visit www.cyrusone.com. Connect with us on Google Plus, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

About CyrusOne

CyrusOne (NAS: CONE) specializes in highly reliable enterprise-class, carrier-neutral data center properties. The company provides mission-critical data center facilities that protect and ensure the continued operation of IT infrastructure for more than 500 customers, including nine of the global Fortune 20 and more than 100 of the Fortune 1000 companies.

CyrusOne's data center offerings provide the flexibility, reliability, and security that enterprise customers require and are delivered through a tailored, customer service-focused platform designed to foster long-term relationships. CyrusOne's Internet interconnection platform provides robust connectivity options to drive revenue, reduce expenses, and improve service quality for enterprises, content, and telecommunications companies. CyrusOne is committed to full transparency in communication, management, and service delivery throughout its 24 data centers worldwide.

About Artisan Infrastructure

Artisan Infrastructure is the wholesale Infrastructure-as-a-Service provider. The company delivers custom built infrastructure on demand to a global network of service providers from fully redundant, geographically diverse, SSAE 16 / Tier 4 certified data centers. Partners include national and international managed service providers, global systems integrators, software developers, communications providers, telcos, data center operators, PaaS, SaaS, ISVs and value added resellers. Through Cornerstone, Artisan's vPDC platform, partners maintain complete autonomy, control, security, and visibility when building their own private and public cloud solutions. Cornerstone scales from single site, secure multi-tenant environments to highly complex dedicated infrastructure on multiple continents. With Artisan Infrastructure, partners eliminate the capital expense of building and maintaining best-of-breed, infinitely scalable, infrastructure while minimizing operational and engineering overhead. A neutral ecosystem of independent software vendor templates allows immediate turn up, trial and deployment of cloud solutions faster and more affordably. For more information contact the company at 512-600-4300 or www.artisaninfrastructure.com.



gyro for CyrusOne
Media Contact:
Mindy Miller or Lisa McLaughlin, 513.671.3811
cyrusone@gyro.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article Artisan Infrastructure Selects Global Colocation Solutions Provider CyrusOne originally appeared on Fool.com.

Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments


5 Things You Need to Know About the Bitcoin ETF

0
0

Filed under:

Yesterday, the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust filed a registration statement with the SEC to offer an exchange-traded fund that if approved will give mainstream investors easier access to the controversial cyber-currency. But even if the ETF gets regulatory approval, you shouldn't invest before you know all the risks involved.

Fortunately, one of the hallmarks of U.S. securities law is that companies and investment vehicles seeking to make public offerings of shares have to disclose the risks involved in their ventures. So let's take a look at the highlights of the Winklevoss ETF's registration statement to uncover some of the most important things to keep in mind if you're planning to invest.

1. "Bitcoins are controllable only by the possessor of both the unique public and private keys relating to the local or online digital wallet in which the Bitcoins are held, which wallet's public key or address is reflected in the Bitcoin Network's public Blockchain... . To the extent such private keys are lost, destroyed or otherwise compromised, the Trust will be unable to access the related Bitcoins and such private keys will not be capable of being restored by the Bitcoin Network."


One of the primary worries that would-be Bitcoin users have about digital currency is that its existence relies on computer networks beyond their control. By contrast, existing currency and commodity ETFs can in many cases point to actual physical assets. SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Silver Trust , for instance, publish lists of physical bullion bars to support the underlying value of their shares. Currency ETFs CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar and CurrencyShares Japanese Yen usually turn to short-term investments denominated in their respective currencies. 

Hacking attacks in the past have led to theft and caused overall losses in Bitcoin-investor confidence, causing temporary price drops. With such a huge concentration of Bitcoins, the ETF would not only have to protect against existing threats but anticipate future ones before they occurred in order to avoid putting investors' funds at risk.

2. "A decline in the popularity or acceptance of the Bitcoin Network would harm the price of the Shares."

Prices of Bitcoins have posted amazing gains since they first came out, but the gains have come with intense volatility. Yet so far, the actual use of Bitcoins has been fairly limited, with most people perceiving the network's anonymity as being of greatest use for illicit activity. Until mainstream uses of Bitcoins start appearing, the digital currency's growth will remain limited.

3. "If a malicious actor or botnet obtains control in excess of 50 percent of the processing power active on the Bitcoin Network, such actor or botnet could manipulate the source code of the Bitcoin Network or the Blockchain in a manner that adversely affects an investment in the Shares or the ability of the Trust to operate."

The value of Bitcoins relies on arguably the most substantial counterparty risk existent: that the Bitcoin Network on which the ETF will rely can and will defend itself from attacks. If the network fails to protect itself, then the registration statement notes that the ETF might not even be able to function, let alone retain its value.

4. "As the Sponsor and its management have no history of operating an investment vehicle like the Trust, their experience may be inadequate or unsuitable to manage the Trust."

The Winklevosses reached notoriety due to their connection with what later became Facebook, although they've also heavily invested in Bitcoins. Yet the S-1 filing clearly states that the entity that acts as the ETF sponsor, which is wholly owned by Winklevoss Capital Management, has no ETF experience. Especially in dealing with the challenges of holding an asset that no exchange-traded product has held before, investors shouldn't let name recognition take the place of true expertise in dealing with the ins and outs of investment vehicles.

5. "It may be illegal now, or in the future, to acquire, own, hold, sell or use Bitcoins in one or more countries, and ownership of, holding or trading in Shares may also be considered illegal and subject to sanction."

It's not common for investors to have to worry about the current legality of the assets in which they invest. The SEC likely wouldn't approve the ETF for trading if it thought that the ETF was breaking the law simply by owning Bitcoins, but with the currency attracting large amounts of regulatory scrutiny from those concerned about its more questionable uses, you can't rule out the possibility of government action rendering Bitcoins unusable for ordinary mainstream transactions.

Think twice before you buy
The Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust faces an uphill battle to gain approval from the SEC to list, given all these risks. But one of the benefits of the IPO regulatory process is that investors get to see light shed on all the prospective investments made available to them. If the SEC eventually approves the offering, buyers of a Bitcoin ETF will have only themselves to blame if anything goes wrong in the future.

Want an ETF you can really count on? To learn more about a few ETFs that have great promise for delivering profits to shareholders, check out The Motley Fool's special free report "3 ETFs Set to Soar." Just click here to access it now.

The article 5 Things You Need to Know About the Bitcoin ETF originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool recommends Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Yes, Walt Disney's "The Lone Ranger" Bombed. Big Deal.

0
0

Filed under:

You'd think that this should be an especially trying time at the Walt Disney .

The entertainment and media giant's ballyhooed summer popcorn movie The Lone Ranger was an opening-weekend box-office fiasco and represented a public embarrassment for the Magic Kingdom company. Its performance was so catastrophic that it has sparked comparisons with Disney's other major movie nightmare in recent memory, John Carter.

Starring Johnny Depp, The Lone Ranger opened with an anemic figure of about $49 million in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, the animated film Despicable Me 2, from Comcast's Universal Pictures posted a remarkable result of $142 million. Adding to Disney's misery, the company spent an estimated $250 million to produce The Lone Ranger while Universal invested about $76 million on its animated feature. 


Putting further stress on Disney, one of its flagship franchises, ESPN, appears to be under pressure to continue to flourish with the debut next month of hard-charging rival Fox Sports 1.

Yet Disney's much-followed stock has not suffered. Wall Street has been able to look past the Chicken Little headlines because analysts see the big picture.

On Monday, Credit Suisse stressed that it was raising its target price to $74 from $73 for Disney. True, a single dollar doesn't seem like a big deal, but what matters here is the timing of the investment banking firm's move -- reassuring Disney investors that Credit Suisse strongly believes in the company, and its price target connotes a potential 14% upside from its price at the time. Credit Suisse noted:

With the majority of key affiliate deals and sports-rights deals locked up into the next decade, revenue and cost visibility remains high for ESPN. We project an 8% 5-yr CAGR [compound annual growth rate] for Cable EBIT [earnings before interest and taxes] with affiliate renewals balancing elevated cost growth in FY 14-15, followed by longer term margin expansion as costs normalize.

The Star Wars franchise should drive strong profit growth and mitigate risk at the Studio with fewer risky high budget films. Further, our analysis indicates more upside at Consumer Product than consensus est. Overall, we are raising our Lucas EBIT est by 40% and 61% in FY14 and FY15. Based on trends at other Asian parks and the large local market, we conservatively estimate Shanghai can debut w/7m visitors and $748m rev in FY16. Entry into the Chinese market should also create opportunities for other DIS businesses.

Nineteen equities analysts have placed a buy rating on Disney, and one says it is a strong buy, overshadowing the 11 analysts who say Disney is a "hold" for investors. Disney has an average investment rating of "buy" and an average target price of $68.19.

Disney has its share of skeptics, too, on Wall Street. On June 20, for example, Goldman Sachs downgraded Disney from a "buy" to a "neutral" rating while placing a $70 target price on the stock.

Disney next reports quarterly earnings on Aug. 6. On May 7, it posted earnings per share of $0.79, topping the Thomson Reuters consensus projection of $0.77 by two pennies. In addition, its revenue figure came in at $10.55 billion for the three-month period, against the forecast of $10.48 billion. During the same quarter a year ago, Disney had earnings of $0.58 a share. Its revenue jumped 9.6% compared with the same quarter in 2012.

Only a strong company could shrug off the problematic Lone Ranger opening at the box office. Disney is now expected to take a writedown of more than $100 million on the movie in the fiscal fourth quarter. 

However, cooler heads have prevailed here. As The Fool's Tim Beyers pointed out on July 9, "Don't pity Walt Disney. For as badly as The Lone Ranger is performing at the box office, the company's Buena Vista Pictures is earning as much as ever."

As the astute Beyers notes, after amassing $800 million in U.S. box office sales only once in this century -- in 2010 -- the company has accomplished the feat both in 2012 and this year. The reason: Marvel's The Avengers and Iron Man 3. These reaped more than $1 billion each in worldwide box office results.

"Impressive may be too timid a word for how well Buena Vista is doing right now," Beyers wrote.

The moral of the story is that people who obsess over box-office failures don't often look at the big picture. No doubt, Disney has egg on its face right now because of the expectations surrounding The Lone Ranger.

But the key to a well-run company such as Walt Disney is that it has enough strength to overcome one major disappointment.

The article Yes, Walt Disney's "The Lone Ranger" Bombed. Big Deal. originally appeared on Fool.com.

Motley Fool contributor Jon Friedman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Enterprise Product Partners Continues Its Streak

0
0

Filed under:

In the following video, Motley Fool energy analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman discuss another dividend increase in the energy sector, from the MLP Enterprise Product Partners . While MLPs have been very popular recently due to their high distribution yields, interest rates now beginning to climb back upwards have many investors selling off and looking elsewhere. In the video, Joel tells investors why this solid MLP with 36-consecutive quarters of dividend increases is a particularly attractive play in the MLP space.

One home-run investing opportunity has been slipping under Wall Street's radar for months. But it won't stay hidden much longer. Forward-thinking energy players like GE and Ford have already plowed sizable amounts of research capital into this little-known stock... because they know it holds the key to the explosive profit power of the coming "no choice fuel revolution." Luckily, there's still time for you to get on board if you act quickly. All the details are inside an exclusive report from The Motley Fool. Click here for the full story!


The article Enterprise Product Partners Continues Its Streak originally appeared on Fool.com.

Joel South has no position in any stocks mentioned. Taylor Muckerman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners L.P. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ask a Fool: Are Bank of America and CitiBank Long-Term Hold Stocks?

0
0

Filed under:

In the following video, Motley Fool financial analyst Matt Koppenheffer takes a question from a Fool fan on Facebook, who writes, "Are Bank of America and Citibank long-term hold stocks?"

Many investors are terrified about investing in big banking stocks after the crash, but the sector has one notable stand-out. In a sea of mismanaged and dangerous peers, it rises above as "The Only Big Bank Built to Last." You can uncover the top pick that Warren Buffett loves in The Motley Fool's new report. It's free, so click here to access it now.


The article Ask a Fool: Are Bank of America and CitiBank Long-Term Hold Stocks? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Matt Koppenheffer owns shares of Bank of America. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of America. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America and Citigroup Inc. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

All-Time High: Why the Dow Surged 169 Points Thursday

0
0

Filed under:

While stocks wavered during trading yesterday after minutes from the June Fed meeting were released, Thursday was a different story altogether. The Big Cheese himself, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, spoke Wednesday evening about the central bank's quantitative easing strategy going forward, and he made it quite clear that the money-printing wasn't going to stop any time soon. Wall Street subsequently roared back to life, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 169 points, or 1.1%, to close at 15,460, an all-time closing record.

Intel added 3.2%, a day after what might appear to be crushing news for the chip maker hit the streets. Reports from research firms Gartner and IDC both showed PC sales trending about 11% lower in the second quarter, which makes for a fifth straight quarterly decline. However, the market has mostly seen this trend coming, and the recent data actually showed a slowdown in the decline from the first quarter's 14% tumble in shipments.

While Intel may have been the Dow's top gainer today, Microsoft made the biggest news. The $300-billion company is imposing broad changes to the way it fundamentally runs its business; instead of different divisions being isolated from one another and managed separately, managers with a certain expertise will oversee and contribute across product platforms. Microsoft has long been criticized for destructive competition and a lack of communication within its own flanks; the shakeup sent the stock up 2.8% today. 


Media and entertainment giant Disney ended 2.6% higher Thursday after a bullish research note from JPMorgan. Some have feared that Disney, which boasts enviable power assets ranging from the sports network ESPN to the rights to the Star Wars franchise, would be hurt by the monumental flop of its newest movie, The Lone Ranger. JPMorgan dismissed these fears as fleeting, and reiterated its $75 price target for the stock.

Lastly, aluminum giant Alcoa saw shares gain 2.3% as the materials sector soared higher today. Not only did Alcoa start the earnings season off on Monday with better-than-expected results, but Bernanke's comments yesterday sparked demand in the metals market. With the dollar weakening on news of continuing easing efforts, metals prices rose as investors put their money elsewhere. Not a single stock in the Dow ended the day in the red.

The U.S. government has piled on more than $10 trillion of new debt since 2000. Annual deficits topped $1 trillion after the financial crisis. Millions of Americans have asked: What the heck is going on?
The Motley Fool's new free report, "Everything You Need to Know About the National Debt," walks you through with step-by-step explanations about how the government spends your money, where it gets tax revenue from, the future of spending, and what a $16-trillion debt means for our future. Click here to read the full report!

The article All-Time High: Why the Dow Surged 169 Points Thursday originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor John Divine has no position in any stocks mentioned.  You can follow him on Twitter @divinebizkid and on Motley Fool CAPS @TMFDivine . The Motley Fool recommends Intel and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Intel, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Microsoft, and Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 

Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Viewing all 9760 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images