Glossary - Sectors - Letters - A - Quotes - Charts

| A | SECTORS Glossary based on * Global Industry Classification Standard » GICS Terms and Definitions Accident Insurance ...see Life & Health Insurance additives ...see Specialty Chemicals Advertising SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Media Media Advertising Companies providing advertising, marketing or public relations services. aerospace (Civil or military) ...see Aerospace & Defense Aerospace & Defense SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry INDUSTRIALS Capital Goods Aerospace & Defense Aerospace & Defense Manufacturers of civil or military aerospace and defense equipment, parts or products. Includes defense electronics and space equipment. Agricultural Chemicals ...see Fertilizers & Agricultural Chemicals Agricultural Products SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER STAPLES Food, Beverage & Tobacco Food Products Agricultural Products Producers of agricultural products. Includes crop growers, owners of plantations and companies that produce and process foods but do not package and market them. Excludes companies classified in the Forest Products sub-industry and those that package and market the food products classified in the Packaged Foods sub-industry. Air Delivery & Freight Services ...see Air Freight & Logistics Air Freight & Logistics SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry INDUSTRIALS Transportation Air Freight & Logistics Air Freight & Logistics Companies providing air freight transportation, courier and logistics services, including package and mail delivery and customs agents. Excludes those companies classified in the Airlines, Marine or Trucking sub-industries. Air Services ...see Airport Services Airlines SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry INDUSTRIALS Transportation Airlines Airlines Companies providing primarily passenger air transportation. Airport Services SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry INDUSTRIALS Transportation Transportation Infrastructure Airport Services Operators of airports and companies providing related services. Alternative Carriers SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry TELE- COMMUNICAT. SERVICES Telecomm. Services Diversified Telecomm. Services Alternative Carriers Providers of communications and high-density data transmission services primarily through a high bandwidth/fiber-optic cable network. Aluminum SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry MATERIALS Materials Metals & Mining Aluminum Producers of aluminum and related products, including companies that mine or process bauxite and companies that recycle aluminum to produce finished or semi-finished products. Excludes companies that primarily produce aluminum building materials classified in the Building Products sub-industry. amusement parks ...see Leisure Facilities Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Consumer Durables & Apparel Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods Apparel, Accessories & Luxury Goods Manufacturers of apparel, accessories & luxury goods. Includes companies primarily producing designer handbags, wallets, luggage, jewelry and watches. Excludes shoes classified in the Footwear sub-industry. Apparel Footwear & Accessories ...see Footwear Apparel & Luxury Goods ...see Textiles Apparel Retail (Apparel Stores) SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Retailing Specialty Retail Apparel Retail Retailers specialized mainly in apparel and accessories. Appliances ...see Household Appliances Application Software SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Software & Services Software Application Software Companies engaged in developing and producing software designed for specialized applications for the business or consumer market. Includes enterprise and technical software. Excludes companies classified in the Home Entertainment Software Sub-Industry. Also excludes companies producing systems or database management software classified in the Systems Software sub-industry. Asset Management & Custody Banks SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry FINANCIALS Diversified FINANCIALS Capital Markets Asset Management & Custody Banks Financial institutions primarily engaged in investment management and/or related custody and securities fee-based services. Includes companies operating mutual funds, closed-end funds and unit investment trusts. Excludes banks and other financial institutions primarily involved in commercial lending, investment banking, brokerage and other specialized financial activities. Auto Components SECTOR : CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Industry: Auto Components ...see the following sub-industries: Auto Parts & Equipment Tires & Rubber auto dealers ...see Automotive Retail Auto Dealerships ...see Automotive Retail Auto Parts & Equipment SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Automobiles & Components Auto Components Auto Parts & Equipment Manufacturers of parts and accessories for automobiles and motorcycles. Excludes companies classified in the Tires & Rubber sub-industry. Automobile Manufacturers SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Automobiles & Compon. Automobiles Automobile Manufacturers Companies that produce mainly passenger automobiles and light trucks. Excludes companies producing mainly motorcycles and three-wheelers classified in the Motorcycle Manufacturers sub-industry and heavy duty trucks classified in the Construction & Farm Machinery & Heavy Trucks sub-industry. Automobiles SECTOR : CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Industry: Automobiles ...see the following sub-industries: Automobile Manufacturers Motorcycle Manufacturers Automobiles & Components SECTOR : CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Industry Group: Automobiles & Components ...see the following sub-industries: Auto Parts & Equipment Automobile Manufacturers Motorcycle Manufacturers Tires & Rubber Automotive Retail SECTOR Industry Group Industry Sub-Industry CONSUMER DISCRETIONARY Retailing Specialty Retail Automotive Retail Owners and operators of stores specializing in automotive retail. Includes auto dealers, gas stations, and retailers of auto accessories, motorcycles & parts, automotive glass, and automotive equipment & parts. * The GICS (Global Industry Classification Standard) was developed by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) and Standard & Poor's » more , using 10 Sectors, 24 Industry Groups, 68 Industries and 154 Sub-industries. GICS Table The ICB (Industry Classification Benchmark) is a company classification system developed by Dow Jones and FTSE » more , using 10 Industries, 18 Supersectors, 39 Sectors, 104 Subsectors.ICB Table The SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) is a United States government system for classifying industries by a four-digit code. » more It is being supplanted by the six-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAIC). However certain U.S. government departments and agencies, such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), still use the SIC codes. SIC Code List 1MTX MARKETS | SECTORS USA | Latest Quotes, Charts, News 1MTX 2009 - Sources: ICBenchmark.com; MSCIBarra.com; SEC.gov; Wikipedia.org; Sitemap 1MTX - FIRST MARKETS TRADES EXPERTS 1mtx.com ? top

Financial Sector and Stocks Analysis from Seeking Alpha

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 18:23 GMT
New Ireland Fund A Buy After Ryanair Earnings
ByRichard Cox:
Ryanair is making headlines to start the week, as the company reported record earnings results that jarred markets. The improved numbers came after higher revenues (from add-on charges for pre-assigned seating and extra luggage) contributed positively to the company's profit performance. Net profits on a yearly basis rose by 13%, to $735 million (a new record for the company). Analyst estimates were calling for these results to come in at $718 million.
Sales figures increased by 13% (to $6.3 billion), which is reflective of a 6% percent rise in the company's average ticket price and the introduction of 217 new airline routes. Ryanair's network now includes more than 1,600 routes, with the company opening up new bases in the Netherlands, Morocco, Croatia, Poland and Greece.
In response to these latest headlines, markets have pushed the company's stock to new record highs. But this complicates things for investors looking to buy
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 18:20 GMT
Loews Corporation Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 09:15 AM

Loews Corporation (L)
May 21, 2013 4:15 am ET
Executives
David B. Edelson - Senior Vice President
Analysts
Peter Smith
Presentation
Peter Smith
Good morning. My name is Peter Smith. I'm the managing director in our Institutional Corporate Marketing team, based in New York. It's my privilege this morning to do the introductory for the Loews Corporation. From the company, today, we have with us Senior Vice President David Edelson; and Mary Skafidas, Vice President, Investor and Public Relations.
Loews is a diversified holding company with investments in energy, drilling pipelines, E&P, financial services and hotels. In fact, it's one of the largest diversified companies in the U.S. The principal subsidiaries are CNA Financial, which is 90% owned; Diamond Offshore Drilling, which is 50.4% owned; Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, 55% owned; HighMount Exploration and Loews Hotels, which are both wholly owned subsidiaries.
So without any delay, I'll introduce David Edelson. Thank <a target="_blank" title="Loews Corporation Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 09:15 AM" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1450711-loews-corporation-presents-at-barclay-s-americas-select-franchise-conference-may-21-2013-09-15-am?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 18:10 GMT
Manulife Financial Corporation Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 01:45 PM

Manulife Financial Corporation (MFC)
May 21, 2013 8:45 am ET
Executives
Stephen Bernard Roder - Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive Vice President
Analysts
John Aiken - Barclays Capital, Research Division
Presentation
John Aiken - Barclays Capital, Research Division
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to kick off the Canadian financial services portion of the America's Select Conference.
I'm very happy to have Steve Roder, who's the Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Manulife Financial. Steve, as he tells me, or has corrected me, is coming up on his first anniversary. He's supposed to walk out -- or actually was just passed his first anniversary with Manulife.
Prior to joining Manulife, Steve was CFO at AIA group through a transition period, I guess, well, I will call it, which capped off 16 years as a partner at KPMG, which ultimately culminated him in heading the Asia Pacific <a target="_blank" title="Manulife Financial Corporation Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 01:45 PM" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1450681-manulife-financial-corporation-presents-at-barclay-s-americas-select-franchise-conference-may-21-2013-01-45-pm?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 16:17 GMT
A Long Way Down For Financial CDS

Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit:
After falling 84% from high to low during the financial crisis, the S&P 500 financial sector is now up 231% from its low back in 2009. As shown in the long-term chart below, the sector has really charged higher this year, breaking out of a multi-year sideways range that had been in place. That being said, the chart really shows just how far the financial sector still has to go to get back to where it was pre-crisis.
(click to enlarge)
The rally in financial stocks has coincided with a big drop in default risk for stocks in the sector. Below we provide charts of five-year credit default swap prices (in basis points) for the six largest banks and brokers here in the U.S. The price shown is basically the yearly cost in dollars to insure $10,000 of debt from default over the next five years. As shown, default risk
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 15:40 GMT
Infinity Property and Casualty Corp. - Shareholder/Analyst Call

Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation (IPCC)
May 21, 2013 10:00 am ET
Executives
James R. Gober - Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Executive Committee
James H. Romaker - Secretary and Associate General Counsel
Glen N. Godwin - Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Business Development
Maria Teresa Alvarez Canida - Director, Member of Investment Committee and Member of Audit Committee
Harold E. Layman - Director, Chairman of Compensation Committee and Member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
William Stancil Starnes - Director, Member of Audit Committee, Member of Executive Committee and Member of Compensation Committee
Presentation
James R. Gober
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm James Gober, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation. It's my pleasure to welcome all of you here today. I'll now call to order the 10th Annual Meeting of our shareholders. We will conduct <a target="_blank" title="Infinity Property and Casualty Corp. - Shareholder/Analyst Call" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1450021-infinity-property-and-casualty-corp-shareholder-analyst-call?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 15:20 GMT
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 09:15 AM

Pnc Financial Services Group,The (PNC)
May 21, 2013 4:15 am ET
Executives
Richard J. Johnson
Robert Q. Reilly - Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
Analysts
Jason M. Goldberg - Barclays Capital, Research Division
Presentation
Jason M. Goldberg - Barclays Capital, Research Division
Also present is Rob Reilly, who's the incoming Chief Financial Officer, who will take over later this year; as well as long-term Investor Relations Head, Bill Callihan. With that, let me turn it over to Rick.
Richard J. Johnson
Good morning, everyone, and Jason, thank you very much, and congratulations on a very successful conference here. I can probably skip my first 15 slides. Jason did such a good job covering it there. But anyway, I'll repeat it for you, nonetheless. With me today, as Jason said, is Rob Reilly. Rob is going to take over in the third quarter. Rob is running our Asset Management <a target="_blank" title="The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Presents at Barclay's Americas Select Franchise Conference, May-21-2013 09:15 AM" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1449921-the-pnc-financial-services-group-inc-presents-at-barclay-s-americas-select-franchise-conference-may-21-2013-09-15-am?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 14:59 GMT
Newcastle Investment Spins Off New Residential To Profit From Housing Recovery

Newcastle Investment Spins Off New Residential To Profit From Housing Recovery

By Tim Plaehn:
This last week real estate finance REIT Newcastle Investment Corp (NCT) split itself in two with the spin-off of New Residential Investment Corp (NRZ), a REIT specializing in the residential financing sector. Investors received one share of NRZ for each NCT share held. The unique portfolio of New Residential should allow the company to be very profitable if the housing recovery continues to have legs. And investors will earn a very attractive dividend along the way.
When I covered Newcastle Investment in July 2012, the stock was trading for about $6.40 per share and the dividend yield was at 12%. The timing of that article was very good, and investors who picked up shares last summer saw the share price nearly double, producing a 100% plus return including dividends. As the share price increased and the yield dropped, I was starting to view NCT as more than
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 13:35 GMT
Jamie Dimon Needs A Boss
By Felix Salmon:
Originally published on 5/17/13
Jamie Dimon is wagging his finger from newstands across America this week, above the kind of headline his PR team can only dream of: ?DIMON IS FOREVER: Why Jamie Dimon is Wall Street?s Indispensable Man?.
The story itself, by Nick Summers and Max Abelson, consists mainly of rich corporate insider types talking about how wonderful Jamie Dimon is, and how ridiculous it is that anybody might consider stripping him of the chairmanship of JP Morgan. Here?s a doozy:

Admiring rivals have been known to call Dimon ?the sun god.? That cosmic aura has real use, says Kathryn Wylde, who served on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York?s board with Dimon until his term ended last year. ?There?s no doubt that it helped the bank, because so much of that business is built on confidence.? The intrusion of shareholders, in the form of a vote

Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 12:22 GMT
The Long Case For Yadkin Valley Financial
ByChristopher Drose:
Yadkin Valley Financial Corporation (YAVY) is a small regional bank. If you're not up on your Southeast geography, Yadkin Valley is in the Northwest part of North Carolina. Yadkin Valley Financial, however, provides commercial and consumer banking in both North and South Carolina. As an aside, Yadkin Valley Financial will begin doing business as Yadkin Financial Corporation and Yadkin Bank on May 28.
(click to enlarge)
Yadkin Financial is currently trading at $4.00, with a market cap of $170 million. Despite the recent strength in the stock, it is still significantly off its pre-crisis high of $17, reached in 2008. I think that Yadkin Financial has excellent upside potential for the reasons I will highlight below.
(Note: All charts are taken from data from company presentations and data presented at the Sterne Agee Financial Investors Conference)
Tailwinds for Yadkin
Yadkin Financial has spent the last several years, like many banks
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 12:21 GMT
Annaly: Overreaction To Fedspeak Could Be A Buying Opportunity
By Regarded Solutions:
After my previous article, in which I offered my opinion on the most recent weak performance of American Capital (AGNC) compared to the more positive performance of Annaly Capital (NLY), all of the stocks in the mREIT sector have continued dropping in share price, while the rest of the market keeps hitting high notes.
The reaction certainly highlights the clear risks that the sector faces when the focus is on interest rates and the comments that come from the Federal Reserve. The policies that are in place as of right now remind me of the game we used to play as kids; hot potato. A ball is tossed around as a clock ticks down to the final seconds, and whoever is holding the "hot potato" when time runs out, loses.
In the case of the agency mREIT sector, it is my observation that the company that uses
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 10:38 GMT
Berkshire Hathaway: This Is How Investing Should Be Done
ByIAEResearch:
It is quite staggering to imagine a holding company that generates 19.7% cumulative annual rate of return over 45 years. It's even more intriguing to comprehend its success considering the time-span, and the business cycles it has withstood. Yet Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) has outsmarted the S&P 500 by a whopping 10.3% on annual compounded basis. The general perception in popular media is that Mr. Warren Buffett alone is the driving force behind the astronomical long-term success of the company. That has led to speculation with regards to the future of Berkshire Hathaway since he is 82 now (more on that later). But that is not necessarily the case, as Mr. Buffett himself pointed out of his own shortcoming in 2012 annual shareholder letter. Charlie Munger has been a wise advisor to Mr. Buffett for over 50 years, but that still does not quite explain the phenomenal performance. To associate the
Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 9:22 GMT
Strategic Hotels: Is The CEO Ready For A Vacation?
ByJane Edmondson:
Chicago-based Strategic Hotels & Resorts (BEE) is a luxury hotel real estate investment trust (REIT). Strategic Hotels & Resorts has an ownership interest in 18 hotels and resorts which focus on the upper-upscale and luxury lodging market. Its hotels are managed by high-end hotel management companies such as Fairmont, Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt (H), InterContinental (IHG), Loews (L), Marriott (MAR), KSL Resorts, Ritz-Carlton and Westin (HOT).
(click to enlarge)
Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, CA

Resort Properties
Property	Location
Fairmont Scottsdale	Scottsdale, AZ
Four Seasons Resort	Jackson Hole, WY
Four Seasons Resort	Punta Mita, Mexico
Hotel Del Coronado	San Diego, CA
Loews Santa Monica Beach	Santa Monica, CA
Marriott Lincolnshire	Lincolnshire, IL
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay	Half Moon Bay, CA
Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel	Dana Point, CA

Urban Properties
Property	Location
Fairmont Chicago	Chicago, IL
Four Seasons Hotel	Silicon Valley, CA
Four Seasons Hotel	Washington, DC
Intercontinental Hotel	Chicago, IL
Intercontinental

Complete Story »

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 5:06 GMT
CNinsure's CEO Discusses Q1 2013 Results - Earnings Call Transcript

CNinsure Inc. (CISG)
Q1 2013 Earnings Call
May 20, 2013 9:00 PM ET
Executives
Oasis Qui ? IR Officer
Chunlin Wang ? CEO
Peng Ge ? CFO
Analysts
Christy He ? Morgan Stanley
Andy Nahas ? Prospect Fund

Presentation

Operator
Thank you for standing by for CNinsure's first quarter 2013 earnings conference call. At this time all participants are in a listen-only mode. (Operator Instructions) For your information, this conference call is now being broadcasted live over the internet. Webcast replay will be available within 90 minutes after the conference is finished. Please visit the CNinsure IR website at ir.cninsure.net under the events and webcasts section. Today?s conference is being recorded. If you have any objections you may disconnect at any time.
At this time I would now like to turn the meeting over to your host for today?s conference Ms. Oasis Qui, CNinsure's investor relations officer.
Oasis Qui
Welcome <a target="_blank" title="CNinsure's CEO Discusses Q1 2013 Results - Earnings Call Transcript" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1448671-cninsure-s-ceo-discusses-q1-2013-results-earnings-call-transcript?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Tuesday, 21 May 2013, 0:32 GMT
GSV Capital's CEO Presents at 14th Annual B. Riley & Co. Investor Conference (Transcript)

GSV Capital Corp. (GSVC)
14th Annual B. Riley & Co. Investor Conference
May 20, 2013 5:00 PM ET
Executives
Michael Moe - Chairman, President and CEO
Analysts
Presentation
Unidentified Analyst
Yeah. So, I?ll do quick intro. GSV Capital, ticker is GSVC. And we have here Michael Moe, if you recollect, he is the person who [call] [ph] Starbucks, the call back in ?80s. And GSV Capital, they make investments in pre-IPO, VC-backed companies. We just saw Keating Capital, so I guess, it will be interesting how this contrast with it.
And with that, I?ll hand over to you.
Michael Moe
Great. Thanks so much, [Tim]. So, Tim, coming out here, it seems like he was in one piece, so maybe like him have equal success, so it will be good. So in terms of GSV, just quickly, GSV stands for Global Silicon Valley. We are based in the heart of <a target="_blank" title="GSV Capital's CEO Presents at 14th Annual B. Riley & Co. Investor Conference (Transcript)" href='http://seekingalpha.com/article/1448581-gsv-capital-s-ceo-presents-at-14th-annual-b-riley-amp-co-investor-conference-transcript?source=feed'>Complete Story &raquo;</a>

Monday, 20 May 2013, 21:25 GMT
Some Thoughts On The Recent Surge In National Bank Of Greece
ByStephen Percoco:
As a result of losses sustained on Greek sovereign bonds, corporate loans and residential mortgages, the Greek banking system essentially went bankrupt soon after the 2008 financial crisis. Since then, an arm of the government, the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, has injected capital into Greece's major commercial banks, using part of the bailout funds received from the troika (i.e., the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Union).
The HFSF initially contributed a total of ?27.5 billion of bonds issued by the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) to those core commercial banks. Although the accounting for the capital contribution is not immediately clear, it appears that each bank created an offsetting liability (which is counted as capital) in an amount equal to the EFSF bonds received. In the coming weeks, those banks receiving the EFSF bonds will issue new shares, in an amount equal to the liabilities
Complete Story »

Monday, 20 May 2013, 18:55 GMT
All About Book Value? How It's Affecting Your Mortgage REIT
ByChristopher F. Davis:
May has been a bad month for the mortgage real estate investment trusts (mREITS) and the entire sector has seen a sell-off after poor earnings from both American Capital Agency (AGNC), Annaly Capital (NLY). There was also disappointment reported from the hybrid mREIT American Capital Mortgage (MTGE). Last week we saw a similarly depressing earnings announcement from an up and comer in the mREIT space, Western Asset Mortgage (WMC). These earnings reports, their impact on book value, a reason to rally last week and finally where the stocks could go from here are discussed.
Brief review of earnings highlights
The AGNC earnings report was indeed worrisome as it registered its worst Q1 ever. For the first quarter, it reported a comprehensive loss per common share of $1.57. This included $0.64 net income per share with a $2.21 loss per common share in other comprehensive areas (such as unrealized losses
Complete Story »

Monday, 20 May 2013, 18:37 GMT
Don't Panic: Survival Guide To Prospering With Mortgage REIT 12% Yields
ByCorvetteKid:

"This is the year you should start thinking about reducing exposure to the mortgage REITs. There's a tremendous amount of price risk and the Fed has got its fingers all over everything." - Wall Street sell-side analyst

Mortgage REITs have suffered some weakness in recent weeks, with the sector falling about 5% from early-April peaks and some popular stocks like American Capital Agency (AGNC) and Western Asset Mortgage Capital (WMC) falling 10-12% within a few trading days in May. This while the S&P 500 has been screaming higher. The sector stabilized at the end of last week but investors are concerned. Several formerly bullish analysts like the one quoted above urged caution.
(Click to enlarge)
The proximate cause for the sell-off was the sudden rise in bond yields, specifically the 10-year Treasury jumping 30 bp. in a little more than a week to 1.95%. An earlier gradual rise in
Complete Story »

Monday, 20 May 2013, 18:06 GMT
ING U.S. Call Buyers Look For Shares To Extend Post-IPO Rally
By Interactive Brokers:
VOYA - ING US, Inc. - Shares in ING Group's U.S. retirement, investment and insurance business are up as much as 8.0% today to $26.98, the highest level since the company's May 2nd IPO. ING US was rated new 'buy' at BTIG LLC with a 12-month target share price of $31.00 today. The stock has rallied nearly 40% over the IPO price of $19.50, and some options traders are positioning for the price of the underlying to extend gains during the second half of the year. November expiry options are the most active contracts by volume on VOYA today, with notable fresh interest in the Nov $25 and $30 calls. Traders appear to have purchased around 200 lots at each striking price for average premiums of $2.71 and $1.14 each, respectively. Call buyers stand ready to profit at November expiration should shares in ING US rally another 2.7% and
Complete Story »

Monday, 20 May 2013, 17:19 GMT
Shiver Me Timbers: Investing In Timber For Dividends
ByMarshall Hargrave:
With homebuilding stocks on a tear over the past twelve months, what are some other industries that could be big benefactors from the surge in housing? One industry I find intriguing is in the specialty REIT space, specifically the timer REITs. The big three timber REITs - Rayonier (RYN), Plum Creek Timber (PCL) and Weyerhaeuser Company (WY) - all have there respective exposure to the core timber and housing market, but the inner-workings of each company makes them solid investments in their own right. They all also pay dividend yields in excess of 2.5%.
Plum Creek Timber is one of the largest owners of private timberland in the U.S. and pays the highest dividend yield of the three at 3.3%. The company produces lumber and plywood at various wood products manufacturing facilities in the Northwest. The fact that Plum Creek is such a large operator helps
Complete Story »

Monday, 20 May 2013, 16:51 GMT
Banking Round-Up: Price-To-Book Ratio Comparisons
By Trefis:
The price-to-book (P/B) ratio of a company's stock is often used by investors as a quick tool to gauge whether the shares are being priced too cautiously or too aggressively, as marked differences between the price of a company?s share in the equity market compared to its book of accounts are often a sign of under- or over-valuation. But sometimes, skewed P/B ratios have a different story to tell. Very low P/B ratios may actually be because of serious problems with the company?s business model, whereas high P/B ratios could very well be because of strong optimism about the future potential of a company?s business model.
And as it turns out, no other sector captures the wide range of P/B ratios and their meanings so well as the banks do. While banking giants Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) trade at considerable discounts to their book value, JPMorgan?s (JPM)
Complete Story »

glossary - sectors - letters - a