In today's "Ask a Fool" segment,�Motley Fool One�analyst Jason Moser fields a question from a Fool who asks: "Is Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS ) a long-term investment?" There's no question Noodles and Company's IPO has the stock headed in the right direction. Jason offers his take on the situation, and what investors should look out for.
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Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Texas Capital Bancshares Inc.(TCBI)
Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for Texas Capital Bank, National Association that provides various banking products and services for commercial and high net worth customers in Texas. It primarily engages in generating deposits and originating loans. The company?s deposit products include consumer checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit, as well as commercial checking accounts, lockbox accounts, cash concentration accounts, and other treasury management products. Its lending products portfolio comprises commercial loans and leases; real estate loans, including loans secured by properties, and temporary financing for commercial and residential property; construction loans consisting of single-family residential properties and commercial projects; loans held for sale; and letters of credit. The company also provides trust and wealth management services, including investment management, personal tr ust and estate services, custodial services, retirement accounts, and related services, as well as offers retirement products, including individual retirement accounts and administrative services for retirement vehicles, such as pension and profit sharing plans. Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. has banking offices in Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and the Cayman Islands. As of December 31, 2010, it conducted business at nine full service banking locations and one operations center. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Charley Blaine]
Also in the list: Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), up 13.31 percent; Citigroup (NYSE: C), up 8.8 percent; U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), up 5.33 percent; and Texas Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBI) up 8.18 percent.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: First American Financial Corp (FAF)
First American Financial Corporation, incorporated on January 14, 2008, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in the business of providing financial services through its title insurance and services segment and its specialty insurance segment. The Company operates in two segments: title insurance and services and specialty insurance.
The title insurance and services segment provides title insurance, closing and/or escrow services and similar or related services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The specialty insurance segment issues property and casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. In addition, its corporate function consists of certain financing facilities as well as the corporate services that support its business operations.
Title Insurance and Services Segment
The Company�� title insurance and services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property in the United States and offers similar or related products and services internationally. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images, and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Company conducts its title insurance and closing business through a network of direct operations and agents. Through this network, it issues policies in the 49 states that permit the issuance of title insurance policies and the District of Columbia. The Company also offers title insurance, closing services and similar or related products and services, either directly or through third parties in foreign countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and various other markets.
The Company! distributes its title insurance policies and related products and services directly as well as through its agents through various channels. Its federal savings bank subsidiary offers trust and investment advisory services, deposit services and asset management services. As of December 31, 2012, the Company provides products and services in numerous countries outside of the United States, and its international operations accounted for approximately 7.9% of its title insurance and services segment revenues.
Specialty Insurance Segment
The Company�� property and casualty insurance business provides insurance coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards, such as fire, theft, vandalism and other types of property damage. The Company is licensed to issue policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and actively issue policies in 43 states. In its market, California, it also offers preferred risk auto insurance to better compete with other carriers offering bundled home and auto insurance. Reinsurance is used to limit risk associated with natural disasters, such as windstorms, winter storms, wildfires and earthquakes.
The Company�� home warranty business provides residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and certain appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. Most of these policies are issued on resale residences, although policies are also available in some instances for new homes. Coverage is typically for one year and is renewable annually at the option of the contract holder and upon its approval. It sells renewals directly to consumers. As of December 31, 2012, home warranty business operates in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
The Company competes with Fidelity National Financial, Inc., Stewart Title Guaranty Company, Old Republic International Corporation and Lender Proc! essing Se! rvices, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Canadian Value]
Position % of Fund Assets 1) First American Financial Corp. (FAF) 7.0% 2) Apple, Inc. (AAPL) 6.5% 3) Coinstar, Inc. (CSTR) 4.8% 4) EMC Corp. (EMC) 4.4% 5) Coach, Inc. (COH) 4.4% 6) Kohl's Corp. (KSS) 4.1% 7) Blucora, Inc. (BCOR) 4.0% 8) Tetra Tech, Inc. (TTEK) 3.1% 9) OM Group, Inc. (OMG) 3.0% 10) American International Group, Inc. (AIG) 2.8% TOTAL 44.1% One area that we believe still offers some value in the market is in high quality, large��ap technology stocks that may be momentarily out��f��avor as they transition from rapid growth to slower growth. In particular, we become interested when that transition is also accompanied by a change in capital allocation policies designed to return more cash to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases. We believe that Apple and EMC are two of the absolute highest quality technology businesses in the world and both have recently announced very material, shareholder��friendly changes to how they will allocate capital.
- [By alicet236]
First American Financial Corp (FAF): CEO Dennis J Gilmore sold 116,453 Shares
CEO of First American Financial Corp (FAF) Dennis J Gilmore sold 116,453 shares on 02/04/2014 at an average price of $25.12. First American Financial Corporation was incorporated in the state of Delaware in January 2008 to serve as the holding company of The First American Corporation's financial services business. First American Financial Corp has a market cap of $2.7 billion; its shares were traded at around $25.52 with a P/E ratio of 12.30 and P/S ratio of 0.56. The dividend yield of First American Financial Corp stocks is 1.88%.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
First American Financial Corp. (NYSE: FAF) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.
Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE: FNF) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods.
5 Best International Stocks To Buy Right Now: 22nd Century Group Inc (XXII)
22nd Century Group, Inc. (22nd Century Group), incorporated on September 12, 2005, is a holding company. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, 22nd Century Limited, LLC (22nd Century Ltd), which is a plant biotechnology company. The Company�� products include X-22 Smoking Cessation Aid, Modified Risk Cigarettes, BRAND A Cigarettes and BRAND B Cigarettes. On January 25, 2011, 22nd Century Limited, LLC (22nd Century Ltd) completed a reverse merger transaction (the Merger) with 22nd Century Group, and as a result, 22nd Century Ltd became a wholly owned subsidiary of 22nd Century Group, which continues to operate the business of 22nd Century Ltd. the Company�� drug application for X-22 was cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2011. The Company�� subsidiary, Goodrich Tobacco Company, LLC (Goodrich Tobacco), had introduced two cigarette brands, RED SUN and MAGIC, into the United States marketed during the year ended December 31, 2011. In December 2013, 22nd Century Group Inc acquired an undisclosed manufacturing facility located in Mocksville, North Carolina. Effective December 11, 2013, 22nd Century Group Inc acquired NASCO Specialty Brands LLC.
X-22 is a tobacco-based botanical medical product for use as a smoking cessation therapy. X-22 is a prescription-only kit consists of very low nicotine (VLN) cigarettes made from its tobacco. The therapy protocol allows the patient to smoke its VLN cigarettes without restriction over the six-week treatment period to facilitate the goal of the patient quitting smoking by the end of the treatment period. In 2011, Biotech Crops were planted in 29 countries on 395 million acres (160 million hectares).
The Company competes with Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Novartis International AG, Reynolds American Inc, Philip Morris USA Inc., Reynolds American Inc., Lorillard Inc., Commonwealth Brands, Inc., Liggett Group LLC, Vector Tobacco Inc., Star Scientific Inc, Philip Morris International Inc., British! American Tobacco, JT International SA, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and China National Tobacco Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Chromadex Corp (OTCMKTS: CDXC) and 22nd Century Group Inc (OTCBB: XXII) are, one way or the other, focused on natural products and have been getting some extra attention lately. Moreover, one of these stocks have been the subject of a disclosed investor awareness campaign. Keeping that in mind, are these two small cap stocks natural winners for investors? Here is a quick look:
- [By James E. Brumley]
While it's only been a little over a week since yours truly named 22nd Century Group Inc. (NYSEMKT:XXII) as one of the market's best-looking breakout opportunities, circumstances dictate the message rather than the other way around. That's the indirect way of saying XXII has continued on ahead, behaving as expected, punching through its key ceilings and solidifying the bullishness it was hinting at late last month.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Cerus Corporation(CERS)
Cerus Corporation, a biomedical products company, engages in the development and commercialization of the INTERCEPT Blood System. The company?s INTERCEPT system is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated blood components intended for transfusion. It markets the INTERCEPT system for platelets and plasma primarily in Europe, the Russian Federation, and the Middle East. The company is also developing INTERCEPT Blood System for red blood cells or red blood cell system, which is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated red blood cells for transfusion. Cerus Corporation has collaboration agreements with Baxter International, Inc.; and BioOne Corporation, as well as the United States Armed Forces. The company was founded in 1991 and is based in Concord, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Cerus (Nasdaq: CERS ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 30. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:
The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Cerus's revenues will expand 15.0% and EPS will remain in the red.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: UBS AG (UBSN)
UBS AG, incorporated on February 28, 1978, is a client-focused financial services company that offers a combination of wealth management, asset management and investment banking services on a global and regional basis. UBS AG is the parent company of the UBS Group (Group).The operational structure of the Company consists of the Corporate Center and four business divisions: Wealth Management & Swiss Bank, Wealth Management Americas, Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated about 877 business and banking locations worldwide, of which about 42% were in Switzerland, 42% in the Americas, 11% in the rest of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and 5% in Asia-Pacific. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it completed acquisitions in Global Asset Management and in the equities business of the Investment Bank. In November 2011, investment management responsibility for a private equity fund of funds was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank. In October 2011, Global Asset Management acquired ING Investment Management Limited business in Australia. In July 2011, the infrastructure and private equity fund of funds businesses were transferred from its alternative and quantitative investment area to its infrastructure investment area. In January 2011, investment management responsibility for a multi-manager alternative fund was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank.
Wealth Management
Wealth Management provides wealthy private clients with financial advice, products and tools to fit their individual needs. As of December 31, 2011, Wealth Management had presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. During 2011, the Company had CHF 750 billion of invested assets. The Company offers products and services to private! clients, focusing in particular on the ultra-high-net-worth (clients with investable assets of more than CHF 50 million) and high-net-worth client segments (clients with investable assets between CHF 2 million and CHF 50 million). In addition, it also provides wealth management solutions, products and services to financial intermediaries. Wealth Management has a presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.
The Company�� Global Financial Intermediaries (Global FIM) business serves approximately 1,700 asset managers. It provides its clients with the financial advice, products and tools. The Company�� clients can trade a range of financial instruments from single securities, such as equities and bonds, to various investment funds, structured products and alternative investments. Additionally, it offers structured lending, corporate finance and wealth planning advice on client needs, such as funding for education, inheritance and succession. For its ultra high net worth clients, it offers institutional-like servicing that provides access to its Investment Bank and Global Asset Management offerings. Wealth Management also gives clients access to the knowledge, and product and service offerings from Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank, complemented by an open product platform providing access to an array of products from third-party providers.
The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Julius Bar, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Citigroup, Barclays and Unicredit.
Retail & Corporate
The Company delivers financial products and services to its retail, corporate and institutional clients. The Retail & Corporate unit is a core element of UBS Switzerland�� universal bank delivery model. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a network of around 300 branches, 1,250 automated teller machines! , self-se! rvice terminals and customer service centers, alongside e-banking and mobile banking. The Company�� retail clients have access to offering, including cash accounts, payments, savings and retirement solutions, investment fund products, residential mortgages, as well as life insurance and advisory services. It provides financing solutions to its corporate clients, offering access to capital markets (equity and debt capital), syndicated and structured credit, private placements, leasing and traditional financing. The Company�� transaction banking offers solutions for payments and cash management services, trade and export finance, receivable finance, as well as global custody solutions to institutional clients.
The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Raiffeisen and PostFinance.
Wealth Management Americas
Wealth Management Americas provides advice-based relationships through its financial advisors, who deliver a range of wealth management solutions. On December 31, 2011, the business division had CHF 709 billion in invested assets. Wealth Management Americas consisted of branch networks in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, with 6,967 financial advisors as of 31 December 2011. Most corporate and operational functions of the business division are located in the home office in Weehawken, New Jersey. In the United States and Puerto Rico, Wealth Management Americas operates through direct and indirect subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities and operations activities are conducted primarily through two broker-dealers, UBS Financial Services Inc. and UBS Financial Services Incorporated of Puerto Rico. Its banking services in the United States include those conducted through the UBS AG branches and UBS Bank USA, a federally regulated Utah bank, which provides Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts. It includes the domestic US business, the domestic Canadian business and international business booked in the United States.
Ca! nadian we! alth management and banking operations are conducted through UBS Bank (Canada). The Company�� include wealth accumulation and preservation, income generation and portfolio diversification. The Company�� advisors work closely with internal consultants in areas, such as wealth planning, portfolio strategy, retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income. It also offers lending and cash management services, such as securities-backed lending, the resource management account, FDIC-insured deposits, mortgages and credit cards. For corporate and institutional clients, it offers a range of solutions, including equity compensation, administration, investment consulting, defined benefit and contribution programs and cash management services. It offers a range of equity and fixed income instruments.
The Company competes with Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo.
Global Asset Management
The Company serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. The Company�� fund services unit, a global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal fund set-up, accounting and reporting. Invested assets totaled CHF 574 billion and assets under administration were CHF 375 billion on December 31, 2011. Global Asset Management serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients, and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. Global Asset Management�� business lines include traditional investments (equities, fixed income and global investment solutions); alternative and quantitative investments; global real estate; infrastructure and private equity, and fund services.
Global ! investment solutions offer asset allocation, currency, multi-manager, structured solutions, risk advisory and strategic investment advisory services. Alternative and quantitative investments has two primary business lines-Alternative Investment Solutions (AIS) and O��onnor. AIS offers a range of hedge fund solutions and advisory services, including multi-manager strategies. O��onnor is a provider of single-manager global hedge funds. Global real estate manages real estate investments globally and regionally within Asia, Europe, Switzerland and the United States. Infrastructure and private equity manages direct infrastructure investment and multi-manager infrastructure and private equity strategies for both institutional and high net worth investors. Infrastructure asset management manages direct investments in core infrastructure assets worldwide. Fund services, the global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal set-up, reporting and accounting for retail and institutional investment funds, hedge funds and other alternative products.The Company competes with Fidelity Investments, AllianceBernstein Investments, BlackRock, JP Morgan Asset Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
Investment Bank
The Investment Bank provides a range of products and services in equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and commodities to corporate and institutional clients, sovereign and government bodies, financial intermediaries, alternative asset managers and UBS�� wealth management clients. The Investment Bank has three business areas: equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC), and the investment banking department. The Company operates through branches and subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities activities in the United States are conducted through UBS Securities LLC, a broker-dealer. Securities research provides investment analysis across a range of asset classes of more than 3,400 companies worldwide.
The ! Company p! articipates in the primary and secondary markets for cash equity and equity-related products, including listed options, structured products, equity-linked securities, swaps, futures and over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts. Cash equities provide clients with liquidity, investment advisory, trade execution and related consultancy services. It offers trade execution for single stocks and portfolios, including capital commitment, block trading, small-cap execution and commission management services. In addition, it also provides clients with a range of electronic trading algorithms and analytical tools. Derivatives and equity-linked provides a range of flow, structured, synthetic and equity-linked products with worldwide access to primary and secondary markets.
Prime services offer brokerage business, including clearing and custody, capital consultancy, financing, securities lending and equity swaps execution. The FICC business area delivers products and solutions to corporate, institutional and public-sector clients in all markets, as well as to private clients via targeted intermediaries. Macro consists of the foreign exchange, money market and interest rate sales and trading businesses, as well as cash and collateral trading. It provides a range of foreign exchange, precious metals, treasury, and liquidity management solutions to institutional and private clients via targeted intermediaries. Credit sales and trading consists of the origination, underwriting, trading and distribution of cash and synthetic products across the credit spectrum - bonds, derivatives, notes and loans.
The investment banking department provides advice and a range of capital markets execution services to corporate clients, financial institutions, financial sponsors, sovereign clients and hedge funds. The Company also provides liquidity in local markets across foreign exchange, credit, rates and structured products. The advisory group assists in acquisitions and sale processes, and also advises on! reviews ! and corporate restructuring solutions. Global capital markets is a joint venture with the securities business. It offers financing and advisory services that cover all forms of capital raising, as well as risk management solutions. Global leveraged finance provides event-driven (acquisition, leveraged buyout) loans, and bond and mezzanine leveraged finance to corporate clients and financial sponsors.
The Company competes with Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sofia Horta e Costa]
BP posted its best week in 23 months after the oil producer increased its dividend. Alcatel-Lucent rallied 18 percent after predicting it will beat its cost-cutting targets this year and reporting a narrower-than-forecast quarterly loss. UBS AG (UBSN) dropped the most in almost two years after saying it may fail to reach its profitability goal until at least 2016.
- [By Corinne Gretler]
Scania AB (SCVB), the Swedish truckmaker that reported worse-than-estimated earnings last week, fell 5.3 percent to 134.10 kronor, the most since October 2011. UBS (UBSN) cut the stock to sell from neutral and lowered its earnings forecasts, saying truck demand in Brazil will probably fall sharply from current levels.
- [By Bloomberg News]
UBS AG (UBSN)�� China venture plans to offer more computerized-trading services as it bets on a surge in demand from institutional money managers in the biggest emerging market.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Vanguard Reit Etf (VNQ)
Vanguard REIT ETF (the Fund), formerly known as Vanguard REIT VIPERs, is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard REIT Index Fund. The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of an index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity real estate investment trusts (REITs). Vanguard REIT ETF employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index (the Index), an index of United States property trusts that covers about two-thirds of the value of the entire United States REIT market.
Vanguard REIT ETF normally invests approximately 98% of assets in stocks issued by equity REITs. The Fund invests in the stocks that make up the Index, and the remaining assets are allocated to cash investments.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bill Stoller]
After a banner 2013, the overall market has had a challenging start to 2014. However, these four companies have been crushing it: Alexander Real Estate (NYSE: ARE ) , BioMed Realty Trust (NYSE: BMR ) , CommonWealth REIT (NYSE: CWH ) , and Sun Communities (NYSE: SUI ) early on in 2014 vs. the S&P 500. Their relative out-performance can also be seen when compared to the Vanguard REIT Index ETF (NYSEMKT: VNQ ) a good yardstick to measure sector performance.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ross Stores Inc.(ROST)
Ross Stores, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates off-price retail apparel and home accessories stores under the Ross Dress for Less and dd?s DISCOUNTS brand names in the United States. Its Ross Dress for Less brand stores sell brand and designer apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at everyday savings of 20 to 60 percent off department and specialty store regular prices; and dd?s DISCOUNTS brand stores sell apparel, accessories, footwear, and home fashions for the entire family at everyday savings of 20 to 70 percent off moderate department and discount store regular prices. As of January 29, 2011, the company operated 1,055 stores, of which 988 were Ross Dress for Less brand stores in 27 states and Guam, and 67 were dd?s DISCOUNTS brand stores in 6 states. Its Ross Dress for Less brand stores primarily target middle income households and dd?s DISCOUNTS brand stores target moderate income households. Ross Stores, Inc. was found ed in 1957 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Andrew Marder]
That focus on full-price is the core of TJX's strategy. The brand is known as a discounter, but hitting higher margins is the key to increasing comparable sales and income. Over this last quarter, gross margin came in 28.4%, which is in line with competitor Ross (NASDAQ: ROST ) , which had a gross margin of 27.8% in its last quarter.
- [By Tom Taulli]
Competition: While TJX attempts to undercut more traditional retailers, it has plenty of competition in the deep-discount game, Ross Stores (ROST), Kohl’s (KSS) and Burlington Stores (BURL). TJX also must contend with big-box operators like Target (TGT). So far, TJX has been able to dig itself a niche and remain fairly differentiated, but it’s fair to point out the danger in slipping — in retail, customers always have plenty of alternatives.
- [By Chuck Carnevale]
[ Enlarge Image ]
With our second example we look at Ross Stores (ROST), a company with a much stronger and more consistent record of historical earnings growth. Once again we see a company that generates healthy levels of free cash flow (orange shaded area marked with a capital F), but note how price followed earnings higher even though free cash flow was falling during calendar years 2010 and 2011. However, as we suggested above with our cyclical choice, notice how the historical earnings growth of this company has been both strong and consistent. When evaluating the future prospects of this company, its historical record will once again become a very important consideration. - [By Dan Caplinger]
Yet store expansion will also play a key role in growth for the company. Last year, Stage Stores emphasized its Steele's off-price store segment, opening 31 locations compared to just 25 among its other brands. Both T.J. Maxx operator TJX (NYSE: TJX ) and Ross Stores (NASDAQ: ROST ) have used the off-price strategy to great success over their respective histories, and although the two chains faced some headwinds more recently as a result of payroll tax hikes and delayed tax refunds, investors expect mid-single-digit sales growth from both Ross and TJX for the foreseeable future. If Stage Stores can cash in on the same trend, it could help the company accelerate its own rising revenue.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: LDK Solar Co. Ltd.(LDK)
LDK Solar Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects. It offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules. The company also provides wafer processing services to monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cell and module manufacturers; and sells silicon materials, such as ingots and polysilicon scraps. In addition, it engages in the production and sale of solar cells and modules to developers, distributors, and system integrators; and design and development of solar power projects in Europe, the United States, and China, as well as provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. LDK Solar Co., Ltd. operates in Europe, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Xinyu City, t he People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
This is a big hit for the Chinese solar industry and some of the biggest players in solar. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Europe was poised to put a 48.6% tariff on Suntech Power's (NYSE: STP ) �panels, 55.9% on LDK Solar's (NYSE: LDK ) , and 51.5% on Trina Solar's. Companies who cooperated with the investigation on dumping would be slapped with a 47.6% tariff and those who didn't would be taxed at 67.9%. �
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Intrexon Corp (XON)
Intrexon Corporation, incorporated on April 19, 2004, is engaged in the business of synthetic biology. Using the Company�� suite of complementary technologies, it design, build and regulate gene programs, or sequences of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that control cellular function, and cellular systems, or activities that take place within a cell and the interaction of those systems in the greater cellular environment, to enable the development of new and improved products and manufacturing processes across a variety of end markets, including healthcare, food, energy and environmental sciences. Its technologies include the UltraVector gene design and fabrication platform; Cell Systems Informatics; LEAP-cell identification and selection, and mAbLogix-antibody discovery.
The Company�� LEAP technology facilitates the automated identification of an individual cell with the highest levels of expression, quality and potency from a population of over 100,000 cells. Its mAbLogix platform complements UltraVector with a library of human antibodies that exceeds 500 million. By immortalizing human tonsils, which consists of lymphatic tissue containing B-cells, its mAbLogix platform creates a B-cell library that can generate antibodies against an almost infinite number of new antigens.
The UltraVector gene design and fabrication platform
The Company�� gene program design platform, which it refer to as UltraVector, is an integrated suite of tools comprising advanced DNA construction technology and components, cellular and protein engineering tools, computational models and statistical methods which facilitate the rapid design, build and testing of complex systems. The UltraVector platform allows the Company to translate gene programs into standard components that can be designed, manufactured and tested in an automated format. This technology enables it to engineer at the cellular level from biological sources.
UltraVector DNA design is computer-automated and ! utilizes a set of defined construction rules to assemble components that are stored in its DNA library. In addition to the number of gene components in its UltraVector library, it is designing and creating enzymatic and regulatory components that provide control over genome integration and gene regulation. Its RheoSwitch Therapeutic System is a three-component transcriptional regulator that provides inducible gene expression. The RheoSwitch Therapeutic System provides the ability to not only express proteins/enzymes of interest, but also the ability to control the level and timing of expression to achieve a biological outcome. Other ongoing programs include its Attsite recombinases, which mediate predictable gene exchange into host cells thereby eliminating many of the difficulties seen with traditional gene insertion.
Cell Systems Informatics
The Company�� Cell systems informatics permits design, as well as testing and learning about new gene targets or product pathways. Its bioinformatics software and database systems for mapping cellular pathways when combined with its genome-scale modeling and experimental data, including, gene expression profiling and protein engineering, enable the Company to optimize selection and development of gene programs and cellular systems for its collaborators. Its computational modeling and simulation platform enables the development of predictive computer models of organisms, from microbes to humans. This platform builds virtual cells from their basic molecular components, and can simulate the activity of the cell�� complete reaction network.
The Company is designing proteins with post-translational modifications. It is also working to develop enzyme inhibitors and fusion proteins for a variety of applications in human and animal therapeutics. Its protein engineering may utilize one or more of its technologies to obtain catalysis activitiesits component library, the generation of component variants sequence, evolutionary analy! sis and s! tructure-based sequence alignment, computer-aided drug discovery, de novo, or synthesized or generated, and comparative protein modeling, molecular dynamics simulation and free energy analysis, antibody design and humanization, antigenicity prediction, protein pharmacokinetics optimization, and/or in silico support of enzyme engineeringand quantitative structure-function relationships with machine learning algorithms to optimize, facilitate and prioritize protein variant libraries for the advancement of its collaborators.
LEAP-cell identification and selection
The Company�� Laser-Enabled Analysis and Processing technology (LEAP), is an instrument that merges semiconductor manufacturing technologies for cell processing applications to provide high levels of control and scale to cell purification and stem cell culture management. The LEAP platform can identify and purify cells of interest from large libraries of cells created by its UltraVector and bioinformatics technologies using a laser-based purification process, thereby providing a mechanism of testing the degree of protein expression in genetically modified cells, as well as means to learn from the genetic building process.
mAbLogix- antibody discovery
The Company�� mAbLogix antibody discovery platform, or mAbLogix platform, enables production of B-cell libraries for discovery of antibodies. The mAbLogix platform permits antigen targeting using fully human monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Its mAbLogix antibody discovery process consists of two major activities: the build of human B-cell libraries expressing a large number of antibodies, and the testing of these libraries based on an analysis of B-cells that express antibodies in response to a chosen antigen.
The Company competes with AbD SeroTec, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., XOMA Corporation, Genmab US, Inc., MorphoSys AG, NovImmune SA, Societe Des Systemes Biologiques, Adimab, LLC, ProMab Biotechnologies, Inc., Abpro, Inc.,! AIIM The! rapeutics and Open Monoclonal Technology, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Bubble talk, biotech IPO setbacks plus news�about small cap biotechs like Intrexon Corp (NYSE: XON) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) have dominated biotech news this week or in recent weeks. Just consider the following news:
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Intrexon Corp. (NYSE: XON) was started as Buy at Mizuho Securities, started as Equal Weight at Barclays and started as Overweight at J.P. Morgan.
Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) was raised to Hold from Sell at Deutsche Bank, raised to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse and
Canaccord Genuity raised its price target to $5.50 from $3.30.
Top 10 Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ignite Restaurant Group Inc (IRG)
Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc., incorporated on February 4, 2002, operates two restaurant brands, Joe's Crab Shack (Joe's) and Brick House Tavern + Tap (Brick House). The Company�� Joe's Crab Shack and Brick House Tavern + Tap operate in a diverse set of markets across the United States. Joe's Crab Shack is a national chain of casual seafood restaurants serving a variety of seafood items, with an emphasis on crab. Brick House Tavern + Tap is a casual restaurant brand that provides guests a gastro pub experience by offering a blend of menu items. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned and operated 144 restaurants in 33 states. In September 2013, Ignite Restaurant Group Inc announced the opening of its newest Joe's Crab Shack restaurant, located in Newark, New Jersey.
Joe's Crab Shack
The Company�� Joe's Crab Shack offers an outdoor patio for guests to enjoy eating and drinking and a children's playground. Joe's also has many locations that are located on waterfront property. Interior design elements include a nautical, vacation theme to invoke memories of beach vacations and a genuine crab shack experience. Joe's Crab Shack restaurants have over 200 seats. Many of the Company�� restaurants also include a small gift shop where guests can purchase souvenirs to commemorate their dining experience. Joe's Crab Shack also leverages its crab-forward menu with other crab items, including Made-From-Scratch Crab Cakes, Crab Nachos and Crazy-Good Crab Dip. In addition to its core crab-focused menu, Joe's also offers a range of entrees featuring a variety of seafood, including the Get Stuffed Snapper, Surf 'N Turf Burger and The Big Hook Up, as well as a range of traditional seafood entrees like the Fisherman's Platter. Joe's also offers several out of water options, such as Pan Fried Cheesy Chicken and Whiskey Smoked Ribs. In addition, alcoholic beverages include the Shark Bite, Category 5 Hurricane and Mason Jar cocktails emerging as guests' top choices. Joe's menu inc! ludes more than 29 items made with either Queen, Snow, Dungeness or King Crabs sourced from government regulated and sustainable fisheries. Its menu offers 14 appetizers, including Made-From-Scratch Crab Cakes, Crab Nachos and Crazy-Good Crab Dip, and over 50 entrees, including Steampots, Crab in a Bucket, Skillet Paella, Stuffed Snapper and out of water options like Whiskey Smoked Ribs.
Brick House Tavern + Tap
The Company�� Brick House's interior decor includes custom lighting, dark mahogany woods, open sight lines, high definition television (HD TVs), and an inviting fireplace. In addition to a traditional dining room and bar area, Brick House also offers large communal tables and a section of leather recliners positioned in front of large HD TVs, where guests receive their own TV tray for dining. Outdoor seating is also available on the patio or around an open fire pit at nearly all locations. Both food and beverages are served by personable and engaging service staff. The typical Brick House restaurant is approximately 8,500 square feet and averages approximately 250 seats, which includes both traditional tables and seating options. Brick House offers its guests a selection of contemporary tavern food. Brick House's menu includes 17 appetizers and over 53 entrees. Handcrafted appetizers include Deviled Eggs, Meatloaf Sliders, Brick Pizza, Meat and Cheese Board and Fried Stuffed Olives. Brick House offers an array of burgers, including The Kobe, which is hand formed from American Wagyu beef. Guests can also choose from a selection of homemade entrees, such as Drunken Chops, BBQ Baby Backs, Chicken & Waffles, and its Prime Rib Sandwich. In addition, Brick House's Brick Burgers, include the Gun Show Burger and the Black & Bleu Burger. Brick House's beverage selection includes imported and domestic beers along with hand-pulled cask beer. All Brick House restaurants have a bar that supports a variety of liquor drinks, wine and beer cocktails like the Shandy and Bee Sting, a! s well as! specialty cocktails like the Dark & Stormy, Moscow Mule and The Zombie.
The Company competes with Red Lobster, Bonefish Grill, Landry's Seafood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, BJ's Restaurants, Yard House, Cheesecake Factory, Bravo Brio and Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's, Chili's, T.G.I. Friday's, Texas Roadhouse and Outback Steakhouse.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Victor Selva]
The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3 - Hold, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��nderperfom.��For investors looking for a Zacks Rank # 1 ��Strong Buy, Ignite Restaurant Group Inc. (IRG) and The Wendy's Company (WEN) could be the options.
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