Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)(BRK.B), issued his 2011 shareholder letter and spent three hours on CNBC over the last three days. One of the themes of the discussions was his optimism about the financial sector of the U.S. ��he banking industry is back on its feet,��he said in his shareholder letter. Three banking stocks that he talked about in particular were Bank of America (BAC), JP Morgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC).
Bank of America (BAC)
Buffett bought $5 billion worth of Bank of America warrants to buy 700 million shares at $7.14 each until they expire in 2012, and perpetual preferred stock that yields $300 million a year. In his annual letter, Buffett said, ��ur warrants to buy 700 million Bank of America shares will likely be of great value before they expire.��Bank of America trades for $8.04 on Monday, giving Buffett a paper profit of $656 million already.
Bank of America had mixed financial results in 2011. Deposits declined from $13.6 billion in 2010 to $12.7 billion in 2011, as 9.6 percent of all bank customers switched banks, compared to 8.7 percent in 2010. Bank of America particularly suffered customer backlash from its attempt to raise fees in order to generate revenue. Revenue declined from $52.7 billion in 2010, to $45.6 billion in 2011. Net income increased to $1.4 billion in 2011 from a net loss of $2.2 billion in 2010.
Best Recreation Companies To Invest In 2015: Medical Marijuana Inc (MJNA.PK)
Medical Marijuana Inc. (MJNA), incorporated on May 23, 2005, is the publicly held company vested in the medical marijuana and industrial hemp markets. The Company is comprised of a diversified portfolio of products, services, technology and businesses solely focused on the cannabis and hemp industries. These products range from patented based cannabinoid products, to whole plant or isolated high value extracts specifically manufactured and formulated for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries. In March 2013, it sold certain equipment and inventory, web domain names, phone numbers, and all existing and pending agreements with hemp production and processing facilities to CannaVEST Corp.
The Company�� services are varied, ranging from medical clinic management to the capitalization and development of existing industry business and product leaders. Services include development of cannabinoid based health and wellness products, and the development of medical grade compounds. MJNA provides over 50 and patented cannabinoid delivery methods that are more socially and medically acceptable than smoking.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alan Brochstein]
Taking into account all of the data I have shared, I want to introduce my take on the most important names to follow. My initial list takes into account not only the market cap, but also business model and interest level. These are the stocks that I think merit the most attention (in alphabetical order):
CannaVest (CANV.OB)GW Pharma (GWPH)MedBox (MDBX.PK)Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA.PK)CANV doesn't really trade, as it is held closely by insiders (99.7%, including MJNA). I have a few concerns, including the valuation and some near-term financial challenges typical of a start-up with just one client looking to expand its customer base, but I like the focus and the fact that it is an SEC filer with a relatively clean history (i.e. none of the baggage of some of these other companies). I have spoken to its outsourced CFO and am impressed by his background (has been CFO or held key financial roles at publicly-traded healthcare companies). CANV is the partner to MJNA that is responsible for manufacturing the CBD (Cannibidiol, the cannabinoid in marijuana that is increasingly viewed as offering substantial medical benefits). I am very concerned about the near-term financials, but this is a pure-play with probably a two-year lead over other companies. I don't see a moat in terms of intellectual property or brands, but they have a good lead in terms of sourcing of supply and penetration into potential customers. Quite simply, they don't appear to have competition at present. The company, then, is a call option on CBD demand taking off. It appears that it could be a supplier to even Big Pharma should medical marijuana research move into the mainstream.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2014: World Fuel Services Corporation (INT)
World Fuel Services Corporation, a fuel logistics company, engages in marketing, selling, and distributing aviation, marine, and land fuel products and related services worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Aviation, Marine, and Land. The Aviation segment offers fuel and related services to commercial airlines, second and third-tier airlines, cargo carriers, regional and low cost carriers, airports, fixed based operators, corporate fleets, fractional operators, private aircraft, military fleets, and to the U.S. and foreign governments. Its aviation related services include fuel management, price risk management, arranging ground handling, and dispatch services; and arranging and providing international trip planning, including flight plans, weather reports, and overflight permits. The Marine segment offers fuel and related services to international container and tanker fleets, commercial cruise lines, yachts, and time-charter operators, as well as to the U.S. and foreign governments. Its marine fuel related services comprise management services for the procurement of fuel, cost control, quality control, and claims management. This segment also provides various services, which consist of fueling of vessels in port and sea, and transportation and delivery of fuel and fuel products. The Land segment offers fuel and related services to petroleum distributors operating in the land transportation market; retail petroleum operators; and industrial, commercial, and government customers, as well as engages in crude oil marketing activities. Its land related services include management services for the procurement of fuel and price risk management. In addition, the company offers transaction management services, which consists of card payment solutions and merchant processing services to customers in the aviation, marine, and land transportation industries. World Fuel Services Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
World Fuel Services (NYSE: INT ) is about to pump out its latest distribution to stockholders. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.0375 per share of its stock, to be paid on July 5 to shareholders of record as of June 21.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, fuel logistics company World Fuel Services (NYSE: INT ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2014: NTT DOCOMO Inc(DCM)
NTT DOCOMO, Inc. provides wireless telecommunications services, packet communications services, and satellite mobile communications services in Japan. It offers wireless voice and data communication services, such as second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) cellular services, and mobile multimedia services. The company provides mova services, on the 2G network, compatible with voice and data communication; FOMA services, on its 3G network, with voice and high-speed data communication, which are compatible with various services, such as videophone and video content downloading; and i-mode services, which are wireless Internet access services. As of March 31, 2010, it had approximately 56.08 million cellular subscribers. NTT DOCOMO also offers packet communications services, such as wireless data communications services using packet switching; satellite mobile communication services for communications in case of emergencies; and international calling and internationa l roaming services. In addition, the company provides mopera U Internet connection services for data cards and smartphones; embedded modules for automobile fleet management, wireless credit card settlement systems, and telemetric systems for automatic inventory checks between vending machines and service centers; and MyArea services that offer high-speed packet communication services for homes. Further, it offers home shopping services through TV media, high-speed Internet connection services for hotel facilities, advertisement services, and credit services, as well as develops, sells, and maintains IT systems. The company was formerly known as NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. and changed its name to NTT DOCOMO, Inc. in April 2000. NTT DOCOMO was founded in 1991 and is based in Tokyo, Japan. NTT DOCOMO, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By gurujx]
NTT DoCoMo Inc (DCM) Reached the 52-Week High of $16.43
NTT DoCoMo Inc is a wireless telecommunications services provider. NTT DoCoMo Inc has a market cap of $68.13 billion; its shares were traded at around $16.43 with a P/E ratio of 14.00 and P/S ratio of 1.60. The dividend yield of NTT DoCoMo Inc stocks is 3.50%.
- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
Another carrier headwind
China Mobile isn't the only carrier that could boost results. Apple also inked a partnership with NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM ) last September. While that was several quarters ago, it takes time to fully meet pent-up demand within large subscriber bases. NTT DoCoMo is Japan's largest, with 63.1 million subscribers at last count. - [By Evan Niu, CFA]
That's not to say that Apple doesn't have opportunities there, but rather that the country isn't at the top of its priority list. Apple has never inked a deal with Japan's largest wireless carrier, NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM ) , either. The top carrier currently has 61.6 million subscribers. Japan is actually one of the few countries where iOS has Android beat in market share. Kantar Worldpanel Comtech's first-quarter estimates peg iOS at 49.2%, with Android at 45.8%.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2014: British/Swiss Franc(UN)
UNILEVER N.V. operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It offers personal care products, including skin care and hair care products, deodorants, and oral care products under the brand names of Axe, Brylcreem, Dove, Fissan, Lifebuoy, Lux, Pond's, Radox, Rexona, Signal & Close Up, Simple, St Ives, Sunsilk, TRESemm� Vaseline, and VO5. The company also provides home care products comprising laundry tablets, powders and liquids, soap bars, and various cleaning products under the Cif, Comfort, Domestos, Omo, Radiant, Sunlight, and Surf brand names. In addition, it offers food products consisting of soups, bouillons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and spreads, as well as cooking products, such as liquid margarines. The company markets its food products under the brand names of Becel/Flora, Bertolli, Blue Band, Rama, Hellmann?s, Amora, and Knorr. Further, it provides refreshment products, which include ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight-management products, and nutritionally enhanced staples under the brand names of Heartbrand, Lipton, and Slim?Fast. UNILEVER N.V. sells its products through its own sales force, as well as through independent brokers, agents, and distributors to chain, wholesale, co-operative and independent grocery accounts, food service distributors, and institutions. The company, formerly known as Naamlooze Vennootschap Margarine Unie, was founded in 1927 and is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Unilever N.V. is a subsidiary of The Unilever Group.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Philip Springer]
What’s this week’s big story for investors?
Candidate #1: RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) said it will close up to 1,100 of its nearly 5,200 US stores amid widening losses. The company also announced that revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013 fell 20 percent from year-earlier levels.
It doesn’t matter whether the latest announcement is in addition to or merely an expansion of the company’s Feb. 5 statement that it would close 500 stores. That, in turn, shortly followed the beleaguered company’s $4 million expenditure for a widely praised but clearly ill-timed 30-second ad during the Super Bowl.
Also this week, Radio Shack agreed to pay its top executives “retention” bonuses, saying their skills are critical to the company�� comeback plan. CEO Joe Magnacca will get a $500,000 payment, while other executives will receive $187,500 to $275,000.
The stock currently trades around $2, down from its 1999 peak of $61.
No, that’s not the week’s big story. But it was too good to ignore.
Candidate #2: The current bull market celebrates its fifth birthday this week, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 delivering a total return of about 175 percent during that time.
Since 1921, the median bull market has been 50 months long and has delivered 115 percent in price appreciation. So this market is older and better than most. Still, the conditions aren’t yet present to suggest the end is near. Indeed, Wednesday’s advance, the best of the year to date, was exceptional for both its breadth and heavy volume.
The five-year anniversary also means that stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds and so on will boast very good five-year returns. Don’t be overly impressed. Reason: Almost everybody will be a winner. (Other than Radio Shack.) But you should dig deeper: Comparisons will be useful to sort out leaders and laggards for potential investme
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2014: VIVUS Inc (VVUS)
VIVUS, Inc., incorporated on May 16, 1996, is a biopharmaceutical company. It commercializes and develops therapies to address unmet needs in obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes and sexual health. The Company's drug, Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate extended-release) was approved by the the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of obesity as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adult patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater (obese), or 27 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia). Qsymia incorporates low doses of active ingredients from two previously approved drugs, phentermine and topiramate. It has completed Phase 2 clinical studies for Qsymia for the treatment of sleeps apnea and Qsymia for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Its drug also includes STENDRA, or avanafil.
Qsymia for the treatment of obesity was approved as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adult patients with an initial BMI of 30 or greater (obese), or 27 or greater (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus or high cholesterol (dyslipidemia). Qsymia incorporates low doses of active ingredients from two previously approved drugs, phentermine and topiramate.
The Company initially launched Qsymia for distribution to eligible patients through the home delivery networks of two certified pharmacies, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens. Since then, it has expanded the distribution of Qsymia to include the home delivery networks of Express Scripts, Wal-Mart Pharmacy and, for its members only, Kaiser Permanente. Clinical studies of topiramate, a component of Qsymia, in type 2 diabetics resulted in a clinically reduction of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The! Company's drug, STENDRA (avanafil), is an oral PDE5 inhibitor the Company has licensed from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Orelli]
Three different CEOs in a month and a half. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS ) accelerating sales of its obesity drug Qsymia.
- [By Keith Speights]
That wasn't the only analyst action in the obesity drug market. Cowen initiated coverage on Arena and one rival --�Orexigen Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OREX ) . The investment firm also upgraded Vivus (NASDAQ: VVUS ) .�
- [By Brian Orelli]
A fat investment opportunity
Two, in fact. Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA ) and VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS ) have both recently launched obesity drugs. - [By Sean Williams]
Over the previous two days, we've looked at chronic weight management company VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS ) , and advanced prostate cancer treatment provider Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN ) , as two companies that missed the ball with their marketing and/or pricing. Both companies, I feel, would do well to seek out an experienced marketing partner to help increase product sales, and share in the costs of that marketing and production.
Today, in the third and final installment of three biotech companies that could desperately use a marketing partner, I would like to look more closely at Amarin (NASDAQ: AMRN ) , and discuss why I feel it would be wise to find a big pharma friend.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2014: Cosan Ltd (CZZ)
Cosan Limited (Cosan), incorporated on April 30, 2007, is a holding company. The Company is engaged in the production of ethanol and sugar, the marketing and distribution of fuel and lubricants in Brazil, and logistics services in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Company imports, exports, produces and sells ethanol, sugar, sugarcane and other sugar by-products. It distributes and sells fuel and other fuel by-products. The Company produces and markets electricity, steam and other co-generation by-products. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it operated 24 mills. On February 18, 2011, Cosan, through its subsidiary Cosan S.A. Acucar e Alcool acquired 100% of the voting corporate capital of Cosan Araraquara Acucar e Alcool Ltda., (Usina Zanin).
The Company operates in three in segments: sugar and ethanol (S&E), fuel distribution and lubricants (CCL) and sugar logistics (Rumo Logistica). The sugar and ethanol segment operates and produces a range of sugar products, including raw, organic, crystal and refined sugars and consumer products under the Da Barra and Uniao brands, which are sold to a range of customers in Brazil and abroad, as well as produces and sells hydrous, anhydrous and industrial ethanol, which are sold to the Brazilian market. The sugar and ethanol segment also includes energy co-generation activities and land development businesses. Its fuel distribution and lubricants segment includes the distribution and marketing of fuels, mainly through franchised network of service stations under the brand Esso throughout the national territory, and production, distribution and marketing of lubricants licensed from ExxonMobil International Holdings B.V.. Its sugar logistics segment provides logistics services for the transport, storage and port lifting of sugar.
Sugar and Ethanol segment
As of March 31, 2011 the Company leased 437,698 hectares, through 2,128 land lease contracts with an average term of five years. During fiscal 2011,! it harvested from owned or leased lands 27.4 million tons, of the sugarcane and purchased from third-party growers the 26.8 million tons of sugarcane. During fiscal 2011, its accumulated sugar extraction was 139.0 kilograms of total sugar recovered (TSR) per ton of sugarcane and its agricultural yield was 91.4 tons of sugarcane per hectare. It produces ethanol through a chemical process called yeasting. It produces and sells three types of ethanol: hydrous ethanol and anhydrous ethanol for fuel and industrial ethanol. It sells ethanol through gasoline distributors in Brazil mainly at the mill that sell it to retailers that then sell it at the pump to customers.
During fiscal year 2011, the Company sold 4.3 million tons of sugar. The Company produces a range of standard sugars, including raw sugar, crystal sugar and organic sugar, and refined sugars, including granulated refined white sugar, amorphous refined sugar, refined sucrose liquid sugar and refined inverted liquid sugar. Its Sao Francisco mill and the Da Barra mill produce refined sugar. It also sells industrial alcohol, which is used in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. It sells sugar to a range of customers in Brazil and in the international markets. Its customers in Brazil include retail supermarkets, foodservice distributors and food manufacturers, for which it sells refined and liquid sugar.
Fuel distribution and lubricants
The Company�� fuel distribution business is engaged in sourcing, storing, blending and distributing primarily gasoline, ethanol, diesel and fuel oil through its retail network of approximately 4,500 Esso and Shell-branded stations. During fiscal 2011, it sold approximately 1.03 billion liters of fuels, consisting of 96.0% diesel and 4.0% gasoline, ethanol and other fuels to its industrial and wholesale clients. During fiscal 2011, Cosan Combustiveise Lubrificantes S.A. (CCL) sold a total of 166.4 million liters of lubricants. Its lubricant operations consist of a wholly o! wned Lubr! icants Oil Blending Plant (LOBP), located in Rio de Janeiro, with annual production capacity of 1.4 million barrels of lubricants per year, including 48,000 barrels of grease per year.
Sugar Logistics
The Company owns and operates a sugar-loading terminal at the Port of Santos in the State of Sao Paulo through its subsidiary Rumo Logistica. It offers logistics solution to sugar producers located in the Center South of Brazil by transporting sugar from the mill by truck or rail to be loaded at its bulk sugar port terminal in Santos. It also offer sugar storage services.
The Company competes with Copersucar, Sudzucker AG, Petrobras, Ultrapar S.A., Shell Brasil Ltda. and AleSat Combustiveis S.A.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Cosan (NYSE: CZZ) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.16 per share.
ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.11 per share on revenue of $348.98 million.
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