Fully 20% of U.S. adults become rich for parts of their lives, wielding outsize influence on America's economy and politics. This little-known group may pose the biggest barrier to reducing the nation's income inequality.
The growing numbers of the U.S. poor have been well documented, but survey data provided to The Associated Press detail the flip side of the record income gap ��the rise of the "new rich."
Made up largely of older professionals, working married couples and more educated singles, the new rich are those with household income of $250,000 or more at some point during their working lives. That puts them, if sometimes temporarily, in the top 2% of earners.
Even outside periods of unusual wealth, members of this group generally hover in the $100,000-plus income range, keeping them in the top 20% of earners.
Best Forestry Stocks For 2015: Burnham Holdings Inc (BURCA)
Burnham Holdings, Inc., incorporated on December, 2, 2002, is the parent company of the Burnham group of companies. The Company is a manufacturer of boilers, furnaces, radiators, air conditioning systems and related accessories for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. The Company has eight brand names, marketed through eight independent sales organizations that are differentiated by product line and markets served. The Burnham Hydronics, New Yorker, Governale, Thermo Pride, and Crown product lines offer a range of cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, and steel boilers, cast iron and steel heat distribution products, warm air furnaces, heat pumps and central air conditioning systems for the residential heating and cooling market. Typical applications of these products are for all styles and sizes of homes and small buildings. The Burnham Commercial, Bryan Boilers, and Thermal Solutions product lines offer a range of cast iron, firetube, watertube, and copper tube boilers, as well as boiler room accessories for the commercial and industrial markets. Typical uses of these products are for heating large buildings and high-pressure steam generation for process applications.
The Burnham Foundry produces boiler castings for the affiliated manufacturing companies, as well as outside customers. Wendl and Manufacturing is a producer of both pressurized and non-pressurized tanks and vessels for liquid storage applications. Norwood Manufacturing is a manufacturer of painted light gauge metal parts. The Company sells to wholesale distributors who in turn, market to builders, heating contractors, utilities, and fuel dealers for resale to end-use customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Boiler, radiator, air conditioning and furnace manufacturer Burnham Holdings (BURCA) raised its quarterly dividend 11% to 21 cents per share, payable March 18 to shareholders of record as of March 11.
BURCA Dividend Yield: 4.3%
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: CNA Financial Corp (CNA)
CNA Financial Corporation (CNAF), incorporated in 1967, is an insurance holding company. The Company�� core business commercial property and casualty insurance operations operate in two segments: CNA Specialty and CNA Commercial. Its non-core businesses are managed in two business segments: Life & Group Non-Core and Corporate & Other Non-Core. The Company�� insurance products primarily include commercial property and casualty coverages, including surety. Its services include risk management, information services, and warranty and claims administration. Its products and services are marketed through independent agents, brokers and managing general underwriters to a wide variety of customers, including small, medium and large businesses, associations, professionals and other groups. CNA's property and casualty and remaining life and group insurance operations are primarily conducted by Continental Casualty Company (CCC), The Continental Insurance Company, Western Surety Company and Continental Assurance Company (CAC). On June 10, 2011, CNA completed the acquisition of CNA Surety Corporation. In July 2012, the Company acquired Hardy Underwriting Bermuda Ltd. On December 14, 2012, the Company sold SUR Insurance Agency, Inc. and The Bond Exchange to California Contractors Insurance Services.
CNA Specialty
CNA Specialty provides professional and management liability and other coverages through property and casualty products and services, both domestically and abroad, through a network of brokers, independent agencies and managing general underwriters. CNA Specialty provides solutions for managing the risks of its clients, including architects, lawyers, accountants, health care professionals, financial intermediaries and public and private companies. Product offerings also include surety and fidelity bonds and warranty services.
CNA Specialty includes four business groups: Professional & Management Liability, International, Surety, and Warranty and Alternative Risks! . Professional & Management Liability provides management and professional liability insurance and risk management services and other specialized property and casualty coverages in the United States. This group provides professional liability coverages to various professional firms, including architects, real estate agents, small and mid-sized accounting firms, law firms and technology firms. Professional & Management Liability also provides D&O, employment practices, fiduciary and fidelity coverages. Products within Professional & Management Liability are distributed through brokers, agents and managing general underwriters. Professional & Management Liability, through CNA HealthPro, also offers insurance products to serve the healthcare delivery system. Products include professional liability and associated standard property and casualty coverages, and are distributed on a national basis through brokers, agents and managing general underwriters. Customer segments include long term care facilities, allied health care providers, life sciences, dental professionals and mid-size and large health care facilities.
International provides similar management and professional liability insurance and other specialized property and casualty coverages in Canada and Europe. Surety consists primarily of CNA Surety Corporation (CNA Surety) and its insurance subsidiaries and offers small, medium and large contract and commercial surety bonds. CNA Surety provides surety and fidelity bonds in all 50 states through a combined network of independent agencies.
Warranty and Alternative Risks provides extended service contracts and related products that provide protection from the financial burden associated with mechanical breakdown and other related losses, primarily for vehicles and portable electronic communication devices. These products are distributed through and administered by a wholly owned subsidiary, CNA National Warranty Corporation, or through third party administrators.
! CNA Comme! rcial
CNA Commercial works with an independent agency distribution system and a network of brokers to market a range of property and casualty insurance products and services to small, middle-market and large businesses and organizations domestically and abroad. Products include standard and excess property coverages, as well as marine coverage, and boiler and machinery. Casualty products include standard casualty insurance products such as workers��compensation, general and product liability, commercial auto and umbrella coverages. It also offers pecialized loss-sensitive insurance programs to those customers viewed as higher risk and less predictable in exposure.
The Business insurance group serves smaller commercial accounts and the Commercial insurance group serves middle markets and larger risks. In addition, CNA Commercial provides total risk management services relating to claim and information services to the insurance marketplace, through a wholly owned subsidiary, CNA ClaimPlus, Inc., a third party administrator. The International insurance group primarily consists of the commercial product lines of its operations in Europe, Canada, as well as Hawaii.
CNA Select Risk (Select Risk) includes excess and surplus lines coverages. Risk provides specialized insurance for selected commercial risks on both an individual customer and program basis. Select Risk�� products are distributed throughout the United States through specialist producers, program agents and brokers.
Life & Group Non-Core
The Life & Group Non-Core segment includes the results of the life and group lines of business that are in run-off. It retains block of group reinsurance and life settlement contracts.
Corporate & Other Non-Core
Corporate & Other Non-Core primarily includes certain corporate expenses. This also includes interest on corporate debt, and the results of certain property and casualty business in run-off, including CNA Re and ! A&EP.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Amanda Alix]
This is the beauty of the insurance model, and its charm has attracted investing greats like Warren Buffett, who may have pioneered this latest trend through his own company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A ) � (NYSE: BRK-B ) . In 2010, Berkshire took on AIG's asbestos liability for a hefty fee, and did the same for CNA Financial (NYSE: CNA ) the following year. There's little doubt that Buffett added to his wealth by wisely investing the $3.65 billion he received in those two deals.
- [By Tom Stoukas]
Centrica Plc (CNA), the largest energy supplier to U.K. homes, lost 2.3 percent to 366.9 pence. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the shares to neutral from overweight, citing proposals from Britain�� Labour Party to freeze energy bills and break up the country�� six biggest power suppliers.
- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
Centrica Plc (CNA), the biggest energy supplier to U.K. homes, slipped 4.1 percent to 375.6 pence, the biggest drop since May 2010. Ed Miliband, the leader of the Labour Party, yesterday pledged to freeze energy bills if he wins the next general election. He added that rising prices have enriched power companies at the expense of consumers.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: Invesco Plc(IVZ)
Invesco Ltd. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to individuals, typically high net worth individuals. It also manages accounts for institutions. The firm manages separate client focused equity, fixed income, balanced portfolios. It also launches equity, fixed income, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. The firm invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It invests in core, growth, and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies. The firm employs a fundamental and quantitative analysis with a bottom-up stock picking approach to make its investments. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. Invesco Ltd. was founded in December 1935 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
Investment management firm Invesco (NYSE: IVZ ) , which typically caters to high-net-worth individuals and offers a myriad of ETFs, rose 6.8% after reporting its first-quarter results. For the quarter, profits jumped nearly 15% to $0.49 per share as clients and investors flooded into its ETFs. Total cash inflows totaled $19.2 billion for the quarter -- a record for the company. It also didn't hurt that Invesco boosted its dividend by 30% to $0.225 per quarter. Even after today's move, at just 13 times forward earnings, there could still be room to run higher.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Lately, though, T. Rowe Price hasn't benefited as much from share-price gains. Competitor Invesco (NYSE: IVZ ) has managed to expand its margins and produce growth among its current lineup of funds, with exposure to a big range of markets that leaves it broadly placed to serve its customers' needs. But for T. Rowe Price and peer Federated Investors (NYSE: FII ) , investors haven't been putting as much money to work in their funds as analysts had expected to see, and that has led to some growth shortfalls. Federated in particular missed its earnings estimates in its most recent quarter, and analysts see growth there slowing to just 3%. T. Rowe Price has better prospects, retaining its double-digit revenue growth, but after a substantial move upward at the beginning of the year, its stock has treaded water.
- [By Nicole Seghetti]
Gaining ETF exposure...�without breaking the piggybank
So what's the best choice? A traditional ETF or one that's value creating? That depends. First, determine your need for market exposure. For example, if you're lacking international investments, go with an ETF that'll get you that type of exposure. Next, decide whether or not you're willing to pay a higher cost for the chance to outperform. If you're inclined to fork over extra dough for that potential, then consider a value-creating type of ETF. For example, Invesco's (NYSE: IVZ ) PowerShares ETFs seek to beat traditional benchmark indexes while giving investors access to more focused investment opportunities. Instead, if you want to keep costs to a minimum, then look for a traditional ETF with a low expense ratio.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: CBS Corp (CBS.A)
CBS Corporation is a mass media company. The Company has operations in segments, which include Entertainment, Cable Networks, Publishing, Local Broadcasting and Outdoor. During the year ended December 31, 2011, contributions to the Company's consolidated revenues from its segments were Entertainment 52%, Cable Networks 11%, Publishing 6%, Local Broadcasting 19% and Outdoor 13%. During 2011, it generated approximately 15% of its total revenues from international regions. During 2011, approximately 59% and 17% of total international revenues were generated in Europe and Canada, respectively. Effective March 26, 2013, the Company acquired 50% interest in The TV Guide Network from Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. In June 2013, the Company acquired TV Guide Digital, which includes the popular TVGuide.com and TV Guide Mobile properties. In October 2013, Platinum Equity and CBS Corporation announced that an affiliate of Platinum Equity acquired the assets of CBS Outdoor International (CBSO International).
Entertainment
The Entertainment segment consists of the CBS Television Network; CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution, the Company's television production and syndication operations; CBS Films, the Company's producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures, and CBS Interactive, the Company's online content networks for information and entertainment. The CBS Television Network through CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports distributes a schedule of news and public affairs broadcasts, sports and entertainment programming to more than 200 domestic affiliates reaching throughout the United States, including 16 of the Company's owned and operated television stations, and to affiliated stations in certain United States territories. The CBS Television Network primarily derives revenues from the sales of advertising time for its network broadcasts. CBS Entertainment is responsible for acquiring or developing and scheduling the entertainme! nt programming presented on the CBS Television Network, which includes primetime comedy and drama series, reality-based programming, specials, children's programs, daytime dramas, game shows and late-night programs. CBS News operates a worldwide news organization, providing the CBS Television Network and the CBS Radio Network with scheduled news and public affairs broadcasts, including 60 Minutes, 48 Hours Mystery, CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, CBS This Morning, CBS Sunday Morning and Face the Nation, as well as special reports.
CBS News off-network production units produce programming for domestic and international outlets, including the CBS Television Network, cable television, home video, audio-book and in-flight markets, as well as schools and libraries. CBS News also provides CBS Newspath, a television news syndication service that offers daily news coverage, sports highlights and news features to the CBS Television Network affiliates and other subscribers worldwide. CBS Sports broadcasts include The NFL Today, certain games from the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament (including the NCAA Men's Final Four), the PGA Golf Tour, Masters Tournament and PGA Championship, the United States Open Tennis Championships, regular-season college football and basketball games on network television, in addition to the NFL's American Football Conference (AFC) regular-season, post-season divisional playoff and championship games. The Company, through CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution, produces, acquires and/or distributes programming worldwide, including series, specials, news and public affairs. Such programming is produced primarily for broadcast on network television, exhibition on basic cable and premium subscription services or distribution via first-run syndication. First-run syndication is programming exhibited on television stations without prior exhibition on a network or cable service. The Company also distributes off-network synd! icated pr! ogramming, which is programming exhibited on television stations, cable networks or video-on-demand services following its exhibition on a network, basic cable network or premium subscription service.
Programming that was produced or co-produced by the Company's production group and is broadcast on network television includes, among others, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS), NCIS (CBS), The Good Wife (CBS) and 90210 (The CW). In off-network syndication, the Company distributes series such as CSI:, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles, as well as a library of older television programs. The Company also produces and/or distributes first-run syndicated series such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, The Insider, Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Judge Judy. The Company also distributes syndicated and other programming internationally. The Company has entered into agreements for digital streaming of its programming in the United States. and certain other countries. The Company entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements with Netflix, Inc., for streaming various programming from the Company's library on Netflix's subscription video-on-demand services in July 2011 for Canada and Latin America and, in October 2011, for the United Kingdom. In September 2011, the Company entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Hulu Japan LLC for streaming various programs from the Company's library on Hulu's subscription video-on-demand service in Japan. In February 2011 and July 2011, the Company entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements with each of Netflix, Inc. and Amazon Digital Services, Inc., respectively, to stream various programs from the Company's library on each of Netflix's and Amazon's subscription video-on-demand services in the United States.
The Company owns a 50% interest in a joint venture with Reliance Broadcast Network Limited, which operates three English language and one Punjabi language general ent! ertainmen! t television channels for the Indian market and surrounding territory. Also, the Company owns an approximately 33% interest in a joint venture with a subsidiary of Ten Network Holdings Limited to provide content to ELEVEN, a digital multichannel service, which launched in Australia in January 2011. In addition, the Company owns a 50% interest in a joint venture with Chellozone (UK) Limited, a subsidiary of Liberty Global, Inc., which owns and operates six television channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including CBS Action, CBS Drama and CBS Reality, and an approximately 33% interest in a joint venture, which owns two pay television channels in Australia called TV1 and Sci Fi. CBS Films produces, acquires and distributes theatrical motion pictures across all genres. CBS Films' theatrical releases during the year ended December 31, 2011, were The Mechanic and Beastly. In general, motion pictures produced or acquired by CBS Films are exhibited theatrically in the United States and internationally. CBS Interactive operates one of the global publishers of content on the Internet.
CBS Interactive's brands include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, CBSNews.com, ZDNet, Last.fm, and MetroLyrics.com, among others, serve targeted audiences with text, video, audio, and mobile content spanning technology, entertainment, sports, news, business, gaming and music categories. In addition to its United States-based business, CBS Interactive operates in Asia and Europe. CBS Interactive generates revenue principally from the sale of advertising and sponsorships, in addition to fees derived from search and commerce partners, licensing fees, subscriptions, e-commerce activities, and other paid services. CNET.com is the Website for technology and consumer electronics information and features news, reviews, downloads and instructional and entertaining video and audio shows about technology. GameSpot is a gaming information Website providing video game reviews and previews, news, Webcasts, vid! eos, and ! game downloads. CBSSports.com provides sports content, fantasy sports, community and e-commerce features. CBSSports.com owns and operates CBSCollegeSports.com College Network and MaxPreps.com. TV.com is a destination for entertainment and community around television where visitors can watch videos and discuss and obtain information about television shows across all networks. CBS Interactive also operates CBS.com, the online destination for CBS Television Network programming. Through the CBS Audience Network, the Company delivers content from its Websites and television, radio and affiliated stations.
The Company competes with ABC, FOX, NBC, The CW, MyNetworkTV, Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., Lions Gate Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Lakeshore Entertainment Group LLC, AOL, MSN, Yahoo!, Google, eBay, Shopping.com and Amazon.com.
Cable Networks
The Cable Networks segment consists of Showtime Networks, the Company's subscription program services; CBS Sports Network, the Company's cable network for college athletics, and Smithsonian Networks, a venture with Smithsonian Institution, which operates Smithsonian Channel. Showtime Networks owns and operates three subscription program services in the United States: Showtime, offering recently released theatrical feature films, original series, documentaries, boxing, mixed martial arts and other sports-related programming, and special events; The Movie Channel, offering recently released theatrical feature films and related programming; and Flix, offering theatrical feature films primarily from the last several decades, as well as selected other titles. At December 31, 2011, Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix, in the aggregate, had approximately 73 million subscriptions in the United States, certain United States territories and Bermuda. Showtime Networks also owns and operates multiple! xed chann! els of Showtime and The Movie Channel in the United States, which offer additional and varied programming choices. In addition, Showtime Networks transmits high definition feeds of Showtime, The Movie Channel and a number of of their multiplexed channels, and also makes versions of Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix available on demand, enabling subscribers to watch selected individual programs (in both standard and high definition in the case of Showtime and The Movie Channel, and standard definition in the case of Flix). Showtime Networks also makes available Showtime Anytime, a streaming on-demand authenticated version of Showtime, which can be accessed on computers via showtimeanytime.com or through an iPad application free of charge to Showtime subscribers as part of their Showtime subscription through participating Showtime Networks' distributors.
Showtime Networks operates the Website SHO.com and various mobile applications, which promote Showtime, The Movie Channel and Flix programming, and provide information and entertainment and other services. Showtime Networks derives revenue principally from the license of its program services to cable, direct broadcast satellite (DBS), telephone company, and other distributors. Showtime Networks also owns and manages Smithsonian Networks, a venture with Smithsonian Institution, which operates Smithsonian Channel, a cable service in the United States, featuring programs of a cultural, historical, scientific and educational nature. CBS Sports Network is a 24-hour cable program service that provides sports and related content, with a focus on college sports. The network features events from approximately 20 men's and women's sports and provides coverage of over 300 live events each year in addition to live studio shows and original programming. CBS Sports Network had approximately 44 million subscribers as of December 31, 2011. The network derives its revenues from subscription fees and the sale of advertising on its cable program service. CB! S Sports ! Network and Comcast Corporation each owns a 50% interest in the mtn: MountainWest Sports Network, which exhibits Mountain West Conference athletics and is available to United States cable and satellite providers.
The Company competes with Home Box Office, Inc., Starz Entertainment, LLC and Netflix, Inc.
Publishing
The Publishing segment consists of Simon & Schuster, which publishes and distributes consumer books in the United States and internationally. Simon & Schuster publishes and distributes adult and children's consumer books in printed, digital and audio formats in the United States and internationally. Digital formats include audio downloads for the Apple iPod and other companies' MP3 players, electronic books for devices, such as Amazon's Kindle, the Apple iPad and Barnes & Noble's NOOK, stand-alone applications for the Apple iPod and iPhone, and new hybrid text and video combinations. Simon & Schuster's major adult imprints include Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Touchstone and Free Press. Simon & Schuster's children's imprints include Simon Pulse, Aladdin and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Simon & Schuster also develops special imprints and publishes titles based on the products of certain CBS businesses, as well as that of third parties and distributes products for other publishers.
Simon & Schuster distributes its products directly and through third parties. Simon & Schuster also delivers content and promotes its products on general Internet sites, as well as those linked to individual titles; its created assets include online videos showcasing Simon & Schuster authors and new releases on YouTube, Facebook, MSN.com, SimonandSchuster.com and other sites. International publishing includes the international distribution of English-language titles through Simon & Schuster UK, Simon & Schuster Canada, Simon & Schuster Australia, Simon & Schuster India and other distributors, as well as the publi! cation of! local titles by Simon & Schuster UK and Simon & Schuster Australia.
The Company competes with Random House, Penguin Group, Hachette and Harper Collins.
Local Broadcasting
The Company�� Local Broadcasting segment consists of CBS Television Stations, the Company's 29-owned broadcast television stations, and CBS Radio, through which the Company owns and operates 130 radio stations in 28 United States markets and related online properties. The Company operates local Websites in United States markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas, which combine the Company's television and radio local media brands online to provide the news, traffic, weather, and sports information, as well as local discounts, directories and reviews. The Company owns 29 broadcast television stations through its CBS Television Stations group. It owns multiple television stations within the same designated market area (DMA) in nine markets, which include Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Boston, Detroit, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto and Pittsburgh. The stations produce news and broadcast public affairs, sports and other programming to serve their local markets and offer CBS, The CW or MyNetworkTV programming and syndicated programming. The CBS Television Stations group principally derives its revenues from the sale of advertising time on its television stations. Substantially all of the Company's television stations operate Websites, which promote the stations' programming, and provide news, information and entertainment, as well as other services. These Websites principally derive revenues from the sale of advertising. The Company's radio broadcasting business operates through CBS Radio. The majority of CBS Radio's revenues are generated from the sale of local and national advertising.
The Company competes with Clear Channel Communications, Inc., Cumulus Media Inc., Emmis Communication! s Corpora! tion, Entercom Communications Corp., Radio One, Inc., Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody and XM Radio Inc.
Outdoor
The Company sells, through its outdoor businesses, advertising space on various media, including billboards, transit shelters and other street furniture, buses, rail systems (in-car, station platform and terminal), mall kiosks and stadium signage and in retail stores. It has outdoor advertising operations in more than 100 markets in North America, including all 50 in the United States, 19 in Canada and all 45 in Mexico. The Company has a variety of outdoor advertising displays in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Ireland, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and China. The Company operates its outdoor businesses through CBS Outdoor in the United States, Canada, South America and Europe, CBS Outernet in the United States, and Vendor in Mexico. Outdoor operates in the billboard, transit, street furniture and retail store advertising markets. Outdoor primarily operates two types of billboard advertising displays, commonly referred to as bulletins and posters. Billboard space is sold for periods ranging from 4 weeks to 12 months. Transit advertising includes advertising on or in transit systems, including the interiors and exteriors of buses, trains and trams and at rail stations. Street furniture displays bus shelters, which reach both vehicular and pedestrian audiences. Bus shelters are constructed, installed and maintained by Outdoor. CBS Outernet, a distributor of video programming and advertising content to retail stores, enables customized messaging by region and retail environment.
The Company competes with Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc., JCDecaux S.A., Cemusa Inc., Titan Outdoor Holdings, Inc. and Lamar Advertising Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- CBS Corp. (CBS.A) reported late Thursday a first-quarter net profit of $468 million, or 78 cents a diluted share, compared with $463 million, or 73 cents a diluted share, for the same prior-year period. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected first-quarter earnings of 75 cents a share on net income of $446 million. Revenues were $3.86 billion, compared with $4.04 billion in the first quarter of 2013 and expectations of $3.92 billion. Content licensing and distribution revenues grew 6%, thanks to higher international licensing of television programming, the company said. Affiliate and subscription fee revenues rose 9%, led by higher cable affiliate fees, retransmission revenues, and fees from CBS Television Network-affiliated television stations, it added. Shares of CBS were down 2.6% to $56.51 in after-hours trading.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: P & F Industries Inc.(PFIN)
P&F Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells tools and hardware products in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Tools and Other Products (Tools) and Hardware and Accessories (Hardware). The Tools segment manufactures, imports, and sells pneumatic hand tools, primarily for the industrial, retail, and automotive markets. Its product line includes sanders, grinders, drills, saws, impact wrenches, and pavement breakers; compressor air filters; and pipe and bolt dies, pipe taps, wrenches, vises and stands, pipe and tubing cutting equipment, hydrostatic test pumps, and replacement electrical components for pipe cutting and threading machines. This segment sells its products under the Florida Pneumatic, Universal Tool, ATP, Thaxton, THOR, and Eureka brand names to distributors, retailers, and private label customers through in-house sales personnel and manufacturers' representatives. The Hardware segment manufactures and imports door , window, and fencing hardware, including rollers, hinges, window operators, sash locks, custom zinc castings, and door closers. This segment also manufactures and imports interior wood and iron stair components, and related accessories, as well as kitchen and bath hardware; and manufactures stair products and distributes staircase components. Its products are sold through in-house sales personnel and manufacturers? representatives to distributors, retailers, and OEM customers. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Melville, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
P&F Industries (NASDAQ: PFIN) is expected to report its quarterly results.
INSYS Therapeutics (NASDAQ: INSY) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $45.63 million.
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund Inc (IAF)
Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the Fund) is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Fund�� principal investment objective is long-term capital appreciation through investment primarily in equity securities of Australian companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange Limited. Its secondary objective is current income, which is expected to be derived primarily from dividends and interest on Australian corporate and governmental securities. The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities, consisting of common stock, preferred stock and convertible stock, of companies tied economically to Australia (each an Australian Company), and at least 65% of its total assets in equity securities, consisting of common stock, preferred stock and convertible stock, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX). Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
According to a Gabelli Funds report, managed distribution policies offer several advantages, including:1. Lower difference between the fund�� market price and its NAV per share.2. Provides support during periods when the stock market is in a decline.3. Provides a measurable performance target for the investment adviser.Below are several high-yield funds from CEFA that have a managed distribution policy (yields as of December 16):Aberdeen Australia Eqty (IAF)- Distribution Yield: 10.4%- Income Yield: 3.46%Bexil Advisers LLC� (DNI)- Distribution Yield: 11.1%- Income Yield: 3.56%BlackRock En Capital&Inc (CII)- Distribution Yield: 8.78%- Income Yield: 2.34%Cornerstone Strat Value (CLM)- Distribution Yield: 18.77%- Income Yield: 1.83%Cornerstone Total Return (CRF)- Distribution Yield: 19.10%- Income Yield: 0.85%Delaware Inv Div & Inc (DDF)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 5.26%Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB)- Distribution Yield: 7.58%- Income Yield: 1.54%Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT)- Distribution Yield: 9.45%- Income Yield: 2.84%MFS Special Value Trust (MFV)- Distribution Yield: 9.60%- Income Yield: 5.73%Nuveen Tx-Adv TR Strat (JTA)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 3.12%TCW Strategic Income (TSI)- Distribution Yield: 10.54%- Income Yield: 7.88%Zweig Total Return (ZTR)- Distribution Yield: 7.27%- Income Yield: 1.95%As noted in the Gabelli report, a managed distribution policy may create confusion regarding the true current yield since the reported yield includes the return of capital portion. You can see the disparity above between the income yield and the distribution (reported) yield.If you are looking for a sustainable and growing dividend, you may want to consider some blue-chip dividend stocks such as these with a Free Cash Flow Payout less than 50%, 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases and a 2%+ yield:3M Co. (MMM) is a diversified global company provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer
Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks To Watch For 2014: Cubic Corp (CUB)
Cubic Corporation (Cubic), incorporated on December 13, 1984, is an international provider of systems and solutions that address the mass transit and global defense markets. The Company operates in three segments: Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS), Mission Support Services (MSS) and Cubic Defense Systems (CDS). As of the September 30, 2012, the Company�� CTS business accounted for approximately 37%; MSS and CDS accounted for approximately 36% and 27% of its net sales respectively. CTS specialize in the design, development, production, installation, maintenance and operation of automated fare payment and revenue management infrastructure and technologies for transit operators. As part of its turnkey solutions, CTS also provides these customers with a suite of business process outsourcing (BPO) services and expertise, such as card and payment media management, central systems and application support, retail network management, passenger call centers and financial clearing and settlement support. In March 2014, the Company acquired Intific Inc.
Mission Support Services
MSS is a provider of live, virtual and constructive training services to all four branches of the United States military, including the special operations communities, as well as to allied nations. In addition, MSS offers a range of national security solutions to the intelligence community. CDS is a provider of air and ground combat training systems for the United States and allied nations and a key supplier of secure communications solutions, including asset tracking and cyber products and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data links. Services provided include live, virtual and constructive training, real-world mission rehearsal exercises, professional military education, intelligence support, information technology, information assurance and related cyber support, development of military doctrine, consequence management, infrastructure protection and force protection, as well as support to f! ield operations, force deployment and redeployment and logistics.
Cubic Transportation Systems
CDS focuses on two primary lines of business: training systems and secure communications. CTS is a systems integrator that develops and provides fare collection infrastructure, services and technology for public transport authorities and operators worldwide. The Company offers fare collection devices, software, systems and multiagency, multimodal integration technologies, as well as a suite of operational services. As of September 30, 2012, the Company installed over 90,000 devices and deployed several central systems which in total process approximately 10 billion fare-related transactions per year for approximately seven billion transit passengers.
As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 400 projects in 40 markets on five continents. The Company has implements and, in many cases, operates automated fare payment and collection systems for some of the mass transit systems, such as London, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles region. It offers a range of services for transit authorities in transit markets worldwide, including computer hosting services, call center and Web services, payment media issuance and distribution services, retail point of sale network management, payment processing, financial clearing and settlement, software application support and outsourced asset operations and maintenance. The Company provides its services in regions, including London, Sydney, Brisbane, Sweden, Washington district of Columbia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Atlanta. CTS operate full service operation centers in North America, Europe and Australia. As of September 30, 2012, the Company was designing and building new systems in Chicago, Sydney and Vancouver.
Mission Support Services
MSS provides services within the scope of small-to large-scale military training exercises, including live, virtual and constructive training exercises and suppor! t. Traini! ng services include full life-cycle support from planning through after action reviews as well as the associated support, such as operational, technical and logistical support. In addition, the segment provides a broad range of national security solutions, including subject matter and operational expertise, advanced tactical training and cyber security services, to the intelligence, special operations, law enforcement and homeland security communities. Customers include all branches of the United States military, non-military agencies and allied nations under arrangements with the United States government. MSS is the prime contractor at more than 40 military training and support facilities and supports more than 200,000 exercises and training events per year.
The Company provides training and rehearsals for both small and large scale combat operations, training and preparation of military advisor teams, mobilization and demobilization of forces prior to and following deployment, combat and material development, military staff augmentation, information technology and information assurance, logistics and maintenance support for fielded and deployed systems, support to national security and special operations activities; peacekeeping; consequence management and humanitarian assistance operations worldwide. It plans, prepares, executes and documents realistic and focused mission rehearsal exercises (using both live and computer-based exercises) as final preparation of forces prior to deployment. In addition, it provides consultation and advisory services to the governments and militaries of allied nations.
The Company�� contracts include providing mission support services to three of the United States Army's CTC's: JRTC as prime contractor and the national training center (NTC) and Mission command training program (MCTP) as a principal subcontractor. These services include planning, executing and documenting realistic and stressful exercises and mission rehearsals that increase t! he readin! ess of both active and reserve the United States conventional and special operations forces by placing them in situations as close to actual combat as possible.
MSS is a principal member of the contractor team, to the United States armed services, that supports and helps manage and execute all aspects of the operations of the Joint Coalition Warfare Center (JCWC), including support to worldwide joint exercises and the development and fielding of the Joint National Training Capability (JNTC). Under the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS) contract, it provides training and exercise support to the United States Marine Corps forces worldwide, including real-world mission rehearsals. It planned and executed virtually all Marine Corps simulation-based exercises worldwide under the original MAGTF Staff Training Program (MSTP) and its successor, the MTSS, directly preparing Marines for combat operations.
It provides training and professional military education support to the United States Army's Quartermaster Center and School, the Signal School and to the Transportation School. It also provides contractor maintenance and instructional support necessary to operate and maintain a wide variety of flight simulation and training systems and other facilities worldwide, for United States and allied forces under multiple long-term contracts, including direct support to USMC aircrew training systems worldwide. In addition, it provides a range of operational support to the United States Navy for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and counter-mine operations and training. It provides research, development and technical engineering (RDTE) support to the United States Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) for assistance in the identification and application of current, new and emerging technologies to proof-of-principle evaluations of advanced operational concepts. Its services, products and capabilities include development and deployment of curriculum and related cours! eware, co! mputer-based training, knowledge management and distribution, advanced distance learning (e-learning), serious military games for training, and other advanced education programs for United States and allied forces.
Cubic Defense Systems
CDS is focused on two primary lines of business: training systems and secure communications. This segment is primarily a diversified supplier of live and virtual military training systems and secure communications products to the DoD and more than 35 allied nations. The Company designs and manufactures air and ground combat training systems for fighter aircraft, armored vehicles and infantry, as well as weapons effects simulations, laser-based tactical and communication systems. The Company also designs and manufactures secure communications products focused on intelligence, surveillance, asset tracking and search and rescue.
The segment designs, manufactures and fields a range of technologies that are critical to combat readiness, supply chain logistics and national security for the United States and allied nations. Its primary lines of business include air combat training ranges and after action review software, ground combat training systems, including a full range of laser engagement simulation systems, virtual small arms training systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data links, personnel locator systems, multi-band communication tracking devices and cross domain appliances for cyber security. It also provides ongoing support services for systems it has built for several of its international customers.
Its training systems business designs and manufactures of instrumented training systems and products for militaries of allied nations. It designs and manufactures air and ground combat training systems for fighter aircraft, armored vehicles and infantry, as well as weapons effects simulations, laser-based tactical and communication systems. These systems collect and record simulated weapons eng! agements,! tactical actions and event data to evaluate combat effectiveness and lessons learned and provide a basis to develop after action reviews. It also designs and manufactures secure communications products focused on intelligence, surveillance, asset tracking and search and rescue.
Its training business is organized into air combat, ground combat and virtual training divisions. Ground combat training uses systems analogous to air ranges for ground force training. The systems are generally known as tactical engagement simulation systems or multiple integrated laser engagement system (MILES). It supplies MILES equipment as part of CTC contracts. Its Virtual Training product line provides virtual training systems for various applications, employing actual or realistic weapons and systems together with visual imagery to simulate battlefield environments. Cubic also provides maintenance trainers for combat systems and vehicles, as well as operational trainers for missiles, armored vehicles and naval applications.
Its communications business is a supplier of secure data links, radio frequency amplifiers, direction finding systems, remote video terminals, and search and rescue avionics for the United States military, government agencies, and allied nations. Personnel Locator System (PLS) is standard equipment on United States aircraft with a search and rescue mission. PLS is designed to interface with all modern search and rescue system standards. It also supplies amplifiers and direction finding systems to prime contractors and end users for both domestic and international applications. These include systems used by the Canadian Coast Guard, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the French Army.
The Company competes with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Boeing, L3 Communications and SAIC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
The Department of Defense awarded San Diego-based Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB ) a $19.9 million contract modification Friday, amending a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, foreign-military-sales contract in support of the Israeli military.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Cubic Corp. (NYSE: CUB) makes the list at J.P. Morgan. It has three major business segments. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services for intelligent travel solutions. Cubic Defense Systems is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems and secure communications. Mission Support Services is a leading provider of training, operations, maintenance, technical and other support services for the United States and allied nations. Investors are paid a small 0.5% dividend. The J.P. Morgan price target is $57. The Thomson/First Call estimate is $56.20. The stock closed Tuesday at $52.51.
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