The last time General Electric (NYSE: GE ) reported earnings, the news spooked investors enough to spark a 4% sell-off in GE stock. But investors had a different reaction entirely to GE earnings on Friday: They bid the stock up 4% (and even a bit more). So the news must have been good, right?
Well, yes and no.
Viewed in isolation, GE earnings Friday were no great shakes. Industrial cash flow from operating activities was $1.55 billion for the quarter, down 10% from last year, while total cash from operations was off by 46%. Q2 profits from continuing operations came in at $0.31 per diluted share on $35.1 billion in revenues. Those numbers were down 9%, and 4%, respectively, from last year's second quarter.
Today versus tomorrow
On the other hand, GE earnings did beat analyst estimates (by a penny). More importantly to investors, the company is showing signs of improved health that bode well for the future.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Helios Advantage Income Fund Inc. (HAV)
Helios Advantage Income Fund, Inc. is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Brookfield Investment Management Inc. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It invests a majority of its assets in below investment grade debt securities, which are bonds rated Ba1 or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays Capital U.S. Corporate High Yield Index and the Barclays Capital Ba U.S. High Yield Index. It was formerly known as RMK Advantage Income Fund, Inc. Helios Advantage Income Fund, Inc. was formed on November 8, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Comtech Telecommunications Corp.(CMTL)
Comtech Telecommunications Corp. engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of products, systems, and services for advanced communications solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Telecommunications Transmission, Mobile Data Communications, and RF Microwave Amplifiers. The Telecommunications Transmission segment provides satellite earth station equipment and systems, over-the-horizon microwave systems, and forward error correction technology, which are used in various commercial and government applications, including backhaul of wireless and cellular traffic, broadcasting (including HDTV), IP-based communications traffic, long distance telephony, and secure defense applications. The Mobile Data Communications segment provides mobile satellite transceivers, and computers and satellite earth station network gateways and associated installation, training, and maintenance services; supplies and operates satellite pac ket data networks, including arranging and providing satellite capacity; and offers microsatellites and related components. The RF Microwave Amplifiers segment designs, develops, manufactures, and markets satellite earth station traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) and broadband amplifiers. Its amplifiers are used in broadcast and broadband satellite communication; defense applications, such as telecommunications systems and electronic warfare systems; and commercial applications comprising oncology treatment systems, as well as to amplify signals carrying voice, video, or data for air-to-satellite-to-ground communications. The company serves satellite systems integrators, wireless and other communication service providers, broadcasters, defense contractors, military, governments, and oil companies. Comtech markets its products through independent representatives and value-added resellers. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Melville, New York.
10 Best Stocks For 2014: Gamestop Corporation (GME)
GameStop Corp. operates as a retailer of video game products and personal computer (PC) entertainment software. It sells new and used video game hardware; video game software; used video game products; and video game accessories, which primarily consist of controllers, memory cards, and other add-ons, as well as strategy guides and trading cards. The company also offers PC entertainment and other software across various genres, including sports, action, strategy, adventure/role playing, and simulation, as well as products that relate to the digital category comprising network point cards, prepaid digital and online timecards, and digitally downloadable software. GameStop Corp. sells its products through stores, as well as through its electronic commerce Web sites, including gamestop.com, ebgames.com.au, gamestop.ca, gamestop.it, gamestop.es, gamestop.ie, gamestop.de, and micromania.fr. As of July 12, 2011, its retail network and family of brands included 6,573 company-oper ated stores in 17 countries worldwide. The company also publishes Game Informer, a video game magazine in the United States; and operates the online video gaming Web sites kongregate.com and joltonline.com. GameStop Corp. was founded in 1994 and is based in Grapevine, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Stoffel]
Rising Star Jim Mueller has built his portfolio around companies with stock prices that show the market's unreasonable distaste for them.
Sometimes it takes awhile for his bets to pay off, but when they do, he's handsomely rewarded. Just consider his double-dipping buys of Dendreon (Nasdaq: DNDN ) , a pharmaceutical company that's recently seen its fortunes improve on the basis of its prostate drug Provenge. Though the stock didn't do too much for Jim in 2011, it's up 94% for him in 2012!
He thinks the same could happen with GameStop, a company that analysts have written off as a dying bricks-and-mortar retailer. But Jim says the company is refusing to die, taking three solid steps to solidify its future.
- GameStop's PowerUp Rewards program is catching on with customers, growing from 4.5 million members to 15.5 million in just a year's time.
- The company is strengthening its digital business with Impulse (a downloading site), Kongregate (a casual gaming site), and Spawn Labs (a cloud gaming subsidiary).
- It is working with content providers and console providers to strengthen these digital channels.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Air T Inc.(AIRT)
Air T, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides overnight air cargo, ground equipment sales, and ground support services. Its Overnight Air Cargo segment offers small package overnight airfreight delivery services on a contract basis to the air express delivery services industry. The company?s Ground Equipment Sales segment manufactures, sells, and services aircraft ground support and other specialized equipment products, including aircraft deicers, scissor type lifts, military and civilian decontamination units, glycol recovery vehicles, and other special purpose mobile equipment. This segment offers its products to domestic and international passenger and cargo airlines, ground handling companies, the United States Air Force and Navy, airports, and industrial customers. Its Ground Support Services segment provides ground support equipment maintenance and facilities maintenance services to domestic airlines and aviation service providers. As of March 31, 2010, the company operated 80 cargo aircrafts under dry-lease service contracts in the United States and the Caribbean. Air T, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is based in Maiden, North Carolina.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Crown Media Holdings Inc.(CRWN)
Crown Media Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Crown Media United States, LLC, owns, operates, and distributes pay television networks for adults and families primarily in the United States. The company operates and distributes Hallmark Channel network to approximately 87 million subscribers through approximately 5,369 cable, satellite, and other pay television distribution systems; and Hallmark Movie Channel network to approximately 45 million subscribers through approximately 2,680 cable, satellite, and other pay television distribution systems. Its networks offers a range of entertainment programming, including television series, movies, miniseries, theatricals, romances, literary classics, and contemporary stories. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Studio City, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Brush]
Anyone worried that Howard Stern is coarsening American culture should find comfort in the ratings of two television channels operated by Crown Media (CRWN).
Don't know the name? Think the Hallmark Channel, which ranked 16th during the day and 18th for prime-time viewership last year, among 78 ad-supported cable channels. Or the Hallmark Movie Channel, with an impressive 40 million subscribers, twice as many as Stern's radio company.
Hallmark channels feature squeaky-clean TV series like "Little House on the Prairie" and "Touched by an Angel," movies like "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and original movies like "A Family Thanksgiving." They also rerun "Hallmark Hall of Fame" programs developed for network broadcast, like "The Magic of Ordinary Days" and "Plainsong."
Programs like these may not be everyone's cup of tea, but advertisers love the demographic they deliver: women ages 24 to 59.
Ratings did slip slightly last year, one reason the stock has not been a great performer. But it was a year of transition for Crown, which introduced a new "lifestyle" block of programming during the daytime at the Hallmark Channel. The new lineup boasts "The Martha Stewart Show," among other programs.
Viewers took a while to warm up, but a holiday-season ratings romp shows Crown has not lost its touch. The Hallmark Channel was the top destination for prime time on Saturday nights during the holiday season, and its programming posted ratings gains of 40% to 80% in its target demographic. December ratings at the Hallmark Movie Channel were up 70%, compared with the rest of the quarter. As a result, Crown saw revenue jump 17% in the quarter.
One risk here is that Crown loses the "Hallmark" brand it licenses from Hallmark Cards -- but that's unlikely, because the card company owns most of the stock.
- [By Michael Brush]
Anyone worried that Howard Stern is coarsening American culture should find comfort in the ratings of two television channels operated by Crown Media (CRWN).
Don't know the name? Think the Hallmark Channel, which ranked 16th during the day and 18th for prime-time viewership last year, among 78 ad-supported cable channels. Or the Hallmark Movie Channel, with an impressive 40 million subscribers, twice as many as Stern's radio company.
Hallmark channels feature squeaky-clean TV series like "Little House on the Prairie" and "Touched by an Angel," movies like "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and original movies like "A Family Thanksgiving." They also rerun "Hallmark Hall of Fame" programs developed for network broadcast, like "The Magic of Ordinary Days" and "Plainsong."
Programs like these may not be everyone's cup of tea, but advertisers love the demographic they deliver: women ages 24 to 59.
Ratings did slip slightly last year, one reason the stock has not been a great performer. But it was a year of transition for Crown, which introduced a new "lifestyle" block of programming during the daytime at the Hallmark Channel. The new lineup boasts "The Martha Stewart Show," among other programs.
Viewers took a while to warm up, but a holiday-season ratings romp shows Crown has not lost its touch. The Hallmark Channel was the top destination for prime time on Saturday nights during the holiday season, and its programming posted ratings gains of 40% to 80% in its target demographic. December ratings at the Hallmark Movie Channel were up 70%, compared with the rest of the quarter. As a result, Crown saw revenue jump 17% in the quarter.
One risk here is that Crown loses the "Hallmark" brand it licenses from Hallmark Cards -- but that's unlikely, because the card company owns most of the stock.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: USA Technologies Inc.(USAT)
USA Technologies, Inc. supplies cashless, remote management, reporting, and energy management solutions for the unattended point of sale market primarily in the United States. The company offers networked devices and associated services that enable the owners and operators of stand-alone distributed assets, such as vending machines, kiosks, personal computers, photocopiers, and laundry equipment the ability to remotely monitor, control, and report on the results of these distributed assets, as well as the ability to offer their customers cashless payment options. Its products include Intelligent Vending, an ePort connect solution for the vending industry; Kiosk, an ePort solution that offers an electronic payment option and Web-based remote monitoring and management for various kiosk types; eSuds, a solution for the commercial laundry industry; Business Express, which provides self-service business center solutions to the hotel and motel industry; and ePort Transact soluti on for the self-service business center devices, such as printers and copy machines. The company also manufactures and sells energy conservation products comprising VendingMiser, CoolerMiser, VM2IQ and CM2IQ, SnackMiser, and PlugMiser for various existing equipment, including refrigerated vending machines and glass front coolers. USA Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is based in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael]
USA Technologies is a supplier of cashless, remote management, reporting and energy management services.
Shares of USA Technologies ramped higher in January after the company said revenue in its fiscal second quarter jumped 60% from a year earlier to $6 million, while its net loss narrowed to a penny a share from a loss of 19 cents. Shares pulled back slightly in March after USA Technologies announced it raised nearly $11 million in a private placement of common stock.
Current Share Price: $2.35 (March 29)
First Quarter Total Return: 128%
Analyst Ratings: Janney Montgomery Scott is the only research firm with coverage of USA Technologies, rating the stock a "hold" with a price target of $1.25.
TheStreet Ratings has a "sell" recommendation on USA Technologies, citing disappointing return on equity.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Taylor Devices Inc.(TAYD)
Taylor Devices, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of shock absorption, rate control, and energy storage devices for use in various types of machinery, equipment, and structures. The company provides seismic dampers that ameliorate the effects of earthquake tremors on structures; Fluidicshoks, which are small and compact shock absorbers for primary use in the defense, aerospace, and commercial industry; and crane and industrial buffers for industrial application on cranes, ships, container ships, railroad cars, truck docks, ladle and ingot cars, ore trolleys, and car stops. It also offers self-adjusting shock absorbers that automatically adjust to different impact conditions for high cycle applications primarily in heavy industries; liquid die springs, which are used as component parts of machinery and equipment used to manufacture tools and dies; and vibration dampers that are primarily used by the aerospace and defense industries to contr ol the response of electronics and optical systems subjected to air, ship, or spacecraft vibration. Taylor Devices, Inc. primarily sells its products through sales representatives and distributors in the United States, Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Australia. The company was founded in 1955 and is based in North Tonawanda, New York.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Casual Male Retail Group Inc.(CMRG)
Casual Male Retail Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of men?s apparel in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It operates its stores under the Casual Male XL, Casual Male XL Outlets, Destination XL, Rochester Clothing, B & T Factory Direct, Shoes XL, and Living XL trade names. The company?s retail stores offer a range of basic sportswear, casual apparel, and dress wear and accessories, as well as a line of its private label collections, such as Harbor Bay, 626 Blue-Vintage Surplus, Synrgy, Oak Hill, and True Nation; casual clothing for the big and tall customers; loungewear, dress shirts, suits, and jeans wear; and luxury-oriented menswear. As of July 25, 2011, it operated 454 Casual Male XL retail and outlet stores, 15 Rochester Clothing stores, and 5 Destination XL stores. The company also operates a direct business, Shoes XL, which includes the shoesXL.com selling men?s footwear; livingxl.com and Living XL catalogs, speciali zing in selling select lifestyle products, such as chairs, outdoor accessories, and travel accessories, as well as bed and bath, and fitness equipment; and online stores for Casual Male XL and Rochester Clothing brands in the European countries, including the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. In addition, it offers a selection of apparel, from branded manufacturers, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Robert Graham, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Ermenegildo Zegna, Cutter and Buck, Tommy Bahama, and Paul & Shark. The company was formerly known as Designs, Inc. and changed its name to Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. in August 2002 as a result of the acquisition of Casual Male business from Casual Male Corp. Casual Male Retail Group, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Medallion Financial Corp.(TAXI)
Medallion Financial Corp., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty finance company in the United States. The company engages in originating, acquiring, and servicing loans that finance taxicab medallions and various types of commercial businesses. It offers commercial loans to finance the purchase of the equipment and related assets necessary to open a new business, or the purchase or improvement of an existing business; asset-based loans to small businesses; and secured mezzanine loans to businesses in various industries, including manufacturing and various service providers. The company also raises deposits; originates consumer loans for the purchase of recreational vehicles, boats, motorcycles, trailers, and hearing aids; and conducts other banking activities. In addition, it provides other debt, mezzanine, and equity investment capital to companies in various industries. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Top 10 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Universal Travel Group(UTA)
Universal Travel Group, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider offering air ticketing and hotel booking services, as well as domestic and international packaged tourism services via the Internet, customer representatives, and kiosks in the People?s Republic of China. It also provides technological solutions to travel reservations, and tour planning and tour guide services. In addition, the company operates TRIPEASY Kiosks, which are placed in hotels, office buildings, banks, shopping malls, and MTR stations for travel booking with credit cards or bank debit cards. Universal Travel Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Louis Navellier]
As China’s economy grows, the Chinese middle class has taken flight — literally. Providing the travel arrangements for this newfound class of Chinese travelers is Universal Travel Group (UTA).
The company provides domestic and international airline ticketing services, along with cargo transportation agency services. But it’s not just flights that UTA helps citizens book. The company also provides hotel reservations, tour planning, ground transportation, railway and express delivery and air delivery services.
UTA is the travel agency in China, and considering the shares have booked a 190% gain over the past 12 months, it certainly seems like the sky is the limit for UTA.
I rate UTA an A, making it a strong buy.
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