Even in the world of commodities, brand can mean a lot. Since oil is part of our everyday lives, companies like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) have become two of the most recognized brands around the world. With natural gas looking to have its day in the sun, perhaps there are a few companies that could become household names as well.�
Exporting liquefied natural gas, or LNG, certainly has become one of the most talked about topics in the United States. One company that is leading the LNG export charge is Cheniere Energy (NYSEMKT: LNG ) . As the first mover in this space for the U.S., it has the best chance of any other company to make a big splash in this market.
If you are looking for brand recognition, though, then look no further than Exxon's and Chevron's gas stations to see why everyone knows their name. For this reason, perhaps Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ: CLNE ) has a shot at being a company we recognize from seeing its stations all over the place. Tune in to the video below where Fool.com contributor Tyler Crowe takes a look at a couple other natural gas companies that could become part of the everyday energy conversation.�
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: MiMedx Group Inc (MDXG)
MiMedx Group, Inc. (MiMedx), incorporated on February 28, 2008, is an integrated developer, manufacturer and marketer of regenerative biomaterial products processed from human amniotic membrane. The Company�� biomaterial platform technologies include the device technologies HydroFix and CollaFix, and tissue technologies, AmnioFix and EpiFix. Its tissue technologies are processed from human amniotic membrane that is derived from the donated placentas. Through the Company�� donor program, mothers delivering full-term caesarian births can elect in advance of delivery to donate the placenta in lieu of having it discarded as medical waste. MiMedx processes the human amniotic membrane utilizing its Purion Process to produce a manipulated implant for homologous use. MiMedx is the supplier of amniotic tissue, having supplied over 100,000 implants to distributors and other equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for application in the Wound Care, Surgical, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic and Dental sectors of healthcare.
The Company has three platform technologies. Its largest addressable market is in chronic wound care consisting of diabetic, venous and pressure ulcers. On January 5, 2011, the Company acquired all of the outstanding equity interests in Surgical Biologics, LLC. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, Surgical Biologics develops allografts and other products processed from human amniotic membrane that can be used for a range of medical applications, including ocular surface repair, gum repair, wound care, nerve and tendon repair, spine repair, burn treatment, and many other types of procedures that require the repair of a patient�� integumental (native) tissue. Surgical Biologics has developed a specialized process for the processing of amniotic membrane to produce a manipulated allograft for homologous use.
AmnioFix and EpiFix
MiMedx is the supplier of allografts processed from amniotic tissue, having supplied over 70,000 allografts to date for application in the Ophthalm! ic, Orthopedic, Dental, Spinal and Wound Care segments of healthcare. Its amnion products, AmnioFix and EpiFix, are processed from human tissue. The AmnioFix and EpiFix allografts can be used for a range of procedures, including ocular surface repair, gingival recession repair, wound care, burns, and many other types of procedures for the repair of a patient�� integumental (native) tissue. Its AmnioFix technology also is used as a graft to reduce the amount of scar tissue formation, provide a local anti-inflammatory and help with the soft tissue healing of the area. EpiFix offers a range of wound healing and wound care options. Much of the clinical usage of EpiFix has been for wound care patients suffering from diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, vein circulation ulcers, or artery circulation ulcers.
CollaFix
The Company�� CollaFix technology combines a means of creating fibers from soluble collagen and a specialized cross-linking process. MiMedx utilizes two separate cross-linking technologies for various applications. Initial laboratory and animal testing shows that the cross-linked collagen fibers produce a biocompatible, and durable construct that can be transformed into surgical meshes intended to treat a number of orthopedic soft-tissue trauma and disease disorders.
HydroFix
The Company licenses rights to a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer, which is a water-based biomaterial that can be manufactured with a range of mechanical properties, including those that appear to mimic closely the mechanical and physical properties of natural, healthy human tissue. This hydrogel has been used in other orthopedic and general surgery device applications, and it has demonstrated biocompatibility and durability inside the human body. It has a similar version of the product for the European market called HydroFix Spine Shield. The device is classified as a post-surgical adhesion inhibiting barrier and is used in specific spine surgeries. In December the original! HydroFix! Spine Shield (for Anterior use Class IIb in Europe) was renamed to be HydroFix Anterior Shield.
The Company competes with W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. and Stryker.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
MiMedx Group (NASDAQ: MDXG ) ,�announced�Monday that results from a randomized controlled trial for its EpiFix wound-care allograft have been published in the International Wound Journal.�
The clinical trial included patients with diabetic foot ulcers of at least four weeks' duration without infection, having adequate blood supply. Patients were broken into two groups, one receiving standard care alone, the other standard care plus EpiFix. After four and six weeks of treatment, the overall healing rate of patients treated with EpiFix was 77% and 92%, respectively, whereas standard care healed 0% and 8% of the wounds, respectively. The rate of healing with EpiFix exceeded that of standard treatment as well.
According to the World Health Organization, diabetes will affect 366 million people worldwide -- up from 171 million in 2000.�Approximately 25% of diabetics will develop a chronic non-healing ulcer over their lifetime.�Diabetic foot ulcers�occur in 15% of all patients with diabetes and precede 84% of all lower leg amputations.
EpiFix makes use of dehydrated human amniotic membrane to heal these ulcers. At room�temperature, EpiFix can have a shelf life of five years and retains the properties of the natural membrane.�Although there are similar, competing products on the market, the superior performance of�EpiFix compared with rival products (not yet proven by published studies) could help to make the company a market leader in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. - [By Sean Williams]
What: Shares of MiMedx Group (NASDAQ: MDXG ) , a manufacturer of patented regenerative biomaterial products (in essence, products designed to treat inflammation and help wounds heal), were eviscerated, falling as much as 70% at one point before recovering half of its losses after it announced the receipt of an untitled letter from the Food and Drug Administration alleging it does not possess the proper licensing to manufacture certain products.
- [By Teresa Rivas]
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Arrowood and Petit, CEO of MiMex Group (MDXG), in January of last year. The SEC alleges that Arrowood received non-public information about the potential sale of Matria Healthcare (a publicly traded company that merged with Inverness Medical Innovations in 2008) from Petit, who was CEO of the firm at that time.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
It may not be as big as NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUVA), and it might not be as sexy as MiMedx Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MDXG). But, Bacterin International Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:BONE) offers something to investors that MDXG and NUVA don't - can't - right now... a distinct opportunity for a lot of upside in a short amount of time.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: MPLX LP (MPLX)
MPLX LP, incorporated on March 27, 2012, is a fee-based limited partnership formed by Marathon Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, develop and acquire crude oil, refined product and other hydrocarbon-based product pipelines and other midstream assets. The Company�� assets consist of a 51% indirect interest in a network of common carrier crude oil and product pipeline systems and associated storage assets in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions of the United States.
The Company generates revenue by charging tariffs for transporting crude oil, refined products and other hydrocarbon-based products through its pipelines and at its barge dock and fees for storing crude oil and products at its storage facilities. The Company is also the operator of additional crude oil and product pipelines owned by Marathon Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries (MPC) and third parties, for which it is paid operating fees.
The Company�� assets consist of a 51% partner interest in Pipe Line Holdings, an entity which owns a 100.0% interest in Marathon Pipe Line LLC (MPL) and Ohio River Pipe Line LLC (ORPL), which in turn own: a network of pipeline systems, which includes approximately 962 miles of common carrier crude oil pipelines and approximately 1,819 miles of common carrier product pipelines extending across nine states. This network includes approximately 153 miles of common carrier crude oil and product pipelines, which it operates under long-term leases with third parties; a barge dock located on the Mississippi River near Wood River, Illinois, and crude oil and product tank farms located in Patoka, Wood River and Martinsville, Illinois and Lebanon, Indiana; and a 100.0% interest in a butane cavern located in Neal, West Virginia, which serves MPC�� Catlettsburg, Kentucky refinery.
Crude Oil Pipeline Systems
The Company�� crude oil pipeline systems and related assets are positioned to support crude oil supply options for MPC�� Midwest refineries, whic! h receive imported and domestic crude oil through a range of sources. Imported and domestic crude oil is transported to supply hubs in Wood River and Patoka, Illinois from a range of regions, including Cushing, Oklahoma on the Ozark pipeline system; Western Canada, Wyoming and North Dakota on the Keystone, Platte, Mustang and Enbridge pipeline systems, and the Gulf Coast on the Capline crude oil pipeline system.
The Company�� Patoka to Lima crude system is comprised of approximately 76 miles of 20-inch pipeline extending from Patoka, Illinois to Martinsville, Illinois, and approximately 226 miles of 22-inch pipeline extending from Martinsville to Lima, Ohio. This system also includes associated breakout tankage. Crude oil delivered on this system to MPC�� tank farm in Lima can then be shipped to MPC�� Canton, Ohio refinery through MPC�� Lima to Canton pipeline, to MPC�� Detroit refinery through MPC�� undivided joint interest portion of the Maumee pipeline, and its Samaria to Detroit pipeline, or to other third-party refineries owned by BP, Husky Energy, and PBF Energy in Lima and Toledo, Ohio.
The Company�� Catlettsburg and Robinson crude system is consisted of the pipelines: Patoka to Robinson and Patoka to Catlettsburg. Its Patoka to Robinson pipeline consists of approximately 78 miles of 20-inch pipeline, which delivers crude oil from Patoka, Illinois to MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery. Its Patoka to Catlettsburg pipeline consists of approximately 140 miles of 20-inch pipeline extending from Patoka, Illinois to Owensboro, Kentucky, and approximately 266 miles of 24-inch pipeline extending from Owensboro to MPC�� Catlettsburg, Kentucky refinery. Crude oil can enter this pipeline at Patoka, and into the Owensboro to Catlettsburg portion of the pipelines at Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, from the third-party Mid-Valley system.
The Company�� Detroit crude system is consisted of Samaria to Detroit and Romulus to Detroit. Its Samaria to Detroit pi! peline co! nsists of approximately 44 miles of 16-inch pipeline that delivers crude oil from Samaria, Michigan to MPC�� Detroit, Michigan refinery. This pipeline includes a tank farm and crude oil truck offloading facility located at Samaria.
The Company�� Romulus to Detroit pipeline consists of approximately 17 miles of 16-inch pipeline extending from Romulus, Michigan to MPC�� Detroit, Michigan refinery. Its Wood River to Patoka crude system is consisted of two pipelines: Wood River to Patoka and Roxanna to Patoka. Its Wood River to Patoka pipeline consists of approximately 57 miles of 22-inch pipeline, which delivers crude oil received in Wood River, Illinois from the third-party Platte and Ozark pipeline systems to Patoka, Illinois.
The Company�� Roxanna to Patoka pipeline consists of approximately 58 miles of 12-inch pipeline, which transports crude oil received in Roxanna, Illinois from the Ozark pipeline system to its tank farm in Patoka, Illinois.
Product Pipeline Systems
The Company�� product pipeline systems are positioned to transport products from five of MPC�� refineries to MPC�� marketing operations, as well as those of third parties. These pipeline systems also supply feedstocks to MPC�� Midwest refineries. These product pipeline systems are integrated with MPC�� expansive network of refined product marketing terminals, which support MPC�� integrated midstream business.
The Company�� Gulf Coast product pipeline systems include Garyville products system and Texas City products system. The Company�� Garyville products system is consisted of approximately 70 miles of 20-inch pipeline, which delivers refined products from MPC�� Garyville, Louisiana refinery to either the Plantation Pipeline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana or the MPC Zachary breakout tank farm in Zachary, Louisiana, and approximately two miles of 36-inch pipeline that delivers refined products from the MPC tank farm to Colonial Pipeline in Zachary.
The Company�� Texas City products system is comprised of approximately 39 miles of 16-inch pipeline that delivers refined products from refineries owned by MPC, BP and Valero in Texas City, Texas to MPC�� Pasadena breakout tank farm and third-party terminals in Pasadena, Texas. The system also includes approximately three miles of 30- and 36-inch pipeline that delivers refined products from MPC�� Pasadena breakout tank farm to the third-party TEPPCO and Centennial pipeline systems.The Company�� Midwest product pipeline systems include Ohio River Pipe Line (ORPL) products system, Robinson products system and Louisville Airport products system. The Company�� ORPL products system is consisted of Kenova to Columbus, Canton to East Sparta, East Sparta to Heath, East Sparta to Midland, Heath to Dayton, and Heath to Findlay.
The Company�� Kenova to Columbus pipeline consists of approximately 150 miles of 14-inch pipeline that delivers refined products from MPC�� Catlettsburg refinery to MPC�� Columbus, Ohio area terminals. Its Canton to East Sparta pipeline consists of two parallel pipelines, which connect MPC�� Canton, Ohio refinery with its East Sparta, Ohio breakout tankage and station. The first pipeline consists of approximately 8.5 miles of six-inch pipeline that delivers products (distillates) from Canton to East Sparta. The second pipeline consists of approximately 8.5 miles of six-inch bi-directional pipeline, which can deliver products (gasoline) from Canton to East Sparta or light petroleum-based feedstocks from East Sparta to Canton.
The Company�� East Sparta to Heath pipeline consists of approximately 81 miles of eight-inch pipeline that delivers products from its East Sparta, Ohio breakout tankage and station to MPC�� terminal in Heath, Ohio. The Company�� East Sparta to Midland pipeline consists of approximately 62 miles of eight-inch bi-directional pipeline, which can deliver products and light petroleum-based feedstocks betwe! en its br! eak-out tankage and station in East Sparta, Ohio and MPC�� terminal in Midland, Pennsylvania. MPC�� Midland terminal has a marketing load rack and is able to connect to other Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-area terminals through a pipeline owned by Buckeye Pipe Line Company, L.P. and a river loading/unloading dock for products and petroleum feedstocks. This pipeline can also transport products to MPC�� terminals in Steubenville and Youngstown, Ohio through a connection at West Point, Ohio with a pipeline owned by MPC.
The Company�� Heath to Dayton pipeline consists of approximately 108 miles of six-inch pipeline, which delivers products from MPC�� terminals in Heath, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio to terminals owned by CITGO and Sunoco Logistics Partners, L.P. in Dayton, Ohio. This pipeline is bi-directional between Heath and Columbus for product deliveries. Its Heath to Findlay consists of approximately 100 miles of eight- and 10-inch pipeline, which delivers products from MPC�� terminal in Heath, Ohio to MPC�� pipeline break-out tankage and terminal in Findlay, Ohio. Robinson products system is consisted of Robinson to Lima, Robinson to Louisville, Robinson to Mt. Vernon, Wood River to Clermont, Dieterich to Martinsville and Wabash Pipeline System.
The Company�� Robinson to Lima pipeline consists of approximately 250 miles of 10-inch pipeline, which delivers products from MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery to MPC terminals in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as to MPC terminals in Muncie, Indiana and Lima, Ohio. Its Robinson to Louisville pipeline consists of approximately 129 miles of 16-inch pipeline, which delivers products from MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery to two MPC and multiple third-party terminals in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition, these products can supply MPC and Valero terminals in Lexington, Kentucky through the Louisville to Lexington pipeline system owned by MPC and Valero.
The Company�� Robinson to Mt. Vernon pipeline consists of ap! proximate! ly 79 miles of 10-inch pipeline that delivers products from MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery to a MPC terminal located on the Ohio River in Mt. Vernon, Indiana. It leases this pipeline from a third party under a long-term lease. The Company�� Wood River to Clermont pipeline consists of approximately 153 miles of 10-inch pipeline extending from MPC�� terminal in Wood River, Illinois to Martinsville, Illinois, and approximately 156 miles of 10-inch pipeline extending from Martinsville, Illinois to Clermont, Indiana. This pipeline also includes approximately 9.5 miles of pipelines utilized for the local movement of products in and around Wood River, Illinois, and Clermont, Indiana.
The Company�� Dieterich to Martinsville pipeline consists of approximately 40 miles of 10-inch pipeline, which delivers products from the termination point of Centennial Pipeline to Martinsville, Illinois. From Martinsville, these products (including refinery feedstocks) can be distributed to MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery or to other destinations through our other pipeline systems. Its Wabash Pipeline System consists of three interconnected pipeline pipelines: approximately 130 miles of 12-inch pipeline extending from MPC�� terminal in Wood River, Illinois to Champaign, Illinois (the West leg); approximately 86 miles of 12-inch pipeline extending from MPC�� Robinson, Illinois refinery to Champaign (the East leg), and approximately 140 miles of 12- and 16-inch pipeline extending from the junction with the East and West legs in Champaign to MPC�� terminals in Griffith, Indiana and Hammond, Indiana. This pipeline system delivers products to MPC�� tanks at Martinsville, Champaign, Griffith and Hammond. This pipeline system also delivers products to tanks owned by Meier Oil Company at Ashkum, Illinois. The Wabash Pipeline System connects to other pipeline systems in the Chicago area through a portion of the system located beyond MPC�� Griffith terminal. The Company�� Louisville airport product! s system ! consists of approximately 14 miles of eight- and six-inch pipeline, which delivers jet fuel from MPC�� Louisville, Kentucky refined product terminals to customers at the Louisville International Airport.
Other Major Midstream Assets
The Company�� butane cavern is located in Neal, West Virginia, across the Big Sandy River from MPC�� Catlettsburg, Kentucky refinery. This storage cavern has approximately 1.0 million barrels of storage capacity and is connected to MPC�� Catlettsburg refinery. Rail access to the storage cavern is also available through connections with the refinery.
The Company�� barge dock is located on the Mississippi River in Wood River, Illinois and is used both for crude oil barge loading and products barge unloading. The barge dock is connected to its Wood River tank farm by approximately two miles of 14-inch pipeline, which transfers crude oil from the tank farm to the dock, and two 10-inch pipelines, which are each approximately two miles long and transfer products and feedstocks from the dock to the tank farm. This dock generates revenue through a FERC tariff, which is collected for the transfer and loading/unloading of crude oil and products. It also owns tank farms located in Patoka, Martinsville and Wood River, Illinois and Lebanon, Indiana, which it uses for storing both crude oil and products. These storage assets are integral to the operation of its pipeline systems in those areas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aimee Duffy]
Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX ) and its master limited partnership Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP ) have made the headlines recently, because of how high PSXP climbed during its first day of trading. It isn't the first refiner to find success with an MLP spinoff -- Marathon Petroleum's (NYSE: MPC ) spinoff�MPLX (NYSE: MPLX ) is up more than 16% year to date -- and it doesn't look as if it will be the last. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy looks at Valero's (NYSE: VLO ) recent affirmation of its plan to convert its logistics assets into an MLP.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
In Marathon's quarterly report, watch for how the refiner's relationship with spun-off midstream pipeline operator MPLX (NYSE: MPLX ) is faring. With Marathon holding a majority stake in MPLX, its pipeline assets will play an increasingly important role in bringing midcontinent energy products to its refineries.
Top Income Companies To Buy Right Now: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp (FMCC)
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) conducts business in the United States residential mortgage market and the global securities market. The Company operates in three segments: Single-family Guarantee, Investments, and Multifamily. The Single-family Guarantee segment reflects results from the Company's single-family credit guarantee activities. The Investments segment reflects results from the Company's investment, funding and hedging activities. The Multifamily segment reflects results from the Company's investment (both purchases and sales), securitization, and guarantee activities in multifamily mortgage loans and securities. The Company conducts its operations in the United States and its territories.
Single-Family Guarantee Segment
In the Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchases single-family mortgage loans originated by the Company�� seller/servicers in the primary mortgage market. The Company uses the mortgage securitization process to package the purchased mortgage loans into guaranteed mortgage-related securities. The Company guarantees the payment of principal and interest on the mortgage-related security in exchange for management and guarantee fees. The Company�� customers are lenders in the primary mortgage market that originate mortgages for homeowners. These lenders include mortgage banking companies, commercial banks, savings banks, community banks, credit unions, Housing Finance Agency (HFAs), and savings and loan associations. The Company�� customers also service loans in its single-family credit guarantee portfolio.
Mortgage securitization is a process, by which the Company purchase mortgage loans that lenders originate, and pool these loans into mortgage securities that are sold in global capital markets. The United States residential mortgage market consists of a primary mortgage market that links homebuyers and lenders and a secondary mortgage market that links lenders and investors. The Company part! icipates in the secondary mortgage market by purchasing mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities for investment and by issuing guaranteed mortgage-related securities. In the Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchase and securitize single-family mortgages, which are mortgages that are secured by one- to four-family properties. The types of mortgage-related securities it issue and guarantee include PCs, REMICs and Other Structured Securities and Other Guarantee Transactions. The Company also issue mortgage-related securities to third parties in exchange for non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities. The non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities are transferred to trusts that were specifically created for the purpose of issuing securities, or certificates, in the Other Guarantee Transactions.
Investments Segment
In the Company�� Investments segment, it invests principally in mortgage-related securities and single-family performing mortgage loans, which are funded by other debt issuances and hedged using derivatives. In the Company�� Investments segment, it also provides funding and hedging management services to the Single-family Guarantee and Multifamily segments. The Company�� customers for its debt securities predominantly include insurance companies, money managers, central banks, depository institutions, and pension funds. The Company funds its investment activities by issuing short-term and long-term debt. The Company�� PCs are an integral part of its mortgage purchase program. The Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment purchases many of its mortgages by issuing PCs in exchange for those mortgage loans in guarantor swap transactions. The Company also issue PCs backed by mortgage loans that it purchased for cash.
Multifamily Segment
The Company�� multifamily segment issues Other Structured Securities, but does not issue REMIC securities. The Company multifamily segment also enters into other guarantee commitments for mult! ifamily H! FA bonds and housing revenue bonds held by third parties. The Company acquires a portion of its multifamily mortgage loans from several large seller/servicers.
The Company competes with Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Mae Federal Housing Administration/the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (FHA/VA) and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Dumortier, CFA]
Federal National Mortgage Association (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA )
Federal mortgage agency Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, is a conundrum, and a speculative vehicle par excellence. On the back of a spectacular 676% run-up this year (see the following graph), the company has become, to my knowledge, the most valuable over-the-counter penny stock there is. With its twin, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC ) , both of which were nationalized in 2008, during the credit crisis, these companies now have a combined market value of $5.5 billion. - [By Lauren Pollock]
Wells Fargo(WFC) & Co. settled with the Federal Housing Finance Agency for allegedly misleading disclosures on mortgage securities the bank sold to Fannie Mae(FNMA) (FNMA) and Freddie Mac(FMCC) (FMCC), according to people familiar with the matter.
- [By Alex Dumortier, CFA]
Fannie and Freddie: future uncertain
At the beginning of the month, I highlighted government mortgage agencies Federal National Mortgage Association (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA ) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC ) , commonly known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. As the result of an extraordinary run this year, the stocks now have, to my knowledge, the highest market capitalization of any penny stocks in the U.S. market.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: American Financial Group Inc (AFG)
American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), incorporated on July 1, 1997, is a holding company, which through subsidiaries, is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses and in the sale of traditional fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the individual, bank and education markets. The Company�� segment includes: property and casualty insurance, annuity, run-off long-term care and life and other. In August 2012, the Company sold its Medicare supplement and critical illness businesses.
Property and Casualty Insurance
AFG�� specialty property and casualty insurance operations consist of approximately 30 niche insurance businesses offering a range of commercial coverages. Under the property and transportation segment, inland and ocean marine provides coverage primarily for builders' risk, contractors' equipment, property, motor truck cargo, marine cargo, boat dealers, marina operators/dealers and excursion vessels. The agriculture-related business provides federally reinsured multi-peril crop (allied lines) insurance covering perils, as well as crop-hail, equine mortality and other coverages for operating farms/ranches and agribusiness operations on a nationwide basis. The commercial automobile business provides coverage for vehicles (such as buses and trucks) in a range of businesses, including the moving and storage and transportation industries, and a specialized physical damage product for the trucking industry.
Under the specialty casualty segment, executive and professional liability business markets coverage for directors and officers of businesses and non-profit organizations, errors and omissions, and provides non-United States medical malpractice insurance. The umbrella and excess liability business provides higher layer liability coverage in excess of primary layers. The excess and surplus business provides liability, umbrella and excess coverage for risks, using rates and forms that ge! nerally do not have to be approved by state insurance regulators. The general liability business provides coverage for contractor-related businesses, energy development and production risks, and environmental liability risks. The targeted programs includes coverage (primarily liability and property) for social service agencies, leisure, entertainment and non-profit organizations, customized solutions for other targeted markets and alternative risk programs using agency captives. The Workers��Compensation provides coverage for prescribed benefits payable to employees who are injured on the job.
Under the specialty financial segment, fidelity and surety provides fidelity and crime coverage for government, mercantile and financial institutions and surety coverage for various types of contractors and public and private corporations. Lease and loan services provides coverage for insurance risk management programs for lending and leasing institutions, including equipment leasing and collateral and mortgage protection.
Annuity Operations
AFG�� annuity operations is engaged primarily in the sale of fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the individual, bank and education markets through independent producers and also sell annuities through direct relationships with banks. Annuities are long-term retirement saving instruments that benefit from income accruing on a tax-deferred basis. The issuer of the annuity collects premiums, credits interest or earnings on the policy and pays out a benefit upon death, surrender or annuitization. Single premium annuities are generally issued in exchange for a one-time lump-sum premium payment. Certain annuities, primarily in the education market, have premium payments that are flexible in both amount and timing as determined by the policyholder and are generally made through payroll deductions.
A fixed-indexed annuity provides policyholders with the opportunity to receive a crediting rate tied, in part, to the performanc! e of an e! xisting market index (generally the S&P 500) while protecting against the related downside risk through a guarantee of principal (excluding surrender charges, market value adjustments, and certain benefit charges). AFG purchases call options designed to substantially offset the effect of the index participation in the liabilities associated with fixed-indexed annuities.
Run-off long-term care and life
The majority of AFG�� investment in its run-off long-term care and life operations (including 100% of its long-term care business) is in the following subsidiaries: United Teacher Associates Insurance Company, Continental General Insurance Company and Manhattan National Life Insurance Company. United Teacher Associates Insurance Company�� products include Long-term care, life and annuities. Continental General Insurance Company�� products include Long-term care, life and annuities.
Other Operations
Through subsidiaries, AFG is engaged in a range of other operations, including commercial real estate operations in Cincinnati (office buildings and The Cincinnatian Hotel), New Orleans (Le Pavillon Hotel), Whitefield, New Hampshire (Mountain View Grand Resort), Chesapeake Bay (Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort and Bay Bridge Marina), Charleston (Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina), Palm Beach (Sailfish Marina and Resort), Florida City, Florida (retail commercial development) and apartments in Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of American International Group have dropped 1.7% to $49.67 at 1:19 p.m. today, while American Financial Group (AFG) has, dropped 0.2% to $57.23, HCC Insurance (HCC) is little changed at $45.12,�Travelers (TRV) has dipped 0.1% to $83.52 and Chubb (CB) is off 0.1% at $86.58.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: Von Roll Holding AG (ROH)
Von Roll Holding AG is a Switzerland-based holding company that focuses on products and systems for power generation, transmission and distribution, as well as high-tech materials. The Company diversifies its activities into three business segments: Von Roll Insulation; Von Roll Composites, and Von Roll Transformers. The Von Roll Insulation business segment covers the Company's products, systems and services related to insulation with focus on large generators, high-voltage motors, traction motors and transformers. The Von Roll Composites business segment covers the Company's heat and fire resistant cable insulations, composite materials, compression-molded tiles and solutions for ballistic protection. The Von Roll Transformers business segment covers the Company's complete solutions for power transmission and distribution, power transformers and special transformers. In June 2013, it acquired Albesiano Sisa vernici Srl. Advisors' Opinion:- [By The Part-time Investor]
The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:
Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: Zebra Technologies Corporation(ZBRA)
Zebra Technologies Corporation offers products and solutions that assist in identifying, authenticating, and tracking assets, people, and transactions. The company?s products include direct thermal and thermal transfer label and receipt printers, radio frequency identification printer/encoders, dye sublimation card printers, real-time location solutions, and related accessories and support software. It also designs, manufactures, and sells specialty printing devices that print variable information on demand at the point of issuance. The company offers its printers to print bar code labels, receipts, plastic identification cards, wristbands, and tags, as well as to encode passive RFID smart labels and cards. In addition, it provides printer management, label design, and driver solutions under the ZebraNet brand name. The company?s printer supplies consist of stock and customized thermal labels, wristbands, plastic cards, card laminates, and thermal transfer ribbons. Its p roducts have applications in inventory control, small package delivery, baggage handling, automated warehousing, just-in-time manufacturing, employee time and attendance records, file management systems, patient barcode wrist banding, medical specimen labeling, shop floor control, in-store product labeling, employee ID cards, driver?s licenses, and access control systems. The company sells its products worldwide through distributors, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers. Zebra Technologies Corporation was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Coca-Cola Co.(KO), Johnson & Johnson(JNJ) and Zebra Technologies Corp.(ZBRA)
- [By Jayson Derrick]
Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ: ZBRA) has agreed to acquire Motorola's Enterprise business for $3.45 billion in an all cash transaction. "This acquisition will transform Zebra into a leading provider of solutions that deliver greater intelligence and insights into our customers' enterprises and extended value chains," stated Anders Gustafsson, Zebra's chief executive officer. Shares of Zebra lost 10.09 percent, closing at $61.39.
- [By Andy Obermueller]
I first told StreetAuthority readers about this game-changing technology in an article about another stock in this sector I like: payment processing firm Zebra (Nasdaq: ZBRA).
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sempra Energy(SRE)
Sempra Energy, together with its subsidiaries, develops new energy infrastructure, operates utilities, and provides energy-related products and services worldwide. It operates in six segments: SDG&E, SoCalGas, Sempra Generation, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra LNG (liquefied natural gas), and Sempra Commodities. The SDG&E segment has electric and natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, street and highway lighting, and direct access customers. The SoCalGas segment has natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of natural gas to electric generation, wholesale, large commercial, industrial, and enhanced oil recovery customers. The Sempra Generation segment involves in the generation and wholesale distribution of electricity through a fleet of natural gas-fired power generati on facilities in Arizona, Nevada, and Indiana, as well as Mexico with a total capacity of 2,513 megawatts. The Sempra Pipelines & Storage segment operates 1,883 miles of distribution pipelines, 224 miles of transmission pipelines, and 3 compressor stations in Mexico; operates Mobile Gas, a natural gas distribution utility located in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama; and operates natural gas storage facilities in Washington County of Alabama and Simpson County of Mississippi. The Sempra LNG segment involves in the receipt, storage, and vaporization of LNG, as well as the purchase and sale of natural gas. It operates Energia Costa Azul LNG receipt terminal in Baja California, Mexico, as well as Cameron LNG receipt terminal in Hackberry, Louisiana. The Sempra Commodities segment engages in the commodities-marketing business. Sempra Energy has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered i n San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Richard Stavros]
The Top Low-Carbon Utilities
PG&E Corp (NYSE: PCG) Exelon Corp (NYSE: EXC) Entergy Corp (NYSE: ETR) Public Service Enterprise Group Inc (NYSE: PEG) NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE: NEE) Dominion Resources Inc (NYSE: D) Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE)But that is not to say that, over the long term, high-carbon utilities might not be able to crack the technology and cost issues that would make “clean coal” competitive with other low-carbon energy sources. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz has said, “No discussion of US energy security and reducing global CO2 emissions is complete without talking about coal and the technologies that will allow us to use this resource more efficiently and with fewer greenhouse gas emissions.”
- [By Justin Loiseau]
According to the press release, Southern's newest solar farm will be built, operated, and maintained by First Solar. Generated electricity is slotted for Sempra Energy's (NYSE: SRE ) San Diego Gas & Electric Company through a 20-year power purchase agreement.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
ConEd has taken steps toward bolstering its non-regulated business, entering into a partnership with Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE ) to take 50% ownership of two of Sempra's solar farms in Nevada and Arizona. Still, one consequence of moving toward deregulated opportunities is that they can create more volatility in earnings, which could make it harder for ConEd to feel comfortable with future dividend hikes.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: FutureFuel Corp. (FF)
FutureFuel Corp., through its subsidiary, FutureFuel Chemical Company, engages in the manufacture and sale of specialty chemicals and bio-based products primarily in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Chemicals and Biofuels. The Chemicals segment provides custom chemical manufacturing services for specific customers, such as bleach activators for detergent and consumer products manufacturers; proprietary herbicide and intermediates for life sciences companies; agrochemicals; and industrial and consumer products, such as cosmetics and personal care products, ink colorants, adhesion promoters, polymer additives, polymer and specialty dyes, specialty polymers, photographic and imaging chemicals, and food additives. This segment also manufactures and sells a range of performance chemicals, including a family of polymer (nylon) modifiers and small-volume specialty chemicals for various applications; a family of acetal-based solvents, consisting of diethoxy methane, dimethoxymethane, dibutoxymethane, and glycerol formal; and phenol sulfonic acid that build on sulfonations technology. Its chemical products are used in various markets and end uses, including detergents, agrochemicals, automotive, photographic imaging, coatings, nutrition, and polymer additives. The Biofuels segment produces and sells biodiesel, as well as petrodiesel in blends with or without biodiesel. This segment also operates a granary in central Arkansas that involves in the purchase and sale of agricultural commodities, primarily soybeans, rice, and corn. This segment markets its biodiesel products by truck and rail directly to customers. FutureFuel Corp. was formerly known as Viceroy Acquisition Corporation and changed its name to FutureFuel Corp. in 2006. FutureFuel Corp. was incorporated in 2005 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Maxx Chatsko]
3. Focus on efficiency
A combination of factors plays a role in efficiently producing biodiesel. FutureFuel (NYSE: FF ) , which owns an annual capacity of 59 million gallons to complement its niche chemical business, relies heavily on location. The company's two biorefineries don't have a nationwide infrastructure to aid in getting product to the market and are dependent on rail and barge access. Despite the FutureFuel's amazing progress is improving its process -- annual capacity jumped from just 35 million gallons in 2011 to 59 million gallons today -- the company admits that its relatively small operations may cease to exist given changes in feedstock prices, government mandates, and tax credits. � - [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of chemical and biofuels manufacturer FutureFuel (NYSE: FF ) soared 20% on Tuesday after its quarterly results impressed Wall Street.
- [By Monica Gerson]
FutureFuel (NYSE: FF) surged 21.01% to $21.25 in the pre-market session after the company reported a rise in its fourth-quarter earnings. FutureFuel posted its quarterly profit of $0.61 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $0.15 per share.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: SAP AG(SAP)
SAP AG provides business software primarily in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific Japan region. The company?s products includes SAP Business Suite software, which supports large organizations in their core business operations, such as supplier relationship, production, warehouse management, sales, administration, and customer relationship; SAP Business All-in-One, a business management software that assists midsize companies in managing various business functions, including financials, human resources, procurement, inventory, manufacturing, logistics, product development, sales, and marketing; SAP Business One, a business management application for small businesses; and SAP Business ByDesign, an on-demand solution for integrated business management applications. Its products also comprises SAP BusinessObjects Edge business intelligence and enterprise performance management solutions; Xcelsius, a data visualization software; Crystal Reports, which helps users design interactive reports; Sybase IQ, an optimized analytics server designed to deliver results for business intelligence, analytics, data warehousing, and reporting solutions; SAP solutions for sustainability; and SAP NetWeaver technology platform, which integrates information and business processes across various technologies and organizational structures. In addition, the company offers industry and solution-focused, business transformation, information technology transformation, custom development, and support services; and program, project management, quality assurance, and education and certification services. It sells its products through its subsidiaries and resellers. SAP AG has a strategic relationship with Cap Gemini S.A. to develop and deploy enterprise mobility solutions. The company was formerly known as SAP Aktiengesellschaft Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung. SAP AG was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Walldorf , Germany.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Reuters]
Joe Raedle/Getty Images TORONTO -- BlackBerry Ltd. will pay its new interim CEO a base salary of $1 million, a bonus of up to twice that amount as well as stock awards potentially worth some $85 million, in the hopes of turning around Canada's most prominent technology company. John Chen, the second consecutive chief executive officer at BlackBerry (BBRY) to receive a bumper package, will have to help the embattled smartphone maker regain its footing and win back market share ceded to the likes of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and a range of devices that run on Google's (GOOG) Android operating system. Chen was credited with turning around Sybase in the late 1990s. Sybase, an enterprise software company, was eventually acquired by SAP (SAP) in 2010. Chen's share awards only begin to vest after he completes three years with BlackBerry, and the majority of the options will vest only after he completes his fifth year, according to a regulatory filing late Thursday. Should Chen be fired without cause, he will be paid up to $6 million, according to the filing. Chen's appointment came after BlackBerry stunned many Monday when it abandoned plans to sell itself and instead opted to raise funds via a $1 billion notes offering led by Fairfax Holdings, its largest shareholder. Fairfax, led by investment guru Prem Watsa, had said it was investing $250 million in the offering. In its filing Thursday, BlackBerry said Canso Investment Counsel is investing $300 million in the offering, while Mackenzie Financial, Markel, Qatar Holding, and Brookfield Asset Management are buying the remainder. As part of the financing deal, BlackBerry has agreed to pay a fee to the investors if it does reach an alternate deal that results in the sale of the company, either before, or within 30 days of the close of this deal. Depending on the circumstances, the fee could range between $135 million and $250 million. The investors have also pledged to a standstill agreement, for a period of on
- [By Julianne Pepitone]
But we also included Chinese tech titans Baidu (BIDU) and Sina (SINA), European heavyweights SAP (SAP) and ARM Holdings (ARMH) and leaders in more specialized industries such as video game companies Activision Blizzard (ATVI) and Electronic Arts (EA), security firm Symantec (SYMC, Fortune 500) and online travel king Priceline (PCLN, Fortune 500).
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2015: Federal Resources Investment Group Inc (FED)
Federal Resources Investment Group Inc.( FED) is a Philippines-based holding company engaged. The Company�� primary activities were to invest in, purchase, or otherwise dispose of real and personal property of every kind and description, including shares of stock, bonds, debentures, notes, evidences of indebtedness, and other securities or obligations of any corporation or corporations, association and associations, domestic or foreign. Prior to its change in primary purpose, the Company was previously engaged in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of various adhesives and sealants, contact cement, wood glues, epoxies, coating, and other specialty products, and other chemicals for hardware, construction, do-it-yourself and other applications. The Company�� operating segments include PVC Resins and Sealants, Coatings and adhesives. The Company is still in the process of winding up its manufacturing and trading operations and selling its remaining inventories. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Canadian Value]
Nearly all emerging markets took a hit this summer amid speculation the US Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) would soon begin ��apering��its prolonged asset purchase plan, which had pumped large amounts of liquidity into the markets globally. When you hear about this ��apering��of the Fed�� $85 billion monthly bond purchases, it�� important to understand the facts. Tapering isn�� the same as tightening. The Fed-fueled liquidity already pumped in is still working through the system. Additionally, Japan and other global central banks are printing money, adding to the pot.
- [By Canadian Value]
I think too many investors have failed to put those events and developments in the proper context. Rather, they have come to the conclusion that emerging markets are finished, particularly, they say, as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) is expected to turn off the money tap, depriving emerging markets of needed liquidity to protect their weakening currencies and pay their debts. For the time being, the Fed has decided to keep the tap flowing, removing one immediate investor fear. But I think there are also other reasons why investors who doubt the emerging markets��story need better context.
- [By Canadian Value]
In the US, we believe the key is whether the economic recovery will be self-sustaining in the absence of the excessively easy monetary policy that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) has been providing via its longstanding Treasury asset purchase program known as Quantitative Easing (QE). Can the Fed orchestrate a steady, manageable rise in interest rates? Will employment and wage growth gather strength and create a virtuous growth cycle without Fed support? And will corporate earnings continue to come through as anticipated by the steady expansion we have seen in valuation multiples? These are all unknowns, but will likely be important parts of the equation for the US market.
Twitter (TWTR) is 45% off highs set in December, and also touched new "bear market" lows this morning. Yet bulls have actually been increasing their level of bullishness in recent weeks -- weighing in today at 73%! 
Much has been written about John Q. Public and his general apathy towards the stock market since the 2008 to 2009 financial wipeout. This obviously doesn't jibe with stock market indices more than doubling during the five years since then. On the flip side, we're seeing individual stocks maintaining rather bullish sentiment scores, despite suffering extremely painful losses. Who's right? Is everyone wrong? Have we all lost our minds? Follow me on StockTwits: @chicagosean At the time of publication, the author held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. This article represents the opinion of a contributor and not necessarily that of TheStreet or its editorial staff.
While I contend this dual image dilutes Apple's brand and could have negative long-term consequences, I respect the argument that it's smart for Apple to straddle both sides of the fence. It explicitly floats between high and low end on pricing and availability within product categories. Apple subtly markets its products as elite and aspirational; however, outside of a few exceptions, they're not. You can buy the best at Walmart. Or get it for really cheap, if not free, via promotion at a handful of third-party retailers. If that's not a contradiction, I'm not sure what is. Along similar lines, I agree with TheStreet's Jason Notte that Taylor Swift isn't country, but I come at it a bit differently. Notte's correct ... While (The New York) Times still somehow considers Taylor Swift "country" -- despite long ago transcending that genre and eschewing twang and drawl for beats and Tegan and Sara covers -- the most prominent face of country music in the last decade or so has been the tanned, hat-shaded Tennessee visage of Kenny Chesney and the cocktail country that comes along with it. But it's not the Times that considers Taylor Swift country. It's the powers that be within the country music industry. And, smartly, Swift goes along for the ride. Like Apple, she runs in multiple worlds. Country music benefits because it gets headlines like the one Notte was referring to -- "Young, Rich and Ruling Radio, Country Walks a Broader Line." Country tops lists as the most popular radio format and such. However, it can only achieve this status because of Swift's broad star power. She is, beyond a shadow of doubt, the best crossover phenomenon of our time. While Swift hasn't kept quite as much twang as, say, Shania Twain did during her crossover heyday, she keeps just enough. Just enough so not too many country diehards hate her for crossing over (and not really being country any longer). Just enough to get nominated (and sometimes win) at every awards show from the CMAs to the VMAs to the Grammys. Just enough to show respect and prop up the format that launched her. Just enough to give hope to Top 40 and, eventually, save everything from indie pop to rock and roll. Swift keeps a residence in Nashville, though she's rarely in it. She claims she spends time in Nashville, but we just don't see it because the paparazzi leave her alone there. In Nashville, we're to believe she's just like a low-profile Springsteen in Asbury Park or Rumson. As much as I love Taylor Swift (and I do), I call bull. She has probably spent more time at the West Hollywood Whole Foods Market (WFM) in 2014 than Nashville. Swift splits time between Manhattan and LA. 
Atisha Paulson/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAn employee sews printed leather patterns for a Rebecca Minkoff handbag at the Baikal manufacturing facility in New York. DETROIT -- Call it the comeback kid. A new ranking of the competitiveness of the world's top 25 exporting countries says the United States is once again a "rising star" of global manufacturing thanks to falling domestic natural gas prices, rising worker productivity and a lack of upward wage pressure. The report, released Friday by the Boston Consulting Group, found that while China remains the world's No. 1 country in terms of manufacturing competitiveness, its position is "under pressure" as a result of rising labor and transportation costs and lagging productivity growth. The United States, meanwhile, which has lost nearly 7.5 million industrial jobs since employment in the sector peaked in 1979 as manufacturers shipped production to low-cost countries, is now No. 2 in terms of overall competitiveness, BCG said. The biggest factor driving the U.S. rebound, according to BCG: cheap natural gas prices, which have tumbled 50 percent over the last decade as a result of the shale gas revolution. Also contributing to the country's attractiveness, according to BCG, is "stable wage growth" -- a euphemism for the fact that, in inflation-adjusted terms, industrial wages here are lower today than they were in the 1960s even though worker productivity has doubled over the same period of time. "Overall costs in the U.S.," the report's authors write, "are 10 to 25 percent lower than those of the world's ten leading goods-exporting nations other than China" and on par with Eastern Europe. Another standout in the rankings is Mexico, which BCG categorizes as a "rising star" with lower average manufacturing costs than China. But the country failed to make BCG's list of Top 10 manufacturers because of other factors, including rampant crime and corruption. BCG arrived at the rankings using a proprietary index that focuses on four major factors: wages, productivity growth, energy costs and exchange rates. In addition to China, four other countries with reputations as low-cost production centers -- Brazil, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia -- are classified as being "under pressure" in terms of their manufacturing costs.
Shutterstock It's pretty clear bonds are a bad job, with returns relatively meager and prices likely to fall ahead, but yield-seeking investors keep pushing money their way. "People have been buying bonds for some years and going further out the risk spectrum to get yield as Treasury yields fall," said Mark Matthews, head of research for Asia at Julius Baer. Bond yields move inversely to their prices. "There's not a lot of value left in fixed income in general, not just the high yield," he said. "With the Federal Reserve tapering [its asset purchases] and looking to raise rates next year, the price appreciation we've seen generally over the last five years [will reverse] and prices will fall as yields head up," Matthews said. That hasn't stopped investors from chasing bonds' payouts. So far this year, $56.69 billion has flowed into bond funds, outpacing the $44.06 billion heading into equities, according to data from Jefferies. All those funds chasing what appear to be ever-smaller yields have kept bonds expensive and sometimes crowded. "Investment grade credit is trading rich and looks increasingly vulnerable to rising rates," Morgan Stanley (MS) said in a note last week. "Upside appears very limited in high yield, and a negative shock [emerging market turmoil, weaker China or domestic growth etc.] is possible." Others are concerned about the move further out the yield spectrum. "The yields that you're getting over government bonds have reduced dramatically. We're not at record-tight levels but we're not that far away," Steve Goldman, managing director at Kapstream Capital, a fixed income fund manager with $7 billion under management, told CNBC last week. "What it's meant that investors are moving toward greater and greater risk in order to pick up slightly higher yields. And you've got to be careful because the quality of the issuance in that high yield or junk space is going down," he added. Just how much risk are investors chasing? The International Finance Corp., a World Bank unit, is getting ready to offer local-currency bonds in Rwanda next month. The Rwanda offering will likely be well received, if the reception of the IFC's first offering under its Pan-Africa note program is anything to go by. That issue -- of 150 million Zambian kwacha ($24 million) notes in September -- was 4.8 times oversubscribed, according to a Bloomberg report. Rwanda raised $400 million in a 10-year Eurobond bond offering last year, with the yield on the notes due 2023 falling to around 6.7 percent this year. By way of comparison, India's 10-year government bonds due in 2023 are yielding around 8.9 percent. Even the seemingly "safe" U.S. Treasury segment is seeing some risk chasing. Barclays is advising seeking out "off-the-run" Treasurys, or bonds and notes issued before the most recent paper, to squeeze out around 30-56 basis points of extra yield -- even though the off-the-run bonds are much less liquid. "We are comfortable taking some additional liquidity risk to pick up spread," Barclays said in a note last week. To be sure, not many expect a bond crackup anytime soon. "A downturn in the current credit cycle seems unlikely and the coupon income of high yield is hard to find elsewhere," the Morgan Stanley note said. Others point to data from Moody's indicating corporate issuers don't seem to be running into any walls just yet. "There has not been an increase in the default rate," Julius Baer's Matthews noted. "Cash levels at corporate America are at an all-time high," he said. "The credit metrics are still very robust in the high-yield market. That's why people are still very happy to stay there, even if you don't get paid very much." Richard Harris, CEO at Port Shelter Investment Management agrees that problems at the corporate end don't appear likely, but he's a bit more cautious on sovereign bonds. 'Toughen Up or Die' "The last few years, corporates have had to toughen up or die," he said. "When interest rates go up, and they will eventually, it's a lot less likely to impact the corporate sector than it is the government sector," he said. As the eurozone debt crisis has settled down, investors have plowed into peripheral Europe's debt, but "it doesn't mean to say dangers are any less," Harris said, noting the size of interest payments due from the periphery this year alone. The PIIGS, or Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain, will pay some 130 billion euros in interest this year alone, according to calculations from the Financial Times. Yield chasing has led to anomalies in European bonds, such as still-worrisome Spain recently selling five-year government bonds at nearly the same yield as their U.S. Treasury equivalent. The yield for five-year Spanish debt was around 1.68 percent as of Wednesday morning; U.S. Treasurys were around 1.68 percent. This month, Greece also issued its first long-term bond in four years, with the five-year security attracting 20 billion euros worth of bids. Greece sold around 3 billion euros worth of debt at an around 4.95 percent yield.
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