5 Best Services Stocks To Own Right Now

As the stock market has hit new highs, so too has customer satisfaction with banks and insurers.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index reported Tuesday that the index was up 0.3% to 76.7 on a 0–100 scale.

The ACSI Finance and Insurance Report 2013 was based on interviews with 5,296 customers, chosen at random and contacted via telephone and email between July 10 and Sept. 4.

Participants were asked to evaluate their recent experiences with financial services — including banks, credit unions, health insurance, property and casualty insurance and life insurance — provided by the largest companies in terms of market share, plus an aggregate category consisting of “all other” — and thus smaller — providers.

Banks and Credit Unions

Overall customer satisfaction with retail banking returned to its prerecession level, growing by 1.3% over the past year to an ACSI benchmark of 78.

“Even though banks have raised fees again, the 15th straight year of such increases, no negative repercussions have been detected regarding customer satisfaction,” Claes Fornell, ACSI’s founder and chairman, said in a statement.

Hot Recreation Companies To Invest In 2015: Town Sports International Holdings Inc.(CLUB)

Town Sports International Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates fitness clubs in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Its facilities include cardiovascular equipment; free weight and strength equipment; group exercise and cycling studios; the entertainment system network; locker rooms, including shower facilities and towel services; and other amenities, such as saunas, babysitting, and a pro-shop. The company also provides swimming pools, and racquet and basketball courts; and programs, which include small group training, children?s programs, and other programs targeting adult members. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 160 fitness clubs comprising 108 New York Sports Clubs, 25 Boston Sports Clubs, 18 Washington Sports Clubs, and 6 Philadelphia Sports Clubs, as well as 3 clubs located in Switzerland. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  On Thursday, small cap fitness club owner Life Time Fitness, Inc (NYSE: LTM) lost some weight for investors as analysts gave the stock a workout after its Analyst Day failed to ease their concerns, meanings its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of Town Sports International Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: CLUB)�and Steiner Leisure Ltd (NASDAQ: STNR).

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Town Sports International Holdings (Nasdaq: CLUB  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Town Sports International Holdings met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [By gurujx]

  Town Sports International Holdings Inc (CLUB) Reached the 3-year Low of $5.82

  The prices of Town Sports International Holdings Inc (CLUB) shares have declined to close to the 3-year low of $5.82, which is 62.2% off the 3-year high of $14.96.

5 Best Services Stocks To Own Right Now: Tencent Holdings Ltd (TCTZF)

Tencent Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The Company and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the provision of Internet value-added services, mobile and telecommunications value-added services and online advertising services to users in the People�� Republic of China. The Company operates in four segments: Internet value-added services, Mobile and telecommunications value-added services, Online advertising, and Others. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Tencent Cyber (Tianjin) Company Limited, Tencent Asset Management Limited, Tencent Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Tencent Cyber (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Tencent Technology (Shanghai) Company Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Seward]

  And online television company Tencent Holdings Ltd. (OTC: TCTZF) picked up 2.6 percent, to trade at $15.28.

  Posted-In: China Chinese Internet Companies InternetNews Emerging Markets Rumors Markets Tech

• [By Craig Stephen]

  Still, this pilot scheme offers something new to mainland investors. They can now invest in sectors of the economy which were previously off limits, giving more choice outside the old state-owned industries. This will include areas such as Macau gaming and Internet stocks. One of the largest, traded stocks in Hong Kong is Tencent (HK:0700) � (TCTZF) , which is likely to be added to mainland portfolios.

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Chinese stocks fell early Wednesday, joining a broadly negative day for regional trade in the wake of overnight losses on Wall Street. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) dropped by 0.5% to 23,625.77, with the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index 0.8% lower, while the Shanghai Composite (CN:SHCOMP) fell 0.7%. Top-weighted Hang Seng component HSBC Holdings PLC (HK:5) fell 0.5%, while fellow international lender Standard Chartered PLC (HK:2888) (UK:STAN) lost 1.4%, with some reports linking the losses to the approval of the so-called Volcker rule in the U.S. which prohibits most proprietary trading by banks there. The Financial Times also cited concerns about possible cash-calls as weighing on Standard Chartered. Meanwhile, ratings moves influenced some shares. Jiangxi Copper Co. (HK:358) (JIXAY) retreated 1%, and China Shenhua Energy Co. (HK:1088) (CUAEF) dropped 1.4% after Credit Suisse cut both stocks to neutral, according to Kim Eng Securities. However, Tencent Holdings Ltd. (HK:700) (TCTZF) added 1.5% to its price after Deutsche Bank upped the Internet content provider's rating to buy. Also bucking the downtrend, China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd. (HK:688) (CAOVF) gained

• [By Jim Jubak]

  In Asia today, Tencent Holdings ((HK:700) in Hong Kong and (TCTZF) in New York) closed down 5.9% in Hong Kong. The company, know for its WeChat mobile messaging platform (with 355 million average monthly users), made $100 million in revenue in the fourth quarter from games, such as Cross Fire and League of Legends on the WeChat platform. Naver (KS:035420), a Korean company that, like Tencent, combines mobile messaging with games, dropped 3% in Seoul.

5 Best Services Stocks To Own Right Now: Pearson Plc(PSO)

Pearson plc engages in education, business information, and consumer publishing businesses worldwide. The company?s North American Education segment provides higher education services, such as higher education publishing; MyLab digital learning, homework, and assessment programs; and LearningStudio, a suite of learning management technologies, including eCollege and Fronter. This segment also offers assessment and information services; school curriculum services consisting of school publishing; enVisionMATH, a digital math curriculum; America's Choice school reform services; online learning platform for teachers and students; Poptropica video game; digital programs, such as digits, a digital middle school math?s program; Writing Coach, a blended print and online program; and Online Learning Exchange, a personalized digital learning program. Its International Education segment provides educational content, assessment, technologies, and related services to educational inst itutions. This segment offers spoken English training for adults, as well as provides eCollege and Fronter learning management systems. It also offers MyLab digital learning, homework, and assessment programs. The company?s Professional segment focuses on publishing, training, testing, and certification for professionals. Its Financial Times group segment provides business and financial news, data, comment, and analysis in print and online formats to the international business community. Its products include Financial Times newspaper; FT.com Website; financial magazines and online services; and Mergermarket, which provides forward-looking insights and intelligence to businesses and financial institutions. The company?s Penguin Group segment engages in book publishing business, under the Hamish Hamilton, Putnam, Berkley, Viking, Dorling Kindersley, Puffin, and Ladybird imprints. It also offers ebooks. The company was founded in 1844 and is headquartered in London, the Unite d Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrew Marder]

  What's in it for Barnes & Noble investors?
  The reason the shares jumped is that the Nook is like a treasure chest, hidden deep in the world of Barnes & Noble. Microsoft purchased a $300 million stake in the Nook business last year, and then late in the year, Pearson (NYSE: PSO  ) spent $90 million on a 5% stake. That purchase valued the Nook business at $1.79 billion, up from a $1.7 billion valuation based on Microsoft's investment.

• [By Mark Rogers]

  LONDON -- The shares of�Pearson� (LSE: PSON  ) (NYSE: PSO  ) were flat at 1,146p early this afternoon after the�Financial Times�publisher reported first-quarter sales rising 3%, to 拢1.2bn.

5 Best Services Stocks To Own Right Now: Cintas Corp (CTAS)

Cintas Corporation (Cintas), incorporated November 13, 1986, provides specialized products and services to businesses of all types throughout the North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. The Company operates in four segments: Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products, Uniform Direct Sales, First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection Services, and Document Management Services. As of May 31, 2013, the Company provided products and services to over one million businesses. As of May 31, 2013, Cintas had approximately 8,200 local delivery routes, 446 operational facilities and eight distribution centers.

The Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment consists of the rental and servicing of uniforms and other garments including flame resistant clothing, mats, mops and shop towels and other ancillary items. In addition to these rental items, restroom cleaning services and supplies and carpet and tile cleaning services are also provided within this operating segment. The Uniform Direct Sales operating segment consists of the direct sale of uniforms and related items and branded promotional products. The First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection Services operating segment consists of first aid, safety and fire protection products and services. The Document Management Services operating segment consists of document destruction, document imaging and document retention services.

Within the Rental Uniforms and Ancillary Products operating segment, Cintas provides its products and services to customers via local delivery routes originating from rental processing plants and branches. Within the Uniform Direct Sales and First Aid, Safety and Fire Protection Services operating segments, Cintas provides its products and services via its distribution network and local delivery routes or local representatives. Within the Document Management Services operating segment, Cintas provides its services via local service routes originating from document management branches and document retent! ion facilities. The Company operates five manufacturing facilities, which provide for standard uniform needs.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of Cintas Inc. (CTAS) �rose less than 0.1% to $59.60 on light volume after the Cincinnati-based employee-uniform and business-supplies company reported quarterly results.