Usually you invest for your long-term financial goals, then forget and never look at those investments. This mistake can prove costly particularly in case of equity investments. You expect certain mutual fund scheme or equity shares to grow after certain years, which may or may not happen. What happens generally is that either it would have out performed or would have under performed. The time when you would have planned and invested, your financial situation would be different than what it is today. So, either your goal would have altered or your priority towards the goal would have changed. What have you done to know whether your investments and goals are not derailed? Have you ever seen and reviewed your investment portfolio and financial goals?
If not, then it is important to do it now and after that a periodic intervals.
Why should you review your financial plan and investments?
Performance of investment:
Certain funds in which you have invested would have performed well in the past, but it is not necessary that they perform well in the future too. You should check the performance of the assets with its peers and the benchmark index. The fund manager of the mutual fund scheme you might have invested would have changed or may be the fund house itself would have merged with some other AMC. These kind of changes can affect your investment. Therefore, it is very important to track the performance of your funds/ investments.
Asset Allocation:
It is very important to analyze your investment portfolio periodically. The asset allocation ratio changes on a day-to-day basis, depending on the performance and proportion of the assets in the portfolio. Certain assets out perform as compared to the expected returns while certain assets under perform. In this case you should rebalance the portfolio as per the proportion. You also need to change the asset allocation when your goal is closer. Suppose if you are only 2-3 years away from your retirement, you need to shift your portfolio from equity to debt systematically.
Reprioritize and/or alteration of goal:
Sometimes your financial situation may take a diversion, which may be positive or may be negative too. You may have to alter and/or reprioritize your certain goals depending upon the situation. For example, if you and your spouse both are working and the regular investments are earmarked considering the income of both; and if spouse quits working to take care of the child, then you may have to reprioritize and alter your goal accordingly. Say you were planning to buy a house after 3 years, but suddenly you received lump sum amount through inheritance, in this case you can pre-pone your decision of buying your new house, assuming investments for other goals suffice.
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Here are some of these which every subscriber should know- PF Entitles for Pension Too There are two elements in EPF- Provident Fund and EPS or Employee Pension Scheme introduced in 1995. The entire contribution of subscriber (12% of basic +DA) goes towards provident fund but from the employer contribution of 12%, 8.33% goes towards EPS (subject to max. Rs 541) and rest added to your provident fund account. The pension on retirement is linked to the number of years in service and the average salary drawn in the year before retirement. This contribution in EPS helps in building a corpus for your pension. Although the maximum pension has been limited to Rs 3500 p.m., it is possible to get a higher pension if employer contributes on basis of employee actual pay and not mandated amount of Rs 6500 p.m. There is also provision in the law where you can receive your EPS money as a lump sum along with your PF. The benefit will be linked to your last year�� average salary and number of years in service. For receiving pension benefits one should be 58 years of age and should have completed 10 years of service without any withdrawal. But there are provisions where if you retire before 58 you will still receive the pension but a reduced amount. Lastly, your family is entitled to the pension if you do not survive the required period, provided they meet some specified conditions. Top 5 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd.(CHTP) Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd., a development-stage pharmaceutical company, focuses on the acquisition, development, and commercialization of therapeutic products for the treatment of various human diseases. It is involved in developing Droxidopa, a therapeutic agent for the treatment of symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH) associated with primary autonomic failure and falls related to NOH in Parkinson?s Disease (PD), as well as other norepinephrine-related conditions and diseases, including intradialytic hypotension, fibromyalgia, adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and freezing of gait in PD and down syndrome. The company intends to market its Droxidopa drug under the Northera brand name. It also engages in developing a portfolio of molecules for the treatment of various autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn?s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and other immunological disorders. The company?s molecule products include a portfolio of metabolically inert antifolate molecules consisting of CH-1504 and CH-4051, which are orally available molecules with anti-inflammatory, autoimmune, and anti-tumor properties that inhibit various key enzymes required for cell proliferation; and a portfolio of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, known as the I-3D portfolio, for applications in autoimmune diseases and transplantation. Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Advisors' Opinion: - [By Roberto Pedone]
Chelsea Therapeutics (CHTP)
is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquisition, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. This stock closed up 9% to $2.89 in Thursday's trading session. Thursday's Range: $2.55-$2.98
52-Week Range: $0.73-$3.25
Thursday's Volume: 1.74 million
Three-Month Average Volume: 1.14 million From a technical perspective, CHTP ripped sharply higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $2.55 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months, with shares moving higher from its low of $1.78 t its recent high of $3.25. During that move, shares of CHTP have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CHTP within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if CHTP manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3 to its 52-week high at $3.25 with high volume. Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CHTP as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $2.55 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.14 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CHTP will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $3.25, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.21 to $4.40.
Top 5 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Guyana Goldfields New Com Npv(GUY.TO) Guyana Goldfields Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of gold resource properties in the Guiana Shield of South America. The company owns a 100% interest in the Aurora gold project located in Guyana. It also holds interests in the Aranka properties, including Sulphur Rose, North Ridge, Wynamu, Kopang, and Parika Hills properties covering an area of approximately 307,589 acres located in the Aranka district of Guyana. Guyana Goldfields Inc. is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Superior Resources Limited engages in the exploration of base metals in northwest Queensland, Australia. It primarily explores for copper, lead, zinc, and silver deposits, as well as for uranium, phosphate, and diamonds. The company holds approximately 18 exploration permits and applications that are grouped into 5 projects, which cover approximately 4,000 square kilometers in the northwest Queensland minerals province. It primarily focuses on the exploration of the Dajarra, Victor, and Nicholson projects that are situated in the Mount Isa area of northwest Queensland. Superior Resources Limited is based in Brisbane, Australia. Top 5 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Wipro Limited(WIT) Wipro Limited provides information technology (IT) products and services, consumer care and lighting products, and infrastructure engineering services primarily in India, the United States, and Europe. The company?s IT Services segment offers IT and IT enabled services, including software application development, application maintenance, research, and development services for hardware and software design, data center outsourcing services, and business process outsourcing services. Its IT Products segment produces and sells a range of Wipro personal desktop computers, Wipro servers, and Wipro notebooks. This segment also operates as a reseller of desktops, servers, notebooks, storage products, networking solutions, and packaged software for various international brands. The company?s Consumer Care and Lighting segment manufactures, distributes, and sells personal care products, baby care products, lighting products, and hydrogenated cooking oils in India and rest of Asia. Wipro Limited also manufactures and sells hydraulic cylinders, truck cylinders, and their components and solutions to original equipment manufacturers, as well as provides water treatment systems and solutions. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Bangalore, India. Top 5 Stocks To Buy For 2014: Oxford Biomedica(OXB.L) Oxford BioMedica plc, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in designing and developing gene-based medicines and therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer, age-related or inherited neurodegenerative disorders, and ocular diseases in the United States and the United Kingdom. Its technology platform includes LentiVector, a gene delivery system that targets diseases of the central nervous system and the eye; 5T4, a tumour antigen targeted for anti-cancer therapy; Hi-8 PrimeBoost technology to stimulate potent and specific cellular immune responses against diseased cells; Gene-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy, a therapeutic strategy for safety and effectiveness of prodrugs; and Anti-Angiogenisis technology, an anti-cancer therapeutic strategy to deliver the genes for endostatin and angiostatin using viral vectors. The company?s product pipeline comprises ProSavin, a therapeutic for the treatment of Parkinson?s disease that is in a Phase I/II dose escalating clinical tri al; RetinoStat, a treatment for neovascular ?wet? age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy; StarGen for the treatment of Stargardt disease; UshStat for the treatment of Usher syndrome 1B; EncorStat for the prevention of corneal graft rejection; TroVax, a therapeutic cancer vaccine; Hi-8 MEL, a therapeutic vaccine for metastatic melanoma; and MetXia, a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy for pancreatic cancer. Its products also consist of Anti-5T4, a pre-clinical stage antibody for treating cancer, as well as products under research comprising MoNuDin for the treatment of motor neuron disease, and EndoAngio-GT, an anti-angiogenic therapy for cancer. The company has partnerships and licensing agreements with Sanofi-Aventis, Sigma-Aldrich, Pfizer, Biogen Idec, Emergent BioSolutions, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co, MolMed, VIRxSYS Corporation, Bavarian Nordic, and Emergent BioSolutions for its products and technologies. Oxford BioMedica plc is based in Oxford, t he United Kingdom.
Shares of Rock-Tenn Company (RKT) reached a new 52-week high of $108.97 on July 11, exceeding the previous high of $108. The Norcross, Ga.-based paperboard and packaging company, which has a market cap of roughly $7.6 billion, has delivered a robust one-year return of about 94% and year-to-date return of about 54%, outperforming the S&P 500. The company's long-term estimated earnings per share growth rate is 15.6%. Average volume of shares traded over the last three months is roughly 743K. What's Driving Rock-Tenn Up? Shares of Rock-Tenn are ascending, following its second-quarter fiscal 2013 (ended Mar 31, 2013) results reported on Apr 23. The company reported earnings per share of $1.12, up 15% year over year, driven by strong operating performance. It was well ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.02. Rock-Tenn raised its cash flow guidance to a new range of $10 to $10.50 per share, indicating increased demand for folding carton and paper for fiscal 2013. The company also hiked its quarterly dividend by 33% from 22.5 cents per share to 30 cents per share. Rock-Tenn provided the initial cash flow guidance for fiscal 2014 in a band of $10.50 to $11.50 per share, based on expected recovery in containerboard and related box prices. In addition, packaging industry is expected to see continued growth, fuelled by demand for more expensive films to extend the life of food products. Moreover, Rock-Tenn's investment in box plants, installation of new standard corrugated box operating system and increase in domestic and export pricing will help to improve its profitability. Rock-Tenn currently retains a short-term Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other Stocks to Consider Other stocks with favorable Zacks Rank in the same industry are Domtar Corporation (UFS), KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS) an! d Orchids Paper Products Company (TIS). While Domtar Corporation and KapStone Paper carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Orchids Paper holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
On CNBC-TV18's special show 'The Informed Investors', Krishna Kumar Karwa, managing director of Emkay Global Financial Services and Harshvardhan Roongta, CFP of Roongta Securities answer investors queries. Karwa says it is important for retail investors to be consistently invested in the equity markets rather than trying to time their investments. "Over a longer period of time, they should be able to make decent returns," he adds. What's your pick this diwali: Gold ETF, coins or jewellery? Below is the edited transcript of the interview on CNBC-TV18. Q: What's a good strategy now for a retail investor in general and a new investor in particular? Karwa: Sentiments keep on changing. There are various reasons for that. But it is important for retail investors to be consistently invested in the equity markets rather than trying to time their investments. I think timing in the market is not so important as how much time do you spend in the markets. So, you will see positivity, you will see negativity. Today, the sentiment is good, it will go back tomorrow. But retail investors shouldn't be so much worried about the sentiment, as far as looking to invest in the markets is concerned. They should be looking at the fact that they have put an X amount of money into equity and consistently remain in the market. Over a longer period of time, they should be able to make decent returns. Just because the sentiment is up, you shouldn't be so excited. Similarly, whenever sentiments are weak, I don't think so you should be worried about notional mark-to-market losses on your portfolio. 1 2 3 4 .ftCnbcShare{border-top:#d1d1d1 1px solid; padding:8px;margin-bottom: -27px; margin-top:10px;} .gD_15nRedN{font:15px/20px Arial;color:#FF0000 !important;text-decoration:none;font-weight:normal;} .gD_15nRed{font:15px/20px Arial;color:#FF0000 !important;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold;} .GoogleNewsTitle{font:14px/16px Trebuchet MS,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#005066;text-decoration:none;} .GoogleNewsTitle:hover{text-decoration:underline} .GoogleNewsURL{font:12px Trebuchet MS,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#000;text-decoration:none;} .GoogleNewsURL:hover{text-decoration:underline} .GoogleNewsTitleLine{font:20px/22px Trebuchet MS,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#F01414;text-decoration:none} .GoogleNewsTitleLine:hover{text-decoration:underline} .GoogleNewsLineURL{font:12px family:Trebuchet MS,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#000;text-decoration:none} .GoogleNewsLineURL:hover{text-decoration:underline} Tags: Markets, Nifty, Sensex, NSE, BSE, Krishna Kumar Karwa, Emkay Global Financial Services, Harshvardhan Roongta, Roongta Securities Know the finer points in clubbing income with spouse Hilton Worldwide launches new global careers website .scroll_hv .panel{width:250px !important; padding:10px 10px 25px !important} #scroll13{width:540px;} .hv_bx{margin-left:-10px;} .tab_data1{padding:0px;}
As both HTC and Samsung have each recently announced the release of a version of their respective flagship smartphones with a stock version of Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android, many industry watchers are wondering why. Each of these companies has struggled to not only differentiate itself from Apple but also from other Android devices. With the release of these planned versions, it seems each is taking a step backwards. In the video below, Fool.com contributor Doug Ehrman discusses both the motivations behind and ramifications of the move by each smartphone maker and what it could mean for the industry and for Google. In addition to its role with these two companies, as one of the most dominant Internet companies ever, Google has made a habit of driving strong returns for its shareholders. However, like many other web companies, it's also struggling to adapt to an increasingly mobile world. Despite gaining an enviable lead with its Android operating system, the market isn't sold. That's why it's more important than ever to understand each piece of Google's sprawling empire. In The Motley Fool's new premium research report on Google, we break down the risks and potential rewards for Google investors. Simply click here now to unlock your copy of this invaluable resource.
With the economy starting to improve, you might think Dollar Tree's (NASDAQ: DLTR ) fortunes will reverse. The deep discounter provided unemployed and lower-income consumers a safe place in the storm, but with the economic weather clearing up, it would be reasonable to expect consumers to venture out again to higher-end retailers. However, that assumption would be wrong. Dollar Tree recently announced record first-quarter earnings, with total sales up 8% and comparable-store sales up 2.1%, crushing the likes of big-box retailers like Safeway (NYSE: SWY ) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) , which only reported a change in comparable-store sales of 1.5% and negative 1.2%, respectively. Part of the reason behind Dollar Tree's record profits is that the company reached a record operating margin of 11.6%. Despite Dollar Tree's deep-discount business model, this margin is far higher than Safeway's, and is almost double that of even a premium-priced grocer like Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM ) . However, while Dollar Tree may have higher margins than Whole Foods, its sales growth is starting to lag. It's certainly beating low-cost competitors, but the bifurcating phenomenon seems to be fading. For a time, it seemed that the deep discounters and the high-end retailers were both doing extremely well, as customers either got poorer or richer and the middle thinned out. However, this quarter, Whole Foods reported nearly 7% same-store sales growth, and expects full-year earnings growth of up to 17%, while Dollar Tree issued guidance for just 2.8% growth at the top end of the range -- and the bottom end included the possibility of negative growth. That may explain why Dollar Tree's stock has faltered over the last year. The company is doing well compared to competitors, but growth is starting to slow down, and the stock isn't particularly cheap. Safeway, for comparison, has had essentially flat sales for the last year, and operating margin was actually down this quarter, but small improvements in interest expenses and taxes have given a boost to net income, which has given encouragement to some investors already enticed by the company's low price-to-earnings ratio. Similarly, Wal-Mart's stock is starting to show some of its best growth in years, presumably because the stock was simply getting too cheap to pass up. It's not as if sales or profits have been improving much. I continue to think that Dollar Tree is a superior company to its competitors, but as an investor, I would wait for this deep discounter to be on discount itself. In the meantime, add Dollar Tree to My Watchlist to find out if its growth slips any further in the coming quarters. More Foolish insight from the Fool
It's hard to believe that a grocery store could book investors more than 30 times their initial investment, but that's just what Whole Foods has done for those who saw the organic trend coming some 20 years ago. However, it may not be too late to participate in the long-term growth of this organic foods powerhouse. In this premium report on the company, we walk through the key must-know items for every Whole Foods investor, including the main opportunities and threats facing the company. So make sure to claim your copy today by clicking here.
The following video is from Friday's Motley Fool Money roundtable discussion with host Chris Hill and analysts Ron Gross, James Early, and Charly Travers. Shares of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA ) have doubled in the last month. The automaker is raising $830 million through a stock and debt offering. Morgan Stanley raised its price target on the stock. Should investors raise their expectations? In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts discuss the road ahead for Tesla. Tesla's plan to disrupt the global auto business has yielded spectacular results. But giant competitors are already moving to disrupt Tesla. Will the company be able to fend them off? The Motley Fool answers this question and more in our most in-depth Tesla research available. Get instant access by clicking here now. The relevant video segment can be found between 5:20 and 7:18. For the full video of today's Motley Fool Money , click here . #pitch{ margin-bottom: 15px; } More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Put down the 10-K filings and the stock screeners. It's time to take a break from the traditional methods of generating investment ideas. Instead, let the crowd do it for you. From hedge funds to individual investors, scores of market participants are turning to social media to figure out which stocks are worth watching. It's a concept that's known as "crowdsourcing," and it uses the masses to identify emerging trends in the market. Crowdsourcing has long been a popular tool for the advertising industry, but it also makes a lot of sense as an investment tool. After all, the market is completely driven by the supply and demand, so it can be valuable to see what names are trending among the crowd. While some fund managers are already trying to leverage social media resources like Twitter to find algorithmic trading opportunities, for most investors, crowdsourcing works best as a starting point for investors who want a starting point in their analysis. Today, we'll leverage the power of the crowd to take a look at some of the most active stocks on the market today. These "most active" names are the most heavily-traded names on the market -- and often, uber-active names have some sort of a technical or fundamental catalyst driving investors' attention on shares. That's especially true now that earnings season is officially underway. And when there's a big catalyst, there's often a trading opportunity. Without further ado, here's a look at today's stocks. Facebook Nearest Resistance: N/A
Nearest Support: $34
Catalyst: Earnings Carryover First up is Facebook (FB), a name that's one of the most active stocks for the second week in a row after posting strong earnings numbers on July 24. It's not so much that FB posted good earnings that's sent it soaring in the days since the release. Instead, shares broke out to new 52-week highs on the heels of the earnings numbers, and that left FB without any resistance from a technical standpoint. Making new highs is significant from an investor psychology standpoint because it means that everyone who has bought shares in the last year is sitting on gains. As a result, the "back to even" mentality is less of a concern than it would be for a name with a higher proportion of shareholders sitting on losses. If you're looking for an entry, I'd suggest waiting -- momentum is showing signs of fatigue. Chesapeake Energy Nearest Resistance: $25
Nearest Support: $23.50
Catalyst: Earnings The same exact thing is happening over at Chesapeake Energy (CHK) following the firm's second-quarter earnings numbers. Chesapeake earned 66 cents per share for the quarter, besting Wall Street's meager 41-cent expectations by a big margin. Shares are up more that 6% in today's session as a result. CHK looks strong from a technical standpoint too. While $25 looks like intraday resistance for CHK right now, it's not a particularly strong price ceiling. For investors who aren't risk-averse, I'd suggest putting on a position in today's session -- just keep a tight stop in place. Rite Aid Nearest Resistance: $3.20
Nearest Support: $2.70
Catalyst: July Sales Release Retail pharmacy chain Rite Aid (RAD) is getting some attention this afternoon, after the firm released its July sales report to Wall Street. Same-store-sales increased 1.3% in the last month, a strong boost for a firm that's already seen its fair share of fundamental strength in 2013. Today's 5% increase in shares could just be the first step. That's because RAD is currently forming a bullish ascending triangle pattern. The setup is formed by horizontal resistance at $3.20 and uptrending support to the downside of shares. I'd recommend becoming a buyer if RAD is able to print above $3.20 -- then it makes sense to keep a protective stop at the 50-day moving average. Trulia Nearest Resistance: N/A
Nearest Support: $38
Catalyst: Q2 Earnings Last, but certainly not least, is Trulia (TRLA), the $1.5 billion real estate search engine company that went public in September. Shares may not have had a very long public history, but it's been an impressive one: TRLA has doubled since its first trade. Today, the stock is up more than 22% after posting impressive second quarter results. New highs may be anxiety-inducing for investors who've missed out on a big move up, but they're a lot less anxiety-inducing for current shareholders. That's a big reason why uptrends historically continue moving up -- and why now looks like as good a time as any for investors who aren't risk-averse to think about picking up shares of TRLA. It's got upside potential in August for the same psychological reasons as Facebook. To see these stocks in action, check out the at Most-Active Stocks portfolio on Stockpickr.
-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.
Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls. Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline. 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 Alere (NYSE: ALR ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. Dollar values in millions. FCF = free cash flow. FY = fiscal year. TTM = trailing 12 months. Over the past 12 months, Alere generated $182.3 million cash while it booked a net loss of $78.2 million. That means it turned 6.5% of its revenue into FCF. That sounds OK. All cash is not equal
Unfortunately, the cash flow statement isn't immune from nonsense, either. That's why it pays to take a close look at the components of cash flow from operations, to make sure that the cash flows are of high quality. What does that mean? To me, it means they need to be real and replicable in the upcoming quarters, rather than being offset by continual cash outflows that don't appear on the income statement (such as major capital expenditures). For instance, cash flow based on cash net income and adjustments for non-cash income-statement expenses (like depreciation) is generally favorable. An increase in cash flow based on stiffing your suppliers (by increasing accounts payable for the short term) or shortchanging Uncle Sam on taxes will come back to bite investors later. The same goes for decreasing accounts receivable; this is good to see, but it's ordinary in recessionary times, and you can only increase collections so much. Finally, adding stock-based compensation expense back to cash flows is questionable when a company hands out a lot of equity to employees and uses cash in later periods to buy back those shares. So how does the cash flow at Alere look? Take a peek at the chart below, which flags questionable cash flow sources with a red bar. Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. Dollar values in millions. TTM = trailing 12 months. When I say "questionable cash flow sources," I mean items such as changes in taxes payable, tax benefits from stock options, and asset sales, among others. That's not to say that companies booking these as sources of cash flow are weak, or are engaging in any sort of wrongdoing, or that everything that comes up questionable in my graph is automatically bad news. But whenever a company is getting more than, say, 10% of its cash from operations from these dubious sources, investors ought to make sure to refer to the filings and dig in. Alere's issue isn't questionable cash flow boosts, but items in that suspect group that reduced cash flow. Within the questionable cash flow figure -- here a negative-- plotted in the TTM period above, other operating activities (which can include deferred income taxes, pension charges, and other one-off items) constituted the biggest reversal. Overall, the biggest drag on FCF came from capital expenditures, which consumed 43.0% of cash from operations. A Foolish final thought
Most investors don't keep tabs on their companies' cash flow. I think that's a mistake. If you take the time to read past the headlines and crack a filing now and then, you're in a much better position to spot potential trouble early. Better yet, you'll improve your odds of finding the underappreciated home-run stocks that provide the market's best returns. Looking for alternatives to Alere? It takes more than great companies to build a fortune for the future. Learn the basic financial habits of millionaires next door and get focused stock ideas in our free report, "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich." Click here for instant access to this free report. We can help you keep tabs on your companies with My Watchlist, our free, personalized stock tracking service. Add Alere to My Watchlist.
As energy takes on more of a global focus, so do the stocks of the companies that produce it. With the increase in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, places once thought of as flyover states are now booming industrial areas because of the new ability to uncover deep underground stores of oil and natural gas. There's a lot of room for excavation and discovery in these areas, and companies such as Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK ) , WPX Energy (NYSE: WPX ) , and InterOil (NYSE: IOC ) are taking full advantage. Chesapeake Energy
Chesapeake, an Oklahoma-based oil and natural gas producer, has been putting up some strong numbers recently. Revenue has been climbing in the past two quarters, marking year-over-year growth of 40% and 32%, respectively. The company has also earned $0.30 per share over that period, beating estimates of $0.25. Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2014: Seven Group Holdings Limited(SVW.AX) Seven Group Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the media and broadcasting, newspaper and magazine publishing, heavy equipment sales and service, equipment hire, and online businesses in Australia and China. The company operates as a Caterpillar dealer, which provides heavy equipment sales and support services to customers in Western Australia, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. It is also involved in the manufacture, assembly, sale, and support of lighting, power generation, and dewatering equipment; and rental of equipment, as well as distribution of Perkins engines. In addition, it engages in the operations of broadband, telephony, and other listed investments and properties. The company was formerly known as Seven Network Limited and changed its name to Seven Group Holdings Limited in April 2010, as a result of merger with WesTrac Holdings Pty Limited. Seven Group Holdings Limited is headquartered in Pyrmont, Australia. Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2014: Gold World Resources Inc (GDW.V) Gold World Resources Inc., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and mining of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Mount Anderson Yukon gold/silver, polymetallic project located in the Wheaton River District in Yukon, Canada. The company was formerly known as Strikezone Minerals (Canada) Ltd. and changed its name to Gold World Resources Inc. in January 2006. Gold World Resources Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Rio Grande Mining Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of natural resource properties in Canada. It holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Golden Shrew Property comprising 3 mineral claims covering an area of approximately 880.5 hectares, located in the New Westminster Mining Division, British Columbia; and a 60% interest in the Sedex Claims consisting of 33 mineral claims covering an area of approximately 21,849 hectares, located in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada. Rio Grande Mining Corp. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Having bounced nicely off their recent low below $400 per share, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) shares have been heading higher ever since. The question that investors now want answered is whether the stock can reach $500 and beyond anytime soon. While competition for the iPhone from Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android devices and for the iPad from Microsoft, particularly given the recent news that Microsoft may be acquiring Nook Media from Barnes & Noble, are factors, the single biggest threat to Apple's race to $500 is the broader market. If the market can avoid a correction, Apple has a chance. If not, it's likely to put the next century mark on hold for at least a few months. Short-term headwinds
In the immediate term, Apple is facing some real challenges that are primarily a product of timing. In the last earnings call, CEO Tim Cook alluded to several new products that will come out of Cupertino "this fall and beyond." In the interim, Samsung is expected to roll out several new versions of the Galaxy S4 and launch its own operating system later this summer. You should also expect to see new smartphone offerings from Nokia (NYSE: NOK ) , which recently made clear that it's sticking with Windows as long as CEO Stephen Elop is at the helm. Finally, with BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY ) bringing the Q10 to market, Apple is waiting on the sidelines while all of its competitors push ahead. The slow product cycle is one of the chief complaints some have with the iPhone maker. Top Stocks For 2014: Geron Corporation (GERN) Geron Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, develops therapies for cancer. Its clinical development product candidates include Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor, which is in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, advanced non-small cell lung cancer, thrombocythemia, and myeloma. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Menlo Park, California. Top Stocks For 2014: Derma Sciences Inc.(DSCI) Derma Sciences, Inc. operates as a medical technology company. The company provides advanced wound care products, including Medihoney dressings that are used for the management of non-chronic and hard-to-heal wounds, such as chronic ulcers, burns, and post-operative wounds; Bioguard dressings that are used for prophylactic use in the prevention of hospital or community acquired infections through wound sites; Algicell Ag, antimicrobial dressings; Xtrasorb dressings that convert fluid within the dressings to a gel and lock the exudates into the dressings; TCC-EZ, a dressing system for the management of diabetic foot ulcers; and occlusive dressings, such as hydrocolloids, foams, hydrogels, alginates, additional silver antimicrobial dressings, cleansers, and Dermagran products. It also offers traditional wound care products, such as of gauze sponges and bandages, non-adherent impregnated dressings, retention devices, paste bandages, and other compression devices, as well as a dhesive bandages and related first aid products. In addition, the company provides pharmaceutical wound care products, including DSC127, an angiotensin analog for use in wound healing and scar reduction. It markets wound closure strips, nasal tube and catheter fasteners, barrier creams and ointments, antibacterial cleansing foams and sprays, shampoos and body washes, hand sanitizers, bath additives, body oils, and moisturizers to doctors, clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, home healthcare agencies, and other institutions. The company sells its products to health care providers, such as wound care centers, extended care facilities, acute care facilities, home health care agencies, and physicians? offices through direct sales representatives in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; retail channels; manufacturers? representatives and independent distributors in international markets. Derma Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. ProAssurance Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides medical and other professional liability insurance products to health care service, legal service, and other professional service providers in the United States. It primarily offers its products to physicians, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, and allied health professionals. The company markets its products through an internal sales force, as well as independent agents. ProAssurance Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Birmingham, Alabama. Top Stocks For 2014: Planar Systems Inc.(PLNR) Planar Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in developing, manufacturing, and marketing electronic display products and systems. The company provides customized, embedded, and ruggedized displays to original equipment manufacturers and other system suppliers; and active-matrix liquid crystal display panels for use in various applications and industries, including instrumentation, medical equipment, vehicle dashboards, indoor and outdoor digital signage, and military applications. It also offers liquid crystal display (LCD) video walls and rear-projection cube video walls for use in venue digital signage, as well as in various control room installations under the Clarity brand name. In addition, the company provides LCD based displays, including desktop monitors, touch displays, widescreen monitors, and front-projection equipment to the information technology market. Further, it offers home theater front-projection video systems, video processing equipment , large-format thin video displays, ?window wall? video applications, and accessories primarily to custom home installation dealers under the Runco brand name. Planar Systems, Inc. operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Taiwan, and China. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. Top Stocks For 2014: Cascade Microtech Inc.(CSCD) Cascade Microtech, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets wafer probing and test socket solutions for the electrical measurement and testing of high performance chips. It offers a range of product lines, including probe stations, analytical probes, production probe cards, test sockets, and various services. The engineering probe station is used in conjunction with analytical probes to test chips in wafer form for forming a probing system; and analytical probes, production probe cards, and test sockets electrically connect test equipment to the chips under test and are sold as consumable test tooling, which are mounted into production or engineering probe stations. The company also offers Pyramid Probe card product line for use in wireless chip applications, as well as probe station accessories, including thermal control systems, microscopes, lasers, cameras, special cables, and connectors and other items. In addition, it provides installation and maintenance ser vices. The company sells its products to semiconductor manufacturers, test subcontractors, research organizations, and designers through a combination of manufacturers? representatives, distributors, and direct sales people primarily in the United States, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. Cascade Microtech, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.
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All good action adventure authors, like Lee Child, Tom Clancy and the late Vince Flynn, use the false-ending technique. Just when the reader thinks the bad guys are caught or the bomb has been defused, something even more catastrophic happens. And once again the game is afoot.
