15 Stocks That Benefit From Dollar Strength

Bloomberg Fed Chair Janet Yellen

If you believe the greenback will be stronger for longer, domestic companies should outperform those with international exposure.

While the dollar has been “been on a tear,” Bespoke Investment Group writes that there is a case to be made for long-term strength. For one, the U.S. economy is gaining footing — GDP advanced at a 4% clip in the second quarter. And as the Federal Reserve continues to pull back on its asset purchasing program, even if rates aren’t spiking higher, Bespoke writes,

“as dovish as Janet Yellen and the rest of the FOMC may be, the days of zero interest rates are numbered and coming to an end.”

Based on the view that the dollar will continue to outperform most of its major global peers, Bespoke writes:

“We would also expect U.S. stocks, and more specifically stocks with domestic exposure, to outperform stocks [that are] more exposed to international markets. Another factor working in favor of domestically-focused U.S. stocks is gas prices. The national average price of a gallon of gas has declined every day this month for a total decline of 4.3%. … When the dollar is strong, companies with a large proportion of international revenue typically underperform, while companies with a larger percentage of domestic exposure outperform. Two sectors that have been negatively impacted by recent strength in the dollar are industrials and consumer staples.”

Carving out Standard & Poor’s 500 index names with mostly U.S. revenue, Bespoke says that if the dollar rallys, these stocks  – with positive trends — could outperform the broader market. A third of them are financials, two are utilities:

Apartment Invest & Management (AIV)
Ameriprise (AMP)
Edison International (EIX)
Host Hotels & Resorts (HST)
Kimco Realty (KIM)
Kroger (KR)
Lincoln National (LNC)
Newfield Exploration (NFX)
Republic Services (RSG)
UnitedHealth (UNH)
Verizon (VZ)
Wells Fargo (WFC)
WellPoint (WLP)
Wyndham Worldwide (WYN)
Xcel Energy Utilities (XEL)

Olive Garden: Unlimited Breadsticks, Unlimited Problems

"When you're here, you're family," is the slogan that Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI  ) used to promote its Olive Garden casual dining chain for more than a decade before moving to a new marketing mantra in 2012. It's probably for the best, since Darden's own family is in for a bit of a shake-up. 

Chairman and CEO Clarence Otis is stepping down after a decade at the helm. He'll be gone by the end of the year. It's not really a surprise: Fending off activist investors while dealing with the restaurateur's recent sluggish performance will turn any executive chair into a hot seat. However, watching the stock open higher on Tuesday morning on the news that broke after market close on Monday is a bit of a shock.

Source: Olive Garden.

Darden's problems go beyond simply replacing its CEO. Olive Garden has rattled off four consecutive quarters of negative comps, while Darden as a whole has missed Wall Street's profit targets in four of the past five quarters. Investors may want to blame the CEO -- turning him away like stale breadsticks -- but there's a larger trend working against Italian casual dining chains that goes beyond the person calling the shots. 

If the stock is rallying on the prospects for an executive shuffle resulting in an outright sale of Darden, the market may be sorely disappointed in the end result. After all, Darden on Monday completed the sale of Red Lobster -- a concept that was faring worse than Olive Garden -- and activists are angry that it didn't get enough for the struggling seafood chain. Why would Olive Garden command a much loftier market premium? It's not as if Red Lobster was a secret pocket listing. It had been trying to publicly smoke out a suitor for months.

Given that casual dining has been out of favor with investors outside of a handful of market darlings, it's hard to fathom Darden as a buyout candidate. Darden does have some promising younger concepts in its portfolio, but it can't turn Seasons 52 or Yard House into needle-moving companies without selling Olive Garden in another fire sale. Either way, now with Red Lobster gone, Olive Garden contributed 57% of Darden's revenue in its most recent quarter. Darden won't reward investors until it fixes Olive Garden.

It is good to see Darden announce that it will separate the CEO and chairman positions, but simply doubling up on Otis' former tasks will not make Olive Garden relevant again. We've been through enough menu changes and decor remodels to know that it's not going to shake its role as a punchline when someone wants to poke fun at a mass marketer of Italian cuisine. 

When you're here you are family. The rub is that you're a dysfunctional family.

More from The Motley Fool: Warren Buffett Tells You How to Turn $40 Into $10 Million

Amazon Slips On Wider-Than-Expected Loss; Acacia Research Shares Gain

Related BZSUM Amazon Rating And Price Target Cut; Pandora Reports Slow Growth Markets Open Lower; Xerox Profit Beats Estimates

Midway through trading Friday, the Dow traded down 0.80 percent to 16,947.71 while the NASDAQ tumbled 0.70 percent to 4,440.96. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.52 percent to 1,977.69.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Basic materials shares gained 0.10 percent in trading on Friday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included DRDGOLD (NYSE: DRD), up 7.4 percent, and LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB), up 4.5 percent.

In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.80 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Silicon Laboratories (NASDAQ: SLAB), down 13.7 percent, and Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA), off 13.4 percent.

Top Headline

Xerox (NYSE: XRX) reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raised the lower end of its full-year earnings forecast.

The Norwalk, Connecticut-based company reported a quarterly profit of $266 million, versus a year-ago profit of $271 million. Its per-share earnings climbed to $0.22 from $0.21 per share. The year-ago quarter results included a loss of $0.02 per share related to discontinued operations. Excluding certain items, it earned $0.27 per share in the recent quarter.

Its revenue declined 1.8% to $5.29 billion from $5.39 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.26 per share on revenue of $5.31 billion.

Equities Trading UP

Acacia Research (NASDAQ: ACTG) shares shot up 14.82 percent to $17.20 after the company reported upbeat Q2 results and approved a $0.125 per share quarterly dividend.

Shares of Qlik Technologies (NASDAQ: QLIK) got a boost, shooting up 12.48 percent to $26.31 after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly results.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (NYSE: RBS) shares were also up, gaining 10.38 percent to $12.34 on strong earnings report.

Equities Trading DOWN

Shares of Pandora Media (NYSE: P) were down 13.51 percent to $24.84 after the company announced slower than expected growth metrics. Pandora’s earnings beat the official analyst estimate by $0.01 per share at $0.04 per share. The company also raised its full-year forecast.

Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares tumbled 11.09 percent to $318.84 after the company reported a wider-than-expected loss for the second quarter. For the third quarter, Amazon projected sales of $19.7 billion to $21.5 billion. Analysts at B Riley downgraded Amazon from Buy to Neutral and lowered the target price from $425 to $350.

Informatica (NASDAQ: INFA) was down, falling 13.53 percent to $30.21 after the company reported quarterly results and lowered its FY14 earnings forecast. Baird downgraded Informatica from Outperform to Neutral and lowered the price target from $45.00 to $36.00.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.09 percent to $102.16, while gold traded up 0.63 percent to $1,300.90.

Silver traded up 0.73 percent Friday to $20.57, while copper fell 0.69 percent to $3.24.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 declined 0.83 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index climbed 0.05 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index fell 1.06 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX declined 1.41 percent and the French CAC 40 tumbled 1.90 percent while UK shares fell 0.43 percent.

Economics

Orders for durable goods increased 0.7% in June, versus economists’ expectations for a 0.5% gain.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Downgrades Eurozone Futures Price Target Commodities

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Earnings Scheduled For July 24, 2014 Apple's iTime Patent: Proof That The iWatch Is Coming Soon? Thursday Morning Earnings Reports Bank of America Raises Facebook's Price Objective on 'Best Beats in the Sector' Organovo Up 19% #PreMarket; In Research Pact With Johnson & Johnson Unit #PreMarket Primer: Thursday, July 24: Facebook Proves Its Worth Related Articles (ACTG + AMZN) Amazon Rating And Price Target Cut; Pandora Reports Slow Growth Amazon Conference Call Highlights Amazon Slips On Wider-Than-Expected Loss; Acacia Research Shares Gain SunTrust's Bob Peck Comments On Amazon Following Earnings Analysts Debate: Is Amazon The 'Prophet Of No Profit'? Markets Open Lower; Xerox Profit Beats Estimates

Stock Showdown: Ford vs. GM stock

Popular Posts: Apple Earnings Set to Give AAPL Stock a LiftApple’s So-So Quarter Could Kill AAPL’s Mojo3 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy Low Recent Posts: Don’t Get Burned by Under Armour Stock Stock Showdown: Ford vs. GM stock PEP Stock – Is PepsiCo Right for Retirement? View All Posts Stock Showdown: Ford vs. GM stock

Ford (F) and General Motors (GM) aren’t firing on all cylinders, but their latest earnings revealed strong underlying businesses and — in the case of GM — surprising resilience. But that doesn’t mean Ford and GM stock are equal as investments.

Source: iStockphoto.com

It’s no secret that new vehicles sales are strong. Years of pent-up demand have finally been unleashed, bringing sales back to pre-recession levels. Indeed, June vehicle sales topped 17 million, nearly twice the number of vehicles sold during the depths of the downturn five years ago.

Happily for anyone holding Ford or GM stock, rising sales aren’t entirely attributable to car buyers finally trading in their old vehicles. Indeed, Ford and GM are benefitting from canny investments made in their own products. It’s hard to remember a time when U.S. car markers offered such a wide range of high-quality vehicles.

That’s not to say Ford and GM are without problems (cough, recall). As we said above, neither automaker is firing on all cylinders. Ford and GM stock have carved out different paths this year to reflect their different risk profiles and prospects. Both Ford and GM’s businesses are doing pretty well, but if you had to pick just one stock? Here’s look at some of the pros and cons of Ford and GM stock:

Ford Stock (F)

Ford stock got a nice lift in early trading after Ford posted better-than-expected earnings despite a small decline in sales. On an adjusted basis, Ford earnings came to 40 cents per share, vs. analysts’ forecast of 36 cents.

That’s a substantial earnings beat — something the market usually loves — but it wasn’t without some blemishes. On the plus side, Ford posted better-than-expected results in North America and Europe. Indeed, Europe was profitable for Ford for the first time in three years.

Furthermore, Ford lowered costs, which allowed it to post higher earnings even as revenue slipped to $37.4 billion from $37.9 billion a year ago. With better sales in two major regions and lower costs, Ford stock deserves some applause.

On the downside, South America and Asia were disappointing. In South America, Ford suffered a wider-than-expected loss in operating profit. As for Asia, China was a bright spot for Ford — market share hit a record 4.6% — but overall operating profit for the region came up well short of projections.

Ford is doing well and the outlook is fairly bright. Hey, there’s a reason why Ford stock is up 15% this year to outperform the broader market by 7 percentage points. A forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9 makes for an attractive valuation on Ford stock, and the 3% dividend yield isn’t shabby either.

GM Stock (GM)

You can’t talk about GM without leading with its seemingly never-ending recall debacle. GM has recalled nearly 30 million vehicles, and the related costs absolutely clobbered the bottom line. For the most recent quarter, GM said net income fell 80% after taking a hit of $1.2 billion in recall charges.

In other bad news, on an adjusted basis, GM earned 58 cents per share, or a penny short of Wall Street estimates, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters. As if that weren’t enough, uncertainty about victim compensation and some regional weakness also weighed on GM stock in early trading.

GM said it set aside $400 million to compensate victims, but that figure could increase by another $200 million. Since the final tally will be decided by an outside compensation expert, those are GM’s best estimates. The actual damage could be worse, and that’s going to continue to tug on GM stock.

In another knock against GM stock, the auto maker isn’t faring as well in regional operating profitability as Ford. North America and China showed ongoing strength, but Europe and South America logged losses.

However, GM’s revenue actually rose slightly, up to $39.6 billion from $39.1 billion a year ago. That’s a big point in GM’s favor, as is the case that monthly sales figures continue to be robust regardless of the recalls.

The Verdict

Source: Ford

We’ve argued before that GM stock is a buy. The underlying business is strong and the recall costs have probably been more than baked into the GM stock price. After all, you’re supposed to buy when there’s blood in the streets, and GM has certainly been bloodied.

The punishment doled out to GM stock makes the valuation sure look compelling, fetching 9 times forward earnings. Like Ford stock, that makes GM stock much cheaper than the broader market even though it has stronger growth prospects. You’ve also got to like that 3.3% dividend yield.

At the same, Ford stock also looks pretty good. Shares are cheap, the underlying business is likewise strong, and the dividend of 3% adds some nice kick to the total return.

It’s a tough call, but Ford stock looks like the (slightly) better investment. That’s based almost entirely on recall risk. GM should theoretically have more potential upside because of that risk. Ford stock is less of a gamble.

Stocks are like cars — safety is more important than excitement. That gives Ford stock an edge over GM stock.

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

Brent Slides Despite International Instability

Related BNO Brent Near $108 Ahead Of Inventory Data Brent Steady With Geopolitical Tension In Focus Related DBE Geopolitical Tension Back In The Driver Seat For Crude Oil Prices Up On Chinese And U.S. Demand

Brent crude oil retreated on Wednesday, shaking off supply worries due to geopolitical tension and falling under pressure from an oversupplied market.

The commodity traded at $107.21 at 8:40 GMT on Wednesday morning as investors awaited US inventory data, due out later in the day.

Russia, the world’s largest oil supplier, has been under the microscope as accusations were made that Moscow was to blame for the downed Malaysian Airlines passenger plane last week.

On Tuesday, the European Union threatened further sanctions against Moscow, but has yet to take action.

CNBC reported that French officials have confirmed that the nation will move forward with a planned delivery of a warship to Moscow this week, something both the US and the UK have been protesting.

Related Link: Halliburton Benefits From Consumption, Cost Cutting & Political Warmth To Fracking

Instability in Libya is also on the radar as the nation’s government is still struggling with rebel groups.  This week two suicide bombers took out an army base in Benghazi, highlighting the government’s lack of control over the deteriorating situation.

Libyan oil exports dropped to 450,000 barrels per day on Monday, down from 555,000 bpd on Thursday. Despite that, Libya’s National Oil Company is optimistic about the planned reopening of its Brega oil port, which would increase the region’s production.

Moving forward, investors will be anticipating the Energy Information Administration’s oil inventory report, due out later in the day. Analysts are expecting the data to show that US crude inventories fell 2.8 million barrels last week.

On Tuesday, the American Petroleum Institute’s version of the same report showed that US crude stocks were down 555,000 barrels last week.

Posted-In: News Commodities Forex Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets Best of Benzinga

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Analysts Comment On Apple Before Q3 Earnings UPDATE: UBS Raises Price Target On Apple Earnings Scheduled For July 22, 2014 Morgan Stanley Needs Better Entry Point For General Electric Microsoft Cloud Results, Nokia Key To Fiscal Q4 And Outlook Microsoft Misses FQ4 Bottom Line On 17% Revenue Growth Related Articles (BNO + BROAD) EU Sanctions Against Russia Likely On The Way Brent Near $108 Ahead Of Inventory Data Euro Steady Above $1.35 With Markets Subdued Brent Steady With Geopolitical Tension In Focus Euro Steady At $1.35 Amid Glob

Should ARM Thank Apple Inc. For This Earnings Pop?

Apple's 64-bit A7 chip. Source: Apple.

Positioned at the heart of the mobile revolution, ARM Holdings (NASDAQ: ARMH  ) has a unique perspective on where computing is headed. The British company just reported a strong second quarter and shares are enjoying healthy gains today. It's possible that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) had a little something to do with driving ARM's quarter.

Let's dig in.

Starting at the top
Revenue came in at $309.6 million, a 17% jump from a year ago. Importantly, materially all of that growth came from licensing revenue. Total royalty revenue was essentially flat at $135.5 million. Within that total, royalties on shipped processors was up a modest 2% year over year, echoing some of the smartphone deceleration that investors have seen from major players such as Samsung and Apple.

Revenue

Q2 2013

Q2 2014

Total licensing	$102.6 million	$146.1 million
Total royalty	$135.3 million	$135.5 million
Software, tools, and services	$26.4 million	$28 million
Total revenue	$264.3 million	$309.6 million

Source: ARM.

Inking new licenses is key to ARM's future success, as it builds a pipeline and backlog of royalty streams that pay off for years. ARM scored 41 new processor licenses during the quarter, bringing its cumulative total to over 1,100.

Let's talk royalties
Royalty-bearing chips shipped during the quarter rose 11% to 2.7 billion. Mobile and embedded continue to be the dominant market segments in which ARM chips are being used. Average royalty per chip fell to $0.046.

Royalty revenue was stagnant for several reasons. Not only did seasonal trends related to broader consumer trends (80% of ARM's royalty value comes from consumer markets) affect growth, but China's broader transition from 3G to 4G also adversely impacted results. Wireless carriers are working to clear out existing inventory of 3G handsets in preparation for inventory buildup of 4G devices. That means OEMs are holding off on using the latest chips (which earn higher royalty rates) for the sake of their own inventory management.

Let's talk licensing (and Apple)
ARM signed seven new ARMv8 licenses during the quarter, bringing its year-to-date total to 13. This is the important part and where Apple comes into the equation. ARMv8 represents the transition to 64-bit chip architecture that is just now beginning. That's the same transition that Apple officially kicked off in the mobile space last year with the iPhone 5s and its A7 processor.

The shift to 64-bit has been years in the making. ARM began licensing ARMv8 back in 2009, but it takes years to develop chips and bring them to market.

Source: ARM.

ARMv8 licensing activity has dramatically accelerated over the past 18 months, and the company now has 50 total licenses. Apple took the industry off guard when it announced A7 last year, and competitors have scrambled to catch up in the 64-bit race. In December, a Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM  ) employee conceded that the A7 "hit us in the gut" and that the company was "stunned" and "unprepared."

Samsung quickly confirmed that it would release a 64-bit chip in 2014, and Qualcomm has also been filling out its 64-bit lineup. While Qualcomm likes to tout its high-performance custom cores, its 64-bit offerings all use standard ARM cores. Custom cores take longer to develop, and this was likely a shortcut to accelerate the timeline. The important thing to note here is that Qualcomm obviously feels rushed and wants to catch up posthaste.

While neither Qualcomm nor Samsung would be included in this quarter's list of new ARMv8 licensees, the broader theme is that Apple has catalyzed 64-bit adoption in a big way and is accelerating the transition through competition, which is leading to more licensing activity for ARM.

It's the time of the season
As investors head into the tail end of 2014, ARM should see seasonal upside in its consumer end markets. That will include the iPhone 6 launch and its expected A8 processor, along with many other mobile devices. ARM expects full-year revenue to be "in line with market expectations," which is approximately $1.3 billion. Trading at 16 times sales, ARM is rather pricey. But it could be worth it.

Leaked: Apple's next smart device (warning, it may shock you)
Apple recently recruited a secret-development "dream team" to guarantee its newest smart device was kept hidden from the public for as long as possible. But the secret is out, and some early viewers are claiming its everyday impact could trump the iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. In fact, ABI Research predicts 485 million of this type of device will be sold per year. But one small company makes Apple's gadget possible. And its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors. To be one of them, and see Apple's newest smart gizmo, just click here!

What today's anti-Obamacare rulings mean to 4.7 million Americans

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Some 4.7 million Americans could be at risk of losing their Obamacare subsidies if Tuesday's federal appeals court in the D.C. Circuit ruling stands.

These are the folks who received subsidies to purchase their health insurance through the federal Obamacare exchange, healthcare.gov.

The three-judge federal panel said, according to the Affordable Care Act, individuals cannot use tax credits or subsidies to buy health insurance on the federal exchange. The Obama administration plans to appeal.

However, later Tuesday, another federal appeals court unanimously upheld the ability for enrollees to receive subsidies on the federal exchange.

For Americans receiving subsidies, nothing will change until the legal court battle ends. People in the 14 states and Washington D.C. that run their own exchanges would not be affected by this ruling.

Subsidies are key to the Affordable Care Act's success: About 87% of those who signed up for Obamacare plans on healthcare.gov received them.

Many people feel they cannot afford health insurance without help.

The subsidies limit the cost of coverage to no more than 9.5% of one's income for those who qualify. Those eligible for subsidies paid an average of $82 a month, compared to $346 without assistance, the administration said last month.

"These subsidies are extraordinarily important," said Ron Pollack, executive director, Families USA, a consumer group that supports Obamacare. The assistance makes a "critical difference" in whether low- and moderate-income Americans can afford coverage.

Anyone earning up to 400% of the poverty line -- up to $45,960 for an individual and $94,200 for a family of four -- was eligible for a premium subsidy during the initial open enrollment period, which ended March 31. Additional cost-sharing subsidies are available to those with incomes below 250% of the poverty line.

Oil, Chips and Diesel Power Lead 10 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts

Popular Posts: 5 Biggest Risks Facing the Rally in Q3Alibaba IPO Date Influenced by Chinese MysticismOil, Chips and Diesel Power Lead 10 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts Recent Posts: Oil, Chips and Diesel Power Lead 10 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts Harman Is Loudest of 4 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts 5 Biggest Risks Facing the Rally in Q3 View All Posts Oil, Chips and Diesel Power Lead 10 Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts

What do an oil giant, a tech stalwart and a diesel-engine maker have in common?

They're all dividend stocks that have announced increased payouts in July. So far this month, we've seen 10 dividend stock divas move to make shareholders happy by upping their respective payouts.

Topping that list of companies is oil behemoth ConocoPhillips (COP), semiconductor equipment maker KLA-Tencor (KLAC) and diesel-engine producer Cummins (CMI). In percentage terms, Cummins revved up its payout the most, increasing the horsepower on its quarterly dividend by nearly 25%.

So, how did the rest of the field fare? Here's a rundown on all the dividend stocks increasing payouts so far this month.

Oil and natural gas firm Breitburn Energy Partners (BBEP) lifted its quarterly dividend payout to 16.75 cents per share from 16.58 cents, or a 1% increase. The new dividend will be paid July 16 to shareholders of record as of July 11. The stock goes ex-dividend on July 9.
BBEP Dividend Yield: 9.1%.

ConocoPhillips (COP) drilled down into its fiscal well and unearthed a 5.8% bigger dividend, raising its quarterly payment to 73 cents per share from 69 cents. The new dividend will be paid on Sept. 2 to shareholders on record as July 21. The stock goes ex-dividend on July 17.
COP Dividend Yield: 3.2%

Cummins, Inc. (CMI) delivered some serious torque to its dividend by increasing its payout 24.8% to 78 cents per share from 62.5 cents. The enhanced payment will be made Sept. 2 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 22. The stock goes ex-dividend on Aug. 20.
CMI Dividend Yield: 1.6%.

Utility and power-generation giant Duke Energy (DUK) raised the temperature on its dividend, boosting its quarterly payment 1.9% to 79.5 cents per share from 78 cents. The new payment is due Sept. 16 to shareholders on record as of Aug. 15. DUK goes ex-dividend on Aug. 13.
DUK Dividend Yield: 4.3%

Midstream energy services company Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) will pump up its dividend by 1.4% to 72 cents per share from 71 cents. The increased payment will be delivered Aug. 7 to shareholders of record as of July 31. The stock will go ex-dividend July 29.
EEP Dividend Yield: 3.7%.

Genesis Energy L.P. (GEL) is a midstream energy services partnership operating in the Gulf Coast region, and this month it moved to dial up its dividend by 2.7% to 56.5 cents per share from 55 cents. The bigger payment will be made on Aug. 14 to shareholders on record as of Aug. 1. The stock will go ex-dividend July 30.
GEL Dividend Yield: 4.1%.

KLA-Tencor (KLAC) increased the processing power on its dividend chip, raising its quarterly payout 11% to 50 cents per share from 45 cents. The company also said it will increase its share repurchase program for up to 13 million additional shares, a big boost from the prior repurchase agreement. KLAC did not announce payment dates, or ex-dividend dates for the new payout.
KLAC Dividend Yield: 2.6%.

Payroll and human resource services company Paychex, Inc. (PAYX) gave shareholders an 8.6% raise, lifting its quarterly dividend to 38 cents per share from 35. The raise will be effective on Aug. 15 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 1. The stock will go ex-dividend on July 30.
PAYX Dividend Yield: 3.3%

Oil and natural gas transport firm Plains All American Pipeline L.P. (PAA) will pump a 2.4% bigger dividend to 64.5 cents from 63 cents. The increased payment will be made Aug. 14 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 1. The stock's ex-dividend date is July 30.
PAA Dividend Yield: 4.4%.

Tallgrass Energy Partners LP (TEP) is another midstream energy partnership creating bigger smiles for shareholders. The company upped its payout 16.9% to 38 cents per share from 32.5 cents. The new dividend is payable on Aug. 14 to shareholders of record as of July 30. The stock goes ex-dividend on July 28.
TEP Dividend Yield: 3.1%.

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

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of a 529 College Savings Plan

Vetta/Getty Images Apart from retirement, saving for college expenses is one of the longest-term goals that families set for their finances. After scrimping for years to build up your college savings, the last thing you want to do is make mistakes that will cost you when it comes time to make withdrawals. If you've used 529 plans to save for college, making the most of the available tax advantages is just part of the picture. Here are five tips for making the most of your 529 plan cash. 1. Spend Your 529 Plan Money on the Right Expenses You're allowed to get tax-free treatment on withdrawals for qualified higher education expenses. Those expenses include tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment. If the student attends college at least half-time or more, room and board also qualifies -- but the amount is limited to a figure set by the school. So if the student lives off-campus, ask the school for its maximum. 2. Don't Waste Your Opportunities for Other Tax Credits Even if you have enough 529 plan money to cover every penny of your college expenses, you still might not want to withdraw the full amount you owe. That's because multiple tax breaks are available for college expenses, but you can only use each dollar of expenses for one benefit.

Markets Mixed, NASDAQ Lower As Yellen Suggests Valuations Are Stretched

Related ALB Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Tuesday July 15, 2014 Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase Report Strong Earnings; Retail Numbers Fall Below Estimates

U.S. stocks were mixed with the NASDAQ index declining after the Fed's Chief Janet Yellen suggested that some sectors are characterized by "stretched" valuations.

In prepared remarks to the Senate Banking Committee, Yellen also claimed that interest rates could rise sooner and at a faster pace if the labor market continues to show strength.

"The Committee recognizes that low interest rates may provide incentives for some investors to 'reach for yield,' and those actions could increase vulnerabilities in the financial system to adverse events,” Yellen added. “While prices of real estate, equities, and corporate bonds have risen appreciably and valuation metrics have increased, they remain generally in line with historical norms. In some sectors, such as lower-rated corporate debt, valuations appear stretched and issuance has been brisk. Accordingly, we are closely monitoring developments in the leveraged loan market and are working to enhance the effectiveness of our supervisory guidance.”

Recommended: 4 Stocks To Watch In Light Of Tuesday's Defense Hearings

The Dow gained 0.03 percent, closing at 17,060.68. The S&P 500 lost 0.19 percent, closing at 1,973.28. The NASDAQ lost 0.54 percent, closing at 4,416.39. Gold lost 0.83 percent, trading at $1,295.80 an ounce. Oil lost 1.16 percent, trading at $99.74 a barrel. Silver lost 0.64 percent, trading at $20.78 an ounce.

News Of Note

ICSC Retail Store Sales rose 0.1 percent week over week after rising 1.7 percent last week.

June Import Prices rose 0.1 percent month over month, below estimates of a 0.4 percent rise.

June Export Prices declined 0.4 percent month over month, below estimates of a 0.2 percent rise.

June Retail Sales rose 0.2 percent to $439.9 billion, below estimates of a 0.6 percent gain.

July Empire State Survey rose to 25.6 from 19.28 in May, topping expectations of 17.80.

Redbook Chain Store Sales rose 4.1 percent year over year after rising 6.0 percent last week.

Analyst Upgrades And Downgrades Of Note

Analysts at Barclays maintained an Overweight rating on Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) with a price target raised to $190 from a previous $184. Shares lost 1.20 percent, closing at $154.63.

Analysts at Deutsche Bank maintained a Hold rating on CSX (NYSE: CSX) with a price target raised to $31 from a previous $27. Shares hit new 52-week highs of $31.22 before closing the day at $31.15, up 0.39 percent.

Analysts at Barclays maintained an Equal-weight rating on DirecTV (NYSE: DTV) with a price target raised to $95 from a previous $73. Shares gained 0.34 percent, closing at $86.49.

Recommended: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 17-Year-Old Actress Rachel Fox's Trading Style

Analysts at JMP Securities initiated coverage of GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) with a Market Outperform rating and $60 price target. Shares gained 13.0 percent, closing at $41.63.

Analysts at Barclays maintained an Equal-weight rating on Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) with a price target raised to $28 from a previous $26. Shares hit new 52-week highs of $31.80 before closing the day at $31.71, up 0.70 percent.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs downgraded Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) to Sell from Neutral with a price target lowered to $59 from a previous $64. Shares lost 0.97 percent, closing at $65.56.

Analysts at Maxim Group downgraded Michael Kors Holdings (NYSE: KORS) to Hold from Buy with a price target lowered to $85 from a previous $109. Meanwhile, analysts at Barclays maintained an Underweight rating on Kors with a price target lowered to $82 from a previous $85 while analysts at Citigroup maintained a Neutral rating on Kors with a price target lowered to $98 from a previous $107. Shares lost 7.27 percent, closing at $79.44.

Analysts at JPMorgan maintained an Overweight rating on SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) with a price target raised to $77 from a previous $72. Shares lost 2.20 percent, closing at $65.37.

Analysts at Macquarie upgraded Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) to Neutral from Underperform. Shares lost 1.12 percent, closing at $37.88.

Analysts at FBR Capital initiated coverage of Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) with a Market Perform rating and a $37 price target. Shares lost 0.25 percent, closing at $35.61.

Equities-Specific News Of Note

America Movil (NYSE: AMX) plans to raise its ownership stake of Telekom Austria to 50.8 percent from 27 percent for $1 billion. Shares hit new 52-week highs of $23.85 before closing the day at $23.64, up 2.12 percent.

Novartis (NYSE: NVS) unit Alcon received the rights to license Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) smart lens technology for ocular medical uses and create a "smart contact lens." Shares of Novartis lost 0.12 percent, closing at $90.14 while shares of Google lost 0.02 percent, closing at $584.78.

Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF) plans to partner with Alibaba to launch a new streaming service in China that will be available through a set-top box. Shares of Lions Gate gained 3.27 percent, closing at $29.67.

Hewlett-Packard's (NYSE: HPQ) chairman Ralph Whitworth has resigned from the board of directors because of health reasons. Shares finished the day unchanged at $34.15.

Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) said that its oil and natural gas revenues totaled $675 million in 2013 and is trending higher in 2014. The company also established a new unsecured five-year credit facility and an issuance of senior notes. Shares gained 3.59 percent, closing at $109.72.

eBay's (NASDAQ: EBAY) Head of Advertising and Shopping.com Gautam Thaker said that he plans to leave the company to become the CEO of LivingSocial. Shares of eBay lost 0.68 percent, closing at $50.81.

Sprint (NYSE: S) and T-Mobile U.S. (NYSE: TMUS) will form a joint venture to raise $10 billion to spend on 2015's low-frequency spectrum auction. Shares of Sprint lost 3.91 percent, closing at $8.11, while shares of T-Mobile lost 2.79 percent, closing at $32.10.

Recommended: Innovative China ETF Gets The Nod From A Pension Fund

Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) announced a discovery in the Gulf of Mexico with an expected resource base to contain 100 million barrels of energy. Shares lost 0.27 percent, closing at $82.00.

Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) increased the size of its debt buyback to $610 million because of strong interest. Shares lost 0.65 percent, closing at $44.08.

Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX) plans to offer two services tiers. The first would be a basic managed infrastructure tier that provides standard laaS services. The second would be a managed operations tier that includes a dedicated account manager, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week monitoring and response, and management of common operating systems and application stacks. Shares lost 1.43 percent, closing at $31.69.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) plans to begin a new round of job cuts as the company wants to scale back and streamline its acquisition of Nokia's handset unit. Separately, Microsoft and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) agreed to a three-year agreement that includes tech integration and sales and marketing partnerships. Shares of Microsoft hit new 52-week highs of $42.47 before closing the day at $42.45, up 0.74 percent. Shares of Cisco gained 0.90 percent, closing at $25.67.

Winners Of Note

Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) has agreed to acquire Rockwood Holdings (NYSE: ROC) for $6.2 billion, or $85.53 per share. The acquisition represents a roughly 13 percent premium to Rockwood Holdings' closing price. The newly formed company will combine two of the world's largest specialty chemical companies. According to Albemarle's CEO Luther Kissam the acquisition will result in a “broader customer reach, increased diversity across end markets, technologies and geographies, and more consistent and predictable earnings growth.” Shares of Albemarle hit new 52-week highs of $76.28 before turning negative and closing the day at $70.03, down 3.57 percent. However, shares of Rockwood Holdings hit new 52-week highs of $86.18 before closing the day at $83.14, up 9.83 percent.

Decliners Of Note

Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) announced it will acquire Lorillard (NYSE: LO) for $50.50 in cash and 0.2909 a share of Reynolds, implying a total price tag of $68.88 per share, or $27.4 billion. As part of the deal, British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI) will maintain its 42 percent stake of Reynolds. Reynolds and British American tobacco also came to terms on sharing technology and development costs on future tobacco products. Reynolds American also said that it will unload Kool, Salem, Winston, Maverick, and blu eCigs brands to Imperial Tobacco for $7.1 billion. Reynolds American said that the deal will be accretive within the first full year with a double-digit accretion rate in the second year and beyond. Shares of Reynolds American lost 6.87 percent, closing at $58.84 while shares of Lorillard lost 10.49 percent, closing at $60.17. Shares of British American Tobacco lost 1.88 percent, closing at $120.61.

Related: Lorillard Nosedives On 3-Way Deal Announcement

Earnings Of Note

This morning, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) reported its second quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $1.59, beating the consensus estimate of $1.29. Revenue of $25.3 billion beat the consensus estimate of $23.76 billion. Net income for the quarter fell to $2.4 billion from $3.046 billion in the same quarter a year ago because of higher provision for credit losses and lower net revenue which was only partially offset by lower non-interest expenses. Consumer & Community Banking net income fell 21 percent year over year to $2.4 billion because of a slowdown in mortgage origination. Non-interest expense fell six percent year over year to $6.5 billion. Corporate & Investment Bank net income fell 25 percent year over year to $2 billion, while Banking revenue fell two percent year over year to $3.1 billion. Markets & Investor Services revenue fell 12 percent to $5.9 billion, while fixed income revenue fell 15 percent to $3.5 billion. The bank's CEO Jamie Dimon said that he is feeling great from his cancer treatment and plans to stay as CEO for three to seven years, but the board is preparing for a succession plan nevertheless. Shares gained 3.52 percent, closing at $58.27.

This morning, Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) reported its second quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $4.10, beating the consensus estimate of $3.05. Revenue of $9.13 billion beat the consensus estimate of $7.97 billion. Net earnings for the quarter rose to $2.037 billion from $2.033 billion in the same quarter a year ago as the bank benefited from a 15 percent year over year rise of Investment Banking revenue to $1.78 billion with underwriting revenue rising 20 percent to $1.28 billion. Institutional Client Services revenue fell 11 percent from a year ago to $3.83 billion but Investing & Lending revenue rose 46 percent year over year to $2.07 billion, and Investment Management revenue rose eight percent to $1.44 billion. Shares gained 1.30 percent, closing at $169.17.

This morning, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) reported its second quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $1.66, beating the consensus estimate of $1.55. Revenue of $19.49 billion beat the consensus estimate of $18.94 billion. Net earnings for the quarter rose to $4.33 billion from $3.83 billion in the same quarter a year ago as the company saw gains in its major categories. Pharmaceutical sales rose 21.1 percent year over year to $8.509 billion while Medical Devices & Diagnostics saw a 0.7 percent gain in revenue to $7.242 billion, while revenue from Consumer goods rose 2.4 percent to $3.74 billion. Johnson & Johnson saw its gross margin rate decline 0.4 percent to 69.0 percent. The company raised its full year EPS guidance to a range of $5.85 to $5.92 from a previous range of $5.80 to $5.90. Shares lost 1.99 percent, closing at $103.28.

After the market closed, Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) reported its second quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $0.55, beating the consensus estimate of $0.53. Revenue of $13.83 billion beat the consensus estimate of $13.69 billion. Shares were trading higher by 3.25 percent at $32.74 following the earnings report.

After the market closed, Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) reported its second quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $0.37, missing the consensus estimate of $0.38. Revenue of $1.04 billion missed the consensus estimate of $1.09 billion. Shares were trading higher by 1.29 percent at $36.06 following the earnings report.

Quote of the Day

"In sum, since the February Monetary Policy Report, further important progress has been made in restoring the economy to health and in strengthening the financial system. Yet too many Americans remain unemployed, inflation remains below our longer-run objective, and not all of the necessary financial reform initiatives have been completed. The Federal Reserve remains committed to employing all of its resources and tools to achieve its macroeconomic objectives and to foster a stronger and more resilient financial system." - Janet Yellen, in prepared remarks to the Senate Banking Committee.

Posted-In: AlbermaleEarnings News Econ #s Economics After-Hours Center Markets Movers Best of Benzinga

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Earnings Expectations For The Week Of July 14: Big Banks, Tech Giants And More GT Advanced Technologies Down Sharply On iPhone Production Concerns UPDATE: Barclays Upgrades Apple, Has High Expectations For Near Term Perrigo Rumored To Be On Block; 'Market Source' Sees 25% Premium 9 IPOs To Watch For This Week Why GoPro Shares Are Down Related Articles (ALB + AMX) Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Tuesday July 15, 2014 Markets Mixed, NASDAQ Lower As Yellen Suggests Valuations Are Stretched Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase Report Strong Earnings; Retail Numbers Fall Below Estimates U.S. Stocks Sink; JPMorgan Shares Surge On Upbeat E

Find Out How Halliburton Can Become Twice As Efficient

Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) is a multinational company that offers energy industry products and services, from data to production output. The company was founded in 1919 and has a long history with the energy industry. In fact, Halliburton was the first company to frack a well in the United States over 60 years ago.

Recently, current Halliburton COO and Executive VP Jeff Miller sat down with The Motley Fool's own Taylor Muckerman to discuss the energy industry. In part four of this five-part interview, Mr. Miller talks about the company's "Frack of the Future" initiative, which is geared toward producing the same amount of oil with half the horsepower, and its inroads into international markets. Tune in to the short clip below for more. 

Top dividend stocks for the next decade
The smartest investors know that dividend stocks simply crush their non-dividend paying counterparts over the long term. That's beyond dispute. They also know that a well-constructed dividend portfolio creates wealth steadily, while still allowing you to sleep like a baby. Knowing how valuable such a portfolio might be, our top analysts put together a report on a group of high-yielding stocks that should be in any income investor's portfolio. To see our free report on these stocks, just click here now.

Why Apple Inc.'s Shift to Sapphire In the iPhone 6 Will Be Brilliant -- and Perfectly Timed

Source: GT Advanced. 

At this point, there should be little doubt left that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) will transition from Corning Gorilla Glass to sapphire in both upcoming iPhone 6 models. Despite Apple's desire for secrecy, some of its bigger moves of late simply can't be hidden from the public.

Apple couldn't hide the acquisition of a publicly traded company. When Apple bought AuthenTec in 2012, fingerprint sensors were clearly in the pipeline for the iPhone. GT Advanced Technology (NASDAQ: GTAT  ) had to disclose its partnership with Apple last November, since the deal had major financial implications for the smaller company and entailed a significant transition in GT's business model. Given the magnitude of this deal, Apple obviously had lofty ambitions for sapphire material.

The latest possible leak of an iPhone 6 sapphire front panel. Source: YouTube.

Talk of sapphire hit the mainstream more than six months before the GT deal, after MIT Technology Review discussed the possibility. It's now been eight months since the deal was announced. In that time, rivals have had ample time to evaluate sapphire for use in their own smartphones with the hopes of keeping up with Apple. They can't.

A tale of two Apple competitors
Two of Apple's largest rivals are Samsung (NASDAQOTH: SSNLF  )  and LG Electronics. Both have reportedly sampled sapphire and explored using the material in future phones but abandoned the efforts because of cost considerations.

Just this week, LG exec Ken Hong told Engadget: "The cost and supply aren't where we'd like them to be for sapphire to be practical just yet. Sapphire's durability and scratch-resistance are certainly attractive, but Gorilla Glass isn't going to be displaced anytime soon."

At the time of the MIT Technology Review article last year, the cost differential was estimated to be tenfold. A sapphire cover would cost $30, compared with Gorilla Glass at $3. Most smartphones cost between $200 and $230 to build. Even if the cost difference has narrowed from $27 to something like $20, that's still approximately a 10% increase in component costs.

Furthermore, this is all before operating expenses come into play. Last quarter, LG's mobile division had an operating margin of negative-0.3%, which was after shipping 12.3 million smartphones.

Source: LG Electronics.

For a company like LG, such a cost increase simply isn't an option.

What about Samsung?
After Apple, Samsung is the second most-profitable smartphone OEM. However, Samsung is currently facing a slowdown in smartphone sales, across nearly all market segments. That's putting pressure on Samsung's own component businesses. Unlike LG, Samsung's phone operations are solidly profitable, generating a 20.5% operating margin last quarter.

That means that Samsung could theoretically bite the bullet and pay up to copy Apple (as usual). Sapphire would only be included in Samsung's high-end models, so the bulk of its product lineup would be unaffected. Samsung's earnings guidance implies that Apple is faring quite well in the high end, though, which is why the timing of shifting to sapphire would be perfect for the Mac maker.

Just when Samsung is getting squeezed from the low end and the high end, Apple is putting it to a decision on whether it wants to absorb a cost increase with the hopes of reinvigorating unit sales in the high end. Even if Samsung sees success, margins will then be the ones getting squeezed.

What about everyone else?
As far as other OEMs go, almost no other smartphone vendor has positive operating margins. Even if they do, they're razor-thin. Apple and Samsung have long gobbled up all of the industry's operating profits, with Apple taking home the lion's share. Not many companies can afford to put down $578 million prepayments to secure unparalleled supply.

Another anonymous smartphone representative told Engadget that the cost wouldn't be worth it unless there was "some perceived marketing advantage." Well, it turns out that marketing advantages are precisely what Apple is made of. Don't be surprised if Apple spends 30 minutes touting sapphire's advantages when it unveils the iPhone 6, as the world watches and consumers begin lining up around the block.

I'd like to call the shift to sapphire "revolutionary," but revolutions imply that everyone gets onboard. But in this case, virtually no one can follow in Apple's footsteps. Eventually, as sapphire costs come down in the long run, broader adoption may occur. But by then, Apple will already have a grand plan in motion for its next trend-setting innovation. Let's just call the move to sapphire brilliant.

How to profit on the iWatch
The iWatch may also be covered in sapphire, but that won't be the only way to capitalize on Apple's entry into wearables. One small company makes Apple's gadget possible. And its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors. To be one of them, and see Apple's newest smart gizmo, just click here!

Dow Rockets. Volumes Plummet.

 

The timing couldn’t have been more apposite: the Dow Jones Industrial Average breached 17,000 for the first time just ahead of the July 4th weekend.

But this landmark didn’t quite trigger fireworks. Investors are becoming used to this key U.S. equity market barometer setting record highs–it’s been doing so steadily since the first quarter of 2013. What’s more, the highs have been hit on steadily shrinking trading volumes.

Smoothing for daily volatility, the number of shares changing hands hasn’t been this low since the late 1990s.  Trading volumes have been on a declining trend since the DJIA hit a post-crisis low in the spring of 2009.

While it’s been consistently true that market drops have been associated with big jumps in volumes, trading volumes remained consistently high between the start of the last decade and the financial crisis. The

boom in share trading tracked the tech andtelecom bubble but then didn't fall back after the bust of 2001.

The decline in share trading during the massive market rally of the past five years looks to be a reversal of the previous trend. So, perhaps it’s not a surprise that the new highs have been less of a cause for celebration on Wall Street than past peaks. Falling turnover tends to mean less revenue for brokers.

Corrections & Amplifications:

All trading volumes shown for the Dow Jones Industrial Average are primary-market volumes. This limitation was not made clear in the original post.

The trends in composite and primary-market volumes were similar during a sample period examined (September 2010 through July 3, 2014), but the numbers of shares traded in the primary market were between one-fifth and one quarter the number traded in composite trading during

that period.  The decline in composite volume was still greater, down 62.9% based on the 20-day moving averages versus a decline of 55.8% in the primary-market volume.

Mexico: The World’s New China

When President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement twenty years ago, many economists feared that most of America's manufacturing jobs would flee to Mexico where wages were low and labor protections were scarce. But before that process could really get into full swing, those started heading to China, where they ultimately stayed. Despite higher transportation costs from China to key American and European markets, labor costs were so low that shipping was of little concern.

But while China may have become the workshop of the world, the country's rapid economic expansion has sent wages in the country skyrocketing. Whereas Mexican wages were almost two times higher than China's a decade ago, now they're nearly 20 percent lower. As a result, many manufacturers are choosing to relocate their production facilities to Mexico in order to take advantage of lower labor and transportation costs, with easy access to both the North American and Latin American markets.

Those geographic and cost advantages have proven a strong lure to automobile manufacturers in particular. Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE: TM), Mazda Motor Corp (Tokyo: 7261), Ford (NYSE: F) and a host of others already have manufacturing facilities in Mexico and BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz all have plans to begin to ramping up assembly lines there. BMW alone is investing nearly $1 billion, creating 1,500 jobs and a production capacity of about 150,000 vehicles per year.

So many car manufacturers have moved into Mexico that the country edged out Brazil as the region's most prolific producer for the first time this year. Mexico turned out 1.6 million units in the first half of 2014 as production rose 7.4 percent, while Brazil's output fell 32 percent to 1.57 million units. Just five years ago, Brazil was producing nearly 1.5 million units to Mexico's 500,000. Mexico is now the 7th largest auto producer in the world, with Chi! na and the US in the lead.

While labor costs play a significant role in the growing production disparity between Mexico and Brazil, Mexico also has the advantage of lower taxes and duties. So while most of the cars made in Brazil remain in that country, 8 of every 10 cars produced in Mexico ultimately end up being exported with more than half arriving here in the US. Mexico is expected to edge out Japan as the second largest exporter of automobiles to the US this year and will likely overtake Canada to become the largest car exporter to the US in 2015.

In addition to lower labor costs and taxes, Mexico is winning a bigger slice of the automotive pie thanks to its relatively well-educated labor force, as nearly half of working Mexicans have a secondary education as compared to less than 15 percent a decade ago. Post-secondary education rates have also been growing by nearly 4 percent annually over the past decade. This means the average Mexican citizen is ready for production work, while skilled technicians to maintain factory automation equipment are more widely available. Mexicans are also willing to migrate internally to secure better paying jobs. As evidence: US farmers long dependent on migrant workers were facing labor shortages even before a number of states cracked down on illegal immigration and undocumented workers.

All-important transportation costs also can't be ignored, but the argument there is straightforward. The cost of shipping a standard container from China to the US East Coast has risen from just under $3,000 in 2000 to about $7,000 today. Over the same period, the cost of shipping that same container from Mexico to the US only has risen from about $2,000 to $2,800.

In the grand scheme of things, automakers are likely only the leading edge in the geographic shift of global manufacturing. Given the relatively high costs and low margins in the industry, they are usually one of the first movers to take advantage of lower costs. Manufacturers of the rest of the ! world's! bits and bobbles will likely soon follow, especially as Mexico continues to liberalize its labor regulations, expands access to higher-quality educational opportunities and aggressively works to attract new businesses to the country.

SunTrust’s Mortgage Settlement Sounds Surprisingly Familiar

Source: Company.

If you keep an eye on the legal entanglements of Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC  ) , you will recall the brouhaha that ensued last summer when the bank was accused of abusing troubled homeowners who approached the bank for help under the government's Home Affordable Mortgage Program.

Now, smaller cousin SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI  ) inked a $320 million deal with government regulators concerning its own missteps in administering HAMP, a case in which the bank was charged with some of the same behavior as B of A – such as lying to customers about the status of their applications, unopened piles of which were stacked so high in a storage room as to crack the floor joists beneath them. 

Similar shenanigans caused unnecessary borrower distress
Bank of America was also accused of ignoring loan modification requests. Workers with Urban Lending, a contractor used by the bank to help process HAMP requests, have said that so many applications were stored at a warehouse location in Colorado that piles reached the ceiling. Interestingly, Urban Lending worked for SunTrust, as well.

In an effort to control the clutter, B of A allegedly destroyed HAMP document files in frenzied housekeeping "blitzes" when the paperwork became more than two months old. The bank would then turn around and tell worried customers that they never received the information, according to court testimony from former employees.

There are other similarities. Like Bank of America, SunTrust often would plunge homeowners into foreclosure before the end of their loan modification trial, a big no-no for HAMP. Dubbed "dual tracking", this behavior was highlighted earlier this year by the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program as being one of the most common complaints consumers report to SIGTARP in regards to loan modifications.

A legacy of errors
The ineptitude caused an unknown number of borrowers who may have been helped by HAMP to lose their homes, even as they did what was requested of them to move their cases along. In the case of SunTrust, SIGTARP's Christy Romero told The Wall Street Journal that the bank botched the process so badly that borrowers "would have been exponentially better off having never applied through the bank in the first place".

Last spring, the Obama administration extended HAMP, giving homeowners in need until December 31, 2015 to apply for aid. At the end of the first quarter of 2013, a little over 1 million troubled borrowers had successfully completed a loan modification. At the program's inception in 2009, it was estimated that 3 million to 4 million would have been helped by that point in time.

Five years later, many borrowers who may have been helped early on may not be able to take advantage of the HAMP extension. For others, perhaps it is not too late to put the detritus of the housing crisis behind them.

Your credit card may soon be completely worthless
The plastic in your wallet is about to go the way of the typewriter, the VCR, and the 8-track tape player. When it does, a handful of investors could stand to get very rich. You can join them -- but you must act now. An eye-opening new presentation reveals the full story on why your credit card is about to be worthless -- and highlights one little-known company sitting at the epicenter of an earth-shaking movement that could hand early investors the kind of profits we haven't seen since the dot-com days. Click here to watch this stunning video.

Stocks to Watch: Container Store, Celgene, American Airlines

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are the Container Store Group Inc.(TCS), Celgene Corp.(CELG) and American Airlines Group Inc.(AAL)

Container Store lowered its full-year financial projections amid a “retail funk” that has hampered sales growth even as its first-quarter loss narrowed. Shares fell 14% to $23.20 premarket.

Celgene said Wednesday its Phase 3 trial of a drug intended to treat a form of long-term arthritis didn’t meet its primary endpoint after a certain period, although results showed improvement beyond that. Shares fell 2% to $84.00 premarket.

American Airlines said it will book a charge of $330 million in its second quarter tied to the sale of its portfolio of fuel hedging contracts, along with a number of other one-time charges. The company, meanwhile, also reported its passenger traffic rose 1% in June from a year earlier on increased capacity. Shares rose 5.8% to $42.60 premarket.

Silicon Image Inc.(SIMG) cut its revenue outlook for the second quarter amid lower-than-expected shipments to a significant customer and a delay of certain expected royalty revenue. Shares fell 10% to $4.49 in recent premarket trading.

American depositary shares of Portugal Telecom (PT) SGPS SA tumble premarket amid criticism from Brazil’s state development bank BNDES relating to an investment by the telecommunications group in debt issued by Espirito Santo International. Shares fell 6.1% to $2.79 premarket.

MSC Industrial Direct Co.(MSM) said its fiscal third-quarter earnings edged higher will revenue increased following higher demand. Still, shares dropped 5.8% to $87.89.

AeroVironment Inc.(AVAV) swung to a fourth-quarter profit as the drone maker reported a surge in sales and raised its outlook for the year. Shares rose 4.3% to $32.29 premarket.

Alcoa Inc.(AA) swung to second-quarter profit, driven by growth in its engineered products segment and as its primary metals business also returned to the black. Shares rose 2.4% to $15.20 premarket.

Gigamon Inc.(GIMO) lowered its second-quarter revenue guidance as the networking-hardware company said it ran into challenges closing deals in its pipeline in the later end of the period. Shares fell 31% to $12.64 premarket.

Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.(SLXP) agreed to combine with an Ireland-based unit of Cosmo Pharmaceuticals SpA(COPN.EB) in an inversion deal that is expected to come with tax benefits. Salix shares slipped 5.3% to $130.00 premarket.

Bob Evans Farms Inc.(BOBE) reported a lower profit for its fiscal fourth quarter and its fourth consecutive decline in quarterly same-store sales, while also cutting its earnings guidance for the new year.

Coty Inc.(COTY) unveiled a new organizational structure built around categories and regions, as the beauty-products maker looks to improve profitability.

Cummins Inc.(CMI) appointed the president of its engines business, Rich Freeland, as its chief operating officer, and the company also unveiled a 25% dividend increase and the buyback of as much as an additional $1 billion of its stock.

Energizer Holdings Inc.(ENR) will close its feminine-care products facility in Montreal by early 2017, consolidating operations in Delaware. The move is part of ongoing restructuring.

International Paper Co.(IP) said Tuesday its board approved an expansion of the company’s existing share-repurchase program by as much as $1.5 billion.

Wotif Group Acquisition Positive For Expedia

Expedia (EXPE), an online travel company in the United States and internationally announced the acquisition of Wotif Group on July 6, 2014. This article discusses the acquisition, the positives from the acquisition and the other growth triggers for Expedia, which make the company an attractive long-term investment option.

Acquisition of Wotif Group

On June 6, 2014, Expedia announced the acquisition of Wotif Group for a consideration of $658 million or $3.09 per share. The acquisition is a positive step by Expedia and is likely to bring significant long-term benefits.

Wotif Group is an Australian-based online travel company with Asia-Pacific region with a portfolio of leading travel brands. Wotif Group operates online travel brands in the Asia-Pacific region including, Wotif.com, lastminute.com.au, travel.com.au, Asia Web Direct, LateStays.com, GoDo.com.au and Arnold Travel Technology. The company's multi-product portfolio focuses primarily on hotel and air, offering consumers more than 29,000 bookable properties in destinations around the world.

One of the biggest positives for Expedia is an increased exposure to the Asia pacific region, which is a high growth region as compared to developed markets. Expedia has been looking to expand its presence in Asia Pacific and the acquisition fits perfectly in the company's strategy to target high growth markets.

In one of my earlier articles, I had discussed the long-term prospects for make MakeMyTrip (MMYT) and also the growth the company has witnessed with strong presence in India. An increasing presence in the Asia Pacific region will boost Expedia's growth as well and the acquisition is a positive step in that direction. Priceline (PCLN) has also adopted a similar growth strategy for expanding in the Asia Pacific and it is working for the company.

I believe that Expedia will be on a look-out for more interesting acquisitions in Asia Pacific. The company seems to be on an acquisition spree as the company acquired Escape Group in June 2014 as well. Escape Group is one of Europe's leading online car rental reservation companies.

Positive Clarification on eLong (LONG)

There were rumours in the recent past that Expedia is considering selling its 65% stake in eLong. On July 7, 2014, Expedia announced that the talk on selling the stake was indeed a rumour and Expedia remains a long-term investor in eLong to support eLong's drive to become the leading Chinese travel site.

This is another positive announcement coming from Expedia in the last few days. I do believe that eLong has the potential to become one of the leading travel sites in China. eLong is already the second largest online travel company in China. The fact that eLong is backed by the world's largest online travel company is encouraging and eLong will continue to enjoy strong funding support for its expansion activities in China.

Strong Fundamentals To Support Acquisition Spree

Expedia has a strong balance sheet and cash flow position and this will support the company's aggressive acquisition spree and expansion into high growth markets. As of December 2013, Expedia had a cash balance of $1 billion. Further, the company had a low debt to capitalization of 36%, giving the company sufficient room to take debt for expansion or acquisition.

For the year ended December 2013, Expedia also had an operating cash flow position of $763 million as compared to cash interest payment of $84 million. Therefore, debt servicing is not a concern at all for the company.

Besides the growth from emerging markets and the capital appreciation benefits from that, Expedia also has a current annual dividend of $0.6 per share and a dividend yield of 0.8%. I believe that the company's dividend payout will also increase in the future with strong operating cash flows.

Conclusion

Expedia is certainly not complacent with its current position as the world's leading online travel company. The company is actively looking for new growth opportunities and attractive acquisitions. I believe that Asia Pacific will play a key role in the company's growth with the acquisition of Wotif Group.

Analyst estimates peg Expedia's earnings growth for 2014 and 2015 at 33% and 23% respectively. The stock, with a strong growth outlook, is a buy for the long-term. However, broad markets are trading at stretched levels and investors can buy the stock in a staggered investment style than bulk to average out on any decline.

About the author:Faisal HumayunSenior Research Analyst with experience in the field of equity research, credit research, financial modelling and economic research

Currently 0.00/512345 Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)

Subscribe via Email Subscribe RSS Comments Please leave your comment:
More GuruFocus Links

Latest Guru Picks	Value Strategies
Warren Buffett Portfolio	Ben Graham Net-Net
Real Time Picks	Buffett-Munger Screener
Aggregated Portfolio	Undervalued Predictable
ETFs, Options	Low P/S Companies
Insider Trends	10-Year Financials
52-Week Lows	Interactive Charts
Model Portfolios	DCF Calculator
RSS Feed	Monthly Newsletters
The All-In-One Screener	Portfolio Tracking Tool

MORE GURUFOCUS LINKS

Latest Guru Picks	Value Strategies
Warren Buffett Portfolio	Ben Graham Net-Net
Real Time Picks	Buffett-Munger Screener
Aggregated Portfolio	Undervalued Predictable
ETFs, Options	Low P/S Companies
Insider Trends	10-Year Financials
52-Week Lows	Interactive Charts
Model Portfolios	DCF Calculator
RSS Feed	Monthly Newsletters
The All-In-One Screener	Portfolio Tracking Tool

EXPE STOCK PRICE CHART 78.78 (1y: +25%) $(function(){var seriesOptions=[],yAxisOptions=[],name='EXPE',display='';Highcharts.setOptions({global:{useUTC:true}});var d=new Date();$current_day=d.getDay();if($current_day==5||$current_day==0||$current_day==6){day=4;}else{day=7;} seriesOptions[0]={id:name,animation:false,color:'#4572A7',lineWidth:1,name:name.toUpperCase()+' stock price',threshold:null,data:[[1373346000000,63.02],[1373432400000,63.22],[1373518800000,63.08],[1373605200000,63.75],[1373864400000,64.34],[1373950800000,64.5],[1374037200000,65.1],[1374123600000,65.52],[1374210000000,64.43],[1374469200000,63.95],[1374555600000,63.78],[1374642000000,63.78],[1374728400000,65],[1374814800000,47.2],[1375074000000,46.026],[1375160400000,47.49],[1375246800000,47.13],[1375333200000,47.2],[1375419600000,48.17],[1375678800000,49.69],[1375765200000,50.97],[1375851600000,50.8],[1375938000000,50.9],[1376024400000,50.68],[1376283600000,49.67],[1376370000000,49.38],[1376456400000,48.79],[1376542800000,47.77],[1376629200000,47.39],[1376888400000,46.84],[1376974800000,47.6],[1377061200000,45.7],[1377147600000,46.47],[1377234000000,48.84],[1377493200000,47.2],[1377579600000,46.96],[1377666000000,47],[1377752400000,47.09],[1377838800000,46.76],[1378184400000,47.27],[1378270800000,48.91],[1378357200000,48.18],[1378443600000,49.68],[1378702800000,50.641],[1378789200000,51.84],[1378875600000,52.09],[1378962000000,51.18],[1379048400000,51.19],[1379307600000,52.42],[1379394000000,52.26],[1379480400000,53.471],[1379566800000,53.12],[1379653200000,52.82],[1379912400000,51.86],[1379998800000,52.19],[1380085200000,51.59],[1380171600000,52.02],[1380258000000,52.21],[1380517200000,51.81],[1380603600000,52.86],[1380690000000,53.46],[1380776400000,52.15],[1380862800000,51.67],[1381122000000,51.77],[1381208400000,50.63],[1381294800000,49.99],[1381381200000,51.392],[1381467600000,51.73],[1381726800000,48.51],[1381813200000,47.89],[1381899600000,47.9],[1381986000000,48.21],[1382072400000,48.43],[1382331600000,48.19],[1382418000000,48.91],[1382504400000,49.2],[1382590800000,50.5],[1382677200000,50.45],[1382936400000,49.93],[1383022800000,50.68],[1383109200000,49.96],[1383195600000,58.965],[1383282000000,60.11],[1383544800000,60.24],[1383631200000,59.58],[1383717600000,59.81],[1383804000000,58.91],[1383890! 400000,59.88],[1384149600000,61.25],[1384236000000,62.02],[1384322400000,61.72],[1384408800000,61.04],[1384495200000,61.19],[1384754400000,61.05],[1384840800000,60.7],[1384927200000,61.11],[1385013600000,62.59],[1385100000000,62.05],[1385359200000,61.39],[1385445600000,62.33],[1385532000000,63.3],[1385704800000,63.69],[1385964000000,62.61],[1386050400000,62.56],[1386136800000,62.84],[1386223200000,63.58],[1386309600000,63.48],[1386568800000,63.5],[1386655200000,63.2],[1386741600000,62.31],[1386828000000,62.54],[1386914400000,62.73],[1387173600000,65.88],[1387260000000,66.39],[1387346400000,67.55],[1387432800000,66.795],[1387519200000,67.61],[1387778400000,68.68],[1387864800000,68.5],[1388037600000,69.03],[1388124000000,68.76],[1388383200000,68.84],[1388469600000,69.66],[1388642400000,69.21],[1388728800000,69.2],[1388988000000,68.96],[1389074400000,71.45],[1389160800000,70.31],[1389247200000,69.55],[1389333600000,69.6],[1389592800000,67.87],[1389679200000,69.33],[1389765600000,69.42],[1389852000000,68.48],[1389938400000,70.69],[1390284000000,67.67],[1390370400000,67.06],[1390456800000,66.5],[1390543200000,66.3],[1390802400000,65.46],[1390888800000,66.95],[1390975200000,65.47],[1391061600000,65.52],[1391148000000,64.98],[1391407200000,63.27],[1391493600000,63.97],[1391580000000,63.93],[1391666400000,65.14],[1391752800000,74.45],[1392012000000,74.32],[1392098400000,74.79],[1392184800000,75.86],[1392271200000,76.69],[1392357600000,77.13],[1392703200000,78.02],[1392789600000,79.62],[1392876000000,79.71],[1392962400000,79.99],[1393221600000,79.26],[1393308000000,79.44],[1393394400000,78.52],[1393480800000,78.62],[1393567200000,78.53],[1393826400000,76.7],[1393912800000,77.04],[1393999200000,75.73],[1394085600000,74.71],[1394172000000,75.19],[1394427600000,75.23],[1394514000000,74.74],[1394600400000,76.51],[1394686800000,75.47],[1394773200000,75.77],[1395032400000,76.76],[1395118800000,76.93],[1395205200000,75.29],[1395291600000,75.21],[1395378000000,74.2],[1395637200000,72.294],[1395723600000,72.07],[13958100! 00000,71.! 16],[1395896400000,71.83],[1395982800000,72.21],[1396242000000,72.5],[1396328400000,75.9],[1396414800000,76.01],[1396501200000,73.43],[1396587600000,70.05],[1396846800000,68.55],[1396933200000,70.02],[1397019600000,71.81],[1397106000000,68.6],[1397192400000,68.79],[1397451600000,70.205],[1397538000000,70.92],[1397624400000,72.44],[1397710800000,72.46],[1398056400000,72.21],[1398142800000,73.54],[1398229200000,72.48],[1398315600000,72.1],[1398402000000,69.41],[1398661200000,68.57],[1398747600000,70.59],[1398834000000,70.99],[1398920400000,73.87],[1399006800000,71.15],[1399266000000,71.77],[1399352400000,70.51],[1399438800000,69],[1399525200000,68.44],[1399611600000,68.65],[1399870800000,70.8],[1399957200000,71.11],[1400043600000,70.56],[1400130000000,69.78],[1400216400000,69.94],[1400475600000,70.66],[1400562000000,70.18

Quotes On A Screen And Blotches of Ink - John Hussman

With the fresh high in the S&P 500 Index last week, our estimates of prospective 10-year S&P 500 nominal total returns have fallen below 1.8% annually. At shorter horizons and on historically reliable measures, our estimates of S&P 500 total returns are now negative at every horizon shorter than 8 years. Investors who feel that zero interest rate policy offers them "no choice" but to hold stocks are likely choosing to experience negative returns instead of zero. While millions of investors appear to have the same expectation that they will be able to sell before everyone else, the question "sell to whom?" will probably remain unanswered until it is too late.Meanwhile, we should recognize that each additional year where short-term interest rates are held at zero (rather than a more normal level of about 4%) is actually worth only an increase in market valuation of that same 4%. This is basic arithmetic. To see this, suppose that 30-year zero-coupon bonds normally yield 3% more than risk-free Treasury bills. In a world of 4% Treasury bill yields, the riskier bonds would yield 7%, with a price of $13.14 assuming a face value of $100. If short-term yields were expected to be zero for two years, normalizing thereafter, investors would price the 30-year bonds to return just 3% for the first two years, then 7% thereafter. The price that would be consistent with that result is $14.18 (= 100/{(1.07)^28 * (1.03)^2}). Not surprisingly, that's about 8% higher than the bond would be valued in the absence of two years of zero interest rate policy.Now assume 5 years of zero interest rate policy. The associated impact would be to raise the bond price to $15.89, which is not surprisingly just over 20% higher than the bond would be valued at in a constant 4% world. The same arithmetic applies for equities, and can be demonstrated using any discounted cash flow approach.In this context, the fact that historically reliable valuation methods imply negative total returns at every horizon shorter than! 8 years does not simply reflect the expectation of 8 years of zero interest rate policy, but 8 years of zero interest rate policy combined with zero compensation for the substantial additional risk of holding equities. Assuming that a modest risk premium is appropriate for an asset class that has proven itself quite capable of repeatedly losing half of its value, current equity valuations are reasonable only if one assumes more than two decades of zero interest rate policy. Even in that case, "reasonable" would still imply commensurately low equity returns in the mid-single digits over the next two decades.At a time when we should be pounding the table about risk, we are quietly stating our case. At this point even that is something of a lightning rod for disdain. As we observed after the 2000-2002 and 2007-2009 plunges, our concerns have a tendency to hold weight only after the fact (see Setting the Record Straight andThis Time is Different, Yet With the Same Ending to understand our experience in the half-cycle since 2009). There's certainly no point in urging anyone to sell – doing so only means that some other poor investor would have to hold the bag over the completion of this cycle.It's an unfortunate situation, but much of what investors view as "wealth" here is little but transitory quotes on a screen and blotches of ink on pieces of paper that have today's date on them. Investors seem to have forgotten how that works. Few are likely to realize that apparent wealth by selling, and those that do will essentially be redistributing it from the investors who buy. Meanwhile, don't confuse time to sell withopportunity to sell. Trading volume remains quite tepid, and the majority of that volume represents existing owners exchanging what they hold rather than outright entry and exit. The investors who successfully leave the equity market at current valuations will exit through a needle's eye.Implied volatility in S&P 500 index options fell to just 10.3% last week, indicating eno! rmous com! placency about potential risk. I've noted before that extreme overvalued, overbought, overbullish conditions tend to feature "unpleasant skew": the raw probability of an advance is typically greater than the probability of a decline, so the market tends to achieve a series of successive but fairly marginal new highs, which can feel excruciating for investors in a defensive position. The "skew" part is that while the raw probability favors an advance, the remaining probability often features vertical drops that can wipe out weeks or months of market gains in a handful of trading days. We've certainly seen an unusual persistence of overvalued, overbought, overbullish conditions without consequence in recent quarters, but it is notable that the implied skew in S&P 500 index options has soared. Indeed, the ratio of implied skew to implied volatility spiked to the highest level in history on Friday. Again, we'll quietly state our case here, with an understanding that there is little use in waving our arms about.Again, on a broad range of historically reliable measures, our estimate of 10-year S&P 500 nominal total returns is now less than 1.8% annually. That said, the most reliable measures actually project negative returns, but then, the most reliable measures are those that adjust most fully for cyclical variations in profit margins, and we are continually reminded that this time is different. The ratio of market capitalization to GDP, which Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) (correctly) observed in a 2001 Fortune interview is "probably the single best measure of where valuations stand at any given moment" is now about 150% (not just 50%) above its pre-bubble norm, even imputing a rebound in Q2 GDP growth. Of course, Buffett also wrote "A group of lemmings looks like a pack of individualists compared with Wall Street when it gets a concept in its teeth" - which may explain why Wall Street seems so entranced with the concept of QE instead of actually doing the math. The ratio of ma! rket capi! talization to GDP, presented below on an inverted scale, is beyond every point in history except for the final quarter of 1999 and the first two quarters of 2000.Continue reading: http://www.hussmanfunds.com/wmc/wmc140707.htmAbout the author:Canadian Valuehttp://valueinvestorcanada.blogspot.com/

Currently 0.00/512345 Rating: 0. Friday, July 4, 2014 Personal Finance: Re-establish credit after… Veteran personal finance journalist Robert Powell answers questions from USA WEEKEND readers. His column runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at usaweekend.com. After a bankruptcy, how can I start new credit? — Magali Trujillo, Houston There's plenty you can do to rebuild credit. But there's a right way and wrong to go about it, says Gail Cunningham of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. First: Put your financial house in order. Get a copy of your credit report for free from AnnualCreditReport.com and deal with any outstanding debts or inaccuracies. Next, create a budget, track your income and expenses, and spend money only on what's important and essential. Also, create a record of your assets and liabilities, a balance sheet. And don't forget to set aside money for an emergency fund equal to at least one month's salary, if not more. Once you've done all that, you can start rebuilding credit by applying for a credit card. But it needs to be the card that is right for your situation, says Cunningham. Research cards at Bankrate.com to see which banks offer cards to people with poor credit records. You may decide that a secured card is a good place to start. Look for a secured card with the best rates, lowest fees and reports to the credit bureau. A secured credit card, as the name implies, is an account secured by a deposit made to the issuer, says Cunningham. After you've developed a history of making payments in a responsible manner, you can apply for an unsecured card. Other suggestions from Cunningham and the NFCC: Take out a small personal loan from a bank or credit union. Consider a co-signer, if needed. Don't apply for too much credit at once, but do apply for a variety of credit types. Check out NFCC.org for more tips. Submit a question for Robert: More Weekend Recommendations Your road trip is only as good as the vehicle you choose. Here are 10 great vehicles for exploring the American landscape. (Prices MSRP.)... 10 best cars for a summer road trip Read More About We all know Fourth of July food can be explosive. Just think of Uncle Frank an hour after he has washed down his hot dog and baked beans ... How fireworks became an icon of American patriotism Read More About Robert Powell offers advice on all matters of personal finance. His column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays at usaweekend.com.I owe $6,000 ... Personal Finance: Simple tips to pay off credit card Read More About Steven Petrow helps you navigate the digital world in the real world:I think my boss is upset that I haven't accepted his friend request ... Your Digital Life: Should I friend my boss on Facebook? Read More About Tennis' most prestigious event - officially called The Champisonships, Wimbledon but most commonly referred to as simply "Wimbledon" - is... 10 best Wimbledon champions Read More About Your Digital Life columnist Steven Petrow helps you navigate the digital world in the real world.I'm seeing a lot of "selfies" on social ... Your Digital Life: How many selfies are too many? Read More About JOIN THE CONVERSATIONReady for Your Dream Vacation? Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Blog Archive ►  2019 (33) ►  March (14) ►  February (19) ►  2018 (19) ►  August (2) ►  July (8) ►  June (2) ►  May (7) ►  2016 (1) ►  November (1) ►  2015 (84) ►  June (8) ►  May (10) ►  April (5) ►  March (11) ►  February (20) ►  January (30) ▼  2014 (355) ►  December (17) ►  November (6) ►  October (15) ►  September (8) ►  August (16) ▼  July (21) 15 Stocks That Benefit From Dollar Strength Olive Garden: Unlimited Breadsticks, Unlimited Pro... Amazon Slips On Wider-Than-Expected Loss; Acacia R... Stock Showdown: Ford vs. GM stock Brent Slides Despite International Instability Should ARM Thank Apple Inc. For This Earnings Pop? What today's anti-Obamacare rulings mean to 4.7 mi... Oil, Chips and Diesel Power Lead 10 Dividend Stock... 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of a 529 College S... Markets Mixed, NASDAQ Lower As Yellen Suggests Val... Find Out How Halliburton Can Become Twice As Effic... Why Apple Inc.'s Shift to Sapphire In the iPhone 6... Dow Rockets. Volumes Plummet. Mexico: The World’s New China SunTrust’s Mortgage Settlement Sounds Surprising... Stocks to Watch: Container Store, Celgene, America... Wotif Group Acquisition Positive For Expedia Quotes On A Screen And Blotches of Ink - John Hussman Personal Finance: Re-establish credit after… Could Fannie and Freddie Be High-Growth Investment... Delta, UAL, American Drop 5%. Blame Brazil? ►  June (48) ►  May (46) ►  April (58) ►  March (50) ►  February (23) ►  January (47) ►  2013 (1428) ►  December (53) ►  November (48) ►  October (46) ►  September (32) ►  August (48) ►  July (109) ►  June (128) ►  May (138) ►  April (131) ►  March (313) ►  February (184) ►  January (198) ►  2012 (1653) ►  December (250) ►  November (216) ►  October (250) ►  September (167) ►  August (229) ►  July (215) ►  June (216) ►  May (110) About Me Maryii View my complete profile Watermark theme. Powered by Blogger.