Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) has become a bit of a soda jerk.
A couple of outlets dared to compare Microsoft's poorly received Windows 8 operating system -- and the company's reaction this past week in promising an update that will restore some missed features -- to Coca-Cola's (NYSE: KO ) flop with New Coke.
For those unfamiliar with the pop star's sugary blunder, Coca-Cola shocked the carbonated-beverage industry with the 1985 introduction of New Coke. The reformulation was a disaster, and the soft-drink titan responded quickly by bringing back the original beverage as Coca-Cola Classic.
"Microsoft is preparing to reverse course over key elements of its Windows 8 operating system, marking one of the most prominent admissions of failure for a new mass-market consumer product since Coca-Cola's New Coke fiasco nearly 30 years ago," the Financial Times wrote on Tuesday.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Banca Emilia(EMII.MI)
Banca popolare dell'Emilia Romagna s.c. provides various banking and financial products in Italy and internationally. The company offers deposits and loans; mortgages, advances against bills of exchange, and personal loans; finance to large and small agricultural firms; cooperative credit institution, tax collection, and consultancy services; and financial consulting and insurance products. It also engages in investment trusts and funds management activities; disbursing medium-long term loans, including agricultural credit, land credit, and financing of public works; and offering investment consulting to private and institutional clients, such as cash management, discretionary asset management for private clientele, securities trade on the main international markets, swaps, derivatives, investments in funds, and open-end investment companies. In addition, the company provides factoring, leasing, and consumer credit; and manages a private equity fund. It serves physical per sons, individual businesses, partnerships or limited companies, public administrations, financial businesses, non financial companies, non-residents, and large corporate customers. The company was formerly known as Banca popolare dell?Emilia and changed its name to Banca popolare dell'Emilia Romagna s.c. in 1992. Banca popolare dell'Emilia Romagna s.c. was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Modena, Italy.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Transcontinental Realty Investors Inc.(TCI)
Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. acquires, develops, and owns residential and commercial real estate properties through acquisitions, leases, and partnerships in the United States. The company leases apartment units to residents; leases office, industrial, and retail space to various for-profit businesses, as well as to local, state, and federal agencies; and leases trade show and exhibit space to temporary, as well as long-term tenants. In addition, its real estate properties consist of commercial properties, including office buildings, industrial warehouses, and shopping centers; apartments; and new properties, such as apartment homes. Further, the company invests in unimproved land and apartment development and construction, and mortgage loans on real estate, including first, and wraparound and junior mortgage loans. Additionally, it originates its mortgage loans, and acquires existing mortgage notes directly from builders, developers, and property owners, as wel l as through mortgage banking firms, commercial banks, and other qualified brokers. As of September 30, 2008, its properties consisted of 29 commercial buildings, including 20 office buildings, 5 commercial warehouses, and 4 retail centers; 51 apartment communities; and 7,425 acres of developed and undeveloped land. The company was founded in 1983 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Top 5 Gold Companies To Invest In Right Now: CBOE Holdings Inc.(CBOE)
CBOE Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates markets for the execution of transactions in exchange-traded options. The company offers marketplaces for trading of options on individual equities, various market indexes, exchange-traded notes, and exchange-traded funds, as well as futures contracts and cash equities. It has strategic relationships with Standard & Poor's Corporation; Dow Jones & Co.; NASDAQ; and Frank Russell Co. The company was founded in 1973 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Transpac Industrial Hldgs Ltd (T55.SI)
Transpac Industrial Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, provides venture capital to companies with capital appreciation potential in Asia. It invests in the securities of growing private companies principally located in China/Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The company is based in Singapore.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Paragon Group(PAG.L)
The Paragon Group of Companies PLC, through its subsidiaries, engages in first mortgage and consumer finance businesses in the United Kingdom. The company?s services include buy-to-let and owner-occupied mortgage assets; asset investment and administration; vehicle fleet management; unsecured lending; property services; mortgage brokering; loan and vehicle finance; and surveyors and property consulting. It also offers a range of services to its landlord customers, including tenant assessments, insurance products, and energy performance certificates. In addition, the company provides consumer finance and specialist loan servicing for non-performing assets, litigation, and surveying services for third party clients comprising the management of portfolios and the provision of arrears management. Its clients include building societies, investment banks, specialist lenders, hedge funds, private equity houses, commercial banks, and other financial services companies. The Parago n Group of Companies PLC was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Solihull, the United Kingdom.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: OptimumBank Holdings Inc.(OPHC)
OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for OptimumBank that provides community banking products and services to individuals and corporate customers in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties, Florida. Its deposit products include demand interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing accounts, money market deposit accounts, NOW accounts, and time deposits, as well as direct deposits. The company also provides residential and commercial real estate loans, and consumer loans to individuals and small businesses, and other organizations. In addition, it offers credit cards, cash management, notary services, money orders, night depository, travelers? checks, cashier?s checks, domestic collections, savings bonds, bank drafts, automated teller services, drive-in tellers, and banking by mail services. Further, the company provides Internet banking services. It conducts operations from its Fort Lauderdale headquarters and three branch offices in Fort Lauder dale, Plantation, and Deerfield Beach. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Mainstreet Bankshares Inc(MREE.OB)
MainStreet BankShares, Inc. operates as the holding company for Franklin Community Bank, National Association, which is a national-chartered commercial bank that provides a range of banking services in Virginia. The company accepts deposits from the general public and makes loans. Its deposit products include demand, interest checking, money market, savings, and time deposits. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial loans; construction and land development, one-to-our family residential real estate, home equity, and commercial real estate loans; and consumer loans. Its serves individuals, professionals, and small-to-medium-sized businesses primarily in Franklin County, Town of Rocky Mount, and surrounding areas. The company operates four banking offices in Hardy, Rocky Mount, and Union Hall, Virginia. MainStreet BankShares, Inc. is based in Martinsville, Virginia.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)
Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeff Cox]
Bank of America's(BAC) Merrill Lynch, which began slashing its GDP projections all the way back in April, before the worst of the economic headlines began to hit, softened its position as well.
"The trade deficit for July came in appreciably smaller than expected as exports posted an impressive gain while imports fell," economist Gary Bigg wrote. " From a third quarter growth perspective, the narrowing in the trade balance implies a positive trade contribution to real GDP growth."
The firm has taken its projection up to 2.1 percent for the quarter.
- [By George Putn]
In Q4 2010, Buffett sold the rest of his stake of five million shares at an average price of $12.24.
In 2010, the company made a GAAP EPS of -$0.37, which is worse than 2009’s - $0.29. In 2008, that figure was $0.54. Revenues declined by 7.88% to $110.2 billion, after jumping by 64.39% in 2009. The EBT margin improved to 6.61% from 5.98%.
For 2011, the Street expects non-GAAP EPS to be between $1.05 and $1.75. In 2010, non-GAAP EPS was $0.86. Q1 2011 results are released on April 15, and the Street estimates non-GAAP EPS would be between $0.15 and $0.44 with a consensus of $0.26. In comparison, Q1 2010 posted a non-GAAP EPS of $0.28. For Q1 2011, analysts estimate BAC will generate revenues of $26.0B, an increase of 30.84% over the prior year first quarter results. BAC shares trade with a price to sales multiple of 1.2. In its heyday not too long ago, that multiple was in the low 3’s. Investors are waiting to see if the worst is over for Bank of America. There is too much uncertainty swirling about in this mortgage mess due to regulatory uncertainty. However, BofA's capital ratios have continued to increase as the company has shed noncore assets and riskier loans. If you are a long-term investor, buy BAC while it is at these depressed levels. Otherwise, don’t even touch this with a forty-nine-an d-a-half foot pole.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: hansteen hldgs ord gbp0.1(HSTN.L)
Hansteen Holdings PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the investment, development, and management of industrial properties in Continental Europe. As of December 31, 2007, its portfolio comprised 100 properties covering 860,000 sq m in Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.
Top 10 Financial Stocks To Own For 2014: Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC(OZM)
Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides investment advisory services for its clients. It invests in equity markets across the world. The firm makes its investments in alternative markets across the world. It employs quantitative and qualitative analysis to make its investments. The firm also manages a buyout fund, Och-Ziff Energy Fund. Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC was founded in 1994 and is based New York, New York with additional offices in London, United Kingdom; Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; Bangalore, India; and Beijing, China.
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