Many investors look to the so-called BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India and China) for emerging growth opportunities. However, these investors may be overlooking one emerging powerhouse in Southeast Asia.
Overall, as an investor, I particularly like emerging-market dividend stocks for 2013. Companies in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index have increased dividend payments steadily for the past 10 years. Unlike earnings, dividend payments have been far steadier, with payout ratios mostly in the 30% to 40% range.
Additionally, as many of these companies mature, the potential to increase dividend payouts is high -- companies in emerging markets often have lower debt levels than firms in developed markets. The number of emerging stocks with high dividend yields in the MSCI World Index has increased from 60 in 1995 to more than 300 last year.
Metals USA Holdings Corp., through its subsidiaries, provides carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum and specialty metals, and manufactured metal components in the United States and Canada. It operates in three segments: Plates and Shapes, Flat Rolled and Non-Ferrous, and Building Products. The Plates and Shapes segment processes and sells steel plates and structural beams, bars, angles, and tubes. This segment provides processing services, such as cutting, cambering/leveling, punching, bending, shearing, cut-to-length, blast and paint, and tee-splitting. It serves customers in the the electrical and appliance manufacturing, fabrication, furniture, commercial construction, machinery and equipment, land and marine transportation, energy, and aerospace industries. The Flat Rolled and Non-Ferrous segment processes and sells flat rolled carbon and stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and copper in various alloy grades. This segment offers processing services, such as slitting, p recision blanking, leveling, cut-to-length, punching, and shearing. It serves customers in the electrical and appliance manufacturing, fabrication, furniture, machinery and equipment, transportation, and aerospace industries. The Building Products segment produces and distributes aluminum and steel building products consisting of covered canopies and walkways, awnings, sunrooms, solariums, and other products primarily for the commercial and residential building products industries. The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By David Tristan Liu]
Murphy USA (MUSA) first caught my attention after Southeastern Asset Management acquired a massive stake ($668mm) in its former parent company Murphy Oil Corporation (MUR) in Q1 2013. One thing about Murphy Oil Corporation I noticed after an initial glance through their 10-K and annual report was its ownership of a valuable fuel and convenience retailer segment with high ROIC, valuable real estate, low CAPEX requirements, and relatively decent growth prospects that was under-followed and whose underlying value was concealed by the parent company's core production and exploration business.
Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Buy For 2014: IZEA Inc (IZEA)
IZEA, Inc. (IZEA), formerly IZEA Holdings, Inc., incorporated in February 2006, is a marketplace for consumer generated advertising, connecting advertisers with social media publishers, such as bloggers, tweeters and others in order to develop and distribute content throughout the blogosphere and social networks. The Company is a social media sponsorship, operating multiple marketplaces, which include WeReward, SponsoredTweet, SocialSpark, PayPerPost and InPostLinks. It generates its revenue through the sale of social media sponsorships (SMS) to its customers. Each platform the Company operates is designed to facilitate SMS transactions. Each platform provides advertisers with access to a network of publishers, workflow management, content control, payment processing, performance tracking and legal compliance. It has more than 50,000 registered advertisers in 157 different countries. Its publishers publish sponsored content to blogs, Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare and reach other existing platforms, such as Tumblr, LinkedIn, Google and Bing through syndication of that content. On May 12, 2011, the Company acquired IZEA Innovations, Inc. In December 2012, the Company acquired Twitter marketing platform FeaturedUsers.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company derived 80% its revenue from advertisers for the use of its network of social media publishers to fulfill an advertiser sponsor requests for a blog post, tweet, click, purchase, or action. During 2011, it derived the remaining 20% revenue from various service fees charged to advertisers and publishers. Service fees to advertisers include fees charged for management of advertising campaigns through its platforms and inactivity fees for dormant accounts. Service fees to publishers include upgrade account fees for obtaining greater visibility to advertisers in advertiser searches in its platforms and inactivity fees for dormant accounts.
SocialSpark
SocialSpark is the Company�� blog marketing platf! orm. Through SocialSpark it provides robust targeting and detailed analytics to advertisers. The site allows advertisers to develop lists of blogs based on various criteria, such as relevancy, traffic and demographic data. The platform also enables advertisers to create social media campaigns with the click of a button and to observe campaign results in real time. SocialSpark is also used by brands interested in engaging in conversations with their consumer bases. This platform is an automated, scalable version of other blogger outreach services conducted by public relations agencies, such as Porter Novelli, Edelman and Ketchum.
SponsoredTweets
SponsoredTweets is an online marketplace, which allows consumers to connect directly with advertisers to engage in sponsored conversations through Twitter. Marketers pay for Twitter advertising campaigns on either a cost per tweet (CPT) or cost per click (CPC) basis. SponsoredTweets allows advertisers to hand pick individual tweeters, including celebrities, to participate in Twitter advertising campaigns.
WeReward
WeReward is a social-mobile incentive platform, which allows brands to drive purchases, reward loyalty and understand their customers. WeReward promotes businesses, consumer products and mobile applications through its application, which can be downloaded on iPhone and Android devices. Consumers are able to earn WeReward points at more than 15 million businesses in the United States. WeReward points act as a cash rebate through PayPal to create value for users. This platform is similar to CheckPoints.
PayPerPost and InPostLinks
PayPerPost and InPostLinks are online marketplaces designed to facilitate search engine and allow advertisers to connect directly with bloggers to develop relevant blog post content and place text link advertising within blog posts. Both systems allow advertisers to compensate bloggers with cash in exchange for content and links back to Websites.
! IZEAMedia and Staree
IZEAMedia (in Pilot) allows advertisers to place display advertising next to sponsored blog content. Staree (in Development) is an online platform designed to help celebrities better monetize multimedia content through SMS.
The Company competes with Facebook, Glam Media, Federated Media, BlogHer, Ad.ly, Mom Central, Foursquare and Groupon.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Peter Graham]
Small cap tech, mobile or cloud computing stocks SofTech, Inc (OTCMKTS: SOFT), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Izea Inc (OTCMKTS: IZEA) have been getting some extra attention lately in various investment newsletters or alerts. That�� because at least one of these stocks appears to be the subject of paid third party promotions while another is the focus of an apparent investor relations campaign. Keeping that in mind, are these three tech orientated stocks going to bring profits to investors and traders or bring out the luddite in them? Here is a closer look:
Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Buy For 2014: Kellogg Co (K)
Kellogg Company (Kellogg), incorporated in 1922, is engaged in the manufacture and marketing of ready-to-eat cereal and convenience foods. Kellogg�� principal products are ready-to-eat cereals and convenience foods, such as cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles and veggie foods. As of February 28, 2012, these products were, manufactured by the Company in 17 countries and marketed in more than 180 countries. It also markets cookies, crackers, and other convenience foods, under brands, such as Kellogg��, Keebler, Cheez-It, Murray, Austin and Famous Amos, to supermarkets in the United States. Its cereal products are generally marketed under the Kellogg�� name and are sold principally to the grocery trade through direct sales forces for resale to consumers. Effective June 1, 2012, Procter & Gamble Co announced that it has completed the sale of its Pringles business to Kellogg.
As of February 28, 2012, Kellogg operated manufacturing plants and distribution and warehousing facilities totaling more than 30 million square feet of building area in the United States and other countries. Its manufacturing facilities in the United States include four cereal plants and warehouses located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; Omaha, Nebraska and other plants or facilities in San Jose, California; Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, and Rome, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Seelyville, Indiana; Kansas City, Kansas; Florence, Louisville, and Pikeville, Kentucky; Grand Rapids and Wyoming, Michigan; Blue Anchor, New Jersey; Cary and Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, West Jefferson, and Zanesville, Ohio; Muncy, Pennsylvania; Rossville, Tennessee; Clearfield, Utah; and Allyn, Washington. As of February 28, 2012, outside the United States, the Company had, additional manufacturing locations, some with warehousing facilities, in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Great Britain, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, S! outh Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Venezuela.
The Company�� trademarks include Kellogg�� for cereals, convenience foods and its other products, and the brand names of certain ready-to-eat cereals, including All-Bran, Apple Jacks, Bran Buds, Cinnamon Crunch Crispix, Choco Zucaritas, Cocoa Krispies, Complete, Kellogg�� Corn Flakes, Corn Pops, Cracklin��Oat Bran, Crispix, Cruncheroos, Crunchmania, Crunchy Nut, Eggo, Kellogg�� FiberPlus, Froot Loops, Kellogg�� Frosted Flakes, Kellogg�� Krave, Frosted Krispies, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Fruit Harvest, Just Right, Kellogg�� Low Fat Granola, Mueslix, Pops, Product 19, Kellogg�� Raisin Bran, Raisin Bran Crunch, Rice Krispies, Rice Krispies Treats, Smacks/Honey Smacks, Smart Start, Kellogg�� Smorz, Special K, Special K Red Berries and Zucaritas in the United States and elsewhere; Crusli, Sucrilhos, Vector, Musli, NutriDia, and Choco Krispis for cereals in Latin America. Vive and Vector are brands in Canada; Coco Pops, Chocos, Frosties, Fruit�� Fibre, Kellogg�� Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes, Honey Loops, Kellogg�� Extra, Sustain, Muslix, Country Store, Ricicles, Smacks, Start, Pops, Optima and Tresor for cereals in Europe; and Cerola, Sultana Bran, Chex, Frosties, Goldies, Rice Bubbles, Nutri-Grain, Kellogg�� Iron Man Food, and BeBig for cereals in Asia and Australia. In additional, the Company trademarks are the names of certain combinations of ready-to-eat Kellogg�� cereals, including Fun Pak, Jumbo, and Variety.
Other Company brand names include Kellogg�� Corn Flake Crumbs; All-Bran, Choco Krispis, Froot Loops, Special K, NutriDia, Kuadri-Krispis, Zucaritas and Crusli for cereal bars, Komplete for biscuits; and Kaos for snacks in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America; Pop-Tarts and Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Shoppe for toaster pastries; Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps for crackers; Eggo, Eggo FiberPlus and Nutri-Grain for frozen waffles and pancakes; Rice Krispies Treats for baked snacks and convenience foods; Special K! and Spec! ial K2O for flavored protein water mixes and protein shakes, and Nutri-Grain cereal bars, Nutri-Grain yogurt bars, for convenience foods in the United States and elsewhere. Brands like K-Time, Rice Bubbles, Day Dawn, Be Natural, Sunibrite and LCMs for convenience foods in Asia and Australia; Nutri-Grain Squares, Nutri-Grain Elevenses, and Rice Krispies Squares for convenience foods in Europe; Kashi and GoLean for certain cereals, nutrition bars, and mixes; TLC for granola and cereal bars, crackers and cookies; Special K and Vector for meal replacement products; Bear Naked for granola cereal, bars and trail mix and Morningstar Farms, Loma Linda, Natural Touch, Gardenburger and Worthington for certain meat and egg alternatives. It also markets convenience foods under trademarks and trade names, which include Keebler, Austin, Keebler Baker�� Treasures, Cheez-It, Chips Deluxe, Club, E. L. Fudge, Famous Amos, Fudge Shoppe, Kellogg�� FiberPlus, Gripz, Jack��, Jackson��, Krispy, Mother��, Murray, Murray Sugar Free, Ready Crust, Right Bites, Sandies, Special K, Soft Batch, Stretch Island, Sunshine, Toasteds, Town House, Vienna Creams, Vienna Fingers, Wheatables and Zesta.
The Company�� trademarks also include logos and depictions of certain animated characters in conjunction with its products, including Snap!Crackle!Pop! for Cocoa Krispies and Rice Krispies cereals and Rice Krispies Treats convenience foods; Tony the Tiger for Kellogg�� Frosted Flakes, Zucaritas, Sucrilhos and Frosties cereals and convenience foods, and Ernie Keebler for cookies, convenience foods and other products. It also includes the Hollow Tree logo for certain convenience foods; Toucan Sam for Froot Loops cereal; Dig ��m for Smacks/Honey Smacks cereal; Sunny for Kellogg�� Raisin Bran and Raisin Bran Crunch cereals, Coco the Monkey for Coco Pops cereal; Cornelius for Kellogg�� Corn Flakes; Melvin the Elephant for certain cereal and convenience foods, and Chocos the Bear, Sammy the Seal (aka Smaxey the Seal! ) for cer! tain cereal products.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Joseph Hogue]
Between Sept. 14 and Nov. 15 last year, as investors rushed to companies with solid, government-proof revenue, Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO) gained 2.6%, and Kellogg (NYSE: K) surged 7.4%.
Best Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Buy For 2014: Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1)
Deutsche Boerse AG is a Germany-based international financial marketplace operator. It operates four business segments: Xetra; Eurex; Clearstream, and Market Data & Analytics. The Xetra business segment comprises three business areas: cash market using the Xetra electronic trading system and Xetra Frankfurt specialist trading; central counterparty for equities, and admission of securities to listing. The Eurex business segment comprises four business areas: electronic derivatives market trading platform Eurex; electronic options trading platform ISE; over-the-counter trading platforms Eurex Bonds, Eurex Repo, and Eurex Clearing. The Clearstream business segment comprises three business areas: custody, administration and settlement services for securities; global securities financing services, and investment funds services. The Market Data & Analytics business segment comprises two business areas: sales of price information and information distribution, and index development and sales.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Nikolaj Gammeltoft]
IntercontinentalExchange, the energy and commodity futures bourse known as ICE, is buying the U.S. equity exchange operator as the profitability of stock trading declines and derivatives generate more income. European Union regulators approved the deal on June 24 after blocking Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1)�� purchase of NYSE last year, citing concern over competition in derivatives and clearing.
- [By Nikolaj Gammeltoft]
The mishap followed others earlier in the week. An Oct. 30 malfunction interrupted data transmission at Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1)�� International Securities Exchange, while Nasdaq was unable to distribute prices for its benchmark stock indexes for almost an hour on Oct. 29. The breakdowns refocused concern that the distribution of trading over dozens of mostly automated venues has made U.S. securities markets fundamentally flawed.
- [By Whitney Kisling]
A fault today halted transactions on Deutsche Boerse AG (DB1)�� Eurex unit, Europe�� largest derivatives market, for about an hour through 9:20 a.m. Frankfurt time.
