Best Asian Stocks To Watch For 2015

Best Asian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Atmel Corporation(ATML)

Atmel Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) products. The company?s Microcontrollers segment provides various proprietary and standard microcontrollers, such as Atmel?s capacitive touch products, including maXTouch and QTouch, AVR 8-bit and 32-bit products, ARM-based products, and Atmel?s 8051 8-bit products. Its Nonvolatile Memories segment offers serial interface electrically erasable programmable read-only memory and serial interface flash memory products; and parallel interface flash memories, as well as parallel interface electrically erasable programmable read-only memory and erasable programmable read-only memory devices. The company?s Radio Frequency and Automotive segment provides products designed for the automotive industry, including automobile electronics, networking and access systems, and engine, lighting, and entertainment components. This segment produces and sells wireless and wired devices for in dus trial, consumer, and automotive applications; and offers foundry services, which produce radio frequency products for the mobile telecommunications market. Its Application Specific Integrated Circuit segment provides custom application specific ICs designed to meet specialized single-customer requirements of high performance devices in a range of specific applications. This segment provides products that provide hardware security for embedded digital systems; and products with military and aerospace applications, as well as develops application specific standard products for space applications, power management, and secure crypto memory products. The company sells its products directly to original equipment manufacturers; and indirectly through a network of distributors. It has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, South Africa, and Central and South America. Atmel Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

! Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Among holdings in which Gotham Asset Management increased its stake was Atmel (NASDAQ: ATML  ) , which makes touchscreen controllers. The stock recently hit a 52-week high, but it has been posting shrinking revenue and earnings lately. The company is plumping up its profit margins by cutting costs, has a growing backlog, and expects improving business conditions. Some see the stock as undervalued, with its forward P/E near 14.

• [By GuruFocus]

  George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 s! hares, 5.! 4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,915,076 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.2 7, with an estimated

• [By John Udovich]

  If you are looking for a semiconductor stock thats focus on an area thats not so cyclical, mid cap microcontroller (MCU) stock Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) could be a good choice meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with othermicrocontrollerplayers like Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MCHP), STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE: STM) and Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: CY). Microcontrollers are programmable andembeddedchips that are increasinglyhidden inside a all sorts of products these days e.g. if you have an appliancewith aLED or LCD screen and a keypad, it contains some kind ofmicrocontroller plus all newautomobiles contain at least oneand often several. I should mention that we have also recently added Atmel Corporation to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio and we are down about 5.6% mostly due to the recent market volatility.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-asian-stocks-to-watch-for-2015.html

Taco Bell May Have the Waffle Taco, but Popeyes Has Chicken Waffle Tenders

As the fast-food wars heat up, restaurants are getting more creative with their menu items. One item that is getting a lot of attention is the waffle. Two restaurant chains that have introduced their own variations of the waffle are Taco Bell, owned by Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  )  and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI  ) . Taco Bell has made the Waffle Taco a centerpiece of its new breakfast menu. Meanwhile, Popeyes is bringing back its popular Chicken Waffle Tenders. Could the waffle be the answer and boost same-store sales for these restaurants? If it is the answer, expect to see more variations of the waffle on many more menu boards.

Source: Popeyes

What are Chicken Waffle Tenders and what's Popeyes' strategy?
Chicken Waffle Tenders are not chicken and waffles. They are tender white chicken breast strips marinated in Popeyes' Louisiana seasonings and then dipped in waffle batter. Chicken Waffle Tenders come with Sweet Honey Maple dipping sauce, French fries, and a biscuit for $4.99. They went on sale at Popeyes on May 26 and will be on sale until June 29.

Source: Popeyes

Popeyes is using limited time offers (LTOs) like Chicken Waffle Tenders to help boost sales. Popeyes' strategy is to use up to nine LTO promotions every year with each one lasting about three to four weeks. Chicken Waffle Tenders are returning to the menu board after they were first introduced last August as an LTO.

The LTO promotion allows Popeyes to gauge a particular item's success and determine if an item should become a permanent addition to the menu. In January, Popeyes introduced Bayou Buffalo Wicked Chicken as a limited time offer. This promotion was designed to appeal to NFL fans during the playoffs and the Super Bowl. In February, Popeyes added spicy and blackened chicken tenders to its menu after successfully promoting the items as a limited time offer. 

Source: Popeyes

What's all the excitement over Waffle Tacos?
The Waffle Taco is part of Taco Bell's effort to capture business from McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) . Besides the Waffle Taco, Taco Bell's breakfast menu includes Cinnabon Delights, a Breakfast Burrito, A.M. Crunchwrap, and the A.M. Grilled Taco. These items came from the imagination of Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed, who is moving up to become the new CEO of Yum! Brands this January.

Source: Taco Bell

To help boost awareness, Taco Bell has embarked on an aggressive media campaign with the aim of shaking up the breakfast time slot. Taco Bell could use the boost. Its system sales were flat in the first quarter, and same-store sales fell 1%. Taco Bell is hoping that its marketing campaign and breakfast will pay off in the current quarter.

Popeyes continues to post impressive results at the expense of KFC
In the first quarter, Popeyes' U.S. same-store sales rose 4.3%, and international same-store sales increased 5.8%. Popeyes' share of the U.S. chicken fast-food market rose from 20.2% last year to 22.3%. Total revenue increased 16%, and the company expanded with 19 new restaurants in the U.S. and eight internationally.

Source: KFC

KFC's results were not as good as Popeyes'. KFC's U.S. same-store sales declined 3%. The bright spot was in China, where same-store sales increased 11% for KFC. To turn things around in the U.S., Yum! Brands is looking at a number of options. These include bringing back the Double Down at KFC and launching a new chicken concept called Super Chix. While it's too early to tell if these initiatives will work, it's a sign that Popeyes is gaining market share at the expense of KFC.

How do shares compare?

 

Market Cap

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now

Forward P/E

EV/EBITDA

Operating Margin

1 Year Return

Popeyes	$906.71M	19.73	14.54	28.40%	7.09%
Yum! Brands	$33.96B	18.19	12.32	16.07%	12.16%
McDonald's	$100.13B	16.21	11.06	30.23%	4.36%

Source: Yahoo! Finance

Foolish final thoughts
One thing is for sure: Popeyes is certainly doing something right. It's posting better sales numbers than Taco Bell, KFC, or McDonald's. Popeyes is proving that a fast-food chain can succeed, even in a tough environment. It all comes down to quality menu items at an affordable price.

Popeyes' limited time offer strategy is working as well, and it's not making its menu board too complicated for customers. This is something that McDonald's in particular needs to work on. Hopefully, Waffle Tacos can help make Taco Bell more of a formidable player in breakfast. Either way, this is one Fool who likes seeing variations of the waffle on the menu board and hopes more waffle items are on the way.

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Top 5 Up And Coming Companies To Watch In Right Now

Top 5 Up And Coming Companies To Watch In Right Now: HMS Holdings Corp (HMSY)

HMS Holdings Corp. provides cost containment, coordination of benefits, and program integrity services. The company?s services enable clients to recover amounts due from liable third parties, reduce fraud, and ensure regulatory compliance. Its coordination of benefits services route claims paid by a government program to the liable third party, which reimburses the government payor; cost avoidance services provide validated insurance coverage information that is used by government payors to reject claims that are the responsibility of a third party; and program integrity services are designed to identify payment errors and recover the erroneous payments. The company also offers audit programs, program design, benefit management, and general and pharmacy systems consulting services. It serves state Medicaid agencies, Medicaid and Medicare managed care plans, government and private self-funded employers, pharmacy benefit managers, child support agencies, the Veterans Health Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, commercial plans, healthcare payors and sponsors, business outsourcing and technology firms, and government. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  HMS Holdings (Nasdaq: HMSY  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings on July 26. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict HMS Holdings's revenues will increase 3.0% and EPS will shrink -8.7%.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-up-and-coming-companies-to-watch-in-right-now.html

Top 5 Airline Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top 5 Airline Stocks To Watch Right Now: China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd (CEA)

China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (China Eastern), incorporated on April 14, 1985, is an air carriers operating in the Peoples Republic of China. As of December 31, 2010, the Company served a route network that covers 182 domestic and foreign cities in 30 countries. It operates from Shanghais Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport. During the year ended December 31, 2010, its flights accounted for 52.2% and 37.9% of all the flight traffic at Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport, respectively. During 2010, it accounted for approximately 31.1% of the total passenger traffic volume and 19% of the total freight volume on routes to and from Shanghai. As of December 31, 2010, it had a fleet of 355 aircraft, including 337 passenger jets each with a seating capacity of over 100 seats and 18 freighters.

Passenger Operations

During 2010, the Company operated approximately 9,600 scheduled fl ights per week, excluding charter flights, serving a route network that covers 182 domestic and foreign cities in 30 countries. During 2010, its domestic routes generated approximately 71.5% of its passenger revenues. Its heavily traveled domestic routes link Shanghai to the commercial and business centers of the Peoples Republic of China, such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. During 2010, it also operated approximately 361 flights per week to and from Hong Kong, originating from Shanghai and 16 major cities in eastern, northern and western the Peoples Republic of China. During 2010, it operated approximately 103 flights per week between mainland China and Taiwan. During 2010, its regional routes accounted for approximately 5.4% of its passenger revenues. During 2010, it operated approximately 1,079 international flights per week, serving 60 cities in 29 countries, linking Shanghai to cities in Asian and Southeast Asian countries, such as Japan, K! orea, India, Singap ore, Thailand and Bangladesh and locations in Europe, the Un! ited States and Australia.

During 2010, the Company re-started its Shanghai to London and Shanghai to Moscow routes. During 2010, revenues derived from its operations on international routes accounted for approximately 23.2% of its passenger revenues. During 2010, revenues derived from its operations to and from Japan accounted for approximately 7.7% of its passenger revenues and approximately 33.4% of its international passenger revenues. Its international and regional flights and a portion of its domestic flights either originate or terminate in Shanghai, the central hub of its route network. Its operations in Shanghai are conducted at Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong International Airport. On March 16, 2010, it moved its operations at Hongqiao International Airport to the terminal two of Hongqiao International Airport. It operates its flights through three hubs located in eastern, northwestern and southwestern China, namely Shanghai, Xian and Kun ming, respectively.

Cargo and Mail Operations

The Companys cargo and mail business utilizes the same route network used by its passenger airline business. It carries cargo and mail on its freight aircraft, as well as in available cargo space on its passenger aircraft. Its cargo and mail routes are international routes. As of December 31, 2010, it had seven MD-11F, four B777F and two B757-200F freight aircraft under operating leases for cargo and mail operations. It also has three Airbus A300-600R aircraft, as well as two Boeing 747-400ER freighters for its cargo operations.

The Company competes with Air China Limited, China Southern Airlines Company Limited, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited, Cathay Pacific Airways, Thai Airways International, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, Delta, Alitalia, Air France-KLM Group, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic Airw! ays, Brit! ish Airways , Lufthansa German Airlines, Aeroflot and Qantas Airways.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Belinda Cao]

  The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (CH55BN) of the most-traded Chinese companies in the U.S. slumped 3.4 percent last week to a seven-month low of 89.04. The gauge traded at 13.5 times estimated earnings, 3.6 percent below the S&Ps valuation, data compiled by Bloomberg show. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH) and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA) lost more than 6 percent April 5, while Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (HMIN) tumbled 16 percent in the week.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-airline-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Boeing’s Next-Gen Dreamliner to Debut This Week

Sources tell Reuters that Boeing‘s (BA) latest edition to its 787 Dreamliner family could make its first flight sometime next week. Boeing shares surged more than 2% on the news.

The 787-9 is 20 feet longer than the 787-8 Dreamliners currently in service and can travel farther without refueling. The new jet can accommodate 40 more passengers that current 787s. Manufacturing of the first 787-9 was completed in Washington in August, according to Boeing. Two more 787-9s will soon be finished.

United Airlines Accidentally Sells ‘Free’ Tickets

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Airlines that purchase the new jet will face a list price of $243.6 million per jet. The current Dreamliner has a list price of $206.8 million per plane.

Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first 787-9 to Air New Zealand around the middle of next year. An even longer version of the Dreamliner — the 787-10 — will arrive in 2018, though that jet won’t be able to travel as far without refueling.

The entire Dreamliner fleet was grounded by worldwide aviation regulators earlier this year after a series of problems was linked to its lithium-ion batteries.

Boeing developed a containment system to prevent battery over-heating and fires, allowing the jets to return to the skies during the spring.

Top 10 High Dividend Stocks For 2015

Top 10 High Dividend Stocks For 2015: Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (CNAT)

Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc., incorporated on July 13, 2005, is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of medicines to treat liver disease. The Company is developing its lead compound, emricasan, for the treatment of patients in orphan populations with chronic liver disease and acute exacerbations of chronic liver disease. The Company has designed a clinical program to demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of emricasan across the spectrum of fibrotic liver disease. The Companys initial development strategy targets indications for emricasan with high unmet clinical need in orphan patient populations, such as patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), chronic liver failure (CLF), and patients who have developed liver fibrosis post-orthotopic liver transplant due to Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV-POLT).

The Company has completed two placebo-controlled Phase II trials in patients with liver disease showing reductions in ALT levels that occur rapidly, within as little as one day after initiation of therapy, and are maintained throughout the treatment period. In the Companys 204-patient Phase 2b trial, it also measured cCK18, an important biomarker of apoptosis and disease severity. Emricasan has been generally well-tolerated in all of the clinical studies. As of July 23, 2013, the Company had not generated any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s(CNAT) shares jumped 26% to $7.75 premarket after the biotechnology firm said its treatment for chronic liver disease has been granted a status that could mean quicker approval.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-10-high-dividend-stocks-for-2015.html

Hot Shipping Companies To Invest In 2015

Hot Shipping Companies To Invest In 2015: First Financial Bankshares Inc.(FFIN)

First Financial Bankshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial banking products and services primarily in Texas. It offers commercial banking services, which include accepting and holding checking, savings, and time deposits, as well as automated teller machines, drive-in and night deposit services, safe deposit facilities, remote deposit capture services, Internet banking, transmitting funds, and other commercial banking services. The company also provides commercial, financial, agricultural, real estate construction, real estate mortgage, and consumer loans to businesses, professionals, individuals, and farm and ranch operations. In addition, it involves in the administration of various types of retirement and employee benefit accounts, which include 401(k) profit sharing plans and IRAs; and offers personal trust services that comprise the administration of estates, testamentary trusts, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and agency accounts. Further, the company offers securities brokerage services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 48 financial centers in Texas, including 10 locations in Abilene, 2 locations in Cleburne, 3 locations in Stephenville, 3 locations in Granbury, 2 locations in San Angelo, and 3 locations in Weatherford, as well as 1 location each in Mineral Wells, Hereford, Sweetwater, Eastland, Ranger, Rising Star, Southlake, Aledo, Willow Park, Brock, Alvarado, Burleson, Keller, Trophy Club, Boyd, Bridgeport, Decatur, Roby, Trent, Merkel, Clyde, Moran, Albany, Midlothian, and Glen Rose. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Abilene, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In the following video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss two stocks from the financial sector that they're w! atching today. David tells us why he's got his eye on JPMorgan  (NYSE: JPM  ) and the trials and tribulations of CEO Jamie Dimon and what he'll be looking for at the company's annual meeting in two weeks. Matt Koppenheffer discusses the smaller-cap First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN  )  and why if Warren Buffett only had $1 million to invest, this might be one of the first places he'd look.

• [By Profit Fan]

  After rising 67% in the past 52-weeks, it is understandable that the price targets for First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) are slightly under the bank's current market price of $57.69 per share. But, the premium paid for these shares appear to be warranted.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-shipping-companies-to-invest-in-2015.html

Trish Regan: Italy to include sex, drugs in GDP

The mafia has long been one of Italy's biggest businesses and now, it's about to get some credit for it.

This is GDP — served Italian style.

Italy is changing how it calculates its gross domestic product, a measurement of the overall economy, to include black market activity — everything from prostitution to illegal drug sales to smuggling and arms trafficking. Economists predict the inclusion of underground activity will add 1.3 percentage points to GDP this year.

Hey, it's one way to boost growth.

It could also backfire. After the heat Italy took for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's indiscretions and fraud conviction, the country doesn't need more controversy.

By including the black market economy, for which there are no concrete ways to measure and accurately determine value, the Italian government will be able to massage its GDP numbers in a way that's bound to open it to criticism and agitate its Northern neighbors. Simultaneously, investors will quickly learn to dismiss, or at least, discount, Italy's statistics, since they won't be regarded as "real."

The reason Italy is becoming creative with its accounting is because it wants to (and the European Union needs it to) look better on paper.

A larger overall economy will enable Italy to lower its debt-to-GDP ratio, which is an essential part of meeting the EU's financial standards. EU countries are not supposed to let their yearly bills reach more than 3% of the overall economy (or their debt exceed 60% of GDP.) If they do, they're hit with hefty fines.

The other benefit of lowering the debt-to-GDP ratio, is that Italy should theoretically be able to borrow more money. Or maybe not.

Think of it like this: If a family's annual income goes up, it could qualify for a bigger mortgage. But if income went up because the family robbed a bank, the family's credit worthiness wouldn't exactly be enhanced.

While Italy's move may be considered a bit unorthodox, even shady, it's no! t illegal. The EU seems to encourage the creative accounting; To give countries such as Italy a lifeline, new EU rules require member states to include the value of all income-producing activity in GDP calculations — and illegal activity is, most definitely, an income-producing activity. Italy is the first and only country to take advantage. Others, such as Spain (for which 20% of the overall economy is believed to be black market), and Greece, may soon follow.

The beauty of black market activity, at least if you're the borrower, is that its value can be interpreted pretty much however you want.

In the U.S., for example, the illegal marijuana business is estimated to be worth between $10 billion and $100 billion a year. That's a pretty big spread, and it all has to do with how an economist measures the numbers. If you're an economist in Italy who needs to make your economy look bigger, no doubt you'll want to go with the more liberal calculation. The truth is, no one really knows.

Italy isn't the first country to recalibrate its numbers. Boosting GDP is part of a growing trend worldwide. Last month, Nigeria declared itself the biggest economy on the continent of Africa by recalculating GDP. Ghana added 60% to its economy in 2010 by establishing new GDP accounting rules. Even the U.S. managed to tack on an additional $504 billion to our economy last year by giving credit to Hollywood and creative industries.

Of course, we've yet to include illegal drugs and prostitution.

This isn't the first time Italy has embraced aggressive GDP calculations. In 1987, it chose to include underground activity, and that enabled its economy to grow by a staggering 18%. The move allowed Italy to briefly overtake the United Kingdom in economic growth — and was officially dubbed il sorpasso (overtaking). While it boosted national pride (what Italian doesn't want to trump a Brit?), it meant little in terms of actual economic change.

This time, Italians may be able to cele! brate the! ir newly improved economic growth numbers. Still, as in 1987, it will mean little to investors or ordinary Italians. Ultimately, the real danger in padding GDP with nefarious activity is that it will cement the distinction between the more austere outlook of Northern Europe with the so-called la dolce vita lifestyle of its Southern neighbors.

Best Performing Companies To Own In Right Now

Best Performing Companies To Own In Right Now: Chesapeake Gold Corp (CHPGF.PK)

Chesapeake Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focusing on the discovery and development of gold-silver deposits in North and Central America. The Company's primary asset is the Metates gold-silver project (Metates) located in Durango State, Mexico. The Company also has a portfolio of exploration properties in Mexico comprising 57,067 hectares in the states of Durango, Sinaloa, Oaxaca and Veracruz. The Escorpion property is located 85 kilometers by paved road southeast of Guatemala City. The Metates property is the undeveloped disseminated gold and silver deposits in Mexico. The property is consists of 14 mineral concessions totaling 14,727 hectares. Talapoosa property is a low-sulphidation gold/silver property in the Walker Lane gold trend of western Nevada, approximately 45 kilometers east of Reno. The property consists of 535 unpatented lode mining claims and seven additional fee land sections which cover 10,780 hectares. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hebba Investments]

  Therefore the situation is still very bullish for investors in physical gold and the gold ETFs (GLD, CEF, and PHYS). Investors interested in leveraging this situation into higher potential profits may also consider buying gold miners such as Randgold (GOLD), Goldcorp (GG), Yamana Gold (AUY), and any of the other gold miners. Finally, those willing to shoulder much larger risks may consider some of the exploration and micro-cap companies that offer significant profits at a high risk such as Chesapeake Gold (CHPGF.PK), Pretium Resources (PVG), Western Copper (WRN), or any other of the junior exploration companies. Though investors should keep in mind that gold mining companies and explorers do not always rise with a rising gold price - do your research before you invest in the miners.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-performing-companies-to-own-in-right-now-3.html

Suzuki recalls cars built by GM

  What the heck is going on with GM? NEW YORK (CNNMoney) General Motors' recall problems have spread to another automaker.

Suzuki, the Japanese automaker, is recalling 184,000 cars that were built for it in South Korea by GM and sold in the United States.

What's not clear, given that Suzuki stopped selling cars in the U.S. last year, is who will make the repairs when a fix becomes available.

GM (GM, Fortune 500), which so far this year has recalled a record 13.8 million cars and trucks it sold in the U.S., says it has no information about where Suzuki owners should have their cars fixed. Suzuki did not immediately respond to questions about the recall.

The recall was revealed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal safety regulator.

"Suzuki will notify owners but the manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule," said NHTSA's notice. "The remedy for this recall campaign is still under development."

The problem is an overheating headlamp switch and module that poses a risk of fires.

The recall covers the 2004 to 2008 Suzuki Forenza and the 2005 to 2008 Suzuki Reno. Earlier this week, GM recalled 218,000 similar cars, the Chevrolet Aveo and Optra.

GM spokesman Alan Adler said the company had been notified of the problem by Suzuki, and that is the reason it recalled its own cars.

The automaker said it is aware of an unspecified number of fires but no injuries or deaths caused by the problem in its versions of the cars. The NHTSA notice did not mention anything about incidents involving the Suzuki vehicles.

Perdue's next frontier: organic

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — While the labeling on some of the packages in the poultry section of your local supermarket might leave you wondering, there is probably one you can understand — organic.

Perdue, like most companies, is expanding its offerings to meet growing customer interests. Because of that, organic chicken is currently the chicken producer's biggest growth area.

"Words like 'organic' have meaning," said Jim Perdue, chairman of Perdue Farms, "because there are stringent regulations."

According to Perdue, organic chicken accounts for about 5% of the poultry the company sells today. It might not sound like much, but that makes Perdue the largest organic young chicken processor in the nation, according to Michael Sheats, director of the Agricultural Analytics Division at the United States Department of Agriculture. Perdue Farms has the ability to process more than 100,000 birds a day at its Milford, Delaware, plant.

As recently as 2011, though, the Salisbury-based company didn't even offer organic chicken. A few successful years of selling its Harvestland No-Antibiotics-Ever chicken, however, prompted the company to take the even bigger step toward organic.

Perdue explained that after a dozen years of research, in 2007, with the Harvestland brand, the company was able to offer consumers poultry that did not receive daily antibiotics. In the past, he said, chickens were administered growth-promoting antibiotics regularly.

Creating a way to raise chickens without the use of antibiotics, according to Joe Forsthoffer, director of corporate communications for Perdue, took some time.

"It's not just not using antibiotics," Forsthoffer explained. "It's developing a growing program where you create an environment where you don't need antibiotics."

Perdue Farms did that though, and with the release of the Harvestland brand, began offering No-Antibiotics-Ever chicken. That now accounts for 35% of the chicken the company sells.

"It's now nationwide, wit! h $200 million in sales," Perdue said. "It's done very well. That gave us a clue as to what the consumer is interested in."

The Harvestland brand success pushed Perdue Farms to purchase Coleman Natural, the country's largest producer of organic chicken, in 2011.

The organic chicken produced by Coleman Natural — much of it in Pennsylvania — is raised without antibiotics on a diet of organic corn- and soybean-based feed in an environment free of pesticides and herbicides. The birds look just like the chickens raised at the traditional chicken farms here on Delmarva but take a little longer to reach maturity.

"They're a little slower growing," Perdue explained.

The birds are kept in chicken houses but are given the freedom to move into outdoor enclosures and have access to "enhancements," such as roosts or hay bales, according to Perdue.

Because antibiotics aren't an option, growers have found other ways to ensure the birds stay healthy, according to Forsthoffer. He said natural remedies such as herbs — particularly oregano — and probiotics are used instead.

"It's more of a homeopathic approach," he said.

With the addition of Coleman Natural, Perdue Farms now offers three categories of chicken: organic, No-Antibiotics-Ever and chicken that was not treated with growth-promoting antibiotics. All of the birds are raised on an all-vegetarian feed that does not include animal byproducts such as blood and bone meal, according to Forsthoffer.

"We found it produced a better-tasting Perdue chicken," he said.

Although the organic and the No-Antibiotics-Ever chickens are the only birds verified to have been given no antibiotics, Forsthoffer said Perdue tries to limit as best it can the antibiotics all of the company's birds receive.

Human antibiotics are only used when a flock comes down with an illness, something that happens with about 5% of Perdue's chickens. Aside from that, Ionophores — used to prevent intestinal parasites — are the only ant! ibiotics ! the chickens are given, according to Forsthoffer.

Ionophores are classified by the Food and Drug Administration as an antibiotic and are therefore not given to Perdue's organic and No-Antibiotics-Ever flocks, Forsthoffer said. He added the parasite preventative is not used in human medications and is not associated with antibiotic resistant infections in humans.

While organic chicken only accounts for about 5% of Perdue's poultry sales, it's the fastest growing portion of the company's business.

"It's growing at 30% to 40%," Perdue said.

The increase in demand for organic chicken is being seen nationwide, according to Bill Roenigk, chief economist with the National Chicken Council.

"It is growing, and it's growing more quickly than the overall industry," Roenigk said, adding a strong indicator of that is the fact that large chain stores, particularly Wal-Mart, are pushing the product.

He said consumers are more willing to buy organic poultry now that the USDA is regulating it. Years ago, when organic chicken first began showing up on shelves, the USDA hadn't yet created standards for it, so shoppers had no federal guarantee that what they were buying was really organic.

The USDA began certifying poultry as organic in 2000.

"If they saw the USDA organic label, they were pretty sure of what they were getting," Roenigk said.

Perdue Farms is working to keep up with the increased interest.

"As long as it's growing, we want to continue to produce to that demand," Perdue said.

The company, however, cannot just begin turning all of its poultry farms into organic operations. According to Forsthoffer, getting a farm certified as organic is a lengthy process, as it has to go three years with no herbicides or pesticides before it can qualify.

Another drawback to producing organic chicken is the price. Perdue said the rules and regulations — such as the farm certification process — associated with growing organic birds made the cost to the c! ompany do! uble what it was for non-organic chicken. Even the feed for the birds costs twice as much as it does for a traditional chicken operation, as chicken certified as organic has to be fed organic corn grown from non-genetically modified seeds.

"When corn was $8 a bushel, organic corn was $16 a bushel," Perdue said. "The organic feed component is a limiting factor in growing the business."

The agribusiness division of Perdue Farms, however, is working to interest more farmers in growing organic corn and soybeans so grain procurement will be easier. In the meantime, the higher cost of producing organic poultry is passed on to the consumer. Much of the Coleman Natural poultry ends up in higher-end grocery stores.

"Because it's higher priced, it's going to be in areas where people are willing to pay," Perdue said.

According to Roenigk, organic chicken costs consumers two to three times as much as conventionally raised chicken does. The weak economy of recent years has limited the number of people able to afford it, which is why Roenigk believes the demand for products such as antibiotic-free chicken — which costs less than organic — has grown.

"A lot of consumers seem to find that a good compromise from a cost standpoint," he said.

Roenigk said the growth of the organic market will depend on the economy.

"It's going to depend on people's disposable income," he said, adding he feels the market for the slightly cheaper specialty products such as antibiotic-free chicken will continue to grow.

He called Perdue's move to offer organic, specialty and conventional chicken is smart strategy, adding, "What you want to do is give consumers options."

Both Roenigk and Perdue agree organic chicken is becoming more popular among consumers, as evidenced by the number of organic poultry products featured weekly by supermarkets.

Forsthoffer believes social media has helped with that. He said organic products are attractive to younger consumers who are active online! .

"! With the organic and the antibiotic-free, it's very much word of mouth," he said. "They're a community and they share ideas."

As Perdue Farms continues to produce organic chicken, its researchers, too, will be sharing ideas. Perdue said the move to organic is a learning process, and researchers are still busy studying its advantages.

"We want to be a learning organization," Perdue said. "There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes."

Amazon escalates standoff with Hachette

NEW YORK (AP) — If you're hoping to pre-order books by J.K. Rowling, Michael Connelly and other Hachette Book Group authors, you'll have to go somewhere besides Amazon.com.

An ongoing standoff between Amazon and one of the leading New York publishers has intensified. The online retailer, which already had been slowing delivery on a wide range of Hachette titles, has removed pre-order buttons for such books as Connelly's "The Burning Room" and Rowling's "The Silkworm," a detective story she wrote under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

Previous changes had been more subtle. The listing for the paperback of J.D. Salinger's "Nine Stories" says delivery will take three to five weeks and offers "Similar items at a lower price," including a collection of Ernest Hemingway stories published by Scribner.

"We are doing everything in our power to find a solution to this difficult situation, one that best serves our authors and their work, and that preserves our ability to survive and thrive as a strong and author-centric publishing company," Hachette said in a statement Friday issued through spokeswoman Sophie Cottrell.

Amazon declined to comment. Numerous Hachette authors have criticized Amazon in recent weeks, including Sherman Alexie and James Patterson, who on his Facebook page noted that the purchase of books written by him, Malcolm Gladwell, Nicholas Sparks and others had been made more difficult.

"What I don't understand about this particular battle tactic is how it is in the best interest of Amazon customers," Patterson wrote. "It certainly doesn't appear to be in the best interest of authors."

Amazon and Hachette are reportedly at odds over terms for e-book prices, at a time when Amazon is in a position of strength and vulnerability. The Seattle-based company is the most powerful force in the book market, believed to have a share of more than 60 percent of e-book sales and at least a third of book sales overall. Rivals have struggled to compete with Amazon's discounts and! customer service.

But recent earnings reports have been disappointing and Amazon's stock prices, which surged for years despite narrow profits, have dropped sharply in 2014.

Amazon has a history of aggressive actions with publishers, most dramatically in 2010 when it removed the buy buttons for releases by Macmillan, where authors include Jonathan Franzen, Bill O'Reilly and Augusten Burroughs. The issue was also e-books. Apple was about to launch its iBookstore and Macmillan, Hachette and other publishers, worried over Amazon's $9.99 offerings for popular e-books, wanted Amazon to accept a new system — the agency model — that would allow publishers to set the prices.

5 Best Airline Stocks To Own For 2015

Amazon relented, but the system unraveled after the U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple and five publishers in 2012 for alleged price fixing. The publishers, including Macmillan and Hachette, settled and a federal judge in New York last year ruled against Apple.

Other books currently being delayed or otherwise disrupted include Tina Fey's "Bossypants," Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" and Brad Stone's "The Everything Store," a critical portrait of Amazon and founder Jeff Bezos.

Sears Holdings – The Clock Is Ticking for SHLD

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Another decline in quarterly revenue came as no surprise when Sears Holdings (SHLD) reported first quarter results on Thursday morning. The retailer has been shedding revenue-bearing properties like Lands’ End (LE) in earnest for about three years now, while simultaneously axing operational stores; 80 more stores have been or will be closed in 2014.

Source: Flickr

Best Investments For 2015

What did come as a surprise is, even while the company is clearly on a path to bankruptcy, CEO Eddie Lampert continues to bang the “turnaround” drum to the few faithful Sears stock holders left.

Folks, it’s over, both for the company and (sooner or later) for SHLD.

It’s not a matter of “if” anymore. It’s just a matter of “when.”

Bankruptcy truly may be on the horizon.

Numbers Don’t Lie

For those who haven’t heard, last quarter, Sears Holdings saw year-over-year sales drop by 6.8%, to $7.88 billion. By retail standards, it was a disaster, although not as disastrous as the much bigger loss the company posted for the first quarter (Sears lost $402 million, vs. $279 million in the year-ago period). More damning: It was the 29th straight quarter of falling revenue.

On a per-share basis, SHLD posted a loss of $3.79 per share, versus a loss of “only” $2.63 in the first quarter of last year.

And yet, Sears stock didn’t do anything like what you’d expect. Following the report, SHLD stock quickly reversed an opening loss and finished with a 4%-plus gain.

The prod for the pop? Everything being relative, investors — some investors — liked the fact that things could have been much worse for Sears Holdings. And those who weren’t impressed by the relative success might have been encouraged by Lampert’s pep-talk. The master of spin once again offered hope, writing in his quarterly letter to shareholders:

“Sears is undergoing a significant transformation, and we fundamentally are changing the way we do business. Our performance in the first quarter highlights the challenges we are facing as well as the progress we are making in this transformation. We are moving away from a company that was heavily based on selling products solely through a store-based network to a member-centric business model focused on providing benefits to our members anytime and anyplace. We are seeing progress in our transformation to a member-centric, integrated retailer, as we continue to invest heavily in driving our Shop Your Way program.”

He used the word “progress” twice, and yet we’ve not actually seen any — in years — where it counts.

He also used the word “transformation” twice, and though one could arguably call Shop Your Way a transformation, the program has yet to actually make any aspect of the business better despite its launch years ago.

It’s time for a reality check.

Next Page

Reality Check for Sears Stock Fans & Followers

Last quarter, Sears lost $402 million. Over the past 12 months, the company has lost $1.36 billion. Things aren’t getting better on the revenue front. They don’t seem to be getting any better on the earnings front, either.

In fact, SHLD recently dumped one of its few profitable properties when it sold off Lands’ End.

Sears says it’s closing stores that are supposed to be unproductive, but at least some of the units it has been discarding have been its fruitful locations.

If Sears Holdings can’t make a go of it with its top-performing stores and divisions, can it really expect to survive with just the weak ones?

As of the end of the last fiscal quarter, Sears had $831 million in cash. That’s down from $1.028 billion for the fourth quarter of last fiscal year despite the $500 million in cash received from the spinoff of Lands’ End on top of the sale of some of its stores. That trend is pointed in the wrong direction, too.

Sears can tap into the $1.2 billion it has left with its credit facility, which is about a year’s worth of life at the company’s current cash-burn rate. The cash on hand should last a couple more quarters. That’s a total of a year-and-a-half worth of life left before the struggling retailer can’t pay its bills.

It’s conceivable Sears Holdings could get another loan. It’s just not likely, as there’s no hope that it will ever even be able to pay back its existing debt, let alone any new debt. The so-called turnaround has been in place for years. If it hasn’t worked yet, it’s not apt to suddenly start working in mid-2014.

Bottom Line

There aren’t a lot of plausible outcomes here. A complete liquidation of inventory and property is still a possibility, but a fire sale of stores and merchandise would likely mean weak prices for both.

Bankruptcy — though Sears has managed to sidestep that discussion thus far — is becoming a real possibility, too.

A white knight with a bag full of cash might be able to step and stave off the complete annihilation of the 128-year-old name, but most likely such a buyer would only be willing to purchase Sears Holdings it at a steep discount to the value the market seems to be assigning Sears stock now.

Whichever of those outcomes takes shape, none of them are actually winners for current SHLD stock holders.

It looks like the beginning of the end.

As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015

With shares of Sears (NASDAQ:SHLD) trading around $36, is SHLD an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Sears operates as a specialty retailer in the United States and Canada. The company’s Kmart segment operates stores that sell merchandise under Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer labels; and Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard. This segment�� stores provide consumer electronics, seasonal merchandise, outdoor living, toys, lawn and garden equipment, food and consumables, and apparel; and operate in-store pharmacies. The company�� Sears Domestic segment operates stores that sell merchandise under the Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard, Lands End, Covington, Apostrophe, and Canyon River Blues brand names. Its stores provide appliances, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, outdoor living, lawn and garden equipment, home fashion products, apparel, footwear, jewelry, accessories, health and beauty products, pantry goods, household products, and toys, as well as automotive services and products.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (FINW)

Firstin Wireless Technology, Inc., formerly Passionate Pet, Inc., incorporated on September 30, 2010, is a mobile service provider. The Company is a software-based mobile service provider that enables enterprises and business users to make affordable and business-quality international long distance and roaming calls over its hybrid mobile VoIP (HY-mVoIPTM) technology. Its service does not replace a user�� existing wireless service, it augments it with global communication capabilities. The Company's application is free to download, and is available on Apple iPhone, Blackberry and Android smartphones.

The Company provides international long distance and roaming services to enterprises and business travelers over smartphones. Business users need to download the Firstin application onto their smartphones to allow them to place and receive international long distance and roaming calls from anywhere in the world for a fixed monthly fee and unlimited usage. The Company intends to revolutionize business mobile communications by spearheading the enterprise mobile VoIP revolution allowing for anywhere, anytime, business-quality and low-cost voice and data communications over smartphones.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

• [By Peter Graham]

  A look at SofTech, Inc�� financials reveals revenues of $1,375k (most recent reported quarter), $1,558k, $1,458k and $1,772k for the past four quarters along with net losses of $266k (most recent reported quarter), $51k and $14k and net income of $252k. At the end of August, SofTech, Inc had $828k in cash to cover $2,717k in current liabilities and $5,445k in total liabilities. Given the recent Asset Purchase Agreement and the deal with lenders, it would be good to wait for some more financials to see how SofTech, Inc�� balance sheet has improved.

  Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) Has Been Quiet Since February

  Small cap Firstin Wireless Technology is a mobile communications company that is leading the shift to the enterprise mobile VoIP revolution through its mobile telephony platform and apps, including a flagship Firstin solution that allows for anywhere, anytime mobile communications at significant cost reductions. On Friday, Firstin Wireless Technology closed at $0.255 for a market cap of $8.57 million plus FINW is down 3,087.5% over the past year and down 78.7% since August 2011 according to Google Finance.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: WH Smith PLC (SMWH)

WH Smith PLC is a United Kingdom-based retail company. The Company has two businesses divisions: Travel and High Street. The Company's Travel division sells a range of newspapers, magazines, books and impulse products for people on the move and a broader convenience range in hospitals and workplaces. The Company's High Street sells a wide range of stationery, books, newspapers, magazines and impulse products, as well as a small range of entertainment products.The Company�� subsidiaries include WH Smith PLC, WH Smith Retail Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Holdings Limited, WH Smith Travel Holdings Limited, WH Smith High Street Limited, WH Smith Travel Limited and WH Smith Hospitals Holdings Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Hays Plc (HAS) climbed 2.2 percent after the recruitment company said quarterly fees increased in its European markets. WH Smith Plc (SMWH) jumped the most in six months after raising its final dividend and saying it plans to repurchase an additional 50 million pounds ($80 million) of shares. Melrose Industries Plc (MRO) added 1.8 percent after KKR & Co. said it will pay about $1 billion for two of its U.S. industrial-products companies.

Top 10 Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Vitacost.com Inc (VITC)

Vitacost.com, Inc. (Vitacost), incorporated in May 20, 1994, is an online retailer of health and wellness products, including dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and other botanicals, amino acids and metabolites, as well as cosmetics, natural personal care products, pet products, sports nutrition and health foods. The Company sells these products directly to consumers primarily through its Website, www.vitacost.com. It offers its customers the selection of healthy living products. It offers its customers a selection of approximately 40,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), from over 2,000 third-party brands, such as New Chapter, Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Source Naturals, Jarrow Formulas, Jason, Desert Essence, Atkins, Bob�� Red Mill, BSN, Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs and MuscleTech in addition to its own brands: Vitacost, Cosmeceutical Sciences Institute (CSI), Best of All, and Smart Basics. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had approximately 2.1 million customers.

The Company offers products in a range of potency levels and dosage forms, such as tablets, capsules, vegi-capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids and powders. It offers products that encompass four main categories: Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements; Sports Nutrition; Beauty; and Natural and Organic Food.

Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Supplements (VMHS)

VMHS products are taken to maintain or improve health and address specific health conditions. In its dietary supplements category, the Company offers its offer its Vitacost branded products as well as third-party brands such as Nature�� Way, Twinlab, Jarrow, Carlson and Rainbow Light. Vitamin and mineral products include multi-vitamins, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E and B-complex, along with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc.

Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas. Supplements include essential fatty acids, probiotics, anti-o! xidants, phytonutrients and condition-specific formulas.

Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition products are used in conjunction with cardiovascular conditioning, weight training and sports activities. Major categories in sports nutrition include protein and weight gain powders, meal replacements, nutrition bars, sport drinks and pre and post-workout supplements. The Company offers bodybuilding and sports products from third parties, such as Optimum Nutrition, CytoSport and BSN as well as our Vitacost branded sports nutrition products.

Beauty

Natural care products consist of a variety of natural products for skin, body, hair and oral health. The Company offers hundreds of natural personal-care products from companies, such as JASON, and Kiss My Face, as well as its CSI-branded products. These products appeal to allergen-conscious and environmentally-conscious consumers seeking products that are made without harsh chemicals and additives.

Natural and Organic Food

Natural and organic food products consist of organic and specialty products such as organic peanut butter, gluten free foods and low mercury tuna and salmon. The Company offers third-party brands, such as Kashi, Eden Foods and Amy�� Organic, as well as its Best of All natural food products.

Under its Vitacost brand, the Company offers over 900 products including multivitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, anti-oxidants and others. Under its CSI brand, it markets and sells health and beauty products such as facial cleanser, facial and body moisturizing creams and lotions, and other beauty and skincare products. Under its Best of All brand, it markets and sells organic food products such as banana chips, trail mix, almonds, cashews and more. Under its Smart Basics brand, it markets and sells organic fruit juices and extracts and related dietary supplements. Under its Walker Diet brand, it markets and sells low carb powders used to assist in weight loss and ! managemen! t.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) 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 Vitacost.com's competitive position could be.

• [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 Vitacost.com (Nasdaq: VITC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage Inc (NGVC)

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc., incorporated on April 9, 2012, is a specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries and dietary supplements. The Company operates within the natural products retail industry. The Company offers products and brands, including a selection of natural and organic food, dietary supplements, body care products, pet care products and books.

The Company offers its customers an average of approximately 18,000 store-keeping units (SKUs) of natural and organic products per store, including an average of approximately 7,000 SKU of dietary supplements. As of June 30, 2012, the Company operated 55 stores in 11 states, including Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Colorado. The size of its stores varies from 5,000 selling square feet to 14,500 selling square feet, and a new store averages 9,500 selling square feet.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (NYSE: NGVC) and mid cap Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ: SFM) are taking aim at natural and organic foods supermarket giant Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM), but do either of these stocks have what it takes to take on the the king of organic retailing? Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin way back in 1978 by a�twenty-five year old college dropout and a twenty-one year old�at a time when there were only a handful of natural or organic�supermarkets in the country. Today, Whole Foods Market�has 364 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom���which are sometimes referred to as ��hole Wallet��r ��hole Paycheck��given how much it costs to shop there.

• [By John Udovich]

  Large cap natural and organic foods supermarket giant Whole Foods Market, Inc (NASDAQ: WFM), otherwise known as ��hole Wallet��r ��hole Paycheck,��is not the only player in the natural or organics supermarket space for consumers and investors alike as mid cap Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ: SFM) and small caps Fairway Group Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: FWM) and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc (NYSE: NGVC) are also players in the space. It should be mentioned that Whole Foods Market is down 15.7% since the start of the year and has a downward trending technical chart, but�shares are�still up 13% over the past year, up 426.3% over the past five years and up 3,108.6% since January 1992.

• [By David Mamos]

  The Fresh Market Inc. (Nasdaq: TFM), Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc. (NYSE: NGVC), and privately held Trader Joe's are others crowding into the field.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: FTD Companies Inc (FTD)

FTD Companies, Inc. (FTD), incorporated on April 25, 2008, is a floral and gifting company. The Company provides floral, gift and related products and services to consumers and retail florists, as well as to other retail locations offering floral and gift products primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The Company operates in one segment, which includes floral and related products and services. Its business uses the FTD and Interflora brands, both supported by the Mercury Man logo. The Company�� portfolio of brands also includes Flying Flowers, Flowers Direct, and Drake Algar in the United Kingdom. On November 1, 2013, United Online, Inc. (United Online) completed the separation of United Online into two independent, publicly traded companies: FTD Companies, Inc. and United Online, Inc.

The Company�� products revenues are derived primarily from selling floral, gift and related products to consumers and the related shipping and service fees. Products revenues also include revenues generated from sales of hard goods, software and hardware systems, cut flowers, packaging and promotional products, and a range of other floral-related supplies to floral network members. Its services revenues related to orders sent through the floral network are variable based on either the number of orders or on the value of orders and are recognized in the period in which the orders.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock One day out of 365, we pay homage to our sainted mothers. Those of us who are members of this long-suffering, uncomplaining, self-sacrificing class may get some soggy French toast in bed, (don't worry, kids; mom will clean up the kitchen), a chance to read in peace, or perhaps time to indulge in a long, hot bath. Bringing Home the Bacon If you really want to pay back mom for all she's done, get ready to pony up big. A card and some carnations (the official flower of Mother's Day, who knew?) just won't cut it. The cost of replacing mom as nurturer, nurse, cleaner and cook -- according to Insure.com's 2014 Mother's Day salary index -- would run you $62,985 a year, up from $59,862 in 2013. Breaking down the price of having someone else handle her various duties: Cooking and cleaning, $12,230 Child care, $21,736 Homework help, $7,290 Chauffeur, $5,672 Shopping, yard work, party and activity planning, finances, etc., $15,019 And my personal favorite, finding out what the kids are up to (paid in the equivalent value of a private detective), $1,036. Salary.com placed a higher value on moms in its 2014 Mother's Day salary survey, concluding that stay-at-home moms were worth $118,905 and working moms worth $70,107 (this does not include any paid salary from their job), with both groups putting more than 56 hours of overtime at home. These numbers are all up from last year's survey. Cooking It Up in a Pan Mom helps to pay for other things, too. Thanks to the Department of Agriculture, you can see what it costs to raise a child in the U.S. to 18. As of August 2013, the average cost is $241,080. This does not cover college, and hopefully dear old dad is contributing. In 2012, there were 10.3 million single U.S. mothers with children under 18, and one-third of women who gave birth in 2012 were single moms. By becoming moms, women give up time to do other things, what economists call an "opportunity cost." Particularly if your mother st

• [By John Udovich]

  As we head towards Black Friday, small cap specialty retail stocks United Online, Inc (NASDAQ: UNTD), TravelCenters of America LLC (NYSE: TA) and MarineMax, Inc (NYSE: HZO) have the distinction of being the best performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 181.2%, 123.8% and 71.8%, respectively. With those returns in mind, what are these small cap specialty retail stocks doing right and will the performance last through the all important holiday season? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:

  United Online, Inc.�A provider of consumer products and services over the Internet, United Online�� Content & Media segment services are online nostalgia (Memory Lane) and online loyalty marketing (MyPoints) while its�primary Communications segment services are Internet access and email (NetZero and Juno). The reason United Online is among the�best performing specialty retail stocks for this year in various stock screening tools like Finviz.com�is actually misleading as the company has just completed the spin off�of subsidiary FTD Companies, a floral and gifts products company acquired in August 2008 for $441 million, as�FTD Companies Inc (NASDAQ: FTD) where United Online shareholders received one share of FTD common stock for every five shares of United Online common stock they hold. In addition, United Online completed�a�one-for-seven reverse stock split of United Online shares.�On Tuesday, small cap United Online, Inc fell 1.01% to $15.72 (UNTD has a 52 week trading range of $11.65 to $62.30 a share) for a market cap of $207.79 million plus the stock is up 181.2% since the start of the year and up 182.2% over the past five years. Meanwhile, the FTD Companies Inc�now has a�market cap of $611.60 and the stock is up almost 6% since October.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: CSS Industries Inc (CSS)

CSS Industries, Inc. (CSS), incorporated on November 5, 1923, is a company primarily engaged in the design, manufacture, procurement, distribution and sale of seasonal and all occasion social expression products, principally to mass market retailers. These seasonal and all occasion products include gift wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, gift card holders, boxed greeting cards, gift tags, decorative tissue paper, decorations, classroom exchange Valentines, decorative ribbons and bows, floral accessories, Halloween masks, costumes, make-up and novelties, Easter egg dyes and novelties, craft and educational products, stickers, memory books, stationery, journals, notecards, infant and wedding photo albums, scrapbooks, and other gift items that commemorate life�� celebrations. In September 5, 2012, it sold the Halloween portion of its Paper Magic business to Gemmy Industries (HK) Limited.

CSS��product provides its retail customers the opportunity to use a single vendor for much of their seasonal product requirements. A substantial portion of CSS��products are manufactured, packaged and/or warehoused in 10 facilities located in the United States, with the remainder purchased primarily from manufacturers in Asia and Mexico. The Company�� products are sold to its customers by national and regional account sales managers, sales representatives, product specialists and by a network of independent manufacturers��representatives. The Company�� principal operating subsidiaries include Paper Magic Group, Inc. (Paper Magic), Berwick Offray LLC (Berwick Offray) and C.R. Gibson, LLC (C.R. Gibson). CSS designs, manufactures, procures, distributes and sells a range of seasonal consumer products primarily through the mass market distribution channel. Christmas products include gift wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, gift card holders, boxed greeting cards, gift tags, decorative tissue paper and decorations. CSS��Valentine product offerings include classroom exchange Valentine cards and other related Valen! tine products, while its Easter product offerings include Dudley�� brand of Easter egg dyes and related Easter seasonal products. CSS also designs and markets decorative ribbons and bows, all occasion boxed greeting cards, gift wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, gift card holders, decorative and waxed tissue, decorative films and foils, stickers, memory books, stationery, journals, notecards, infant and wedding photo albums, scrapbooks, floral accessories and other gift and craft items to its mass market, craft, specialty and floral retail and wholesale distribution customers, and teachers' aids and other learning oriented products to the education market through mass market retailers, school supply distributors and teachers' stores. Key brands include Paper Magic, Berwick, Offray, C.R. Gibson, Markings, Creative Papers, Tapestry, Dudley��, Don Post Studios, Eureka, Learning Playground, Stickerfitti and iota. Key brands include Paper Magic, Berwick, Offray, C.R. Gibson, Markings, Creative Papers, Tapestry, Seastone, Dudley��, Eureka, Learning Playground and Stickerfitti.

CSS operates 10 manufacturing and/or distribution facilities located in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Alabama and Texas. Its boxed greeting cards are produced by Asian manufacturers to the Company�� specifications. Halloween make-up and Easter egg dye products are manufactured in Asia to specific formulae by contract manufacturers who meet regulatory requirements for the formularization and packaging of such products. Ribbons and bows are primarily manufactured and warehoused in seven facilities located in Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas. Memory books, stationery, journals and notecards, infant and wedding photo albums, scrapbooks, and other gift items are imported from Asian manufacturers and warehoused and distributed from a distribution facility in Florence, Alabama. Floral accessories, including pot covers, foil, waxed tissue, shred, aisle runners, corsage bags and other paper! and film! products, are manufactured in a facility located in Milford, New Hampshire and Juarez, Mexico. Manufacturing includes gravure and flexo printing, waxing and converting. Products are warehoused and distributed from a distribution facility in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Other products including, but not limited to, decorative tissue paper, all occasion gift wrap, gift tags, gift bags, gift boxes, gift card holders, classroom exchange Valentine products, Halloween masks, costumes and novelties, Easter products, decorations and school products are designed to the specifications of CSS and are imported primarily from Asian manufacturers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Gifts maker�CSS Industries� (NYSE: CSS  ) �announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.15 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2008.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: Vitamin Shoppe Inc (VSI)

Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., incorporated on September 27, 2002, is a specialty retailer and direct marketer of vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition and other health and wellness products. During the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company marketed over 400 different brands, as well as its own brands, which include Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech and True Athlete. The Company sells its products through two segments: retail and direct. In the Company's retail segment, the Company had a total of 286 new stores during the fiscal 2012. As of January 26, 2013, the Company operated 579 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Ontario, Canada, primarily located in high-traffic regional retail centers. In the Company's direct segment, the Company sells its products directly to consumers through the Internet, primarily at www.vitaminshoppe.com. On February 14, 2013, Vitamin Shoppe Mariner, Inc. acquired Super Supplements, Inc.

Retail

The Company's retail segment includes its retail store format. Its retail stores are is located in diverse geographic and demographic markets, ranging from urban locations in New York City, to suburban locations in Plantation, Florida and Manhattan Beach, California. As of January 26, 2013, the Company leased the property for all of its 579 stores. The Company's primary warehouse and distribution center and corporate headquarters are consolidated into a leased, 230,000 square-foot facility.

Products

The Company offers a selection of vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathic remedies, specialty supplements, such as fish oil, probiotics, glucosamine and Co Q10, sports nutrition, weight management, as well as natural bath and beauty, pet supplements and options for a healthy home. The Company's offers includes approximately 17,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) from over 400 brands. The Company offers products to its assortment in its Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete and O! ptimal Pet brands, which include products, such as Ultimate Man, Ultimate Women, Whey Tech Pro 24 and Natural Whey Protein. The Company also offers an assortment from national brands, such as Optimum Nutrition, USP Labs, Garden of Life, Cytosport, Nature's Way, Solaray and Solgar. This assortment is designed to provide the Company's customers with a selection of available product in order to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.

The vitamin and mineral product category includes multi-vitamins, which many consider to be a foundation of a healthy regimen, lettered vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, D, E, and B-complex, along with trace minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc. Certain herbs can be taken to help support specific body systems, including ginkgo to support brain activity and milk thistle to help support liver function, as well as other less common herbs, such as holy basil for stress support and blood sugar control and black cohosh for menopause support. Herbal products include whole herbs, standardized extracts, herb combination formulas and teas.

Categories of specialty supplements include omega fatty acids, probiotics and condition specific formulas. Certain specialty supplements, such as organic greens, psyllium fiber and soy proteins, are taken for added support during various life stages. Folic acid is specifically useful during pregnancy. Super antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q-10, grapeseed extract and pycnogenol, are taken to address specific conditions. High ORAC (oxygen radical absorptive capacity) fruit concentrates like gogi, mangosteen, pomegranate and blueberry are taken to prevent oxygen radical damage. Other specialty supplement formulas are focused to support specific organs, biosystems and body functions. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs in sports nutrition.

The Company's other category include natural beauty and personal care, diet and weight management supplements, natural pet food, and low carb foo! ds. Natur! al beauty and personal care products offer an alternative to traditional products that often contain synthetic and/or other ingredients that the Company's customers find objectionable. The Company offers approximately 3,000 SKUs for its other category. The Company's natural pet products include nutritionally balanced foods and snacks along with condition specific supplements such as glucosamine for joint health. Its variety of diet and weight management products range from low calorie bars, drinks and meal replacements to energy tablets, capsules and liquids.

The Company competes with Vitamin World, GNC, Whole Foods, Costco, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Amazon.com, Puritan's Pride, Vitacost.com, Bodybuilding.com, Doctors Trust, Swanson and iHerb.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Sales growth this last quarter was up only about 6%, but net income per share was up 21%. They pay a $0.60 dividend which gives them a dividend yield of 1.4%. Their cash flow yield is 4.6%, so they could easily raise their dividend. They are by far the leader in a very fragmented industry. I believe both [Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI  ) ] and GNC will do well and I think they may make a fair pairing in a portfolio. Stability versus growth.
  
  They do have $1.1 billion in debt. But they generate about $200 million in cash flow a year and they have $174 million in cash, so that shouldn't be a problem. Their cash flow is very high, so in my opinion, is reason enough to believe they will beat the S&P 500 over the next ten years.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Barclays upgraded share s of Vitamin Shoppe (VSI) today, expressing a confidence in management that was, well, heartwarming.

  Barclays’ analysts Meredith Adler and Sean Kras call Vitamin Shoppe’s management team “thoughtful, deliberate and disciplined” and praise their ability to diversify the business. As a result, they upgraded Vitamin Shoppe to Overweight from Equal Weight two days after Vitamin Shoppe released its earnings.

  But Adler and Kras also spent a good number of words explaining what Vitamin Shoppe isn’t–specifically, it’s not GNC Holdings (GNC):

  [Vitamin Shoppe] said it saw no fundamental change in consumer demand, nor did it feel much pressure from the bad media reports about things like multi-vitamins and fish oil, unlike GNC. [Vitamin Shoppe] has a much broader offering than GNC, however, so weakness in any one category rarely has a major impact on�[Vitamin Shoppe's] overall sales the way it does at GNC. Conversely, it benefits less when there are few very successful products. For example, diet is a far smaller part of the sales mix at�[Vitamin Shoppe] than at GNC. Last year diet had some strong products, but this year there are fewer. GNC�� comps were stronger than�[Vitamin Shoppe's] last year, but we like the stability of�[Vitamin Shoppe's] business, especially in the current environment.

  Shares of Vitamin Shoppe have gained 1.8% to $43.42 at 3:24 p.m., while GNC has risen 0.8% to $37.43.

• [By John Udovich]

  Vitamin Shoppe Inc (NYSE: VSI), Books-A-Million, Inc (NASDAQ: BAMM) and Perfumania Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: PERF) have the dubious distinction of being�the worst performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with losses of 4.85% and�3% and a gain of 0.61%, respectively, since the start of the year (See my previous article: This Year�� Best Performing Small Cap Specialty Retail Stocks? UNTD, TA & HZO). I should mention that the definition of specialty retail stocks might vary from one stock screener to another, but what�� clear is that these three small cap retail stocks have been heading in the wrong direction for investors for much of this year. �With that in mind, what sort of performance should investors expect from these small cap specialty retail stocks on Black Friday and for the all important holiday season? Here is what you need to be aware of:

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: Puget Technologies Inc (PUGE)

PUGET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., incorporated on March 17, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the distribution of luxury wool bedding sets produced in Germany. The Company�� product includes Lama Wool, Camel Wool, Cashmere Wool and Merino Wool.

The Company�� Lama Wool is consists of 50% Lama Wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Camel wool is consists of 50% Camel wool hair, and 50% Merino wool hair. The Cashmere wool is blended with Merino wool.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: Ulta Salon Cosmetics and Fragrance Inc (ULTA)

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. (Ulta), incorporated on January 9, 1990, is a beauty retailer, which provides one-stop shopping for prestige, mass and salon products and salon services in the United States. During the year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened 61 new stores. It operates full-service salons in all of its stores. Its Ulta store format includes an open and modern salon area with approximately eight to 10 stations. The entire salon area is approximately 950 square feet with a concierge desk, skin treatment room, semi-private shampoo and hair color processing areas. Each salon is a full-service salon offering hair cuts, hair coloring and permanent texture, with salons also providing facials and waxing.

The Company offers products in the categories, such as cosmetics, which includes products for the face, eyes, cheeks, lips and nails; haircare, which includes shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and hair accessories; salon styling tools, which includes hair dryers, curling irons and flat irons; skincare and bath and body, which includes products for the face, hands and body; fragrance for both men and women; private label, consisting of Ulta branded cosmetics, skincare, bath and body products and haircare, and other, including candles, home fragrance products and other miscellaneous health and beauty products. The Company has combined its three operating segments: retail stores, salon services and e-commerce, into one reportable segment.

The Company competes with Macy��, Nordstrom, Sephora, Bath & Body Works, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, Target, Wal-Mart, Regis Corp., Sally Beauty and JCPenney salons.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Amal Singh]

  Some companies in the beauty and personal care segment have one important characteristic -- a recession-proof nature, which is a result of everyone's desire to look beautiful and young. This brings us to Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA  ) and Sally Beauty Holdings (NYSE: SBH  ) . Both have performed quite well over the last few years, as shown in the chart below, even during the recession (the gray area being the recession period). Their performance stands in stark contrast to that of�Regis (NYSE: RGS  ) , which has seen its top line drop continuously after peaking in 2008.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.

  I predicted that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) would close higher on the week. I felt that taking the stage for WWDC 2013 would give the consumer-tech giant the ideal opportunity to win back the market's waning interest in its products. The new cylindrical Mac Pro is cool. The iOS update is a welcome upgrade. There's even hope that iTunes Radio will be a game-changer in streaming. However, the stock actually sold off on the news. I was wrong. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market closed lower this week. The Nasdaq moved 1.3% lower on the week, but the Dow managed to close 1.1% lower. I was wrong. My final call was for Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA  ) to beat Wall Street's income estimates in its latest quarter. The beauty-salon operator has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.62 a share during the quarter, and it came through with net income of $0.65. I was right.

  One out of three? Bummer! I can do better than that.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA) shares shot up 7.31 percent to $96.05 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. Ulta Salon posted its quarterly earnings of $1.09 per share, beating analysts' estimates of $1.07 per share.

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc.(ULTA) said its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 9.5% on the beauty-products retailer’s better-than-expected sales growth. Shares climbed 7.6% to $96.35 premarket.

Top 10 Specialty Retail Stocks For 2015: West Marine Inc (WMAR)

West Marine, Inc., incorporated in September 1993, is a specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories. The Company offers an assortment of merchandise for the boat and for the boater. It operates in three segments: Stores, Port Supply and Direct-to-Customer. The Company sells to both retail and wholesale customers in its Stores segment. In addition, the Company has three franchised stores in Turkey. The Company�� Port Supply segment is its wholesale segment. The Company�� Direct-to-Customer, which includes e-commerce, catalog and call center transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Stores segment generated approximately 90% of its net revenues. During 2011, products shipped to Port Supply customers directly from its warehouses represented approximately 4% of its net revenues.

During 2011, its Direct Sales segment offered customers around the world more than 75,000 products and accounted for the remaining 6% of its net revenues. Private label products, which the Company sells under the West Marine, Black Tip, Third Reef, Pure Oceans, Lifesling, SeaVolt and Seafit brand names, usually are manufactured in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Stores Segment

During 2011, the Company opened six stores while closing 14 stores. In December 2011, it opened its Fort Lauderdale Boating Superstore, a 50,000 square foot flagship. Its flagship stores ranging in size from 21,000 to 50,000 square feet, offering an array of merchandise typically about 16,000 items, as well as displays designed to help customers make informed product selections. It also operates large format stores, standard-sized stores and smaller Express stores. Its large format stores range from 13,000 to 19,000 square feet and carry about 11,000 items. The standard-sized stores typically range from 6,000 to 12,000 square feet and carry over 6,000 items. Express stores typically range from 2,500 to 3,000 square feet and carry over 4,000 items, mainly hardware and other supplies needed! for day-to-day boat maintenance and repairs.

Port Supply Segment

Port Supply customers include businesses involved in boat sales, boat building, boat commissioning and repair, yacht chartering, marina operations and other boating-related activities. In addition, Port Supply sells to government and industrial customers who use its products for boating and non-boating purposes. Port Supply, the Company�� wholesale segment, serves wholesale customers seeking convenience and a larger assortment of products than those carried by typical distributors.

Direct-to-Customer Segment

The Company�� e-commerce Website provides its customers with access to a selection of approximately 75,000 products, product advisor tips and technical information, over 450 product videos and customer-submitted product reviews. This segment also provides customers with access to knowledgeable technical advisors who can assist its customers in understanding the various uses and applications of the products it sell. It operates a virtual call center from which its associates assist its customers by taking calls from their homes or from its support center in Watsonville, California. Its virtual call center supports sales generated through its e-commerce Website, catalogs and stores and provides customer service offerings.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Interactive Buyside]

  West Marine (Nasdaq: WMAR) is an undervalued retailer.  The company is going through a change in focus from a bricks and mortar boat product retailer to a fully integrated retail and wholesale business through bricks and clicks, targeting the boating and water enthusiast customer.   Recent results have been affected by a severe rainy and cool spring which hurt boat usage and delayed the start of the season.  The company has accelerated cash investments to build larger more productive stores and expand its ecommerce abilities, consequently affecting free cash flow short term.  The stock lacks sponsorship as there is only one research report written on the company by a small boutique firm.  The stock trades at only book value despite the company being the leading industry player with a solid balance sheet and significant net cash position. 

Stocks fall at the open on weak retail earnings

Stocks fell at the open Tuesday on a batch of weaker than expected retail earnings.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.1% and the Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite index fell 0.1%.

Home Depot reported profit and sales rose but results fell short of Wall Street expectations. But the retailer raised its full-year earnings forecast and shares rose 2.3%.

Other retailers reporting: Dick's Sporting goods fell short and pared its outlook; Staples saw profit plunge 43% and discount retailer TJX had weak sales. Urban Outfitters fell 5% its earnings report late Monday

NEW: USA TODAY's live markets blog

In Asia, the benchmark SET index in Bangkok dropped 1.33% to 1,391.82 after the military declared martial law. The move was being described as an attempt to stabilize the country's political situation.

Stocks were mostly higher elsewhere across Asia: Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.49% to 14,075.25 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.57% to 22,834.68.

European markets were mostly lower as Britain's FTSE 100 index was down 0.6%.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Analysis: Credit agencies remain unaccountable

The Securities and Exchange Commission has kept the credit rating industry — whose dominant members, Standard & Poor's and Moody's, played a notoriously key role in the financial crisis — in legal limbo for four years. And the industry's just fine with that.

Apparently so are members of Congress, who have failed to press the SEC to hold credit agencies accountable, as law requires, for the ratings they issue on securities backed by mortgages or other assets.

The law, part of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 that Congress passed in response to the crisis, was intended to fix a main cause of the meltdown: high but highly inaccurate credit ratings that firms, particularly S&P and Moody's, gave to the likes of investment bank Lehman Brothers before it failed, insurance giant AIG before it nearly failed and billions of dollars of subprime mortgage securities that proved worthless.

"I'm disappointed," says Barney Frank, the now retired congressmen from Massachusetts who, as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, helped craft the act that bears his name.

So are investors, who say the SEC's inaction leaves the economy vulnerable. They worry an ongoing lack of accountability permits credit agencies to return to bad habits.

"(A) higher standard of accountability ... would make rating agencies more diligent about the ratings process and, ultimately, more accountable for sloppy performance," says Ann Yerger, head of the Council of Institutional Investors, a shareholder advocacy group representing pension funds, employee benefit funds, endowments and foundations with combined assets of more than $3 trillion.

Dennis M. Kelleher, CEO of Better Markets, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group pushing to make financial markets fairer and more transparent, agrees: "Credit rating agencies are critical and must be held liable for their failures. The SEC has failed the American people."

S&P, Moody's and smaller rival Fitch for decades have avoided legal liability by suc! cessfully arguing in court case after court case that credit ratings are merely opinions and therefore protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Dodd-Frank changes that. It requires the SEC hold credit rating agencies to the same standard of "expert liability" that auditors and lawyers face when they give opinions in financial filings with the agency.

The SEC issued a rule in 2010 doing just that. The credit agencies response? They went on strike, threatening to withhold ratings. That would have disrupted credit markets, which rely on the agencies' assessment of how creditworthy securities and the companies that issue them are. Specifically, it would have frozen the asset-backed securities market that, including mortgage-backed securities, accounted for 25% of the nearly $40 trillion debt outstanding at the end of 2013.

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now

SEC officials quickly backed down, saying that they would temporarily not enforce the rule so that credit agencies could have six months to adjust. That was four years ago, with no end in sight.

Credit reporting agencies like this state of affairs, because, although they lost the lobbying war to have the expert liability provision deleted from Dodd-Frank, they so far have won the fight to not have to comply with it.

Kathleen Day is a lecturer at The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School(Photo: Handout)

But as the economy recovers, and debt markets rebound, pension funds and other professional investors grow increasingly impatient with inaction by Congress and the SEC. Investors often are required to use credit ratings in weighing the! risk a s! ecurity will default.

Requiring the expert liability standard in SEC filings is one of several provisions in Dodd-Frank intended both to hold credit agencies accountable and, at the same time, reduce the investing public's reliance on their ratings. For example, the act also requires the SEC and other federal agencies to delete references to credit ratings in regulations.

But while Dodd-Frank aims to reduce investors' reliance on ratings, it does not prevent them from doing so. And for those who do, Dodd-Frank says courts can hold a credit agency financially liable if it committed fraud or acted recklessly in preparing a rating. In other words, when credit agencies act irresponsibly, they can no longer rely on First Amendment protection against suits brought by investors.

"If credit rating agencies are deficient or do a bad job, they should be liable for investor losses. The risk of liability is really the only way to get quality control from them," Kelleher says.

Gregory W. Smith, CEO of the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association, agrees but is more sympathetic to the political reality the SEC faces. Unlike most other financial regulators, the SEC's budget is part of Congress's annual funding process. That enables financial industry executives who want less oversight to lobby to keep the agency underfunded and therefore constantly short of the manpower needed to do its job of policing markets and implementing new rules and oversight.

"In a perfect world, the SEC would have all the resources necessary to enforce credit rating agency accountability as it was originally contemplated in Dodd-Frank," Smith says.

Spokesmen for S&P and Moody's declined to comment except to say that they should not be held to the same liability standard that auditors face in SEC filings.

Officials at the SEC won't comment except to say that implementing Dodd-Frank is a top priority, which SEC Chairman Mary Jo White reiterated during recent testimony before the House Fin! ancial Se! rvices Committee. No specific mention of credit rating agency accountability came up at the hearing. Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) referred to a spokesman questions about what, if any, oversight his committee has done on the issue. The spokesman pointed to a 15-month-old statement pledging oversight.

A spokesman for the Senate Banking Committee, chaired by Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), declined comment.

Kathleen Day is a lecturer at The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School with campuses in Baltimore and Washington. Her e-mail is: kathleen.day@jhu.edu. Website: carey.jhu.edu.