American International Group Inc (AIG) released its third quarter earnings results on Thursday after the closing bell, posting earnings that beat analyst expectations, while revenues missed.
AIG’s Q3 Performance in Brief
- Revenues came in at $8.43 billion, a drop from the $8.75 billion reported a year ago. Analysts had expected AIG’s revenues to come in at $8.63 billion.
- Net after-tax operating income came in at $1.4 billion, or $0.96 per share; analysts had expected EPS to come in at $0.94.
- Growth in insurance operating income rose 38% from a year prior to $2.2 billion.
- Investors should note that net�income attributable to AIG for the quarter exceeded after-tax operating income attributable to AIG largely due to valuation allowance releases associated with deferred tax assets from capital loss carryforwards, partially offset by a $260 million after-tax increase to litigation reserves related to legacy crisis matters.
Hot Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: Willis Group Holdings Limited(WSH)
Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company provides a range of insurance brokerage, reinsurance, and risk management consulting services to its clients worldwide. The company offers various insurance brokerage services, including property damage, offshore construction, liability, and control of well and pollution insurance to the energy industry; and marine insurance and reinsurance brokerage services consisting of hull, cargo, and general marine liabilities. It also provides its services to aerospace clients, including aircraft manufacturers, air cargo handlers and shippers, airport managers, and other general aviation companies; and advisory services comprising claims recovery, contract and leasing risk management, market information, and safety services. In addition, the company offers risk management advice and brokerage services to the construction industry; brokerage for directors' and officers' insurance, as well as professional indemnity insurance for corporation s and professional firms; and specialist risk management and insurance services to fine art, diamond, and jewelry businesses, and operators of armored cars. Further, it provides special contingencies packages; services for horse racing and breeding industry, and agriculture/crop sector; and advice to companies involved in the insurance and reinsurance industry on capital markets products. Additionally, the company offers health, welfare, and human resources consulting and brokerage services to small, medium, and large corporations, as well as the employee benefits practice. It serves clients located in approximately 190 countries, including multinational and middle-market companies operating in various industries, as well as public institutions and individual clients. The company was formerly known as Willis Group Holdings Limited and changed its name to Willis Group Holdings Public Limited Company in January 2010. The company was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Lond on, the United Kingdom.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Insurance brokerage and risk management consultant Willis Group (WSH) raised its quarterly dividend 7.1% to 30 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 31.
WSH Dividend Yield: 2.89%
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Kindred Healthcare Inc. (KND)
Kindred Healthcare, Inc. operates as a healthcare services company in the United States. The company�s Hospital division operates long-term acute care (LTAC) and inpatient rehabilitation (IRFs) hospitals, which provide services to medically complex patients, including the critically ill, suffering from multiple organ system failures, primarily the cardiovascular, pulmonary, kidney, gastro-intestinal, and skin systems, as well as life-threatening infections. Its Nursing Center division operates nursing and rehabilitation centers, and assisted living facilities that offer short stay patients and long stay residents with a range of medical, nursing, rehabilitative, pharmacy, and routine services. It also provides specialized programs for residents suffering from Alzheimer�s disease and other dementias through its reflections units. The company�s Rehabilitation division provides rehabilitation services, including physical and occupational therapies, and speech pathology ser vices under the RehabCare name to residents and patients of nursing centers, LTAC hospitals, outpatient clinics, home health agencies, assisted living facilities, school districts, and hospice providers. In addition, it offers specialized care programs that address medical needs, such as wound care, pain management, and cognitive retraining; and programs for neurologic, orthopedic, cardiac, and pulmonary conditions. Its Home Health and Hospice division offers home health, hospice, and private duty services to patients in various settings comprising homes, skilled nursing facilities, and other residential settings. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 121 LTAC hospitals with 8,597 licensed beds, and 5 IRFs with 183 licensed beds in 26 states; and 224 nursing and rehabilitation centers with 27,148 licensed beds, and 6 assisted living facilities with 413 licensed beds in 27 states. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brad Thomas]
As the only healthcare REIT with a "hospital-focused" platform, MPW is a relatively new REIT that was formed (in 2004) to lease from many of the nation's leading hospital operators, including Prime Healthcare Services, Kindred Healthcare (KND), HealthSouth (HLS), Health Management Associates (HMA), Community Health Systems (CYH), Vibra Healthcare, Ernest Health Inc., and IASIS Healthcare.
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Cloud Peak Energy Inc(CLD)
Cloud Peak Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of the United States. It produces sub-bituminous steam coal with low sulfur content for electric utilities and industrial customers. The company owns and operates Antelope surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; the Cordero Rojo surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; and the Spring Creek surface coal mine located in Montana. It also owns a 50% interest in the Decker surface coal mine located in Montana. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 970 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) have fallen 3.3%, for instance, while Peabody Energy has dropped 12%, Alpha Natural Resources has plunged and Arch Coal (ACI) has plummeted. Consol Energy (CNX), which is as much a gas company as a coal miner, has gained.
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Spherix Inc (SPEX)
Spherix Incorporated (Spherix), incorporated on May 1, 1992, is a scientific research company. The Company is engaged in developing biopharmaceutical products and providing technical and regulatory consulting services to food, consumer products and pharmaceutical companies. The Company operates in two segments: Biospherics Incorporated (Biospherics), the Company's biotechnology research and development business, and Health Sciences, a technical and regulatory consulting business. The Company has created two wholly owned subsidiaries, Biospherics Incorporated and Spherix Consulting, Inc. (Spherix Consulting), for its two operating segments. The Company's Health Sciences contracts are in the name of Spherix Consulting, and the Company's patents are in the name of Biospherics Incorporated. Spherix provides management, strategic guidance, business development, marketing and other services to its subsidiaries. In September 2013, Spherix Incorporated closed on the acquisition of North South Holdings Inc.
Biospherics
The Company focuses its studies on treating high triglycerides and other dyslipidemias with a combination of D-tagatose and SPX-106, a licensed drug compound, which combination is referred to as SPX-106T. Spherix Consulting provides scientific and strategic support for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of conventional foods, biotechnology-derived foods, medical foods, infant formulas, food ingredients, dietary supplements, food contact substances, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products, and industrial chemicals and pesticides. Biospherics has also completed a global Phase III clinical trial investigating the use of D-Tagatose, a stereoisomer of fructose, as a treatment for glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Health Sciences
The Company's Health Sciences business provides technical and regulatory consulting services to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, as well as providing technical suppo! rt for its research and development activities. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Health Sciences provided services to 20 companies. The projects range from safety analyses of food ingredients to safety analyses of pharmaceutical manufacturing and dispensing equipment. Health Sciences is also monitoring and directing the clinical trials for Biospherics.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]
Spherix Inc.(SPEX) on Thursday said that it is suing Cisco Inc.(CSCO) (CSCO), a leging that $43 billion in Cisco sales infringed on Spherix patents. Spherix–which described itself as an “intellectual property development company committed to the fostering and monetization of intellectual property”��aid Cisco infringes on 11 patents it acquired in December. Spherix shares rose 4.9% to $4.70 premarket.
- [By Sue Chang and Ben Eisen]
SPEX: Spherix Inc. (SPEX) �shares rose 5% after the intellectual property development company said it had completed a $20 million equity financing that involved selling 10 million shares of convertible preferred stock.
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap medical device or biotech related stocks Therapeutic Solutions International Inc (OTCMKTS: TSOI), diaDexus, Inc (OTCMKTS: DDXS) and Spherix Inc (NASDAQ: SPEX) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters with the good news being that it appears none are the subject of paid promotions from stock promoters. So why are these three stocks all of a sudden getting some attention and what else do you need to know about them before you make a short or a long term bet on one? Here is a closer look at the whole picture and what you might be missing:
- [By John Udovich]
Small cap patent stocks Spherix Inc (NASDAQ: SPEX), PDL BioPharma Inc (NASDAQ: PDLI) and Endeavor IP Inc (OTCBB: ENIP) are among the�growing number of publicly traded�US entities focused on collecting and making money from various types of patents. After all, monetizing patents can lead to incredible returns. For example: Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund wrote in a research note back in November that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is generating $2 billion per year in revenue from Android patent royalties and he�estimates that this revenue has a 95% margin. However, there are risks associated with investing in stocks that invest in patents because a bi-partisan bill called the Innovation Act (H.R. 3309) is�working its way through Congress to try and reign in the activities of so-called�"patent trolls" or rather companies that buy or license patents from others.
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO)
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on June 29, 1983, is engaged in the development of a new generation of vaccines, called synthetic vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. The Company's SynCon technology enables the design of universal vaccines capable of providing cross-protection against existing or changing strains of pathogens, such as influenza and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The Company's electroporation delivery technology uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to increase cellular uptake of the vaccine. Its clinical programs include cervical dysplasia (therapeutic), avian influenza (preventive), prostate cancer (therapeutic), leukemia (therapeutic), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV vaccines. It is advancing preclinical research and clinical development for a universal seasonal/pandemic influenza vaccine, as well as preclinical work for other products, including malaria and prostate cancer vaccines. Its partners and collaborators include University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health/Malaria Vaccine Initiative (PATH/MVI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Merck, ChronTech, University of Southampton, United States Military HIV Research Program (USMHRP), the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and HIV Vaccines Trial Network (HVTN). As of December 31, 2011 it owned 16.1% interest in VGX Int��.
Inovio�� Solution
The Company�� synthetic vaccine platform consists of its SynCon vaccine design process and electroporation delivery technology. It has developed a preclinical and clinical stage pipeline of vaccines. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to prevent a disease (prophylactic vaccines) or treat an existing disease (therapeutic vaccines). Its synthetic vaccine consists of a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plasmid encoding a selected antigen! (s), which is introduced into cells of humans or animals with the purpose of evoking an immune response to the encoded antigen. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to generate specific antibody and/or T-cell responses.
The Company�� SynCon technology provides processes that employ bioinformatics, which combine extensive genetic data and sophisticated algorithms. Its design process uses the genetic make-up of a common antigen(s) from multiple strains of a virus within a viral sub-type or taxonomic group (family) of pathogens, such as HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza and other diseases to synthetically create a new antigen for the desired pathogen target that does not exist in nature. Its synthetic vaccine candidates are being delivered into cells of the body using its electroporation (EP) DNA delivery technology.
Cancer Synthetic Vaccines
The Company has two broad types of cancer vaccines: preventive (or prophylactic) vaccines, which are intended to prevent cancer from developing in healthy people, and treatment (or therapeutic) vaccines, which are intended to treat an existing cancer by strengthening the body�� natural defenses against the cancer. Two types of cancer preventive vaccines are available in the United States. The United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) has approved two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix that protect against infection by the two types of HPV-types 16 and 18-that cause approximately 70% of all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. In addition, Gardasil protects against infection by two additional HPV types, 6 and 11, which are responsible for about 90% of all cases of genital warts in males and females but do not cause cervical cancer.
Cervarix manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is composed of virus-like particles (VLPs) made with proteins from HPV types 16 and 18. Cervarix is approved for use in females��ages 10 to 25 for the prevention of cervical cancer caused by! HPV type! s 16 and 18. Gardasil manufactured by Merck, is approved for use in females for the prevention of cervical cancer, and some vulvar and vaginal cancers, caused by HPV types 16 and 18 and for use in males and females for the prevention of genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The vaccine is approved for these uses in females and males ages 9 to 26. The FDA has also approved a cancer preventive vaccine that protects against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
Inovio�� VGX-3100 is designed to raise immune responses against the E6 and E7 genes of HPV types 16 and 18 that are present in both pre-cancerous and cancerous cells transformed by these HPV types. E6 and E7 are oncogenes that play an integral role in transforming HPV-infected cells into cancerous cells. In March 2011, it initiated a randomized, double-blind Phase II study of VGX-3100 delivered using the CELLECTRA intramuscular electroporation device in women with HPV Type 16 or 18 and diagnosed with, but not yet treated for, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3. The study is designed to enroll 148 subjects. In January 2011, it announced the publication of a scientific paper in the journal Human Vaccines detailing potent immune responses in a preclinical study of its SynCon vaccine for prostate cancer targeting two antigens, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA).
In January 2011, the Company announced the regulatory approval of a Phase II clinical trial (WIN Trial) to treat leukemia utilizing its new ELGEN 1000 automated vaccine delivery device. The single dose level, Phase II study, called WT1 immunity via DNA fusion gene vaccination in haematological malignancies by intramuscular injection followed by intramuscular electroporation. Cancer Vaccines encodes for hTERT, an antigen related to non-small cell lung, breast and prostate cancers. The vaccine is delivered using its electroporation delivery technology.
Infectious Disease Synthetic Vaccines
In Marc! h 2011, the Company announced the initiation of a follow-on open label, single dose Phase II clinical study in collaboration with ChronTech of the ChronVac-C HCV DNA vaccine delivered using its electroporation technology in treatment naive HCV infected individuals. Its HIV vaccines consist of candidates for HIV prevention, as well as therapy or treatment. PENNVAX-B is designed to target HIV clade B (most commonly found in the United States, North America, Australia and the European Union (EU). PENNVAX-G is designed to target HIV clades A, C and D, which are more commonly found in Asia, Africa, Russia and South America. This Phase I clinical study of PENNVAX-B (HVTN-080) vaccinated 48 healthy, HIV-negative volunteers to assess safety and levels of immune responses generated by Inovio�� PENNVAX-B vaccine delivered with its CELLECTRA electroporation device. PENNVAX-B is a SynCon vaccine that targets HIV gag, pol, and env proteins.The Company�� VGX-3400X targets H5N1. The vaccine consists of three distinct DNA plasmids coded for a consensus hemagglutinin (HA) antigen derived from different H5N1 virus strains; a consensus neuraminidase (NA) antigen derived from different N1 sequences; and a consensus nucleoprotein (NP) fused to a small portion of the m2 protein (m2E) based on a broader cross-section of influenza viruses in addition to H5N1 and H1N1. Conventional vaccines are strain-specific and have limited ability to protect against genetic shifts in the influenza strains they target. They are therefore modified annually in anticipation of the next flu season�� new strain(s). It is focused on developing DNA-based influenza vaccines able to provide broad protection against known as well as newly emerging, unknown seasonal and pandemic influenza strains.
Animal Health/Veterinary
VGX Animal Health, Inc. (VGX AH), a majority-owned subsidiary, has licensed LifeTide, a plasmid-based growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) technology for swine. LifeTide is one of onl! y four DN! A-based treatments approved for use in animals and is the only DNA-based agent delivered using electroporation that has been granted marketing approval (Australia). VGX AH is also developing a GHRH-based treatment for cancer and anemia in dogs and cats. It is developing a synthetic vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) administered by its vaccine delivery technology. The FMD virus is one of the most infectious diseases affecting farm animals, including cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and is a serious threat to global food safety.
The Company competes with Crucell N.V, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Inc., Novartis, Inc., MedImmune and CSL.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Leo Sun]
With 2014 drawing to a close, biotech investors are probably wondering which stocks to stuff in their stockings for next year. While there are plenty of promising biotech stocks to choose from, we should also take note of three high-risk, low-growth biotech stocks that investors might consider avoiding:�Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INO ) , VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS ) , and Zogenix (NASDAQ: ZGNX ) .
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ishares Msci Korea (EWY)
iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the South Korean market. The Fund's performance is measured by the MSCI Korea Index (the Index).
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeff Reeves]
Of course, Samsung�� massive presence has weighed on the region lately. In the last 12 months, the iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund (EWY) has declined about 4%, pretty much the same performance as Samsung�� stock.
- [By Benjamin Shepherd]
The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (NYSE: EEM) seems to have halted its slide.� The index bottomed out year-to-date on February 3, when it was down 11.2 percent. Since then, it has gained 1.5 percent, but bargains in the emerging markets still abound.
As I discussed in �� Plan, Not a Panic��two weeks ago, emerging markets are in much better economic shape today than they were even just a few years ago, much less during the currency crisis that peaked in 1998. Foreign exchange reserves are generally much more robust, budget deficits are narrower if they exist at all and, so far at least, the full-blown currency war that many were predicting last year isn�� likely to breakout.
With rationality finally setting in, this is a terrific time to do a little bargain hunting in the emerging markets.
The most obvious play here is the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index itself. Covering China (18.8 percent of assets), South Korea (16 percent), Taiwan (12 percent) and Brazil (10.2 percent) with smaller positions spanning Asia and Europe, the fund is most exposed to any shift in sentiment.
The fund is currently trading at just 10.2 times forward one-year earnings, well below its average of about 18 times over the past two decades. On a price-to-sales basis it is even more attractive valued at just 1.03 times; the last time the index was this cheap on a sales basis was early 2009.
So while there are always dangers in trying to call a bottom to any market move, valuations alone are attractive enough to start pulling bargain hunters back in.
A broadly diversified play on an emerging market turnaround, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a great buy up to 45, which leaves plenty of room to run back to the average.
For those who can tolerate a bit more risk, you can also drill down and make more country-specific bets.
At this point my favorite would be iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund (NYSE: EWY).
Sout
Top 10 International Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Kite Pharma Inc (KITE)
Kite Pharma, Inc., incorporated on June 1, 2009, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of cancer immunotherapy products designed to harness the power of a patient�� own immune system to eradicate cancer cells. The Company does this using its engineered autologous cell therapy (eACT). eACT involves the genetic engineering of T cells to express either chimeric antigen receptors (CARs, or T cell receptors, or TCRs). These modified T cells are designed to recognize and destroy cancer cells. The Company funds multiple Phase I-2a clinical trials with CAR- and TCR-based therapies that are being conducted by its collaborator, the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Company plans to conduct a Phase I-2 clinical trial for its lead product candidate KTE-C19, a CAR-based therapy, in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
eACT involves harvesting T cells from the patient�� blood; genetically engineering T cells to express cancer-specific receptors; increasing the number of engineered T cells and infusing the functional cancer-specific T cells back into the patient. Using eACT technology, T cells can be genetically modified to express one of two classes of cancer-specific receptors: CARs or TCRs. CARs can recognize native cancer antigens that are part of an intact protein presented on the cancer cell surface. TCRs broaden the therapeutic approach by recognizing fragments on the cancer cell surface derived from intracellular proteins. By combining both CAR and TCR approaches, it has the potential to generate a portfolio of products that can target both solid and hematological tumors. It has a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), through which it is funding the research and development of eACT-based product candidates utilizing CARs and TCRs for the treatment of advanced solid and hematological malignancies.
The Company�� lead product candidate, KTE-C19, ! is an anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy. CD19 is a protein expressed on the cell surface of B cell lymphomas and leukemias. The Company is an ongoing NCI Phase I-2a clinical trial utilizing anti-CD19 CAR T cell therapy that is designed to establish a dose level and appropriate conditioning regimen, as well as to assess overall safety, in patients with B cell lymphomas and leukemias that had been heavily pretreated and were relapsed/refractory (unresponsive) to chemotherapy. KTE-C19 will use the identical anti-CD19 CAR construct and viral vector that is being used in the NCI trial. The Company a license with the NIH for intellectual property relating to a TCR-based T cell therapy targeting the antigen SSX2 for the treatment of head and neck cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, prostate cancer and sarcoma, and a co-exclusive license to this intellectual property for the treatment of certain additional cancer types.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap cancer drug stock Kite Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: KITE) has surged after announcing a�strategic research collaboration and license agreement with Amgen, Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN)�involving Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) ��meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock, which had an IPO last June,�along with potential peers�Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: BLCM) and Juno Therapeutics (NASDAQ: JUNO) which are players in the CAR therapies space and had more recent IPOs.
- [By John Udovich]
Biotech news this week was dominated by a number of healthcare and biotech related IPOs, including Parnell Pharmaceuticals Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: PARN), Signal Genetics Inc (NASDAQ: SGNL), ZS Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: ZSPH), Ardelyx Inc (NASDAQ: ARDX)�and Zafgen Inc (NASDAQ: ZFGN) with Kite Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: KITE), Microlin Bio Inc (NASDAQ: MCLB) and�Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: SNDX) presumably set to debut today (Note:�See�This Week�� Biotech IPOs: Two Losers and One Winner So Far (PARN, SGNL & ZSPH)):
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