NEW YORK (MarketWatch)-- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its rating on New Jersey's general obligation debt to A+ from AA- Wednesday afternoon. It also lowered its rating on the state's appropriation-backed debt to A from A+ and its rating on the state's moral obligation debt to BBB+ from A-, while maintaining a stable outlook on the state's ratings. S&P analysts said in a note that the downgrade reflects a "sizeable structural imbalance" related to the state's attempts to balance its budget, which the firm believes will lead to "future budgetary pressures." The analysts acknowledged the state's economic environment is generally improving, but won't be enough to offset potential unfunded pension liabilities. "By using bullish assumptions about revenue growth and one-time measures to close budget gaps, the state defers making long-term structural changes to better align revenues and expenditures, defers budgetary pressures to future years' budgets and increases its exposure to an eventual economic downturn," analysts said in the report.
Hot Asian Stocks For 2015: DXP Enterprises Inc.(DXPE)
DXP Enterprises, Inc. engages in distributing maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products, equipment, and services to industrial customers in the United States. Its Service Centers segment provides MRO products, equipment and services, including technical design expertise and logistics capabilities to industrial customers with the ability to provide same day delivery. This segment?s product categories comprise rotating equipment, bearing, power transmission, hose, fluid power, metal working, industrial supply, and safety products; and services consist of field safety supervision, in-house and field repair, and maintenance services. The company?s Supply Chain Services segment manages the supply-chain of its customers from various industries. This segment designs supply chain inventory management programs, including SmartAgreement, a procurement solution for MRO categories; SmartBuy, an on-site or centralized MRO procurement solution; SmartSource, an on-site procurem ent and storeroom management solutions; SmartStore, an e-catalog solution; SmartVend, an industrial dispensing solution; and SmartServ, an integrated service pump solution. Its Innovative Pumping Solutions segment fabricates and assembles custom-made engineered pump packages consisting of diesel and electric driven firewater, pipeline booster, potable water packages, pigging pump packages, LACT charge units, chemical injection pump packages wash down units, seawater lift pumps, jockey pumps, condensate pump packages, cooling water skids, and seawater/produced water injection packages. DXP Enterprises, Inc. distributes its products and services through service centers and distribution centers to customers in the oil and gas, food and beverage, petrochemical, transportation, mining, construction, chemical, municipal, agriculture, pulp and paper, and other general industrial industries. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Margins matter. The more DXP Enterprises (Nasdaq: DXPE ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong DXP Enterprises's competitive position could be.
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: Frozen Food Express Industries Inc.(FFEX)
Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides temperature-controlled truckload and less-than-truckload services in the United States. It offers truckload linehaul, dedicated fleets, and less-than-truckload linehaul services, as well as brokerage services, including ocean, air, and domestic and international expedited services. The company primarily transports meat, ice, poultry, seafood, processed foods, candy and other confectionaries, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, cosmetics, films, and Christmas trees. It also leases refrigerated trailers for the storage and transportation of perishable items. As of September 30, 2011, the company operated a fleet of 1,178 tractors and 2,360 trailers. Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Despite what can best be described as a�soft economy, small cap trucking stocks YRC Worldwide, Inc (NASDAQ: YRCW), Arkansas Best Corporation (NASDAQ: ABFS), Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FFEX), Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) and USA Truck, Inc (NASDAQ: USAK) have been trucking some pretty impressive returns since the start of the year. In fact, these small cap trucking stocks are up anywhere from 72% to 150% or so since the start of the year despite the slow economy. Certainly trucking stocks provide a good indicator of how the economy is doing, but might investors be�jumping the gun by pushing up these trucking stocks?
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: AWG International Water Corp (AWGI)
AWG International Water Corporation, formerly MIPSolutions, Inc., incorporated on December 19, 2005, is a development-stage company. The principal business of the Company is the development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for various commercial applications, including the removal of targeted molecules from water.
The Company had a license agreement with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). As of December 31, 2009, the Company was developing applications for the removal of arsenic from drinking water and for the extraction of precious metals from various mining operations.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap OTC drinking water stocks Glacier Water Services, Inc (OTCMKTS: GWSV), AWG International Water Corp (OTCBB: AWGI) and Alkaline Water Company Inc (OTCBB: WTER) all offer a product that many consumer, investors and traders alike might take for granted, but everyone needs to have. However, you can build a better mouse trap when it comes to drinking water or at least that what these three small caps are attempting to do with their own unique strategies:
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: EZCORP Inc.(EZPW)
EZCORP, Inc. provides specialty consumer financial services. The company offers pawn loans that are non-recourse loans collateralized by tangible personal property, including jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, and musical instruments, as well as sells merchandise consisting of second-hand collateral forfeited from its pawn lending activities or purchased from customers, and new or refurbished merchandise from third party vendors. It also provides a range of financial services, such as signature loans consisting of payday loans, installment loans, and lines of credit; and auto title loans, which include single payment auto title loans, and auto title lines of credit. In addition, the company offers fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans; and advice and assistance to customers in obtaining loans from unaffiliated lenders, as well as provides debit cards. As of September 30, 2011, it operated a total of 1,111 locations consisting of 433 pawn s tores under the EZPAWN or Value Pawn names, and 436 financial services stores under the EZMONEY name in the United States; 178 pawn stores under the Empe� F�il or Empe� Su Oro names in Mexico; 49 financial services stores under the CASHMAX name in Canada; and 15 financial and retail services stores under the Cash Converters name in Canada. Further, the company operates as a franchisor for 13 franchised Cash Converters stores in Canada. EZCORP, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By alicet236]
EZCorp Inc (EZPW) Reached $8.72
The prices of EZCorp shares have declined to $8.72, which is only 5.4% above the 5-year low of $8.25. It is now 78.7% off the 5-year high of $38.66. EZCorp is owned by five Gurus we are tracking. Among them, three have added to their positions during the past quarter. One reduced their position. EZCorp lends or provides credit services to individuals who do not have cash resources or access to credit to meet their short-term cash needs. EzCorp has a market cap of $467.2 million; its shares were traded at around $8.72 with a P/E ratio of 26.90 and P/S ratio of 0.50. EzCorp had an annual average earnings growth of 24% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated EzCorp's�business predictability rank of 4-star.
- [By Monica Gerson]
EZCORP (NASDAQ: EZPW) shares fell 9.74% to touch a new 52-week low of $14.01 on FQ4 results.
Posted-In: 52-Week LowsNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of World Acceptance Corporation have plunged 19% to $79.19 at 3:43 p.m.–and dragged down anything remotely connected to payday lending. Cash America International (CSH) has dropped 7.8% to $39.35, pawn-shop operator EZCorp (EZPW) has fallen 3.7% to $12.33, and wire-transfer companies Western Union (WU) and MoneyGram International (MGI) have fallen 2.6% and 5.8%, respectively.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, pawn shop operator EZCORP (NASDAQ: EZPW ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SGAPY.PK)
Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) is engaged in the operation and provision of telecommunication systems and services, and investment holding. SingTel operates in three segments: Singapore, which represent the services and products provided by SingTel and its subsidiaries (excluding SingTel Optus Pty Limited (Optus)); Australia, which represents the services and products provided by Optus, a subsidiary of SingTel domiciled in Australia, and Associates & Joint Ventures, which represents the Company�� investments in associated and joint venture companies, which mainly comprise Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) in Thailand, Bharti in India, Globe Telecom, Inc. in the Philippines, and PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel) in Indonesia. In December 2013, its subsidiary, Amobee Group Pte Ltd incorporated a subsidiary in Australia known as Amobee ANZ Pty Ltd. In December 2013, its subsidiary, SingTel Optus Pty Limited incorporated Optus Digital Life Pty Limited. Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Hunkar]
Investors looking to add international dividend stocks can consider some of the options listed below:
Company: Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SGAPY.PK)Current Dividend Yield: 4.35%
Sector: Telecom
Country: Singapore
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: RSC Holdings Inc.(RRR)
RSC Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rental of construction and industrial equipment primarily in the United States and Canada. It offers approximately 900 categories of equipment, including backhoes, forklifts, air compressors, scissor lifts, aerial work platform booms, and skid-steer loaders; and smaller items, such as pumps, generators, welders, and electric hand tools. The company also provides safety equipment, which comprise hard hats and goggles; consumables that include blades and gloves; tools comprising ladders and shovels; and other ancillary products. In addition, it sells new equipment; and used rental equipment, merchandise, and other related items. The company sells its products to industrial or non-construction related companies, and construction companies. As of December 31, 2011, it operated through a network of 440 rental locations in 43 states in the United States; and 3 Canadian provinces. The company is headquartered in Sc ottsdale, Arizona.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon] s a machinery rental service for construction, industrial, petrochemical, governmental and manufacturing businesses in the U.S. and Canada. RSC tends to benefit in economic downturns, as more businesses turn to renting rather than buying equipment to cut costs. Rented equipment rose 20.7% percent (the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth) and rental revenue increased 27% in the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to last year.
United Rentals (URI), one of RSC�� largest competitors, had a rental revenue increase of 18.5% in the fourth quarter compared to last year, which included a 6.7% increase in rental rates.
The company�� fleet utilization also increased to 69% for 2010, up 510 bps from 2010, and it spent $616 million in gross rental capital expenditures to keep up with demand.
Part of the growth is a result of management�� decision in 2006 to expand beyond the cyclical construction market to the largely untapped non-construction and industrial markets that need machinery for mining and oil and gas drilling.
RSC Holdings has a market cap of $2.26 billion; its shares were traded at around $22.15 with a P/E ratio of 197.91 and P/S ratio of 1.49.
Magma Design Automation Inc. (LAVA)
Magma Design Automation is a Silicon-Valley company that develops electronic design automation software products and solutions, from concept to completion. It has had relatively flat free cash flow growth for the last ten years and an average annual earnings growth of 1.8%.
On November 30, it announced it was going to be acquired by Synopsys Inc., for $7.35 per share, or $507 million net of cash and debt. Shareholders sued the company on December 1 saying that the sell price was too low, as it closed as high as $8.50 per share in July 2011 and analysts had set price targets at up to $11.00 per share.
Grantham bought 1,663,500 shares of the company at an average price of $5.70 in the fourth quarter.
Gold Fields Ltd.
Top 10 Services Stocks To Buy For 2014: NewLead Holdings Ltd.(NEWL)
NewLead Holdings Ltd. operates as an international shipping company that owns and operates product tankers and dry bulk carriers. It operates in two segments, Wet Operations and Dry Operations. The Wet Operations segment transports various refined petroleum products simultaneously in segregated coated cargo tanks that include gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha, and gas oil. The Dry Operations segment involves in transporting and handling bulk cargoes through ownership, operation, and trading of vessels. As of August 2, 2011, the company operated a fleet of 6 double-hull product tankers and 16 dry bulk vessels. The company was formerly known as Aries Maritime Transport Limited and changed its name to NewLead Holdings Ltd. in December 2009. NewLead Holdings Ltd. was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Athens, Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
Two months ago, maritime shipping stocks FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL), and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS) were all the rage; traders couldn't get enough of them. The spark for the new strength from DRYS, NEWL, and FREE was a strong - and somewhat surprising - bounce in Baltic Dry Index, which roughly measures the daily charter rate for maritime shipping vessels. It had risen from a low of 698 at the beginning of the year to above 1000 by July to a peak of 2113 in late September. Since these shipping companies had seen a tripling (in less than a year, mind you) of the prices they could charge customers, the rebounding interest in these stocks was certainly understandable. FreeSeas shares more than doubled in value during that time. DryShips nearly did the same. While NewLead Holdings Ltd didn't actually dole out any significant gain, it did draw a lot of new interest during that hot period as a potential "the next one to take off" idea.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
The last few weeks have been, shall we say "interesting" for maritime shipping stocks like FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), and NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL). The strong rise in the Baltic Dry Index - the average daily charter rate of a dry goods vessel - since mid-August (and really since early June) has meant maritime shippers can charge more for their services, and who knows? Maybe they can even turn a profit sometime in the foreseeable future. As a result of that possibility, DRYS gained nearly 100% in a little over a month., NEWL was up as much as 70% at one point in late September, and FREE advanced nearly 300% on the heels of the Baltic Dry Index's runup from 1000 to more than 2000 in just a little over a month.
- [By James E. Brumley]
October wasn't an easy month to own FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL), DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), or any maritime shipper for that matter. They were all down rather sharply after heroic runups in September. DRYS fell 22% last month. NEWL slumped 41% in October. FREE gave up 44% of its value last month. What happened? After all, these same stocks were among some of the hottest names in September. In simplest terms, what happened here is what happens all too often... the market "got it right" in terms of the premise, but overdid it. Now that the dust is settling though, the undertow is kicking in again, but this time at a more reasonable/sustainable pace.
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