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HomeStreet Releases Investor Presentation

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HomeStreet Releases Investor Presentation

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HomeStreet, Inc. ("the Company") (NAS: HMST) today filed after hours a Securities and Exchange Act Form 8-K under which it furnished an investor presentation related to two separate merger agreements pursuant to which HomeStreet Bank will acquire Seattle-based Fortune Bank and Yakima National Bank, based in Yakima, Wash., and parent holding company, YNB Financial Services Corp. The proposed acquisitions were announced in a news release earlier today.

Management will discuss the details of these proposed acquisitions in the conference call currently scheduled to discuss second quarter earnings on Monday, July 29, 2013 at 1 p.m. EDT.


The investor presentation is available on the HomeStreet web site at http://ir.homestreet.com and will be available on the SEC web site on Monday, July 29 (http://www.sec.gov).

HomeStreet was advised by FBR Capital Markets & Co. and McAdams Wright Ragen as financial advisors and Davis Wright Tremaine LLP as legal counsel. Fortune Bank was advised by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., a Stifel Company, as financial advisor and Graham & Dunn PC as legal counsel. Yakima National Bank was advised by D. A. Davidson & Co. as financial advisor and Lane Powell PC as legal counsel. Davis Wright Tremaine LLP acted as legal counsel for HomeStreet on the Yakima National Bank transaction.

Forward-Looking Statements

The investor presentation contains forward-looking statements along with a disclosure of certain risks. Please review slide two of the investor information for additional information on this subject.

About HomeStreet, Inc.

HomeStreet, Inc. (NAS: HMST) is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and the holding company for HomeStreet Bank, a state-chartered, FDIC-insured savings bank. HomeStreet Bank offers consumer and business banking, investment and insurance products and services in the Pacific Northwest, California and Hawaii. Certain information about our business can be found on our investor relations web site, located at http://ir.homestreet.com.



HomeStreet, Inc.
Terri Silver, VP, 206-389-6303
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
terri.silver@homestreet.com
http://ir.homestreet.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Washington

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

The article HomeStreet Releases Investor Presentation 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.

 

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Google Is Finally Drawing Blood Against Microsoft Office

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The battle between Microsoft  Office 365 and Google  Apps may be one of the most important conflicts for business. In a recent story on ZDNet, many of the alterations that Google has forced in Microsoft's sales and marketing efforts are highlighted. The simple fact that Microsoft has had to take a reactionary approach is evidence that Google is having a real impact on the way Microsoft does business.

In the interview below with the Fool's Alison Southwick, Fool.com contributor Doug Ehrman discusses some of the changes that have been initiated by Microsoft, as well as what they signify for these two tech behemoths.

The battle between Office 365 and Google Apps is just one of the many that is driving the race to the top. It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped 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.


The article Google Is Finally Drawing Blood Against Microsoft Office originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Doug Ehrman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Microsoft. 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.

 

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Peabody Energy Keeps Dividend Steady

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Coal giant Peabody Energy announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.085 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2010.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Aug. 29 to the holders of record at the close of business on Aug. 8. The coal miner has made quarterly payouts to investors since 2001.

The regular dividend payment equates to a $0.34-per-share annual dividend, yielding 2% based on the closing price today of Peabody Energy's stock.


BTU Dividend Chart

BTU Dividend data by YCharts

The article Peabody Energy Keeps Dividend Steady originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey 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.

 

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Now You're Buying Stocks -- Your Timing Couldn't Be Worse

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This was predictable.

As stocks hit all-time highs and bonds begin to fall, retail investors are buying stocks and selling bonds for the first time in years.

This data from the Investment Company Institute shows the flows in and out of mutual funds:


Source: Investment Company Institute

This excludes ETFs and individual stocks. But TD Ameritrade tracks its client activity, and recently wrote: "Clients ramped up their equity market exposure as they were net buyers of equities and sold fixed income mutual funds and ETFs."

A quick reminder: For the market as a whole, money doesn't actually flow into or out of assets; there's a buyer and seller for every trade. What changes is the price of the most recent trade.

But we know that investors consistently play this dance the wrong way. They get excited when stocks rise and rush out to buy more, and sell with abandon when markets head down. Old justifications for staying out of the market melt into justifications for getting into stocks now. Josh Brown wrote yesterday:

Everybody is unmasked and shown for what they truly are: Performance-chasing children who grow resentful at the thought of anyone's portfolio outpacing theirs, no matter how much risk is being assumed. Screaming chimpanzees rattling the bars of their cages when the colors and lights start flashing.

"I know I said I wanted to treat this capital responsibly and tune out the noise-but why the hell don't I own those hot stocks that keep going up every day?"

Portfolio stewardship is great but that's not what you want when the market rallies. What you want is to beat that index when it goes up. What you want is an ego stroke, you want bragging rights and you want to be in the game, not watching it. It's only partially about the money, it's more about being right.

We've written about the hazards of buying high and selling low ad nauseum. But it's the most common mistake investors fall for. And while stocks probably aren't a bad buy at current prices, the destructive behavior of poor timing erases most of the long-term value markets offer over time. The average individual investor underperforms the S&P 500 by nearly six percentage points per year. Quarterly earnings, employment reports and head-and-shoulder chart patterns don't matter. This does. It is literally the most important investing topic that exists, and can't be discussed enough.

If you're one of the investors who's been sitting in cash or bonds for the last few years and just now wants to jump back into stocks, ask yourself two questions:

What are you going to do when the market falls again? Because it will. Unless you truly know that you'll act differently the next time stocks plunge, reassess what you're doing, or whether you have the temperament to be investing at all.

What are you goals? Is your goal to beat the market this month? This quarter? Over the next 10 years? Not at all? Is it to retire next year, or 30 years from now? Is it to outperform your brother-in-law? Are you doing it just for fun? Few ask themselves these questions, but how you answer them can dramatically change how you invest and think about market moves.

Investor Bill Bonner once said, "People do not get what they want or what they expect from the markets; they get what they deserve." Keep this in mind if you're shifting assets into the market now that stocks are at all-time highs. 

The article Now You're Buying Stocks -- Your Timing Couldn't Be Worse originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Morgan Housel has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends TD Ameritrade. The Motley Fool owns shares of TD Ameritrade. 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.

 

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Here's What This $30 Billion Pension Fund Has Been Buying

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Every quarter, many money managers have to disclose what they've bought and sold, via "13F" filings. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.

Today, let's look at the California State Teachers' Retirement System ("CalSTRS"), a major pension fund that's celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2013. It's the largest educator-only pension fund in the world, serving more than 860,000 members, and its total assets recently topped $165 billion. About half its assets are in global equities, with sizable chunks also in fixed income securities, private equity, and real estate.

The fund's latest quarterly 13F filing shows a reportable stock portfolio totaling $29.8 billion in value as of June 30, 2013.


Interesting developments
So what does the filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:

The biggest new holdings are AbbVie and Actavis. Other new holdings of interest include Zoetis and ExOne . Zoetis was spun off by Pfizer, and is the world's largest animal-health company, and a new addition to the S&P 500. The company is expanding its operations in Nebraska, and is a pure play on animal health. Some see its stock as pricey, with its forward P/E near 20, but others think it deserves a premium valuation, given its competitive position and potential.

ExOne, meanwhile, looks even pricier, with a forward P/E topping 100, and no current P/E due to negative earnings. The company is in the hot 3-D printing business, differentiating itself, in part, by having printers that use sand and metal as raw materials (among other inputs), and not just plastic, as is the case with some rivals. Companies manufacturing jet engines, for example, might find that it revolutionizes their business. It's easy to get excited about this company, but keep in mind that it's still young and small - and sold just 13 printers in 2012.

Among holdings in which CalSTRS increased its stake were MannKind and Keryx Biopharmaceuticals . Biotech concern MannKind has seen its shares nearly triple in value over the past year, with investors hopeful that its inhaled insulin product Afrezza will receive FDA approval soon. The stock has enormous potential, but also significant risk, with approval and strong sales not yet in place. And a lot of success is already built into the stock's recent price, leaving less upside.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals has soared more than fourfold over the past year, with many expecting FDA approval for its Zerenex drug, which treats kidney disease. Keryx is looking to expand its applications and approvals, too. Keryx has potential, but so far, it also has paltry revenue while it burns cash. Fortunately, it also has ample cash, which should support its drive toward approvals and eventual profits. 

CalSTRS reduced its stake in lots of companies, including Fusion-io , an enterprise storage company focused on technologies such as flash memory and solid-state drives. The company posted strong earnings in its third quarter, and an upbeat outlook, sending its shares soaring -- but then they plunged a few weeks later, when top customers reportedly reduced spending, and the CEO and CMO, both cofounders of the company, abruptly departed. RBC Capital analyst Amit Daryanani recently reduced his price targets for the stock, seeing a slower-than-expected rebound for the firm, as well as increasing competition. Others, though, see the stock, down 20% over the past year, as overly punished, and growing at a good clip.

Finally, CalSTRS's biggest closed positions included Watson Pharmaceuticals (which essentially just renamed itself Actavis), and Ralcorp Holdings, which was bought by ConAgra.

We should never blindly copy any investor's moves, no matter how talented the investor. But it can be useful to keep an eye on what smart folks are doing. Therefore, 13-F forms can be great places to find intriguing candidates for our portfolios.

If you're looking for compelling investment ideas from smart investors, you're in luck. The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for this year. Find out which stock it is in the special free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

The article Here's What This $30 Billion Pension Fund Has Been Buying originally appeared on Fool.com.

Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjianwhom you can follow on Twitter, holds no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends ExOne. 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.

 

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Is Coca-Cola Destined for Greatness?

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Investors love stocks that consistently beat the Street without getting ahead of their fundamentals and risking a meltdown. The best stocks offer sustainable market-beating gains, with robust and improving financial metrics that support strong price growth. Does Coca-Cola fit the bill? Let's take a look at what its recent results tell us about its potential for future gains.

What we're looking for
The graphs you're about to see tell Coke's story, and we'll be grading the quality of that story in several ways:

  • Growth: Are profits, margins, and free cash flow all increasing?
  • Valuation: Is share price growing in line with earnings per share?
  • Opportunities: Is return on equity increasing while debt to equity declines?
  • Dividends: Are dividends consistently growing in a sustainable way?

What the numbers tell you
Now, let's take a look at Coke's key statistics:


KO Total Return Price Chart

KO Total Return Price data by YCharts

Passing Criteria

3-Year* Change

Grade

Revenue growth > 30%

49.8%

Pass

Improving profit margin

(22.6%)

Fail

Free cash flow growth > Net income growth

13.7% vs. 15.9%

Fail

Improving EPS

18.8%

Pass

Stock growth (+ 15%) < EPS growth

76.2% vs. 18.8%

Fail

Source: YCharts. * Period begins at end of Q2 2010.

KO Return on Equity Chart

KO Return on Equity data by YCharts

Passing Criteria

3-Year* Change

Grade

Improving return on equity

(12.1%)

Fail

Declining debt to equity

141.3%

Fail

Dividend growth > 25%

27.3%

Pass

Free cash flow payout ratio < 50%

59.5%

Fail

Source: YCharts. * Period begins at end of Q2 2010.

How we got here and where we're going
Coke puts together a rather underwhelming performance for such a rock-solid dividend payer, as it's only earned three out of nine possible passing grades. However, one of those failing grades happened due to the narrowest under-performance -- free cash flow has certainly grown along with net income, and could pull ahead over the next few quarters. Despite promising revenue growth, higher costs have put the pinch on Coke's profit margins, which has hampered it somewhat today. Let's dig a little deeper to see whether Coke can turn these issues around.

Coke reported a 3% decline in revenue in its latest quarter due to poor weather conditions in North America and in Europe, coupled with weak overall demand for sparkling beverages. Volumes declined by 4% for sparkling beverages in North America, but this was offset by a 5% growth in volume for the company's still beverage portfolio. Negative publicity surrounding the role of soft drinks in myriad health problems was also blamed for the weakness. To fight back, Coke came up with advertisements that shift the blame for "growing" health problems to a generalized consumption of excess calories, and not just soda. This seems a bit like a tobacco company blaming smoke-filled rooms for your lung disease, but a company that's painted as a villain has to do something to change the conversation.

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi has condemned these statements, which are likely to create a backlash against the entire beverage industry. Over the past couple of years, Pepsi has been through a tough phase, as sales have declined, and market share has been lost to beverage rival Coke. Any advantage that Pepsi can seize in the cola (and beverage) wars will be hard won, but it's tough to see a winning strategy in one sugar-water vendor calling out the other for trying to evade responsibility for selling sugar water. At least the tobacco companies presented a united front when attacked -- and the beverage industry might still be forced to band together if public opinion sours to a great enough degree.

Coke understands the market's shifting trends as well as any company, and has thus been concentrating on still beverages, which have now reported 24 consecutive quarters of volume growth. The company's still beverage portfolio posted 10% growth last year and is expected to grow at a similar rate this year. Though it is trying to increase its still beverage offerings, Coke still remains with a major concentration on sparkling sodas, and is hardly abandoning that segment to mitigate the stigma of health issues surrounding soda, Coke has been testing moderate-calorie versions of Fanta and Sprite sweetened with stevia. If these new varieties work, expect to see a multi-brand rollout of stevia sodas.

Putting the pieces together
Today, Coke has some of the qualities that make up a great stock, but no stock is truly perfect. Digging deeper can help you uncover the answers you need to make a great buy -- or to stay away from a stock that's going nowhere.

Dividend stocks can make you rich. It's as simple as that. While they don't garner the notoriety of high-flying growth stocks, they're also less likely to crash and burn. And over the long term, the compounding effect of the quarterly payouts, as well as their growth, adds up faster than most investors imagine. With this in mind, our analysts sat down to identify the absolute best of the best when it comes to rock-solid dividend stocks, drawing up a list in this free report of the only nine that fit the bill. To discover the identities of these companies before the rest of the market catches on, you can download this valuable free report by simply clicking here now.

The article Is Coca-Cola Destined for Greatness? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Alex Planes has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. The Motley Fool owns shares of PepsiCo. 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.

 

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Why Outerwall Shares Fell Apart

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Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Outerwall were getting chipped away today, falling 14% after a shaky earnings report.

So what: Formerly known as Coinstar, the operator of automated retail machines such as Redbox said revenue improved 4% in the quarter, to $554.2 million, but that was short of estimates at $564.9 million. Adjusted earnings per share, meanwhile, crushed estimates, coming in at $1.91, versus expectations of $0.99. Much of that jump, however, had to do with adjustments for amortization and the sale of some kiosks. Analysts seemed to be put off by lower-than-expected third-quarter EPS guidance at $1.36-$1.51, as the consensus stands at $1.63; however, much of that difference seems to be from the reversal of the amortization adjustment.


Now what: The midpoint of revenue guidance is actually above analysts' expectations, so I wouldn't be too concerned about guidance. The company also said that unit rentals of DVD's declined by 11% in the quarter, but it expects that trend to reverse in the second half of the year. With the rise of streaming, DVDs may be a declining business, but Outerwall's completed acquisition last quarter of EcoATM, an operator of kiosks that sell mobile phones, tables, and MP3 players, proves that it's focused on diversifying its portfolio. Despite the DVD decline, I wouldn't write off Outerwall just yet.

Outerwall may not be a loser in the streaming war. The television landscape is changing quickly, with new entrants like Netflix and Amazon.com disrupting traditional networks. The Motley Fool's new free report, "Who Will Own the Future of Television?" details the risks and opportunities in TV. Click here to read the full report!


The article Why Outerwall Shares Fell Apart originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Jeremy Bowman 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.

 

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Blaming the Weather; Some Companies Can, Some Can't

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In the following video, Fool contributor Matt Thalman discusses the idea of companies using the weather as an explanation of why they missed on quarterly results. Recently, we saw Coca-Cola use this as an excuse, and Matt believes investors deserve more from the company and management than that as an explanation.

While a number of industries and companies can perhaps get away with the weather excuse, Matt feels Coke isn't one of them. Lastly, when investors hear this excuse from management, it should raise some red flags, and prompt them to look deeper into the quarterly report, and figure out what is really going on inside the business.


The best investing approach is to choose great companies and stick with them for the long term. The Motley Fool's free report, "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich," names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of. Click here now to keep reading.

The article Blaming the Weather; Some Companies Can, Some Can't originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Matt Thalman has no position in any stocks mentioned.Follow Matt on Twitter @mthalman5513. The Motley Fool recommends Boston Beer and Coca-Cola. The Motley Fool owns shares of Boston Beer. 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.

 

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Why the Dow Still Won't Budge

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The Dow Jones Industrial Average continued its ambivalence streak today, finishing up three points, or 0.02%, though shares were down by as much as 1% earlier in the day. This morning, investors shrugged off a report that showed consumer sentiment reaching a six-year high as the University of Michigan survey hit 85.1, topping estimates at 84.1, and improving from 83.9 a month ago. Since consumer spending is a major component of the American economy, the continuing increase bodes well for stocks and the economy overall. There was no direct reason for this morning's drop, though investors may be taking profits headed into a potentially volatile week with the Federal Open Market Committee report expected, as well as GDP and jobs data. The Dow has been nearly perfectly flat this week as investors digest a mixed bag of earnings reports; they seem to have finally forgotten about the Fed noise that stirred so much volatility earlier.

Turning to individual stocks, Boeing was the blue chips' biggest loser, falling 1% as yet another problem was found on one of its 787 planes. This time, Qatar Airways said it had taken one of its 787s out of service due to a "minor" technical issue. According to unofficial reports, there was smoke emitting from near an electrical compartment while the plane was grounded. There were also several other minor 787 issues reported today, including an overheated oven on an Air India flight, and wiring issues on United and Japan Airlines planes. Also today, Boeing replaced the chief engineer on the 787, moving former head Mike Sinnett to VP of product development. It's unclear when the 787 drama will come to an end, but the concerns continue to be a stain on a manufacturer that's otherwise operating at full throttle.

The Dow's biggest gainer today, meanwhile, was Travelers , popping 0.9%, as fellow insurance companies, including Everest, Cincinatti Financial, and Montpelier reported strong quarters. Still, their impact on Travelers should be limited, as that company already reported earnings, falling 3.4% earlier this week, when it said it would cut jobs and lower auto-insurance prices.


Financials also finished lower, as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America were down 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively. JPMorgan announced that it would exit physical commodity trading as regulatory scrutiny continues to mount against banks having potentially conflicting interests. The Wall Street titan said it planned a sale, spin-off, or strategic partnership for its commodity-related assets.

With the American markets reaching new highs, investors and pundits alike are skeptical about future growth. They shouldn't be. Many global regions are still stuck in neutral, and their resurgence could result in windfall profits for select companies. A recent Motley Fool report, "3 Strong Buys for a Global Economic Recovery," outlines three companies that could take off when the global economy gains steam. Click here to read the full report!

The article Why the Dow Still Won't Budge originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Jeremy Bowman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. 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.

 

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2 Reasons Why I Think Zillow Is Great

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In the following video, Fool contributor Matt Thalman gives two reasons why he loves Zillow and feels the company will only continue growing and strengthening in the coming years.

He first explains how the company promotes and runs with the idea that Home Depot built its business on, of "do-it-yourself home improvement." Zillow allows homeowners and homebuyers the ability to search for homes themselves, and not rely on a realtor to provide information.

The other reason I think Zillow is great is because it provides information about square footage, number of rooms, and even recent purchase prices of homes in an area. Consumers are now more informed, and there is a little more transparency in the housing industry.


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 2 Reasons Why I Think Zillow Is Great originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Matt Thalman owns shares of Zillow. Follow Matt on Twitter @mthalman5513. The Motley Fool recommends Home Depot and Zillow. The Motley Fool owns shares of Zillow. 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.

 

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Arthur J. Gallagher Keeps Dividend Steady

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Insurance broker and risk management services firm Arthur J. Gallagher announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.35 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past two quarters after raising the payout 3%, from $0.34 per share.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Sept. 20 to the holders of record at the close of business on Sept. 4. The insurance broker has made payouts to investors since 2001.

The regular dividend payment equates to a $1.40-per-share annual dividend, yielding 3.2% based on the closing price today of Arthur J. Gallagher's stock.


AJG Dividend Chart

AJG Dividend data by YCharts

The article Arthur J. Gallagher Keeps Dividend Steady originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey 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.

 

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Republic Services Hikes Dividend 11%

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Waste hauler Republic Services announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.26 per share, a near 11% increase in the payout made to investors last quarter of $0.235 per share.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Oct. 15 to the holders of record at the close of business on Oct. 1. The waste hauler has made quarterly payout to investors since at least 2003.

Republic Services President and CEO Donald W. Slager said, "This action reflects Republic's continued commitment to increase cash returns to our stockholders, and our confidence in the strength of our business."


The regular dividend payment equates to a $1.04-per-share annual dividend, yielding 3% based on the closing price today of Republic Services' stock.

RSG Dividend Chart

RSG Dividend data by YCharts

The article Republic Services Hikes Dividend 11% originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Republic Services. 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.

 

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ING Keeps Dividend Steady

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Financial services specialist ING U.S. announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.01 per share. This is the first dividend it's paid since suspending the payout; it has not made one over the course of 2012. It maintained that its priority was to repay its outstanding core Tier 1 securities, and until they were repaid, a dividend would not be made.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Oct. 1 to the holders of record at the close of business on Aug. 30. 

The regular dividend payment equates to a $0.04-per-share annual dividend, yielding 0.1% based on the closing price today of ING's stock. It intends to rebrand itself as Voya Financial in the future.

The article ING Keeps Dividend Steady originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey 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.

 

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ONEOK Partners Increases Dividend

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Midstream natural gas MLP ONEOK Partners announced yesterday its second-quarter distribution of $0.72 per unit, an increase of $0.005 from the $0.715 per unit it paid investors last quarter.

The board of directors said the quarterly dividend is payable on Aug. 15 to the holders of record at the close of business on Aug. 5. The master limited partnership has made quarterly payouts to investors since 1972.

Stating that the distribution increase represents ONEOK Partners' commitment to increasing unitholder value, Chairman and CEO John W. Gibson said, "We expect our previously announced investments of approximately $4.7 billion to $5.2 billion for natural gas and natural gas liquids growth projects through 2015 to allow us to continue increasing unitholder distributions."


ONEOK Partners has increased its distribution by approximately 80% since April 2006, when a wholly owned subsidiary of ONEOK became the sole general partner.

The regular dividend payment equates to a $2.88-per-share annual dividend, yielding 5.7% based on the closing price today of ONEOK Partners' stock.

OKS Dividend Chart

OKS Dividend data by YCharts

The article ONEOK Partners Increases Dividend originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Duprey has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends ONEOK and ONEOK 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.

 

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Are You Ready to Give Facebook a Second Chance?

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The world's greatest social network, Facebook  played perfectly into what the term IPO  really stands for -- It's Probably Overpriced. Understandably, the company had pressure to go public so its investors could get the payday they earned, but it's been a road to recovery since day one of its trading. In this week's earnings release, the company showed investors that it had successfully addressed the mobile issue. In a year, mobile ads have gone from a barely material amount to approaching half of the company's total ad revenue. The stock, in turn, is trading at its highest level since the first day of trading a little more than one year ago. Is Facebook finally worth your investment dollars?

Perspective
The markets were in an uproar on Thursday as Facebook delighted the Street with its impressive earnings results, including a 53% gain in revenue, tremendous gains in mobile ads, and the promise of greater growth with its photo sharing site -- Instagram -- primed for the advertising stage. With Thursday's gain of 30% in share price, the company is within $4 of its initial public offering price.

Investors in Facebook should, obviously, celebrate -- there have been an enormous number of Facebook bears (including the author) since even before the IPO, and it's nice to be the guy who can say, "told you so." But this should serve as an important lesson for investors interested in the hot IPOs going forward. With Facebook's blowout quarter and solid execution over the course of a year, the company is still well short short of its original offer to investors.


Maybe it's just me, but it still sounds like the IPO buyers were ripped off, as they too often are.

A buy today?
So an IPO was overpriced, that's hardly news in the world of the stock market (even if it is often forgotten), but is Facebook going to start behaving like a normal stock now?

There is certainly more clarity to the company's ability to grow sales than there was a year ago, which should go a long way in investors' analyses. The company has proven that it can leverage its user base to demand money from advertisers, and has gone on to finally make that work on the mobile end, as well. Looking forward, mobile ads will take over desktop ads, as Zuckerberg noted in the conference call, and the company can begin selling ads on its coveted photo site, Instagram.

Instagram offers more opportunities than the normal Facebook newsfeed in that it uses 15-second video clips, similar to Twitter's Vine. This will definitely be appealing to advertisers looking to get in on the photo service's users.

As far as value goes, Facebook is still a mighty expensive stock at more than 44 times forward earnings. The 30% gain on Thursday may taper in the coming months, so there is no rush to hit the buy button. Overall, management deserves at least a small pat on the back for proving there is a business behind the hype.

It seems that finally, investors can start taking this stock a bit more seriously, only 15 months after its IPO.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped by just a handful of companies like Facebook. 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.

 

The article Are You Ready to Give Facebook a Second Chance? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Michael Lewis has no position in any stocks mentioned. 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.

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One of the Greatest Long-Term Investors of Our Time

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Death and taxes. Those are the surefire things in life. Oh and Amazon.com's minuscule profits, too. Quarter in and quarter out, it seems like it's the same old story: Jeff Bezos and company make billions in revenue with nothing to show for it. At least that's how many view it. And to an extent, I get it. I mean, P/E ratios tell the whole story, right? Wrong.

Where the money isn't
One of the general themes of recent earnings seasons has been top-line organic revenue growth (or the lack thereof). Many companies have done a great job of controlling costs in order to keep earnings growth alive, but revenue growth has been less than stellar, thanks to a sluggish global economy. Just look at McDonald's . Sales since 2011 have been utterly flat, and while earnings per share have grown about 3.5%, cost-cutting can only get you so far.

Amazon, on the other hand, is growing the top line like they have a bet to win. Sales are up almost 38% since 2011 and, if we look back a full five years, sales have grown at a whopping 29.5% compound annual growth rate. That's not too shabby for a sluggish economy coming out of recession. Of course, that's not the number that most people focus on when it comes to Amazon. It's net income that has everybody's knickers in a knot. How can a company that makes so much revenue be so unprofitable? And why in the world are we paying 800 times earnings for it?


You say yes, I say no
Investing, at its core, is disagreeing isn't it? For every buyer there's a seller, and both parties happen to think they're right. With that said, I'll submit that I don't believe valuing Amazon based on net income is the best way to look at it. I know, I know... plenty of Amazon bears out there want to throw a pie at my face when I say this. But it's just for perspective, so follow me for a second. 

Amazon's business model operates with what's known as a negative cash conversion cycle. What this means in English is that Amazon gets paid for what it sells to customers like you and me well before they ever have to actually pay for it itself. This is important because the net income number doesn't reflect the advantages of a negative cash conversion cycle; but the cash flow from operations (CFFO) number on the cash flow statement does. It adds back those accounts payable as if it's cash that hasn't flowed out of the business, yet it's cash that Amazon can use to reinvest to grow the business.

It's all about the cash flow
So it becomes a bit more clear why in their earnings calls, Amazon management reiterates time and time again that they are not focused on earnings, they are focused on cash flow; both operating and free.

Amazon.com CFO Tom Szkutak:

From a margin standpoint, always challenging to predict where that will come out in terms of absolute numbers, but what we will do is we want to make sure that we try to maximize free cash flow. That's something that we've always said... So again, our goal is to -- we don't focus on individual margins. Our goal is to make sure that we generate free cash flow, large amounts of free cash flow, and use that capital efficiently. And so those are goals that we have. And we certainly think that opportunity is there in each of the businesses that we operate in.

The simple definition of free cash flow is CFFO less capital expenditures (capex). So free cash flow is very dependent on how much management spends in capex, and management has certainly boosted capex over the last five years. In 2008, capex was about 20% of CFFO. Over the last 12 months, it was 94%. Translation: Amazon is investing big time for the future. And just so we're clear, it's not like Amazon is financially strapped, either, with almost $7.5 billion in cash and equivalents on the balance sheet.

Investing in the bottom line
We all make our own investment decisions, and some make more sense than others. And I understand why some can't get comfortable with owning Amazon stock. But I do believe it's wise to look further than just the anemic earnings per share the company puts up every quarter. Bezos is clearly building something much, much bigger than a quarterly number for Wall Street to chew on. That's why I own shares; I truly believe Jeff Bezos is one of the greatest long-term investors of our time.

This incredible tech stock is growing twice as fast as Google and Facebook, and more than three times as fast as Amazon.com and Apple. Watch our jaw-dropping investor alert video today to find out why The Motley Fool's chief technology officer is putting $117,238 of his own money on the table, and why he's so confident this will be a huge winner in 2013 and beyond. Just click here to watch!


Click here to follow Jason on Twitter.

The article One of the Greatest Long-Term Investors of Our Time originally appeared on Fool.com.

Jason Moser owns shares of Amazon.com. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com and McDonald's. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com and McDonald's. 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.

 

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Is YouTube Google's Secret Weapon?

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Lately, the media hubbub with Google  has centered around the dynamic company's shiny Google Glass innovation, which has become nothing less than a popular-culture touchstone.

The commotion has shoved YouTube, which Google acquired in 2006, into the background, but it shouldn't be that way at all.

The YouTube 2013 story is filled with drama. Yes, Netflix has changed the stakes in this consumer content sector by coming up with House of Cards, the Kevin Spacey drama that has captured the fancy of much of the nation while giving parent Netflix a new kind of aura. YouTube has remained somewhat static, in terms of offering the same service yesterday as today, while Netflix is growing and evolving.


The question of whether YouTube can keep up with Netflix, which has notched a decided public-relations win with its original content, could help determine whether Google itself will return to prominence as a hot stock.

As The Guardian newspaper noted, Wall Street estimates that YouTube brings in anywhere from $4 billion to $5.6 billion in revenue, accounting for as much as 10% of Google's total revenue.

YouTube has had a rocky road. Last March, AllThingsD noted that YouTube's ad revenue wasn't "keeping pace" with the increasing view-counts, and expenses, of a number of YouTube's partners. 

MarketWatch.com published a piece on July 19 proclaiming: "Google's bet on YouTube is finally paying off." The site noted: "That's good news for Google bulls looking for another source of revenue to sustain the company's annual growth rate, which has slowed since the purchase of Motorola Mobility last year."

Google's shares tumbled in after-hours trading on July 18 when the company announced disappointing quarterly earnings.

As Fool.com's's Steve Heller noted:

In the second quarter, Big G reported year over year revenue growth of 19% to $14.11 billion, which translated into a non-GAAP income of $3.23 billion, or $9.56 a share. Analysts were expecting Google to earn $10.78 a share on revenue of $14.42 billion. The culprit appears to be that Google's cost-per-click -- or CPC -- declined by 2% sequentially and 6% year over year, despite paid click volume rising by 23% year over year and 4% sequentially. This could indicate there's potentially a structural headwind that's driving down the CPC metric.

Google has appeared to be a tech juggernaut, even labeled unstoppable, at times. Hmmm. Remember what happened to previous dynamos such as Microsoft and Apple, both of which crushed shareholders' dreams.

If nothing else, the Google executive team has proven itself to be resourceful. Acquiring YouTube in 2006 was an example. But that was then. Can YouTube now help Google avoid the pitfalls of other once-hot stocks that cooled off?

San Bruno, Calif.-based YouTube has burst into prominence as a video-sharing Internet site, originated by a trio of PayPal staffers in 2005. Viewers can upload, share and watch videos. It allows people to exhibit an array of user-created videos, encompassing everything from movie reels and TV footage to homemade videos and video blogs.

YouTube has become synonymous with the do-it-yourself creative spirit of the Internet in recent years. Trying to capitalize on the video-viewing experience, Google gobbled up for $1.65 billion nearly seven years ago. You Tube is also responsible for pushing the term "viral video" into our societal lexicon.

But what does all that mean to shareholders of Google? Well, considering it may pull in as much as 10% of Google's revenue, YouTube might be Google's secret weapon.

The article Is YouTube Google's Secret Weapon? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Jon Friedman has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Google, and Netflix. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix. 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.

 

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Why Are Consumers so Confident?

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Consumers are more confident than they've been in six years despite an unemployment rate of 7.6%, and an economy that's growing at a snail's pace. Given the economic backdrop, it seems strange, but I think there are three reasons most consumers are feeling good about their personal situations -- and it may help fuel the recovery. 

The fear of getting fired
In 2008 and 2009, layoffs were rampant, and anyone who had a job was just hoping to keep it. I was one of those who were laid off as the economic fallout spread, and I could see those around me becoming less and less secure in their own jobs. It's impossible to feel confident about the economy or your personal spending when there's a constant fear of losing your job, and that's a big reason why confidence fell.

What's changed since early 2009 is a steady improvement in initial unemployment claims, aka layoffs. In fact, we're now at a level of initial claims for unemployment that matches the low during the 2000s.


US Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance Chart

US Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance data by YCharts

Today, people are less fearful they'll lose their jobs, and that may do more to help confidence than anything else.

Stock markets are up
There's some sort of psychological affect the stock market has on people, whether they're active investors or not. When the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 are reaching new highs, people have a positive view of the economy and the companies they work for, whether it's justified or not.

The financial impact can be important for some, as well. When stocks go up, 401ks go up in value, personal portfolios go up, and even pensions look safer than they do in bad times (except for Detroit). 

The bottom line is that a good stock market makes people feel better, and with the Dow and S&P 500 hitting new highs almost every week, it's a confidence boost.

Right side up home values
For homeowners, there may not be anything worse than being upside down on your mortgage. Foreclosure can be devastating, and even a short sale will ding your credit for a number of years, even when it's the right financial move. That's why rising home prices around the country give millions of people a boost of confidence, even when the economy isn't growing.

In June, the median sales price for existing homes was up 13.5% from a year ago, to $214,200, the 16th consecutive month prices have risen. The National Association of Realtors also said that the annual rate of sales of homes rose 15.2% last month to 5.08 million, so it's easier to sell your home. 

The boost to confidence isn't just that prices are going up, it's that fewer people are underwater on their homes. When people are underwater, it's harder to take a job elsewhere and sell your home, and people feel more wealthy when they have equity in their homes. All around, it's a boost to confidence.

An economy to be confident in... for most
These three factors should have most Americans feeling confident about their futures, but there's still a long way to go before we can all feel confident. An unemployment rate of 7.6% leaves a lot of people behind, and until that improves, there will be a cap on growth in the U.S. The good news is that consumers are 70% of the economy, and happy consumers means more economic activity and, hopefully, more jobs to fill.

With the American markets reaching new highs, investors and pundits alike are questioning future growth prospects for stocks. They shouldn't be. Many global regions are still stuck in neutral, and their resurgence could result in windfall profits for select companies. A recent Motley Fool report, "3 Strong Buys for a Global Economic Recovery," outlines three companies that could take off when the global economy gains steam. Click here to read the full report!

The article Why Are Consumers so Confident? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium 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.

 

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5 of Last Week's Biggest Losers

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There's never a shortage of losers in the stock market. Let's take a closer look at five of this past week's biggest sinkers.

Company

July 26

Weekly Loss

Sequenom

$3.22

30%

Walter Energy

$11.14

19%

Seagate

$41.05

14%

Zynga

$3.01

10%

RadioShack

$2.75

10%

Source: Barron's.

Let's start with Sequenom. The genetic-diagnostic specialist shed nearly a third of its value after moving to slash expenses and nix profitless services over what it considers to be a temporary Medicare reimbursement issue.


Wall Street wasn't sold on the temporary nature of the iffy prospects, though. At least three analysts lowered either their stock ratings or price targets on Sequenom.

Walter Energy tumbled after dramatically slashing its dividend. The metallurgical coal producer's quarterly rate is going from $0.125 a share to just $0.01. The move probably isn't much of a surprise. Walter Energy has posted three consecutive quarterly losses as demand and pricing for coal remain under pressure. The company needs to amend its credit facility to raise more money, and that restricts its once-healthy payout level.

Seagate skipped over some bad sectors after reporting mixed quarterly results. Craig-Hallum downgraded shares of the hard-drive maker from "hold" to "sell," even though Seagate beefed up its share-buyback efforts. Seagate's outlook for the current quarter wasn't very impressive, but at least it points to sequential growth.

Zynga fell after announcing that it's giving up on pursuing stateside opportunities for real-money wagering. The social- and casual-gaming leader has been a disappointment since going public at $10 two years ago, but one of the few positive potential catalysts was its prospects in online gambling. Zynga has bigger fish to fry at the moment, as bookings remains soft.

Finally we have RadioShack slipping after a terrible quarter. The consumer-electronics retailer stumbled after posting a quarterly loss that was substantially larger than what Wall Street was expecting.

Investors also weren't encouraged by seeing the chain's CFO take off. Dorvin Lively left to be CFO at gym operator Planet Fitness, and he bolted even though it meant forfeiting a $1.5 million retention bonus that would've been payable in October. That's a scary sight on many different levels.

Ready for a bounce
If you owned some of these losers, how about following the smart money into winners?

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 of Last Week's Biggest Losers originally appeared on Fool.com.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of RadioShack. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't 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.

 

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5 of Last Week's Biggest Winners

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What's better than momentum? Mo' momentum. Let's take a closer look at five of this past week's biggest scorchers.

Company

July 26

Weekly Gain

Himax Technologies

$7.30

41%

Facebook

$34.01

31%

Baidu

$127.56

15%

Cliffs Natural Resources

$19.71

11%

Questcor Pharmaceuticals

$50.37

10%

Source: Barron's.

Let's start with Himax, which soared after Google moved to take a small stake in the Taiwanese chipmaker's majority-owned display subsidiary. Himax had risen in the past on the high probability that the subsidiary's liquid crystal silicon chips would be a component in Google Glass as the high-tech specs go into mainstream production. This deal -- with Big G taking a 6.3% position that can escalate to 14.8% within the next year -- both cements the relationship and signals that the search giant is serious about wearable computing.


Facebook still hasn't clawed its way back to last year's IPO price, but it made some serious headway last week after some encouraging news on the monetization front. The world's leading social-networking website operator posted strong quarterly results, pointing out that 41% of its revenue now comes from mobile usage.

Investors have been unsure about Facebook's ability to cash in on the trend that's moving to consumption on smaller screens. However, the revenue's coming in. Facebook also claims that users aren't complaining, arguing that engagement rates are increasing.

China's leading search engine keeps moving higher. Baidu came through with yet another 15% gain this week after posting strong quarterly results.

The revived dot-com giant popped 15% higher last week after announcing a $1.9 billion deal to improve its prospects in mobile. This time around it was market-thumping results and guidance that translateed into accelerating revenue growth even at the low point of its range.

Cliffs Natural Resources didn't leave a lump of coal in shareholders' stockings this past week. Most of Cliffs' gain came on Friday, after the producer of iron ore and metallurgical coal delivered better-than-expected financial results. Revenue of $1.49 billion was just shy of the $1.58 billion it reported a year earlier, and profitability was shaved by more than half to $0.82 a share. However, analysts were holding out for net income of just $0.61 a share on $1.41 billion in revenue. Even warning that it will produce a million tons less in iron sales for the entire fiscal year than it had originally projected wasn't enough to rain on this parade. Cliffs Natural Resources has been beaten down so badly this year, that mixed news is good news.

Finally, we have Questcor moving higher. The biotech made its move during the final two trading days of the week, after announcing that it will begin the second phase of clinical trials for its Acthar gel for the treatment of patients with Lou Gehrig's disease. Questcor is initiating the patient screening process.

Keep the good vibes coming
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The article 5 of Last Week's Biggest Winners originally appeared on Fool.com.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Baidu, Facebook, and Google. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't 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.

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