Q2 A Little Light On Sales, But Strong On Margins
BRF S.A. came in just slightly (1%) below average sales growth expectations, with 10% growth for the second quarter. Growth was driven by the company's large export business (up 19%), as domestic sales (up 4%) were weighed down by a weak demand environment across the Brazilian food sector.
With a better mix (more processed foods) and improving export conditions, BRF S.A. saw significantly better margins this quarter. Gross margin improved about three points from the year-ago period, beating the average estimate by almost a point and a half. Operating income jumped 79% on a huge improvement in export margins, while EBITDA rose 49% and the company logged an almost three-point margin improvement.
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: MEDIWARE Information Systems Inc.(MEDW)
Mediware Information Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and marketing of software solutions targeting specific processes within healthcare institutions. The company offers software systems consisting of company's proprietary application software, and third-party licensed software and hardware. It licenses, implements, and supports clinical and performance management, blood donor, and blood and biologic management products in the United States; and medication management solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. The company?s blood and biologics management solutions include HCLL Transfusion and HCLL Donor, which address blood donor recruitment, blood processing, and transfusion activities for hospitals and medical centers; BloodSafe suite of hardware and software that enable healthcare facilities to store, monitor, distribute, and track blood products; LifeTrak software for blood centers; a nd BiologiCare, a bone, tissue, and cellular product tracking software. Its medication management products comprise WORx, a pharmacy information system to manage inpatient and outpatient pharmacy operations; MediCOE, a physician order entry module; MediMAR, a nurse point-of-care administration and bedside documentation module; MediREC, which assists in achieving compliance with a Joint Commission mandate; and pharmacy management and electronic prescribing systems. The company?s performance management products include InSight software that tracks performance metrics to assist healthcare managers to manage performance. It also provides software installation and maintenance services, as well as billing and collection services to home infusion and home/durable medical equipment markets. The company markets its products primarily through its direct sales force. Mediware Information Systems, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDW) plans to acquire the assets of Indianapolis-based Strategic Healthcare Group LLC (SHG), a leading provider of blood management consulting, education and informatics solutions.
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: CVS Corporation(CVS)
CVS Caremark Corporation operates as a pharmacy services company in the United States. The company?s Pharmacy Services segment provides a range of pharmacy benefit management services, including mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy services, plan design and administration, formulary management, and claims processing; and drug benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Federal Government?s Medicare Part D program. This segment primarily serves employers, insurance companies, unions, government employee groups, managed care organizations and other sponsors of health benefit plans, and individuals. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 44 retail specialty pharmacy stores, 18 specialty mail order pharmacies, and 4 mail service pharmacies located in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This segment operates business under the CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services, Caremark, CVS Caremark, CarePlus CVS/pharmacy, CarePlus, RxAmerica, Accordant, and TheraCom names. The company?s Retail Pharmacy segment sells prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through its pharmacy retail stores and online, as well as offers film and photo finishing, and health care services. This segment operated 7,182 retail drugstores located in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia; and 560 retail health care clinics in 26 states and the District of Columbia under the MinuteClinic name. It has a strategic alliance with Alere, L.L.C. for the management of disease management program offerings that cover chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. CVS Caremark Corporation was founded in 1892 and is based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Brownell]
Alamy Following an onslaught of media coverage and social media mockery, CVS has agreed to stop giving comically long receipts to its ExtraCare Rewards members. In a Facebook post Friday night, CVS (CVS) chief marketing officer Rob Price acknowledged the complaints about its receipts -- which in some cases measure more than 3 feet long for a single item -- and said it would take steps to shorten them. "You asked for ALL the savings and LESS paper," he wrote. "So, we've found a way to reduce the size of the ExtraCare portion of your receipts by 25% while still providing you all the coupons and rewards." He went on to say that the shorter receipts will be rolling out in the next few weeks, and that the "Send to Card" program, which allows you to send select coupon offers directly to your ExtraCare card, will be expanded next year to include all coupons and offers. That means that ExtraCare members can get all the offers, but with a standard-sized receipt. We stumbled across the issue last week, when an AOL employee bought a single item at a local CVS and wound up with a 38-inch receipt. As we would discover, plenty of shoppers had begun grumbling on social media about similarly long receipts, with some musing about alternative uses for the paper. Other media outlets, including FastCompany and the Huffington Post, likewise picked up on the spreading meme. In its post Friday, CVS showed some sense of humor, acknowledging the "very creative uses" people had come up with for their receipts. It's worth noting that the receipts are still going to be pretty long. It's only a 25% reduction, and only in the coupon portion of the receipt; by our math, that's a reduction of between 6 and 10 inches, so you're still looking at receipts that are upwards of 2 feet in length. That's not quite long enough to wear as a beauty pageant sash, and will prompt a bit less mockery on Twitter, but it still seems like quite a waste of paper. So if that's a concern for you, by all mea
Top 5 Growth Companies To Own For 2014: Cloud Peak Energy Inc(CLD)
Cloud Peak Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of the United States. It produces sub-bituminous steam coal with low sulfur content for electric utilities and industrial customers. The company owns and operates Antelope surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; the Cordero Rojo surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; and the Spring Creek surface coal mine located in Montana. It also owns a 50% interest in the Decker surface coal mine located in Montana. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 970 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
The price of natural gas, however, has dropped 0.4% today, and wouldn’t you know it, coal stocks are weak. Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) has dropped 4.2% to $16.15, while Peabody Energy (BTU) has fallen 2.9% to $17.27. Arch Coal (ACI) is off 1.3% at $4.45, Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) has declined 1.4% to $5.76 and Consol Energy (CNX) has dipped 0.7% to $31.35.
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: AeroVironment Inc.(AVAV)
AeroVironment, Inc. designs, develops, produces, and supports unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and efficient energy systems for various industries and governmental agencies. Its UAS provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including real-time tactical reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment, and geographic data to the small tactical unit or individual war fighter. The UAS wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors directly to a hand-held ground control system, enabling the operator to view and capture images during the day or at night on a hand-held ground control unit. AeroVironment also provides spare equipment, alternative payload modules, batteries, chargers, repair services, and customer support for the UAS. In addition, the company produces industrial productivity and clean transportation solutions for commercial and government customers, develops potential clean t ransportation solutions, and performs contract engineering services; offers PosiCharge electric vehicle charging systems for industrial electric material handling fleets, electric vehicle charging systems for passenger and fleet vehicles, and power cycling and test systems for developers and manufacturers of plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as battery packs, electric motors, and fuel cells; and supplies power cycling and test systems to research and development organizations that focus on developing electric propulsion systems, electric generation systems, and electricity storage systems. It supplies its UAS primarily to the organizations within the United States department of defense. AeroVironment, Inc. was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Monrovia, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Shares of unmanned aerial vehicle specialist-cum-battery fast-charger equipment maker AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV ) surged in early Wednesday trading, helped by kind words from a new investor that's just taken a substantial stake in the company.
- [By Blake Bos]
In the video below, Blake observes how smaller companies like iRobot� (NASDAQ: IRBT ) and AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV ) , as well as huge defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin� (NYSE: LMT ) and Northrop Grumman� (NYSE: NOC ) , are positioned to benefit from this trend.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One aerospace player that insiders are loading up on here is AeroVironment (AVAV), which is engaged in the design, development, production and support of unmanned aircraft systems and efficient energy systems for various industries and governmental agencies. Insiders are buying this stock into decent strength, since shares are up 23% during the last six months.
AeroVironment has a market cap of $504 million and an enterprise value of $379 million. This stock trades at a premium valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 108.75 and a forward price-to-earnings of 44.35. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 47.4%, and for next year it's pegged at 82.1%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $128.81 million and its total debt is zero.
A director just bought 5,000 shares, or about $112,000 worth of stock, at $22.50 per share.
From a technical perspective, AVAV is currently trending right below its 50-day moving average and above its 200-day moving averages, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $20.78 on the downside and $23.97 on the upside. Shares of AVAV are now starting to trend within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.
If you're bullish on AVAV, then look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above support at $22.30 or above its 200-day at $21.05 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $23.60 to $23.97 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 205,927 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then AVAV will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $25 to $28 a share.
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Uranium Resources Inc.(URRE)
Uranium Resources, Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and mining of uranium properties, using the in situ recovery or solution mining process. It owns developed and undeveloped uranium properties in South Texas; and undeveloped uranium properties in New Mexico. The company?s primary customers include utilities who utilize nuclear power to generate electricity. Uranium Resources, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is based in Lewisville, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Since the start of the week, small cap nuclear fuel stock USEC Inc (NYSE: USU) more than doubled for investors, something that has not happened for investors in uranium stocks like Uranium Resources, Inc (NASDAQ: URRE), Denison Mines Corp (NYSEMKT: DNN), Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT: URG) and Uranerz Energy Corp (NYSEMKT: URZ). To recap: USEC Inc closed at the $6 level on Friday, but then it surged to the $15 level on Monday only to open at the $10 level on Tuesday when it ultimately closed at $12.46. So what in the world is going on with USEC Inc and is it time to revisit nuclear fuel and uranium stocks?
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: First Busey Corporation(BUSE)
First Busey Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Busey Bank that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services to individual, corporate, institutional, and governmental customers in the United States. It accepts noninterest-bearing demand, interest-bearing transaction, savings, money market, and time deposits. The company?s loan portfolio includes commercial, agricultural, and real estate loans; individual, consumer, installment, first mortgage, and second mortgage loans; and commercial real estate, residential real estate, and consumer loans. It also provides money transfer, safe deposit, fiduciary, automated banking, and automated fund transfer services. In addition, the company provides asset management, brokerage, and fiduciary services, including financial planning, investment management, retirement planning, brokerage, and trust and estate advisory services to individuals; investment management, business succession planning, an d employee retirement plan services to businesses; and investment management, investment strategy consulting, and fiduciary services to foundations. Further, it offers pay processing solutions, such as walk-in payments processing for payments delivered by customers to retail pay agents; online bill payment solutions for payments made by customers on a billing company?s Website; customer service payments for payments accepted over the telephone; direct debit services; electronic concentration of payments delivered by the automated clearing house network; money management software and credit card networks; and lockbox remittance processing of payments delivered by mail. The company has 33 locations in Illinois, 7 locations in southwest Florida, and 1 location in Indianapolis, Indiana. First Busey Corporation was founded in 1868 and is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois.
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Express-1 Expedited Solutions Inc.(XPO)
XPO Logistics, Inc. provides third-party logistics services using a network of relationships with ground, sea, and air carriers in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It operates in three segments: Express-1, Concert Group Logistics, and Bounce Logistics. The Express-1 segment offers ground expedited surface transportation services for freight. It operates a fleet ranging from cargo vans to semi tractor trailer units. The Concert Group Logistics segment provides domestic and international freight forwarding services through a network of independently owned stations. Its domestic freight forwarding services include air charter, expedites, and time sensitive services, as well as cost sensitive services comprising deferred delivery, less than truckload, and full truck load services; and international freight forwarding services consist of on-board courier and air charters, time sensitive services, less-than-container and full-container-loads, and vessel charters. This segm ent also offers documentation on international shipments, customs clearance and banking, trade show shipment management, time definite and customized product distributions, reverse logistics and on site asset recovery projects, installation coordination, freight optimization, and diversity compliance support services. The Bounce Logistics segment provides premium freight brokerage services for truckload shipments. The company serves approximately 4,000 retail, commercial, manufacturing, and industrial customers through 6 U.S. operations centers and 22 agent locations. It offers its services to the automotive manufacturing, automotive components and supplies, commercial printing, durable goods manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food and consumer products, and high tech sectors. The company was formerly known as Express-1 Expedited Solutions, Inc. and changed its name to XPO Logistics, Inc. in September 2011. XPO Logistics, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is based in Buchanan, Michi gan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO ) jumped 13% today after announcing an acquisition.
So what: The company will pay $365 million for logistics provider 3PD, consisting of $357 million in cash an $8 million in XPO restricted stock. Is will use its own cash and borrow $195 million from Credit Suisse Group for the remainder of the purchase. �
Hot Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Ford Motor Credit Company(F)
Ford Motor Company primarily develops, manufactures, distributes, and services vehicles and parts worldwide. It operates in two sectors, Automotive and Financial Services. The Automotive sector offers vehicles primarily under the Ford and Lincoln brand names. This sector markets cars, trucks, and parts through retail dealers in North America, and through distributors and dealers outside of North America. It also sells cars and trucks to dealers for sale to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments. In addition, this sector provides retail customers with a range of after-sale vehicle services and products in the areas, such as maintenance and light repair, heavy repair, collision repair, vehicle accessories, and extended service contracts under the Ford Service, Lincoln Service, Ford Custom Accessories, Ford Extended Service Plan, and Motorcraft brand names. The Financial Services sector offers vari ous automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers. It offers retail financing, which includes retail installment contracts for new and used vehicles; direct financing leases; wholesale financing products that comprise loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory; loans to dealers to finance working capital, purchase real estate dealership, and/or make improvements to dealership facilities; and other financing products, as well as provides insurance services. Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Rosevear]
Ford's (NYSE: F ) latest cars and trucks are getting terrific reviews. Vehicles like the all-new Fusion and Escape are posting big sales gains, month after month. But Ford dropped way down the charts in this year's JD Power Initial Quality Study, while rival General Motors (NYSE: GM ) stole the show. What's the deal?
- [By John Rosevear]
But the story behind the story is this: GM expects its new trucks to generate much bigger profits for the company than the old models ever did -- thanks to a strategy that GM borrowed from Ford (NYSE: F ) . In this video, Fool contributor John Rosevear looks at GM's new pickup strategy -- and how the new trucks were designed from the start to make it happen.
- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Ford Motor is revolutionizing its vehicles and hoping to make American vehicles a very competitive option for most consumers and companies around the world. The stock is on a strong run that has put it near a critical price level where a solid break higher may see it coasting towards prices not seen in years. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been mixed which has led to investors expecting a little more. Relative to its peers and sector, Ford Motor has been a year-to-date average performer. WAIT AND SEE if Ford Motor can break above these key price levels.
- [By John Rosevear]
In this video, Motley Fool contributor John Rosevear looks at what's working -- and at what isn't -- for the smallest of the Detroit automakers. He also contrasts recent trends at Chrysler with what has been happening at Ford (NYSE: F ) and General Motors� (NYSE: GM ) -- and points out a potential big flaw in Chrysler's product strategy.
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