What's wrong with this picture?
Apple is a top-down, buttoned-down, lockstep enterprise managed, after Steve Jobs' death, by his apparatchiks and other relative automatons. Iovine, a producer and impresario from the music industry's bad days, is a promoter and publicity seeker who has often veered toward outr茅 practices and personalities.
So, Apple, teaming up with Iovine, seems either to have a Machiavellian plan of extraordinary vision and incalculable nuance and subtlety, or is taking a wild roll of the dice.
Or both. That is, the Apple of sui generis design and savant marketing, offering among the most singular visions of consumer desire, is over. And now it begins a force-of-will effort to build a more broad-based, if less exceptional, consumer products and entertainment content company. Kind of a Sony (in its better days), with lots of products, some good, some not so good.
10 Best Restaurant Stocks To Buy For 2015: The Hain Celestial Group Inc.(HAIN)
The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells natural and organic products in the United States and internationally. The company offers natural and organic grocery products, including non-dairy beverages and frozen desserts, infant and toddler food, flour and baking mixes, hot and cold cereals, pasta, condiments, cooking and culinary oils, granolas, granola bars, cereal bars, canned, aseptic and instant soups, yogurt, chilis, packaged grain, chocolate, nut butters, nutritional oils, juices, frozen desserts, cookies, crackers, gluten-free frozen entrees and bars, frozen pastas, and ethnic meals. It also provides snack products, such as potato and vegetable chips, organic tortilla style chips, whole grain chips, and popcorn; and specialty tea, including herbal, green, wellness, white, red, and chai teas. In addition, the company offers personal care products, including skin care, hair care, body care, oral care, deodorants, and baby care items, including acne treatment, body washes, and sunscreens. Further, it processes, markets, and distributes prepared foods, such as fresh sandwiches, appetizers, and full-plated meals for distribution to retailers, caterers, and food service providers; and develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells a line of household cleaning products, including laundry detergent and fabric softener, and dish cleaners, as well as glass, bathroom, wood floor, and all purpose cleaners. The company sells its products to specialty and natural food distributors, as well as to supermarkets, natural food stores, mass-market and on-line retailers, drug store chains, food service channels, and club stores. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Melville, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brendan Byrnes]
The following video segment is part of a full interview, in which The Motley Fool's Brendan Byrnes sits down with Irwin Simon, the founder and CEO of Hain Celestial (NASDAQ: HAIN ) , to take a closer look at the better-for-you food revolution. In this segment, they discuss how�being founder-led has resulted in company growth.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own For 2014: Sensata Technologies Holding N.V.(ST)
Sensata Technologies Holding N.V., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells sensors and controls primarily in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. It operates in two segments, Sensors and Controls. The Sensors segment offers pressure sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, speed sensors, position sensors, motor protectors, and thermal and magnetic-hydraulic circuit breakers and switches. Its sensors are used in various applications, such as automotive air-conditioning, braking, transmission, air bag, heavy vehicle off-road, industrial, aerospace, defense, and data/telecom applications, as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) applications. The Controls segment provides bimetal electromechanical controls, thermal and magnetic-hydraulic circuit breakers, power inverters, and interconnection products. This segment also offers application-specific products, including motor and compressor protectors, circuit breakers, semicondu ctor burn-in test sockets, electrical HVAC controls, power inverters, precision switches, and thermostats. Its products are used in heating and air-conditioning systems, refrigerators, aircraft, automobiles, and light industrial system applications in industrial, aerospace, military, commercial, and residential markets. The company offers its products primarily under the Sensata, Klixon, Airpax, and Dimensions brand names. It serves original equipment manufacturers and suppliers in the automotive, industrial, and commercial end-markets; and industrial and commercial manufacturers and suppliers in the climate control, appliance, semiconductor, datacomm, telecommunications, and aerospace industries, as well as motor and compressor suppliers. The company was founded in 1916 and is based in Almelo, the Netherlands. Sensata Technologies Holding N.V. is a subsidiary of Sensata Investment Company S.C.A.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Sensata Technologies Holding (NYSE: ST ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own For 2014: lululemon athletica inc.(LULU)
Lululemon Athletica Inc., together with its subsidiaries engages in the design, manufacture, and distribution of athletic apparel and accessories for women, men, and female youth primarily in Canada, the United States, and Australia. Its apparel assortments include fitness pants, shorts, tops, and jackets for healthy lifestyle activities, such as yoga, running, and general fitness. The company?s fitness-related accessories comprise bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats, instructional yoga DVDs, and water bottles. It sells its products through its retail stores; independent franchises; and a network of wholesale accounts, such as yoga studios, health clubs, and fitness centers, as well as directly to consumers through e-commerce. As of May 1, 2011, the company had 142 corporate-owned and franchise stores under the lululemon athletica and ivivva athletica brand names. Lululemon Athletica Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By DailyFinance Staff]
Concerns about the political uncertainty in Ukraine caused some volatility in the markets Friday afternoon, with the major indexes making several U-turns ahead of the weekend. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI), which had been up by as much as 125 points, briefly dropped into loss territory before rebounding to end 49 points higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) edged up 5 points, adding to Thursday's record high, but the Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) lost 10 points. AP/Darko VojinovicPro-Russian militias have seized local government buildings in Crimea, Ukraine; the unrest there is making investors around the world nervous. February was a great month for investors. All three major averages jumped by about 4 percent. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) led the blue chips, gaining 1½ percent. Other health providers – Aetna (AET), Wellpoint (WLP), Cigna (CI) and Humana (HUM) -- all gained between 1½ and 2 percent. And retail stocks remained active. Target (TGT) added another 3 percent. Best Buy rose 4 percent, and Fred's (FRED), a regional department store chain, jumped 10 percent. But Pier 1 (PIR) fell 5½ percent after lowering its earnings outlook for a second time. That led to a series of brokerage downgrades. Decker Outdoor (DECK) tumbled 12 percent. The maker of footwear brands such as Ugg and Teva issued a weak outlook. And apparel maker Lululemon (LULU) fell 5-percent on negative comments from Credit Suisse. It seems as though there are always some big movers in the drug and biotech sectors – and that was certainly the case today. GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH) rose 2 percent after the FDA granted orphan status to its drug to treat a rare form of childhood epilepsy. But most of the action was on the downside. Endologix (ELGX) slid 24 percent after forecasting lower revenue growth. Questcor (QCOR) fell 10 percent. It's lost big for three straight days amid allegations of questionable business practices. Jazz Pharma
- [By Andrew Marder]
The business has grown on the back of the company's studio offering -- which aligns with lululemon athletica's (NASDAQ: LULU ) offerings -- and its Armour Bra line. The change in product mix highlights the danger that companies take on when they expand -- new competition.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ: LULU) was reiterated as Neutral and noted cautiously with lowered earnings estimates by Sterne Agee until the new CEO situation and board room uncertainty is resolved.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own For 2014: Smithfield Foods Inc.(SFD)
Smithfield Foods, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and marketing of fresh meat and packaged meats products in the United States and internationally. The company involves in the production of hog; and produces various fresh pork, beef, poultry, and packaged meats products. It sells fresh pork to retail customers as unprocessed and trimmed cuts, such as butts, loins, picnics, and ribs; packaged meats products, including smoked and boiled hams, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, and deli and luncheon meats; specialty products, such as pepperoni and dry meat products; and ready-to-eat prepared foods comprising pre-cooked entrees, and pre-cooked bacon and sausages. The company offers its products to supermarket chains; wholesale distributors; the foodservice industry, including fast food, restaurant and hotel chains, hospitals, and other institutional customers; export markets; and other further processors. It sells its products through its salespersons an d independent commission brokers. Smithfield Foods, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD ) reported earnings on June 14. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended April 28 (Q4), Smithfield Foods beat slightly on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Michael Lewis]
Virginia-based pork producer Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD ) recently released a less-than-stellar earnings announcement, largely due to increasing feed prices coupled with heavy pricing pressure at the grocery store. But the earnings have been far from the headlines as the company looks to close out on its sale to China's largest meat processing company. To add to the fray, 6% activist owner Starboard Value believes that the buyout offer undervalues Smithfield, and that a breakup of the company offers shareholders a better alternative. Let's take a look at both options, and try to determine where the cards are stacked.
- [By Rich Duprey]
The last thing Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD ) needs right now is a new pig virus outbreak. The sale of its business to a Chinese company is already being put through the grinder on Capitol Hill on national security grounds and food safety concerns, so a virus that has typically been endemic to China and Europe, but suddenly appeared here with particular virulency, won't help its cause.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
Paula Deen has seen her future earnings prospects dim after her admission of using a racial slur. She lost her show. Several retailers have stopped stocking the celebrity chef's products. However, Deen has also lost lucrative endorsements with casino operator Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR ) and packaged pork products producer Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD ) .
Best Consumer Stocks To Own For 2014: Career Education Corp (CECO)
Career Education Corporation, incorporated on January 5, 1994, through its colleges, schools and universities offers education to a student population of more than 75,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines through online, on-ground and hybrid learning program offerings. The Company operates four business units: University Schools, Career Schools, International and Transitional Schools. The Company�� institutions include, among others, American InterContinental University (AIU); Brooks Institute; Colorado Technical University (CTU); Harrington College of Design; INSEEC Group (INSEEC) Schools; International University of Monaco (IUM); International Academy of Design & Technology (IADT); Le Cordon Bleu North America (LCB), and Sanford-Brown Institutes and Colleges. In December 2013, Career Education Corp announced sale and transfer of control of its European education properties to private equity firm Apax Partners.
University Schools
The Company�� Colorado Technical University (CTU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information systems and technologies, criminal justice, computer science and engineering, and health sciences in an online, classroom or laboratory setting. American InterContinental University (AIU) schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, information technologies, criminal justice and design technologies in an online, classroom or laboratory setting.
Career Schools
The Company�� Health Education includes its Sanford-Brown schools, along with Brown College, Briarcliffe College and Missouri College. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of health education, complemented by certain programs in business studies and information technology in a classroom, laboratory or online setting. Culinary Arts includes its Le Cordon Bleu schoo! ls in North America that collectively offer hands-on programs in the career-oriented disciplines of culinary arts and patisserie and baking in the commercial kitchens of Le Cordon Bleu, and advanced degree programs in culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management online. Design and Technology includes IADT, Harrington College of Design and Brooks Institute schools. These schools collectively offer academic programs primarily in the career-oriented disciplines of fashion design, game design, graphic design, interior design, film and video production, photography and visual communications in a classroom, laboratory or online setting, as well as jobs training in the field of energy conservation.
International
The Company�� International includes its INSEEC schools and IUM school which are located in France, the United Kingdom and Monaco. These schools collectively offer academic programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, health education, advertising, communications and technologies and luxury goods and services in a classroom or laboratory setting.
Transitional Schools
The Company�� Transitional Schools includes its campuses that are being taught out. Schools that operate within this segment include Collins College, Phoenix, AZ, Colorado Technical University (CTU), CTU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO, and CTU Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls, SD.
The Company competes with Apollo Group, Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Capella Education Company, Corinthian Colleges, Inc., DeVry Inc., Education Management Corporation, Grand Canyon Education, Inc., ITT Educational Services, Kaplan and Strayer Education.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bill Smith]
Competition
ESI competes with many other for-profit ventures, including:
Other for-profit educators, such as: Strayer (STRA), Apollo (APOL), DeVry (DV), Capella (CPLA), Corinthian Colleges (COCO), and Career Education Corporation (CECO)Traditional colleges/universitiesCommunity colleges
Sales, EBITDA and Earnings
ESI has steadily increased revenue and earnings. In the last decade they've grown revenue at 20.8%; EBITDA at 34.4%; FCF at 22.5%, and Book Value at 8.5%. - [By Ben Levisohn]
Investors had a little better luck this week, as plenty of stocks were on the move.�Boeing (BA), for instance, was the big winner in the Dow Jones Industrial Average after it gained 7.1% to $131.19 this week following a big earnings beat thanks to big profits from its commercial aircraft division. Alexion Pharmaceutical� (ALXN), meanwhile, was the biggest non-tech gainer in the S&P 500, with a 15% gain to 125.17. It beat earnings and had a drug designated fast-tracked for approval. And over in the S&P 1500, Career Education Corp. (CECO) gained 91% to $5.98 after selling its European schools for more than its market cap.
Best Consumer Stocks To Own For 2014: Columbia Sportswear Company(COLM)
Columbia Sportswear Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, sourcing, marketing, and distribution of outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment in the United States, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Canada. It provides apparel, accessories, and equipment for men, women, and youth under Columbia and Mountain Hardwear brands used during outdoor activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, mountaineering, camping, hunting, fishing, trail running, water sports, and adventure travel. The company also offers footwear products, including lightweight hiking boots, trail running shoes, rugged cold weather boots, sandals, and casual shoes for men and women under Columbia, Sorel, and Montrail brands, as well as for youth under the Columbia and Sorel brands. Columbia Sportswear Company sells its products through wholesale distribution channels, independent distributors, direct-to-consum er channels, and licensees, as well as online to independent distributors and consumers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 43 outlet retail stores and 8 branded retail stores in the United States; 7 outlet retail stores and 3 branded retail stores in various locations in western Europe; and 2 outlet retail stores in Canada, as well as 111 and 236 dealer-operated, branded, outlet, and shop-in-shop locations in Japan and Korea. Columbia Sportswear Company was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell]
Columbia Sportswear Co.'s(COLM) fourth-quarter profit slipped 7% as an asset impairment charge weighed on the active outdoor apparel maker’s bottom line, masking a rise in revenue. Shares rose 6.4% to $83.70 premarket.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Columbia Sportswear (COLM) is engaged in the design, develop, market and distribute active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment under four brands namely Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, Sorel and Montrail. This stock closed up 1% to $65.29 in Monday's trading session.
Monday's Volume: 126,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 75,362
Volume % Change: 50%From a technical perspective, COLM trended modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $62.08 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares pushing higher from its low of $54.66 to its recent high of $66.69. During that move, shares of COLM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move is now pushing shares of COLM within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if COLM manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $65.90 to its 52-week high at $66.69 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in COLM as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $62.08 or above more support at $61.75 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 75,362 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then COLM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $70 to $75.
- [By Andrew Marder]
Can VF scale the peak?
The bar is high, and VF is now committed to hitting its impressive goal. Competitors are certainly not going to back down, and VF is going to be under pressure for the next five years. On its main front, expect VF to see a siege from rival brand Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ: COLM ) and sporting champion Under Armour (NYSE: UA ) . - [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Under Armour have dropped 5.2% to $79.59 at 1:21 p.m., while Dick’s has dropped 0.8% to $51.32. Nike (NKE) is little changed at $75.58, Skechers USA (SKX) has dropped 2.2% to $28.53 and Columbia Sportswear (COLM) has declined 0.1% to $62.75.
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