Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now

Small cap stocks Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA), Puget Technologies Inc (OTCBB: PUGE) and PTA Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: PTAH) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small caps have been the subject of paid promotions while the third is getting attention largely because its in the growing marijuana or cannabis business. With that in mind, are these stocks really all that hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:

Inscor, Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA) Appoints a 4-Time NBA Champion to Market Its Products

Small cap Inscor, Inc specializes in educating and marketing the FIT OPEB plan to municipalities and corporations as a low-cost solution to funding retiree and other employee benefits. On Friday, Inscor, Inc fell 2.17% to $0.450 for a market cap of $95.25 million plus IOGA is up 542.9% over the past five years and down 55.45% over the past five years in intermittent trading according to Google Finance.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: OCZ Technology Group Inc(OCZ)

OCZ Technology Group, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes computer components for computing devices and systems worldwide. It primarily offers solid state drives, flash memory storage, memory modules, thermal management solutions, AC/DC switching power supply units, and computer gaming solutions. The company?s products are used in industrial equipment and computer systems; computer and computer gaming solutions; mission critical servers and high end workstations; personal computer (PC) upgrades to extend the useable life of existing PCs; high performance computing and scientific computing; video and music editing; home theatre PCs and digital home convergence products; and digital photography and digital image manipulation computers. OCZ Technology Group, Inc. offers its products to retailers, on-line retailers, original equipment manufacturers, systems integrators, and distributors. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in San Jose, Califo rnia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  The not-so-great and wonderful OCZ
  There was no company-specific news that caused solid-state-drive maker OCZ Technology (NASDAQ: OCZ  ) to fall almost 8% Wednesday. But an article that appeared on Seeking Alpha �questioning whether the company had six months or less to live before it filed for bankruptcy seemed to coincide with its fall.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: InterDigital Inc.(IDCC)

Interdigital, Inc. engages in the design and development of digital wireless technology solutions. The company offers technology solutions for use in digital cellular and wireless products and networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and IEEE 802-related products and networks. It holds patents related to the fundamental technologies that enable wireless communications. The company licenses its patents to equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular and IEEE 802-related products; and licenses or sells mobile broadband modem solutions, including modem IP, know-how, and reference platforms to mobile device manufacturers, semiconductor companies, and other equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular products. InterDigital?s solutions are incorporated in various products comprising mobile devices, such as cellular phones, tablets, notebook computers, and wireless personal digital assistants; wireless infrastructure equipment, such as base stations; and components, dongles, and modules for wireless devices. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC) reported that certain of its subsidiaries have completed the previously announced sale of roughly 1,700 patents and patent applications to Intel Corporation for $375 million in cash.

Hot Undervalued Companies For 2014: ATA Inc.(ATAI)

ATA Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides computer-based testing services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers services for the creation and delivery of computer-based tests utilizing its test delivery platform, proprietary testing technologies, and testing services; and provides logistical support services relating to test administration. The company?s computer-based testing services are used for professional licensure and certification tests in various industries, including information technology (IT) services, banking, securities, teaching, and insurance. Its e-testing platform integrates various aspects of the test delivery process for computer-based tests ranging from test form compilation to test scoring, and results analysis. ATA also provides career-oriented educational services, such as single course programs, degree major course programs, and pre-occupational training programs focusing on preparing students to pass IT and other vocational certification tests; test preparation and training programs and services to test candidates preparing to take professional certification tests in securities, futures, banking, insurance and teaching industries; online test preparation and training platform for the securities and banking industries; and test preparation software for the teaching industry. In addition, the company offers HR select employee assessment solution, an online system that utilizes its proprietary software and an inventory of test titles to help employers improve the efficiency and accuracy of their employee recruitment process. As of March 31, 2010, it had contractual relationships with 1,988 ATA authorized test centers. The company serves Chinese governmental agencies, professional associations, IT vendors, and Chinese educational institutions, as well as individual test preparation services. ATA Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: Hot Topic Inc.(HOTT)

Hot Topic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a mall- and Web-based specialty retailer in the United States. The company operates Hot Topic and Torrid store concepts, as well as an e-space music discovery concept, ShockHound. Its Hot Topic stores sell music/pop culture-licensed merchandise, including tee shirts, hats, posters, stickers, patches, postcards, books, novelty accessories, CDs, and DVDs; and music/pop culture-influenced merchandise comprising women?s and men?s apparel and accessories, such as woven and knit tops, skirts, pants, shorts, jackets, shoes, costume jewelry, body jewelry, sunglasses, cosmetics, leather accessories, and gift items for young men and women primarily between the ages of 12 and 22. The company?s Torrid stores sells casual and dressy jeans and pants, fashion and novelty tops, sweaters, skirts, jackets, dresses, hosiery, shoes, intimate apparel, and fashion accessories for various lifestyles for plus-size females primarily betw een the ages of 15 and 29. As of July 30, 2011, it operated 636 Hot Topic stores in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada; 145 Torrid stores; and Internet stores, hottopic.com and torrid.com. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in City of Industry, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marshall Hargrave]

  In May True Religion (TRGL) announced a buyout offer from TowerBrook Capital for $826 million. Also in May, Rue21 decided to sell itself to Apax Partners for $2.2 billion. Before that, in March, Hot Topic (HOTT) announced that Sycamore Partners was buying out it out for $600 million.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: China Metro-Rural Holdings Limited(CNR)

China Metro-Rural Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the development and operation of agricultural logistics and trade centers in northeast China. It also involves in purchasing, processing, assembling, merchandising, and distributing pearls and jewelry products. The company markets its pearls and jewelry products to wholesale distributors and mass merchandisers in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia. In addition, it develops, sells, and leases residential and commercial properties in Hong Kong and the People?s Republic of China. The company is based in Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Katie Brennan]

  Canadian National Railway Co. (CNR) added 0.9 percent to C$104.93 and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. rose 1.7 percent to C$131.73.

  Niko Resources surged 3.4 percent to $8.64 after the company entered an agreement for a $60 million loan that will be funded by a group of institutional investors. Net proceeds from the loan will be used to fund working capital requirements.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: EZchip Semiconductor Limited(EZCH)

EZchip, a fabless semiconductor company, engages in the development and marketing of Ethernet network processors for networking equipment. Its products include network processor chips, evaluation boards and network-processor based systems, and development software toolkits. The company offers network processors for use in forming the silicon core of networking equipment, such as switches and routers; and for voice, video and data integration in various applications. Its network processors are single-chip solutions, which enable its customers to design multi-port line cards, such as processing and classification engines, traffic managers, media access controllers, as well as a range of specialized hardware blocks that accelerate various functions. The company offers Evaluation systems which enable customers to test NPU-based systems; and toolkits that assist customers in creating, verifying, and implementing solutions based on its network processors. It provides a library f eaturing data plane code for a range of applications, which include Metro Ethernet protocols, Multi-Protocol Label Switching, IPv4 and IPv6 routing, Access Control Lists, GPON/EPON OLT functionality, Network Address Translation, and Server Load Balancing. The company sells its products directly, and through contract manufacturers and distributors to network equipment vendors. It markets its products in Israel, China, Hong Kong, the Far East, Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company was formerly known as LanOptics Ltd. and changed its name to EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. in July 2008. EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. was founded in 1989 and is based in Yokneam, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH) was also up, gaining 7.16 percent to $24.11 after a Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) announced a new product that would not threaten the company as previously thought. Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Cypress Semiconductor (NASDAQ: CY) were down 16.05 percent to $9.91 after the company lowered its Q3 forecast.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH) shares climbed 5.80% to $23.53. The volume of EZchip Semiconductor shares traded was 635% higher than normal. EZchip Semiconductor's PEG ratio is 1.57.

• [By Paul McWilliams]

  Paul McWilliams: Oh, absolutely. Another company that most investors probably have never heard of is a tiny little Israeli semiconductor company named EZChip (EZCH).

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: FuelCell Energy Inc.(FCEL)

FuelCell Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, manufacturing, and sale of high temperature fuel cells for clean electric power generation primarily in South Korea, the United States, Germany, Canada, and Japan. The company offers proprietary carbonate Direct FuelCell Power Plants that electrochemically produce electricity from hydrocarbon fuels, such as natural gas and biogas. Its fuel cells operate on a range of hydrocarbon fuels, including natural gas, renewable biogas, propane, methanol, coal gas, and coal mine methane. The company also develops carbonate fuel cells, planar solid oxide fuel cell technology, and other fuel cell technologies. It provides its products to universities; manufacturers; mission critical institutions, such as correction facilities and government installations; hotels; and natural gas letdown stations, as well as to customers who use renewable biogas for fuel, including municipal water treatment facilities, br eweries, and food processors. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Green Energy Addict]

  On June 3, 2013 I gave my 5 Bullish Signs ahead of the FuelCell Energy (FCEL) Q2 2013 earnings report. I cited the large backlog as one of the reasons for my bullish views. I gave as my reasoning the following:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  FuelCell Energy Inc.'s(FCEL) fiscal fourth-quarter loss narrowed as the power-equipment maker reported broad sales growth across all segments and wider gross margins. But the loss was still steeper than expected, sending shares down 11% to $1.65 premarket.

• [By John Udovich]

  Despite horrendous losses for investors over the long term, small cap fuel cell stocks FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL) and Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) have both made gains this year. However, which is the better small cap fuel cell stock for investors moving forward or should you just ignore both?

• [By John Udovich]

  Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) has a growing�battery fire mess on its hand but should investors in small cap fuel cell stock Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) be more worried than investors in fuel cell peers like FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL) and Ballard Power Systems Inc (NASDAQ: BLDP)? After all, Tesla Motors Inc�� battery fire problems seem to result from drivers running over debris that damage�or pierce the undercarriage rather than with the batteries�themselves (as in Boeing�� case). Nevertheless, any news about batteries or fuel cells and the like catching on fire could spill over�and impact peers - unless there are other concerns for investors. ��

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: Petroquest Energy Inc(PQ)

PetroQuest Energy, Inc. operates as an independent oil and gas company. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of oil and gas properties in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, as well as onshore and in the shallow waters offshore the Gulf Coast Basin. As of December 31, 2009, the company had estimated proved reserves of 1,931 thousand barrels of oil and 167,361 million cubic feet equivalent of natural gas. It owned working interests in 9 net producing oil wells and 277 net producing gas wells. PetroQuest Energy was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  PetroQuest Energy Inc. (NYSE: PQ) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at J.P. Morgan.

  Rubicon Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: RBCN) was downgraded to Underperform from Perform at Oppenheimer.

The Other Forgotten Metal Could Double, Too

We looked at aluminum last time, where the profit potential remains unusually high. But now it's time to look at the other "forgotten" metal.

This one, as you'll see, is already the most-used metal in the world.

And shares of its best producer could double...

A $500 Million Bet on Iron Ore

Remember, Mick Davis doesn't just know commodities. He bets on them. Big. And he wins.

And now he's at it again...

As you'll recall from last time, his X2 Resources has raised $1 billion to acquire attractive commodity assets.

Half of that sum is coming from Noble Group Limited (SGX: N21). Noble is positioning itself as the preferred marketer and provider of supply chain management and logistics services to X2.

Iron ore is also one of Noble's core commodities. That puts it directly in Mick Davis' sights - and ours. Take a look at this chart...

Iron ore prices have struggled since peaking in early 2011.

But that may be changing.

Last month, Australia, the largest iron ore exporter, upped its estimated prices, citing swelling Chinese demand for the raw material. Prices for 62% iron ore delivered to the Chinese port of Tianjin are up 19% from their May lows.

What's more, Australia's Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics forecasts 16% higher iron ore exports this year over last, and an average 8% annual growth from 2014 to 2018.

Chinese ore production has seen declining grades and output, forcing the world's largest producer to increasingly rely on imports as they strive to enhance the quality of their production.

China is just the tip of the iceberg.

The supply and demand dynamics of iron ore are about to shift dramatically... in demand's favor.

Red Tape Is Choking Supply

While McKinsey & Company expects Chinese growth to top 7% through 2015, the supply-demand dynamics in this market are not all about China. Recent events in India could be foreshadowing ballooning demand there as well.

India's federal government has investigated illegal and unreported iron ore mining over the four years spanning 2006 to 2010. Thanks to the investigations, numerous high-ranking officials have been jailed after more than 110 billion short tons of iron ore may have been mined without permits or paying royalties.

Since then, the Supreme Court of India has banned mining in some of the involved areas, with the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries indicating that iron ore exports have fallen 70% since the ban in Karnataka and Goa states.

The bottom line is that losses in the last fiscal year alone are estimated at $10 billion worth of iron ore exports. And it's expected that India will soon become a net importer of the material.

Meanwhile a few continents away, other problems are brewing.

Tiny Uruguay holds outsized quantities of iron ore - as much as 275 billion short tons.

But here's where it gets really interesting: Should these resources be mined, they could turn Uruguay into the eighth-largest iron ore producer.

A single project, the Valentines, being advanced by London-based Zamin Ferrous Limited, could see as much as $3 billion invested, the largest foreign direct investment in the country's history. The Valentines would produce nearly 20 short tons of iron ore annually and generate $1.4 billion per year in exports over 20 years.

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Lawmakers passed a law aimed at regulating large-scale mining, but that hasn't assuaged the locals.

Last month, 2,000 people, including environmentalists, descended on the capital, Montevideo, to protest against the large-scale mining projects likely to break ground soon.

One area, Lavalleja, even passed its own law to ban open-pit mineral extraction in the department. Along with protestors, authorities here see foreign mining as a threat to Uruguay's own mining industry.

Challenges like these put a big question mark on foreign-funded Uruguayan iron ore mining. That it will proceed smoothly - or even proceed at all - seems to be anyone's guess right now.

And that puts even more iron ore production in doubt, just as demand is on the mend - potentially in a big way, given India's and China's own production difficulties.

Rio Tinto plc (ADR) (NYSE: RIO) projects 771 million short tons of iron ore will be required to meet demand over the next seven years. But lower grades and rising capital expenditures have upped costs, creating further challenges to supply.

The lowdown of all this is that iron ore prices will have to go up, so that production costs and demand can meet in a happy place.

And that points to better times ahead for iron ore producers.

My Favorite Iron Investment Could Double

I prefer to go right to the source, to the world's largest producer of iron ore.

Vale SA (ADR) (NYSE: VALE) is headquartered in Brazil and operates in more than 30 countries. It's an $85 billion company that derives 50% of its revenues from Asia. Sixty-nine percent of its worldwide revenue comes from iron ore and pellets.

Other resources Vale produces are copper, coal, fertilizers, and manganese, but altogether they only contribute about 30% of revenues.

Shares peaked above $35 in early 2011 and then started on a sustained downtrend. The price gave back nearly two-thirds from its high, bottoming at around $12 in July. But shares are up 33% already since then, and I think there's a lot more to come.

With a trailing P/E at 36, shares look pricey, but that's like driving by looking only in the rearview mirror. Consensus estimates put the full-year 2014 P/E at 8, implying much higher earnings over the course of next year.

As we know, earnings ultimately drive stock prices, so with this kind of deep value, I don't expect Vale to stay this cheap for long.

The next move is yours.

Small-Cap Trio for International Exposure

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We like the idea of attaining at least some of an investor's international exposure from small-caps. Foreign small-caps tend to sell more into their home markets and less into global export markets, and are therefore more independent of global macroeconomic factors, suggests Mark Salzinger, editor of The No-Load Fund Investor.

However, not every investor wants the risk of a fund that invests solely in small-caps overseas. By adding small US stocks to the mix within one global equity fund, the product's risk may be reduced.

However, there are only five or six global small-cap products in the entire universe of no-load funds. The good news is, at least three of them are worth consideration, especially if your investment horizon is at least three years.

Wasatch Global Opportunities (US:WAGOX) is managed by J.B. Taylor and Ajay Krishnan. Taylor picks the US stocks, while Krishnan picks the foreign ones.

In the three-year period ended September 30, 2013, the fund produced an annualized gain of 14.1%, among the top performers in the Global Equity category of our Performance Comparison tables.

Global Opportunities includes the small- and micro-cap companies in which Wasatch has the most conviction.

Though the fund recently offered exposure to stocks domiciled in 25 countries, Krishnan doesn't pick countries; instead, he and Taylor attempt to provide exposure to most market sectors, allowing country diversification to fall out as it may.

This strikes us as a smart strategy, partly because it enables the fund to own excellent companies that may perform well, even in weak home countries.

Grandeur Peak Global Reach (US:GPROX) was launched in June 2013, but its management team is one of the most experienced around for global small-cap investing.

Robert Gardiner, who founded Grandeur Peak Global Advisors in 2011, spent the previous quarter century at Wasatch Advisors. He is joined by fellow lead manager Blake Walker, who has worked with Gardiner since 2001, and three associate portfolio managers. The firm also includes 14 equity analysts.

Essentially, the managers are looking for small- and even micro-cap companies that are going to get big.

They want small companies that have the best products, market leadership, or some other competitive advantage on which they can hang their hats for the next five or ten years.

They also look for Fallen Angels—quality growth companies that have hit a bump in the road. Grandeur Peak wants to buy them when they are priced like value stocks, hold through a recovery as earnings growth returns.

Artisan Global Small Cap (US:ARTWX) also launched in June. The fund is managed by a very experienced team led by Mark Yockey, who joined Artisan Partners in 1995.

Yockey et al. incorporates investment themes into their process. In fact, many of their holdings fit into one or more of the following themes: demographics, technology, privatization/deregulation, outsourcing, and infrastructure.

Essentially, they are trying to find high-quality small-cap companies that will be major long-term beneficiaries of powerful trends in these areas.

They are especially interested in finding companies that will benefit from rising incomes among the masses in highly populated emerging markets.

Also, Yockey et al. appear to favor more mature companies, with slower rates of growth but also much lower valuations. Additionally, the portfolio is more focused: only 32 holdings.

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Alcatel Building 100G Line to Moscow

It's been a little over a century since France's Napoleon Bonaparte marched on Moscow, and disaster ensued. One hundred and one years later, let's hope France's latest Russian adventure works out better.

On Thursday, French telecom equipment giant Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU  ) announced that it is partnering with Russian telco Avelacom to build a 100 gigabit-per-second (100G) optical backbone network from London to Moscow. Based on Alcatel-Lucent's Agile Optical Networking technology, the 100G optical network will permit high-capacity, low-latency, high-speed distribution of data between the two capitols. The network will also tie up with Avelacom's existing lines among Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Baltic states, Scandinavia, and Western Europe.

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Alcatel says technology will permit the transmission of data at 100G speeds across each of 88 optical wavelengths along each strand of fiber on the conduit, "significantly boosting network capacity and performance, as well as providing a clear evolutionary path to 400G connectivity and beyond."

The company's President for the EMEA region, Luis Martinez Amago, noted that this line will be Alcatel's "first deployment of a low latency 100G [Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing] network in the Nordic and Baltic regions." 

Business Sales Slump for March

Business sales slumped in March while inventories stayed steady, according to a Commerce Department report (link opens in PDF) released today.

Seasonally adjusted sales fell 1.1% to $1.27 trillion from February to March. A 1.6% drop in merchant wholesalers had the largest negative impact on March's numbers, but sales went red across the board. Manufacturers' sales decreased 1%, while retailers saw a 0.6% slide.

On the supply side, overall inventory levels remained unchanged from February. Although retailers saw a 0.5% inventory decrease, a 0.4% bump in merchant wholesalers' stocks offset hopes of an inventory squeeze.

To understand the rate at which goods are being made and sold, economists compute an inventories/sales ratio. Since sales fell and inventories remained unchanged from February to March, the inventories/sales ratio increased to 1.29 compared to the previous month's 1.28 value. The March 2012 ratio was 1.26.

Source: census.gov.

In the last 12 months, inventory growth has been more than double sales growth. Total business sales are up 1.8%, while inventories have increased 4.5%. Retailers have seen the largest spread, with sales up just 2.9% compared to a 7.3% jump in inventories.

link

Former Microsoft Corporation Manager Charged with Insider Trading (MSFT)

Former Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) senior manager Brian Jorgenson was charged with insider trading on Thursday.

Last month, Brian Jorgenson a senior manager in MSFT’s Treasury Group was with his wife and four children when the FBI showed up for questioning. Jorgenson confessed that he had given a friend, who was an experienced day trader, confidential information three times in the last year and a half. The former manager said that the two profited by nearly $400,000 from betting correctly that MSFT’s stock would fall after its Q4 earnings and rise after its Q1 earnings.

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On Thursday, Jorgenson and his friend Sean Stokke were charged with 35 felony counts and will be forced to forfeit their profits. MSFT reported that it has a zero tolerance policy against insider trading and had helped in the investigation.

The charges allege that the two friends planned to use the money to start a hedge fund, which indicates that they knew what they were doing. Jorgenson apologized for the illegal trading and reported that greed led him to make the trades.

Microsoft shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Friday. The stock is up 36% YTD.

HD Vest: $700M of Assets on New Portfolio Platform

HD Vest Financial Services says its portfolio-management service, VestAdvisor Select, has gathered over $700 million in client assets since its launch in October 2012.

VestAdvisor Select includes 180 investment models focused on specific client goals, which advisors can work with in designing portoflios.

Each model’s strategy is preset, but advisors “have full discretion in modifying the initial models on a tactical basis to incorporate investments in which they or their clients have high conviction,” the company says.

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“The remarkable response we have seen to the VestAdvisor Select service in only one year–with $700 million in client assets now managed under the program–shows very clearly that advisors want the increased flexibility that comes from engaging with our advisory platform to manage their clients’ assets, while investors recognize the value of putting all of our investment management resources to work alongside their advisor to drive toward their goals,” said President and CEO Roger Ochs, in a press release.

HD Vest supports nearly 5,000 independent financial advisors and is working with Rogerscasey to further support the future growth of the platform, now being used by about 500 reps.

“For our firm, VestAdvisor Select is as much a practice management resource as a portfolio management service, and it has become a crucial part of our business in just one year,” said Gene Bell, president and CEO of Gene Bell & Associates in Bellingham, Wash., and an HD Vest-affiliated financial advisor, in a statement.

“The service allows me to combine the strategies and insights of HD Vest’s portfolio management team with my own investment philosophy and product preferences, while scaling the level of customization in the portfolio to suit my clients’ goals,” Bell said. “The ‘dual discretion’ structure has also helped me focus on growing my business by supporting the full spectrum of my clients’ day-to-day account management needs, including cash withdrawals, rebalancing, monitoring and more.”

Deals for Last-Minute Holiday Shoppers

The Saturday before Christmas, sometimes referred to as Super Saturday, is expected to be one of the busiest shopping days of the holiday season -- second only to Black Friday, according to ShopperTrak, which analyzes retail traffic. However, if shoppers are looking to score last-minute deals on all of their remaining holiday purchases, they might need to adjust their expectations. While bargains can be found right up through Christmas Eve, most won't be on par with Black Friday prices.

SEE ALSO: 15 Gifts That Keep on Giving

"I would not expect any significant discounts as the last weekend before Christmas usually commands enough traffic on its own -- stores don't need to provide any additional incentive to shop," says Michael Brim, founder of BFAds.net, which publishes deals and leaked Black Friday ads.

Many retailers had markdowns of 30% or more and free shipping for online purchases on Free Shipping Day, December 18, and some extended their sales and special offers through December 19. So if you act quickly, you can score savings by shopping online at retailers' sites that are guaranteeing delivery by Christmas Eve.

But if you wait until the weekend (or later) to do your shopping in stores, here's what you can expect to find on sale:

Home goods. Climate-control appliances such as air purifiers, heaters and humidifiers typically are marked down the weekend before Christmas, according to dealnews.com. You'll also see bargains on small appliances and kitchen gadgets, but the discounts will likely be just 20% to 30%. However, you might come across some markdowns as high as 60%, according to dealnews.com.

Pre-wrapped gifts. Gift baskets, already stuffed stockings and similar items will be marked down by as much as 90% at department stores such as JCPenney, Macy's and Sears, according to Offers.com. The deepest discounts will be on Christmas Eve, when stores are eager to clear out this sort of holiday merchandise.

Toys. If you haven't bought gifts for your kids yet, you'll likely find lots of sales on toys in stores on Super Saturday. For example, Toys "R" Us will be open 87 consecutive hours beginning 6 a.m. December 21 and will discount several items and have lots of buy-one-get-one-free deals. According to dealnews.com, Amazon also offers deep discounts on toys the weekend before Christmas -- but you'll need to opt for expedited shipping to get them in time.

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Video games. With the release of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games should be deeply discounted. So if you didn't get your kids one of the newest gaming systems for Christmas, you can save a lot by buying games for older-model systems.

Apparel. If you have people on your gift list -- such as teens -- who want clothing or outerwear for Christmas, you'll be better off giving them gift cards they can use to buy deeply discounted winter apparel during after-Christmas sales. There also are several other items that you should wait until after Christmas to buy because they will go on sale. See 12 Things Not to Buy During the Holidays.

Finally, in your rush to finish your holiday shopping, make sure you don't purchase gifts that are likely to be returned. You don't want to waste your time and money buying things others won't like. If you need ideas and are short on cash, see A Gift-Giving Guide for the Truly Broke.

As pay phones vanish, so does lifeline for many

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For pay phones here and everywhere else in America, the dial tone is flat lining.

In an age when just about everyone seems to have a cellphone, coin-operated phones are disappearing from the landscape at a rapid clip — and with them a lifeline for the poor.

2012: Phone booths disappear
2011: Number of pay phones drops to 425K

Those that remain stand on street corners and in suburban plazas like monuments to history, quaint relics of the past and curiosities to children of the 21st century.

"I've never used a pay phone," Jessica Maye, 20, confessed recently while walking downtown. "I tried to use a pay phone once, but it didn't work, I didn't know how to use it."

Advancements in mobile communications technology and reductions in price have put the pay phone on the endangered species list, and the latest figures show how quickly they are vanishing.

Pay phones in the United States numbered 243,487 at the end of last year, the most recent figures available from the Federal Communications Commission. Ten years earlier, more than 1.7 million were installed across the country with more than 2 million at the turn of the century, according to the FCC.

Waiting for a bus in downtown Rochester, Eddie These defied a reporter to spot someone using one of the pay phones a few yards from the bus shelter.

"They're obsolete. They're like dinosaurs," said These, 57, a Rochester resident who recalled last using a pay phone more than 15 years ago.

A 2002 movie that won't be made again: Colin Farrell, starring in "Phone Booth," is trapped after being told by a caller -- a serial killer with a sniper rifle -- that he'll be shot if he hangs up.! (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

But just as the likes of Maye and These wonder who still plunks down 50 cents — yes, the cost has doubled in the past decade — to make a call, pay phone operators and trade associations insist pay phones are used and serve an invaluable public function.

"The best numbers we have I think underestimate the number of households in America that have no phone at all," said Randy Nichols, president of the American Public Communications Council. "If somebody doesn't have a phone, the only place they can make a call is the pay phone."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 3 million households in the country do not have access to either a landline or cellphone. Residents of those households in many cases rely on borrowing cellphones and pay phones.

James McMullen, 58, of Rochester, is one of those people. He said he uses pay phones every day to place calls to his friends, his doctor, his work and whoever else he may need to reach.

"I use a pay phone just about every day," said McMullen, slapping a thick hand on top of a phone affixed to the Cox Building on St. Paul Street. "I don't use a (cell) phone and I don't have a regular phone, so I use the old iron one."

Another Rochester resident, Randy Tisdale, 33, has a cellphone but said he uses a pay phone every couple of days to save prepaid minutes and money. When he runs out of minutes, he said, he relies on pay phones all the more.

"It's better to have these when you don't have no other phone," Tisdale said, referring to a nearby pay phone.

“I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's a booming, growing business, (but) there's also a public service element to this.”

— Phil Yawman, Frontier Communications

Locally, roughly 264,000 calls were placed last year from the 3,055 pay phones in the Rochester area, according to Frontier Communications Corp., which operates most of the remaining pay phones in the region. That translates to each phone being used ! once ever! y four days — a rate well shy of the 80 to 100 calls a month that industry advocates estimate are needed for a pay phone to turn a profit.

But Frontier points out that the phones also facilitated 3,500 free calls to 411 and 911 last year, and the company says those calls are on track to top 5,200 this year.

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's a booming, growing business," said Phil Yawman, vice president and general manager of Frontier's greater Rochester market. "But it's still a viable piece of what we do and a business that we remain committed to even thought it's not the growth business it was years ago.

"And there's also a public service element to this," he said. "We believe it's important for everyone in this community to be able to get access to the outside world quickly in a time of need."

Emergencies and natural disasters periodically restore the luster of pay phones as streetscape lifelines. Reports of pay phone usage spiked, for instance, in the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, when cellphone service was overwhelmed or towers were rendered useless.

Vanessa Ganzler, 30, of Chili, N.Y., recalled being rescued because of a pay phone during her own minor emergency two months ago, when she discovered her cellphone battery had died and she needed to call a taxi. She said the episode reminded her how valuable pay phones could be in a pinch.

"Not every cellphone company is a 'Can you hear me now?'" said Ganzler, referring to the popular Verizon Wireless slogan. "They're not all reliable."

A pedestrian speaking on a mobile phone walks past a series of old red British phone boxes modeled into a work of art in 2004 in Kingston town centre in southwest London.(Photo: Adam Butler, AP! )

B! y the numbers

• 243,487: pay phones nationwide at the end of 2012

• 425,000: pay phones in 2011

• 1.7 million: pay phones in 2002

• 2.2 million: pay phones in 2000

5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Business

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg From sluggish PC sales to Facebook regaining an important advertiser to a department store chain finally dismissing its inept CEO, let's go over the wonders and blunders of business this week. The PC -- Remember when analysts felt that Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows 8 would breathe new life into the moribund desktop and laptop businesses? Well, it seems to be sucking whatever life was still in the box makers. Industry tracker IDC is reporting that PC shipments plummeted 13.9 percent worldwide during the first quarter. More and more consumers are finding that they can get by with smartphones and tablets, and that's bad news for PC makers. It's also bad news for Microsoft, which is the leader in PC operating systems, but not a player when it comes to the mobile operating system space. Facebook (FB) -- General Motors (GM) dissed Facebook as a premium marketing platform last May, but now it's back with a mobile advertising campaign for a new Chevy car. Having GM back as an advertiser is a big deal. GM embarrassed Facebook by publicly announcing that it was abandoning the social networking website in the days leading up to the poorly received Facebook IPO. Did GM's departure raise doubts about the viability of advertising on social networking websites? Well, GM is back. Facebook will naturally enjoy the ad revenue, but what it really gains here is the validation that it was lacking when GM peeled out last year. J.C. Penney (JCP) -- The Ron Johnson era is finally over at J.C. Penney. Investors were initially pleased with the announcement that the struggling retailer was dismissing its helmsman, but the stock headed lower when it was revealed that former CEO Mike Ullman would be stepping in as interim CEO. Who were J.C. Penney investors expecting to step up? Did they want someone who rose up the ranks at a "cheap chic" darling before launching the wildly successful Apple Store concept that's the toast of the sale per square foot mall equation? I hope not. Going dynamic didn't do J.C. Penney any favors last time out. Better luck next time, J.C. Penney. Just know that fickle retail shoppers don't give chains too many chances. Netflix (NFLX) -- Netflix CEO Reed Hastings didn't waste any time in taking advantage of a new SEC ruling that allows companies to disclose important facts through Facebook, Twitter, and other public social outlets. "Over the last three months, you all watched over 4 billion hours on Netflix," Hastings revealed in a Facebook status update on Thursday. If Hastings posting about service usage on Facebook rings a bell it's because he did the same thing when Netflix surpassed a billion hours of member streaming in a single month nearly a year ago. Netflix is now averaging more than 1.3 billion hours of served content a month. It's Hastings' way of letting folks know that the platform continues to grow in popularity. Google (GOOG) -- Folks living in Austin won't just have next year's installment of the annual South by Southwest festival to look forward to. Google has tapped the trendy Texan city as the next market to get the company's bar-raising Google Fiber service. Google Fiber initially rolled out in Kansas City, offering customers online access at speeds that are 100 times faster than conventional broadband connectivity. Google Fiber also offers a high-def TV service. The dual service will set Austin residents back $120 a month, but frugal Texans may want to consider a free monthly plan that Google offers at significantly slower speeds for a one-time installation fee of $300. Google doesn't want to be your next cable provider. It just wants to make sure that cable companies that offer Internet access don't make connectivity too expensive or burdensome. Google will lead by example, and that's smart.

WhistleBlower–CIC Swiss Bank Aiding Tax Cheats

 

Another Whistle-Blower from CIC Swiss Bank has come forward and wrote Bank Buzz revealing that CIC Swiss Bank and their Parent are still engaging in helping wealthy French tax cheats set up Swiss Bank Accounts.

Here is the full report from the CIC Swiss Bank Whistle-Blower.

Dear Bank Buzz:

I work at CIC Swiss Bank and after seeing a lot of “wrong conduct” at the Bank, I decided to write and reveal what’s really going on at the Bank. It is quite astounding what CIC Swiss Bank and their Parent are doing.

I have been reading your reports on Bank Buzz Report and have to say that most of the articles on your web site are very accurate and you are doing a service in revealing the truth about really what’s going with World Banks.

Recently, all Swiss Banks apologized for helping tax cheats from the US in setting up secret Swiss bank accounts. On September 3, 2013, Mr. Patrick Odier, from the Swiss Bankers Association Chairman said this:

“It was not because we lacked skills and knowledge that we found ourselves in these unfortunate situations. It was because we acted wrongly and we displayed “wrong conduct”.  I regret this all the more because we have damaged the reputation of the entire Swiss financial centre”.

What Mr. Odier was really lamenting was the fact that the Swiss Banks got caught in their “wrong conduct”.  The only reason this crime was uncovered was not because of FINMA or of Swiss Government oversight, it was because a Whistle-Blower by the name of Mr. Bradley Birkenfield,who worked at UBS Swiss Bank, informed the US authorities about the Banks criminal activities. 

UBS Bank eventually admitted their crimes and paid hundreds of millions in fines to the US Government. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg and there is much more “wrong conduct” going on including wrong doings at CIC Swiss Bank, as well as with their Parent, Crédit Mutuel CIC Group headquartered in Paris, France; as they continue to help wealthy French Tax Cheats. I am sure this is going on with many other Swiss Banks who still have a belief in the sacred code of Swiss Bank Secrecy Laws.

Both CIC Swiss Bank and their Parent have helped, and continue to help, thousands of French Tax Cheats set up secret bank accounts through their wholly owned CIC Swiss Bank. That secret has yet to be revealed by the major news media, which have a long history of covering up for the Swiss Banks. But the news media is not the only culprit, FINMA the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, who is supposed to be overseeing the Swiss Banks, often times looks the other way when irregularities by Swiss Banks are reported.  In so doing both the media and FINMA are complicit in their crimes,

The main reason Crédit Mutuel CIC Group bought a Swiss Bank years ago was to help wealthy French tax cheats to open Swiss Bank accounts so they could keep that money in their “CIC Banking Group”.  Since buying the Swiss Bank, billions have been transferred by wealthy French Citizens from their CIC French Bank accounts to their CIC Swiss Bank accounts, all made easily possible by the linked ownership of the Banks.

Recently much of those transfers are being facilitated by Mr.Thomas Mueller, the CEO of CIC Swiss Bank and Christopher Ruch, the head of the Banks legal department; with the help of French based facilitator Mr. Philippe Vidal, Chairman of the Board of Crédit Mutuel CIC Group, Paris, France. I have intimate knowledge about this since I have observed these accounts being opened at CIC Swiss Bank originating from Paris.

However, more and more pressure is being put on the Swiss Banks and FINMA. On November 29, 2013, in the Friday edition of the highly respected Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper, Mr. Patrick Raaflaub, director of FINMA, was forced to “reluctantly” write the Swiss Banks advising them to comply with the new US law. The Swiss Banks have until the end of 2013 to comply with US law and send them information on any US Citizen that has money in a Swiss Bank. However, a prominent Swiss Attorney said that many banks will not participate in the US programme. I know one Bank that won’t be participating and that is CIC Swiss Bank, because I heard bank officials say so.

As time goes by, I am certain more Whistle-Blowers will be coming forward from different Swiss Banks revealing  more ”wrong conduct”.  In so doing more light will be shined upon their “wrongdoings” and more fines will be paid. However, until corrupt Bank officers are sent to jail for “their crimes”, the crimes will continue because the fines are meniscal compared to the profits being made by the Swiss Banks in the commission of their crimes”. Despite the noble rhetoric of Mr. Odier, it’s not about the reputation of Swiss Banks; it’s all about “The Money”.

CIC Swiss Bank Whistle-Blower

 

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Markets

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Airfares Won't Rise, If .... & 4 More Things to Know Today

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Watch For 2014

AP/Susan Walsh • The new CEO of post-merger American Airlines (AAL), Doug Parker, made two statements on CNBC Monday that we really, really want to believe. One: In spite of the merger, airfares won't rise "as long as demand stays the same." And two: Now that all of the majors can pretty much fly you anywhere, they are going to have to compete on service. We're trying to imagine a world in which airlines are serious about wooing ordinary travelers with a better flying experience. • Speaking of air travel, check this out. For sale: One large international airport in a scenic Spanish location -- a steal at just 10 percent of the $1.4 billion it cost to build. It's been unused for a few years, because, turns out, that whole "if you build it, they will come" theory doesn't always apply to new airports in nations experiencing massive real estate bubbles. Yes, you'll have to lay out $140 million, but come on: You can land an Airbus 380 there. What better way to become the envy of all your friends who are tooling around in little Gulfstreams or () Netjets? • The Washington Post has done a fascinating analysis of inequality in America, and how the income and educational "elite" have sorted themselves geographically away from the hoi polloi, and what that means for society at large. It's well worth a read (and you know you're curious about where your ZIP code falls on the spectrum.) Also, for a quick look, here are the top 20 elite ZIP codes. • GM (GM) is officially Government Motors no more, now that the Treasury has sold the last of its stock in the automaker, accepting a $10.7 billion loss on the direct investment. On the up side, it also saved 1.5 million American jobs (keeping those folks off the dole) and preserved $105.3 billion in tax revenues. But forget all that. That's the old General Motors news. The new news is that GM has picked its first woman CEO: Mary Barra, who now holds what many consider the most important job in the company -- senior vice president for global product development. • And finally, it's not just the Average Joes and low-income shoppers who are trimming their budgets this holiday season. Reports show even the rich are taking a frugal tack in their luxury buying.

Can Banks Profit in a Higher Rate Environment Given Expanding Regulations?

Banks have been on the hot seat since the financial crisis in 2008 and continue to feel the pressure of increased regulations.  Financial institutions will face a revamped Volker rule which is scheduled to be approved by regulators on Tuesday December 10, 2013, and given recent stronger economic data could face a challenging interest rate environment.  The question is whether major financial institutions will benefit from higher rates and a yield curve which could continue to steepen in the near future.

The Volker rule is expected to be approved by regulators on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.  There are 5 agencies that need to adopt their own version of the rules, which is why this rule has taken time to integrate.  The new rule will place more restrictions on hedging portfolios, as well as, greater restriction on what is considered proprietary trading.  Proprietary trading is considered trading of funds of the bank for their own benefits which is difficult in some cases to compartmentalize.  For example, if a market maker takes on risks from a client that cannot be hedge immediately, will the Volker rule consider this position proprietary trading.

On Monday, there were a number of reports of regulators examining bank practices in China which further places the spotlight on bank activities.  Many site reports that the Security and Exchange commission is planning on expanding its probe into hiring practices at banks in China. The SEC is looking at whether the banks breached laws relating to foreign bribery by recruiting the family members of government officials in order to win business.  According to sources the probe into JPMorgan's (NYSE: JPM) hiring activities in China has uncovered an email showing a specific relationship between winning government projects and the bank’s hiring practices.

One of the key issues that financial institution will face in the months to come is whether banks can be profitable in a rising rate environment.  Interest rates at the long end of the curve will likely move higher as economic activity reflects stronger results as it did this past week, after a better than expected payroll report.  November’s ISM activity was also robust, and Q3 GDP at 3.6% was much better than expected.  The Federal Reserve has made it clear that tapering its bond purchase program is not the same thing as tightening which will keep the short end on the US interest rate curve pegged to Fed Fund rates until the Fed unwinds its quantitative easing program.  So even though longer term rates will likely rise, the yield curve will probably continue to steepen, as short term rates remain stable.

A steepening yield curve will help financial institutions, as they can borrow short and lend long and profit from the expansion of the yield curve.  A steeping curve environment will likely be beneficial to financial institutions and should help banks expand profit margins despite a rising rate environment.

Financial have lagged the broader market during most of 2013, but expanding economic activity and a steepening yield curve, as well as increasing confidence in many financial institution given increased regulatory scrutiny could give banks a lift and drive profits in 2014.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks For 2014

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Markets Trading Ideas

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Two key industries boost November job gains

Significant job gains last month in two economic bellwethers, construction and manufacturing, are raising expectations for continued strong payroll growth and a strengthening recovery next year.

Together those industries contributed 44,000 new jobs to the overall economy's better-than-expected gain of 203,000, the Labor Department said Friday. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell to a five-year low of 7% from 7.3% in October.

The unemployment rate fell to a five-year low of 7% from 7.3%, the Labor Department said Friday, as federal employees furloughed during October's government shutdown returned to work. . Un employment rose in October because the federal government furloughed about 450,000 workers during the 16-day shutdown. The jobless rate, in turn, was expected to fall in November as those employees were back at work.

JOBS: Falling jobless rate, solid job gains show economy's strength

While the total job advances capped four months of 200,000-plus average gains, economists were especially encouraged by a burgeoning rebound in the bedrock goods-producing sectors. Manufacturers added 27,000 jobs last month — the most since March 2012 — and 66,000 since August after cutting 40,000 the previous five months.

Chad Moutray, chief economist of the National Association of Manufacturers, says producers are responding to a pickup in industrial output as Europe climbs out of recession and the effects of federal budget cuts and tax increases fade.

Construction companies, meanwhile, added 17,000 jobs last month and 60,000 since June after shedding positions in the spring. As the housing recovery and energy boom spread to more states, contractors can no longer meet demand by simply piling more hours on existing workers, says Ken Simonson, chief economist of Associated General Contractors.

MORE: November job gains easily beat economists' forecasts

Manufacturing and construction, which each shed more than 2 million jobs in the recession, are projected to ha! ve breakout years in 2014, adding 180,000 and 300,000 jobs, respectively, Moutray and Simonson estimate.

That could be a boon for the economy because a pickup in both industries ripples through the economy as home building means more furniture sales and production, as well as the need for more services to cater to busier manufacturers.

Manufacturing and construction provide the type of middle-wage jobs that have been shrinking in recent decades. Employees in the sector tend to spend what they earn, says economist Michelle Meyer of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "It's a bit more of a stimulus to the economy," she says.

ANALYSIS: Rates are heading higher, but are still pretty low

November's solid jobs report is sure to add to speculation about whether the Federal Reserve will begin to taper its economy-boosting program of monthly bond purchases at its Dec. 17-18 meeting. Pat O'Keefe, director of economic research at CohnReznick, believes the Fed will hold off, noting much of the unemployment rate decline since September is a result of Americans dropping out of the labor force rather than job growth. Also, another budget standoff in Congress looms in a few weeks.

Still, the economy and labor market are picking up despite nerve-jangling spending showdowns in Washington. Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics says the November report "gives the Fed all the evidence it needs to begin tapering" this month.

Businesses added 196,000 jobs last month. Federal, state and local governments added 7,000. Strong gains in transportation and warehousing, health care and manufacturing led the job growth.

Job gains for September and October were revised up by a total 8,000. September's were revised to 175,000 from 163,000 and October's to 200,000 from 204,000.

The economy has gained more than 2 million jobs so far this year, the most since January-November, 2005. Payroll additions in the past four months now average 204,000.

Other barometers of the labor market last month! were als! o encouraging. The average workweek rose to 34.5 hours from 34.4 hours. Employers often pile more hours on existing workers before adding new ones. And average hourly earnings rose four cents to $24.15.

Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2014

Another possible signal of future hiring is that the number of temporary employees increased by 16,000. Companies typically bring on contingent workers before adding to permanent staff.

And a broader measure of joblessness called the underemployment rate — which includes part-time employees who prefer full-time jobs and those who've given up looking for work, as well as the unemployed —fell to 13.2% from 13.8%. Much of that decline was likely due to the return of furloughed federal workers.

The economy and labor market have proved resilient lately despite the shutdown and the prospect of another Washington budget battle over the next month.

This week, the government revised up its estimate for third-quarter economic growth to an annual rate of 3.6% from 2.8% and measures of recent manufacturing activity and home sales both picked up more than anticipated.

In November, education and health services led job gains with 40,000. Professional and business services added 35,000, transportation and warehousing, 30,000 and retailers, 22,000. Manufacturing and construction, both key sources of middle-income jobs that laid off millions of workers in the recession, are showing signs of strength. Manufacturers added 27,000 jobs as the effects of the European recession and federal spending cuts ease. And construction firms added 17,000 jobs amid a continuing housing recovery.

Best Days for Crowd-Free Holiday Shopping

Andrew A. Nelles/APShoppers along Chicago's Michigan Avenue on Black Friday. The crowds showed up in stores in full force over the long holiday weekend. More than 92 million people shopped on Black Friday this year -- up from 89 million last year, according to the National Retail Federation. And nearly 45 million consumers took advantage of retailers' discounts on Thanksgiving Day this year. Shoppers are expected to continue flocking to malls and shops on the weekends leading up to Christmas -- especially on Saturday, Dec. 21, according to ShopperTrak, which analyzes retail traffic. "There's a reason Black Friday and the Saturday before Christmas attract the heaviest crowds -- retailers flood consumers with discounts and special offers on those days," said ShopperTrak Founder and Executive Vice President Bill Martin in a press release. Consumers don't have to battle the crowds, though, to get deals and better customer service, Martin said. If you're looking for a crowd-free shopping experience, here are the 10 days (starting with the least busy) that are expected to have the smallest amount of foot traffic in stores this holiday season, according to ShopperTrak. Dec. 4, Wednesday Dec. 3, Tuesday Dec. 2, Monday Dec. 11, Wednesday Dec. 9, Monday Dec. 10, Tuesday Dec. 6, Friday Dec. 13, Friday Dec. 12, Thursday Dec. 16, Monday The stores won't be busy on these days because they are all weekdays and most shoppers will be taking a break following the big-spending Black Friday weekend. But given the proximity to Black Friday, a good selection of discounted merchandise will likely still be in stores, according to ShopperTrak.

Mega Million's at $257 Million: Read This Before You Buy a Ticket

Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images The lottery numbers are getting tempting again: Thanks to recent Mega Millions rule changes designed to build bigger jackpots faster, Tuesday night's lottery drawing could win somebody $257 million or more. If a single winner chose the cash prize option instead of the annuity (and the majority of winners do), he or she would cash a $139 million check, according to the Mega Millions website. The odds of winning that life-changing jackpot are less than 1 in 175 million, but the statistics will never discourage those who dream of instant wealth. But maybe they should. Let's do a quick review of what we know about lotteries, and lottery winners. It's Not the Jackpot You Think It Is: If you win the Powerball, you won't actually see the whole $257 million. Uncle Sam places heavy taxes on income that high, so a handsome chunk of your winnings will go to the government. Ironically, a majority of people -- even among the ones who say that the rich should be taxed more -- feel that those lucky souls who win the lottery shouldn't have to pay as much in taxes as people who make their money in more conventional ways. It's a Bad Deal for the Biggest Players: The thought of winning millions is attractive to everyone, but especially attractive to lower classes, who spend up to 9 percent of their income on lottery tickets. With personal debt and unemployment rates at painful levels, who can blame people for being hopeful? But the statistics show that the lottery is a sucker bet. Saddest of all, though the odds are vastly better that you'll get struck by lighting or die from flesh-eating bacteria than win a big lottery payout, 21 percent of American adults agreed with this entirely false statement: "Winning the lottery represents the most practical way [for me] to accumulate several hundred thousand dollars." Really Want to Win? Here's an Almost Guaranteed Way to a $50,000 Prize: A Powerball ticket costs $2. Let's say you're a regular player, who buys five tickets a week. That's $520 a year. Over the course of 30 years, that's $15,600. Our friends over at InvestingAnswers.com did the math on what you'd end up with if you invested that money simply. Result: In retirement, when you need it most, not buying those lottery tickets will likely "win" you more than $50,000! Congratulations! A Useful Analogy: Speaking of retirement, winning the lottery is a lot like retiring: Suddenly, you have all this money and you don't have to work anymore. It's easy to make some impulsive splurges, but remember, the longer your wealth lasts, the longer you benefit from it. And be warned: Major windfalls can attract a large number of new "best friends."

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Aeropostale (NYSE: ARO  ) finished down 10% Friday after the teen-focused clothing retailer posted a weak quarterly earnings report.

So what: Aeropostale reported a per-share loss of $0.16 during the seasonally slow quarter, a penny better than analysts had predicted. Perhaps more concerning, overall revenue fell 9%, though that also topped analyst projections, and same-store sales tumbled 14%. The company blamed clearance markdowns from the holiday season for the revenue drop and also said colder-than-normal weather kept shoppers away. Guidance for the current quarter was lower than expected at a loss of $0.20-$0.15, versus a consensus of a loss of $0.06, indicating that the turnaround plan is not going as hoped.

Now what: The teen clothing market is notoriously fickle, and brand loyalty can change in a flash. A 14% drop in comparable sales would normally be alarming, but I'd wait to see the full year's results before assuming that pattern will hold. Rival Abercrombie & Fitch shares were off 8% after a similarly dismal quarter, so this may have just been a result of industrywide pressures. To stay up to date on the latest Aeropostale news, add the company to your Watchlist here.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Telestone Technologies Corp.(TSTC)

Telestone Technologies Corporation offers wireless local-access network technologies and solutions primarily in the People?s Republic of China. Its access-network solutions include the research and development, and application of access network technology. The company designs and sells electronic equipments, such as wireless fiber-optic distribution system products, RFPA products, passive components, repeaters, radio frequency peripherals, and base station antennas used to provide access network solutions for 2G, 3G, broadband access, and CATV networks. It also offers project design, project management, installation, maintenance, and other after-sales services. In addition, Telestone provides various solutions to the telecommunications industry, which cover indoor and outdoor environments comprising hotels, residential estates, office buildings, airports, exhibition centers, underground stations, and highways and tunnels. Further, the company engages in the design, develop ment, production and installation, and trading of wireless telecommunication coverage system equipment. It also markets its products to 29 countries, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and Vietnam. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By insider]

  The valuation box will also clearly indicate it if a company is traded at below its net current asset value (NCAV). Please see the valuation box for Telestone (TSTC) below.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: (CRWG)

CrowdGather, Inc. engages in developing and hosting forum based Web sites. It monetizes a network of online forums and message boards to engage, provide information to, and build community around users. The company focuses on building social, advertising, and user generated content networks by consolidating existing groups of online users that post on message boards and forums. Its forum communities connect a network of people sharing their questions, expertise, and experiences. The company also provides advertising and marketing services for its online customers. It holds approximately 81 properties and 599 domain names. The company is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now: China Grentech Corporation Limited(GRRF)

China GrenTech Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of wireless coverage products and services in the People?s Republic of China. The company offers a range of wireless coverage products that include repeaters, trunk amplifiers, and base station amplifiers that support various 2G protocols, including GSM and CDMA, and 3G protocols comprising TD-SCDMA, WCDMA, and CDMA2000. It provides its wireless coverage products in indoor coverage areas, such as high-rise buildings, underground areas, and elevators; and outdoor coverage areas comprising highways, railways, subways, and tunnels. China GrenTech also offers design, installation of wireless coverage products, and project warranty services. In addition, it engages in the development, manufacture, and supply of RF parts and components that include transistors and diodes; and filters, duplexers, multi-frequency splitters, combiners and couplers, and antennae. The company was f ormerly known as Powercom Holdings Limited. China GrenTech Corporation Limited was founded in 1999 and is based in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Sanderson Farms Inc.(SAFM)

Sanderson Farms, Inc., an integrated poultry processing company, engages in the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of fresh, frozen, processed, and prepared chicken products. The company?s prepared chicken product line includes institutional and consumer packaged partially cooked or marinated chicken items. It sells ice pack, chill pack, bulk pack, and frozen chicken in whole, cut-up, and boneless form under the Sanderson Farms brand name. The company sells its products to retailers, distributors, and casual dining operators in the southeastern, southwestern, northeastern, and western United States, as well as to the United States based customers who resell frozen chicken into export markets. Sanderson Farms, Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Diane Alter]

  Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September

  Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) announced a 14.8%, or $0.12 per share, increase to its semiannual dividend. The management consulting firm will now pay a semiannual dividend of $0.93. Shares yield 2.53%. Agruim Inc. (NYSE: AGU) boosted its dividend by $1.00 per share to a total dividend of $3.00 on an annualized basis. Shares of the global retailer of agricultural products now sprout a 3.54% yield. Air Industries Group Inc. (NYSE: AIRI) doubled its dividend to $0.125 per share. The maker of airplane and helicopter parts now floats a lofty yield of 6.6%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) upped its dividend 4.6% to $0.68 per quarter for a yield of 4.21%. Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) boosted its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. The parent company of Banner and Islander Bank serves the Pacific Northwest region. Brady Corp. (NYSE: BRC) lifted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.78 per share. It was the 28th straight dividend increase from the identification solutions company. Shares yield 2.57%. Campbell Soup Co. (NSE: CPB) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, up from $0.29. The company last raised its dividend in November 2010. Shares yield a hearty 3.06%. CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC) raised its quarterly dividend 26% to $0.17 per share. It's the largest percentage increase from the Tennessee-based diversified marketer of mobile filtration and packaging products in the last 20 years, and it continues the company's consecutive streak of increasing dividends for the last 30 years. Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.10 per share. Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: FRS) increased its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18. Shares yield 3.10% The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), in a move that suggests good times are ahead, reinstated its dividend at $0.05 per share. Good
• [By Rich Duprey]

  The four biggest chicken processors in the country are Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN  ) ,�JBS, Perdue, and�Sanderson Farms� (NASDAQ: SAFM  ) , which slaughter 60% of all the chickens consumed in the country, and according to the National Chicken Council, the industry has invested tens of millions of dollars in technology and scientific processes to minimize any risks to the buying public. Indeed, every�factory-scale slaughterhouse has four USDA inspectors overseeing its kill lines.�

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Globecomm Systems Inc. (GCOM)

Globecomm Systems Inc. engages in the provision of satellite-based network solutions to government, communications service providers, commercial enterprises, and media and content broadcasters in the United States, Europe, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It offers access products for providing data, voice, and video transport services; hosted application products for back office applications services; and professional services, including advisory and consulting services. The company also provides life cycle support services comprising installation, network monitoring, help desk, maintenance, and professional engineering services that supports access and hosted products; and infrastructure solutions, such as design, engineering, and installation of ground segment systems and networks, which are used in communications and media delivery networks. In addition, it offers fixed satellite terminals under the Summit brand; transportable satellite terminals under the Explorer brand; and network management systems to manage, monitor, and control networks under the AxxSys brand name, as well as systems design and integration products. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Hauppauge, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Instead, the winners who will compete among themselves to fulfill the $45 million firm-fixed-price, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract include privately held Bluewater Communications Group LLC, small-cap Globecomm Systems (NASDAQ: GCOM  ) , and TVC Communications LLC, of Annville, Penn., a small subsidiary of larger electronics distributor WESCO International (NYSE: WCC  ) . All three will now be competing against each other to win the Pentagon's business on individual task orders for the Cisco and other HD equipment on order.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Universal Travel Group(UTA)

Universal Travel Group, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider offering air ticketing and hotel booking services, as well as domestic and international packaged tourism services via the Internet, customer representatives, and kiosks in the People?s Republic of China. It also provides technological solutions to travel reservations, and tour planning and tour guide services. In addition, the company operates TRIPEASY Kiosks, which are placed in hotels, office buildings, banks, shopping malls, and MTR stations for travel booking with credit cards or bank debit cards. Universal Travel Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tyson Foods Inc.(TSN)

Tyson Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and marketing of chicken, beef, pork, and prepared food products, as well as related allied products worldwide. The company?s Chicken segment involves in breeding and raising chickens, as well as processing live chickens into fresh, frozen, and value-added chicken products. Its Beef segment processes live fed cattle and fabricates dressed beef carcasses into primal and sub-primal meat cuts and case-ready products The company?s Pork segment involves in the processing live market hogs; and fabricating pork carcasses into primal and sub-primal cuts and case-ready products. Its Prepared Foods segment manufactures and markets frozen and refrigerated food products comprising pepperoni, bacon, beef and pork pizza toppings, pizza crusts, flour and corn tortilla products, appetizers, prepared meals, ethnic foods, soups, sauces, side dishes, meat dishes, and processed meats. The company mark ets and sells its products to grocery retailers, grocery wholesalers, meat distributors, warehouse club stores, military commissaries, industrial food processing companies, chain restaurants or their distributors, international export companies, and domestic distributors, as well as to foodservice operations, such as plant and school cafeterias, convenience stores, hospitals, and other vendors. Tyson Foods, Inc. also offers its allied products to the manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and technical products, as well as to pork processors. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  Tyson Foods is a mass provider of chicken, beef, pork, prepared foods, and other related products to a wide range of consumers and businesses worldwide. The stock has recently broken above a three-year range and looks to be getting ready to test all-time high prices. Earnings and revenue figures have been increasing over most of the last four quarters which has kept investors satisfied. Relative to its strong peers and sector, Tyson Foods has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for Tyson Foods stock to continue to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Alison Southwick, Jason Moser, and David Hanson]

  Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN  ) is one hot chicken stock. Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) makes a huge sale. The Container Store (NYSE: TCS  ) keeps rising, despite not turning a profit. And JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM  ) still can't put the past behind it. In this segment from Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts Jason Moser and David Hanson offer their take on the stocks making big moves on Monday.

• [By Tabitha Jean Naylor]

  Americans consume a lot of chicken. It estimated that Americans consume about 81 pounds of poultry per year, per capita. With there being upwards of 310 million people living in the United States, it is no wonder why poultry production is big business. Two of the biggest names in poultry production are Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) and Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ: PPN).

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Stein Mart Inc.(SMRT)

Stein Mart, Inc. operates retail stores that offer fashion merchandise for women and men in the United States. The company?s stores provide fashion apparel, accessories, shoes, and home fashions. As of April 19, 2011, it operated a chain of 263 retail stores. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stein Mart Inc. (NASDAQ: SMRT) reported a 3.8% rise in same-store sales for August, above the 3% estimate from Retail Metrics. In August of last year, sales rose 5.6%.

• [By David Trainer]

  Unfortunately, FVL's holdings don't look likely to out-perform. 67% of its capital is in stocks with a Dangerous-or-worse rating. Only 12% of its assets are in Attractive-or-better rated stocks. Its holdings include recent Danger Zone picks Rite Aid (RAD), Citigroup (C), and Stein Mart (SMRT). FVL's holdings get their worst scores on valuation.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Taiwan Greater China Fund(TFC)

Shelton Greater China Fund is a close ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by CCM Partners, LP. The fund is co-managed by Nikko Asset Management Co. Ltd. It primarily invests in public equity markets of Taiwan. The fund seeks to invest across diversified sectors. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Taiwan China Strategy Index, TAIEX, and MSCI Taiwan Index. The fund was formerly known as Taiwan Greater China Fund. Shelton Greater China Fund was formed in July 1988 and is domiciled in the United States.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: EarthLink Inc.(ELNK)

EarthLink, Inc. provides communications services to individual and business customers in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Services and Business Services. The Consumer Services segment offers Internet access and related value-added services. It provides dial-up Internet and narrowband access, broadband access, and voice-over-Internet-protocol services, as well as value-added services that include products for protection, communication, and performance, such as security products, premium email only, home networking, email storage, and Internet call waiting. This segment offer its products and services primarily through its call centers, search engine marketing, affinity marketing partners, resellers, and marketing alliances. The Business Services segment offers integrated communications services, such as secure IP-based networks, virtual private networks, Internet access, local telephone and long distance services, enhanced services, access trunks, pr ivate line services, asynchronous transfer mode/frame relay services, and mobile data and voice services, as well as installation, managed network, remote access, and disaster recovery services. It also provides wholesale services comprising broadband transport services, including private line, Ethernet private line, and wavelength services; local communications and local dial tone communications services; live and automated operator, and directory assistance services; and dedicated Internet access services and direct connectivity. In addition, this segment leases server space and provides Web hosting services that enable customers to build and maintain an online presence, including domain names, storage, mailboxes, software tools to build Web sites, e-commerce applications, and 24/7 customer support. This segment offers its services through direct sales, and independent dealers and sales agents. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Continuing its efforts to transform itself from a pure Internet service provider into an information technology company, EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK  ) announced Monday it is buying�cloud computing and hosted IT services provider CenterBeam for $22 million.�

• [By Geoff Gannon] nflation growth: Dun & Bradstreet (DNB)

  路 Inflation plus population growth: CEC Entertainment (CEC)

  路 Nominal GDP Growth: Village Supermarket (VLGEA)

  Over the last 10 years ��population growth, inflation, and real output per person growth has been so low it�� hard to tell the difference between companies growing at the rate of inflation, along with the population, or along with the economy.

  You have to squint really hard to see any difference in the revenue growth records of DNB, Chuck E. Cheese, and Village.

  This will not be true in all countries and at all times.

  A literally no growth company like Earthlink is actually shrinking. It just happens to look like it�� staying perfectly flat because inflation is hiding the company�� real decay rate. In real terms, the company has been shrinking by about 3% a year for the last 10 years. So, Earthlink is not a no growth company. It�� shrinking.

  That�� a bad sign. And, frankly, I don�� know how to value Earthlink. You would need to evaluate it as a turnaround or something ��not as a business that�� simplly stuck in place. I don�� know how to do that.

  So, Earhtlink goes into the ��oo hard��pile.

  Dun & Bradstreet and CEC Entertainment are actual no growth businesses. This is hidden by their constant share buy backs. So, if you look at their earnings per share growth they look kind of like Peter Lynch�� idea of a ��low growth��company or even a ��talwart�� They aren��. They��e no growth businesses.

  The same is pretty much true with Village Supermarket. Although this is complicated. The nature of their business ��high volume, low cost groceries ��means they can appear to be a no growth business when they are actually just keeping prices down and increasing volume. You would need to check their sales numbers more carefully. Grocery stores often discuss inflation in their annual reports. Village Supermarket always does t

Norcraft Companies Inc (NYSE:NCFT): A Strong Housing Recovery Play

Norcraft Companies Inc (NYSE:NCFT) is well positioned to experience accelerated EBITDA growth as it benefits from an improving housing market and leverages company-specific factors.

Specifically, its exposure to the dealer channel, which accounted for about 90 percent of 2012 revenues, represents a competitive advantage, given the higher margins normally associated with buyers in this channel and the relative "stickiness" of these relationships.

Based in Eagan, Minnesota, Norcraft Companies is a leading kitchen and bathroom cabinetry manufacturer primarily focused on the dealer channel. This offers advantages versus selling direct to builders or through home centers.

With estimated revenues of $340 million in 2013, Norcraft is the fifth largest US cabinet manufacturer. Reflecting its exposure to the dealer channel (it's the third largest player, with 7 percent of the market), more than 90 percent of sales are in the semi-custom segment.

UBS analyst David Goldberg believes profitability in this dealer channel has been among the best, driven primarily by product mix as dealers' sales tend to be concentrated in more complex, semi-custom cabinets.

Meanwhile, switching costs are high, reflecting the significant investment required. Demonstrating this, Norcraft's retention rate with "large" customers has been about 97 percent since 2011. Further, through June 2013, the company had been working with its top 50 customers for an average of 15 years.

The company could gain share and grow profitability as the housing recovery unfolds given its penetration in this channel (it's the third largest cabinet manufacturer to dealers) and its operational acumen.

Goldberg noted that benefits from recent investments should materialize in the up-cycle. The company recently converted a Canadian components facility to a full access cabinet line producer under the Urban Effects brand. Including this plant, capacity utilization is approximately 60%.

These significant investments ! should drive accelerated top-line growth as NCFT's sales force further penetrates existing accounts and develops new relationships and greater operating leverage.

Broad product offerings allow for flexibility. Although semi-custom cabinets represented about 91 percent of Norcraft's 2012 sales, the company offers a broad range of products differentiated by both design and price point.

Within the frame category, four brands are supported (including two lines within the Mid Continent Series). In the full access category, Norcraft supports two brands (including 2 lines within UltraCraft).

Further, about two-thirds of its business relates to repair and remodel demand, with the remainder from new construction. Finally, the company offers more than 600,000 door and finish combinations for use in kitchens and bathrooms.

Goldberg believes the market is the early innings of the housing recovery. Although a more restrictive mortgage market is likely to govern the amplitude of the improvements relative to the last cycle, he forecasts significant gains from current levels, albeit at a more moderate pace of growth.

Further, increased stability around home prices should help drive greater demand for repair and remodel projects, especially larger ones. As home prices stabilize, deferred repair and remodel should unfold, contributing to additional demand for building products.

Through the downturn, Norcraft has had success in improving its sales mix toward higher price products, which is contributing to margin expansion. Goldberg said although the company isn't focusing on the builder and home center channels today, supporting a broad product range gives it the opportunity to pursue these options should they choose to do so.

Year to date, building products stocks have risen an average of 25 percent, effectively in line with the S&P 500. On the positive side, investors are generally optimistic housing has bottomed, and the early stages of recovery are unfolding.

Goldber! g forecas! ts free cash generation of more than $21 million in 2014 and anticipates more significant levels in the future. In turn, the leverage to decline meaningfully over the next several years, bringing Norcraft in line with its peer average.

Moreover, while the pause in construction has negatively impacted the home-building stocks, shares of product companies have been more resilient, likely reflecting the diversified nature of their businesses and the better free cash flow dynamics. As such, Norcraft is well positioned to gain share and increase profitability as the housing recovery unfolds.