For months, speculation has been growing that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) will introduce a lower-cost iPhone for emerging markets. Apple's growth has tailed off recently, as the U.S. market is starting to become saturated and relatively few people in emerging markets can afford even an iPhone 4 without a carrier subsidy.
However, as I wrote back in April, a cheaper iPhone will still be very expensive compared with the legions of Android phones available for $199 or even $99 without a subsidy. If Apple introduces a lower-cost iPhone, $329-$349 seems like a reasonable price range to expect, while analysts at Morgan Stanley think that the unsubsidized price could be as high as $399.
Apple may be about to unveil a program that could boost sales in the U.S. and other developed markets while also increasing adoption of the iPhone in developing countries. According to Bloomberg, iPhone owners will be able to trade in iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S devices at their local Apple Store for a credit toward a new phone purchase. The trade-in could potentially cover the full subsidized cost of an iPhone 5, which is $199 at most carriers.
Hot Promising Companies For 2015: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)
Compass Minerals International, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets inorganic mineral products primarily in North America and the United Kingdom. The company operates in two segments, Salt and Specialty Fertilizer. The Salt segment produces salt and magnesium chloride for use in road deicing and dust control, food processing, water softeners, pool salt, and agricultural and industrial applications. This segment also purchases potassium chloride and sells as a finished product. The Specialty Fertilizer segment produces and markets sulphate of potash crop nutrients and industrial grade sulfate of potash for use in the production of specialty fertilizers for vegetables, fruits, potatoes, nuts, tobacco, and turf grass. The company also produces and markets consumer deicing and water conditioning products, ingredients used in consumer and commercial food preparation, and other mineral-based products for consumer, agricultural, and industrial applications. In ad dition, Compass Minerals provides records management services to businesses located in the U.K. The company operates rock salt mines in Goderich, Ontario, Canada; and Winsford, Chesire, the United Kingdom. It primarily serves producers of intermediate chemical products used in the production of vinyls and other chemicals, and pulp and paper, as well as water treatment and other industrial uses. The company markets its products through direct sales personnel, contract personnel, and a network of brokers or manufacturers? representatives. Compass Minerals International, Inc., formerly known as Salt Holdings Corporation, was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Compass Minerals (CMP) is a producer of minerals, including salt, sulfate of potash specialty fertilizer and magnesium chloride. This stock closed up 3.4% at $75.60 in Wednesday's trading session.
Wednesday's Volume: 913,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 212,481
Volume % Change: 315%From a technical perspective, CMP gapped higher here off its recent low of $64.24 with heavy upside volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply from around $90 to $64.24 with heavy downside volume. That move pushed shares of CMP into extremely oversold territory, since the stock's current relative strength index reading is 25.78. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can experience a powerful bounce higher from. Shares of CMP are now starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CMP manages to take out its gap down day high of $78.20 and then once it clears its 200-day moving average at $79.14 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CMP as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $73.07 or $72.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 212,481 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CMP will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started near $90.
- [By Alex Planes]
PotashCorp's difficulty sustaining its pricing power is underscored by recent reports from sulfate of potash (SOP) producer Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP ) , which charged a hefty premium of almost $300 per ton against Potash Corp's prices for muriate of potash. Efforts to move away from SOP sales seem to be the right choice -- PotashCorp peer Intrepid Potash's�SOP sales fell by 37%, while the average price received has slumped nearly 14% in the last quarter. Even ore miner BHP Billiton�has recently jumped into the fertilizer industry with a $2.6 billion build-out of a potash mine in Canada, which is all but certain to produce further downward pressure on potash prices.
- [By Brendan Mathews]
Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP ) is a sleepy producer of a boring product: rock salt. But it has a strong competitive advantage. It owns the world's largest rock salt mine, which luckily is conveniently located near the major deicing markets of the Great Lakes region. This combination of a great mining resource and ideal location provide the company with a wide, crocodile-filled competitive moat.
Top 5 Cheap Companies To Buy Right Now: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)
Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI ) announced on Monday that Jim Meyer will be its permanent CEO. Meyer was tapped as interim helmsman at the satellite radio provider after Mel Karmazin stepped down late last year.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) continues to draw new subscribers with its programming, and it is also a stock to buy at Merrill Lynch. Despite challenges from other companies offering audio programming, Sirius XM has continued to be a strong player, and the stock actually hit a six-year high last week. Merrill Lynch has a $5 target, and the consensus target stands at $4.45, versus a closing price of $3.82.
Top 5 Cheap Companies To Buy Right Now: Express-1 Expedited Solutions Inc.(XPO)
XPO Logistics, Inc. provides third-party logistics services using a network of relationships with ground, sea, and air carriers in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It operates in three segments: Express-1, Concert Group Logistics, and Bounce Logistics. The Express-1 segment offers ground expedited surface transportation services for freight. It operates a fleet ranging from cargo vans to semi tractor trailer units. The Concert Group Logistics segment provides domestic and international freight forwarding services through a network of independently owned stations. Its domestic freight forwarding services include air charter, expedites, and time sensitive services, as well as cost sensitive services comprising deferred delivery, less than truckload, and full truck load services; and international freight forwarding services consist of on-board courier and air charters, time sensitive services, less-than-container and full-container-loads, and vessel charters. This segm ent also offers documentation on international shipments, customs clearance and banking, trade show shipment management, time definite and customized product distributions, reverse logistics and on site asset recovery projects, installation coordination, freight optimization, and diversity compliance support services. The Bounce Logistics segment provides premium freight brokerage services for truckload shipments. The company serves approximately 4,000 retail, commercial, manufacturing, and industrial customers through 6 U.S. operations centers and 22 agent locations. It offers its services to the automotive manufacturing, automotive components and supplies, commercial printing, durable goods manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food and consumer products, and high tech sectors. The company was formerly known as Express-1 Expedited Solutions, Inc. and changed its name to XPO Logistics, Inc. in September 2011. XPO Logistics, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is based in Buchanan, Michi gan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO ) jumped 13% today after announcing an acquisition.
So what: The company will pay $365 million for logistics provider 3PD, consisting of $357 million in cash an $8 million in XPO restricted stock. Is will use its own cash and borrow $195 million from Credit Suisse Group for the remainder of the purchase. �
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
XPO Logistics (NYSE: XPO) shot up 7.06 percent to $30.01 after the company announced its plans to acquire Pacer International (NASDAQ: PACR) in a deal valued at $335 million.
Top 5 Cheap Companies To Buy Right Now: CVS Corporation(CVS)
CVS Caremark Corporation operates as a pharmacy services company in the United States. The company?s Pharmacy Services segment provides a range of pharmacy benefit management services, including mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy services, plan design and administration, formulary management, and claims processing; and drug benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Federal Government?s Medicare Part D program. This segment primarily serves employers, insurance companies, unions, government employee groups, managed care organizations and other sponsors of health benefit plans, and individuals. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 44 retail specialty pharmacy stores, 18 specialty mail order pharmacies, and 4 mail service pharmacies located in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This segment operates business under the CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services, Caremark, CVS Caremark, CarePlus CVS/pharmacy, CarePlus, RxAmerica, Accordant, and TheraCom names. The company?s Retail Pharmacy segment sells prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through its pharmacy retail stores and online, as well as offers film and photo finishing, and health care services. This segment operated 7,182 retail drugstores located in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia; and 560 retail health care clinics in 26 states and the District of Columbia under the MinuteClinic name. It has a strategic alliance with Alere, L.L.C. for the management of disease management program offerings that cover chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. CVS Caremark Corporation was founded in 1892 and is based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Keith Speights]
Walgreen easily outperformed both�CVS Caremark� (NYSE: CVS ) �and�Wal-Mart� (NYSE: WMT ) . However,�Rite Aid� (NYSE: RAD ) �blew all of the competitors away in terms of share performance after turning the corner on profitability in the fourth quarter of 2012.�� �
- [By Rich Duprey]
In response to the outrage at highlighting a terrorist instead of his victims, including 26-year-old MIT cop Sean Collier, who was killed in the shootout between the Tsarnaev brothers and the police, and 8-year-old Martin Richard, who was standing next to one of the bombs when it detonated, retailers including CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS ) , which operates 7,300 stores nationwide, Walgreen (NYSE: WAG ) , with more than 8,500 stores, and Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD ) chain Kmart have all decided not to sell the new issue of the magazine.
- [By Grace L. Williams]
CVS Caremark (CVS) has found the perfect prescription for stock market gains after reporting earnings results this morning.
Associated PressFor the quarter ended Dec. 31, CVS reported adjusted EPS of $1.12, up from 96 cents a year ago and ahead of analyst expectations of $1.11. Revenue rose to $32.8 billion from $31.4 a year prior and forecasts for sales of $32.6 billion. CVS also disclosed that it opened 60 new retail drugstores and closed one during the period.
Last week, CVS made headlines on the announcement that it would end tobacco sales and the market reacted accordingly. In a Barron�� Take, Teresa Rivas wrote, ��ith the number of U.S. smokers on the decline and regulation on the rise, CVS will likely more than make up for lost sales with public goodwill and a boost to its health-care brand. It also gets first mover advantage on a ban that may eventually have been forced on it.��/p>
Raymond James analyst John Ransom notes that CVS has a healthy future:
First-quarter 2014 adjusted EPS guidance was actually raised to $1.03-$1.06 (up seven cents at the midpoint), suggesting better-than-expected near-term trends versus prior outlook. Net-net, fourth quarter capped another solid year out of CVS, with today�� stock price reaction likely less tied to the report itself and more focused on the…tobacco headwind offsets as well as initial comments with regard to the 2015 selling season and the retail competitive landscape (promotional activity high?).
Shares of CVS have advanced 2.7% to $68.74 at 3:0 p.m., trailing Walgreen’s (WAG) 5.3% rise to $63.87 but besting Rite Aid’s (RAD) 1.5% gain to $5.72.
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