Until the big swoon on Friday, the stock market had been crushing just about every bullish investor's wildest dreams for positive returns, with nearly a couple dozen new record highs so far during the year. For those who believed that May would finally mark the end of the long four-year bull market, the month's overall performance was disappointing, as the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) gained almost 2% during May.
But just because the overall average rose doesn't mean that every company shared its good fortune. Fully a third of the Dow's 30 components lost ground during the month. Let's take a look at the four that lost more than 5% on the month to see what we can identify from their performance.
Verizon (NYSE: VZ ) , down 10.1%, and AT&T (NYSE: T ) , down 6.6%
Addressing both of the Dow's telecom giants makes sense given the common traits they share. Both of them have high dividends and rely on their extensive wireless networks for large portions of their revenue, and both have made huge investments in building up those networks over time. As a result, both were vulnerable when one analyst argued that Google Fiber could challenge the entire way that the two telecoms offer triple-play video, voice, and data to their customers. In addition, though, the drop in the bond market over the past week also isolated the two high-dividend payers, as higher interest rates make the value of the discounted stream of future revenue the two telecom giants earn less valuable in terms of present value. Neither AT&T nor Verizon need to worry about competition too much right now, but further bond-market weakness could push shares downward even from these lower levels.
5 Best Consumer Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Microvision Inc.(MVIS)
MicroVision, Inc. engages in the development of miniature laser display and imaging engines based upon its proprietary PicoP display engine technology. Its technology uses two dimensional micro-electrical mechanical systems, lasers, optics, and electronics to create a video or still image from a small form factor device. The company offers Pico projector displays intended to be used for users of mobile consumer devices, such as smartphones, media players, tablet PCs, and other consumer electronics products. Its products also comprise automotive head-up displays that project high-resolution images onto the windshield of an automobile providing the driver with information consisting of GPS mapping images, audio controls, and other automobile instrumentation information related to the car's operation. In addition, the company offers near-eye wearable display platform to provide personal viewing of information from a mobile device through a wired or wireless connection. Furthe r, it offers ROV hand held bar code scanners, and bar code scanner enabled enterprise solutions through distributors and original equipment manufacturers, as well as directly to end users through its online store. The company serves customers operating in the consumer, defense, industrial, and medical markets. MicroVision, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
Did you miss the first big runup from Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) a couple of weeks ago? If you were regretting it then, it may have all worked out for the best. Though MVIS jumped from a close of $1.35 on the 19th to a peak of $3.38 on the 21st, it was also on the 21st that the weight of that big gain started to bear down. By the 25th, Microvision shares hit a low of $2.01, basically cutting in half the 150% gain that has been made in just a couple of days.
- [By Charley Blaine]
Shares of MicroVision Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) were jumping for a second day in a row Friday on the heels of Sony Inc.’s (NYSE: SNE) introduction of a new handheld projector that uses Microvision’s technology.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
If the cash you have available is money you absolutely need to invest safely and wisely because you need it (and its appreciation) to love on in retirement, then let me stop you right now - the rest of what you're about to read probably isn't for you. On the other hand, if you and your qualified financial adviser agree you've got some money you can gamble with [i.e. if you lose it all, it won't matter], then may I direct your attention to Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)? Long story made short, MVIS has dropped hints of a brewing rebound.
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.(AGII)
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. underwrites specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market worldwide. The company?s Excess and Surplus Lines segment underwrites casualty, property, transportation, and binding authority for commercial enterprises, including restaurants, contractors, day care centers, apartment complexes, condominium associations, manufacturers, and distributors; and offers policies for medical facilities within the social services, miscellaneous healthcare, and long term care markets, as well as for lawyers, miscellaneous professions, employment practices, and real estate related accounts. This segment also provides package policies for environmental consultants and contractors, storage tanks, dry cleaners pollution liability, as well as other environmental related liability exposures; and coverage for architects and engineers, accountants, and insurance agents. Its Commercial Specialty segment offers property casu alty and surety coverages; and underwrites business coverage for small commercial businesses comprising office, retail operations, light manufacturing, services, and restaurants. This segment also provides general and automobile liability, automobile physical damage, property, inland marine, crime, public official?s and educator?s legal liability, employment practices, law enforcement liability, environmental and lawyers professional liability, student accident, police and firefighters accident, workers compensation, inmate medical, and tax interruption coverages. In addition, the company?s International Specialty segment covers claims arising from catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, windstorms, hailstorms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, fires, industrial explosions, freezes, riots, floods, and other man-made or natural disasters. Further, its Syndicate 1200 segment underwrites property and non-U.S. liability insurance. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (Nasdaq:AGII), an international underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products, reported that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 12 cents per share on the company’s common stock.
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Nustar Energy L.P.(NS)
NuStar Energy L.P. engages in the terminalling, storage, and transportation of petroleum products primarily in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, St. Eustatius in the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. The company operates in three segments: Storage, Transportation, and Asphalt and Fuels Marketing. The Storage segment operates terminal and storage facilities for petroleum products, specialty chemicals, crude oil, and other liquids; and crude oil storage tanks. Its terminals also offer pilotage, tug assistance, line handling, launch, emergency response, and other ship services. The Transportation segment transports refined petroleum products, crude oil, and anhydrous ammonia. This segment operates refined product pipelines in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota; and owns anhydrous ammonia pipelines located in Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska. The Asphalt and Fuels Marketing segment refines crude oil to produce asphalt and other refined products. This segment also purchases gasoline and other refined petroleum products for resale. As of December 31, 2010, the company had 65 terminal and storage facilities providing approximately 80.4 million barrels of storage capacity; 5,605 miles of refined product pipelines with 21 associated terminals that offer storage capacity of 4.6 million barrels, as well as 2 tank farms providing storage capacity of 1.2 million barrels; 2,000 miles of anhydrous ammonia pipelines; 812 miles of crude oil pipelines with 16 associated storage tanks comprising storage capacity of 1.9 million barrels; and 2 asphalt refineries with a combined capacity of 104,000 barrels per day, as well as 2 associated terminal facilities with a combined storage capacity of 5.0 million barrels. Riverwalk Logistics, L.P. serves as the general partner of the company. NuStar Energy L.P. was founded in 1999 and is based in Sa n Antonio, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Wrapping up a week most notable for its stinginess, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded only three (yes, you read that right) new contracts Friday. As for the $44 million in Pentagon contracts awarded, the winners were:
- [By Aimee Duffy]
Second-quarter midstream earnings have finally started to trickle in, as energy giants Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP ) and TransCanada (NYSE: TRP ) have reported, as well as a couple of smaller outfits, EQT Midstream Partners (NYSE: EQT ) and NuStar Energy (NYSE: NS ) . The industry is off to a great start, and the week was made even more impressive by a spectacular midstream IPO. More on that later, but first the earnings recap.
- [By Rich Smith]
Only five privately held firms will participate in this two-year contract (extendable up to five years). No publicly traded firms at all were chosen to participate -- but publicly traded firms did still win a few of the day's smaller contracts, among them:
A $76.1 million contract modification awarded to the Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, a joint venture between Textron� (NYSE: TXT ) and Boeing (NYSE: BA ) , which instructs the JPO to delivery one single additional CV-22 tiltrotor aircraft to the U.S. Air Force by December 2016. A $39.4 million fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for Sysco (NYSE: SYY ) to provide "prime vendor food and beverage support" to the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Job Corps in Florida through April 16, 2019. A $32.3 million option exercise for NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE: NS ) subsidiary Shore Terminals LLC to provide "petroleum storage services" to the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps through Nov. 30, 2016. A $7.7 million undefinitized contract modification compensating Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT ) for "non-recurring sustainment activities" performed on behalf of the government of the United Kingdom, related to the latter's purchase of F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets. This contract has a completion date of June 201 - [By Laura Brodbeck]
Tuesday
Earnings Expected From: Five Star Quality Care, Inc. (NYSE: FVE), Maximus, Inc. (NYSE: MMS), Nustar Energy (NYSE: NS), D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE: DHI), DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) Economic Releases Expected: German CPI, British CPI, British PPI, US Redbook, Indian manufacturing output, Indian industrial productionWednesday
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Abbott Laboratories(ABT)
Abbott Laboratories engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and sale of health care products worldwide. The company offers adult and pediatric pharmaceuticals for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and Crohn's disease; dyslipidemia; HIV infection; prostate cancer, endometriosis and central precocious puberty, and anemia caused by uterine fibroids; respiratory syncytial virus; adult males who have low or no testosterone; secondary hyperparathyroidism; hypothyroidism; and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, as well as anesthesia products. It also provides diagnostic products, such as immunoassay systems; chemistry systems; assays used for screening and/or diagnosis for drugs of abuse, cancer, therapeutic drug monitoring, fertility, physiological, and infectious diseases; instruments that automate the extraction, purification, and preparation of DNA and RNA from patient samples, and detect and measure infections agents; genomic-b ased tests; hematology systems and reagents; and point-of-care diagnostic systems and tests for blood analysis. In addition, the company offers a line of pediatric and adult nutritional products. Further, it provides coronary, endovascular, vessel closure, and structural heart devices, such as drug-eluting stent systems, coronary metallic stents, balloon dilatation products, coronary guidewires, vessel closure devices, carotid stent systems, percutaneous valve repair systems, and drug eluting bioresorbable vascular products. Additionally, the company provides blood glucose monitoring meters, test strips, data management software, and accessories for people with diabetes; and medical devices for the eye, including cataract surgery, lasik surgery, contact lens, and dry eye products, as well as branded generic pharmaceutical products. Abbott primarily serves retailers, wholesalers, hospitals, and health care facilities. Abbott was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lee Jackson]
Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) is a top pharmaceutical name to make the Jefferies list. The company reported in-line fourth quarter earnings but missed on the revenue numbers. It also announced that it plans to repurchase $2 billion in stock in 2014. Investors are paid a 2.2% dividend. The Jefferies price target for the stock is $48. The Thomson/First Call estimate is set at $41.46. Abbott Labs closed Thursday at $37.43.
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Constant Contact Inc.(CTCT)
Constant Contact, Inc. provides on-demand email marketing, social media marketing, event marketing, and online survey products primarily in the United States. It offers email marketing products, which allow customers to create, send, and track professional and affordable permission-based email marketing campaigns; and social media marketing products that allow customers to manage and optimize their presence across multiple social media networks. The company also provides event marketing products, which enable its customers to promote and manage events, communicate with invitees and registrants, capture and track registrations, and collect online payments; and online survey products that enable its customers to create and send surveys, and analyze the responses. In addition, it offers customer support services to customers and trailers through phone, chat, email, and social media. Further, the company provides ancillary services, such as custom services to customers who lik e its email campaigns, event promotions, or surveys prepared for them; and online training programs to educate participants on email marketing and social media marketing best practices, as well as a workshop programs. It markets its products directly for small organizations, including retailers, restaurants, law and accounting firms, consultants, non-profits, religious organizations, and alumni associations. The company was formerly known as Roving Software Incorporated and changed its name to Constant Contact, Inc. in 2006. Constant Contact, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Constant Contact (NASDAQ: CTCT) shares rose 27.28% to $27.90. The volume of Constant Contact shares traded was 797% higher than normal. Constant Contact lifted its Q1 and FY14 revenue outlook.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading UP
Constant Contact (NASDAQ: CTCT) shares shot up 26.32 percent to $27.69 after the company lifted its Q1 and FY14 revenue outlook. - [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Constant Contact (NASDAQ: CTCT ) have popped today by upwards of 19% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Technology sector was the leading decliner in the US market today. Top losers in the sector included Constant Contact (NASDAQ: CTCT), off 8.1 percent, and Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV), down 9.1 percent.
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Global Links Corp (GLCO)
Global Links Corp. (Global Links) is engaged in real estate acquisitions and development, real estate information services and international housing projects. The Company owns approximately 996 undeveloped residential lots in the Valle Vista Subdivision. This land consists of residential lots that have not yet been developed. The Company's office building comprises 9,300 square feet, which is acquired as an empty shell, in June 2004, and completed tenant improvements in October 2004. As at December 31, 2005, the Sunset Office Building is wholly occupied. The Company occupies 15% of the building; the remaining 85% is occupied by Southwest Title Company. In August 2013, Global Links Corp. announced that the formation of a wholly owned subsidiary named Domain Micro Homes.
During the year ended December 31, 2002, the Company decided to pursue the business of marketing electronic transactions by offering a suite of electronic products and proceeded to establish relationships with various companies that provide such products and others that specialize in the marketing of these products. During the year ended December 31, 2003, Global Links transferred all of the assets and liabilities relating to the business of marketing electronic transactions to its wholly owned subsidiary, Global Links Card Services, Inc. (GLCS). In December 2004, the Company sold all of its interests in GLCS to an unrelated corporation. Also during the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company merged with Capitol Group Holding Corporation and in addition to the marketing of electronic transactions products, the Company entered the business of real estate acquisitions and development, real estate information services and international housing projects.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Green Endeavors Inc (OTCMKTS: GRNE), Global Links Corporation (OTCMKTS: GLCO) and Vitamin Blue Inc (OTCBB: VTMB) were all making noticeable moves at the end of last week. On Friday, Green Endeavors Inc rose 8.11% and Global Links Corporation rose 13.96% while Vitamin Blue Inc fell 10%. Of course, small cap OTC stocks making large single digit or double digit moves in either direction aren�� all that unusual. Moreover, all of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions. With that in mind, here is a closer look at all three to help you decide on an investing or trading strategy:
Top 10 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: MBIA Inc (MBI)
MBIA Inc. (MBIA), incorporated on November 12, 1986, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates the financial guarantee insurance businesses in the industry and is a provider of asset management advisory services. These activities are managed through three business segments: United States public finance insurance, structured finance and international insurance, and advisory services. The Company�� United States public finance insurance business is operated through National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation and its subsidiaries (National), its structured finance and international insurance business is primarily operated through MBIA Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries (MBIA Corp.), and its asset management advisory services business is primarily operated through Cutwater Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries (Cutwater). It also manages certain business activities through its corporate, asset/liability products, and conduit segments. The corporate segment includes revenues and expenses that arise from general corporate activities. Funding programs managed through the asset/liability products and conduit segments are in wind-down.
MBIA Corp. owns MBIA UK Insurance Limited (MBIA UK), a financial guarantee insurance company that is regulated and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the United Kingdom and is authorized to carry out insurance business in the United Kingdom and in the European Economic Area on a cross border services basis. Its financial guarantee insurance generally provides investors with an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee of the payment of the principal, interest or other amounts owing on insured obligations when due or, in the event that the Company has the right at its discretion to accelerate insured obligations upon default or otherwise, upon its election to accelerate. The Company conducts its financial guarantee business, as well as related reinsurance, advisory and portfolio services, through its subsidiaries National Publi! c Finance Guarantee Corporation (National), its United States (United States) public finance-only financial guarantee company, and MBIA Insurance Corporation and its subsidiaries (MBIA Corp.), which write global structured finance and non-United States public finance financial guarantee insurance.
Insurance operations
The Company�� United States public finance insurance business is conducted through National, and its structured finance and international insurance operations are conducted through MBIA Corp. and its subsidiaries. It also issue insurance policies to guarantee the payment of principal and interest on municipal obligations being traded in the secondary market upon the request of a broker or an existing holder of uninsured bonds, where premium is generally paid by the owner of the obligation. In addition, the Company has provided financial guarantees to debt service reserve funds. The primary risk in its insurance operations is that of adverse credit performance in the insured portfolio. It seeks to maintain a diversified insured portfolio and have designed each insured portfolio with the aim of managing and diversifying risk based on a range of criteria, including revenue source, issue size, type of asset, industry concentrations, type of bond and geographic area.
Through the Company�� reinsurance of United States public finance financial guarantees from MBIA Corp. and Financial Guaranty Insurance Company (FGIC), National�� insurance portfolio consists of municipal bonds, including tax-exempt and taxable indebtedness of United States political subdivisions, as well as utility districts, airports, health care institutions, higher educational facilities, student loan issuers, housing authorities and other similar agencies and obligations issued by private entities that finance projects that serve a substantial public purpose. Municipal bonds and privately issued bonds used for the financing of public purpose projects are generally supported by ! taxes, as! sessments, user fees or tariffs related to the use of these projects, lease payments or other similar types of revenue streams. As of December 31, 2012, MBIA Corp. had 899 policies outstanding in its insured portfolio. In addition, MBIA Corp. had 199 insurance policies outstanding relating to asset/liability products liabilities issued by MBIA Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Advisory Services
In the Company�� asset management advisory services business its registered investment advisors provide fixed-income asset management services for third parties and the investment portfolios of the Company and its affiliates (including the wind-down businesses) on a fee-for-service basis. Its advisory services are offered in two product lines, traditional and structured. Within the traditional product line, Cutwater offers cash management, customized asset management, discretionary asset management and fund accounting services to governments, insurance companies (including the Company�� insurance subsidiaries), corporations, pension funds, unions, endowments, foundations and investment companies in both pooled and separate account formats. These services are offered through registered investment advisers, and Cutwater receives asset management and administrative fees as compensation. Within the structured product line, Cutwater manages asset/liability programs and conduits (the wind-down businesses), Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and other funding vehicles for banks, insurance companies, program trustees and investment companies, and it earns base and performance fees for its services. Cutwater�� advisory services are offered through two principal operating subsidiaries: Cutwater Asset Management Corp. (Cutwater-AMC), an SEC-registered investment adviser and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member firm, and Cutwater Investor Services Corp. (Cutwater-ISC), an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Wind-down Business
The asset/liability produc! ts busine! ss historically raised funds for investment through two sources, such as issuance of customized investment agreements by the Company and one of its subsidiaries for bond proceeds and other funds, and issuance of medium-term notes (MTNs) with varying maturities issued by its subsidiary MBIA Global Funding, LLC (GFL). Each of these products is guaranteed by MBIA Corp. In addition, GFL would lend the proceeds of its GFL MTN issuances to MBIA Inc. (GFL Loans). The Company primarily purchased domestic securities and lent a portion of the proceeds from investment agreements and GFL MTNs to its subsidiary Euro Asset Acquisition Limited, which primarily purchased foreign assets as permitted under the Company�� investment guidelines. The Company�� conduit segment is principally operated through Meridian Funding Company, LLC (Meridian) and, formerly, Triple-A One Funding Corporation (Triple-A One). The conduits were used by banks and other financial institutions to raise funds for their customers in the capital markets. During 2012, Triple-A One was liquated. The conduits provided funding for multiple customers through special purpose vehicles that issued commercial paper and MTNs.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Amanda Alix]
At several points in time, it looked as if the fracas between Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) and monoline insurer MBIA (NYSE: MBI ) would never be settled, as first MBIA sued B of A, then the bank sued MBIA. At long last, the two have settled on the issue of $3 billion of disintegrating loans on which MBIA was forced to pay, and the deal comes not a moment too soon to save the bacon of each company -- each for different reasons.
- [By Chris Hill]
Shares of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) hit a two-year high this week on news that the company had reached a $1.7 billion settlement with mortgage insurer MBIA (NYSE: MBI ) . What does the deal mean for Bank of America? What does it mean for MBIA? In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts tackle those questions and discuss what it all means for investors.
- [By John Maxfield]
But on the other side of the equation, investors learned two days ago that an appeals court ruled against B of A in its legal battle against bond insurer MBIA (NYSE: MBI ) . The protracted case has been going on for nearly five years, and the momentum has lately swung in MBIA's favor. After the ruling, the struggling bond insurer no longer has to prove that B of A's defective underwriting caused mortgages to default. To be entitled to damages now, all it must show is that the underwriting process was, in fact, faulty and that B of A (or more accurately, Countrywide Financial, which the bank regrettably purchased in 2008) concealed this. To read more about this, click here.
- [By Jessica Alling]
Elsewhere in the banking sphere, competitor Bank of America's (NYSE: BAC ) settlement with MBIA (NYSE: MBI ) may also have something to do with JPM's continued rise.Since most of the banks continue to be plagued by lawsuits stemming from the financial crisis, when one is able to settle or dismiss a case, the others are looked at favorably as well. In the case of B of A, the bank made a big offer to the insurer MBIA and ducked some much larger payouts than it may have been forced to make had the case gone to trial.
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