Patrick Semansky/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. worker productivity barely grew from January through March after shrinking in the final three months of 2012. Weak productivity growth could prompt employers to hire more if consumers and businesses continue to increase spending. The Labor Department said Thursday that productivity rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.7 percent in the first quarter, after shrinking 1.7 percent in the previous quarter. Labor costs increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.5 percent, below the fourth quarter's 4.4 percent gain. Productivity is the amount of output per hour of work. It increased because output rose at a faster pace than hours worked. The trend in productivity has been fairly weak in recent years. For all of 2012, productivity rose just 0.7 percent, after an even smaller 0.6 percent rise in 2011. Those gains were less than half the average growth in 2009 and 2010, shortly after many companies laid off workers to cut costs during the Great Recession. And it's below the long-run trend of 2.2 percent growth a year dating back to 1947. With productivity growth slow, companies might have to add workers if demand for their products continue to grow. The economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate from January through March, up from just 0.4 percent in the previous quarter. The increase was mostly driven by the fastest consumer spending in more than two years. But most economists expect higher Social Security taxes have started to weigh on consumers. That should slow economic growth in the second and third quarters. The Federal Reserve closely monitors productivity and labor costs for any signs that inflation is affecting wages. Mild inflation has allowed the central bank to keep interest rates at record lows in an effort to boost economic growth and fight high unemployment. Warning stat: The price of college textbooks is up over 800 percent since 1978. What the experts say: "The cost of college textbooks has been rising at almost twice the rate of general CPI inflation for at least the last 30 years," according to Mark J. Perry, American Enterprise Institute. "As Glenn Reynolds reminds us, 'a process that cannot go on forever, won't,' and the college textbook bubble is certainly one of those processes."
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Watch For 2015: AirMedia Group Inc(AMCN)
AirMedia Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates digital media network for air travel advertising in China. The company operates a network of digital frames and digital TV screens that display advertisements in airports and airplanes. It also displays advertisements on interior or exterior walls of gate bridges in airports, which include billboard and painted advertisements. In addition, the company displays non-advertising content, such as weather, sports, and comedy clips; and TV programs, including documentaries and hidden camera type reality shows from other third-party content providers. Further, it holds concession rights to operate various traditional advertising media comprising billboards, light boxes, and other media platforms out of the air travel sector. As of March 1, 2011, the company operated approximately 3,424 digital frames in 34 airports; 2,144 digital TV screens in 37 airports; 588 light boxes and billboards in 3 airports; 240 billboard advertise ments; and 46 painted advertisements on the gate bridges located in 7 airports. AirMedia Group Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
AirMedia Group (NASDAQ: AMCN) is expected to post its Q2 earnings.
Fabrinet (NYSE: FN) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $0.35 per share on revenue of $172.02 million.
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA Usiminas (USIM3)
Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA Usiminas, formerly COSIPA - Companhia Siderurgica Paulista, is a Brazil-based company engaged in the steel industry. The Company is principally involved in the production and sale of flat rolled steel. The Company and its subsidiaries operate throughout the steel production process. The Company divides its business into four segments: Mining; Solutions Usiminas and Automotive Usiminas, both units are related to steel processing and unit of capital goods and services through Usiminas Mechanics. The Company provides its products to various industrial sectors, such as automotive, marine, oil and gas, construction, machinery and equipment, among others. The Company offers its services both in Brazil and abroad. On December 20, 2013, the Company concluded transfer of the total stake in the share capital of Automotiva Usiminas SA to Aethra Sistemas Automotivos SA. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ney Hayashi]
The Ibovespa rebounded from its biggest two-day drop since July 2012 as Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais SA (USIM3) led steelmakers higher, following a rally in commodity prices.
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.(GILT)
Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. provides Internet Protocol (IP) based digital satellite communication and networking products and services worldwide. The company engages in the design, production, and marketing of very small aperture terminals (VSATs) and related VSAT network equipment, such as power amplifiers and low-profile antennas. Its VSAT products include SkyEdge and SkyEdge II products that deliver broadband connectivity, such as Internet, voice, data, and video services. The company also provides Spacenet managed network communications services through satellite networks and hybrid satellite terrestrial networks; and Wavestream solid state power amplifiers to system integrators that serve various defense and homeland security agencies. It also offers SkyAbis solution that provides cellular backhaul for rural communications; Connexstar networks that are standardized commercial grade satellite services; and StarBand satellite Internet services, which are geared for sm all office and residential users. In addition, the company provides various solutions, including project management, network design, deployment logistics, implementation and integration, operational services, and maintenance and support. It sells its products primarily to communication service providers and operators that use VSATs to serve enterprise, government, and residential users, as well as directly to end-users. Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James Miller Phd]
The company has a current ratio of 13.05% which is higher than the one registered by Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR), Digital Globe Inc. (DGI), EchoStar Corp (SATS), Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (GILT) and Intelsat SA (I).
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Phillips 66 Partners LP (PSXP)
Phillips 66 Partners LP, incorporated on February 20, 2013, owns, operates, develops and acquires primarily fee-based crude oil, refined petroleum product and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines and terminals and other transportation and midstream assets. The Company�� initial assets consist of the three systems, which include Clifton Ridge crude system, Sweeny to Pasadena products system and Hartford Connector products system. A refined petroleum product pipeline, terminal and storage system extending from Phillips 66�� Sweeny refinery in Old Ocean, Texas, to its refined petroleum product terminal in Pasadena, Texas, and ultimately connecting to the Explorer and Colonial refined petroleum product pipeline systems and other third-party pipeline and terminal systems.
A crude oil pipeline, terminal and storage system located in Sulphur, Louisiana, that is the primary source for delivery of crude oil to Phillips 66�� Lake Charles refinery. A refined petroleum product pipeline, terminal and storage system located in Hartford, Illinois, that distributes diesel and gasoline produced at the Wood River refinery (a refinery owned by a joint venture between Phillips 66 and Cenovus Energy Inc.) to third-party pipeline and terminal systems, including the Explorer refined petroleum product pipeline system.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aimee Duffy]
More to come
In addition to earnings season, two new midstream MLPs joined the fray this week, as Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP ) and Marlin Midstream Partners�both held initial public offerings. Phillips 66 Partners had the market really moving on Tuesday, climbing more than 29% on its first day of trading. Marlin Midstream was more or less a dud, falling 2.5% when it made its debut on Friday.
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Revlon Inc.(REV)
Revlon, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in manufacturing, marketing, and selling cosmetics, women?s hair color, beauty tools, anti-perspirant deodorants, fragrances, skincare, and other beauty care products worldwide. The company?s cosmetics include face makeup products, including foundation, powder, blush, concealers, bronzers, and finishers; lip makeup products comprising lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip liners; eye makeup products consisting of mascaras, eyeliners, eye shadows, and brow products; nail color and nail care products, such as enamels, treatments, and cuticle preparations; and face and eye makeup removers. Its beauty tools comprise nail, eye, and pedicure grooming tools, such as clippers, scissors, files, tweezers, eye lash curlers, and makeup brushes; and fragrances consist of perfumes, eau de toilettes, colognes, and body sprays. The company markets its products primarily under Revlon, Revlon ColorStay, Revlon Super Lustrous, Revlon Age Defying, A lmay Intense i-Color, Almay Smart Shade, Revlon ColorSilk, Mitchum, Charlie, Jean Nate, Ultima II, and Gatineau names. Revlon, Inc. sells its products through sales representatives and independent distributors to mass volume retailers, chain drug stores, chemist shops, hypermarkets, general merchandise stores, department stores; other specialty stores, such as perfumeries; and to the United States military exchanges and commissaries. It also licenses its brand names to third parties for the manufacture and sale of beauty-related products and accessories. The company was founded in 1932 and is based in New York, New York. Revlon, Inc. is a subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Revlon (NYSE: REV ) will need to have a serious discussion with its headhunters. The company revealed in an SEC filing that Executive Vice President and CFO Steven Berns has tendered his resignation. He has done so in order to take up the same positions at privately held media conglomerate Tribune Company.�
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Africa Studio/Shutterstock A recent class-action lawsuit accuses some of the biggest names in the deodorant business of selling deodorants as "unscented" when they really had a fragrance. "Unscented" deodorants are marketed to consumers who have sensitivity to smells and often also note they are hypoallergenic. The companies, the lawsuit alleges, should have known that the products they were selling had distinctive odors and were hardly "unscented" while consumers based their purchasing decisions on misleading labels. Among the brands named in the lawsuit as containing fragrance: Arm & Hammer, Secret, Dry Idea, Ban, Mitchum. The companies named as defendants include Church & Dwight (CHD), Procter & Gamble (PG), Dial, Henkel (HENKY) and Revlon (REV). Ingredients That Smell The lawsuit filed by Philadelphia lawyer Mark L. Rhoades accuses the companies of sealing the products so well that no consumer could tell at the store the deodorants are scented. The labeling, however, states that there is no scent even though the ingredients include chemicals with fragrances, according to the lawsuit. As an example, the lawsuit noted that Secret Outlast includes "fragrance" on its ingredients list. Arm & Hammer Essentials contains "citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil", "anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower oil", "coriandrum sativum (coriander) fruit oil" and "pelargonium graveolens geranium) flower oil." That all adds up to an unmistakable citrus odor, the lawsuit alleged. Because each purchase is relatively inexpensive, the lawsuit maintains that individual consumers, for the most part, don't bother going back to a store to seek a refund after realizing their "unscented" deodorants have a scent. So, the lawsuit is being brought on behalf of anyone who has purchased one of these deodorants that claims to be unscented while having a distinct odor. The lawsuit -- Melissa Fogarty v. Church & Dwight et al., case number 3:14-cv-07086 -- was filed i
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: Quad Graphics Inc(QUAD)
Quad/Graphics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of print and related products and services in North America, Latin America, and Europe. It offers print solutions, including catalogs, consumer magazines, special interest publications, direct mail, packaging and other commercial and specialty printed products, retail inserts, books, and directories. The company also provides media solutions comprising creative, digital imaging, video, photography, workflow solutions, mobile and social media, and response data analytics services. In addition, it offers logistics services, such as mailing, distribution, logistics, and data optimization and hygiene services; and printing-related auxiliary equipment for original equipment manufacturers and printing companies, as well as provides ink. The company markets its products and services to various companies that operate in a range of industries and serve businesses and consumers consisting of retailers, pub lishers, and direct marketers. Quad/Graphics, Inc. was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Sussex, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Stoffel]
Quad/Graphics (NYSE: QUAD )
This Wisconsin-based company has contracts to print magazines for many of the country's biggest customers -- including magazines from Hearst (Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, etc.) and Meredith (Better Homes and Gardens) -- as well as for clothiers such as J.Crew, L.L. Bean, and American Eagle Outfitters. - [By Roberto Pedone]
My first earnings short-squeeze play is commercial printing services player Quad/Graphics (QUAD), which is set to release numbers on Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Quad/Graphics to report revenue of $1.32 billion on earnings of 92 cents per share.
The current short interest as a percentage of the float Quad/Graphics is very high at 17.1%. That means that out of the 26.02 million shares in the tradable float, 5.18 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a high short interest on a stock with a relatively low tradable float. Any bullish earnings news could easily set off a monster short-squeeze for shares of QUAD post-earnings.
From a technical perspective, QUAD is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $28.44 to its intraday high of $35.99 a share. During that uptrend, shares of QUAD have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.
If you're bullish on QUAD, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $35.99 a share (or Tuesday's intraday high if higher) with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 149,155 shares. If that breakout hits, then QUAD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $45 to $50 a share.
I would simply avoid QUAD or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some near-term support levels at $34 to $33 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then QUAD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support areas at its 50-day moving average o
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Quad/Graphics (QUAD), which provides print and related services in the U.S., Europe and South America. This stock has is down notably over the last three months, with shares off by 12.2%.
If you look at the chart for Quad/Graphics, you'll notice that this gapped down sharply last November from $36.45 to under $29 with heavy downside volume. Following that gap down, shares of QUAD continued to trend lower, and the stock hit a new low at $23.48 a share a few trading sessions later. That said, shares of QUAD have now started to uptrend since printing that low, with shares moving higher from $23.48 to its recent high of $27.67 a share. During that uptrend, shares of QUAD have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of QUAD within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in QUAD if it manages to break out above its 50-day moving average of $27.29 a share to more near-term overhead resistance at $27.67 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 185,427 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then QUAD will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started at $36.45 a share.
Traders can look to buy QUAD off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below more near-term support at $25 to $24.50 a share. One can also buy QUAD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 10 Rising Stocks To Own Right Now: ProLogis(PLD)
Prologis Inc. is an independent equity real estate investment trust. It invests in the real estate markets across the globe. The firm engages in the ownership, development, management, and leasing of industrial distribution and retail properties. It was previously known as Security Capital Investment Trust. Prologis Inc. was formed in 1991 and is based in San Francisco, California with an additional office in Denver, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dimitra DeFotis]
Among real estate trusts:
American Tower��(AMT),�the diversified �REIT, is the best performer in the index.�It was�up 4.6% after saying�Friday it will buy the parent of tower operator Global Tower Partners for $4.8 billion. HCP (HCP), a healthcare REIT, was�up 3.3%. Prologis (PLD) an industrial REIT, was�up 2.8%. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) was�up 2.7%. Boston Properties (BXP), the office REIT, was�up 2.3%. Equity Residential (EQR), a residential REIT, was�up 2.4%. Ventas (VTR), a healthcare REIT, was�up 2%. - [By Rich Duprey]
Industrial real estate developer Prologis� (NYSE: PLD ) �has declared regular and preferred dividends for the second quarter of 2013. The company plans to distribute $0.28 per share of its common stock on June 28 to shareholders of record as of June 11. For its�8.54% Series Q cumulative redeemable preferred stock, Prologis will distribute $1.0675 per share, which will be paid on July 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 18.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Prologis (NYSE: PLD ) has announced that it will sell 31 million new pieces of itself. That's the number of common shares it will float in an upcoming, underwritten public stock offering. The price of the shares will be $41.60 apiece, and the company's underwriters have been granted a 30-day purchase option for up to an additional 4.65 million shares to cover overallotments, if any.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
But the S&P 500′s biggest losers show the kind of carnage long predicted by those fearful of higher yields. How’s this for evidence: Real-estate investment trusts,�whose yields look more paltry with every tick higher in the 10-year Treasury, made up half of the top-10 losers. Prologis (PLD) fell 8.4% to $35.08, the Macerich Co. (MAC) dropped 8.2% to $56.72 and Health Care REIT (HCN) was off 8.1% at $58.57.
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