It probably comes as no surprise that Americans��top resolution for 2014 is to lose weight, according to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology. Spending less and saving more also ranks among the top five resolutions. The good news is that if you��e resolved to both lose weight and spend less, now is a great time to get a gym membership for less.
SEE ALSO: Healthy Habits That Will Save You Money��yms know that people are setting their resolutions,��says Trae Bodge, senior editor for deal and coupon site RetailMeNot. ��n response, they��e offering a lot of great deals.�� In addition to limited-time offers available now, there are several other ways you can save money on gym memberships.
Take advantage of free trials. You likely can get a free day pass at any gym any time of the year, Bodge says. However, several national fitness chains are offering lengthier free trials this month to capitalize on weight-loss resolutions. For example, 24 Hour Fitness has a free three-day pass, Gold�� Gym and Anytime Fitness are offering free seven-day trials, and Snap Fitness will send you a free 30-day pass if you sign up online (and pay $8.95 for shipping and handling). Bodge says that you should take advantage of free passes at several gyms to find the one that suits you best so you don�� waste money signing a contract with a facility you don�� try out first.
Best Small Cap Companies To Buy Right Now: Tootsie Roll Industries Inc.(TR)
Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products primarily in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company sells its products under the TOOTSIE ROLL, TOOTSIE ROLL POPS, CHILD?S PLAY, CARAMEL APPLE POPS, CHARMS, BLOW-POP, BLUE RAZZ, ZIP-A-DEE POPS, CELLA?S, MASON DOTS, MASON CROWS, JUNIOR MINT, CHARLESTON CHEW, SUGAR DADDY, SUGAR BABIES, ANDES, FLUFFY STUFF, DUBBLE BUBBLE, RAZZLES, CRY BABY, and NIK-L-NIP. It distributes its products through candy and grocery brokers to the wholesale distributors of candy and groceries, supermarkets, variety stores, dollar stores, chain grocers, drug chains, discount chains, cooperative grocery associations, warehouse and membership club stores, vending machine operators, and the U. S. military and fund-raising charitable organizations. The company was founded in 1896 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
Leave the wrapper on
The returns on confectioner Tootsie Roll Industries (NYSE: TR ) have certainly been sweet for investors over the past year. You have to go back to the summer of 2010 to find sugar prices that were as low as they are now,�which has played a good part in helping Tootsie Roll keep that aspect of its costs down. But taking a bigger view of what's going on with Tootsie Roll and comparing that to its current valuation creates a sour taste in my mouth. - [By Rich Smith]
At the same time, tiny Tootsie Roll (NYSE: TR ) may see its sales grow as little as 13% through 2016. Could it be that in the candy industry, bigger is better? Does Hershey lack the scale to compete effectively against mammoth Mondelez?
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)
Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
The folks at Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) seem absolutely bent on fostering the ideas and opinions of their users.
Just last week, for example, the site unveiled Kindle Worlds to enable aspiring authors to test their skills writing fan fiction.
- [By Rich Smith]
"Finders keepers, loser weepers" is a rule that should be familiar to every member of the preschool set. Netflix might not be weeping today, but Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) is playing the keeper as it has swooped in to nab distribution rights to a series of shows that Netflix recently passed on.
- [By Daniel Sparks]
Apple� (NASDAQ: AAPL ) is cash rich. In fact, cash accounts for 40% of the company's�share price. Though Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) comes close, with cash accounting for about 30% of its share price, Apple looks dirt cheap compared to Intel (NASDAQ: INTC ) , Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) , and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN ) when measured by cash per share.
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Materion Corp (BEM)
Materion Corporation, formerly Brush Engineered Materials Inc., is a holding Company. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is an integrated producer of advanced engineered materials used in a variety of electrical, electronic, thermal and structural applications. It products are sold into numerous markets, including consumer electronics, industrial components and commercial aerospace, defense and science, energy, medical, automotive electronics, telecommunications infrastructure and appliance. In March 2012, the Company acquired Aerospace Metal Composites Limited (AMC). In October 2011, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Materion Advanced Materials Technologies and Services Inc., acquired EIS Optics Limited. On March 8, 2011, the Company changed its name to Materion Corporation.
Advanced Material Technologies
Advanced Material Technologies manufactures precious, non-precious and specialty metal products, including vapor deposition targets, frame lid assemblies, clad and precious metal preforms, high temperature braze materials, ultra-fine wire, advanced chemicals, optics, performance coatings and microelectronic packages. These products are used in wireless, semiconductor, photonic, hybrid and other microelectronic applications within the consumer electronics and telecommunications infrastructure markets. Other key markets for these products include medical, defense and science, energy and industrial components. Advanced Material Technologies also has metal cleaning operations and in-house refineries that allow for the reclaim of precious metals from internally generated or customers scrap. Advanced Material Technologies products are sold directly from its facilities throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. Sales are made to over 3,200 customers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, sales for this segment were 69% of total sales.
Performance Alloys
Performance Alloys manufactures and sells three product famili! es: strip products, bulk products and beryllium hydroxide. Strip products include thin gauge precision strip and thin diameter rod and wire. These copper and nickel alloys are used as connectors, contacts, switches, relays and shielding. Markets for strip products include consumer electronics, telecommunications infrastructure, automotive electronics, appliance and medical. Its bulk products include copper and nickel-based alloys manufactured in plate, rod, bar, tube and other customized forms. Applications for bulk products include oil and gas drilling components, bearings, bushings, welding rods, plastic mold tooling, and undersea telecommunications housing equipment.
The Company�� Bulk products are copper and nickel-based alloys manufactured in plate, rod, bar, tube and other customized forms that, depending upon the application, may provide superior strength, corrosion or wear resistance, thermal conductivity or lubricity. Applications for bulk products include oil and gas drilling components, bearings, bushings, welding rods, plastic mold tooling, and undersea telecommunications housing equipment. The Company�� Beryllium hydroxide is produced at its milling operations in Utah from its bertrandite mine and purchased beryl ore. The hydroxide is used primarily as a raw material input for strip and bulk products, and by the Beryllium and Composites segment. It sells beryllium hydroxide to NGK Insulators, Ltd. Its strip and bulk products are manufactured at facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania and are distributed internationally, through a network of Company-owned service centers and outside distributors and agents. Sales are made to over 1,600 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 22% of total sales.
Beryllium and Composites
The Company�� Beryllium and Composites segment manufactures beryllium-based metals and metal matrix composites in rod, sheet, foil and a variety of customized forms at its Elmore, Ohio and Fremont, California facilities. Th! is segmen! t also manufactures beryllia ceramics at its Tucson, Arizona facility. Defense and science is the market for Beryllium and Composites, including industrial components and commercial aerospace, medical, energy and telecommunications infrastructure. Products are also sold for acoustics and optical scanning applications.
The beryllium facility produces primary beryllium. It is a feedstock material used to produce beryllium metal products, which was completed during 2011. Beryllium-containing products are sold worldwide. Electronic components utilizing beryllia are used in the telecommunications infrastructure, medical, industrial components and commercial aerospace, and defense and science markets. These products are distributed through direct sales and independent sales agents. Sales are made to over 300 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 4% of total sales.
Technical Materials
Technical Materials include clad inlay and overlay metals, precious and base metal electroplated systems, electron beam welded systems, contour profiled systems and solder-coated metal systems. These specialty strip metal products provide a range of thermal, electrical or mechanical properties from a surface area or particular section of the material. The applications for these products include connectors, contacts and semiconductors, including automotive electronics and consumer electronics markets. Its products are manufactured at its Lincoln, Rhode Island facility and sold directly and through its sales representatives. Sales are made to over 200 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 5% of total sales.
The Company competes with Sumitomo Metals, Heraeus Inc., Praxair, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Solar Applied Materials Technology Corp., Tanaka Holding Co., Ltd., Johnson Matthey plc, International Beryllium Corp., Ningxia Orient Tantalum, LeBronze Industriel, American Beryllia Inc., CBL Ceramics Limited, Heraeus Inc. and AMI Doduco, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Detrixhe]
Developing-country bonds lost 1.2 percent in November after gaining in the previous two months, according to the Bloomberg USD Emerging Market Composite Bond Index. (BEM) The MSCI Emerging Markets Index fell 1.6 percent, the first decline since August and taking this year�� drop to 3.5 percent.
- [By Inyoung Hwang]
The Bloomberg USD Emerging Market Composite Bond Index (BEM), which includes sovereign and corporate debt, declined 4.39 percent in June, capping its second consecutive quarterly loss.
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Big Lots Inc (BIG)
Big Lots, Inc., incorporated in May 2001, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is a North America's closeout retailer. At January 28, 2012, the Company operated a total of 1,533 stores in two countries: the United States and Canada. The Company operates in two segments: U.S. and Canada. The merchandising categories include Consumables, Furniture, Home, Seasonal, Play n' Wear, and Hardlines & Other. The Consumables category includes the food, health and beauty, plastics, paper, chemical, and pet departments. The Furniture category includes the upholstery, mattresses, ready-to-assemble, and case goods departments. The Home category includes the domestics, stationery, and home decorative departments. The Seasonal category includes the lawn and garden, Christmas, summer, and other holiday departments. The Play n' Wear category includes the electronics, toys, jewelry, infant accessories, and apparel departments. The Hardlines & Other category includes the appliances, tools, paint, and home maintenance departments. On July 18, 2011, the Company acquired Liquidation World Inc. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened 92 stores, acquired 89 stores and closed 46 stores.
All of the Company�� stores are located in North America and has an average store size of approximately 29,900 square feet, of which an average of 21,600 square feet is selling square feet. The 54 owned stores are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas. At January 28, 2012, the Company owned or leased approximately 9.4 million square feet of distribution center and warehouse space. The Company leases and operates two regional distribution centers in Canada located in British Columbia and Ontario. Of its 1,533 stores, 33% operate in four states California, Texas, Ohio, and Florida, and net sales from stores in these states represented 36% of its fiscal 2011 net sales.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top Headline
Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. For the new fiscal year, Big Lots expects earnings from continuing operations of $2.25 to $2.45 per share, versus analysts' estimates of $2.44 per share. Big Lots posted its quarterly profit of $84.4 million, or $1.45 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $120.3 million, or $2.09 per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.40 per share. Its revenue slipped 6.2% to $1.64 billion, versus analysts' expectations for $1.61 billion. Big Lots' gross margin declined to 38.2% from 39.7%.
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Grifols SA (GRFS)
Grifols SA is a Spain-based company engaged in the healthcare sector. The Company is involved in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of medical solutions for hospitals, which include plasma-derived therapies, as well as diagnosis and pharmaceutical products. Its activities are structured in four segments: Bioscience, which focuses on the research for obtaining new therapies and solutions aimed at patients who suffer from illnesses stemming from plasma deficits; Diagnostic, which comprises the research, development and marketing of diagnostic products for clinical laboratories, Hospital, which offers ready-to-use pharmaceutical preparations and products for clinical nutrition; and Raw Materials, which includes sales of biological products and services. The Company is a parent of Grupo Grifols. In March 2013, the Company acquired a 60% stake in Progenika Biopharma SA. On January 9, 2014, the Company acquired a diagnostic unit from Novartis International AG. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Philip Springer]
What’s more, earnings estimates for 2014 by Wall Street analysts have increased for seven of the 10 companies over the last three months. Amgen’s are down slightly and those for Celgene and Novo Nordisk are unchanged.
Two of the 10 stocks currently are in the PF Growth Portfolio. Another, Allergan, was sold for a 75 percent long-term gain since its initial recommendation.
As of late February, the 10 stocks profiled carried market capitalizations of roughly $30 billion and up. Here are another four companies to watch: Grifols SA (NSDQ: GRFS), Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (NSDQ: JAZZ), Questcor Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ: QCOR) and Salix Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ: SLXP). Each of these four companies is generating rapid revenue and profit growth, and each stock carries a market capitalization of $5 billion or more.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend! - [By Monica Wolfe]
Grifols SA (GRFS)
Paulson�� fourth largest holding is in Grifols SA where he holds on to 19,786,279 shares of the company�� stock. His position in the company represents 4% of his total portfolio and 5.76% of the company�� shares outstanding.
- [By Monica Wolfe]
Grifols SA (GRFS)
Paulson�� fourth largest holding is in Grifols SA where he maintains 19,838,107 shares of the company�� stock. His holdings make up for 3.9% of his total portfolio as well as for 5.77% of the company�� shares outstanding.
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Rubicon Technology Inc.(RBCN)
Rubicon Technology, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells monocrystalline sapphire and other crystalline products for light-emitting diodes (LED), radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), blue laser diodes, optoelectronics, and other optical applications. The company fabricates its products from the boules and sells them in various categories, including core, as-cut, as-ground, and polished forms in two, three, four, six, and eight inch diameter wafers. It manufactures sapphire substrates and optical windows, including two inch to four inch sapphire cores and wafers for use in LEDs and blue laser diodes for solid state lighting and electronic applications; six-inch polished sapphire wafers that are used in the LED applications and in silicon-on-sapphire RFICs; and eight inch wafers for research and development efforts, as well as sells sapphire products used for windows and lenses in military, aerospace, sensor, and other applications. The company also offers opticall y-polished windows and ground window blanks of sapphire and various fluoride compounds, such as calcium, barium, and magnesium fluoride. Rubicon Technology, Inc. sells its products primarily to wafer polishing companies and semiconductor device manufacturers in Asia, North America, and Europe. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Bensenville, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY). Utilities shares dropped by 0.11 percent in the US market today. - [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY).
10 Best Shipping Stocks To Watch Right Now: Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (ETO)
Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to provide a high level of after-tax total return. The Fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in dividend-paying common and preferred stocks.
The Fund�� top 10 equity holdings include Freeport-McMoran Copper, Veolia Environment, Southern Copper Corp., Societe Generale, Chevron Corp., Occidental Petroleum Corp., Exelon Corp., Total SA Spon ADR, Entergy Corp. and Suncor Energy Inc. Top 10 equity holdings represented 25.3% of total investments as of April 30, 2007.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By GURUFOCUS]
Special Purpose Funds- Eaton Vance Tax-Adv. Global Dividend Oppor. Fund (ETO) | Yield: 7.3%
- The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (GLU) | Yield: 6.2%
- Pimco Global Stocksplus Income Fund (PGP) | Yield: 9.5%
- LMP Real Estate Income Fund Inc. (RIT) | Yield: 7.0%
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