What's faster than a speeding cable Internet connection, and able to leap between mobile computing and old-school TV in a single bound? If you ask Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) , the answer's simple: lightning-fast fiber-optic Internet service.
As it stands, broad access to Google's service has been limited to the greater Kansas City area, so Fiber's been little more than an intriguing notion. But with news that Austin, Texas, is next up on Google Fiber's hit parade, the prospects are becoming intriguing that Google could build an entirely new source of revenue and turn the Internet industry upside down.
Austin, here we come
The official announcement that Fiber is coming to Austin was supposed to be a closely guarded secret, but that didn't last long. A local news outlet leaked the story a week ago that Google Fiber was going to be the subject of the joint press conference with Google and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. Austin seems like a natural for Fiber, since it's widely viewed as a domestic hotbed of IT. Beginning in mid-2014, local residents will be able to choose Internet service for $70 a month, or $120 a month with Fiber TV service, at connection speeds 100 times faster than cable, according to Google.
Hot Healthcare Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)
Symantec Corporation provides security, storage, and systems management solutions internationally. The company?s Consumer segment delivers Internet security, PC tune-up, and online backup solutions and services to individual users and home offices. Its Security and Compliance segment provides solutions for endpoint security and management, compliance, messaging management, data loss prevention, encryption, and authentication services to large, medium, and small-sized businesses, as well as offers solutions through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) security offerings. This segment?s products enable customers to secure, provision, and remotely manage their laptops, PCs, mobile devices, and servers. The company?s Storage and Server Management segment provides storage and server management, backup, archiving, and data protection solutions across heterogeneous storage and server platforms, as well as solutions delivered through its SaaS offerings to large, medium, and small-s ized businesses. Symantec?s Services segment offers implementation services and solutions, including consulting, business critical services, education, and managed security services. The company also provides various enterprise support offerings, such as annual maintenance support contracts, including content, upgrades, and technical support. It sells its products through its eCommerce platform, as well as through distributors, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, system builders, ISPs, and retail locations worldwide. Symantec markets and sells its products through distributors, retailers, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and Internet service providers; and its e-commerce channels, as well as direct sales force, value-added and large account resellers, and system integrators. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Shauna O'Brien]
On Thursday, Morgan Stanley reported that it has downgraded security and storage management company Symantec Corporation (SYMC).
Morgan Stanley has cut its rating on SYMC to an “Equal Weight.” Analysts believe that the company lacks near term catalysts.
Symantec shares were down 55 cents, or 2.18%, during pre-market trading Thursday. The stock is up 34% YTD.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is down 1.9% at $34.62 on earnings that were good but not great. Symantec Inc. (NASDAQ: SYMC) is down 12.8% at $21.48 on lagging revenues and a weak outlook. Fusion-io Inc. (NYSE: FIO) is down 24.4% at $9.81 on soft results. Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG) is up 4% at $26.62 after reporting earnings this morning. Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) is down 10.4% at $9.61 on a weak outlook tied to a failing turnaround plan.
- [By Vanina Egea] and earnings growth (which came in better than expected on the last reported quarter), profit margins and other profitability ratios.
Additionally, I will evaluate which institutional investors bought the stock in the recent quarters (institutional backup can tell a lot about a stock), and the initiatives that the company is putting in motion in order to ameliorate its sales and margins.
Earnings
The first step is analyzing Symantec Corp�� earnings growth. I am looking for companies that are able to expand both their quarterly and annual earnings by more than 15% a year. Last quarter the company generated 13% quarterly EPS growth when compared to the same quarter last year. Thus, I am not encouraged by SYMC�� numbers. Past growth winners (Apple, Baidu, etc.) generated consistent quarterly EPS growth above 15% and I am certainly looking for that level before investing.
In addition, SYMC generated three-year average annual EPS growth of 10%. This is an important metric to follow in growth stocks because it highlights how well the stock grew in the past years. I like to invest in companies that are growing consistently.
Revenue
Let's take a look at SYMC麓s revenue growth. This is a key metric that needs to be analyzed before investing in a company, as it is one of the scarce figures that cannot be modified through accounting tricks and similar dodges.
The company reported a 5% quarterly revenue drop year over year. On the contrary, I look for companies that generate more than 15% in quarterly growth.
When betting on a company, an investor wants to see sales grow or improve over time ���nd not just in the last reported quarter. Looking at the company�� financials in comparison to previous years will give participants a much better idea of how well a company is doing. Symantec Corp generated a three-year average annual sales growth rate of 4%.
A New Strategic Plan
Accepting the problems in its
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)
IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Mani]
IAC InterActive Corp. (NASDAQ:IACI) should see improved margins and revenue from its Match business as subscriber growth could be boosted by favorable secular trends and new monetizing opportunities.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading UP
IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI) shot up 15.54 percent to $69.43 after the company reported that that it is reorganizing and that Greg Blatt, its CEO, will become the Chairman of the newly created Match Group. - [By Rex Crum]
Additionally, Devitt initiated coverage of IAC/InterActive Corp. (IACI) �with an equal weight rating and best-case stock price scenario of $67 a share.
- [By John Kell]
IAC/InterActiveCorp(IACI). said its fourth-quarter earnings jumped 89% as the Internet firm managed to offset a decline in search and media revenue with cost cutting. Revenue missed estimates, sending shares down 5.6% to $65 in light premarket trading.
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)
Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chad Fraser] Christmas is a time for good cheer, reflection and spending time with friends and family. Here are four stocks that reflect the season, ranging from Christmas tree providers to toymakers and beyond:
Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY): Some little-known Christmas tree facts: there are 25 million to 30 million sold in the U.S. every year, with about 350 million currently growing in the country. It takes an average of seven years to grow a Christmas tree to its proper height.
Most Christmas tree farms are privately owned, but they need to get good seedlings from somewhere, so many turn to timber company Weyerhaeuser, which grows the most popular species—including balsam fir, Douglas fir, Scotch pine and white pine.
Weyerhaeuser controls about 6 million acres of timberland, with about a third of that in the Pacific Northwest, which is America’s most prolific lumber-producing region thanks to its cool, damp climate and considerable rainfall.
“The fact that it’s the largest timber producer in the Pacific Northwest makes Weyerhaeuser extremely attractive, because the company’s location gives it easy export access to China,” wrote Investing Daily analyst Benjamin Shepherd in a December 13 article. “This location also leaves it well-placed to pick up the supply slack created by lower production caps in Canada, which is typically a key Chinese supplier.”
Mattel (NYSE: MAT) is proving that the most traditional toys you can think of—dolls—still have a place under the tree, even in the digital age. As we reported on October 16, Mattel’s doll lineup was the main reason why its third-quarter earnings surged past Wall Street estimates.
The company’s strength is centered on its ability to come up with popular new dolls while reimagining the tried-and-true. Right now, its Monster High franchise, which it rolled out in 2010, is stealing the show: the brand’s p - [By Steve Heller]
Because Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN ) Instant Video is bundled with Amazon Prime, the goal for Amazon.com isn't necessarily the same as it is for Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) . For Amazon, it's more about gathering data on its users and unlocking insights into customer behavior. In this video, Fool contributor Steve Heller explains why he believes Internet streaming is extremely important to Amazon, despite it being a relatively small business for the online giant. �
- [By Steve Symington]
Hold onto your hats, NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA ) shareholders, because Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) �may have just made things a whole lot more interesting for your favorite graphics chip specialist.
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA)
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, incorporated on June 28, 1999, is an online and mobile commerce company. The Company operates its ecosystem as a platform for third parties. The Company operates Taobao Marketplace, China�� online shopping destination, Tmall, China�� third-party platform for brands and retailers and Juhuasuan, China�� group buying marketplace. In addition to its three China retail marketplaces, the Company operates Alibaba.com, China�� global online wholesale marketplace, 1688.com, its China wholesale marketplace, and AliExpress, its global consumer marketplace, as well as provides cloud computing services. As a platform, the Company provides the fundamental technology infrastructure and marketing reach to help businesses leverage the power of the Internet to establish an online presence and conduct commerce with consumers and businesses. Effective August 01, 2014, Alibaba Investment Ltd, a unit of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, acquired a 10.193% interest n Singapore Post Ltd.
The buyers and sellers discover, select and transact with each other on the Company�� platform. Third-party service providers add value to its platform through service offerings that make it easier for buyers and sellers to do business. The third-party participants in its ecosystem include a payment services provider, logistics providers, retail operational partners, marketing affiliates, independent software vendors and various professional service providers. The Company has developed policies and procedures that maintain the health and sustainability of its marketplaces, including consumer protection programs, marketplace rules, qualification standards for merchants and buyer and seller rating systems. As its ecosystem expands, new jobs are created.
Taobao Affiliate Network is powered by Alimama, its online marketing technology platform. Through this platform, sellers place marketing displays on its marketing affiliates��websites and mobile apps, and sellers pay a performance-b! ased marketing fee primarily based on cost-per-click (CPC), and cost-per-sale (CPS), models. Through China Smart Logistics, the Company provides real-time information to its logistics partners, including key operating metrics, such as distribution center utilization rates, route planning data and order volume forecasts. Independent software vendors (ISVs) provide software tools, as well as systems integration services to sellers.
Tmall is an online platform featuring brands and retailers with each seller having an identifiable online storefront. Users may access Tmall anytime, anywhere through the Tmall Website and the mobile apps and mobile-optimized websites provided by Taobao Marketplace and Tmall. The physical product categories on Tmall include apparel and accessories, electronics and appliances, home furnishings, home appliances, maternity and baby products. Juhuasuan is an online group buying marketplace in China. Juhuasuan offers quality products at discounted prices by aggregating demand from numerous consumers. Juhuasuan mainly does this through flash sales, which make products available at discounted prices for a limited period of time. Juhuasuan offers group buying channels featuring branded and private label products, products made to custom specifications and local services.
AliExpress is a consumer marketplace enables consumers from around the world to buy directly from wholesalers and manufacturers in China. On AliExpress, consumers have access to a variety of products. In addition to the global English-language site, AliExpress operates two local language sites in Russia and Brazil. The product categories on AliExpress.com include apparel and accessories, phones and communications products, beauty and health, computer networking, jewelry and watches. Alibaba.com is an online commerce platform. Sellers on Alibaba.com may pay for an annual Gold Supplier membership to host a premium storefront with product listings on the marketplace.
The Company��! marketin! g technology platform, Alimama, offers sellers on its marketplaces marketing services for both personal computer and mobile devices, which include P4P marketing service and display marketing. Alimama also offers its sellers these marketing services through third parties through the Taobao Affiliate Network. The Taobao Ad Network and Exchange (TANX) automates the buying and selling of billions of advertising impressions on a daily basis by third parties. The Company also offer a data management platform (DMP), connected to TANX. Its DMP allows participants on TANX to evaluate and select online advertising inventory using both behavioral data they provide, as well as data from browsing behavior and shopping history. Its Cloud Computing supports its commerce ecosystem by providing a distributed computing infrastructure to handle the large volume of traffic and data generated on its online marketplaces. Its cloud computing platform offers service offerings, including elastic computing, database services and storage and large scale computing services.
The company offer search functions on all of its Web pages, mobile apps and many of its marketing affiliates��websites and apps to make it easy for buyers to find products and services within its marketplaces. The Company offers Aliwangwang, a personal computer-based instant messenger that supports text, audio and video communication. The Company developed Aliwangwang to facilitate open communication between buyers and sellers on Taobao Marketplace and Tmall. Buyers and sellers use it as a tool for a range of tasks, including negotiation of prices, customer services and delivery notification, in addition to the basic messaging functions. It offer Qianniu , an integrated platform for communication and productivity tools which allows sellers on Taobao Marketplace and Tmall to manage their operations more efficiently.
Alipay, the Company�� related company, provides payment and escrow services for transactions on Taobao Marketplace, Tm! all, 1688! .com and certain of its other sites, as well as to third parties in China. The Company�� small and medium enterprise (SME) loan business provides micro loans to sellers on its wholesale and retail marketplaces through lending vehicles licensed by the local government.
The company competes with Tencent and Baidu.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By reports.droy]
Yet the facility is used by only 15% of the massive Indian population, which leaves a huge consumer band yet to be tapped. This potential has caught the attention not only of indigenous innovators and entrepreneurs but also the global big wigs like Amazon, Ebay (EBAY) and Alibaba (BABA). Let us take a closer look at the ongoing clash of the titans in this sector��the indigenous Flipkart against the global hero Amazon.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Trading volume was particularly heavy today, thanks to Alibaba’s (BABA) heavily-hyped IPO. More than 270 million shares of Alibaba changed hands today, making it the most heavily traded stock today, while Yahoo! (YHOO), which owns a big chunk of the Chinese internet giant, saw 231 million shares traded, the most since Microsoft (MSFT) it would no longer buy the company back in May 2008. Overall, 8.6 billion shares changed hands today, the fourth highest volume of the year.
- [By MONEYMORNING.COM]
And one of the best current examples of "history being made" is the looming initial public stock offering (IPO) of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA), the Chinese Internet heavyweight whose shares are scheduled to price tomorrow and begin trading Friday.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Andy Wong/AP Alibaba (BABA) is the new belle of the dot-com ball in China. The e-commerce juggernaut pulled off a record initial public offering in September when it raised $25 billion on the way to becoming a public company. Analysts love Alibaba. They were able to initiate coverage on Wednesday, following the 40-day quiet period that follows an IPO's debut. Only one of its underwriters -- Goldman Sachs -- failed to tap it as a buy recommendation. It's easy to see the appeal. Alibaba helped 231 million active buyers place 11.3 billion orders totaling $248 billion in transactions last year, and it's just getting started. However, the stock, with its nearly $250 billion market cap, isn't cheap. Let's look at some Chinese dot-coms that have been trading longer and could be more compelling bargains. Baidu (BIDU) China's leading search engine posted another blowout quarter on Wednesday, just as analysts were gushing all over Alibaba. The company behind China's largest search engine saw revenue soar 52 percent over the prior year's third quarter. Earnings climbed just 27 percent, but that was twice as fast as analysts were expecting. Baidu is investing in low-margin online specialties including travel, video and mobile app storefronts, and that weighs on bottom-line growth. Baidu remains one of China's biggest winners. It went public nine years ago at a split-adjusted price of $2.70, and now it trades north of $200. Baidu fulfills roughly two-thirds of all queries, and it is rocking at a time when its profitability is still suppressed. 51job (JOBS) Matching employees to potential hires started out with old-school tech for 51job. It got its start by inserting weekly job listings in more than two dozen leading Chinese newspapers. Then the Internet came along, allowing 51job to convert its thick Rolodex and respected brand into a leading online recruiter. It's working: 51job is growing its revenue in the low double digits. It's trading at a reasonable 22 time
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: Google Inc.(GOOG)
Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Let's start with Himax, which soared after Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) moved to take a small stake in the Taiwanese chipmaker's majority-owned display subsidiary. Himax had risen in the past on the high probability that the subsidiary's liquid crystal silicon chips would be a component in Google Glass as the high-tech specs go into mainstream production. This deal -- with Big G taking a 6.3% position that can escalate to 14.8% within the next year -- both cements the relationship and signals that the search giant is serious about wearable computing.
- [By Tim Beyers]
Every one of the major tech companies has taken steps to upgrade messaging. Microsoft has combined MSN Messenger with Skype, for example. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) has iMessage. Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) has upgraded its efforts in a new platform called Hangouts. Start-up MessageMe may best them all anyway.
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: eBay Inc.(EBAY)
eBay Inc. provides online platforms, services, and tools to help individuals and merchants in online and mobile commerce and payments in the United States and internationally. Its Marketplaces segment operates ecommerce platform eBay.com; vertical shopping sites, such as StubHub, Fashion, Motors, and Half.com; and classifieds Websites, including Den Bl�Avis, BilBasen, Gumtree, Kijiji, LoQUo, Marktplaats.nl, mobile.de, Alamaula, Rent.com, eBay Anuncios, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and eBay Annunci, as well as provides advertising services. The company?s Payments segment offers payment and settlement services for consumers and merchants on and off eBay Websites and other merchant Websites. This segment operates PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments online and through mobile devices; Bill Me Later that enables the United States merchants to offer, the United States consumers to obtain, credit at the point of sale for ecommerce and mobile tra nsactions; Zong, which allows users with mobile phones to purchase digital goods and have the transactions charged to their phone bill; and BillSAFE that enables customers pay for purchases upon receipt of an invoice. Its GSI segment offers an ecommerce services suite for enterprise clients that operate in general merchandise categories, including apparel, sporting goods, toys and baby, health and beauty, and home; and marketing services comprising full-service digital agency, enterprise email marketing, mobile advertising, affiliate marketing, advertisement retargeting, and in-depth analytics services. The company also offers X.commerce platform that provides software developers access to the company?s applications programming interfaces to develop functionality for various merchants; and Magento Connect, which allows developers to market and sell add-on functionality and solutions to merchants that use a Magento storefront. eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquarter ed in San Jose, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Daniel Sparks]
If you're one of these investors, here are two quantifiable investment opportunities I've came across this month: Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY ) .
- [By Ben Levisohn]
J.M. Smucker (SJM) dropped 6.5% to $101.49 today, making it the biggest loser in the S&P 500, with Lowe’s (LOW) close behind, down 6.2% at $47.33. Other big losers include Newmont Mining (NEM), which fell 3.5% to $26.39, eBay (EBAY), which has dropped 3.3% to $50.39, and Iron Mountain (IRM), which declined 3.3% to $28.71.
Top 10 Internet Stocks To Own For 2014: CYNK Technology Corp (CYNK)
Cynk Technology Corp., formerly Introbuzz, Inc., is a development stage-company. The Company intends to develop a social network business. Social networks are Web based services that allow individuals to post a profile and link their profile to other friends and organizations.
The Company intends to develop a database of professional and other business persons, as well as other interested persons in providing and utilizing contacts. As of November 14, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
CYNK Technology (CYNK), the mysterious over-the-counter stock that at one point broke a $6 billion market cap, dropped roughly 80 percent in its first trades after a Securities and Exchange Commission halt. The SEC halted CYNK for two weeks following a massive rise in the stock's value -- it had been worth only a few cents per share in June, but it jumped above $21 on July 10. The Belize-based CYNK Technology supposedly operates a social networking site, but filings indicate it only has one employee and virtually no assets. Experts told CNBC the week of the SEC halt that they expected CYNK to fall precipitously after reopening, and its first day of trading is proving those predictions correct. When it was halted, the stock was worth just less than $14 per share, and is now below $3 a share after briefly hovering around $5 earlier Friday morning. An OTC Markets spokeswoman told Reuters that CYNK's shares were not trading on its platform, but were occurring over the phone. Earlier this week Reuters reported that OTC's CEO did not expect CYNK to trade on its platform at all after reopening, as no brokerages would file the required paperwork for the stock to trade on their exchanges. An SEC spokesman said that the organization cannot comment on the status of a company after a suspension period ends, citing an online explanation of the process. That document notes that broker-dealers may not solicit investors to trade the previously suspended OTC stock until they satisfy several regulatory requirements. The SEC warned, however, that "unsolicited" trading may occur after a reopening -- as CYNK is now seeing -- but "even though such trading is allowed, it can be very risky for investors without current and reliable information about the company."
No comments:
Post a Comment