Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Best Consumer Companies For 2014

Following a positive investor day from MasterCard Inc (MA), analysts at FBR Capital boosted their price target and earnings estimates on the credit card company.

The analysts reiterated an “Outperform” rating on MA, but now see shares reaching $690, up from the previous target of $640. This new price target suggests a 5% upside to the stock’s Wednesday closing price of $658.46. The firm also boosted MasterCard’s fiscal 2014 EPS estimates from $30.60 to $31.13 due to higher revenues and a lower projected tax rate.

An FBR Capital analyst commented, “At yesterday’s investor day, management reiterated FY13-FY15 guidance (while guidance has always been back-end loaded [higher EPS and net revenue growth in the latter years], management commented that early performance has been better than expected), highlighted plans targeting global unbanked and underbanked consumers, discussed initiatives to strengthen merchant relationships via analytical products designed to help merchants, and alluded to additional M&A opportunities.”

Top Consumer Service Companies To Buy For 2015: Oshkosh Truck Corporation(OSK)

Oshkosh Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets a range of specialty vehicles, and vehicle bodies worldwide. Its Defense segment manufactures severe-duty, heavy, and medium-payload tactical trucks for the Department of Defense, including hauling tanks, missile systems, ammunition, fuel, and troops and cargo for combat units. The company?s Access Equipment segment offers aerial work platforms and telehandlers used in a range of construction, agricultural, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications. This segment also manufactures towing and recovery equipment and related parts; and leases equipments for short-term to rental companies. The company?s Fire and Emergency segment provides custom and commercial fire apparatus, and emergency vehicles, including pumpers, aerial and ladder trucks, tankers, rescue vehicles, wildland rough terrain response vehicles, mobile command and control centers, bomb squad vehicles, hazardous materials control vehicl es, and other emergency response vehicles. This segment also offers snow removal vehicles in airports; custom ambulances for private and public transporters, and fire departments; mobile medical trailers for medical centers and service providers; mobile command and control centers and simulation units; and vehicles for broadcasters, TV stations, broadcast production, and radio stations. Oshkosh Corporation?s Commercial segment manufactures refuse collection vehicles for the waste services industry; front and rear discharge concrete mixers, and portable and stationary concrete batch plants for the concrete ready-mix industry; and field service vehicles and truck-mounted cranes for the construction, equipment dealer, building supply, utility, tire service, and mining industries. The company was formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation and changed its name to Oshkosh Corporation in February 2008. Oshkosh Corporation was founded in 1917 and is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    The Department of Defense issued some 22 separate contract awards Thursday, totaling just under $1 billion in combined value. Not all of them went to publicly traded defense contractors, of course, but enough of them did to be worth mentioning. Here are a few of the lucky winners:

  • [By BLOGS.BARRONS.COM]

    You don�� have to be an income investor to like dividend stocks, especially when they’ve been beaten down like Baker Hughes (BHI) and Oshkosh (OSK) have.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    Principal contractors, should the sales be approved, include Textron (NYSE: TXT  ) for the helicopter sale and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) for the Strykers. No single principal contractor has been identified as associated with the spare parts sale, but both the HETTs and the HEMTTs, for example, are manufactured by Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK  ) , while Britain's BAE Systems (NASDAQOTH: BAESY  ) builds the recovery vehicles, howitzers, and M113s.

  • [By gurujx]

    Oshkosh Corporation (OSK): Exec. VP and CFO David M. Sagehorn Sold 141,005 Shares

    Exec. VP and CFO David M. Sagehorn sold 141,005 shares of OSK stock on 11/18/2013 at the average price of $50.36. David M. Sagehorn owns at least 69,667 shares after this. The price of the stock has decreased by 6.29% since.

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Adams Golf Inc.(ADGF)

Adams Golf, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, assembles, markets, and distributes golf clubs for various skill levels primarily in the United States and internationally. Its products comprise Speedline Fast 12 drivers, Fast 12 LS drivers, Speedline Fast 12 fairway woods, Idea a12 OS irons and hybrids, Idea a12 hybrids, Idea Pro a12 irons and hybrids, Idea Tech V3 irons and hybrids, Redline irons, Idea a7 and a7 OS irons and hybrids, and Speedline 9088 UL drivers. It also develops products under the Yes! Putters, Women's Golf Unlimited, Lady Fairway, and Square 2 brands. In addition, it offers a range of golf bags, hats, and other accessories. The company sells its products to on- and off- course golf shops, sporting goods retailers, and mass merchants, as well as to international distributors. Adams Golf, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Geoff Gannon]

    Adams Golf (ADGF) was a net-net. It got bought out by Adidas. By the way, it�� not the only net-net to get bought out this year. Swank (SNKI) was also a net-net that looks like it�� going to be bought out. Last I heard, they received an alternative proposal during their ��o shop��period and haven�� acted on it. The Ben Graham: Net-Net Newsletter�� model portfolio doesn�� own either stock. Though we do own another net-net where a company in the same industry bought a block of shares. Who knows what that means. But clearly net-nets sometimes attract control buyers.

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Blyth Inc. (BTH)

Blyth, Inc. operates as a direct to consumer marketing company in North America, Europe, and Australia. The company operates in three segments: Health & Wellness, Candles & Home D茅cor, and Catalog & Internet. The Health & Wellness segment offers a suite of weight-management products, nutritional supplements, and energy drinks under the ViSalus Sciences, ViSalus, and Body by Vi Challenge brands primarily through its independent promoters. The Candles & Home D茅cor segment sells food and recipe products, candles, reed diffusers, and other home fragrance products and related decorative accessories under the PartyLite, GloLite by PartyLite, and Two Sisters Gourmet by PartyLite names through independent sales consultants. The Catalog & Internet segment develops and markets an array of decorative and functional household products, personalized cards, gifts, food products, and health and wellness products under the Miles Kimball, Walter Drake, As We Change, Easy Comforts, and Ex posures brands through its Websites, catalogs, and direct mail campaigns. Blyth, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Hanley]

    Consumer-goods marketer Blyth (NYSE: BTH  ) , owner of weight-loss upstart ViSalus, has been in the doghouse lately, sitting near a 52-week low due to poor results in its weight-loss unit.� Despite a large potential customer base of overweight people worldwide, the industry has had difficulty generating growth lately, with data provider Marketdata Enterprises estimating that industry sales rose only 1.7% in 2012.� However, Blyth caught a bid in late October from a proposed combination with marketing-services provider CVSL, indicating that some people see incremental value in Blyth's businesses.�So, should small investors bet on this small cap or should they focus their attention on Weight watchers International (NYSE: WTW  ) and Medifast (NYSE: MED  ) instead?

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap NYSE stocks Blyth, Inc (NYSE: BTH), ITT Educational Services, Inc (NYSE: ESI) and U.S. Silica Holdings Inc (NYSE: SLCA) had the highest short interest as of late September according to HighShortInterest.com with short interest of 56.80%, 55.73% and 40.22%, respectively. However, shorting a stock can be a dangerous business as the bears can and do sometimes get mauled by the bulls. With that in mind, let�� take a look at why the bulls or the bears may be right or wrong about these three shorted small cap NYSE stocks:�

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Diageo plc(DEO)

Diageo plc engages in producing, distilling, brewing, bottling, packaging, distributing, developing, and marketing spirits, beer, and wine products worldwide. It offers a range of brands, including Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, Smirnoff vodka and Smirnoff ready to drink products, Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur, Crown Royal Canadian whisky, Captain Morgan rum and rum based products, Jose Cuervo tequila, JeB scotch whisky, Buchanan?s scotch whisky, Windsor Premier scotch whisky, Ketel One vodka, Ciroc vodka, Tanqueray gin, Bushmills Irish whiskey, and Guinness stout. The company also provides other spirits brands that comprise Gordon?s gin and vodka, Old Parr scotch whisky, Bell?s scotch whisky, The Classic Malts scotch whiskies, Seagram?s 7 Crown whiskey and Seagram?s VO whisky, Cacique rum, White Horse scotch whisky, Don Julio tequila, and Bundaberg rum. In addition, it offers beer under various brands, such as Malta Guinness non-alcoholic malt, Harp lager, Tu sker lager, Smithwick?s ale, Senator lager, and Red Stripe lager; and wine under a range of brands, including Blossom Hill, Sterling Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard, Navarro Correas, Acacia Vineyard, Rosenblum Cellars, Piat d?Or, Chalone Vineyard, and Santa Rita. Further, Diageo plc owns the distribution rights for the Jose Cuervo tequila brands in North America and internationally. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    It's time for a new CEO at Diageo (NYSE: DEO  ) as Paul Walsh is stepping down after 13 years.

    On Tuesday, the London-based brewer, vintner, and distiller filed a Form 6-K with the SEC, stating that Chief Executive Officer Walsh will be stepping down from his post on July 1, and retiring from the company entirely by June 30, 2014.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Brown-Forman (NYSE: BF-A  ) (NYSE: BF-B  ) will release its quarterly report on Wednesday, and investors have generally been quite pleased with the performance of the spirits company, sending its stock to all-time record highs. But as competition from rivals Diageo (NYSE: DEO  ) and Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ  ) becomes ever tougher, the bigger question is whether Brown-Forman can keep earnings growing even if its revenue doesn't climb as fast as its peers' sales.

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS)

Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (DPS), incorporated on October 24, 2007, is an integrated brand owner, manufacturer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a diverse portfolio of flavored (non-cola) carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) and non-carbonated beverages (NCBs), including ready-to-drink teas, juices, juice drinks and mixers. The Company operates in three segments: Beverage Concentrates, Packaged Beverages and Latin America Beverages. The Company primarily serves two groups of customers: bottlers and distributors and retailers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 20 manufacturing facilities across the United States and Mexico, excluding its manufacturing facility for its joint venture with Acqua Minerale San Benedetto. Effective March 1, 2013, it acquired Dr. Pepper/7-UP Bottling Co of the West, a producer and wholesaler of bottled soft drinks.

Beverage Concentrates

The Company�� Beverage Concentrates segment is principally a brand ownership business. In this segment the Company manufactures and sells beverage concentrates in the United States and Canada. Most of the brands in this segment are CSD brands. Its brand portfolio includes CSD brands, such as Dr Pepper, Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Squirt, Penafiel and Schweppes. Beverage concentrates are shipped to third party bottlers, as well as to its own manufacturing systems, who combine them with carbonation, water, sweeteners and other ingredients, package it in PET containers, glass bottles and aluminum cans, and sell it as a finished beverage to retailers. Beverage concentrates are also manufactured into syrup, which is shipped to fountain customers, such as fast food restaurants, who mix the syrup with water and carbonation to create a finished beverage at the point of sale to consumers. Its Beverage Concentrates brands are sold by its bottlers, including its own Packaged Beverages segment, through all retail channels, including supermarkets, fountains, mas! s merchandisers, club stores, vending machines, convenience stores, gas stations, small groceries, drug chains and dollar stores.

Packaged Beverages

The Company�� Packaged Beverages segment is principally a brand ownership, manufacturing and distribution business. In this segment, it primarily manufacture and distribute packaged beverages and other products, including its brands, third party owned brands and certain private label beverages, in the United States and Canada. Key NCB brands in this segment include Hawaiian Punch, Snapple, Mott's, Yoo-Hoo, Clamato, Deja Blue, AriZona, FIJI, Mistic, Nantucket Nectars, ReaLemon, Mr and Mrs T, Rose's and Country Time. Key CSD brands in this segment include 7UP, Dr Pepper, A&W, Sunkist soda, Canada Dry, Squirt, RC Cola, Big Red, Sun Drop, Diet Rite, IBC and Vernors. Approximately 87% of its 2011 Packaged Beverages net sales of branded products come from its own brands, with the remaining from the distribution of third party brands, such as Big Red, AriZona tea, FIJI mineral water, Neuro beverages, Vita Coco coconut water and Hydrive energy drinks. A portion of its sales also comes from bottling beverages and other products for private label owners or others, which is also referred to as contract manufacturing. Its Packaged Beverages��products are manufactured in multiple facilities across the United States and are sold or distributed to retailers and their warehouses by itsown distribution network or by third party distributors. The Company sells its Packaged Beverages��products both through its Direct Store Delivery system (DSD), supported by a fleet of approximately 6,000 vehicles and 12,000 employees, including sales representatives, merchandisers, drivers and warehouse workers, as well as through its Warehouse Direct delivery system (WD), both of which include the sales to retail channels, including supermarkets, fountain channel, mass merchandisers, club stores, vending machines, convenience stores, gas stations, small groce! ries, dru! g chains and dollar stores.

Latin America Beverages

The Company�� Latin America Beverages segment is a brand ownership, manufacturing and distribution business. This segment participates mainly in the carbonated mineral water, flavored CSD, bottled water and vegetable juice categories, with particular strength in carbonated mineral water, vegetable juice categories and grapefruit flavored CSDs. Its brands include Squirt, Penafiel, Aguafiel, Crush and Clamato.

In Mexico, it manufactures and distributes its products through its bottling operations and third party bottlers and distributors. In the Caribbean, it distributes its products through third party bottlers and distributors. In Mexico, it also participate in a joint venture to manufacture Aguafiel brand water with Acqua Minerale San Benedetto. The Company sells its finished beverages through Mexican retail channels, including mom and pop stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, and on premise channels.

The Company competes with The Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola), PepsiCo, Inc. (PepsiCo), Nestle, S.A. (Nestle), Kraft Foods Inc. (Kraft) and The Cott Corporation (Cott).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.83 per share on revenue of $1.56 billion.

    AT&T (NYSE: T) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.65 per share on revenue of $32.19 billion.

  • [By Damian Illia]

    The company has also been focusing on store opening. Despite the macroeconomic uncertainty, Buffalo has kept with this initiative, and has witnessed unit growth of nearly 11.6% in 2011, 9.1% in 2012 and 10.9% in 2013. Moreover, associations are on track, and the company has acquired a minority stake in PizzaRev, launching in 2012 PizzaRev fast-casual pizza restaurant, with a Craft Your Own initiative. The company plans to open two more PizzaRev units in Minneapolis in 2014 and a few more outlets by the end of 2014. Another partnership on track is with Pepsico Inc. (PEP) and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (DPS) to serve drinks across all its locations. Through these partnerships, Buffalo Wild Wings is developing new sauces and salad dressings for the restaurant chain, like the Mountain Dew-flavored salad dressing and Doritos-flavored wing sauce. These partnerships are expected to increase visibility and improve guest traffic as well.

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Sealed Air Corporation(SEE)

Sealed Air Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides food safety and security, facility hygiene, and product protection solutions worldwide. Its Food Packaging segment provides shrink bags and vacuum packaging products; packaging materials for cook-in applications; laminated and coextruded rollstock packaging materials used in thermoforming and form, fill, and seal applications; and associated packaging equipment and systems, including bag loaders, dispensers, and vacuum chamber systems. The company?s Food Solutions segment offers case-ready packaging offerings; ready meals packaging technologies; vertical pouch packaging solutions for packaging flowable food products; foam and plastic trays; absorbent products for food packaging; and related packaging equipment, including vacuum chamber systems. Its Protective Packaging segment provides air cellular packaging materials; polyolefin performance shrink films for product display; shrink packaging equipment systems; pol yurethane foam packaging systems that provide protective packaging; lightweight and tear-resistant mailers and bags; inflatable packaging systems; paper cushioning systems that include recycled paper and automated dispensing equipment; paper packaging products; and suspension and retention packaging products. The company?s Diversey Segment offers a range of products and services, such as kitchen cleaning products; food and beverage and manufacturing and processing products; floor care products and systems; restroom care and other housekeeping products; and laundry products, as well as consulting services. Sealed Air Corporation also provides specialty materials products to fabricators and manufacturers; and medical applications products and solutions to medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. The company markets its products primarily under the Bubble Wrap, Cryovac, and Diversey brands. Sealed Air Corporation was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in El mwood Park, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tom Rojas and Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

    Sealed Air Corp.'s(SEE) third-quarter earnings topped consensus estimates and it again raised its 2014 bottom-line guidance as the packaging company benefits from higher prices.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    On the upside, Sealed Air (SEE) has gained 8.4% to $30.90 after it said it earned 39 cents share, beating forecasts for 34 cents, and offered strong guidance. Gilead Sciences (GILD) has risen 4.3% to $72.50 after it reported a profit of 52 cents, beating forecasts for 48 cents.

  • [By Lee Jackson]

    Basic Materials: Sealed Air Corp. (NYSE: SEE) is top pick at other firms that we cover on Wall Street as well. Credit Suisse believes that following the recent (October) management change at the company, Sealed Air will significantly improve its profitability and cash flows while also deleveraging its sizable debt load, with both of these things driving significant shareholder value. The price target for the stock is posted at $36. The Thomson/First Call estimate is at $33. Investors are paid a 1.9% dividend. Credit Suisse is the high target on Wall Street and would represent a 31% gain for investors. The stock closed Tuesday at $27.48.

Best Consumer Companies For 2014: Latteno Food Corp (LATF)

Latteno Food Corp. (Latteno), incorporated on August 24, 1994, is engaged in acquiring, organizing, developing and upgrading companies in the international food and beverage market. Latteno is specializing in the dairy industry and coffee industry. The Company operates through its subsidiary in Brazil. On February 10, 2010 Latteno acquired Global Milk Businesses and Administration of Private Properties Ltda. (Global Milk). Global Milk holds the rights of certain intellectual property of the brand name products manufactured and sold under the brand name Teixeira. In March 2013, the Company acquired Green Cannabis Collective Inc.

Latteno is leasing an instant and roasted coffee factory located in Cruzeiro, Sao-Paulo, which was property the Company previously owned under its BDFC Brasil Alimentos Ltda (BDFC) subsidiary. In addition to the lease, the Company has maintained ownership of four brand names, Samba Cafe, Vivenda, Torino and Brazilian Best, used in the past by Latteno to sell its instant and roasted coffee across the world. The Company engaged the service companies to assist with its operations, such as Log-Frio Ltda, SigaSolutions Ltda, Microsiga Ltda and Varistao Transportes Ltda.

The Company competes with Nestle, Companhia Cacique de Cafe Soluvel, Cafe Soluvel Brasilia and Companhia lguacu de Cafe Soluvel.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    What do you get when you cross a Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (NASDAQ:JVA) with a Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and a Kraft Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ:KRFT)? No, it's not a setup for a punch line - there's a legitimate answer. And that answer is, Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF).

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    A week and a half ago when I suggested Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF) was an effective way of getting into the medical marijuana craze for anyone who missed the big runups (the first or the second time) from names like Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) or Hemp, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEMP), not many people agreed with my assessment. That's the nice way of saying I received some "colorful counter-opinions" to my bullishness on LATF. Indeed, some readers were downright enraged I would dare compare the company to stocks like MJNA or HEMP, citing reasons ranging from the possibility that it's a complete scam to the possibility that the capital structure as amazingly unfair to current shareholders.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    What do you get when you cross a Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (NASDAQ:JVA) with a Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and a Kraft Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ:KRFT)? No, it's not a setup for a punch line - there's a legitimate answer. And that answer is, Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF).

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