LONDON -- Successful investors use a disciplined approach to picking stocks, and checklists can be a great way to make sure you've covered all the bases.
In this series, I am subjecting companies to scrutiny under the following five headings: prospects, performance, management, safety, and valuation. How does�Unilever� (LSE: ULVR ) (NYSE: UL ) measure up?
1.�Prospects
The consumer staples sector is defensive. Nevertheless, in Western markets, sales are under pressure from weak economic growth, so firms must continue to invest heavily in brands to maintain market share. Emerging markets are experiencing rapid growth, as vast populations with increasing disposable wealth are attracted to branded goods.
As the world's third-largest consumer staples firms, Unilever has market power with suppliers and buyers and the scale to invest heavily in marketing. In emerging markets, it enjoys the advantage of having moved in early.
Emerging markets currently account for 57% of sales, and at around 10% p.a. are growing at twice the rate of total sales. A broad spread of earnings from Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific adds to Unilever's robustness.
Top 10 Tech Companies For 2015: Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. (GDF)
Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. operates as a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC. The fund is sub-advised by Western Asset Management Company. It primarily invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in high-yield U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt securities and high-yield foreign sovereign debt securities. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Lehman Brothers U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index and the JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Index. The fund was formerly known as Salomon Brothers Global Partners Income Fund Inc. Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund was founded in 1993 and is based in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Carnevale]
Our first example looks at Vectren Corp.�� historical earnings, a utility with a 15-year historical earnings growth rate that is below our 3% threshold established in Part 1. Note that fair valuation is calculated using Graham Dodd�� Formula (GDF) deriving a fair value PE of 13.8 (slightly below, but close to our PE 15 standard). However, a normal PE of 16 has been historically applied by Mr. Market. Therefore, valuation falls between a PE of 13.8 to 16, or well within a range of normalcy.
Best Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Sonus Networks Inc.(SONS)
Sonus Networks, Inc. provides voice and multimedia infrastructure solutions. The company offers session border control (SBC), voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and access and VoIP media gateway solutions that allow the delivery of voice and multimedia sessions over IP networks. Its products include GSX9000 Open Services Switch that enables voice traffic to be transported over packet networks; GSX4000 Open Services Switch; NBS9000 Network Border Switch that permits service providers to transform their time division multiplexing networks to IP; PSX Policy & Routing Server, which translates business policies into actual call control, routing, and service selection decisions; NBS5200 Network Border Switch that provides SBC functionality; and ASX Call Feature Server that provides local area calling and regulatory features for residential and enterprise markets. The company also offers Network Analytics Suite of performance management products, including NetScore network perf ormance analysis tool, NetAssure voice quality monitoring tool, and NetEng network audit and visualization engine that are used for the collection, monitoring, reporting, and notification of performance metrics. In addition, it provides professional consulting and services to support its IP communication solutions; and program management, network deployment design, softswitch and subscriber database design, network verification and audit, custom application and adaptor development, OSS and API integration, migration and upgrade, and managed services. The company serves long-distance and local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, wireless operators, cable operators, financial institutions, retailers, state and local governments, and multinational corporations. It sells its products primarily through a direct sales force in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. Sonus Networks, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Westford, Mass achusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Sonus Networks (NASDAQ: SONS ) have popped today by upwards of 17% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.
So what: First quarter sales totaled $63.3 million, which turned into a non-GAAP net loss of $0.02 per share. Investors were expecting just $61.1 million up top and an adjusted loss of $0.03 per share, meaning the figures were a beat relative to consensus estimates. Session border controller, or SBC, revenue was up 77% to $30 million.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Sonus Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: SONS) was recently named to the 2013 InformationWeek 500 list of top technology innovators across the country. In July the company authorized a repurchase program to buy back up to $100 million of their stock. Lazard has a Buy rating on the stock and a $4.50 price target. The consensus target is at $4.30, and the stock closed yesterday at $3.41.
- [By Ben Fox Rubin]
Sonus Networks Inc.(SONS) agreed to buy Performance Technologies Inc.(PTIX), a supplier of network communications products, for $3.75 a share, a 26% premium of Thursday’s close, or $42 million. The companies said the deal was worth $30 million, net of Performance Technologies’ cash and excluding acquisition costs. Performance Technologies shares jumped 24% to $3.70 premarket, just under the offer price.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One networking player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Sonus Networks (SONS), which provides networked solutions for communications service providers and enterprises in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up 104%.
If you take a look at the chart for Sonus Networks, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways for the past month, with shares moving between $3.25 on the downside and $3.72 on the upside. Shares of SONS have been finding support over the last month each time the stock has pulled back to its 50-day moving average. This stock is now starting to trend a bit higher and move within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways consolidating chart pattern.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SONS if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $3.56 to $3.59 a share and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $3.72 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.50 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then SONS will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $5 to $5.50 a share.
Traders can look to buy SONS off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.33 to $3.25 a share, or right below more support at $3.10 a share. One could also buy SONS off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Best Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Ishares Msci Switzerland (EWL)
iShares MSCI Switzerland Index Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the Swiss market, as measured by the MSCI Switzerland Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Swiss equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Component companies are adjusted for available float and must meet objective criteria for inclusion in the Index. The Index is reviewed quarterly.
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Mark Salzinger]
iShares MSCI Germany (EWG) and iShares MSCI Switzerland (EWL) continue to have relatively attractive valuations.
EWG recently sported an average price/earnings (P/E) ratio on 2013's projected earnings of 12.6 and a price/book value (P/B) of just 1.4.
- [By Carlton Delfeld]
The iShares Switzerland (EWL) is a wonderful way to gain exposure to a basket of Switzerland's leading multinationals and has an expense ratio of only 0.59%. In addition, while a rising Swiss franc puts pricing pressure on Swiss exporters, a strong Swiss franc supercharges returns for investors in EWL.
Best Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Dolan Co (DM)
The Dolan Company, incorporated in March 2003, is a provider of necessary professional services and business information to legal, financial and real estate sectors in the United States. The Company operates through two operating divisions: its Professional Services Division and its Business Information Division. Its Professional Services Division consists of two segments: mortgage default processing services and litigation support services. Its Business Information Division produces legal publications, business journals, court and commercial media, other online information products and services, and operates Websites and produces events for targeted professional audiences in 21 geographic markets across the United States. Its information is delivered through a variety of methods, including approximately 60 print publications and 80 Websites. The Company also operates specialized information services covering legislative and regulatory activities and providing transcription, media monitoring and translation services. On July 25, 2011, it acquired substantially all of the assets of ACT Litigation Services, Inc. (ACT). In July 2013, the Company sold the assets of its NDeX South business to the law firm affiliates of that business.
Professional Services
The Company�� Professional Services Division consists of two operating segments: mortgage default processing services and litigation support services. Its mortgage default processing services segment consists of the operations of NDeX. Its litigation support services segment consists of the operations of DiscoverReady, its discovery management and document review services business, and Counsel Press, its appellate services business. The Company provides these support services to the legal profession. In addition, NDeX also provides its services directly to mortgage lenders and loan servicers on California foreclosure files. One of the litigation support services it provides is discovery management and document review services, ! including certain technology services related to processing and hosting the data. Discovery is the process by which parties use the legal system to obtain relevant information, primarily in litigation, regulatory, and governmental investigation matters. Some United States companies with in-house legal departments choose to perform or manage some portions of the discovery process in-house, rather than outsourcing them.
The Company provides appellate services to lawyers in connection with both state and federal appeals. It performs more state appellate work, as state appellate case volume generally is larger than federal case volume. There are typically about 300,000 state appeals filed each year, compared to approximately 58,000 federal appeals filed per year, according to information available to the Company from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts and the National Center for State Courts. NDeX also provides real estate title services to the Barrett Law Firm and provides loan modification and loss mitigation support on mortgage default files to its customers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it received approximately 317,200 mortgage default case files for processing from its customers.
In 2011, its mortgage default processing services segment accounted for 46% of its total revenues and 63% of its Professional Services Division�� total revenues. The Company�� litigation support services professionals at Counsel Press provide clients with consulting services, including procedural and technical advice and support with respect to the United States state and federal appellate processes. During 2011, its litigation support services segment accounted for 27% of its total revenues and 37% of its Professional Services Division�� total revenues. In addition to its appellate services, Counsel Press provides additional tracking and professional services to its clients.
Business Information
The Company provides business informatio! n product! s to companies and professionals in the legal, financial, real estate and governmental affairs sectors primarily through print and online business journals and court and commercial newspapers, as well as other electronic media offerings. Its business journals generally rely on display and classified advertising as a significant source of revenue and provide content that is relevant to the business communities they target. Its court and commercial newspapers generally rely on public notices as their primary source of revenue and offer information to the legal communities they target. All of its business journals and court and commercial newspapers also generate circulation revenue to supplement their advertising and public notice revenue base. There were more than 230 local business journals and more than 350 court and commercial newspapers nationwide, which generated approximately $2 billion in revenues in 2011.
The Company sells packaged print and online advertising products to advertisers that desire to reach readers through different media. Dolan Media Newswires, its Internet-based, subscription newswire, is available at www.dolanmedianewswires.com for news professionals and represents the work of its journalists and contributors. It also operates online, subscription-based legislative information services that are used by lobbyists, associations, corporations, unions, government affairs professionals, state agencies and the media in Arizona, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Through DataStream, it offers customized access to legislative databases, which provide state and federal legislative and regulatory information. Through Federal News, the Company offers transcription services.
The Company provides commercial printing services and sells database information through royalty or licensing fee arrangements. During2011, its subscription-based and other revenues accounted for 8% of its total revenues and 28% of its Business Information Division�� total revenues. The Company prints se! ven of it! s business information publications at one of its three printing facilities located in Baltimore, Minneapolis and Oklahoma City.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another under-$10 stock that looks poised for a sharp move higher is Dolan (DM), a provider of necessary business information and professional services to the legal, financial and real estate sectors in the U.S. This stock has been hammered by the sellers so far in 2013, with shares off huge by 80%.
If you take a look at the chart for Dolan Company, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly over the last two months, with shares plunging lower from its high of $3 a share to its recent low of 66 cents per share. During that downtrend, shares of DM have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of DM into oversold territory, since its current relative strength index reading is 20. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can make a powerful bounce higher from.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in DM if it manages to break out above Thursday's high of 77 cents per share and then above some more near-term overhead resistance at 80 cents per share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 321,823 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then DM will set up for a possible powerful bounce higher that could easily take this stock back above $1 to $1.20 a share.
Traders can look to buy DM off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right around some key near-term support levels at 71 cents to 66 cents per share. One can also buy DM off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Holly LaFon]
After years of strong performance, emerging markets have recently underperformed developed markets (DM), as shown in Exhibit 1.
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Best Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWR)
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and operates short line and regional freight railroads, and provides railcar switching services in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The company?s railroads transport various commodities, including coal and coke; pulp and paper; metals commodities; minerals and stone commodities; lumber and forest products; farm and food products; chemicals and plastics; petroleum products; autos and auto parts; metallic ores; and intermodal commodities. It operates 63 railroads with approximately 7,400 miles of owned and leased track; and approximately 1,400 additional miles under track access arrangements. The company also offers rail services at 17 ports in North America and Europe. In addition, it provides car repair services, car hire and rental services, demurrage and storage, crewing services, and track access services, as well as sells diesel fuel to other rail operators. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquarte red in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Another area that is intriguing to us is the North American energy sector which looks to have a number of interesting catalysts currently. While the energy sector is at present only a modest overweight in the portfolios, we have been encouraged by several trends taking place for a number of years. These positive developments are also having an impact that goes far beyond the energy sector itself. Many believe that the U.S. will become energy independent and possibly a net exporter of natural gas and oil (currently restricted by law) in the next decade. This opinion is based primarily on the development of new drilling techniques (i.e. horizontal drilling, and high pressure fracking) that have enabled companies to access oil and natural gas reserves in shale formations that were previously not economically viable. The ability to tap into this acreage is a game-changer in our view and is already having a tremendous impact on the economy. Employment rates in these mostly rural areas surrounding the shale basins are very high and companies thus find hiring extremely competitive. Strong labor markets tend to create strong local economies. Oil States International (OIS) has been able to capitalize on this trend by providing housing and other services to oil service workers that are in demand in the area. CST Brands (CST) operates gas stations in Texas, but it is increasingly looking to broaden its product offering beyond fuel. Rail companies like Union Pacific (UNP), Canadian Pacific (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU) and Genesee and Wyoming (GWR) have also benefited substantially. Given that shale areas are rural and often lacking infrastructure, substantial investment must be made to support drilling and production activities. Without pipelines in place, railroads have been the primary takeaway mechanism for moving production to the various clusters of refining capacity around the United States. In order to serve this demand, massive investment in railcars has been nee
Best Defensive Companies To Buy For 2014: Global Mediacom Tbk PT (BMTR)
PT Global Mediacom Tbk is an Indonesia-based integrated media company. The Company has three business segments: content and advertising-based media, subscribers-based media, and media support and infrastructure. Its operations include content production, content distribution, television and radio broadcasting, newspaper, magazine, tabloids, telecommunication operator, mobile content aggregator, value added services provider and information technology system integrator. The Company has six direct subsidiaries, namely PT. Media Nusantara Citra Tbk, PT. MNC Sky Vision, PT. Sky Vision Networks, PT. Infokom Elektrindo, PT. Citra Kalimantan Energi and Global Mediacom International Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Weiyi Lim]
The Jakarta Composite Index surged 2.2 percent as Global Mediacom (BMTR) climbed the most since October 2010. The rupiah slumped 5.9 percent in August, the biggest drop since November 2008. Malaysia�� ringgit posted its fourth monthly drop. South Korea�� Kospi Index posted the best week in a year as Samsung rallied a sixth day. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.1 percent, adding to a 2 percent gain this week.
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