For every public hit a big company like any of the aforementioned takes, every other public relations department in the world gets a chance to watch from a distance and learn from its mistakes. Calls for higher corporate tax rates and large-scale protests like Occupy Wall Street have also put big companies in an awkward position in which they must still strive for increased growth and and profits for their shareholders while also maintaining a good relationship with the public. How are companies actually managing to pull off such a juggling act?
Best Computer Hardware Companies To Buy For 2015: BP p.l.c.(BP)
BP p.l.c. provides fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services, and petrochemicals products. Its Exploration and Production segment engages in the oil and natural gas exploration, field development, and production; midstream transportation, and storage and processing; and marketing and trading of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), and power and natural gas liquids (NGL). This segment has exploration and production activities in Angola, Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Norway, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as in Asia, Australasia, South America, North Africa, and the Middle East. This segment also owns and manages crude oil and natural gas pipelines; processing facilities and export terminals; and LNG processing and transportation, as well as NGL extraction facilities. BP p.l.c. has interests in the Trans-Alaska pipeline system, the Forties pipeline system, the Central Area transmission sys tem pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as in LNG plants located in Trinidad, Indonesia, and Australia. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment involves in the supply and trading, refining, manufacturing, marketing, and transportation of crude oil, petroleum, and petrochemicals products and related services to wholesale and retail customers primarily under the BP, Castrol, ARCO, and Aral brands. Its Other Businesses and Corporate segment produces and markets rolled aluminum products, as well as generates energy through wind, solar, biofuels, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage sources; and engages in shipping activities. The company was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
Among holdings in which Kahn Brothers increased its stake were New York Community Bancorp (NYSE: NYCB ) and oil giant BP (NYSE: BP ) . New York Community Bancorp, known for prudent management of credit risk, has grown by an annual average of 28%(!) since its IPO in 1993. It has been buying other banks and expanding its commercial and industrial lending business. The bank's third quarter featured estimate-topping earnings (albeit lower�than those from a year ago) and improving credit quality. Some see the bank's sizable multifamily loan portfolio as a particularly promising asset, offering refinancing-related income. New York Community Bancorp stock sports a whopping 6.2% dividend yield.
- [By David O��ara]
BP
Super-major�BP� (LSE: BP ) (NYSE: BP ) needs little introduction. For decades, it has been a cornerstone investment of many investors' portfolios. Today, the company stands at a crucial point in its history. - [By Maynard Paton]
LONDON -- The shares of�BP� (LSE: BP ) (NYSE: BP ) climbed 12 pence to 469 pence during early London trade this morning after the FTSE 100 member reported a first-quarter profit of $17 billion.
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Acacia Research Corporation(ACTG)
Acacia Research Corporation, through its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, licenses, and enforces patented technologies in the United States. It assists patent owners with the prosecution and development of their patent portfolios; protection of their patented inventions from unauthorized use; generation of licensing revenue from users of their patented technologies; and enforcement against unauthorized users of their patented technologies. The company owns or controls the rights to approximately 200 patent portfolios, which include the United State?s patents and foreign counterparts covering technologies used in various industries. Acacia Research Corporation was founded in 1992 and is based in Newport Beach, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Acacia Research (NASDAQ: ACTG) shares shot up 14.82 percent to $17.20 after the company reported upbeat Q2 results and approved a $0.125 per share quarterly dividend.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Acacia Research (Nasdaq: ACTG ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Acacia Research crushed expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Standard Parking Corporation(STAN)
Standard Parking Corporation provides parking management, ground transportation, and other ancillary services to commercial, institutional, and municipal clients in the United States and Canada. Its services include collection and deposit of parking revenues; daily housekeeping; restriping of the parking stalls; maintenance of parking equipment, such as ticket dispensing machines, parking gate arms, and fee computers; painting of walkways, curbs, ceilings, walls, and other facility surfaces; and snow removal from sidewalks and driveways. The company also provides shuttle bus vehicles and drivers to operate them in support of on-airport car rental operations, as well as private off-airport parking locations; and ancillary ground transportation services at airports, such as taxi and livery dispatch, concierge-type ground transportation information, and support services for arriving passengers. In addition, it offers shuttle bus services, on-street parking meter collection, a nd other parking enforcement services for municipalities; and valet parking and shuttle bus services for the medical center and hospital markets. The company serves private and public owners, municipalities, managers and developers of office buildings, residential properties, commercial properties, shopping centers and other retail properties, sports and special event complexes, hotels, and hospitals and medical centers. As of December 31, 2011, it managed approximately 2,200 parking facility locations containing approximately 1.2 million parking spaces in approximately 345 cities; operated 147 parking-related service centers serving 61 airports; and a fleet of approximately 550 shuttle buses. The company was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
Elekta AB dropped 4.3 percent after posting quarterly profit that missed forecasts. Standard Chartered (STAN) Plc slid 6.6 percent. PSA Peugeot Citroen advanced 2.4 percent as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. added the shares to its conviction-buy list.
- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
A gauge of banking shares in the FTSE 350 Index reversed earlier gains, declining 0.5 percent. Standard Chartered Plc (STAN) fell 1.8 percent to 1,470 pence and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc lost 2.6 percent to 276.7 pence.
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Sodexo SA (SW)
Sodexo SA, (formerly Sodexho Alliance SA), is a global provider of services in three primary business areas: The On-site Services Solutions offer various services that range from food services to construction management, reception to the maintenance of scanners and laboratory equipment, management of data centers, leisure cruises and provides housekeeping to rehabilitation services at correctional facilities. The Motivation Solutions division provides passes and vouchers, comprising Restaurant Pass, Gift Pass, Sport Pass, Training Voucher, Service Card and Book Card, among others. The Company also provides Personal and Home Services in the form of childcare, tutoring, concierge services and in-home service care facilities. The Company is present in 80 countries in a number of geographic areas, such as North America, South America, Continental Europe and United Kingdom and Ireland. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Glenwoods]
Recently giant food conglomerate, Cargill announced it had partnered with the Swiss biosynthetic pharmaceutical company, Evolva (EVE:SW), to develop a more consistent and less expensive stevia sweetener via Evolva�� microbial fermentation-based process.� This is big news for the future of stevia because a microbial fermentation-based process does not have to rely on soil conditions or weather, and stevia can be manufactured anywhere, thus having the potential of guaranteeing an endless supply line of stevia.� Through the microbial fermentation, the manufacturer has the capability to process the key sweet individual components of stevia using low-cost plant sugars, and allows for the individual components of stevia, regardless of how minute, to be developed creating blends in any volume, which then could open the door for these manufacturers to fine-tune its stevia to local tastes.� But what would be most attractive is that, because the fermentation process does not require the entire plant, the method could conceivably shave upwards of 70% off the cost of producing stevia extracts.�
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Pioneer Floating Rate Trust(PHD)
Pioneer Floating Rate Trust is closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in senior secured floating-rate loans. It invests in fixed income securities with average credit quality of B. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. Pioneer Floating Rate Trust was formed on October 6, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Dowdee]
The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:
BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)
Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Reuters]
Today's Bank of America (BAC) was created through a series of mega-mergers and acquisitions engineered by CEO Ken Lewis, including the purchases of FleetBoston in 2003 and credit card giant MBNA in 2005. By 2007, he had succeeded in making Bank of America the largest bank in the U.S. by deposits. But then Lewis overreached. As the financial system was heading toward near-collapse in 2008, Bank of America bought crippled mortgage bank Countrywide Financial in January and deeply troubled investment bank Merrill Lynch in September.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Indeed, previous programs designed to help homeowners avoid foreclosure raised similar concerns about moral hazard. Back in 2009, the earliest attempts to provide for mortgage loan modifications resulted in far fewer benefits than expected, because the banks involved chose not to grant modification in many cases. Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC ) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) were among the slowest of the big banks to modify loans early in the program's existence, moving forward with just 4% to 6% of eligible mortgages within the first half-year or so of the program. Even giving lenders incentives to modify loans didn't keep bankers from concluding that they'd often be better off not modifying and counting on homeowners to find ways to cure their delinquent loans without a modification. In other words, banks chose not to reward their customers automatically for being late and seeking assistance.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Where the rating changes become a wild card are in Bank of America Corp.�(NYSE: BAC) and Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C). These two were placed on “review direction uncertain” as Moody’s “considers the potentially offsetting influence of improvements in the standalone credit strength of their main operating subsidiaries, the ratings on which were simultaneously placed on review for upgrade.”
- [By Dan Carroll]
That's good news for the financial sector, particularly after Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC ) stock spent all day near the bottom of the Dow. Shares of the big bank are still stuck in the red, down 1.1%, and evidence that some Fed policymakers were interested in tapering easing by the end of the year probably won't support optimism about the stock. To make matters worse, earlier today Swiss rival UBS leapfrogged the bank to become the world's largest wealth-manager.
Top Forestry Companies To Watch For 2014: Renewable Energy Group Inc (REGI)
Renewable Energy Group, Inc., incorporated in August 2006, is a producer of biodiesel in the United States. The Company is engaged in each aspect of biodiesel production, from acquiring feedstock, managing construction and operating biodiesel production facilities to marketing, selling and distributing biodiesel and its co-products. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company sold approximately 150 million gallons of biodiesel. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated a network of six biodiesel plants, with an aggregate production capacity of 212 million gallons per year. On July 12, 2011, the Company acquired SoyMor Biodiesel, LLC (SoyMor), which has 30 million gallons per year biodiesel production facility in Albert Lea, Minnesota. In January 2012, it exercised its option to purchase the 60 million gallons per year facility in Seneca, Illinois, which it operated under a lease. In August 2013, the Company acquired biodiesel plant in Mason City, Iowa. In January 2014, Renewable Energy Group Inc acquired renewable chemical technology developer LS9, Inc.
The Company produces its biodiesel from a range of feedstocks, including inedible animal fat, used cooking oil and inedible corn oil. It also produces a smaller portion of its biodiesel from virgin vegetable oils. It owns biodiesel production facilities with capacities consisting of 12 million gallons per year facility in Ralston, Iowa; 35 million gallons per year facility near Houston, Texas, or the Houston facility; 45 million gallons per year facility in Danville, Illinois, and 30 million gallons per year facility in Newton, Iowa.
The Company competes with Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Incorporated, Louis Dreyfus Commodities Group, Ag Processing Inc., Mansfield, Astra, Gavilon, Tenaska, ED&F Man, Dynamic Fuels, LLC, Syntroleum Corporation, Tyson Foods, Inc., Diamond Green Diesel, LLC and Darling International.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of biodiesel maker Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQ: REGI ) jumped 15% today after the company reported earnings.
So what: The company sold 39 million gallons of biodiesel during the quarter, up 14% from a year ago, and net income rose from $14 million, to $46 million. On a per share basis earnings were $1.25 versus an expectation of $0.51 from Wall Street.�
- [By Maxx Chatsko]
The third well-researched pick was Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQ: REGI ) . The nation's largest biodiesel producer was a recently public company at the time and probably got caught in the punishment unleashed upon industrial biotech companies that failed to live up to their early promises. I just didn't think it was justified for REG. Biodiesel is produced in a relatively simple process. Better yet, the company was growing and poised to continue growing with capacity additions looming. Investors finally caught on after REG notched its first year with $1 billion in sales in 2012, and sent shares 120% higher in 2013.
- [By Maxx Chatsko]
RINs are created with each lot of biofuels produced and act as a way for the industry to track production. They are normally sold with the corresponding amount of biofuels, but can be sold on secondary markets without a physical volume to back it up. Speculation by third parties and fear of running into the 10% ethanol blend wall in 2013 and 2014 caused prices to spike. The volatility may continue for the medium term, but investors may be able to find solace in the country's leading biodiesel producer Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQ: REGI ) . Fool contributor Maxx Chatsko explains why in the following video.
- [By Maxx Chatsko]
I told you not to worry. Although, with such weak guidance to start the year one could argue that Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQ: REGI ) set itself up for a positive earnings surprise yesterday. The nation's largest biodiesel producer recorded it best first quarter ever for production and volume of fuel sold. Since biodiesel use slows in colder winter months the solid quarter is a testament to its growing use in the nation's fuel supply and the company's ability to develop alternative products such as heating oil. Here's a quick breakdown from REG's first quarter.
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