Saturday, January 31, 2015

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014

Caterpillar Inc.(CAT) shares have been a rare bright spot Monday amid a sea of red for U.S. stocks.

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Shares of the Dow component jumped as much as 7.1%�after the world’s biggest maker of construction and mining equipment’s fourth-quarter profit exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts. While Caterpillar’s results were boosted by aggressive cost-cutting measures, the company expects sales to level off this year after a difficult 2013.

“While some companies like to play dumb to reading the writing on the wall, it appears Caterpillar has acted decisively in addressing a slowdown in orders and as a result the outlook is in slightly less need of bulldozing than two quarters ago,” said�Andrew Wilkinson, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers LLC(IBKR).

Top 10 Defensive Stocks To Own For 2015: Bob Evans Farms Inc.(BOBE)

Bob Evans Farms, Inc. owns and operates full-service restaurants under the Bob Evans and Mimi's Cafe brand names in the United States. It also sells retail gifts, food items, and other novelties in its Bob Evans Restaurants, and seven Bob Evans Restaurants & General Stores. As of January 27, 2012, the company owned and operated 564 Bob Evans family restaurants in 18 states; and 145 Mimi's Caf�casual restaurants in 24 states. It also produces and distributes food products under the Bob Evans and Owens brand names. The company?s food products include fresh, smoked, and fully cooked pork sausages; hickory-smoked bacon products; refrigerated and frozen convenience food items, such as mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, microwaveable sandwiches, and slow-roasted main dish entrees. In addition, it owns and operates SWH Custom Foods, a prep kitchen that prepares signature muffin mixes, dressings, sauces, and soups for third-party restaurants in Fullerton, California. The com pany was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Bob Evans Farms (NASDAQ: BOBE  ) is about to hatch another dividend. The company has declared its latest quarterly payout, which amounts to $0.275 per share. This will be paid on June 17 to shareholders of record as of June 3. That amount matches each of the firm's previous three disbursements, the most recent of which was paid in late March. Prior to that, Bob handed out $0.25 per share.

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    In the last several weeks, three hedge and mutual fund managers sold shares of their holdings where they own 5% or more of the company, according to GuruFocus Real Time Picks. Most of the managers made large gains on these sales, with one exception. John Paulson reduced his stake in Delphi (DLPH), Third Avenue reduced its stake in Skyline Corp. (SKY), and NWQ Managers reduced its stake in PrivateBancorp (PVTB) and Bob Evans Farms (BOBE). John Paulson and Delphi Auto Plc (DLPH)

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Tuesday

    Earnings Expected: Bob Evans Farms (NASDAQ: BOBE), Analog Devices (NASDAQ: ADI), TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), DSW (NYSE: DSW) Sanderson Farms (NASDAQ: SAFM) Economic Releases Expected: U.S. consumer confidence, U.S. house price index, U.S. Redbook, U.S. durable goods orders

    Wednesday

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Gentex Corp (GNTX)

Gentex Corporation is a supplier of automatic-dimming (auto-dimming) rear-view mirrors and camera-based lighting-assist features to the global automotive industry. The Company also provides commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. The Company is involved in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing interior and exterior auto-dimming automotive rear-view mirrors that utilize electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. The Company also manufactures non-automatic-dimming rear-view automotive mirrors with electronic features. On September 27, 2013, the Company acquired Johnson Controls' HomeLink business.

Automotive Mirrors

The interior auto-dimming mirror offers reflectance levels between its approximate 85% full-reflectance state and its 5% least-reflectance state, taking just a few seconds to span the entire range. Special electro-optic sensors in the mirror detect glare and electronic circuitry supplies electricity to darken the mirror to level required to eliminate glare, allowing the driver to maintain maximum vision. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company began making shipments of its auto-dimming mirrors for over 25 additional small/mid-sized vehicles manufactured by Hyundai/Kia, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot/Citroen, Toyota/Lexus, VW/Audi and Geely/Volvo. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia.

The Company offers its exterior auto-dimming mirrors with turn-signal indicators and side blind zone features. The Company sells its exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies to exterior mirror suppliers of the automakers who assemble the exterior auto-dimmi! ng mirror sub-assemblies into full mirror units for subsequent resale to the automakers. During 2011, the Company shipped approximately 5,288,000 exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping interior auto-dimming mirrors, which was standard equipment or factory-installed options on certain trim levels to the manufacturers. The Company�� exterior auto-dimming mirrors are controlled by the sensors and electronic circuitry in the interior auto-dimming mirror, and both the interior and exterior mirrors dim simultaneously.

Non-Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirrors

As of December 31, 2011, auto-dimming mirrors offered by the Company include headlamp control, lighted light emitting diode (LED) map lamps, compass, remote keyless entry, compass/temperature mirror, compass/temperature dual display, telematics, HomeLink, tire pressure display, hands free communication, trip functions display, indicator LED�� for alarm system, exterior turn signal and side blind zone mirrors. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. Its SmartBeam product includes variable forward lighting (VFL) and dynamic forward lighting (DFL). VFL automates high-beam and low-beam switching.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company shipped approximately 1,045,000 SmartBeam units and shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company is shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for 57 vehicle models with nine automakers. The Company is also shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for over 20 aftermarket or dealer-installed programs. The Company�� compass technology can be sold as a system with the compass heading displayed in the interior auto-dimming mirror. The Gentex compass technology is called Z-Nav, as it features a digital, tri-axis sensor (transducer) and software. The tri-axis! design i! s similar to compasses used in scientific apparatus, such as aerospace applications, and can be mounted on any fixed or pivotal location in the vehicle, including inside the mirror housing.

In North America, the Company markets its products primarily through a direct sales force. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors and mirrors to its customers worldwide under annual blanket purchase orders. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors to General Motors Corporation and Chrysler LLC under long-term agreements. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia. During 2011, the Company marketed and sold auto-dimming mirrors into the domestic the People�� Republic of China automotive market, by shipping product directly through the global automakers��joint venture relationships and indirectly into the People�� Republic of China through global automakers export divisions.

Fire Protection Products

The Company manufactures approximately 55 different models of smoke alarms and smoke detectors, combined with over 100 different models of signaling appliances. All the smoke detectors/alarms operate on a photoelectric principle to detect smoke. Photoelectric detectors/alarms feature low light-level detection, while ionization detectors utilize an ionized atmosphere, the electrical conductivity, of which varies with changes in the composition of the atmosphere. The Company�� fire protection products provide the flexibility to be wired as part of multiple-function systems and consequently are generally used in fire detection systems common to office buildings, hotels, motels, military bases, college dormitories and other commercial establishments. The Company also offers single-station alarms for both commercial and residential applications.

The Company�� fire protection products are sold di! rectly to! fire protection and security product distributors under the Company�� brand name, to electrical wholesale houses, and to original equipment manufacturers of fire protection systems under both the Company�� brand name and private labels. The Company markets its fire protection products globally through regional sales managers and manufacturer representative organizations.

Dimmable Aircraft Windows

The Company provides variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. PPG Aerospace works together to provide variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. The Company jointly markets and sells its variable dimmable windows to aircraft manufacturers with PPG Aerospace.

The Company competes with Magna International.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Hill]

    In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts talk about why they're watching Dynamic Materials (NASDAQ: BOOM  ) , Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX  ) , and Western Union (NYSE: WU  ) .

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Paradise Inc (PARF)

Paradise, Inc., incorporated in September, 1961, conducts operations through two business segments: Candied Fruit and Molded Plastics. The Candied Fruit segment is engaged in the production of candied fruit, a basic fruitcake ingredient, sold to manufacturing bakers, institutional users, and retailers for use in home baking. Based on market conditions, it is also engaged in the processing of frozen strawberry products for sale to commercial and institutional users, such as preservers, dairies and drink manufacturers. The Molded Plastics segment is engaged in the production of plastic containers for the Company�� products and other molded plastics for sale to unaffiliated customers.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, in terms of candied fruit sales, approximately 20% were shipped to manufacturing bakers and other institutional users, with the balance being sold through supermarkets and other retail outlets for ultimate use in the home. Sales to retail outlets are usually generated through registered food brokers operating in exclusively franchised territories.

The Company�� trademarks Paradise, Dixie, Mor-Fruit and Sun-Ripe are registered with the appropriate Federal and State authorities for use on the Company�� candied fruit. During 2011, the Company derived approximately 15% of its consolidated net sales from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Geoff Gannon]

    What is the advantage of being a huge company? There are some. For one, we know the business is ��or was ��growable. A lot of small companies stay small because their circle of competence is small. Paradise (PARF) is an over the counter stock. It has a market cap of $10 million. And it dominates the candied fruit market in the U.S. Why isn�� the company bigger?

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Speedway Motorsports Inc.(TRK)

Speedway Motorsports, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a promoter, marketer, and sponsor of motor sports activities in the United States. The company principally owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway racing facilities. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services; food, beverage, and hospitality catering services; and radio programming, production, and distribution services. In addition, it develops electronic media promotional programming; and distributes wholesale and retail racing, and other sports related souvenir merchandise and apparel. Further, the company manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts; and produces and sells an environmentally-friendly micro-lubricant. Speedway Motorsports has a joint venture with International Speedway Corporat ion to produce, market, and sell licensed motorsports collectible and consumer products, primarily trackside event souvenir merchandising. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Concord, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

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