Your retirement goals will rest largely on the income you can expect during your retirement, and will likely evolve as your ideals, risk tolerance and investment horizon change. While specific investing ��ule of thumb��guidelines (like ��ou need 20 times your gross annual income to retire��or ��ave and invest 10% of your pre-tax income) are helpful, it�� important to step back and look at the big picture. Consider these six essential rules for truly smart retirement investing.
Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: ALJ Regional Holdings Inc (ALJJ)
ALJ Regional Holdings, Inc. (ALJ), incorporated on June 22, 1999, operates through its majority-owned subsidiary, KES Acquisition Company (KES), which owns and operates a steel mini-mill near Ashland, Kentucky (the Mill). As a mini-mill producer of bar flats, the Company recycles steel from scrap, a process designed to result in lower production costs than those of integrated steel mills, which produce steel by processing iron ore and other raw materials in blast furnaces. Bar flats are produced to a variety of specifications and fall primarily into two general quality levels: merchant bar quality steel bar flats (MBQ Bar Flats) for generic types of applications, and special bar quality steel bar flats (SBQ Bar Flats), where more precise customer specifications require the use of various alloys, customized equipment and special production procedures. In October 2013, ALJ Regional Holdings, Inc. announced that it has acquired Faneuil, Inc. Effective April 16, 2014, ALJ Regional Holdings Inc acquired Floors-N-More LLC.
The Mill manufactures over 2,600 different bar flat items, which are sold to volume niche markets, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), cold drawn bar converters, steel service centers and the leaf-spring suspension market for light and heavy-duty trucks, mini-vans and utility vehicles. The Mill was specifically designed to manufacture wider and thicker bar flats, up to three inches in thickness and 12 inches in width, that are required by these markets. In addition, the Mill employs a variety of specially designed equipment, which is necessary to manufacture SBQ Bar Flats to the specifications of the Mill�� customers. Pursuant to a Management Services Agreement (the Management Agreement) with Pinnacle Steel, LLC (Pinnacle), the operations of the Mill are managed by Pinnacle.
The Mill recycles steel by melting steel scrap in a 50-ton electric arc furnace. The molten steel is then taken to the ladle metallurgy facility where a variety of alloys are! added to make different grades of steel in accordance with customer specifications. The refined molten steel is then poured into a continuous caster to produce continuous strands of steel with cross-sectional dimensions ranging from approximately 20 to 72 square inches. The Mill can utilize up to four continuous strands in producing certain sizes. The strands are cut to produce billets of specified length which are reheated to approximately 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit and fed through a series of roll stands to reduce their size and form them into steel bar sections. These sections emerge from the rolling mill, are uniformly cooled on a cooling bed, and are cut to lengths specified by the customer. The cut bar flats are stacked into bundles ready for shipment.
The production capacity of the Mill for finished products is approximately 200,000 short-tons per year. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009 (fiscal 2009), the Mill had production capacity of 200,000 tons and sold 125,866 tons of finished goods, or 63% of its rolling capacity. ALJ transports its products by common carrier, generally shipping by truck and by rail. The Mill has railroad sidings at its facilities.
The Company competes with Nucor Corporation, Gerdau Ameristeel, Gautier Steel, Steel Dynamics and Mittal Steel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By cody56]
The performance for the third quarter was driven the the partnerships largest holdings ALJ Regional Holdings (ALJJ) and Bank of America (BAC). In the letter the partnership discusses its belief that its holdings have a high probability of outperformance.
Top Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: BRE Properties Inc (BRE)
BRE Properties, Inc. (BRE), incorporated in 1970, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the development, acquisition and management of multifamily apartment communities primarily located in the metropolitan markets within the State of California, and the Seattle, Washington region. BRE also owns and operates communities in the Phoenix, Arizona and in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan markets. As of December 31, 2011, its multifamily portfolio had real estate assets, which included 76 wholly or majority owned stabilized multifamily communities, aggregating 21,336 units in California, Washington and Arizona; 11 stabilized multifamily communities owned through joint ventures comprised of 3,592 apartment units; and seven apartment communities in various stages of construction and development. In October 2013, the Company acquired Jefferson at Hollywood.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, BRE acquired three communities totaling 652 units: Lafayette Highlands, with 150 units, located in Lafayette, California; The Landing at Jack London Square, with 282 units, located in Oakland, California, and The Vistas of West Hills, with 220 units, located in Valencia, California. In addition to the communities, the Company acquired two parcels of land for future development in San Francisco, California�� Mission Bay district, and it purchased a 4.4 acre site contiguous to its existing Park Viridian operating community and its existing second phase land site in Anaheim, California. As of December 31, 2011, BRE had seven sites under development or construction.
During 2011, the Company sold two communities totaling 634 units: Galleria at Towngate, with 268 units located in Moreno Valley, California; and Windrush Village, a 366 unit property located in Colton, California. The two properties sold were located in the eastern half of the Inland Empire. In addition, during 2011, two joint venture assets were sold; The Landing at Bear Creek, a 224 unit j! oint venture community, located in Lakewood, Colorado; and The Pinnacle at Hunters Glen, a 264 unit joint venture community located in Thornton, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Flannelly]
Real estate investment trust BRE Properties Inc (BRE) was downgraded by analysts at Goldman Sachs on Tuesday due to a number of risks.
The analysts downgraded BRE from “Neutral” to “Sell” and now see shares reaching $44, down from $50. This new price target suggests a 13% downside to the stock’s Monday closing price of $50.72.
Goldman Sachs cited two factors for the downgrade. For one, there is development funding risk due to the development size. Also, the analysts downgraded the stock due to its current valuation.
“BRE has one of the largest development pipelines under our apartment coverage at 23% of market cap, where 7.5% of market cap remains to be funded,” the analyst notes. “These funding needs would increase if the company commences construction on Pleasanton in 2014, as management noted on the company�� 2Q13 earnings call.”
BRE Properties shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Tuesday. The stock is down a fraction year-to-date.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
BRE Properties (NYSE: BRE) was also up, gaining 11.79 percent to $59.66 after Bloomberg reported that the company is working with Wells Fargo on a possible sale.
- [By Jayson Derrick]
Shares of BRE Properties Inc. (NYSE: BRE) jumped to new 52 week highs of $61.50, immediately following a Bloomberg report that the company is working with investment bankers at Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) for a possible sale of the company.
Top Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc (TTNP.OB)
Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated in February 1992, is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics primarily for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The Company is focused primarily on clinical development of products that include Probuphine for the treatment of opioid addiction; Iloperidone: for the treatment of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, and Spheramine for the treatment of advanced Parkinson�� disease. Titan Pharmaceuticals is directly developing its product candidates and also utilizing corporate partnerships, including a collaboration with Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany (Bayer Schering) for the development of Spheramine to treat Parkinson�� disease, and Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Vanda) for the development of iloperidone for the treatment of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
Probuphine
Probuphine is the first product to utilize the Company�� ProNeura long-ter m drug delivery technology. Probuphine is designed to provide continuous, long-term therapeutic levels of the drug buprenorphine, an approved agent for the treatment of opioid addiction. In December 2007, the Company completed enrollment in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase III clinical study of Probuphine in the treatment of opioid addiction. This 150 patient study, which is being conducted in the United States, will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with Probuphine versus placebo in reducing opioid addiction over 24 weeks of treatment. This study is part of a registration directed program intended to obtain marketing approval of Probuphine for the treatment of opioid addiction in Europe and the United States.
Iloperidone
Iloperidone was evaluated in a Phase III program comprising over 3,500 patients at more than 200 sites in 24 countries, administered and funded by Novartis Pharma AG (Novartis). In three completed efficacy studies conducted by Novartis, ! i! loperidone statistically reduced the symptoms of schizophrenia compared to placebo. Iloperidone has also been investigated in three 12-month safety studies, which confirm safety and tolerability. A dose dependent increase in the Q-T Corrected (QTc) interval was observed and investigated further in a clinical study, and no clinically significant adverse events were observed. In September 2007, Vanda submitted a new drug application (NDA) with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for iloperidone. The NDA for iloperidone was officially accepted for review by the FDA in November 2007.
Spheramine
Spheramine is a cell-based therapeutic that utilizes the Company�� cell-coated microcarrier (CCM) technology, which enables the development of cell-based therapies for minimally invasive, site-specific delivery to the central nervous system of therapeutic factors precisely where they are needed. Spheramine consists of microcarriers coated wit h human retinal pigment epithelial cells that are intended to enhance brain levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter deficient in certain brain regions in Parkinson�� disease, leading to movement disorders. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the preliminary efficacy and safety of Spheramine, including blinded studies in a primate model of Parkinson�� disease. In June 2007, enrollment was completed in a current multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Spheramine in Parkinson�� disease. This Phase IIb clinical study enrolled 71 patients with advanced Parkinson�� disease (Hoehn and Yahr Stages III and IV) to further evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of Spheramine.
Bayer Schering, the Company�� corporate partner for worldwide development and commercialization of Spheramine, is funding the clinical development program for Spheramine. Under an agreement, Bayer Schering has received exclusive, worldwide deve lopment, manufacturing and commercialization rights, an! d, in! ad! dition! to the clinical and manufacturing development funding and milestone payments, Bayer Schering will pay Titan Pharmaceuticals a royalty on future product sales.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By C.R. Jackson]
Fanapt was discovered by Hoechst Marion Roussel in 1995 as a novel atypical antipsychotic agent. Hoechst was a German life-sciences company that became Aventis Deutschland after its merger with France's Rhône-Poulenc in 1999. When the company joined with Sanofi-Synthélabo in 2004, it became a subsidiary of the Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) the French pharmaceutical conglomerate. In 1997, Hoechst sold the research rights to Titan Pharmaceuticals (TTNP.OB). Then Titan quickly sold the worldwide rights to Novartis in 1998. Novartis then sold the Phase 3 development rights for loperidone to Vanda in 2004. Vanda originally attempted to get FDA approval for Fanapt in 2008, but the FDA refused to approve iloperidone. The agency required an additional clinical trial.
Top Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: Obagi Medical Products Inc.(OMPI)
Obagi Medical Products, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, markets, and sells topical aesthetic and therapeutic prescription skin care systems. It offers Obagi Nu-Derm System, including prescription and OTC drugs that are used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, acne, photo damage, hyperpigmentation, melasma, laxity, and skin sallowness; Obagi Condition and Enhance Systems that are used before and after surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures; Obagi-C Rx System comprises Vitamin C with 4% hydroquinone system to treat skin conditions resulting from sun damage and the oxidative damage of free radicals; and Professional-C products consisting of Vitamin C serums for the treatment of antioxidant protection, fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. The company also provides ELASTIderm Eye and D�olletage, which increases the elasticity and skin tone of eyes, face, neckline, and chest; ELASTILash Eyelash Solution that enhances the appearance of thickness and fullness of eyelashes; CLENZIderm M.D. Systems and Tretinoin for treating acne; and Obagi Rosaclear System used for the treatment of rosacea. In addition, it offers Refissa and Blue Peel RADIANCE used for the treatment of fine facial lines, hyperpigmentation, and tactile roughness; Metronidazole used for the treatment of rosacea; Obagi Blue Peel Essential Kit used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Further, the company licenses non-prescription product concepts under the Obagi trademark to a Japanese-based pharmaceutical company for sale through consumer distribution channels in Japan. Obagi Medical Products, Inc. sells its products through sales force and distribution partners in the United States, North and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other physicians that are focused on aesthetic and therapeutic skin care. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Lon g Beach, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Keith Speights]
"Bidness" is good
Last week, Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI ) made our list of humongous performers after Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX ) announced a $344 million bid for the company. This week saw a bidding frenzy, with Obagi shares jumping another 29%.
Top Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: Pier 1 Imports Inc (PIR)
Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (Pier 1 Imports), incorporated in April 30, 1986, is a global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. As of March 2, 2013, the Company had 1,062 stores in the United States and Canada. During the fiscal year ended March 2, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company opened 22 new Pier 1 Imports stores and closed 12 stores. The Company operates regional distribution center facilities in or near Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; Ontario, California; Savannah, Georgia, and Tacoma, Washington. The specialty retail operations of the Company consist of retail stores and e-Commerce operations conducting business under the name Pier 1 Imports, which sell a range of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, candles, gifts and other specialty items for the home.
As of March 2, 2013, the Company operated 982 Pier 1 Imports stores in the United States and 80 Pier 1 Imports stores in Canada. During fiscal 2013, the Company supplied merchandise and licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Grupo Sanborns, which sold Pier 1 Imports merchandise primarily in a store within a store format in 49 Sears Mexico stores and one store in El Salvador. The stores consist of freestanding units located near shopping centers or malls and in-line positions in major shopping centers. Pier 1 Imports operates in all major United States metropolitan areas and many of the primary smaller markets.
Decorative Accessories
This merchandise group constitutes the range of category of merchandise in Pier 1 Imports��sales mix. These items are imported primarily from Asian and European countries, as well as some domestic sources. This merchandise group includes decorative accents, lamps, vases, dried and artificial flowers, baskets, ceramics, dinnerware, bath and fragrance products, candles, seasonal and gift items.
Furniture
This merchandise group consists of furniture and furniture cushions to be used in livin! g, dining, office, kitchen and bedroom areas, sunrooms and on patios. Also included in this group are wall decorations and mirrors. These goods are imported from a variety of countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, China, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and are also obtained from domestic sources. This merchandise group is made of metal or handcrafted natural materials, including rattan, pine, beech, rubberwood and selected hardwoods with either natural, stained, painted or upholstered finishes.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Teresa Rivas]
Pier One Imports (PIR) was jumping 3% Tuesday after an upgrade from Barclays.
Analysts Alan Rifkin and Sam Reid upgraded the stock to Overweight from Equal Weight, and boosted their target price by $4, to $23, writing that the stock has suffered ��erfect storm��of one-time operational headwinds that has masked its potential long-term performance.
They write that this year should finally bring the payoff of years of ��ignificant investment��in personnel and technology, and more normalized sales and margins will replace its previous high levels of capital expenditure.
Given that the stock is off more than 20% in the past year, they also write that the selloff has gone too far, and it is a ��ompelling buying opportunity��at current levels, which represent a meaningful discount to peers. Although the company just reported an upbeat fourth quarter last week, they expect the current first quarter to be a catalyst for the stock, as it will provide an opportunity ��or management to begin to demonstrate this renewed momentum.��/p>
More from their note:
Supporting top-line growth, we note: (1) E-comm investments have likely peaked; accelerating e-comm growth (to 10% in 2015) should be highly supportive of both top-line (and EBIT). We do not believe forward valuation fully reflects this. (2) A sequential acceleration in comps is highly likely. We are looking for 5% comps for 2014 (vs. 2.4% in 2013), which should yield productivity per square foot of ~$215. (3) PIR�� merchandising strategy remains on track. We think differentiation relative to peer offerings is an underappreciated positive. (4) PIR should benefit from attractive housing industry fundamentals in 2014-15. Collectively, these four growth engines should support both occupancy and SG&A leverage. We also note that (5) the accelerated buyback underscores management�� conviction in an operating performance rebound. After repurchasing 5% of total shares in the fi
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) were down 10.34 percent to $21.16 after the company reported a 32% drop in its fiscal second-quarter earnings and cut its full-year earnings forecast.
Top Heal Care Stocks To Watch For 2014: Sanchez Energy Corp (SN)
Sanchez Energy Corporation, incorporated on August 22, 2011, is an independent exploration and production company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources onshore along the United States Gulf Coast, primarily in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. The Company also has a position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had accumulated approximately 95,000 net leasehold acres in the oil and condensate, or black oil and volatile oil, windows of the Eagle Ford Shale in Gonzales, Zavala, Frio, Fayette, Lavaca, Atascosa, Webb and DeWitt Counties of South Texas. The Company's Eagle Ford Shale acreage is consists of approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Palmetto area, approximately 28,400 net acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Maverick area, and approximately 57,100 net acres in Fayette, Lavac.
The Company owns all rights and depths on the majority of its Eagle Ford Shale acreage. The Company is evaluating other zones, which may present the Company with additional drilling locations. Several of the Company's existing wells are either producing from or have logged pay in the Buda Limestone and the Austin Chalk formations.
Eagle Ford Shale
The Eagle Ford Shale is one of the unconventional shale trends in North America. In the Eagle Ford Shale, the Company has assembled approximately 95,000 net acres with an average working interest of approximately 87%. Using approximately 120 acre well-spacing for the Company's Maverick and Marquis areas and approximately 80 acre well-spacing for its Palmetto area, the Company believes that there could be up to 973 gross (815 net) locations for potential future drilling on its acreage.
In the Company's Palmetto area, the Company has approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas with an! average working interest of approximately 48%. The Company has participated in the drilling of 16 gross wells on its acreage that had an average initial 24-hour production rates between 502 and 3,139 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 237 gross (113 net) locations based on 80 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling in its Palmetto area. The Company is drilling a five-well pilot program from a single pad to test 40 acre well-spacing in its southern portion of the Palmetto area, and Ryder Scott has given the Company 80 acre well-spaced PUD locations in the same area in its December 31, 2012 reserve report.
In the Company's Maverick area, the Company has approximately 28,400 net operated acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas with an average working interests of approximately 87%. The Company has drilled ten gross horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 214 and 931 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has also drilled four vertical wells that had average initial 24-hour rates between 94 and 264 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company tests the feasibility of a vertical well development program and compare horizontal and vertical completion economic returns. The Company has identified up to 264 gross (230 net) locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Maverick acreage.
In the Company's Marquis area, the Company has approximately 57,100 net operated acres, the majority of which are in southwest Fayette and northeast Lavaca Counties, Texas with a 100% working interest. The Company has drilled three horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 1,114 and 1,369 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 472 gross and net locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Marquis acreage. The Company is also drilling a 60 acre well-spacing test in the! western ! Prost area of its Marquis area.
Other
The Company has approximately 1,000 net acres in the Haynesville Shale in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, which are operated by Chesapeake Energy Corporation. The majority of the Company's Haynesville leases are held by production, giving the Company and its partners the option to accelerate drilling should natural gas prices increase.
The Company competes with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation, EOG Resources, Inc., Halcon Resources Corporation, Penn Virginia Corporation and Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Armistead]
We're attracted to opportunities like Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN) and Bellatrix Exploration Ltd. (TSX:BXE).
Sanchez went public just a couple years ago. It had a decent-sized position in the Eagle Ford, which it has grown to over 125,000 acres��retty sizeable for a small-cap. Sanchez was producing 600 barrels of oil equivalent per day (600 boe/d); now it's over 12,000 boe/d and should be around 15,000-17,000 by the end of the year.
- [By Sean Williams]
A crude reality
Following crude oil's tumble to a five-year low, you must have known that an oil driller would work its way into the value stock column. This week I'm turning to small-cap Sanchez Energy (NYSE: SN ) , which has been absolutely devastated, losing more than 80% of its value since the summer on the heels of weak oil prices.
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