According to the SEC, a penny stock is one that trades below $5 per share. That definition offers a much broader array of companies than those stocks that the "pump-and-dump" crowd would like to see you get caught up in. There are actually some really solid businesses that sell for less than $5 a share; though, I will warn you, they are not without risk.
Pure play on pure water
Environmental services and frack water treatment company,�Heckmann (NYSE: NES ) trades at less than $4 a share. There's a reason for that low share price ��the company's business model clouds the market's perception of its future value. Until the company can clear that up, the shares likely will stay in penny stock territory.
The concerns with Heckmann are twofold. First, the market views its business as being tied to the growth of fracking for natural gas. What the market misses is that 70% of the company's shale solutions revenue is tied to the development of oil and natural gas liquids. The market also sees the company's financials being muddied by a steady stream of acquisitions. However, what it misses is that those acquisitions are what's shifted the revenue mix into the major oil- and liquids-focused plays.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Liontrust Asset Management(LIO.L)
Liontrust Asset Management plc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to individuals and institutional investors through its subsidiaries. Through its subsidiaries, it manages equity portfolios, unit trusts, individual savings accounts, offshore funds, absolute return funds, pooled pension funds, and segregated institutional accounts for its clients. The firm invests in the public equity markets of United Kingdom and Europe through its subsidiaries. Through its subsidiaries, it primarily invests in growth stocks of companies to create its equity portfolios. Liontrust Asset Management plc was founded in 1994 and is based in London, United Kingdom.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Banco Bradesco SA (BBD)
Banco Bradesco S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on November 5, 1943, is commercial bank. The Bank offers a range of banking and financial products and services in Brazil and abroad to individuals, large, midsized and small companies and local and international corporations and institutions. It operates in two segments: the banking, and the insurance, pension and capitalization bonds. Its products and services encompass banking operations, such as loans and advances and deposittaking, credit card issuance, purchasing consortiums, insurance, leasing, payment collection and processing, pension plans, asset management and brokerage services. The main services it offers through Bradesco Expresso are receipt and submission of account applications; receipt and submission of account applications; Social Security National Service (INSS) benefit payments; checking and savings account deposits, and receipt of consumption bills, bank charges and taxes. In May, 2011, the Bank acquired Banco do Estado do Rio de Janeiro S.A. (BERJ).
Banking
The Banking segment includes deposit-taking with clients, including checking accounts, savings accounts and time deposits; loans and advances (individuals and companies, real estate financing, microcredit, onlending BNDES funds, rural credit, leasing, among others); credit cards, debit cards and pre-paid cards; management of receipts and payments; asset management; services related to capital markets and investment banking activities; intermediation and trading services; custody, depositary and controllership services; international banking services, and purchasing consortiums.
The Bank offers a variety of deposit products and services to our customers through its branches, including Non-interest bearing checking accounts, such as Easy Account, Click Account, Academic Account and Cell Phone Bonus Account; traditional savings accounts; time deposits, and deposits from financial institutions. As of December 31, 2011, it had 43.4 million savings a! ccounts. It offers its customers certain additional services, such as identified deposits and real-time banking transfers. Its loans and advances to customers, consumer credit, corporate and agricultural-sector loans, totaled R$263.5 billion as of December 31, 2011.
The Bank�� loan portfolio consists of short-term loans, vehicle financings and overdraft loans on checking accounts. It also provides revolving credit facilities and traditional term loans. As of December 31, 2011, it had outstanding advances, vehicle financings, consumer loans and revolving credit totaling R$58.0 billion, or 22.0% of its portfolio of loans and advances. Banco Bradesco Financiamentos (Bradesco Financiamentos) offers direct-to-consumer credit and leasing for the acquisition of vehicles and payroll-deductible loans to the public and private sectors 'in Brazil. Supported by BF Promotora de Vendas Ltda. (BF Promotora), and using the Bradesco Financiamentos brand, the Bank operates through its network of correspondents in Brazil, consisting of retailers and dealers selling light vehicles, trucks and motorcycles, to offer financing and/or leasing for vehicles. Through Bradesco Promotora brand, it offer payroll-deductible loans to social security retirees and pensioners, public-sector employees, military personnel and private-sector companies sponsoring plans, and other aggregated products (insurance, capitalization bonds, cards, purchasing consortiums, and others).
As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 63,156 outstanding real estate loans. As of December 31, 2011, the aggregate outstanding amount of its real estate loans amounted to R$15.9 billion, representing 6% of its portfolio of loans and advances. As of December 31, 2011, it had 69,491 microcredit loans outstanding, totaling R$62.8 million. Its BNDES onlending portfolio totaled R$35.4 billion as of December 31, 2011.
The Bank provides traditional loans for the ongoing needs of its corporate customers. It had R$85.8 billion of outstand! ing other! local commercial loans, accounting for 32.5% of its portfolio of loans and advances as of December 31, 2011. It offers a range of loans to its Brazilian corporate customers, including short-term loans of 29 days or less; guaranteed checking accounts and corporate overdraft loans; discounting trade receivables, promissory notes, checks, credit card and supplier receivables, and a number of other receivables; financing for purchase and sale of goods and services; corporate real estate financing, and investment lines for acquisition of assets and machinery. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had R$11 billion in outstanding rural loans, representing 4.2% of its portfolio of loans and advances. The Bank conducts its leasing operations through its primary leasing subsidiary, Bradesco Leasing and also through Bradesco Financiamentos.
The Bank offers electronic solutions for receipt and payment management solutions, which include collection and payment services and online resource management enabling its customers to pay suppliers, salaries, and taxes and other levies to governmental or public entities. The global cash management concept provides solutions for multinationals in Brazil and/or domestic companies operating abroad. It manages third-party assets through mutual funds; individual and corporate investment portfolios; pension funds, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Vida e Previdencia, and insurance companies, including assets guaranteeing the technical provisions of Bradesco Seguros.
The Bank�� subsidiaries Bradesco S.A. CTVM and Agora S.A. CTVM (or Bradesco Corretora and Agora Corretora, respectively) trade stocks, options, stock lending, public offerings and forwards. They also offer a range of products, such as Brazilian government securities (under the Tesouro Direto program), BM&F trading, investor clubs and investment funds.
The Bank offers a range of international services, such as foreign exchange transactions, foreign tr! ade finan! ce, lines of credit and banking. As of December 31, 2011, its international banking services included New York City, a branch and Bradesco Securities Inc., its subsidiary brokerage firm, or Bradesco Securities United States, and its subsidiary Bradesco North America LLC, or Bradesco North America; London, Bradesco Securities U.K., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Securities U.K.; Cayman Islands, two Bradesco branches and its subsidiary, Cidade Capital Markets Ltd., or Cidade Capital Markets; Argentina, Banco Bradesco Argentina S.A., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Argentina; Banco Bradesco Luxemburgo S.A. its subsidiary, or Bradesco Europe; Japan, Bradesco Services Co. Ltd., its subsidiary, or Bradesco Services Japan; in Hong Kong, its subsidiary Bradesco Trade Services Ltd, or Bradesco Trade, and in Mexico, its subsidiary Ibi Services, Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, or Ibi Mexico.
The Bank�� Brazilian foreign-trade related business consists of export and import finance. In addition to import and export finance, its customers have access to a range of services and foreign exchange products, such as purchasing and selling travelers checks and foreign currency paper money; cross border money transfers; advance payment for exports; accounts abroad in foreign currency; cash holding in other countries; collecting import and export receivables; repaid cards with foreign currency (individual), and structured foreign currency transactions through its foreign units.
Insurance, pension plans and capitalization bonds
The Bank offers insurance products through a number of different entities, which it refers to collectively as Grupo Bradesco Seguros. It offers life, personal accident and random events insurance through its subsidiary Bradesco Vida e Previdencia. It offers health insurance policies through Bradesco Saude and its subsidiaries for small, medium or large companies. It provides automobile, property/casualty and liability products through its subsidiary Bradesco Auto! /RE. It a! lso offers certain automobile, health, and property/casualty insurance products directly through its Website.
Hot Penny Stocks To Own Right Now: Greenlight Capital Re Ltd.(GLRE)
Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, operates in the property and casualty reinsurance business in the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and internationally. The company?s frequency business includes contracts containing smaller losses emanating from multiple events and enables the clients to increase their own underwriting capacity; and severity business consists of contracts with the potential for significant losses emanating from one event or multiple events. It offers personal and commercial property, general and marine liability, motor liability, motor physical damage, professional liability, financial, health, medical malpractice, and workers? compensation reinsurance products. Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. sells its products primarily through reinsurance brokers. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (FRFHF)
Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax) is a financial services holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is principally engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management. The Company�� segments consist of Insurance, Reinsurance, Insurance and Reinsurance Other, Runoff, and Corporate and Other. On December 22, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of 75% interests in Sporting Life Inc. On August 16, 2011, the Company acquired William Ashley China Corporation. On March 24, 2011, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fairfax completed the acquisition of The Pacific Insurance Berhad. On February 9, 2011, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fairfax completed the acquisition of First Mercury Financial Corporation. In October 2012, its RiverStone runoff subsidiary acquired all the outstanding shares of Brit Insurance Limited. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
That business model has been so successful that other, smaller insurance companies have emulated it. For instance, Fairfax Financial (NASDAQOTH: FRFHF ) and Markel (NYSE: MKL ) have used the same investing model to take advantage of their respective core insurance businesses. Both Fairfax and Markel have had substantial success, showing the power of using temporarily available premium reserves to make higher-return investments.
- [By Tim Brugger]
Citing the letter of intent to be acquired�for $9 a share signed Monday with a consortium led by its largest shareholder, Fairfax Financial (NASDAQOTH: FRFHF ) , BlackBerry� (NASDAQ: BBRY ) �has opted to cancel its conference call and webcast following the 7 .a.m EST release of Q2 earnings this Friday, the company announced yesterday.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Southern First Bancshares Inc.(SFST)
Southern First Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company of Southern First Bank, N.A that provides various banking products and services. It accepts various deposit products that include checking accounts, commercial checking accounts, savings accounts, and time deposits. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate loans; construction and development loans; residential real estate loans; home equity loans; commercial business loans for various lines of businesses, such as the manufacturing, service industry, and professional service areas; and consumer loans, including secured and unsecured installment loans and revolving lines of credit. In addition, Southern First offers safe deposit boxes, traveler's checks, direct deposits, the United States savings bonds, banking by mail, Internet banking services, bill payment services, and cash management services. The company was formerly known as Greenville First Bancshares, Inc. and changed its name to S outhern First Bancshares, Inc. in July 2007. Southern First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. The company was formerly known as Greenville First Bancshares, Inc. and changed its name to Southern First Bancshares, Inc. in July 2007. Southern First Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Brazilian Real(BK)
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a financial services company, provides various products and services worldwide. The company offers a range of equity, fixed income, cash, and alternative/overlay products, as well as distributes investment management products. It also provides investment management, wealth and estate planning, and private banking solutions to high-net-worth individuals and families, charitable gift programs, endowments and foundations, and related entities, as well as offers mutual funds, separate accounts, and annuities. In addition, the company provides global custody and fund, securities lending, investment manager outsourcing, performance and risk analytics, alternative investment, securities clearance, collateral management, corporate trust, broker-dealer, and employee investment plan services, as well as clearing services and global payment/working capital solutions to institutional clients. Further, it offers American and global depositary re ceipt programs, cash management solutions, payment services, liquidity services, foreign exchange, global clearing and execution, managed account services, and global prime brokerage solutions to corporations, public funds, government agencies, foundations, and endowments; global financial institutions, including banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, insurance companies and central banks; and financial intermediaries, independent registered investment advisors, and hedge fund managers. Additionally, the company provides credit-related services, and global markets and institutional banking services; engages in business exits, and corporate treasury activities; and leases financing portfolios. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
Although there are still a handful of remaining cases to deal with, none is more important than the one that's currently before a judge in New York state court. At issue in the hearing is whether or not Bank of America's $8.5 billion accord with Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE: BK ) and 22 institutional investors, including bond giants BlackRock (NYSE: BLK ) and PIMCO, should be judicially approved. While the deal was reached in 2011, it's been held up by other investors in the same mortgage-backed securities because they view it as a "pennies on the dollar" bargain for Bank of America.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc.(SHO)
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust. The firm engages in the acquisition, ownership, asset management, renovation, and sale of luxury, upper upscale, and upscale full-service hotels in the United States. Its portfolio also includes mid-scale hotels. Sunstone Hotel Investors was founded in 1995 and is based in Aliso Viejo, California.
Top Financial Companies To Watch For 2014: Susquehanna Bancshares Inc.(SUSQ)
Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides retail and commercial banking, and financial services in the mid-Atlantic region. Its retail banking services include checking, savings, and club accounts, as well as check cards, debit cards, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, home equity lines of credit, residential mortgage loans, home improvement loans, automobile loans, personal loans, and Internet banking services. The company?s commercial banking services comprise business checking accounts, cash management services, money market accounts, land acquisition and development loans, commercial loans, floor plan, equipment and working capital lines of credit, small business loans, and Internet banking services. It also offers commercial, property, and casualty insurance; and risk management programs for medium and large sized companies. In addition, it provides traditional trust and custodial services, as well a s acts as an administrator, executor, guardian, and managing agent for individuals, businesses, and non-profit entities. Further, the company offers investment advisory, asset management, and brokerage services for institutional and high net worth individual clients; and provides retirement planning services. Additionally, it engages in the equity management of assets for institutions, pensions, endowments, and high net worth individuals; and provides consumer vehicle financing services. The company operates 221 branches and 26 free-standing automated teller machines. Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is based in Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Financial services holding company�Susquehanna Bancshares (NASDAQ: SUSQ ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.08 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after raising the payout 14%, from $0.07 per share.
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