Social media may be driven largely by “likes” these days, but it turns out that financial services firms’ advisor-targeted advertising is driven by much more than likeability. The true sign of success for an ad that targets advisors is whether or not any action was taken, a recent survey of advisors by Phoenix Marketing International concludes.
In a best practices advertising webinar on Tuesday, Phoenix Marketing International presented the results of its May survey of 1,152 advisors who were asked detailed questions about their response to 30 print ads that financial services firms have placed in trade publications and The Wall Street Journal over the last year.
Advisors picked the five best and the five worst of the 30 ads, making their judgments based on metrics such as brand recognition, main message and likeability, recall and 24 creative measures such as relevance and impact. Also surveyed were outcomes, meaning brand persuasion, ad recall and action taken in terms of the search for more information, company contact and recommendations to others.
Best Healthcare Technology Stocks To Own Right Now: Quality Distribution Inc. (QLTY)
Quality Distribution, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the truckload transportation of bulk chemicals primarily in North America. The company involves in the bulk transportation of liquid and dry chemicals, including plastics, as well as bulk dry and liquid food-grade products. It also provides intermodal ISO tank container transportation and depot services; tank cleaning, heating, testing, maintenance, and storage services; and local and over-the-road trucking services. The company?s bulk service network consists primarily of independently owned third-party affiliate terminals, independent owner-operator drivers, and own terminals. As of December 31, 2010, it managed a fleet of approximately 2,900 tractors and 5,700 trailers; and operated 91 independent affiliate trucking terminals and 3 own trucking terminals. Quality Distribution also operates 8 ISO tank container transportation and depot service terminals. The company was formerly known as MTL, Inc. and changed its name to Quality Distribution, Inc. in 1999. Quality Distribution, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Margins matter. The more Quality Distribution (Nasdaq: QLTY ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Quality Distribution's competitive position could be.
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: CoreSite Realty Corporation(COR)
CoreSite Realty Corporation operates as real investment trust in the United States. The company engages in the ownership, acquisition, construction, and management of data centers. It provides data centers that optimize, secure, and interconnect the mission-critical IT assets of the organizations. The company offers private data centers and suites, cage-to-cabinet colocation, and interconnection services, such as Any2, CoreSite's Internet exchange. Its data centers are located in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay and Northern Virginia areas, Chicago, and New York City. The company provides its data centre services to enterprises, cloud providers, financial firms, and Government agencies. As of March 31, 2011, its property portfolio included 11 operating data center facilities, 1 data center under construction, and 1 development site. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Wolfe]
CoreSite Realty Corp (COR)
During the second quarter, Columbia Wanger increased their holdings in CoreSite Realty by 256.43%. The fund purchased a total of 1,176,650 shares of the company�� stock. They purchased these shares at an average price of $34.19 and since then the price per share has increased an additional 4.1%.
- [By Ong Kang Wei]
For example, Digital Realty (DLR) is the undoubted leader in the data storage industry, with a market cap of $8.3B. Its other three competitors, DuPont Fabros (DFT), CoreSite Realty (COR) and CyrusOne (CONE), have market caps of $1.5B, $930M and $430M respectively. In addition, with the level of complexity involving Digital's business making it immensely difficult for companies to operate data centre facilities, the company is in a good position for future growth. The company also has a wide network of 595 tenants (significantly more than other competitors), including CenturyLink (CTL), AT&T and Morgan Stanley (MS). This further secures its long term business prospects and also its dominance over its competitors.
- [By Dividends4Life]
CoreSite Realty Corporation (COR) engages in the ownership, acquisition, construction, and management of data centers. December 5th the company increased its quarterly dividend 30% to $0.35 per share. The dividend is payable January 15, 2014, to shareholders of record on December 31, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 4.7%.
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: Waste Connections Inc. (WCN)
Waste Connections, Inc., an integrated solid waste services company, provides solid waste collection, transfer, disposal, and recycling services. The company also offers intermodal services, including repositioning, storage, maintenance, and repair of cargo containers for international shipping companies for the rail haul movement of cargo and solid waste containers in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, it provides container and chassis sales and leasing services to its customers. Further, the company offers residential, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection services; and provides recycling services for various recyclable materials, including cardboard, office paper, plastic containers, glass bottles, and ferrous and aluminum metals. Its transfer stations receive, compact, and load solid waste to be transported to landfills via truck, rail, or barge. As of December 31, 2010, the company owned or operated a network of 135 solid waste collection operations, 54 t ransfer stations, 39 recycling operations, 44 active landfills, and 7 intermodal facilities, as well as one exploration and production waste treatment and disposal facility. It serves approximately two million residential, commercial, and industrial customers from a network of operations in 27 states in the United States. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Folsom, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Treasure in trash
Markets are up modestly in early trading Monday, and one company leading the way upwards is trash collector Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN ) . Up nearly 39% over the past year, and up nearly twice as much as the S&P 500, Waste Connections got a further boost today when analysts at Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on the stock to $47 a share. - [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Sean Williams]
Other players in the field, such as Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN ) , have viewed traditional refuse collection as too crowded and have looked toward unique ways of boosting their bottom line. Waste Connection last year purchased R360 Environmental Solutions for $1.3 billion to get a foothold in the oil and natural gas industry. R360 generates revenue by cleaning contaminated fields, recovering oil from storage tanks, and washing drilling facilities.
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc (DDE)
Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., incorporated in December of 2001, is a premier gaming and entertainment resorts. The Company�� operations consist of: Dover Downs Casino, a 165,000-square foot casino complex featuring table games, including craps, roulette and card games, such as blackjack, Spanish 21, baccarat, 3-card and pai gow poker, the latest in slot machine offerings, multi-player electronic table games, the Crown Royal poker room, a Race & Sports Book operation, the Dover Downs' Fire & Ice Lounge, the Festival Buffet, Doc Magrogan's Oyster House, Frankie's Italian restaurant, as well as several bars, restaurants and four retail outlets; Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, a 500 room AAA Four Diamond hotel with a full-service spa/salon, conference, banquet, ballroom and concert hall facilities, and Dover Downs Raceway, a harness racing track with pari-mutuel wagering on live and simulcast horse races. All of its operations are located at its entertainment complex in Dover. Its two wholly owned subsidiaries include Dover Downs, Inc. and Dover Downs Gaming Management Corp.
Dover Downs Casino
The Company's casino had approximately 2,539 slot machines as of December 31, 2011. It is open for business around the clock. During the year ended December 31, 2011, that the facility was visited by approximately 2.6 million patrons. Its slot machines range from penny machines to $100 machines in the Premium Slots area and include games found in the country's major gaming jurisdictions. The Company operates with 40 tables, including blackjack, craps and roulette tables. The Crown Royal poker room has 12 poker tables. It has its Race and Sports Book operation featuring parlay sports wagering on NFL games and pari-mutuel wagering on live and simulcast horse races. Dover Downs, Inc. is authorized to conduct video lottery, sports wagering and table game operations. The Company's Capital Club, a slots players club and tracking system, allows it to identify customers and t! o reward their level of play through various marketing programs.
Dover Downs Hotel
The Company's luxury hotel facility, the Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, connects to the Company's casino. The facility includes 500 rooms, including 11 luxury spa suites, a multi-purpose ballroom/concert hall, a fine dining restaurant, swimming pool and a luxurious 6,000 square-foot full-service spa. It offers a range of entertainment options to its patrons, including concerts featuring prominent entertainers, live boxing, gourmet dining, spa facilities, trade shows and conferences. During 2011, hotel occupancy averaged 90%.
Dover Downs Raceway
The Company�� Dover Downs Raceway conducts live harness races from November until April and is simulcast to more than 300 tracks and other off-track betting locations across North America on each of the Company's more than 120 live race dates. The Company's harness racing track is a 5/8-mile track that is located on DVD's property and is on the inside of its one-mile motorsports superspeedway. Additional amenities include the Winners Circle Restaurant overlooking the horse racing track. Within the Company's Race & Sports Book operation is the simulcast parlor where the patrons can wager on harness and thoroughbred races received by satellite into its facility year round from numerous tracks across North America. Television monitors throughout the area provide views of all races simultaneously and the betting windows are connected to a central computer allowing bets to be received on all races from all tracks.
The Company has an agreement with the Delaware Standardbred Owner's Association, Inc. (DSOA) effective September 1, 2010 and continuing through August 31, 2014. DSOA's membership consists of owners, trainers and drivers of harness horses participating in harness race meetings at its facilities and elsewhere in the United States and Canada. Under the DSOA agreement, the Company is required to distrib! ute as pu! rses for races conducted at its facilities a percentage of its retained share of pari-mutuel revenues.
The Company competes with Harrington Raceway and Delaware Park.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Paul Ausick]
The REIT is expected to spend as much as $500 million in acquisitions in 2014, according to Barron��, and some potential acquisition targets include Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) which has a market cap of around $323 million or Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE) with a market cap of around $47 million.
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: MyEcheck Inc (MYEC)
MyECheck, Inc. (MyECheck), incorporated on May 18, 2005, is an electronic transaction data processor. The Company provides an alternative payment solution to paper checks, cards or ACH payments. MyECheck utilizes a method of clearing check data for payments. MyECheck offers implemented solutions that enable real-time payments by authorized electronic check. MyECheck�� electronic check service creates and clears checks using only customer account data without the hassle and delays of paper checks. MyECheck's system enables more payers - any authorized signor on any United States checking account, for any amount. MyECheck's transactions can even be payment guaranteed.
Electronic Check Service
Payer check data is collected by the Merchant either at customer registration, or on their Website, through a mobile device, or over the telephone, and is transmitted in real-time, or in batch to MyECheck for processing. MyECheck uses technology to generate electronic checks in accordance with the Federal Reserve Check 21 specification, and transmits the items to clear through the electronic check clearing system to the Merchant's account at one of its partner banks.
Check Authorization Service
MyECheck offers Check Authorization Service that enables merchants to verify consumer provided data, check the status of their customer�� bank account, provide evidence that the consumer has authorized the check and predict the likelihood of a check being returned unpaid. Transactions are immediately and automatically evaluated and approved or declined based upon the real time results of multiple fraud control tools. Businesses that accept MyECheck payments can use this service to provide an automated real time check authorization to mitigate returned items.
Check Guarantee Service
The check guarantee provider warranties all approved checks and reimburses the Payee (Merchant) for financial losses incurred as a result of returned checks. The C! heck Guarantee Provider buys the returned checks that have been warranted from merchants for the full face value of the returned checks. MyECheck merchants utilize Check Guarantee Service so that they can ship products or provide services immediately without having to wait to determine if the check will be returned unpaid. The Check Guarantee Service also eliminates the need for Merchants to collect on returned checks from their customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Rewards Nexus Inc (OTCMKTS: ERNI), MyEcheck Inc (OTCMKTS: MYEC) and ITonis Inc (OTCMKTS: ITNS) fell 29.6%, 18.92% and 9.09%, respectively, last Friday. Moreover, some of these small cap stocks are already making big moves again this morning - perhaps in part because they have all been the subject of recent paid promotions. So where are these small cap heading this week and for the long term? Here is a quick reality check:
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: Shanda Games Ltd (GAME)
Shanda Games Limited (Shanda Games), incorporated on June 12, 2008, is engaged in the development and operation of online games and related businesses in the People�� Republic of China. Some of its online games are also Web games, which the Company categorizes as either massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) or advanced casual games, rather than as a separate category of online games. As of February 29, 2012, Shanda Games operated 35 online games. Its game player base, which consisted of 20.4 million average monthly active users and 4.5 million average monthly paying users for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011. In April 2011, the Company acquired a 51.85% interest in a game operating company, which provides services in East Asia.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 149 software copyrights. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or licensed 53 trademarks. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or licensed 329 registered domain names, including its official Website and domain names registered in connection with each of the games the Company offers. As of December 31, 2011, it had 17 patent applications pending with the State Intellectual Property Office of China. The Company operates MMORPGs, advanced casual games and Web games in China. Its MMORPGs are action adventure-based and draw upon themes, such as martial arts adventure, fantasy, strategy and historical events. The Company develops and sources an array of game content through multiple channels, including in-house development, licensing, investment and acquisition, and joint operation. Through these channels, it has built a diversified game portfolio and a game pipeline.
The Company licenses games from international and domestic developers. As of February 29, 2012, 13 of its 35 online games were licensed from third-party developers, including Mir II. It invests in independent game development and operating studios identified by 18 Capital. The Company acquire intellectual property rights t! o online games; equity rights in online game development and operating studios, or an option to acquire equity interests in online game development and operating studios in the future.
The Company operates its business in People's Republic of China, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, which consist of Shengqu Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Shengqu), Shengji Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Shengji), Lansha Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Lansha) and Kuyin Software (Shanghai) Co., Ltd (Kuyin); its variable interest entities and their subsidiaries (VIEs), which consist of Shanghai Hongli Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Hongli) and Shanghai Shulong Technology Development Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Shulong) and their wholly owned subsidiaries, Shanghai Shulong Computer Technology Co., Ltd. (Shulong Computer), Nanjing Shulong Computer Technology Co., Ltd. (Nanjing Shulong), Chengdu Youji Technology Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Youji), Tianjin Youji Technology Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Youji), Chengdu Aurora Technology Development Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Aurora), and Chengdu Simo Technology Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Simo).
The Company competes with Tencent Holdings Limited, NetEase.com, Changyou.com Limited, Perfect World Co., Ltd., Giant Interactive, Kingsoft Corporation Limited, KongZhong Corporation, NetDragon Websoft Inc., Nineyou International Limited, The9 Limited, Activision Blizzard, Inc., Electronic Arts Inc., Zynga Inc., NCSoft Corporation, and Nexon Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
In a perfect world, Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE:OAS) and Shanda Games Limited (NASDAQ:GAME) would always reflect the true underlying value of their respective companies. In reality, GAME and OAS are both well-watched, and frequently-traded, stocks that can take on a life of their own, reflecting ever-changing opinions of the companies rather than the companies' actual value. There's an upside to that disconnect, however - knowing each chart may or may not reflect the actual value of Shanda Games Limited and Oasis Petroleum means you can take the clues given to us by their chart. After all, since charts are just a reflection of public opinion, and since public opinion is actually rather predictable, the way things appear to be - visually - may actually be the way things are. And in this case, the way things are with OAS happens to be a polar opposite with the way things are with GAME.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Shanda Games� (NASDAQ: GAME ) saw a decline in bottom line for its Q3, but still beat analyst estimates. The China-based company posted revenue of 1.12 billion yuan�($183 million), modestly higher than the 1.09 billion yuan�($178 million)�in the same period the previous year. Attributable net income came in at just under 399 million yuan ($65 million;�$0.24 per diluted American depositary share), compared with Q3 2012's 405 million yuan ($66 million;�$0.24).
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another under-$10 gaming player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Shanda Games (GAME), which is an online game company in China in terms of the size, diversity of its game portfolio, game revenues and game player base. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up by 24%.
If you take a look at the chart for Shanda Games, you'll notice that this stock has formed a major bottoming chart pattern over the last two months, with shares of GAME finding significant buying interest whenever it's pulled back to around $3.80 a share. Shares of GAME are now starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels. Those levels have acted as resistance for GAME for the last two months.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in GAME if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.85 to $4.98 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.71 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GAME will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $6.42 a share.
Traders can look to buy GAME off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $4.18 a share or below that major support at $3.80 a share. One can also buy GAME off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of Shanda Games� (NASDAQ: GAME ) fell 20% today after the company announced an acquisition.
So what: The company will buy affiliates who provide user and payment platform services from Shanda Interactive for $811.5 million. Management says it will lower costs and improve earnings by about 40% to 50% going forward. �
Hot International Companies To Invest In 2014: Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc.(SCHN)
Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. engages in recycling ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals, and used and salvaged vehicles; and manufacturing finished steel products. The company operates through three segments: Metals Recycling Business (MRB), Auto Parts Business (APB), and Steel Manufacturing Business (SMB). The MRB segment involves in the purchase, collection, processing, recycling, sale, and broking of ferrous scrap metals. It processes mixed and large pieces of scrap metal into smaller pieces by sorting, shearing, shredding, and torching. This segment?s products include ferrous products, including ferrous scrap metal, a feedstock used in the production of finished steel products; and nonferrous scrap metals, including aluminum, copper, stainless steel, nickel, brass, titanium, lead, high temperature alloys, and joint products, such as zorba (mixed nonferrous material) and zurik (stainless steel). The MRB segment sells its products to steel mills and smelters. The APB segment purchases used and salvaged vehicles and sells serviceable used auto parts from these vehicles through its 45 self-service auto parts stores, which are located across the United States and western Canada. It also sells other vehicles, including auto bodies; cores, such as engines, transmissions, alternators, and catalytic converters; and nonferrous materials to metal recyclers. The SMB segment engages in the purchase of recycled metal, and processing of the recycled metal and other raw materials into finished steel products. Its product portfolio comprises semi-finished goods and finished goods consisting of rebar, coiled rebar, wire rod, merchant bar, and other specialty products. This segment serves steel service centers, construction industry subcontractors, steel fabricators, wire drawers, and farm and wood product suppliers. The company exports its products worldwide. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is based in Portland, Oregon.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
If you want to know what the future holds for global steel giants like Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT ) , U.S. Steel (NYSE: X ) , and Nucor (NYSE: NUE ) , one of the best ways you can spend your time, I suspect, is by reviewing the earnings reports of another company entirely -- Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN ) .
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