Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM ) first announced its intention to acquire cloud-based digital marketing leader ExactTarget for an estimated $2.5 billion on June 4, 2013. Just over a month later, the deal has been completed, Salesforce.com said today.
Salesforce.com intends to integrate ExactTarget solutions into its industry-leading CRM in an effort to "create a world-class marketing platform across email, social, mobile and the web," according to today's release.
In support of Salesforce.com's objective to expand its cloud-marketing solutions with the acquisition of ExactTarget, it cited Gartner�research that indicates, "CMOs will outspend CIOs on information technology by 2017."
In discussing the opportunity that ExactTarget solutions offer, Salesforce.com Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff cited data compiled by Gartner�that predicts, "CMOs will outspend CIOs on information technology by 2017." Benioff added, "The addition of ExactTarget makes Salesforce the starting place for every company and puts salesforce.com in the pole position to capture this opportunity."�
Hot Media Companies To Watch In Right Now: National Western Life Insurance Company(NWLI)
National Western Life Insurance Company provides life insurance products for the savings and protection needs of policyholders and annuity contracts for the asset accumulation and retirement needs of contract holders. Its life products include universal life insurance and interest-sensitive whole life, as well as traditional products, such as term insurance coverage; and annuity products comprise flexible premium and single premium deferred annuities, fixed indexed annuities, and single premium immediate annuities. The company markets and distributes its insurance products primarily through independent national marketing organizations to residents of various countries in central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Rim, eastern Europe, and Asia. It also engages in small real estate, nursing home, and other investment operations. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Merkel]
The two stocks in question are Stancorp Financial (SFG) and National Western Life Insurance (NWLI). The short cases for both are based on a naive view of how insurance companies work.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, life insurance company National Western Life Insurance Company (NASDAQ: NWLI ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
Top Information Technology Companies To Buy For 2014: Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT)
Alliant Energy Corporation operates in electric and gas utility businesses in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company, engages in the generation and distribution of electric energy; and the distribution and transportation of natural gas in Iowa and southern Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, it supplied electric and gas service to approximately 525,334 and 233,841 retail customers. Alliant Energy Corporation also provides steam services, and various other energy-related products and services to customers in Iowa. The company, through its other subsidiary, Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), involves in the generation and distribution of electric energy; and the distribution and transportation of natural gas primarily in south and central Wisconsin markets. As of December 31, 2009, WPL supplied electric and gas service to 453,573 and 177,968 retail customers. In addition, Alliant Energy Corporation has investments in environmental consulting, and engineering and renewable energy services businesses. It also engages in transportation business, which includes a short-line railway for the provision of freight services between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City in Iowa; barge terminal and hauling services on the Mississippi River; and other transfer and storage services. The company was founded in 1917 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Dittman]
Question: What�� your outlook for Alliant Energy Corp (NYSE: LNT)?
Answer: I rate Alliant Energy a buy under 57. It’s pushed out a little beyond that right now.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Alliant Energy (NYSE: LNT ) is staying true to form and pumping out its usual reward for shareholders. The company has announced it will distribute a dividend of $0.47 per share of its common stock on May 15 to shareholders of record as of April 30. This matches the firm's previous distribution, which was dispensed at the end of January. Previous to that, Alliant had paid $0.45 per share.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Alliant Energy (NYSE: LNT ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 3. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:
The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Alliant Energy's revenues will contract 0.0% and EPS will grow 24.0%.
Top Information Technology Companies To Buy For 2014: eLong Inc.(LONG)
eLong, Inc. operates as an online travel service provider in the People?s Republic of China. The company provides its customers with travel information and the ability to book rooms, air tickets, vacation packages, and other travel related services utilizing call center and Web-based distribution technologies. It facilitates the customers to book rooms in approximately 10,000 hotels in 450 cities across China, and fulfills air ticket reservations in approximately 80 cities across China. In addition, the company offers the ability to book rooms at approximately 100,000 hotels outside of China; and provides the customers informative content relevant to hotel and air travel decisions, including tourist and event site destination information, hotel facility information, and photos. eLong markets its services through online marketing, traditional media advertising, co-marketing with established brands of other companies, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. eLong, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Expedia Asia Pacific Limited.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Taulli]
Strong Portfolio: Expedia has massive scale, with supply from about 200,000 hotels, 300 airlines and various car rentals and cruise lines. And EXPE sites — which�include Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, CarRentals.com and more, on top of the Expedia namesake — get�about 50 million unique visitors every month. Plus, EXPE also owns a majority stake in eLong (LONG), which is the second largest online travel company in China.
- [By Shareholders Unite]
The main on-line competitors are:
Qunar.com, a travel website owned by Baidu (BIDU) and a few venture fundseLong (LONG), backed by Tencent (TCEHY.PK) and Expedia (EXPE). Analyst expect it to generate $163M in revenue next yearThat is pretty serious competition, needless to say. Having the backing of Baidu or Expedia offers several advantages, but Ctrip is the biggest and most established company. It's quite difficult to compare Qunar.com to Ctrip, for the simple sake that Qunar is a private company. However, there can be little doubt that it constitutes serious competition:
Top Information Technology Companies To Buy For 2014: Coach Inc (COH)
Coach, Inc. (Coach), incorporated in June 2000, is a marketer of fine accessories and gifts for women and men. Coach�� product offerings include women�� and men�� bag, accessories, business cases, footwear, wearables, jewelry, sunwear, travel bags, watches and fragrance. The Company operates in two segments: Direct-to-Consumer and Indirect. Accessories include women�� and men�� small leather goods, novelty accessories and women�� and men�� belts. Women�� small leather goods, which coordinate with its handbags, include money pieces, wristlets, and cosmetic cases. Men�� small leather goods consist primarily of wallets and card cases. Novelty accessories include time management and electronic accessories. Key rings and charms are also included in this category. Men�� handbag collections include business cases, computer bags, messenger-style bags and totes. Footwear is distributed through select Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 1,000 United States department stores. Wearables category is comprised of jackets, sweaters, gloves, hats and scarves, including both cold weather and fashion.
The Company�� Jewelry category is comprised of bangle bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings offered in both sterling silver and non-precious metals. Marchon Eyewear, Inc. (Marchon) is the Coach�� eyewear licensee. Coach sunglasses are sold in Coach retail stores and coach.com, department stores, select sunglass retailers and optical retailers in major markets. The travel collections are comprised of luggage and related accessories, such as travel kits and valet trays. Movado Group, Inc. (Movado) is the Company�� watch licensee, which develops a collection of watches.
Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (Estee Lauder), through its subsidiary, Aramis Inc., is Coach�� fragrance licensee. Fragrance is distributed through Coach retail stores, coach.com and about 4,000 United States department stores and 500 international locations. Coach offers four women�� fragrance col! lections and one men�� fragrance. The women�� fragrance collections include eau de perfume spray, eau de toilette spray, purse spray, body lotion and body splashes.
Direct-to-Consumer Segment
The Direct-to-Consumer segment consists of channels that provide the Company with immediate, controlled access to consumers: Coach-operated stores in North America; Japan; Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore and the Internet. This segment represented approximately 89% of Coach�� total net sales during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), with North American stores and the Internet, Coach Japan and Coach China contributing approximately 63%, 18% and 6% of total net sales, respectively. Coach stores are located in regional shopping centers and metropolitan areas throughout the United States and Canada. The retail stores carry an assortment of products. Its stores are located in locations, such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto.
Coach�� factory stores serve as a means to sell manufactured-for-factory-store product, including factory exclusives, as well as discontinued and irregular inventory outside the retail channel. These stores operate under the Coach Factory name. Coach�� factory store design, visual presentations and customer service levels support. Coach views its Website as a key communications vehicle for the brand to promote traffic in Coach retail stores and department store locations. Its online store provides a showcase environment where consumers can browse through a selected offering of the latest styles and colors.
Coach Japan operates department store shop-in-shop locations and freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores, as well as an e-commerce Website. Flagship stores offer an assortment of Coach products that are located in select shopping districts throughout Japan. Coach China operates department store shop-in-shop locations, as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory sto! res. Flag! ship stores, which offer an assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts throughout Hong Kong and mainland China. Coach Singapore and Taiwan operate department store shop-in-shop locations as well as freestanding flagship, retail and factory stores. Flagship stores, which offer a range of assortment of Coach products, are located in select shopping districts in Singapore and Taiwan.
The Reed Krakoff brand represents New American luxury primarily for handbags, accessories and ready-to-wear. Reed Krakoff operates department store shop-in-shop locations, freestanding flagship stores, as well as an e-commerce Website at reedkrakoff.com. Flagship stores, which offer an assortment of Reed Krakoff products, are located in select shopping districts in the United States and Japan.
Indirect Segment
The Indirect segment represented approximately 11% of total net sales in fiscal 2012, with United States Wholesale and Coach International representing approximately 6% and 4% of total net sales, respectively. The Indirect segment also includes royalties earned on licensed product. U.S. Wholesale channel offers access to Coach products to consumers who prefer shopping at department stores. Coach products are also available on macys.com, dillards.com, bloomingdales.com, lordandtaylor.com, belk.com, vonmaur.com and nordstrom.com. Coach�� products are sold in approximately 990 wholesale locations in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. wholesale customers are Macy�� (including Bloomingdale��), Dillard��, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Carson�� and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Coach International channel represents sales to international wholesale distributors and authorized retailers. Coach has developed relationships with a select group of distributors who sell Coach products through department stores and freestanding retail locations in over 20 countries. Coach�� network of international distributors serves various markets: South Korea, US & T! erritorie! s, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Singapore, UAE, France, China, Macau, Indonesia, Kuwait, Bahamas, Aruba, Vietnam, New Zealand, Bahrain, India and Brazil.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Upscale chains are thriving these days. Michael Kors (NYSE: KORS ) posted blowout quarterly results last week, and handbag rival Coach (NYSE: COH ) boosted its dividend a week earlier. This should be a good time for Lululemon to bounce back, but it's going to have to prove that it's up to the task.
Top Information Technology Companies To Buy For 2014: Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation (ANH)
Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. It invests primarily in the United States agency mortgage-backed securities (agency MBS) guaranteed by the United States government, including pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), and other types of MBS, such as mortgage derivative securities and mortgage warehouse participations, as well as in other mortgage related assets. The company's agency MBS portfolio includes adjustable-rate agency MBS, hybrid adjustable-rate agency MBS, fixed-rate Agency MBS, and agency floating-rate CMOs. It also invests in non-agency mortgage-backed securities comprising floating-rate CMOs. The company qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT it would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation was founded in 1997 and is b ased in Santa Monica, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By alicet236]
Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation (ANH) Reached the Five-Year Low of $4.47
The prices of Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation (ANH) shares have declined to close to the five-year low of $4.47, which is 49.3% off the five-year high of $8.340. Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation is owned by one Guru we are tracking. Among them, one added to his positions during the past quarter. Two reduced their positions. Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation has a market cap of $639.1 million; its shares were traded at around $4.47 with a P/E ratio of 7.10 and P/S ratio of 5.96. The dividend yield of Anworth Mortgage Asset Corporation stocks is 12.80%.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Externally managed real estate investment trust Anworth Mortgage Asset (NYSE: ANH ) announced yesterday that it is increasing the conversion rate on its�6.25% Series B cumulative convertible preferred stock from�3.8695�shares of its common stock to 3.9202 shares effective July 9.
Top Information Technology Companies To Buy For 2014: SemiLEDS Corporation(LEDS)
SemiLEDs Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and sale of light emitting diode (LED) chips and LED components. Its products are used primarily for general lighting applications, including street lights and commercial, industrial, and residential lighting, as well as in backlighting, medical, automotive, and ultra violet (UV) applications. The company markets blue, green, and UV LED chips under the MvpLED brand name primarily to customers in China and Taiwan, as well as in Russia and North America. It sells LED chips to packagers and distributors, who in turn sell to packaging customers. SemiLEDs Corporation was founded in 2005 and is based in Miao-Li County, Taiwan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Victor Selva]
On Nov. 21, Robert Karr bought Veeco Instruments Inc. (VECO), a company that designs, manufactures and markets equipment to make light emitting diodes (LEDs), solar panels, hard-disk drives and other devices.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Just a week earlier SemiLEDS Corp. (NASDAQ: LEDS) said that it had received a delisting notice from Nasdaq for failing to maintain a share price of at least $1 a share. The company also faced several class action lawsuits as earnings tanked after a dramatic run-up in April. Shares rose nearly 15% after Revolution�� October announcement.
- [By Stock Investor]
Next up I will look at SemiLEDs Corporation (LEDS). This company is based in China, typically a red flag from the start. In the last year LEDS posted almost $26m in revenue with a net cash balance of approximately $36m. The market cap here is a small $42m, much cheaper than RVLT. LEDS has an average quarterly cash burn of about $5m, leaving them ample funding for the next two years at current spend rates. So far the financials here suggest that LEDS is undervalued, especially when compared to RVLT. Usually, however where there is smoke there is fire. In 2012 LEDS lost a patent infringement suit against CREE Inc (CREE). The settlement prevents LEDS from selling it product in the US, a major red flag. This is also the likely reason for such a large drop in sales over the last year of almost 40%. Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 was $4.8 million, a 39% decrease compared to $7.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. It is disconcerting that a company in a sector that is supposedly experiencing record growth, is seeing its sales drop this much. A major red flag for investors. While the cash position is a positive, investors should note that this is a China based company. Accurate financials are not something Chinese companies are know for.
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