Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now

Having long been a tech geeky girl, I am always on the lookout for the latest technology trends. When I met Bill Gates in the 1980s, it was difficult to fathom that the IBM personal computer running DOS would not always be the dominant hardware, but, as we have seen, every piece of technology is merely a fad. I expect the iPad, the iPhone, etc., will eventually go the way of the IBM PC and be replaced by the next big thing.

But change is not news anymore; it is expected.

I am traveling in Asia now, having attended the Asian Financial Forum, the continent's largest financial services conference, and then to Shanghai to speak at a high-net-worth wealth management conference. One of the common themes is how competition in wealth management is going to continue to come from places we may not have expected.

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc.(SCHN)

Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. engages in recycling ferrous and nonferrous scrap metals, and used and salvaged vehicles; and manufacturing finished steel products. The company operates through three segments: Metals Recycling Business (MRB), Auto Parts Business (APB), and Steel Manufacturing Business (SMB). The MRB segment involves in the purchase, collection, processing, recycling, sale, and broking of ferrous scrap metals. It processes mixed and large pieces of scrap metal into smaller pieces by sorting, shearing, shredding, and torching. This segment?s products include ferrous products, including ferrous scrap metal, a feedstock used in the production of finished steel products; and nonferrous scrap metals, including aluminum, copper, stainless steel, nickel, brass, titanium, lead, high temperature alloys, and joint products, such as zorba (mixed nonferrous material) and zurik (stainless steel). The MRB segment sells its products to steel mills and smelters. The APB segment purchases used and salvaged vehicles and sells serviceable used auto parts from these vehicles through its 45 self-service auto parts stores, which are located across the United States and western Canada. It also sells other vehicles, including auto bodies; cores, such as engines, transmissions, alternators, and catalytic converters; and nonferrous materials to metal recyclers. The SMB segment engages in the purchase of recycled metal, and processing of the recycled metal and other raw materials into finished steel products. Its product portfolio comprises semi-finished goods and finished goods consisting of rebar, coiled rebar, wire rod, merchant bar, and other specialty products. This segment serves steel service centers, construction industry subcontractors, steel fabricators, wire drawers, and farm and wood product suppliers. The company exports its products worldwide. Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is based in Portland, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  You see, there are two main dynamics at play for companies like Nucor and Steel Dynamics, which rely on supplies of scrap steel to smelt their new steel. Scrap steel specialist Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN  ) is also suffering from weak profits, which is bad news for it, but could be good news for Nucor, which views scrap steel as an input cost. Nucor says that "average scrap and scrap substitute cost per ton used in the second quarter of 2013 was $377 ... a decrease of 12% from $427 in the second quarter of 2012."

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Another problem that ArcelorMittal and other steel companies have faced is the emerging Chinese steel industry. China subsidizes its steelmakers, and with Chinese infrastructure and construction activity being relatively weak, oversupply is spilling over and having an impact on world steel prices. Recycled scrap producer Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN  ) noted last month that market prices for its exports fell by $50 per ton during its most recent quarter, and given Schnitzer's exposure to Asia, those figures likely reflect China's contribution to the global weakness.

• [By Rich Smith]

  If you want to know what the future holds for global steel giants like Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT  ) , U.S. Steel (NYSE: X  ) , and Nucor (NYSE: NUE  ) , one of the best ways you can spend your time, I suspect, is by reviewing the earnings reports of another company entirely -- Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN  ) .

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Hudbay Minerals Inc (HBM)

HudBay Minerals Inc., an integrated mining company, engages in the exploration and development of copper, zinc, and precious metals mines in North and South America. It primarily produces copper concentrates containing copper, gold, and silver; and zinc metal. The company principally owns underground 777 mine that covers an area of 4,400 hectares and is located in Flin Flon, Manitoba. It also owns ore concentrators and a zinc production facility in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Dan also highlights a new agreement with Brazil's Vale (NYSE: VALE  ) as an example of a new partner streaming agreement that features a focus on gold. Can Silver Wheaton continue to profit from future agreements with partners such as Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) , Primaro Mining (NYSE: PPP  ) , and Hudbay Minerals (NYSE: HBM  ) ?

• [By Sean Williams]

  In August, Silver Wheaton reached its most recent deal with HudBay Minerals (NYSE: HBM  ) , securing the rights to its silver production at a low fixed-cost of $5.90 per ounce and 100% of its gold production at its 777 mine through at least 2016 for $400 an ounce In return, Silver Wheaton will fork over up to $750 million in cash for the buildout of HudBay's Constancia mine. Even with the tumble metal prices took this week, Silver Wheaton's margins will continue to remain fat with gold hovering near $1,400 an ounce and silver near $23 an ounce, and its dividend could still head even higher.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Dan, however, does believe CEO Randy Smallwood has the experience necessary to deal with these challenges. Strategies may include obtaining better terms from existing partners such as Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX  ) , Goldcorp (NYSE: GG  ) , and Hudbay Minerals (NYSE: HBM  ) on future contracts.

Top Chemical Companies To Own For 2015: Points International Ltd (PCOM)

Points International Ltd. provides a range of e-commerce and technology services to loyalty program operators using. These services consist of a range of e-commerce services (referred as its Loyalty Currency Services) that enable the sale of loyalty currencies (such as frequent flyer miles, hotel points and credit card points), both retail and wholesale. The Company also offers a reward management Website referred to as Points.com. The majority of the Company�� loyalty program partners operate in the United States. It also has a European customer base. It has three wholly owned direct subsidiaries: Points.com Inc., Points International (UK) Limited, and Points International (U.S.) Ltd. The Company�� services are generally delivered through Web-enabled e-commerce solutions. Points.com offers members of multiple loyalty programs the ability to track and manage their loyalty currencies. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hank Coleman]

  Anna Subbotina/Shutterstock You may not be fully aware of it, but you're probably sitting on your own personal treasure hoard: a stash of airline miles, hotel points or reward points you've earned through your credit cards. According to statistics compiled by Points.com and its parent Points International (PCOM), a company specializing in helping consumers trade, exchange and redeem reward points, the average American is hoarding more than 61,000 reward points through various programs. Americans have more than 2.65 billion loyalty memberships -- almost 10 per person. This would be fine if we were spending those points -- but we're not. According to Points.com, only 16 percent of us redeem the points that we earn each year. Why do we love reward points? Is there a danger in hoarding them? What should we do with our points as our balances continue to grow? Why Do We Love Reward Points So Much? Getting something for free is a big allure of reward points and loyalty programs. I love that my airline-branded credit card allows me to check a bag for free. Companies view reward programs as marketing by gamification. If businesses can make patronizing them into a game for their customers, they'll be more likely to do what it takes to advance to the next level. And of course, these programs inspire brand loyalty. I'm a huge fan of Fitbit. I'm always striving for the next badge or level with my fitness goals through the site and its devices. I'm also addicted to checking in to the places that I frequent on Foursquare. It drives me crazy when someone ousts me as the mayor of one of my favorite haunts. Gamification is going on with reward points themselves. Companies have found that we desperately want to get to the next level of rewards. That's why companies have different colored credit cards and exclusive levels that offer even more freebies to loyal customers -- though usually for a price. And we are dreamers. We dream that our frequent flyer miles and hotel rew

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Acxiom Corporation(ACXM)

Acxiom Corporation provides marketing technology and services that enable marketers to manage audience, personalize consumer experiences, and create customer relationships. It operates in two segments, Information Services and Information Products. The Information Services segment offers customer data integration, multichannel marketing services, infrastructure management services, and consulting services. This segment also develops, sells, and delivers industry-tailored solutions, including the design and creation of marketing databases and data warehouses; data integration and customer-recognition systems; marketing applications; list processing; and information technology services. The Information Products segment develops and sells various data products, including segmentation products and domestic fraud and risk mitigation products, as well as online advertising products. This segment provides InfoBase-Xa, a customer-centric foundation for various marketing needs with a collection of the United States consumer information available in one source; PersonicXa, a household segmentation and visualization system; and Acxiom Relevance-Xa, an online advertising network that lets marketers reach the consumers interested in their particular product or service. The company serves clients in financial services, insurance, information services, direct marketing, media, retail, consumer packaged goods, technology, automotive, healthcare, travel, and telecommunications industries. It offers its products and services in the United States, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  A key to Facebook�� monetization success has been the company�� aggressive investments in ad technologies. For example, by leveraging third-party data sources — such as from Datalogix, Acxiom (ACXM) and Alliance Data Systems (ADS) — it has been able to provide analytics on the performance of ad campaigns. On the Q4 earnings call, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said the average return on News Feed ads was an incredible 8x.

• [By Sally Jones]

  
  Acxiom Corporation (ACXM): Reduced

  Up 47% over 12 months, Acxiom Corporation has a market cap of $1.84 billion; its shares were traded at around $24.98 with a P/E ratio of 33.40 and a P/B of 3.00.

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: ASB Bancorp Inc (ASBB)

ASB Bancorp, Inc. (ASB Bancorp), incorporated in May 2011, focuses to become the holding company for Asheville Savings Bank, S.S.B. (Asheville Savings Bank). ASB Bancorp, Inc.�� business activity will be the ownership of the Asheville Savings Bank. Asheville Savings Bank is a chartered savings bank. It operates as a community-oriented financial institution offering traditional financial services to consumers and businesses in its market area. It attracts deposits from the general public and use those funds to originate one-to four-family residential mortgage loans and commercial real estate loans, and home equity loans and lines of credit, consumer loans, construction and land development loans, and commercial and industrial loans. It conducts its lending and deposit activities with individuals and small businesses in its primary market area. Its market area is Asheville, North Carolina and the rest of Buncombe County where it has eight branch offices, as well as Henderson, Madison, McDowell and Transylvania Counties where it has five branch offices.

Lending Activities

Asheville Savings Bank loan portfolio include real estate mortgage loans, including one- to four-family residential mortgage loans and commercial mortgage loans, and revolving mortgage loans, which consist of home equity loans and lines of credit, consumer loans, construction and land development loans, and commercial and industrial loans. As of March 31, 2011, it had $177.8 million in one- to four-family residential loans, which represented 36.7% of its total loan portfolio. Its origination of residential mortgage loans enables borrowers to purchase or refinance existing homes located in its primary market area. It offers a mix of adjustable rate mortgage loans and fixed-rate mortgage loans with terms of up to 30 years.

Asheville Savings Bank offers fixed- and adjustable-rate mortgage loans secured by non-residential real estate and multi-family properties. As of March 31, 2011, commercial mort! gage loans totaled $162.7 million, or 33.5% of its total loan portfolio. Its commercial mortgage loans are secured by commercial, industrial and manufacturing, small to moderately-sized office and retail properties, hotels, multi-family properties and hospitals and churches located in its primary market area. As of March 31, 2011, $35.6 million or 21.9% of its commercial real estate loans were secured by owner-occupied properties. It originates fixed-rate and adjustable-rate commercial mortgage loans, generally with terms of three to five years and payments based on an amortization schedule of up to 25 years. It has originated construction and land development loans for commercial properties, such as retail shops and office units, and multi-family properties, and construction and land development loans for one-to four-family homes. As of March 31, 2011, commercial construction and land development loans totaled $27.8 million, which represented 5.7% of its total loan portfolio, and residential construction and land development loans totaled $7.9 million, which represented 1.6% of its total loan portfolio. As of March 31, 2011, it had speculative residential construction loans of $3.1 million and speculative commercial construction loans of $9.6 million.

Asheville Savings Bank offers revolving mortgage loans, which consist of home equity loans and lines of credit, and various consumer loans, including automobile loans and loans secured by deposits. As of March 31, 2011, revolving mortgage loans totaled $52 million, or 10.7% of its total loan portfolio, and consumer loans totaled $41.1 million, or 8.5% of its total loan portfolio. Its revolving mortgage loans consist of both home equity loans with fixed-rate amortizing term loans with terms of up to 15 years and adjustable rate lines of credit with interest rates indexed to the prime rate.

Asheville Savings Bank offers commercial and industrial loans to small businesses located in its primary market area. As of March 31, 2011, co! mmercial ! and industrial loans totaled $15.8 million, which represented 3.2% of its total loan portfolio. Its commercial and industrial loan portfolio consists of loans, which are secured by equipment, accounts receivable and inventory, but also includes a smaller amount of unsecured loans for purposes of financing expansion or providing working capital for general business purposes.

Investment Activities

As of March 31, 2011, Asheville Savings Bank�� investment portfolio consisted of the United States government and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities and securities issued by government sponsored enterprises, and municipal securities. As of March 31, 2011, its securities portfolio represented 27.2% of total assets. As of March 31, 2011, $198.6 million of its securities portfolio was classified as available for sale and $5.7 million of its securities portfolio was classified as held to maturity. Securities classified as held to maturity are United States government sponsored securities, mortgage-backed securities and state and local government securities. As of March 31, 2011, it had four million dollars of other investments, at cost, which consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.

Sources of Funds

Deposits, borrowings and loan repayments are the sources of Asheville Savings Bank funds for lending and other investment purposes. It uses advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta to supplement its investable funds. The Federal Home Loan Bank functions as a central reserve bank providing credit for member financial institutions. Advances are made under several different programs, each having its own interest rate and range of maturities. It also utilizes securities sold under agreements to repurchase and overnight repurchase agreements to supplement its supply of investable funds and to meet deposit withdrawal requirements.

Subsidiaries

Asheville Savings Bank has two subsidiaries, Appalachian Financial Services,! Inc., wh! ich was formed to engage in investment activities, and Wenoca, Inc., which serves as Asheville Savings Bank�� trustee regarding deeds of trust. Both subsidiaries are organized as North Carolina corporations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  ASB Bancorp (ASBB) is the holding company for Ashville in western North Carolina. The bank has 13 branches and total assets of around $733 million. Nonperforming assets are just 2.1% of total assets and the bank is massively over-reserved for future losses, with loan reserves at 6 times nonperforming loans. The bank bought back 544,494 shares of common stock at an average price of $16.79 per share in 2013. The board just authorized a new 5% buyback in January 2014. The stock is trading around 80% of book value, so management is buying the shares on the cheap — and that should bode well for shareholders in the future.

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Blackrock Corporate High Yield Fund Inc (HYT)

BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund VI, Inc. is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The Fund seeks to provide current income by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of fixed-income securities.

The investments are rated in the lower rating categories of the rating services (Ba or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., or BB or lower by Standard & Poor's Corporation) or are unrated securities of comparable quality. BlackRock Advisors, LLC. is the manager of the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  MMT comes with a hefty 6.76% distribution yield and is currently trading for a nearly 12% discount to its underlying value. That�� well over the normal discount range for the fund. �Expenses for MMT run 1.00% — or $100 per $10,000 invested — per year.

  BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund (HYT)

  Discount to NAV: 7.11%
  Distribution Yield: 7.86%

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: SWS Group Inc.(SWS)

SWS Group, Inc., a diversified financial services holding company, provides a range of investment and commercial banking, and related financial services to individual, corporate, and institutional investors, as well as broker/dealers, governmental entities, and financial intermediaries in the United States. It operates in four segments: Clearing, Retail, Institutional, and Banking. The Clearing segment provides clearing and execution services for general securities broker/dealers, bank affiliated firms, and firms specializing in high volume trading. The Retail segment offers retail securities products and services, such as equities, mutual funds, and fixed income products; insurance products; and managed accounts. The Institutional segment provides securities lending, investment banking and public finance, fixed income sales and trading, proprietary trading, and agency execution services to institutional customers. The Banking segment offers various banking products and se rvices, including certificates of deposit, money market accounts, interest-bearing demand accounts, savings accounts, federal home loan bank advances, federal funds purchased, and non interest-bearing demand accounts, as well as one to four family residential loans and construction loans, lot and land development loans, commercial real estate loans, multi family loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans. SWS Group, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  SWS Group (SWS) also catches my eye at the current valuation. The Dallas-based company is in the brokerage, investment banking and banking business in the Southwest. They struggled with losses at the banking subsidiary and eventually had to find a capital infusion. They ended up borrowing $100 million from noted investors Gerald Ford and Robert Bass. The core brokerage and investment banking business are well positioned and should do well over the next few years. I wouldn�� be shocked if this firm was eventually sold off, with Mr. Ford keeping the banking assets and selling the brokerage and I-Bank units to a larger firm. With the stock trading at just 65% of book value, the long-term potential is very high for this stock.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Hilltop Holdings Inc.(HTH) offered to buy the rest of SWS Group Inc.(SWS) that it doesn’t already own, valuing the financial-services company at about $231 million. Hilltop, a regional banking and insurance company, offered $7 a share, a 16% premium over Thursday’s close. SWS surged 19% to $7.20 premarket,�topping the offer price.

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Post Holdings Inc (POST)

Post Holdings, Inc., incorporated on September 22, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded ready-to-eat cereals in the United States and Canada. The Company�� portfolio of brands includes Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Great Grains, Grape-Nuts, Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Honeycomb. It markets and sells ready-to-eat cereal products in three different categories: sweetened, balanced and unsweetened. Its sweetened products include Pebbles, Honeycomb, Golden Crisp, Alpha-Bits and Waffle Crisp. Its balanced products include Honey Bunches of Oats, Post Selects, Great Grains and Shreddies. The Company�� unsweetened products include Post Shredded Wheat, Post Raisin Bran and Grape-Nuts. Effective January 1, 2014, the Company announced it has completed the acquisition of private label pasta manufacturer Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 2, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Agricore United Holdings Inc from Viterra Inc, a unit of Glencore Xstrata PLC, and the transaction also included Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. Effective January 1, 2014, Post Holdings Inc acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC, a Farmers Branch-based manufacturer and wholesaler of nutrition supplement. Effective January 1, 2014, it acquired Dymatize Enterprises LLC and Golden Boy Foods Ltd.

Honey Bunches of Oats is in the ready-to-eat cereal market. The Company�� Pebbles brands include Cocoa and Fruity Pebbles. The products are manufactured through a flexible production platform consisting of four owned primary facilities and sold through a variety of channels, such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Post Holdings�(POST) has plunged 11% to $39.69 after the cereal maker missed earnings forecasts and offered a truly horrific EBITDA forecast.

  Lululemon Athletica�(LULU) has gained 5.4% to $41.12 after its founder sold half his stake in the athletic-apparel company and said he would not engage in a proxy battle for control.

• [By Maureen Farrell]

  The first bit came from Herbalife bull William Stiritz, the CEO of Post Holdings(POST).

  The market has viewed Post as a potential buyer of Herbalife, after Post’s CEO William Stiritz personally purchased a 6.7% stake in Herbalife. Last week one of�Wall Street’s most bullish analysts�on Herbalife joined Post Holdings as an adviser, raising even more questions about whether the cereal company might bid for Herbalife.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Post Holdings (NYSE: POST) named Jeff A. Zadoks as its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective November 1, 2014. Post Holdings shares declined 3.55% to close at $32.59 on Friday.

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Powershares Etf Fund Trusts Ii (PGX)

The PowerShares Preferred Portfolio (Fund) is based on The BofA Merrill Lynch Core Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index (Index). The Fund normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in securities that comprise the Index. The Index is designed to replicate the total return of a diversified group of investment-grade preferred securities. The Index is rebalanced on a monthly basis. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before fees and expenses) of a securities index. The Fund invests in sectors, such as basic materials, financial, utilities and unclassified. Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. is the investment adviser. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  Public Storage has 10 different series of preferred stock, but I like the Series T because it trades at $21.83, which is more than 12% below par. I don�� see any reason for this discount, and it also boosts the 5.75% dividend (at par) to 6.58% at the current price.

  Preferred Stocks to Buy: PowerShares Preferred Portfolio (PGX)
  

  Dividend Yield: 6.6%

Top 10 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Watch In Right Now: Northern Trust Corporation(NTRS)

Northern Trust Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides asset servicing, fund administration, asset management, and fiduciary and banking solutions for corporations, institutions, families, and individuals worldwide. The company offers corporate and institutional services, including global master trust and custody, trade settlement, and reporting; fund administration; cash management; investment risk and performance analytical services; investment operations outsourcing; and transition management and commission recapture services. It also provides personal financial services, such as personal trust, investment management, custody, and philanthropic services; financial consulting; guardianship and estate administration; brokerage services; and private and business banking services, as well as customized products and services. In addition, the company offers active and passive equity and fixed income portfolio management, as well as alternative asset classes comprisin g private equity and hedge funds of funds, and multi-manager products and advisory services. Further, it engages in fund administration, investment operations outsourcing, and custody business that provides specialized services to a range of funds, which include money-market, multi-manager, exchange-traded funds, and property funds for on-shore and off-shore markets. Additionally, the company provides administrative and middle-office services consisting of trade processing, valuation, real-time reporting, accounting, collateral management, and investor servicing. Northern Trust Corporation was founded in 1889 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Northern Trust Corp.(NTRS) said its first-quarter earnings rose 11% as the trust bank reported higher net interest income and trust, investment and other servicing fees. But results missed the estimates of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the fourth quarter, Yacktman�� biggest additions to his holdings were Research In Motion (RIMM) and Avon Products (AVP). He also surprised followers by venturing into financials, with new positions in Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), State Street Corp. (STT) and Northern Trust Corp. (NTRS).