Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.
Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Pactera Technology International (Nasdaq: PACT ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Best Consumer Service Companies For 2015: SLM Corp (ISM)
SLM Corporation (Sallie Mae), incorporated on February 3, 1997, is a holding company. It operates in three business segments: Consumer Lending, Business Services and FFELP Loans. The fourth segment includes Other. The Company�� primary business is to originate, service and collect loans it makes to students and their families to finance the cost of their education. It uses Private Education Loans to mean education loans to students or their families that are non-federal loans and loans not insured or guaranteed under the previously existing Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). It also provides servicing, loan default aversion and defaulted loan collection services for loans owned by other institutions, including the United States Department of Education (ED), as well as processing capabilities to educational institutions and 529 college-savings plan programs. It also operates a consumer savings network that provides financial rewards on everyday purchases to help families save for college. On May 7, 2013, Higher One Holdings, Inc. acquired Sallie Mae�� Campus Solutions business.
The Company is a holder, servicer and collector of loans made under the previously existing FFELP. The majority of its income continues to be derived, directly or indirectly, from its portfolio of FFELP Loans and servicing it provides for FFELP Loans.
Consumer Lending Segment
The Company originates, acquires, finances and services Private Education Loans. In this segment, the Company earns net interest income on the Private Education Loan portfolio, as well as servicing fees, consisting primarily of late fees. The Bank is also a key component of its Upromise Rewards and college-savings product businesses.
Business Services Segment
The Company�� Business Services segment generates the majority of its revenue from servicing its FFELP Loan portfolio and from performing servicing, default aversion and contingency collections work on behalf of Guaranto! rs of FFELP Loans and other institutions. During the year ended December 31, 2012, its FFELP-related revenues accounted for 76% of total Business Services segment revenues. Since 1997, the Company has provided collection services on defaulted student loans to ED. Upromise generates revenue by providing program management services for 529 college-savings plans with assets in 31 college-savings plans in 16 states, as of December 31, 2012. It also generates transaction fees through its Upromise consumer savings network; through December 31, 2012, members have earned rewards by purchasing products at hundreds of online retailers, booking travel, purchasing a home, dining out, buying gas and groceries, using the Upromise World MasterCard, or completing other qualified transactions. It earns a fee for the marketing and administrative services it provides to companies that participate in the Upromise savings network.
FFELP Loans Segment
The Company�� FFELP Loans segment consists of its FFELP Loan portfolio and the underlying debt and capital funding the loans. It seeks to acquire FFELP Loan portfolios.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Much like the first three months of the year, the second quarter served up a mixture of good and bad economic news. On April 3, the Institute of Supply Management (ISM) announced its nonmanufacturing index fell to 54.4, a seven month low. Higher taxes and federal budget cuts were purported to blame for the slowdown. Two days later on the first Friday of the month, the Labor Department released disappointing March employment numbers: Employers added only 88,000 new jobs, fewer than any month in the past year (though the number was later revised up to 142,000). The unemployment rate dropped to 7.6%, but only because an estimated almost half million people left the workforce in March. On a more encouraging note, housing starts in March rose 7.0% to an annual rate of 1,036,000 (later revised to 1,005,000) and new home sales climbed 1.5% (revised to 1.3%) to 417,000 annualized (revised to 451,000), the second highest jump in three years. Despite the mixed signals, the U.S. equity market, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, rose a modest 1.9% in April.
5 Best International Stocks To Own Right Now: Logitech international SA (LOGI)
Logitech International S.A. (Logitech) is a holding company. Logitech develops and markets hardware and software products for digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Logitech operates in two segments: peripherals and video conferencing. The Company�� peripherals segment includes design, manufacturing and marketing of peripherals for personal computers (PCs) and other digital platforms. Its products for the PC include mice, trackballs, keyboards, interactive gaming controllers, multimedia speakers, headsets, webcams, and lapdesks. Logitech�� Internet communications products include webcams, headsets, video communications services, and digital video security systems for a home or small business. Its digital music products include speakers, earphones, and custom in-ear monitors. On July 6, 2010, Logitech acquired all of the assets of Paradial AS. On March 31, 2011, the Company sold its equity interest in certain 3Dconnexion subsidiaries.
3Dconnexion subsidiaries are the providers of the Company�� 3D controllers, and its intellectual property rights related to the manufacture and sale of certain 3Dconnexion products. Paradial AS provides firewall and network address translation (NAT) traversal solutions for video communications. For home entertainment systems, Logitech offers the Harmony line of advanced remote controls, Squeezebox wireless music solutions and, in the United States, a line of Logitech products for the Google TV platform. For gaming consoles, the Company offers a range of gaming controllers and microphones, as well as other accessories. Logitech�� sells its peripheral products to a network of distributors and resellers and to other equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company�� worldwide retail network includes wholesale distributors, consumer electronics retailers, mass merchandisers, specialty electronics stores, computer and telecomm! unications stores, resellers and online merchants.
The Company�� video conferencing segment includes design, manufacturing and marketing of LifeSize video conferencing products, infrastructure and services for the enterprise, public sector and other business markets. LifeSize products include high-definition (HD) video communication endpoints, HD video conferencing systems with integrated monitors, video bridges and other infrastructure software and hardware to support large scale video deployments, and services to support these products. Logitech sells its LifeSize products and services to distributors, resellers, OEMs and direct enterprise customers. Logitech conducts its business through subsidiaries in the Americas, including North and South America; Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific, including, among other countries, China, Taiwan, Japan, India and Australia.
Pointing Devices
Logitech offers a range of computer mice, sold through retail and OEM channels. Its mice products include M215, M310 and M305 wireless mice with advanced 2.4 gigahertz wireless connection and cordless universal serial bus (USB) plug-and-forget nano-receiver; Performance Mouse MX and Anywhere Mouse MX with Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking; Marathon Mouse 750, and Wireless Trackball M570. Logitech�� mice products also include a line of gaming mice, including the Wireless Gaming Mouse G700, with 13 precisely placed, programmable controls to perform single actions and complex macros, full-speed gaming-grade wireless, and a quick-connect charging cable. In addition, the Company sells both corded and cordless mice designed specifically for OEM customers.
Keyboards and Desktops
Logitech offers a range of corded and cordless keyboards and desktops (keyboard-and-mouse combinations). The Company�� keyboards and desktops include Wireless Solar Keyboard K750; K800 Illuminated Wireless Keyboard; The diNovo Edge keyboard; Wireless Desktop MK320, and G! 19 Keyboa! rd for Gaming.
Audio
Logitech designs and manufactures a range of multimedia speakers, including Wireless Speaker Z515, The Laptop Z305 speaker, and The S-series line of portable iPod/MP3 docks, including the Rechargeable Speaker S715i and the Portable Speaker S135i. It also designs and manufactures The Z-623 2.1 THX certified speakers, the Z-506 5.1 Speakers, and the Z-906 5.1 Surround Sound speakers. Logitech offers a portfolio of network music systems. The Squeezebox Touch, with its 4.3-inch color touch screen, connects to existing stereo system and speakers and supports sampling rates of up to 24 bits at 96 kilohertz. The Squeezebox Radio is a compact network music player and alarm that allows to connect to home network, and access Internet radio, personal music collection or subscription services.
The Ultimate Ears product line offers a range of in-ear consumer or fit earphones for portable music enthusiasts, as well as custom stage earphones for musicians and sound engineers. Its line of earphones include Ultimate Ears 100 and 200 value-priced earphones, with silicone ear cushions in a durable sweat-resistant design; Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 with triple armature speakers, and The Ultimate Ears 600 featuring single armature speakers, the Ultimate Ears 600vi, and the Ultimate Ears 700 featuring dual armature speakers. Its line of Ultimate Ears Custom Stage Earphones include Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors co-designed with Capitol Studios for professional studio engineers and producers for use during recording, mixing and mastering original music content, the UE-18 Pro featuring a six-speaker design, the UE-7 Pro for live performance and stage use, and the UE-4 Pro featuring a dual speaker design for artists and audiophiles.
Logitech offers headsets and microphones designed for applications, such as PC voice communications, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications and online gaming. Its products in this category include the ClearCha! t PC Wire! less headset, the Wireless Headset H760, the USB Headset H530, the G35 Surround Sound Headset for gaming, the Wireless Gaming Headset G930, the USB Desktop Microphone, and the OCS certified Logitech B-530 USB Headset.
Video
Logitech�� webcam offerings include Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910, Logitech Webcam Pro 9000, Logitech HD Webcam C510 and Logitech TV Cam for use with Logitech Revue. Logitech�� webcams works with video messaging applications, and provides up to HD 720p video calling in Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Logitech Vid HD. The Logitech Alert digital video security system is a complete home or small business video security system, with software that provides motion alerts and a live view from an Internet-connected computer, smartphone, tablet or Google TV system, including Logitech Revue.
Gaming
Logitech offers a range of game controllers for PC gamers, including joysticks, steering wheels, gamepads, mice and keyboards, and headsets, as well as gaming products for console platforms, such as PlayStation2, PlayStation3, PSP (PlayStation Portable), Xbox, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. The Company�� gaming products include Logitech G700 Wireless Gaming Mouse; Logitech G13 advanced gameboard with a built-in LCD screen, 25 programmable keys and onboard memory; Logitech G27 Racing Wheel and Logitech G35 Surround Sound Headset.
Digital Home
The Company�� line of remotes includes Harmony One remote, Harmony 900 remote and Harmony 650. In October 2010, Logitech introduced its line of products for Google TV in the United States, including Logitech Revue and the Logitech Keyboard Controller; Logitech TV Cam and Vid HD service, and Logitech Mini Controller.
LifeSize Video Conferencing
LifeSize division offers HD video communication solutions, including HD video conferencing products, audio conference telephones, hardware infrastructure solutions, video management software, and services to support ! video and! audio communications and help users connect to any network securely and with ease. The LifeSize product line includes Passport, LifeSize Video Center, Express Series, Team Series, Room Series and LifeSize Bridge.
The Company competes with Microsoft Corporation, Plantronics, Inc., Altec Lansing LLC, Creative Labs, Inc., Bose Corporation, Sony Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics NV, Hewlett-Packard, Intec, Razer USA Ltd., Performance Designed Products, LLC (Pelican Accessories), Mad Catz Interactive, Inc., Universal Remote Control, Inc., Universal Electronics Inc., RCA, Apple Inc., Roku, Inc., Cisco, Radvision Ltd., Vidyo, Inc. and Polycom.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Logitech International SA (NASDAQ: LOGI) shares shot up 15.08 percent to $15.34 after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly results and raised its operating income forecast.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Logitech International SA (NASDAQ: LOGI) rose 16.84% to $15.45 after the company reported strong FQ3 results and lifted its full-rear guidance.
Fusion-io (NYSE: FIO) shares jumped 14.75% to $10.81 on stronger-than-expected quarterly results.
- [By James E. Brumley]
To say the past twelve months have been tough ones for Logitech International SA (NASDAQ:LOGI) might be an understatement. Shares have fallen from a high of $10.29 last September to a low of $6.24 in April of this year. Though LOGI hasn't traded lower than that since then, it's not like the stock's suggested it wants to stage a major recovery... unless maybe you look really, really close. Well, I did.
- [By techjunk13]
Logitech (LOGI) is enjoying a strong start to fiscal 2015. The company posted impressive results in the first quarter, exceeding expectations. The company came up with impressive results on the back of strong retail sales growth. Management is confident of delivering better results in the future as Logitech is well-positioned financially, which is evident from its robust sales growth for the fifth consecutive quarter. It is adopting several strategies and bringing in new products to hold a unique image among the customers. With the future looking bright, there is lot more in Logitech. Let us find out what more the company has to offer to investors.
5 Best International Stocks To Own Right Now: Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (LVB)
Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc., through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes musical instruments in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Pianos and Band & Orchestral Instruments. The Pianos segment offers pianos under Steinway & Sons, Boston, and Essex brands; and engages in online music retailing business. This segment sells its products to professional artists and amateur pianists, and institutions through independent dealers primarily in the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It operates six retail showrooms in the United States and five retail showrooms in Europe. The Band & Orchestral Instruments segment manufactures and sells piccolos, flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, French horns, tubas, and trombones, as well as intermediate and professional level woodwind and brass instruments under Bach, Selmer, Selmer Paris, C.G. Conn, Leblanc, King, Armstrong, Holton, Yanagisawa, Vito, Emerson, Avanti, Noblet, Artley, and Benge brands; distributes saxophones and clarinets; manufactures and distributes acoustical and tuned percussion instruments, including outfit drums, marching drums, concert drums, marimbas, xylophones, vibraphones, orchestra bells, and chimes; distributes violins, violas, cellos, and basses under Glaesel, Scherl & Roth, and William Lewis & Son brands; and manufactures mouthpieces and distributes accessories, such as music stands, batons, mallets, straps, mutes, reeds, pads, chin rests, strings, bows, cases, and instrument care products. This segment sells its products to students, amateur and professional musicians, and institutions through independent musical instrument dealers and distributors primarily in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The company, formerly known as Selmer Industries, Inc., was founded in 1993 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Steinway Musical Instruments (NYSE: LVB ) has ceased to be the owner of its iconic Steinway Hall in New York City. The company formally closed a deal to sell the building to a partnership headed by real estate concern JDS Development Group. Steinway received $46.3 million in the acquisition, and will recognize a taxable gain of roughly $22 million.
5 Best International Stocks To Own Right Now: Exelon Corp (EXC)
Exelon Corporation (Exelon) is an energy provider and holding company for several energy businesses. Exelon is engaged in the energy generation business through its Exelon Generation Company, LLC (Generation) subsidiary; wholesale and retail energy sales through its Constellation business unit, and the energy delivery business through its Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) and PECO Energy Company (PECO) subsidiaries. It operates in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon Generation has approximately 35,000 megawatts of owned capacity. Constellation provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon's utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 6.6 million customers in central Maryland, northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania. On March 12, 2012, Constellation Energy Group, Inc. merged into Exelon. In December 2012, the Company sold its three Maryland coal-fired power plants to Raven Power Holdings LLC (Raven Power).
In August 2012, the Company sold its interest in five California power plants to IHI Corp. It includes two coal-powered and three biomass-based plants-with a total generation capacity of 70 megawatts. IHI acquired Exelon's 50% interest in four power plants and 45% interest in one plant. On September 30, 2011, Generation acquired Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One. On August 24, 2011, Generation acquired Wolf Hollow, LLC.
Exelon Generation Company, LLC
Generation is an electric generation company. Generation�� business consists of its owned and contracted electric generating facilities, its wholesale energy marketing operations and its retail supply operations. Generation has three reportable segments, which consists of the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and South and West regions. As of December 31, 2011, Generation owned generation resources with an aggregate net capacity of 25,544! megawatt, including 17,115 megawatt of nuclear capacity. Generation controlled another 5,025 megawatt of capacity through long-term contracts. Generation�� retail business provides retail electric and gas services as an unregulated retail energy supplier in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio.
Mid-Atlantic represents Generation�� operations primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland (approximately 35% of capacity); Midwest includes the operations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota (approximately 45% of capacity); and the South and West includes operations primarily in Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Idaho and Oregon (approximately 20% of capacity). As of December 31, 2011, Generation had ownership interests in 11 nuclear generating stations in service, consists of 19 units with an aggregate of 17,115 megawatt of capacity. Generation wholly owns all of its nuclear generating stations, except for Quad Cities Generating Station (75% ownership), Peach Bottom Generating Station (50% ownership) and Salem Generating Station (Salem) (42.59% ownership).
Commonwealth Edison Company
Commonwealth Edison Company is engaged principally in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and the provision of distribution and transmission services to a diverse base of residential, commercial and industrial customers in northern Illinois. ComEd�� retail service has an area of approximately 11,400 square miles and an estimated population of nine million. The service territory includes the City of Chicago, an area of about 225 square miles with an estimated population of three million. As of December 31, 2011, ComEd had approximately 3.8 million customers.
PECO Energy Company
PECO is engaged principally in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and the provision of transmission and distribution services to retail customers in southeastern Pennsylvania, including the City of Philadelphia, as wel! l as the ! purchase and regulated retail sale of natural gas and the provision of distribution services to retail customers in the Pennsylvania counties surrounding the City of Philadelphia. PECO�� combined electric and natural gas retail service territory has an area of approximately 2,100 square miles and an estimated population of four million. PECO provides electric distribution service in an area of approximately 1,900 square miles, with a population of approximately 3.9 million, including approximately 1.5 million in the City of Philadelphia. PECO provides natural gas distribution service in an area of approximately 1,900 square miles in southeastern Pennsylvania adjacent to the City of Philadelphia, with a population of approximately 2.4 million. PECO delivers electricity to approximately 1.6 million customers and natural gas to approximately 4,94,000 customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
By contrast, utilities and materials stocks are poised to show declines. For materials, that comes as no surprise, given the slowdown in demand for commodities, and the corresponding plunge in commodities prices for many major markets, especially gold and silver. Meanwhile, utilities have had to deal with rising natural-gas prices that have increased costs just as they've made big investments in shifting to gas-fired power plants. Moreover, the prospects for rising interest rates are forcing utilities to consider increased financing costs over the long run, and the latest climate-change policies from the Obama administration are raising plenty of question marks among utility investors as they consider how much money it will cost to comply with whatever new regulations eventually come from the policy. Even Exelon (NYSE: EXC ) , whose nuclear plants arguably protect it somewhat from criticism over fossil-fuel power production, has traded near multiyear lows, as investors question its ability to keep earnings growing.
- [By David Dittman]
By the time I assumed the role as Editor and Chief Investment Strategist of UF Exelon Corp (NYSE: EXC) had already announced its 40.9 percent dividend cut, Atlantic Power Corp (TSX: ATP, NYSE: AT) its 65.2 percent reduction.
- [By The Outsider]
As usual within the utilities sector, Southern Company (SO) offers an attractive dividend yield of 4.8%, which may represent a good opportunity for income investors. Southern Company is one of the largest electric power companies in the U.S., and its main competitors are other large electric power companies, such as Duke Energy (DUK), Exelon Corporation (EXC), or American Electric Power (AEP). It has a market capitalization of $36 billion and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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