Calvert CEO Barbara Krumsiek to Step Down

Calvert Investments Inc., a socially responsible investing mutual fund firm, announced that its president and CEO, Barbara Krumsiek, will vacate those positions by year end, though she will remain chairwoman of the Calvert board. In addition, she will become the first chairwoman of the newly created Calvert Institute, which is designed to “promote the growth of sustainable and responsible investing (SRI) through research, advocacy and fostering innovation in the field of sustainable investing,” according to a company statement. The institute will begin operations on Jan. 1.

Top Logistics Companies For 2015

The search for Krumsiek’s replacement as CEO will be led by Executive Vice President Bill Lester of Ameritas Holding Co., parent company of Calvert Investments. In the same statement, Lester noted that under Krumsiek’s tenure Calvert’s AUM tripled, to more than $13 billion as of April 30, while helping to bring “sustainable and responsible investment strategies” to both individual and institutional investors, particularly in 401(k)s.

Krumsiek, 61, said that leading the new institute will allow her “to pursue what I am personally passionate about — promoting corporate social responsibility throughout the world to secure a better future for generations to come.”

Krumsiek joined Calvert in 1997 as president and CEO and has long been a leader in the SRI space. She spent three years as co-chair of the U.N. Environment Programme-Finance Initiative and also developed the Calvert Women’s Principles, a global code of corporate conduct focused on women.

Speaking of the Principles in 2010, Krumsiek said “In order for companies to reach their full potential, they must create an environment in which women are treated equally, where they hold key leadership positions, and are full participants in decision making.”

(Calvert Investments puts its human capital money where its mouth is: "We have a policy of actively hiring and promoting women and minorities and our workforce reflects a 33% minority representation," it reports on its website.) 

She has received numerous honors over the year for her pioneering work, including being named twice to ThinkAdvisor’s Top Women in Wealth list (in 2009 and again in 2010).

---

Check out The Right Mix: SRI Investing, Sustainability on ThinkAdvisor.

Taco Bell May Have the Waffle Taco, but Popeyes Has Chicken Waffle Tenders

As the fast-food wars heat up, restaurants are getting more creative with their menu items. One item that is getting a lot of attention is the waffle. Two restaurant chains that have introduced their own variations of the waffle are Taco Bell, owned by Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  )  and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI  ) . Taco Bell has made the Waffle Taco a centerpiece of its new breakfast menu. Meanwhile, Popeyes is bringing back its popular Chicken Waffle Tenders. Could the waffle be the answer and boost same-store sales for these restaurants? If it is the answer, expect to see more variations of the waffle on many more menu boards.

Source: Popeyes

What are Chicken Waffle Tenders and what's Popeyes' strategy?
Chicken Waffle Tenders are not chicken and waffles. They are tender white chicken breast strips marinated in Popeyes' Louisiana seasonings and then dipped in waffle batter. Chicken Waffle Tenders come with Sweet Honey Maple dipping sauce, French fries, and a biscuit for $4.99. They went on sale at Popeyes on May 26 and will be on sale until June 29.

Source: Popeyes

Popeyes is using limited time offers (LTOs) like Chicken Waffle Tenders to help boost sales. Popeyes' strategy is to use up to nine LTO promotions every year with each one lasting about three to four weeks. Chicken Waffle Tenders are returning to the menu board after they were first introduced last August as an LTO.

The LTO promotion allows Popeyes to gauge a particular item's success and determine if an item should become a permanent addition to the menu. In January, Popeyes introduced Bayou Buffalo Wicked Chicken as a limited time offer. This promotion was designed to appeal to NFL fans during the playoffs and the Super Bowl. In February, Popeyes added spicy and blackened chicken tenders to its menu after successfully promoting the items as a limited time offer. 

Source: Popeyes

What's all the excitement over Waffle Tacos?
The Waffle Taco is part of Taco Bell's effort to capture business from McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) . Besides the Waffle Taco, Taco Bell's breakfast menu includes Cinnabon Delights, a Breakfast Burrito, A.M. Crunchwrap, and the A.M. Grilled Taco. These items came from the imagination of Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed, who is moving up to become the new CEO of Yum! Brands this January.

Source: Taco Bell

To help boost awareness, Taco Bell has embarked on an aggressive media campaign with the aim of shaking up the breakfast time slot. Taco Bell could use the boost. Its system sales were flat in the first quarter, and same-store sales fell 1%. Taco Bell is hoping that its marketing campaign and breakfast will pay off in the current quarter.

Popeyes continues to post impressive results at the expense of KFC
In the first quarter, Popeyes' U.S. same-store sales rose 4.3%, and international same-store sales increased 5.8%. Popeyes' share of the U.S. chicken fast-food market rose from 20.2% last year to 22.3%. Total revenue increased 16%, and the company expanded with 19 new restaurants in the U.S. and eight internationally.

Source: KFC

KFC's results were not as good as Popeyes'. KFC's U.S. same-store sales declined 3%. The bright spot was in China, where same-store sales increased 11% for KFC. To turn things around in the U.S., Yum! Brands is looking at a number of options. These include bringing back the Double Down at KFC and launching a new chicken concept called Super Chix. While it's too early to tell if these initiatives will work, it's a sign that Popeyes is gaining market share at the expense of KFC.

Hot Penny Stocks To Watch For 2015

How do shares compare?

 

Market Cap

Forward P/E

EV/EBITDA

Operating Margin

1 Year Return

Popeyes	$906.71M	19.73	14.54	28.40%	7.09%
Yum! Brands	$33.96B	18.19	12.32	16.07%	12.16%
McDonald's	$100.13B	16.21	11.06	30.23%	4.36%

Source: Yahoo! Finance

Foolish final thoughts
One thing is for sure: Popeyes is certainly doing something right. It's posting better sales numbers than Taco Bell, KFC, or McDonald's. Popeyes is proving that a fast-food chain can succeed, even in a tough environment. It all comes down to quality menu items at an affordable price.

Popeyes' limited time offer strategy is working as well, and it's not making its menu board too complicated for customers. This is something that McDonald's in particular needs to work on. Hopefully, Waffle Tacos can help make Taco Bell more of a formidable player in breakfast. Either way, this is one Fool who likes seeing variations of the waffle on the menu board and hopes more waffle items are on the way.

Your credit card may soon be completely worthless
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8 Purchases That Can Save You Hundreds of Dollars

Top New Companies To Watch In Right Now

AlamyIf you're a coffee lover who buys a $4 latte everyday, an espresso machine or French press could save you more than $1,000 a year. If you're frugal, you might frequently find yourself worrying over purchases, asking yourself, "Is this too expensive?" But that's not the right mindset -- the questions you should be asking yourself are "What value does this have to me once I buy it?" and "Can this save me money?" In fact, there are many purchases -- cheap and expensive alike -- that can save you (or make you) money in the long run. Here are just a few that can save you hundreds or thousands over time. 1. A bike or transit pass. If you live in an area where you can forgo having a vehicle, you can save thousands of dollars a year. Just think, no more car payments or pricey repairs. And that's just the big stuff -- you won't have to pay for car washes or gas either. Don't think you can manage without a car for occasional errands? Many cities now have Zipcar or other car sharing programs, which allow members to rent cars for short time periods and low rates.

Best Forestry Companies To Invest In Right Now

Best Forestry Companies To Invest In Right Now: Velti plc(VELT)

Velti plc provides mobile marketing and advertising solutions for mobile operators, ad agencies, brands, and media groups. The company?s Mobile Marketing Platform (MMP) helps businesses to plan, execute, monitor, and measure mobile marketing or advertising campaigns on various digital delivery channels, including Internet sites, SMS and MMS, mobile TV, mobile communities, mobile applications, location-based services, and mobile social networking. Its MMP also helps in the creation of mobile Websites, portals, blogs, content, iPhone applications, branded games, and mobile widgets; and in the mobile marketing through mobile clubs, mobile content, contests, couponing, alerts and tips, photo/text to screen, green screen, and image remix applications. In addition, MMP offers Mobile CRM solutions that help in the creation and management of mobile communities, mobile broadcasts, member management, segment management, member rewards, multichannel registration, and advanced profil ing. It has operations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 name that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Velti (VELT), which provides mobile marketing and advertising technology solutions that enable brands, advertising agencies, and mobile operators to implement interactive and measurable campaigns by communicating with and engaging consumers via their mobile devices. This stock has been destroyed by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 91%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Velti, you'll notice that this stock recently gapped down big from over $1 a share to 33 cents per share with monster downside volume. Following that gap down, shares of VELT have started to consolidate and move sideways between 33 cents per share ! on the downside and 44 cents per share on the upside. Shares of VELT are spiking sharply higher on Thursday above some near-term support at 35 cents per share. That move is pushing this stock within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in VELT if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at 44 cents per share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.02 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then VELT could easily explode higher and potentially re-test its gap down day high from August at 66 cents per share.

  Traders can look to buy VELT off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at 35 cents to 33 cents per share. One can also buy VELT off strength once it clears 44 cents per share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-forestry-companies-to-invest-in-right-now.html

European stocks slip, but Telecom Italia scales higher

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stocks drifted lower Wednesday, leaning back from a six-year high brought in by a five straight winning sessions. The Stoxx Europe 600 (XX:SXXP) shed 0.2% to 344.01, with shares of Osram Licht AG (DE:OSR) sliding 7.6% as the lighting company issued a downbeat fiscal-year revenue forecast. Also lower, shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC (UK:GSK) (GSK) fell 1.7% after the drug maker said British regulators are probing its commercial practices . But Telecom Italia SPA (IT:TIT) sat at the top of the Stoxx 600, rising 4% after Goldman Sachs put the shares on its conviction buy list. Among country-specific indexes, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 (UK:UKX) fell 3 points to 6,842.33, the German DAX 300 shed 0.1% to 9,935.30 and France's CAC 40 (FR:PX1) slipped 2 points to 4,527.76.

Netflix: Still A Buy

Netflix (NFLX) gained 2.25 million domestic subscribers in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. This brings its total to 35.7 million. The company provides Internet television network service that enables subscribers to stream TV shows and movies directly on devices in the United States and internationally. Netflix operates in the domestic streaming, international streaming, and domestic DVD segments. The company also offers standard definition DVDs and Blue-ray discs to its subscribers in the United States. It is headquartered in Los Gatos, California and was founded in 1997.

Numbers at a Glance Netflix has been working to improve its quality of service from a technical point of view. In its first quarter financial results, the company reported earnings of 86 cents per share on revenues of $1.27 billion. Netflix's earnings were above analyst expectations of 83 cents a share, while the company's revenue was in line with the $1.27 billion Wall Street analysts forecast for the quarter. In the first quarter of 2013, Netflix earned 5 cents a share on $1 billion in revenue.

Positive Outlook Netflix's management says it ultimately expects non-U.S. subscribers to surpass those in its home market at some point. It also expects to achieve profitability in its international business going forward. To achieve the objective, Netflix is going to get into a broad set of markets.

Future Initiatives In the next three months, Netflix plans to raise prices $1 or $2 for new members globally. Existing member monthly fees would remain at current pricing. The initiative is to keep the company's revenue numbers up and pay for the company's original programming.

Also, Netflix added 4K video streams for some titles. To improve the quality of its production, it struck a deal with Comcast that enables a direct connection between the two at the transit area. These initiatives will help Netflix to boost its earnings in the coming quarters.

Head to Head Netflix competes with Amazon (AMZN), Time Warner (TWX), and the privately owned Redbox Automated Retail. Compared to its peers, Netflix has a first-mover advantage of improving its programs through its original content. Netflix is rapidly expanding its original productions by having several running around the world.

Wings Across the World Netflix engages in the streaming services primarily in Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. It has seen a tremendous progress in its international operations.

A look at Europe Netflix has announced plans to launch its streaming-video service in France and Germany. Countries such as Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg will also enjoy the company's streaming service. Netflix is seeking to capitalize on the rapid growth in markets outside the U.S.

Latin America On the Latin American front, Netflix has had successes in Argentina and Mexico. The company is stepping up its international expansion and pushing ahead market-by-market.

On a Concluding Note Netflix's strategy is evolving toward a more emotive experience. It is well-positioned to meet the changes in the sector through its innovative approach to its business. Its international operations are on the pace to achieve profitability. The company has continued to invest in value-added sectors. This should bring more gains to its shareholders in the future. Overall, Netflix is in a good position and has prospects for its growth in the international segment. Netflix will continue to provide returns to investors in the near future.

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ETFs, Options	Low P/S Companies
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NFLX STOCK PRICE CHART 402.35 (1y: +88%) $(function(){var seriesOptions=[],yAxisOptions=[],name='NFLX',display='';Highcharts.setOptions({global:{useUTC:true}});var d=new Date();$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:[[1369717200000,214.19],[1369803600000,215.34],[1369890000000,222.66],[1369976400000,226.25],[1370235600000,221.97],[1370322000000,225.31],[1370408400000,223.46],[1370494800000,217.74],[1370581200000,220.22],[1370840400000,220.93],[1370926800000,214.46],[1371013200000,207.64],[1371099600000,215.39],[1371186000000,213.99],[1371445200000,229.23],[1371531600000,228.83],[1371618000000,232.31],[1371704400000,223.52],[1371790800000,216.9],[1372050000000,215.6],[1372136400000,212.9],[1372222800000,212.1],[1372309200000,214.97],[1372395600000,211.09],[1372654800000,224.28],[1372741200000,221.46],[1372827600000,220.91],[1373000400000,225.1],[1373259600000,233.1],[1373346000000,247.382],[1373432400000,243.82],[1373518800000,244.17],[1373605200000,257.261],[1373864400000,257.98],[1373950800000,260.48],[1374037200000,267.92],[1374123600000,266.41],[1374210000000,264.576],[1374469200000,261.96],[1374555600000,250.26],[1374642000000,241.3],[1374728400000,246.74],[1374814800000,246.31],[1375074000000,244.96],[1375160400000,243.76],[1375246800000,244.484],[1375333200000,249.12],[1375419600000,246.18],[1375678800000,253.84],[1375765200000,255.9],[1375851600000,249.21],[1375938000000,250.4],[1376024400000,252.75],[1376283600000,256.6],[1376370000000,259.19],[1376456400000,261.81],[1376542800000,253.41],[1376629200000,258.87],[1376888400000,259.78],[1376974800000,273.29],[1377061200000,270.37],[1377147600000,269.75],[1377234000000,278.36],[1377493200000,282.72],[1377579600000,276.04],[1377666000000,283.36],[1377752400000,287.85],[1377838800000,283.91],[1378184400000,289],[1378270800000,292.43],[1378357200000,295.11],[1378443600000,291.54],[1378702800000,294.15],[1378789200000,313.06],[1378875600000,308.3],[1378962000000,301.406],[1379048400000,305.65],[1379307600000,302.16],[1379394000000,299.55],[1379480400000,306.92],[1379566800000,305.498],[1379653200000,313.83],[1379912400000,302.04],[1379998! 800000,306.49],[1380085200000,307.14],[1380171600000,313.51],[1380258000000,312.4],[1380517200000,309.21],[1380603600000,324.62],[1380690000000,330.73],[1380776400000,321.72],[1380862800000,327.26],[1381122000000,318.16],[1381208400000,302.32],[1381294800000,288.43],[1381381200000,303.994],[1381467600000,300.848],[1381726800000,324.36],[1381813200000,321.69],[1381899600000,322.878],[1381986000000,330.1],[1382072400000,333.5],[1382331600000,354.99],[1382418000000,322.524],[1382504400000,330.24],[1382590800000,331.22],[1382677200000,328.031],[1382936400000,314],[1383022800000,327.3],[1383109200000,318.14],[1383195600000,322.48],[1383282000000,329.265],[1383544800000,337.6],[1383631200000,341.5],[1383717600000,335.63],[1383804000000,326.86],[1383890400000,334.9],[1384149600000,337.91],[1384236000000,333.73],[1384322400000,335.284],[1384408800000,342.57],[1384495200000,349.76],[1384754400000,341.77],[1384840800000,337.29],[1384927200000,339.52],[138501360000

China’s World Quest for Energy

On Wednesday, China and Russia signed a 30-year natural gas deal that’s worth an estimated $400 billion. Starting in 2018, Russia is to export up to 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas a year to China, equal to more than 15 percent of China’s current demand.

China would become Russia’s second-largest market for natural gas, after Germany. The deal, which came after about 15 years of talks, calls for at least $75 billion in spending on pipelines and other infrastructure on both sides of the Russia-China border.

The agreement seems to be a win-win. It enables Russia to both significantly boost gas exports and diversify away from Europe. The two fields expected to provide most of the gas to China are in Russia’s East Siberia region. Without China as a customer, the fields likely wouldn’t be developed. The deal also strengthens Russia’s hand amid the threat of European sanctions over Russia’s incursion into Ukraine, even though Russia is Europe’s largest single gas supplier.

For China, this is yet another way to meet its steadily rising demand for energy at what is likely an attractive price, while easing some of its dependence on unstable sources.

China’s agreement with Russia is just the latest in a long line of actions taken in recent years to secure new energy sources. China is willing to use a variety of methods to meet that goal. China now has operations, investments or projects all over the rest of the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Africa, North America and South America.

For example, China is Iraq’s biggest oil customer and a major investor in its oil fields. Yet China otherwise maintains a very low profile there. In contrast, China is actively involved with Venezuela and Ecuador, both with anti-U.S. governments. China also has significant properties in Africa.

In early May, China brought a huge, $1 bi! llion deepwater drilling rig to waters in the South China Sea that have long been the subject of a dispute with Vietnam. This happened only six months after the two countries announced that they would seek ways to jointly develop oil and gas fields.

Also along for the ride was a Chinese flotilla of support vessels, including several naval warships. Increasing tensions subsequently included ships from both countries ramming each other and the Chinese naval forces using water cannons against the Vietnamese.

In 2000, China used only half as much energy as the U.S. In 2009, it became the world's biggest energy user. It consumed 10.1 million barrels of oil per day last year, one-ninth of the world's total. Now China also is the foremost oil importer, and it now burns as much coal as the rest of the world combined.

Indeed, global energy demand, primarily from other emerging markets as well as China, continues to rise. Another source of potentially increasing energy demand is India, the world’s second most populous nation, not far behind China, but currently just the 10th largest economy.

Last week, voters in India ousted the long-dominant Congress Party from power. The winner in a landslide was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP’s Narendra Modi, the nation's first Hindu nationalist prime minister, campaigned on a promise to revive India's economic growth. With a majority in parliament, he's expected to enact numerous pro-growth policies. Of course, the growth will take a while to develop. But growth inevitably increases demand for energy, particularly oil.

Meanwhile, many major oil-producing nations face various production constraints. Examples: Iran, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria and Venezuela. The U.S. is a dramatic exception: We’re responsible for more than half of the world’s total oil-production increase over the last five years. But we don’t export our crude oil, at least not yet.

The price China is paying for Russia’! ;s gas wa! s not disclosed. The agreement is said to include a pricing formula linked to crude oil. But some reports suggest that the new China-Russia agreement really only specifies the amounts of gas to be shipped, so that construction of the pipeline could begin.

Shortly before the deal was officially announced, it was reported that the two nations had failed to agree on price. But if Putin had left China without the expected agreement, his negotiating position with Europe would have been significantly weakened. Then the agreement was signed, with or without a specific price. According to some analysts, the implied terms will give China a steady supply of Russian gas at 25-40 percent less than the current cost of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from overseas.

The China-Russia agreement seems to offer good news and bad news for the global LNG market. The good news is that it suggests strong global demand for LNG.

The possible bad news is the future impact on global LNG prices, and therefore the viability of the many LNG export plants planned in the US, Canada and elsewhere to ship cheap natural gas to foreign markets, including Asia. There's a huge spread between the low prices of North American natural gas and the high-priced LNG that's shipped to Asia.

With ongoing global energy-demand increases, supply constraints and possibilities for production disruptions, China’s energy ambitions likely will have significant political, economic and other implications for the rest of us.

Hot Small Cap Companies To Own In Right Now

                                  

AT&T Stock: Bad DirecTV Acquisition Won’t Hurt Dividend

Popular Posts: What NOT to Buy in a Retirement Plan401k Moves to Make this SpringReynolds American and Lorillard – A Merger to Ignore Recent Posts: AT&T Stock: Bad DirecTV Acquisition Won’t Hurt Dividend Reynolds American and Lorillard – A Merger to Ignore Is It Time to Buy Russian and Chinese Stocks? View All Posts

By now, you've seen the news: AT&T (T) is buying pay TV rival DirecTV (DTV) for a whopping $48.5 billion in cash and stock in one of the biggest mergers in years. Including the assumption of debt, the deal comes to $67.1 billion.

Whether or not this is a good move for AT&T shareholders is debatable. AT&T is buying a mature business with limited growth potential domestically. The cash portion of the deal – $14.5 billion – will need to be largely financed by debt, as AT&T only has about $3.8 billion in cash on hand.

Importantly for income investors who are holding AT&T stock for its juicy 5% dividend yield, the merger shouldn't have any immediate impact on the AT&T dividend.

So, what's the story here?

AT&T's purchase of DirecTV is very much a "me too" merger following the $45 billion union of Comcast (CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) to form a TV and internet juggernaut. From the looks of things, it looks as if AT&T's motivation was a fear of being left behind by its larger rivals. The move will massively expand AT&T's pay TV presence; at 20 million, DirecTV has roughly four times as many TV subscribers as AT&T.

Satellite operators like DirecTV and it rival, Dish Network (DISH), have been steadily gaining ground on the traditional cable companies. Collectively, though, the cable companies have over 20 million more subscribers than the satellite operators (55 million and 34 million, respectively). Bringing up the rear, telecoms AT&T and Verizon (VZ) together have about 10 million subscribers.

I certainly understand AT&T's desire to move beyond its current core business lines, all of which are mature businesses or – in the case of fixed-line telephony – businesses in terminal decline. Mobile phone plans are brutally competitive on price, and smartphones – whose data plans have been a massive source of growth in recent years – are near the market saturation point in the U.S. Piling on the pressure for AT&T stock, rivals like T-Mobile (TMUS) have upended the business model by offering cheap unlimited voice, text and plans and by eliminating carrier subsidies on handsets.

But pay TV? By making a massive commitments to pay TV via the DirecTV merger, AT&T stock seems to be staking its future on another mature and brutally competitive industry, and one whose future is murky at best.

Last year, the number of pay TV subscribers in America fell for the first time in history, down 251,000. Growth has been stagnant for years. The vast majority of Americans already have paid TV, though many Millennials – raised on the Internet – have found they can live without it. Frankly, they can't even afford it on their current salaries. As I wrote recently, the cost of monthly cable bills have been increasing at a rate of about 6% annually, much faster than both the rate of inflation and – importantly – wage growth. The average cable bill was $86 in 2011. By 2015, it is forecast to be $123 per month.

Perhaps not surprisingly, customer satisfaction with pay TV is falling. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), satisfaction with pay TV fell 4.4% in the latest update. The pay TV industry sunk to an ACSI score of 65 (out of 100), making it one of the lowest scores of all 43 industries tracked by ACSI.

DirecTV is a bad buy for AT&T. But most investors that buy AT&T stock aren't buying it for growth; they buy it for its rock-solid dividend.

The good news is that I don't see this merger having an impact on dividends for AT&T stock. Despite the high yield of 5%, T stock's payout ratio is only 53%. And while AT&T will probably increase its debt burden by more than 50% once the deal is finalized, the increased leverage will not be enough to put AT&T at any real risk.

Bottom line: The DirecTV purchase is a questionable business move, but it won't have any adverse effect on AT&T's dividend.

Charles Lewis Sizemore, CFA, is the editor of Macro Trend Investor and chief investment officer of the investment firm Sizemore Capital Management. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Click here to receive his FREE weekly e-letter covering top market insights, trends, and the best stocks and ETFs to profit from today's best global value plays.

3 Stocks Spiking on Big Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Rocket Stocks Ready for Blastoff

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

On Assignment

On Assignment (ASGN) provides short- and long-term placement of contract, contract-to-hire and direct hire professionals in the U.S., Europe, Canada, China, Australia and New Zealand. This stock closed up 1.4% at $35.31 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.15 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 386,568

Volume % Change: 188%

From a technical perspective, ASGN trended modestly higher here right above some near-term support levels at $34.27 to its 200-day moving average of $33.53 with above-average volume. This spike higher on Wednesday is starting to push shares of ASGN within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ASGN manages to take out its 50-day moving average of $36.04 to some more near-term overhead resistance at $36.95 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ASGN as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $34.27 or above its 200-day a $33.53 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 386,568 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ASGN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $38.05 to $38.18. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ASGN a chance to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $39.86.

ARM Holdings

ARM Holdings (ARMH), together with its subsidiaries, designs microprocessors, physical intellectual property and related technology and software. This stock closed up 3.5% at $44.35 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 5.62 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.54 million

Volume % Change: 250%

From a technical perspective, ARMH ripped higher here right above its recent low of $42.27 with strong upside volume flows. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month and change, with shares moving lower from its high of $52.71 to its low of $42.27. During that downtrend, shares of ARMH have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of ARMH have now started to bounce off that $42.27 low and it looks ready to reverse its recent downtrend and enter a new uptrend. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if ARMH manages to take out Wednesday's high of $44.40 with strong upside volume flows.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ARMH as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $43.38 or above its recent low of $42.27 and then once it sustains a move or close above $44.40 with volume that's near or above 1.54 million shares. If we get that move soon, then ARMH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $46.54 to its 50-day moving average of $47.49. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ARMH a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $49 to $50.27.

TJX Companies

TJX Companies (TJX) operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the U.S. and internationally. This stock closed up 4.9% at $56.60 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 11.88 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 3.62 million

Volume % Change: 199%

From a technical perspective, TJX bounced sharply higher here right above its recent low of $53.87 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of TJX within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if TJX manages to take out its recent gap-down-day high of $56.90 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TJX as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $54.31 and then once it sustains a move or close above $56.90 with volume that's near or above 3.62 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then TJX will set up to re-fill some of its recent gap-down-day zone that started just above $58.

10 Best Internet Stocks To Own Right Now

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>Trade These 5 Airline Stocks for Flyaway Gains

>>A Horrible Chart to Trade for Wonderful Gains

>>5 Toxic Stocks to Sell Before It's Too Late

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Biotech of the Week: Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Ariad Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARIA  ) is the biotech of the week on the Fool's weekly biotech-focused show, Biotech Banter.

Shares of the biotech have been on a bit of a roller coaster over the last year as investors went from having high hopes for Ariad Pharmaceutical's leukemia drug Iclusig to seeing the drug getting pulled from the market because the drug is linked to blood clots. After returning to the market, Ariad's shares have more than doubled off their lows, but are still well off of where they were when investors thought Iclusig could compete with Novartis' (NYSE: NVS  ) Gleevec and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY  ) Sprycel as first-line treatments.

For now Iclusig is stuck as a treatment of last resort, mostly used on patients that can't take or have failed Novartis' and Bristol-Myers Squibb's drugs, but there's potential to increase sales if Ariad Pharmaceuticals can show that the risk-benefit profile is better at lower doses. Blood thinners might also help lower the risk of blood clots.

As senior biotech specialist Brian Orelli and health-care analyst David Williamson discuss in the video below, there's also potential for the drug to work in patients with solid tumors who might not have to take the drug for as long.

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Four Stocks To Buy In A Choppy Market

Disclosure: I'm long Lannett Company, Anika Therapeutics and Buffalo Wild Wings.

"Human nature hasn't changed much in 5,000 years. There's this thing of greed versus fear. The market's going up, you're not worried. All of a sudden it starts going down and you start saying, 'I remember my uncle told me, you know, somebody lost it all in the Depression. People were jumping out of windows.' … People start to think about these things with the market going down. These ugly thoughts start coming into the picture. Gotta get 'em out. You have to wipe those out and you–you either believe in it or you don't."  – Peter Lynch, Frontline, 1996

While the great Peter Lynch, who compiled one of the best track records in history with Fidelity's Magellan fund, uttered those words nearly two decades ago, any successful investor knows that they're still true today. The market–and your portfolio–will always have their ups and downs. But if you believe in your stocks (and the market's long-term track record in general), you don't bail on equities when times get tough; in fact, as Lynch said in that same interview, you're probably best off adding to your holdings when the seas get choppy.

The same can be said when it comes to investment strategies. As hedge fund guru Joel Greenblatt explained in his Little Book that Beats the Market, no strategy can beat market all the time. If one did, people would load into it as soon as it was discovered, pushing up the prices of the stocks it identified to unreasonable levels, and killing the strategy. But, as Greenblatt also notes, over the long term you can beat the market with sound investing strategies–if you stick with them through the ups and downs, and perhaps even have the intestinal fortitude to increase your allocations to them when they're scuffling.

That's the trick, of course–and it's a difficult one to master. As Lynch noted, humans are emotional creatures, and we can get particularly emotional when our money is involved. When our stocks or the broader market start declining, or a strategy stops working in the short-term, the wait for a rebound can seem interminable. Every bone in your body will be telling you to sell, sell, sell, that if you stick with your approach, you'll lose it all–your retirement money, your kids' college tuition, you name it.

But if you have studied and learned from great strategists like Lynch and Greenblatt, and you've examined research showing how poor market-timing decisions crush many investors' portfolios over the long haul, you can stay calm during such difficult periods. That's why, instead of being panicked about some of my worst-performing strategies so far in 2014–my Motley Fool and Martin Zweig-based approaches, both down between 12% and 13% year-to-date–I'm actually bullish on them.

Despite their recent struggles amid the market's rotation from momentum and growth stocks to safer, dividend-paying stocks, both of these strategies have excellent long-term track records.

A 10-stock portfolio picked using the Fool-based model (inspired by the writings of Fool co-creators Tom and David Gardner) has averaged annualized returns of 14.8% since its mid-2003 inception versus 6.0% for the S&P 500. A 10-stock portfolio picked using the Zweig-based model, meanwhile, has averaged annualized returns of nearly 10% since its mid-2003 inception. (Return figures through May 14.)

Keep in mind that it's not just that a good strategy returns to form after a rough stretch–very often that's when it will generate some of its best returns, as investors warm to the bargains they've been ignoring while the strategy has struggled. That's what I've often seen with my Guru Strategies.

Best US Companies To Watch In Right Now

My Greenblatt-based 10-stock portfolio, for example, lagged the broader market in 2011 and 2012, but then roared back last year, returning more than 51%. This year, while the S&P is up about 2%, the portfolio is up more than 8%. Had I given up on the strategy after 2012, I would've missed out on some huge gains.

In my extensive study of history's most successful investors, I've found the same to be true in their careers. Lynch's Magellan fund lost 22.6%–more than four times the S&P's loss–in 1981, for example, and was in the red again in 1982, a year in which the S&P 500 rose more than 21%. But the trouble was temporary, and the rebound tremendous: Magellan gained 82.8% in 1983.

So while my Zweig- and Fool-based models are struggling in 2014, I expect they'll bounce back strong. When the tide will turn, no one knows for sure. That's while I'll stay disciplined and keep investing in stocks they approve of, like these four.

Anika Therapeutics
Massachusetts-based Anika Therapeutics develops therapeutic products for tissue protection, healing and repair based on hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring polymer found throughout the body that enhances joint function and coats, protects, cushions and lubricates soft tissues. Shares have bucked the downward biotech tend this year, thanks to better than expected first quarter earnings and the FDA's approval of Monovisc, its single injection treatment for osteoarthritis knee pain.

Anika Therapeutics a favorite of both my Zweig- and Lynch-based models. The Fool-based model likes its strong recent growth in earnings per share and sales (362% and 123%, respectively, last quarter); rising profit margins (13.08% two years ago, 16.48%, last year, and 27.41% this year); 0.46 P/E-to-growth ratio, and lack of any long-term debt. The Zweig-based strategy likes that its earnings growth is strong and accelerating (362% last quarter, vs. an average of 72% in the three previous quarters, vs. 47% long term), and that it has no long-term debt.

Lannett Company
This 72-year-old Philadelphia-based company makes generic prescription pharmaceutical products for customers throughout the United States. The $1.3-billion-market-cap firm gets strong interest from my Fool-based model. Lannett was hit hard by the recent biotech slump–too hard, according to this approach. It likes that Lannett grew EPS by 390% and sales by 84% last quarter, and that its profit margins have been rising (-0.26% two years ago, 3.21% last year, and 8.82% this year). It also likes that Lannett's debt/equity ratio is less than 1%.

Buffalo Wild Wings
Founded in 1982, Minnesota-based Buffalo Wild Wings is a restaurant/bar chain with more than 1,000 locations across all 50 states in the United States, as well as in Canada and Mexico. It gets strong interest from the Zweig-based strategy, thanks in part to its strong, accelerating growth. EPS grew 71% last quarter, up from average of 41% in the previous three quarters, up from 22% long term (I use an average of the 3-, 4- and 5-year EPS growth rates to determine a long term rate).

The Zweig model also likes that sales growth–not one-time factors–has driven earnings growth over the long term (25% long term sales growth rate, using an average of the 3-, 4- and 5-year sales growth rates). And it likes that Buffalo Wild Wings' debt/equity ratio of just 7% is far below the restaurant industry average of 158%.

WSFS Financial
Delaware-based WSFS ($600-million-market-cap) is more than 180 years old, making it the seventh-oldest bank continuously operating under the same name in the United States. It operates more than 50 offices, mostly in Delaware and Pennsylvania though it has one office each in Virginia and Nevada as well.

Stocks: Are You Nervous Yet?

On Wednesday, the respected hedge-fund manager David Tepper, who runs $20 billion at Appaloosa Management, told an investing conference that "the market is kind of dangerous right now.…I'm nervous. I think it's nervous time right now."

That's for sure. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 167 points on Thursday, or 1%, as investors flipped from complacency to anxiety in a heartbeat.

Earlier in the week, stock indexes around the world had marched to new all-time highs: the Dow, the S&P 500, the German DAX, the Argentine and Indian markets, the MSCI World index of 23 developed countries.

Mr. Tepper perfectly captured the worry that lies at the heart of this latest rally in stocks.

If you share his concerns, there's no need to make drastic changes to your stock portfolio, but shifting your focus to markets outside the U.S. in search of better returns is a wise move.

The question on most investors' minds is: Are stocks cheap or expensive? The S&P 500 is trading at an average of 15.3 times what analysts expect the companies to earn over the next year—barely above the typical long-term level of 14.7 times expected earnings, according to Gina Moore and Chris Covington of AJO, a Philadelphia-based investment firm that manages $24 billion.

"But are those earnings expectations too high or too low?" asks Matthew Kamm, who co-manages $22 billion in growth stocks at Artisan Partners in Milwaukee. "There's a fistfight in the market right now trying to figure that out."

In the first quarter, earnings at S&P 500 companies grew 2.1%, compared with the 1.3% decline that analysts expected in March, according to FactSet.

If the U.S. and global economies continue to recover, corporate profits should grow robustly. But if the recovery falters, then high expectations will turn out to have been only hopes—and stocks aren't priced to permit much margin for error if those hopes are shattered.

That is especially true in the U.S.

Most stock markets elsewhere in the developed world are much cheaper than they were at the last market peak in 2007, says Doug Ramsey, chief investment officer at Leuthold Weeden Capital Management in Minneapolis.

In October 2007, the MSCI World ex USA index, which includes 22 developed markets outside the U.S., traded at 27.2 times its average earnings over the previous five years; now it is at 19.2 times the past five years' earnings, according to Mr. Ramsey. The U.S., meanwhile, is back to where it started—coming down to 23.3 times earnings now from its 2007 level of 24.4 times.

The U.S. market is trading at 61% more than its average ratio of price to long-term earnings, adjusted for inflation, according to Amie Ko, an analyst at Research Affiliates, a firm in Newport Beach, Calif., that advises on $169 billion in investment strategies world-wide.

Meanwhile, her data show, 12 major developed and emerging markets, including Brazil, Italy, China and South Korea, are trading for at least 20% less than their historical average on the same measure.

It is important to realize, however, that such numbers are data, not destiny. Common sense and financial history say that stocks will have the highest returns when you buy them at the lowest valuations. But stocks can stay expensive for an amazingly long time, and all your teeth and hair could fall out before stocks finally become an unambiguous bargain again.

Finance professors Elroy Dimson, Paul Marsh and Mike Staunton of London Business School have found that U.S. stocks have done the best—delivering annual returns of 10% and up, after inflation—when investors buy them at less than 14 times their long-term dividends, adjusted for the cost of living.

Unfortunately, the last time stocks were so cheap by that measure was December 1942.

U.S. stocks tend to have done the worst when they trade above 35 times that measure of dividends. And they have been valued at least that richly 92% of the time since the beginning of 1987, according to data from Yale University economist Robert Shiller.

From those levels, according to the London Business School researchers, U.S. stocks have historically delivered average annual returns of 3% to 4%, after inflation, over the ensuing five to 10 years.

So you should certainly expect underwhelming performance over the years to come. On the other hand, you shouldn't dump U.S. stocks en masse; the future just isn't that certain.

If you want to earn higher returns, you will have to venture abroad. Exchange-traded funds like SPDR MSCI ACWI ex-US (annual expenses: 0.34%, or $34 per $10,000 invested), iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock (annual expenses, 0.16%), Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US (0.15%) and Schwab International Equity (0.08%) all offer exposure to hundreds of overseas stocks at extremely low cost.

"Foreign stocks are so much cheaper, you'll probably get some degree of outperformance [from them] even if economies outside the U.S. don't do as well," says Mr. Ramsey of Leuthold Weeden. "You really don't need to be right on the fundamentals when the valuation gap is this wide."

— Write to Jason Zweig at intelligentinvestor@wsj.com, and follow him on Twitter:@jasonzweigwsj

India's new party election could lure U.S. firms

The sweeping victory of India's opposition party and its pro-business leader will likely create a more stable, tax-friendly investment climate for U.S. companies, analysts say.

On Friday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies won more than the 272 seats needed for a majority in Parliament, pushing the long-dominant Congress party from power and setting the stage for Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi to become the next prime minster of the world's largest democracy.

"This is really historic," says Milan Vaishnav, an India expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, noting it's the first time since 1984 that India will have a single-party majority government. "It's going to create a certain sense of stability ... U.S. companies are very excited," he says, adding Modi will govern as a "pragmatist who wants to show India is 'open to business'."

"It's a very good thing for U.S. companies," agrees Gunjan Bagla, founder of Amritt Ventures, a California-based consulting firm that advises clients on investing in India. He says India had regressed the past five years with new regulatory and bureaucratic rules.

Modi, 63, the son of a tea seller who rose to become chief minister of the western state of Gujarat, campaigned on a platform that focused on economic development -- not religion. For example, the BJP said it would end "tax terrorism" partly by getting rid of controversial 2012 legislation that allowed for retroactive corporate taxes.

"That's a huge investment issue in the corporate world," says Alyssa Ayres, a scholar on India at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington-based think tank. She says the BJP's platform also called for cutting red tape and making it easier to create businesses as well as allowing more foreign direct investment.

Bagla says he's often skeptical of such platforms, but "in this case, it's based on Modi's 10-year track record" in Gujarat, where he attracted many U.S. investors, including Ford. He says India has such huge! infrastructure and energy needs that with a more pro-business climate, it could go from being the 11th-largest U.S. trading partner to among the top seven within the next five or six years.

"I will develop this country. I will take it to new heights," Modi said to cheers in a victory speech Friday night. The Indian stock market rallied on news of his party's landslide, and the White House said that President Obama called Modi to congratulate him and invite him to Washington.

Yet Modi is not without controversy. He was partly blamed for sectarian riots in Gujarat in 2002, when more than 1,000 people -- mostly Muslims -- were killed. As a result, he's been denied entry into the United States since 2005. In February, though, Washington signaled a change when the U.S. ambassador to India met with Modi. "Look forward to working w/you," Secretary of State John F. Kerry tweeted to Modi Friday.

Last July, Vice President Joe Biden told the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai that bilateral trade has increased five-fold -- to nearly $100 billion in 2012 -- the past 13 years and could increase another five-fold to $500 billion.

Ayres says many U.S. companies have been doing big business in India for at least a decade, noting IBM has at least 100,000 employees there. In recent years, she says India's tax and other policies created a lot of friction with U.S. investors who are expressing relief with Modi's ascension. She adds: "This is a real opportunity for India's growth."

Need a small business idea? Find a niche, fill it

NEW YORK (AP) — Jumping on the latest hot trend seems like a sure-fire way to strike entrepreneurial gold. But while yoga studios and gluten-free bakeries may be popular, investors and business consultants say take a broader view.

Trends in society, including changing demographics and technology are the best guide. Instead of joining the pack, would-be small business owners should look for a niche and fill it.

Make life easier

The opportunity: Products or services that make life easier, particularly for the well-to-do.

Businesses that deliver ready-to-cook dinner ingredients or care for elderly relatives are good bets, says Brian Cohen, chairman of New York Angels, a group of investors that buy stakes in small or young companies.

"Over and over again, the companies that are getting funding are serving upper-income people," Cohen says.

Think about things that are convenient, save time and are fun to use — such as dinner ingredient companies, which deliver to customers all the makings of a dish like stir-fried beef or vegetable lasagna. They offer people who like to cook the satisfaction of making a meal, without having to shop.

Elder-care companies, which send aides to care or do housekeeping for older or sick people, relieve the stress on family members when a parent or other relative needs full- or part-time attention.

Why now? The economy is growing and people have more money to spend on things that aren't necessities. As for elder care, people are living longer and are more likely to need help.

Entrepreneur beware: There's already a lot of competition. Two companies, Blue Apron and Plated, already deliver dinner ingredients to a large part of the country. And home-care businesses abound.

Been there, doing that: Jen Collins Moore started Chicago-based Meez Meals, which delivers ready-to-cook ingredients to consumers, in 2010. She realized there was a demand for an ingredient delivery service when she worked with focus groups of women at a ! consumer products company. The women wanted to cook but didn't have time to do all the work. She started her business before Blue Apron and Plated, but isn't worried about the competition; unlike Moore's rivals, Meez Meals delivers food that's already cut up and chopped, saving customers time.

"We do it differently. We do the prep work," Moore says.

Stand out from the food crowd

The opportunity: Organic, natural and gluten-free foods.

The market for gluten-free foods, estimated at $10.5 billion in 2013, is expected to grow to more than $15 billion by 2016, according to market research company Mintel. But rather than trying to come up with a product like another gluten-free muffin, consider a business that supports or services the gluten-free industry, says Dwight Richmond, a purchasing executive at Whole Foods, the grocery chain. One example: a company that creates gluten-free ingredients like Penford, based in Centennial, Colo. It makes tapioca and other ingredients used in gluten-free food.

"The people thriving are the ones who find new and better ways to innovate," Richmond says.

A product that gives consumers the information they want about their food may also be a good choice. Investor Alicia Syrett bought a stake in a company that makes high-end muffin and cake mixes, Cisse Trading. She likes that it allows people to go online and research its ingredients and where they come from.

"Consumers want transparency. They want to know, what are we putting in our bodies?" says Syrett, CEO of Pantegrion Capital, an angel investment firm.

Why now? About 3 million people in the U.S. have celiac disease, an intolerance for gluten. Millions of others have food allergies. Many people are concerned about food additives like hormones and chemicals and foods that have been genetically modified. Others want what are called fair trade foods, produced by companies that treat their workers and the environment well.

Entrepreneur beware: By the time many would-be ent! repreneur! s grab hold of an idea, the field could be packed, says Dennis Ceru, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College and a business consultant. "The most hot trend is probably at least at its midpoint," he says.

"See what other industries, what other business services or products support that trend. That might be an opportunity," he says.

Been there, doing that: Kelly LeDonni got the idea to sell labels and tags for gluten-free food after she was diagnosed with celiac disease. A tiny amount of gluten can make her very sick. She started Gluten Free Labels in February 2013, selling to consumers online. The Washington Crossing, Penn., company's customers include restaurants, retailers and university cafeterias.

Hunt and gather

The opportunity: Businesses that gather or process information.

Companies that use technology to gather information to use in all sorts of ways are valuable for websites or mobile apps that allow people and businesses to find the information they need, or to navigate daily life. The information can help retailers and other companies find good customers. Think businesses modeled after OpenTable, the online restaurant reservation service or Beauty Booked, a website that allows users to book appointments for hair and nail salons, spas and other personal care businesses.

Why now? Consumers and businesses expect to find answers to their questions online, and to accomplish tasks fast.

Entrepreneur beware: Hackers. They keep finding new ways to infiltrate computer systems and databases. Businesses must comply with laws that aim to protect consumer data.

Been there, doing that: Jalem Getz started Wantable, in 2012, selling makeup, accessories and lingerie based on information supplied by customers. Wantable first collects customers' answers to detailed questions about their preferences for makeup, colors and clothes. Then, if they give Wantable access to their Facebook account, the Milwaukee-based company gathers information about their! online p! urchases and searches. The information is used to suggest merchandise for customers to buy.

"We see ourselves as a matchmaker between customers and products," Getz says.

One of Offshore Drilling’s Few Bright Spots Set to Darken

The North Sea has been one of the few bright spots, if we can call it that, for offshore drillers this year, as dayrates have been dropping around the world as rigs come off contract. But Credit Suisse expects the region to get hit come 2015–and expose Rowan (RDC), Seadrill (SDRL), Transocean (RIG) and Diamond Offshore (DO) to more pain.

Reuters

Credit Suisse analyst Gregory Lewis and team explain why now is the time to start worrying about the North Sea:

Robust CAPEX spending the last few years looks to be giving way to more cost conscious customers. Over the last two years rig rental CAPEX has grown at an annual clip of ~15% – in line with the projected rig rental CAPEX spend of 14-15% this year (the reason why North Sea is holding up better than most basins). CAPEX growth has been driven by the top ten players in the basin (Statoil, BP, Total, Conoco, Shell, Rig Management Norway, Lundin, Maersk, GDF Suez and Nexen) which have grown spend ~17% annually over the last five years. This year already has 14% rig rental CAPEX growth in the books which should trend higher over the next few months. However, Statoil (800 lb gorilla in the North Sea) rig rental CAPEX looks to be flattish this year and BP and Shell are set to spend less in the North Sea this year. 2014 is not the problem but more rigs in the region combined with slowing CAPEX points to a lot of question marks in 2015.

Rowan has the most exposure to the North Sea, with 32% of its revenue coming from the region, Lewis says, while Seadrill gets 18% of its sales from the region. But Transocean and Diamond Offshore might have more to worry about.

Transocean, which gets 26% of its revenue from the North Sea has six rigs rolling off contracts through 2015, while Diamond Offshore, which gets 17% of its revenue from the region has four rigs that will be looking for new work by the end 2015.

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Shares of Transocean are little changed at $42.31 at 10:23 a.m. today, while Diamond Offshore has ticked up 0.2% to $51.37, Seadrill has gained 0.7% to $35.72 and Rowan has risen 0.4% to $31.23.

Fidelity Magellan Shows Signs of Life

Fidelity Magellan (FMAGX), once the largest mutual fund in the land, is trying for what seems like the umpteenth time to right the ship. It may have finally found the right skipper in Jeff Feingold, who assumed the managerial reins in September 2011 and guided Magellan to market-beating gains in his first two calendar years at the helm.

See Also: When to Sell a Mutual Fund

So is it time to invest in Magellan, which, with $16 billion in assets, should be far easier to run than it was in 2000, when assets peaked at $110 billion? Our answer: No, mainly because we think other large-company funds are more attractive, starting with Fidelity New Millennium (FMILX), which we recently added to the Kiplinger 25.

Magellan today is far from the fund of yore. From 1977 to 1990, under Peter Lynch, it drew investors like bees to honey with an annualized return of 29.1%. That crushed Standard & Poor's 500-stock index by a stunning 13.5 percentage points per year, on average. After Lynch retired, the fund performed well for a time, but results sagged dramatically with the arrival of a new century. In the 12 years from 2000 through 2011, Magellan trailed the S&P 500 eight times.

Data through April 30, 2014

Maybe that's why Feingold wasted little time putting his stamp on the fund when he took over what was then a $15 billion portfolio. In less than four months, Feingold says, he trimmed the number of stocks Magellan held from roughly 250 to about 225. And he steered the fund from one that held mostly fast-growing firms to one holding a more diversified mix of rapid growers (Google and Priceline, for instance). Plus, Feingold added what he calls quality growers, such as T.J. Maxx, and cheaply priced firms with improving results, such as airlines (American Airlines) and financial stocks (Bank of America). "I'm a diversified growth manager," says Feingold. "I don't make big sector bets."

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Given Feingold's approach, investors shouldn't bet on Magellan crushing the market. Feingold admits as much: "I want to outpace the S&P 500 by 1.5 to 2 percentage points per year." In 2012 and 2013, the fund beat the index by 2.0 and 2.9 percentage points. In the first four months of 2014, the fund gained 0.9%, lagging the S&P by 1.7 points.

Photo by Margaret Lampert

Jeff Feingold

Feingold, 43, is a longtime Fidelity man. Since he joined the Boston-based behemoth in 1997, he has been a stock analyst, headed the firm's research department, and managed five sector funds and four diversified funds, including Trend and Large Cap Growth. He's no slouch: At every fund but one (the exception being Select Financial Services, which he ran from 2001 to 2004), Feingold outpaced the funds' respective peer groups during his tenure.

Volatility concerns

The newsletter Fidelity Monitor & Insight rates Magellan "OK to Buy," one notch below an outright "buy" rating. Editor John Bonnanzio says he wants to give Feingold a chance, but adds that he's "a little uncomfortable" that Magellan has been about 20% more volatile than the S&P 500 over the past three years (a time frame that admittedly includes several months during which Feingold was not in charge).

One plus for Magellan is that it charges just 0.51% a year in fees. That's among the lowest expense ratios for actively managed stock funds. The bargain price stems mainly from Fidelity's philosophy (rare among sponsors) of basing some funds' management fees on performance. Fees aside, we'd like to see another year or two of winning results before we would recommend Magellan.

ExOne Co. Earnings: Will the Stock Bounce Back?

On Wednesday, ExOne (NASDAQ: XONE  ) will release its quarterly report, and shareholders are nervous about whether the 3-D printing specialist will be able to reverse the huge drop in its share price recently. Even as peers 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD  ) and Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS  ) face similar challenges in sustaining their growth in the highly promising industry, ExOne has to figure out whether its strategy to go after enterprise customers will give it a competitive advantage over its rivals.

The 3-D printing industry is evolving rapidly, and ExOne has struggled to figure out how to evolve along with it. At first, ExOne's products and services in working with metal products seemed like a huge competitive advantage over Stratasys and 3D Systems, but customers seemed to view ExOne's technology as threatening their own livelihoods rather than making things easier for them. The question is whether ExOne's move toward working directly with manufacturing companies will help it solve some of its problems. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with ExOne over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

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Source: ExOne.

Stats on ExOne

Analyst EPS Estimate	($0.12)
Year-Ago EPS	($0.20)
Revenue Estimate	$9.86 million
Change From Year-Ago Revenue	24%
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters	0

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Can ExOne earnings finally meet expectations?
In recent months, investors have pushed back their expectations for ExOne earnings to become profitable, reversing original calls for a 2014 profit and cutting their 2015 estimates by more than half. The stock has dropped almost 30% since early February, which is on par with 3D Systems' decline and worse than the loss Stratasys has posted.

ExOne's first-quarter earnings report wasn't what growth investors had hoped to see from the 3-D printing company. Sales of printers dropped by 22% even though the number of printers sold jumped by 50%, reflecting a different product mix of lower-priced printers compared to a year ago. Overall revenue fell 16%, leaving it far shy of investor expectations. Negative guidance for the 2014 year also weighed on the stock, especially given the inherent volatility involved when a company sells a product that can cost more than $1 million. Even scarier was ExOne calling 2014 a transition year, further pushing out the anticipated ramp-up in sales that investors have waited for.

Source: ExOne.

ExOne's production-center business model works a lot differently from the way that Stratasys and 3D Systems make money. In particular, with their consumer-oriented products, 3D Systems and Stratasys count on high unit volume of outright sales in order to drive revenue and profit growth. By contrast, ExOne offers its production service centers to prospective clients on an on-demand basis, essentially allowing customers to use ExOne printers on a trial basis to see how they work. ExOne has used the model as a valuable tool for promoting sales, as many customers who start out as production service center clients move on to purchase their own 3-D printers in the long run.

Still, the challenge that retail investors face is trying to distinguish the potential opportunities of ExOne and its peers. Sky-high valuations prompted the recent deep correction in ExOne shares as well those of 3D Systems and Stratasys, and ExOne remains vulnerable to future share-price volatility as investors make dramatic reassessments of not only the company's potential but also that of the entire 3-D printing industry on the whole.

In the ExOne earnings report, watch to see how the company's product mix this quarter compares with previous results. Analysts might focus on the short run, but it's more important to identify trends and see where ExOne's business is headed rather than where it has already been.

You don't want to miss this
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Click here to add ExOne to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

Making an Impact in Challenging Times: A Profile of Donor Advised Funds' Giving

Since 1991, Fidelity Charitable has made more than $14 billion in grants to some 160,000 nonprofit organizations recommended by account holders in its national donor-advised fund program.

On Monday, the organization issued a report detailing the demographics and giving patterns of some 94,000 individuals who advise on DAFs at Fidelity.

At present, Fidelity’s DAF program has 57,774 giving accounts, many of which have more than one individual with advisory privileges. Donors come from all 50 states, and range in age from 20 to 100.

The average primary account holder is 62 years old and sets up an account at age 54. Forty percent of donors have maintained a giving account for more than a decade, and 13% have had an account at least 15 years.

In 2012, donors recommended grants totaling $1.6 billion across all charitable sectors. The number of grants per giving account averaged about seven. The average grant size was $3,773, though more than $900 million was granted in amounts of $50,000 or more. 

Over the past decade, the total volume of grants grew each year, rising from 154,000 in 2003 to 429,000 in 2012. This was true during the worst years of the financial crisis (2008–2009), with more than $1 billion granted out each year.

Fidelity said in a statement that the consistent number of outgoing grants through the financial crisis demonstrated that donors used their accounts as a “ready reserve” of funds to maintain their charitable impact during challenging economic times.

The number of grants recommended in advance or recommended for recurring distribution rose at an even faster pace than overall grants, showing donors’ planned-giving approach. In 2012, scheduled grant recommendations accounted for 21% of all grants, up from 17% in 2008.

By sector, religious organizations accounted for the largest proportion of grants made at 27% in 2012, but education attracted the largest proportion of grant dollars at 26%.

Fidelity also analyzed giving accounts by size. This showed that the proportion of grants made to religious organizations decreases dramatically as the size of the account increases.

The proportion of grants to nonprofits in education, human services, society benefit and health go the opposite way, increasing as the account size grows. Grants to environment and animals, arts and culture, and international affairs remain steady regardless of account size.

---

Read New Widget Makes Donor-Advised Fund Giving Easier on AdvisorOne.

Good Debt, Bad Debt, and a Faster Way to Pay Off Your Mortgage

Karen Roach/Shutterstock

There is a big misconception in the financial world and among consumers today that all interest is the same: that, for example, a 6 percent mortgage is the same as a 6 percent line of credit. That's not true, because the type of interest you are paying and how it is calculated are just as important. Most U.S. mortgages are financed with fully amortizing loans. This means that a monthly payment to pay off the loan is based on the interest rate, the amount and the term. For example, if you borrow $200,000 using this kind of loan, your payment based on a 6 percent rate and 30-year amortization schedule is $1,075. You may have heard that just one extra payment a year toward the principal of such a loan will pay it off about 10 years sooner. Homeowners have many reasons not to do this. They don't want to tie up that extra $1,075 in their house. They receive no immediate benefit. They would rather keep their $1,075. They want to spend it on something they probably don't need and won't want three months after they buy it. They reason that they will sell their home in eight years anyway, so it doesn't matter. Or they believe interest rates are so low now that they should borrow as much as they can, and invest all of their money rather than paying down debt, because they will come out ahead that way. That last argument is seriously flawed. Reduce the Finance Charge In home equity lines of credit -- also called HELOCs -- the interest rate is less important than the finance charge. Finance charges on lines of credit are figured on average daily balance for the month. For example, when the 30-day finance period closes, your bank calculates that you had an average daily balance of $50,000 and the interest was 6 percent, so you will pay $8.22 per day in finance charges. Your interest charges for the month total $247, so your total payment might be around $325 because the bank will also require some money toward the principal. Simple enough, right? What happens if on the first day you pay $5,000 on the principal? Your balance is now $45,000, so your 6 percent rate now produces a finance charge of $7.40 per day or $222 for the month. You consider that $5,000 as a pay-down, but your bank considers that $5,000 as your payment for the month. Where do we get the $5,000? How about if you used your paycheck? Too many Americans let their pay sit in checking accounts until they pay bills. Why let that money sit there earning zero (or very little) interest? Let that income sit in your revolving line of credit to reduce or cancel finance charges.

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If the line of credit is properly set up, would you be able to access your funds by writing a check? Absolutely! Would you have immediate access to any extra loan pay-downs, such as the $5,000 in the example above? Absolutely! Would the time that your money sat inside the line of credit affect your finance charge to your favor? Absolutely! Make Every Penny Count Let's go back to that example. You pay down $5,000 on your line of credit -- but only for 20 days, until you need most of the money to pay bills. The money then gets withdrawn (borrowed again). Your average daily balance and finance charge have been reduced. This is making every penny count by earning or canceling interest every day. The next step is to leave some discretionary income in the line of credit. Over time, your line of credit will fall dramatically and seemingly without effort. When you balance goes down to $40,000 and all the bills are paid for the month, you can borrow $10,000 from the line of credit and send it to your first mortgage as loan pay-down? You should and do it as often as possible. You are systematically transferring your debt from front-end-loaded amortized debt to average daily balance debt. Every time you do this, your will increase the port of your regular mortgage payment that goes towards the principal and reduce how much goes toward interest. In this was, you can use the principles of interest cancellation (and some of your discretionary income) to pay off mortgages, cars and any other amortized loan in a fraction of the scheduled time. I've had many clients take almost-new 30-year mortgages, and using this program, put themselves on pace to pay them off in six to 12 years without it affecting their lifestyle. Many Australians open big lines of credit to buy their homes and pay their mortgages off in a fraction of the time it takes most Americans.

More from John Jamieson
•Will End-of-Life Expenses Eat Up Your Estate? •Is Foreclosure Investing for You? •Fast Access to Cash is Still King for Chance to Earn Big

Warren Buffett Tells Fox Business News That the 2008 Panic Was in Many Ways Worse Than 1929

Top 5 Asian Companies To Own In Right Now

Much to my surprise Fox Business News approaches Buffett with the angle that the anemic job creation growth since 2009 is related to poor government policy.

Buffett isn't so sure that things have been that bad, noting that in many ways the 2008 panic was actually worse than the horrors of 1929.

Here he is talking to FBN:

Also check out: Warren Buffett Undervalued Stocks Warren Buffett Top Growth Companies Warren Buffett High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Warren Buffett keeps buyingAbout the author:Canadian Valuehttp://valueinvestorcanada.blogspot.com/

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