Workouts You Can Do at Home to Avoid Gym Fees

Getty Images More than two-thirds of Americans with a gym membership never use them, according to Club Industry, a fitness industry source. With the average cost of a gym membership at a whopping $55 per month, that's a lot of money going down the drain. Exercising at home is much more affordable than paying for a gym membership, but finding the space in a small rental can be difficult. Fortunately, you don't need a state-of-the-art home gym to get active. Here's how you can workout at home -- even in the smallest of apartments: Choose a multifunctional space. You may not have room for a permanent home gym in your small apartment, but you probably have an area that can be transformed with relative ease. Pick a space in your apartment where the furniture is light and easy to move. For example, a lightweight coffee table and chair set can be lifted and moved to the perimeter of the room during your exercise time, but you don't want to have to move your sofa every time you exercise. Moving large or heavy items everyday will begin to feel tedious, and you're less likely to do your workout. When you're not working out in your multifunctional space, you can easily store equipment like weights in an ottoman. Buy the right equipment. Large pieces of equipment like a treadmill or a cable machine are great for home gyms, but they take up far too much space in a small apartment. Instead, purchase a few small pieces such as a yoga mat, resistance bands, hand weights and a stability ball. These pieces offer a lot of exercise options at a very low cost. If you tend to get bored during your workouts, try a unique workout piece like a Bodyblade, which improves muscle tone and core strength in short amount of time. Plus, it can easily be stored in a corner, under the bed or behind the couch. While there are many small space-friendly pieces of strength training equipment on the market, cardio equipment can be a bit more challenging. You should probably avoid jumping rope in your apartment, unless you don't mind risking the safety of your porcelain tea pot collection or your relationship with your downstairs neighbor. If you have a spare corner, a small stationary bike is a perfect solution. However, if you don't have the space or a stationary bike is out of your price range, try something as simple as a hula hoop. This childhood favorite will get your heart rate up and tone your midsection. As you progress, you can upgrade to a weighted hula hoop for a more challenging workout. If you're really on a tight budget and can't afford to invest in any new fitness equipment, get creative and use what you already have in your apartment. Try using one of your dining table chairs to do triceps dips, or do bicep curls with laundry detergent bottles. Take advantage of free workouts. You have the space and equipment, but where do you start? You can easily find free workouts on websites including YouTube and Pinterest, but if you're looking for more guidance, join a free fitness website such as TheDailyHiit or FitnessBlender. In addition to exercises and full-length workouts, you'll find fitness programs and healthy recipes, as well as a community of people to help you stay motivated. Other free workout sites include doyogawithme.com and exercise.com. Get an online personal trainer. If you're having trouble working out on your own, consider hiring an online personal trainer. Sites including FitOrbit offer virtual personal training for as little as $50 a month, which is much more affordable than in-person personal training at your local gym.

Bullish Options Activity on Facebook Surges After Deal

The options market is a big fan of Facebook Inc.(FB)'s latest acquisition.

As the stock rises to a record, investors are pouring into bullish options on Facebook shares, with about 2.4 bullish options trading for every bearish one. The biggest bet Thursday is looking for a more than 20% gain over the next month.

“It's total insanity," said Henry Schwartz, president of options-data firm Trade Alert. "Option traders appear to like the deal for Whatsapp."

Late Wednesday Facebook said that it paid $19 billion to buy messaging company WhatsApp. Shares rose 2.3% to $69.93 on Thursday, recovering from an initial drop on the news. The deal is seen helping Facebook’s popularity with younger users, its international development and its mobile business.

More In Facebook WhatsApp Deal: Largest Venture Capital-Backed Exit Ever Bullish Options Activity on Facebook Surges After Deal Facebook Shares Bounce Back With Vengeance Facebook's Pricey Prenup Morgan Stanley Gets a WhatsApp Bounce, But J.P. Morgan Still No. 1

Facebook options trading volume was running at nearly three times its daily average Thursday as investors picked up bullish options. The most-actively traded contract was March $85 call options, which grant the right to buy shares at that price through March 21.

One block of 1,500 March $85 call options traded at midday for 24 cents. That investor needs Facebook shares to soar above $85.24 – or 22% — over the next month to profit. More than 62,000 of those call contracts had traded by midafternoon.

Other active contracts include March $75 and $80 call options. They need to see gains of more than 9.3% and 15%, respectively, to profit.

The amount of trading in options that require such a big move over a short period of time to profit shows "expectations are skewed," said Mr. Schwartz. "It is extraordinarily bullish to a point of concern," he said.

He likened the activity in Apple Inc.(AAPL) options in the summer of 2012, as the iPhone maker neared a peak it has yet to recover. Apple shares reached a high of about $702 in September 2012. On Thursday, the shares were trading for about $530.

Goldcorp (GG) Makes Hostile Takeover Intentions Official

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- A day after announcing it would make a hostile bid for Osisko Mining, Goldcorp (GG) has made its intentions official. On Tuesday, the gold producer confirmed it had commenced its formal offer to acquire Osisko Mining Corporation by filing required documents with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Goldcorp intends to purchase all outstanding common shares in a cash-and-shares deal worth C$2.6 billion. As part of the offer, Osisko shareholders will receive 0.146 of a Goldcorp share and C$2.26 in cash per holding. The offer to Osisko shareholders is equal to approximately $5.95 a share, 28% higher than the company's 20-day volume-weighted average share price.

The Vancouver-based Goldcorp said the unsolicited offer was in line with its strategy of portfolio enhancement, particularly its focus on investing in low political risk jurisdictions. Of particular interest is the acquisition of the Abitibi mining district in Quebec, a proven high-quality operation.

"Goldcorp shareholders will benefit from a long-lived, high-quality gold mine with low all-in sustaining costs capable of generating long-term free cash flows," said Goldcorp CEO Chuck Jeannes in a statement on Monday. "With our world-class Eleonore project in Northern Quebec due to commence production later this year, Goldcorp will be the largest gold producer in the province with the resources to continue building collaborative, long-term relationships while leveraging corporate and regional synergies." In an SEC filing, Goldcorp said Osisko has refused to entertain merger or acquisition talks over the last five years. "The Offeror has made repeated and genuine attempts to discuss a mutually beneficial transaction with Osisko. Osisko has continually refused to either negotiate or engage in meaningful dialogue, leading to the current circumstances where the Offeror believes the Offer made by this Offer and Circular is the only way to deliver the expected benefits of a transaction to all Osisko Shareholders," the company said in the filing. On Tuesday, Goldcorp shares slid 2.5% to $22.48, adding to 3% in losses sustained since news broke Monday. Of possible concern to investors, Canadian miners have suffered over the past year as the price of gold slumped approximately 25%. The takeover bid will mark the Canadian gold industry's first in almost a year as companies opted to focus on cutting costs and navigating choppy waters. TheStreet Ratings team rates GOLDCORP INC as a Hold with a ratings score of C-. The team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate GOLDCORP INC (GG) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed -- some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company's earnings per share, deteriorating net income and disappointing return on equity." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows: GG's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.11 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Although the company had a strong debt-to-equity ratio, its quick ratio of 0.81 is somewhat weak and could be cause for future problems. 42.73% is the gross profit margin for GOLDCORP INC which we consider to be strong. Despite the high profit margin, it has decreased significantly from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, GG's net profit margin of 0.53% is significantly lower than the industry average. Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Metals & Mining industry and the overall market on the basis of return on equity, GOLDCORP INC underperformed against that of the industry average and is significantly less than that of the S&P 500. Net operating cash flow has decreased to $274.00 million or 36.86% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing the cash generation rate to the industry average, the firm's growth is significantly lower. You can view the full analysis from the report here: GG Ratings Report

Stock quotes in this article: GG 

Pre-Market Global Review - 2/20/14 - Meeting Minutes Torpedoes Markets

Good Morning Traders,  
 
 As of this writing 5:40 AM EST, here’s what we see:
 
                  
US Dollar –Up at 80.350, the US Dollar is up 164 ticks and is trading at 80.350.                 
Energies – April Oil is down at 102.68.       
Financials – The March 30 year bond is up 3 ticks and trading at 133.02.      
Indices – The March S&P 500 emini ES contract is down 8 ticks and trading at 1823.50. 
Gold – The April gold contract is trading down at 1314.00 and is down 64 ticks from its close.   
           
 
Initial Conclusion: This is a correlated market, unfortunately it's correlated to the downside.  The dollar is up+ and oil is down- which is normal and the 30 year bond is trading higher.  The Financials should always correlate with the US dollar such that if the dollar is lower then bonds should follow and vice-versa.  The indices are lower and the US dollar is trading up which is correlated.  Gold is trading lower which is correlated with the US dollar trading up.   I tend to believe that Gold has an inverse relationship with the US Dollar as when the US Dollar is down, Gold tends to rise in value and vice-versa. Think of it as a seesaw, when one is up the other should be down.   I point this out to you to make you aware that when we don't have a correlated market, it means something is wrong.  As traders you need to be aware of this and proceed with your eyes wide open. 
               
All of Asia traded lower.  As of this writing all of Europe is trading lower.   
 
  Possible challenges to traders today is the following:
                                           
1.  Core CPI m/m is out at 8:30 AM EST.  This is major.           
2.  CPI m/m is out at 8:30 AM EST.  This is major.          
3.  Unemployment Claims is out at 8:30 AM EST.  This is major.  
4.  Flash Manufacturing PMI is out at 9 AM EST.  This is not major.  
5.  Philly Fed Manufacturing Index is out at 10 AM EST.  This is major.
6.  Mortgage Delinquencies is out at 10 AM EST.  This is not major.
7.  CB Leading Index m/m is out at 10 AM EST.  This is major.
8.  Natural Gas Storage is out at 10:30 AM EST.  This could move the Nat Gas market.
9.  Crude Oil Inventories is out at 11 AM EST.  This could move the crude market.  

      
 Currencies                  
Yesterday the Swiss Franc made it's move at around 8:30 AM EST immediately after the economic news was released.  Look at the charts below and you'll see a pattern for both assets.  The USD rose at around that time and the Swiss Franc fell.  This was a shorting opportunity on the Swiss Franc.  The key to capitalizing on these trades is to watch the USD movement.  The USD rise only lent confirmation to the move.  As a trader you could have netted 20 ticks on this trade.  To expand the chart, right click and open in a new window.  Kindly view our special video to determine how to capitalize on these trades.  http://youtu.be/lOxBMe09X3Q
 
 Charts Courtesy of Trend Following Trades
 
 

Swiss Franc - 03/14 - 2/19/14

USD - 03/14 - 2/19/14

Bias

Yesterday we said our bias was to the downside as the markets weren't correlated.  The Dow dropped by 89 points and the other indices lost ground as well.  Today we are dealing with a correlated market, unfortunately it is correlated to the downside, hence our bias is to the downside.         Could this change?  Of Course.  Remember anything can happen in a volatile market.
 
Yesterday we said our bias was to the downside as the markets weren't correlated.  None of the economic reports met expectation but nonetheless the markets did begin to rise.  Then the FOMC Meeting Minutes were released and the markets dropped and stayed lower for the remainder of the session.  It turns out that some members of the FOMC have stated that they think interest rates should rise but with Janet Yellen at the helm that will be a hard sell.  The majority however wish to keep interest rates low as they do not feel the economy is strong enough yet.  The key to this strategy is if inflation remains low.  If inflation remains low we'll continue to see low rates.  This not withstanding the Fed will continue to taper quantitative easing at the rate of 10 billion a month.  Does anyone think that this is wise as we've already seen housing numbers that are not that stellar.  I suppose time will tell if this is the correct course of action.... 
  
Each day in this newsletter we provide viewers a snapshot of the Swiss Franc versus the US dollar as a way and means of capitalizing on the inverse relationship between these two assets.  Futures Magazine recognized this correlation as well.  So much so that they printed a story on it in their December issue.  That story can be viewed at:

http://www.futuresmag.com/2013/11/25/correlated-opportunities-in-the-swiss-franc?ref=hp

Many of my readers have been asking me to spell out the rules of Market Correlation.  Recently Futures Magazine has elected to print a story on the subject matter and I must say I'm proud of the fact that they did  as I'm Author of that article.  I encourage all viewers to read that piece as it spells out the rules of market correlation and provides charts that show how it works in action. The article is entitled "How to Exploit and Profit from Market Correlation" and can be viewed at:

http://www.futuresmag.com/2013/08/01/how-to-exploit-and-profit-from-market-correlation

As a follow up to the first article on Market Correlation, I've produced a second segment on this subject matter and Futures Magazine has elected to publish it.  It can be viewed at:

http://www.futuresmag.com/2013/08/16/how-to-exploit-and-profit-from-market-correlation?ref=hp

 
As readers are probably aware I don't trade equities.   While we're on this discussion, let's define what is meant by a good earnings report.  A company must exceed their prior quarter's earnings per share and must provide excellent forward guidance.  Any falloff between earning per share or forward guidance will not bode well for the company's shares.  This is one of the reasons I don't trade equities but prefer futures.  There is no earnings reports with futures and we don't have to be concerned about lawsuits, scandals, malfeasance, etc.
 
Anytime the market isn't correlated it's giving you a clue that something isn't right and you should proceed with caution. Today our bias is to the downside.  Could this change?  Of course.  In a volatile market anything can happen.  We'll have to monitor and see.
  

As I write this the crude markets are trading lower and the US Dollar is advancing.  This is normal.  Think of it this way.  If the stock market is trading lower, it's safe to assume that the crude market will follow suit and vice-versa.  Crude trades with the expectation that business activity is expanding.  The barometer of which is the equities or stock market.  If you view both the crude and index futures side by side you will notice this.  Yesterday March crude dropped to a low of 102.40 a barrel but maintained the $100 a barrel mark.  We'll have to monitor and see if crude either goes lower or holds at the present level.   It would appear at the present time that crude has support at $101.76 a barrel and resistance at $103.64.  This could change.  All we need do is look at what happened last fall when crude was trading over $100.00 a barrel.  We'll have to monitor and see.  Remember that crude is the only commodity that is reflected immediately at the gas pump. 

Future Challenges:
- Debt Ceiling -  We keep hearing that a budget has been passed and that the House and Senate have approved an extension of the Debt Ceiling until March, 2015, yet we haven't heard that Obama has approved any of these measures.  So I have to wonder what is he waiting for?  He's finally caught on to the idea that he can issue an Executive Order as he signed one last week increasing the minimum wage for Federal workers.  Too bad he didn't anything for the rest of us.  Now issuing an Executive Order may lead to absolutely nothing as Congress approves expenditures, not the Executive Branch but at the very least the American people will know where he stands.  He could have done the same thing for extending Unemployment Insurance for those who sorely need it or Gun Control if he felt that strongly about it.  For a President who's in last term in office and claims that he going to use the power of the pen; he certainly seems to be getting writer's cramp these days... 
 
Crude oil is trading lower and the US Dollar is declining.  This is not normal.  Crude typically makes 3 major moves (long or short) during the course of any trading day: around 9 AM EST, 11 AM EST and 2 PM EST when the crude market closes.  If crude makes major moves around those time frames, then this would suggest normal trending, if not it would suggest that something is not quite right.  If you feel compelled to trade consider doing so after 11 AM when the inventory numbers are released and markets give us better direction.  As always watch and monitor your order flow as anything can happen in this market.  This is why monitoring order flow in today's market is crucial.  We as traders are faced with numerous challenges that we didn't have a few short years ago.  High Frequency Trading is one of them.   I'm not an advocate of scalping however in a market as volatile as this scalping is an alternative to trend trading.

Remember that without knowledge of order flow we as traders are risking our hard earned capital and the Smart Money will have no issue taking it from us.  Regardless of whatever platform you use for trading purposes you need to make sure it's monitoring order flow.  Sceeto does an excellent job at this.  To fully capitalize on this newsletter it is important that the reader understand how the various market correlate.  More on this in subsequent editions.
 

Nick Mastrandrea is the author of Market Tea Leaves. Market Tea Leaves is a free, daily newsletter that discuses and teaches market correlation. Market Tea Leaves is published daily, pre-market in the United States and can be viewed at www.markettealeaves.com  Interested in Market Correlation?  Want to learn more?  Signup and receive Market Tea Leaves each day prior to market open.  As a subscriber, you’ll also receive our daily Market Bias video that is only available to subscribers.

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Futures Forex Pre-Market Outlook Markets

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LinkedIn bolsters content with new influencers

LinkedIn is making a bigger play for eyeballs.

The professional networking site is expanding its "Influencers" program that began in the fall of 2012 and has included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Martha Stewart. Over the past year or so, each has written insightful posts about the business world.

As of today, the ranks of LinkedIn Influencers has tripled from about 150 to about 500 including CEOs Ian Read of Pfizer, James Gorman of Morgan Stanley and Carlos Ghosn of Nissan.

The long-form content provided from such well-known business leaders is all part of LinkedIn's evolution from a job-finding site to a professional resource. Gates' first post about what he learned from Warren Buffett got 1 million-plus views in the first two days. (His latest lands today and is about the U.S. school system.)

"It's a very engaging platform that allows these Influencers to share their knowledge and for these members to learn great stuff from these influential people," says Ryan Roslensky, head of content products at LinkedIn.

And the rest of the more than 277 million LinkedIn members will soon be able to publish full-length content, too. As that capability is rolled out in the coming months, members can pen posts that will first go to their networked contacts. If they are well-read, LinkedIn's publishing platform will automatically distribute it to others based on their professional interests.

"It's great for them because they will learn something from one of their peers and it's great for the person who posted that because they will get great distribution and make their professional profile look better," Roslensky says. "We will be doing this on a massive scale."

Full-length commentary from members will have a ways to go to surpass the popular Influencer posts that are read, on average, by about 20,000 LinkedIn members, and generate about 200 comments and 300-plus likes. A tongue-in-cheek post by Cona! n O'Brien, published last week, about his refusal of the Microsoft CEO job, has been read by more than 350,000. Among the ideas he had for the software giant: "Every single version of the Windows operating system would have been voiced by Scarlett Johansson."

LinkedIn's continued influx of content -- and ability to charge for advertising -- not only improves the site's business model, but also increases its value to members. "The company has done a better job as of late at making its content more engaging," Brian Nichols (author of Taking Charge With Value Investing) noted recently on The Motley Fool. "The company really looks poised for longevity."

The overall goal for LinkedIn is to become the go-to destination for professionals, Roslensky says. "We want LinkedIn to be a place members come to be more effective and successful, not just when they are looking for a job or looking for people. We believe that content is a way to do that," he says. "We're making his commitment to our members: Give us 15 minutes each morning and make you better at your job today."

VFC Stock is Worth Trying On for Investors

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Welcome to the Stock of the Day!

Shares of VF Corporation (VFC) retreated after the apparel maker reported fourth-quarter results. VF has been one of my top clothing picks for some time, so let’s see what was behind the pullback and whether this was a kneejerk reaction or truly a sign of tougher times to come.

Company Overview

With over $11 billion in annual sales, VF is the world’s largest apparel company, and it’s easy to see why. The company is responsible for at least 30 major brands, including Lee, Wrangler, the North Face, Timberland and Vans. The company’s largest and fastest-growing business is its Outdoor & Action Sports segment, which accounts for half of global revenues.

In addition, the company also runs Sportswear, Contemporary Brands, Jeanswear and Imagewear businesses. This company employs 58,000 worldwide and its products are sold in more than 150 countries.

Earnings Rundown

VF reported a profit of $367.7 million, or 82 cents per share, on $3.29 billion in sales. Compared with Q4 2012, this represents 10% earnings growth and 8.5% sales growth. Analysts had forecast earnings of 84 cents per share on $3.34 billion in sales, so VF posted missed these consensus estimates by 2%.

What’s Next for VFC?

Looking ahead to FY 2014, management expects earnings in a range of $3.00 to $3.05 per share and 7% to 8% annual sales growth. This came below the Street view, which calls for $3.09 EPS on 9% annual sales growth.

While VFC didn’t meet expectations, I’m maintaining my buy recommendation for now. One reason is that VFC remains committed to its shareholders. The company has pledged to return $1 billion to its shareholders in 2014, $700 million of which will go towards stock buybacks. VFC also declared a quarterly dividend of 26.25 cents per share. Shareholders of record on March 10 will be paid on March 20.

Current Ratings

Before you buy any stock, you should always run it through my free Portfolio Grader ratings system. VFC stock has improved significantly over the several months—in April 2013, VFC was a C-rated hold. Since then, the company has firmed up several of its financial metrics; its operating margin and earnings growth as well as cash flow and return on equity all receive top marks.

However, the company could stand to improve its earnings surprises track record as well as earnings momentum. What really makes VFC stock a strong buy is its top-notch level of buying pressure.

Bottom Line: As of this posting VFC is an A-rated strong buy. The stock should bounce back because the company still has solid sales and earnings. And with the abnormally cold winter, the company’s outerwear business should continue to do well.

Sound Off: What do you think about VFC? Are you a buyer at current prices? Let me know what you think by posting on our wall on Facebook.

For more stock grades and commentary, please visit NavellierGrowth.com!

Japan: Let the Good Times Roll

While both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished 2013 at record highs, Japan’s long suffering Nikkei 225 gained almost 57 percent last year, its best performance in more than four decades.

Much of the credit for that gain goes to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who, upon his election, took a cue from the US Federal Reserve and undertook a massive stimulus package valued at ¥20 trillion in an attempt to break a two-decade long deflationary cycle. With inflation running at 1.2 percent in November, Japan is getting close to its 2 percent inflation target.

The question now has become whether Japan can repeat that performance in 2014 and, so far, sentiment is mixed. But we remain bullish.

With the Nikkei ending 2013 at 16,291, some bullish predictions point to the index hitting 20,000 this year. Other bearish predictions look for the index to close out 2014 at 15,000 on the expectation that Abe’s program of both monetary and fiscal stimulus loses steam, particularly with the country’s sales tax slated to jump from 5 percent to 8 percent in April.

To be fair, both sides have valid points.

Household spending jumped 3.7 percent in September as consumers anticipated the tax hike, then increased by just 0.9 percent in October and inched up by just 0.2 percent in November. While December’s spending data won’t be released for another two weeks, it’s likely to be in line with October’s reading thanks to the Omisoka (New Year) holiday and well below years past, thanks to all of that demand being pulled forward.

While that tax hike is bound to have a negative impact in the first quarter—consumer spending accounts for about 60 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)—there are other encouraging signs that the Japanese economy is truly on the mend.

After declining for 17 months in a row, wages excluding bonuses and overtim! e were unchanged in November. That’s largely due to the fact that the Japanese labor market is showing signs of improvement with one job for every applicant, the greatest number of available jobs since 2007.

With annual wage negotiations coming up in the spring, the tightening labor market should result in at least modest salary gains in the latter part of the year, helping to offset some of the impact of the higher sales tax.

The government has also announced a fresh ¥20 trillion stimulus package ahead of the tax hike. The package includes ¥10 trillion in loans to small- and medium-sized companies, many of which have already been made, and sums dedicated to reconstruction and infrastructure projects that should result in about ¥5.5 trillion of fresh spending.

In the wake of these measures, a recent Japanese newspaper poll of large company managers in the country showed that more than 80 percent believe the tax hike won’t torpedo the recovery. About 77 percent of respondents said they expect the economy to recover any lost ground in the second half of the year and another 6.5 percent didn’t anticipate any impact at all.

And while a number of emerging market economies are expected to suffer bouts of economic weakness thanks to the US Fed’s tapering, the wind down of American quantitative easing should actually benefit Japan.

The consumer may be the cornerstone of the Japanese economy, but exports will be a major growth driver for the country in recent months. Thanks to the US dollar strengthening even as the yen weakens thanks to the massive Japanese spending program, exports have been showing signs of improvement for several months now. But in November the volume of merchandise exports shot up by 6.1 percent after rising 4.4 percent in October.

With the yen currently trading at about ¥104 to the dollar, the country’s exports are becoming increasingly competitive, especially as many Chinese exports are struggling agai! nst a tig! htening labor market and increasing labor costs. That helped push Japanese exports to the rest of Asia up by 5.9 percent in November and offset a slight slowdown in shipments to the US and Europe.

The shipment mix should improve over the coming year, as the US economy continues its slow but steady recovery and Europe emerges from its recession.

Given the numbers of moving parts at play, the Nikkei is likely to finish out 2014 somewhere in the neighborhood of 18,000.

For the index to actually hit 20,000, a large number of structural reforms need to be introduced to liberalize the nation’s labor system and roll back a number of its more protectionist market measures. So far, Abe and his party have successfully pushed through bills opening up the nation’s electricity sector and are attempting to eliminate a number of protectionist measures in the country’s agricultural sector, but no meaningful progress has been made on labor or tax reform.

Labor reform will remain a challenge, but the Japanese equity market still has the wind at its back in the form of a relatively weak yen, rising inflation, growing exports and the recent introduction of the Nippon Individual Saving Account scheme. Roughly similar to American Individual Retirement Accounts, the program allows Japanese savers to invest on a tax-deferred basis and should funnel more money into Japanese stocks.

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We continually try to foster interaction with our readers. By promptly responding to your queries, we help make you a better investor—and you help us continually improve the quality of our advisories.

Herbalife Is 'Single Best Idea' in 2014: Analyst

In the wake of Herbalife Ltd.'s(HLF) 139% rally last year to record levels, one analyst says the stock has plenty of room to run higher.

D.A. Davidson analyst Timothy Ramey, a longtime Herbalife bull, calls the stock his “single best idea” for 2014, the second year in a row he is giving it that distinction.

The stock, which we deemed one of the five best stocks of 2013, soared last year despite despite claims by hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman that the company operates an illegal pyramid scheme. Mr. Ramey expects the rally to continue as investors turn their attention away from the short-seller’s allegations and focus on the company’s fundamentals.

“Unleashed from the bear raid, Herbalife should trade on growth prospects,” Mr. Ramey wrote to clients. He, of course, was the analyst who last month took a victory lap by saying he’d like to thank “Mom, Jesus and the short sellers” for Herbalife’s big surge.

Shares kicked off the new year up 1.9% to $80.22.

Mr. Ramey noted the company’s latest audit from PwC showed a clean bill of health, which is a positive long-term catalyst for the stock. And despite the big rally, Herbalife’s valuation still looks compelling. Shares trade at about 15 times next year’s earnings, according to FactSet.

“If "multilevel" were to be fully vindicated as an operating strategy, why wouldn't Herbalife deserve to sell at 25x EPS?” Mr. Ramey asks. “It has impressive margins, huge cash flow, which it has used to benefit shareholders with aggressive share repurchase and dividend increases, and its revenue growth beats anything else we cover.”

To be sure, the scrutiny Herbalife faces isn’t likely to dissipate anytime soon. Last month Mr. Ackman, the billionaire investor, made fresh allegations of operational impropriety and promised to reveal more dirt on Herbalife in 2014. The company has repeatedly denied Mr. Ackman’s allegations.

For now, Mr. Ramey outlines possible catalysts that could push the stock higher this year.

“We continue to think that the situation is ripe for a catalyst – perhaps a leveraged share repurchase, perhaps a leveraged buyout,” he says. “Several noted investors including Carl Icahn and William Stiritz have ‘activist’ positions and are likely to pressure Herbalife to use its zero-debt-net-of-cash balance sheet to leverage returns to shareholders.”

Herbalife has reported quarterly results that have exceeded analysts’ expectations in 19 straight quarters. Mr. Ramey notes the company has kept its dividend constant for the past eight quarters after it upped it by 50% in the first quarter of 2012.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now

It�� always good to have stocks with cheap fundamentals and a proven long-term track record. For sure, a cheap valuation is no guarantee for a great return and the past performance also doesn�� mean that the future will look like the history but you can get a good overview of the current falling angels at the market. Some of them still have a dominating market position like Chevron, China Mobile or AnheuserBush-Inbev.

Each month, I create a quick dividend list (from low-yield to high-yield paying stocks) of stocks with interesting performance and valuation figures. Stocks from that list are mid and large caps (market capitalization of more than USD1 billion) with double-digit long-term earnings growth rates. The companies are traded on the AMEX, NYSE, Nasdaq and are part of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 or Nasdaq Composite. The list is selected by the following criteria and sorted by dividend yield.

Market Capitalization: > $1 Billion
Price/Earnings Ratio: > 0< 100
Dividend Yield: > 3< 20
Return on Investment: > 10< 100
Operating Margin: > 10< 100
10 Year Revenue Growth: > 8< 200
10 Year EPS Growth: > 10< 100

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: NTT DOCOMO Inc(DCM)

NTT DOCOMO, Inc. provides wireless telecommunications services, packet communications services, and satellite mobile communications services in Japan. It offers wireless voice and data communication services, such as second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) cellular services, and mobile multimedia services. The company provides mova services, on the 2G network, compatible with voice and data communication; FOMA services, on its 3G network, with voice and high-speed data communication, which are compatible with various services, such as videophone and video content downloading; and i-mode services, which are wireless Internet access services. As of March 31, 2010, it had approximately 56.08 million cellular subscribers. NTT DOCOMO also offers packet communications services, such as wireless data communications services using packet switching; satellite mobile communication services for communications in case of emergencies; and international calling and internationa l roaming services. In addition, the company provides mopera U Internet connection services for data cards and smartphones; embedded modules for automobile fleet management, wireless credit card settlement systems, and telemetric systems for automatic inventory checks between vending machines and service centers; and MyArea services that offer high-speed packet communication services for homes. Further, it offers home shopping services through TV media, high-speed Internet connection services for hotel facilities, advertisement services, and credit services, as well as develops, sells, and maintains IT systems. The company was formerly known as NTT Mobile Communications Network, Inc. and changed its name to NTT DOCOMO, Inc. in April 2000. NTT DOCOMO was founded in 1991 and is based in Tokyo, Japan. NTT DOCOMO, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Japan's top carrier NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM  ) has never offered Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) iPhone, and that's not about to change anytime soon. NTT DoCoMo exec Kazuto Tsubouchi recently compared the device to DisneyLand, using the theme park as a comparison for a walled garden. The carrier would prefer to have more control over the experience, something that Apple isn't willing to give up.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  Sony's big win is directly attributable to a big marketing push by the largest Japanese wireless carrier, NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM  ) , which doesn't offer the iPhone. Smaller rivals SoftBank and KDDI have been chipping away at NTT DoCoMo's subscriber base, thanks in part to carrying Apple's device, so NTT DoCoMo is doing something about it.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  That's not to say that Apple doesn't have opportunities there, but rather that the country isn't at the top of its priority list. Apple has never inked a deal with Japan's largest wireless carrier, NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM  ) , either. The top carrier currently has 61.6 million subscribers. Japan is actually one of the few countries where iOS has Android beat in market share. Kantar Worldpanel Comtech's first-quarter estimates peg iOS at 49.2%, with Android at 45.8%.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (MACK.W)

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated in 1993, is a biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing and preparing to commercialize medicines paired with companion diagnostics for the treatment of serious diseases, with an initial focus on cancer. The Company�� product candidates include MM-398, MM-121, MM-111, MM-302 and MM-151. As of June 31, 2011, the Company owned approximately 74% interest of Silver Creek.

The Company�� Network biology is an interdisciplinary approach to drug discovery and development that enables the Company to build functional and predictive computational models of biological systems based on quantitative, kinetic, multiplexed biological data. The Company provides its scientists with insights into how the complex molecular interactions that occur within cell signaling pathways, or networks, regulate cell decisions and how dysfunction within these networks leads to disease. The Company applies network biology throughout t he research and development process, including for target identification, lead compound design and optimization, diagnostic discovery, in vitro and in vivo predictive development and the design of clinical trial protocols.

MM-398

MM-398 is a stable nanotherapeutic encapsulation, or enclosed sphere carrying an active drug, of the marketed chemotherapy drug irinotecan. MM-398 achieved its primary efficacy endpoints in Phase 2 clinical trials in pancreatic and gastric cancer. In an open label, single arm Phase 2 clinical trial of MM-398 as a monotherapy in 40 metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who had previously failed treatment with gemcitabine, patients treated with MM-398 achieved median overall survival of 22.4 weeks. Additionally, 20% of the patients in this Phase 2 trial survived for more than one year, and the Company observed a disease control rate, meaning patients exhibited stable disease or partial or complete response to treatment, of 47 .5% at six weeks.

The Company focuses on ini! ti! ating a Phase 3 clinical trial of MM-398 for the treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have previously failed treatment with gemcitabine. The trial is expected to enroll approximately 250 patients and is designed to compare the efficacy of MM-398 as a monotherapy against the combination of the chemotherapy drugs fluorouracil, or 5-FU, and leucovorin. There are multiple ongoing Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials of MM-398. In July 2011, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted MM-398 orphan drug designation for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

MM-121

MM-121 is a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets ErbB3, a cell surface receptor, or protein attached to the cell membrane that mediates communication inside and outside the cell, that the Company�� network biology approach identified as a target in a range of cancers. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein normally produced by cells of the immun e system that binds to just one epitope, or chemical structure, on a protein or other structure. MM-121 is designed to inhibit cancer growth directly, restore sensitivity to drugs to which a tumor has become resistant and delay the development of resistance of a tumor to other agents. In collaboration with Sanofi, the Company focuses on testing MM-121 in combination with both chemotherapies and other targeted agents across a range of spectrum of solid tumors, including lung, breast and ovarian cancers. The Company partnered MM-121 with Sanofi after it initiated Phase 1 clinical development of the product candidate.

MM-111

MM-111 is a bispecific antibody designed to target cancer cells that are characterized by overexpression of the ErbB2 cell surface receptor, also referred to as HER2. A bispecific antibody is a type of antibody that is able to bind simultaneously to two distinct proteins or epitopes. The Company�� network biology approach identif ied that ligand-induced signaling through the complex ! of Erb! B! 2 (HER2)! and ErbB3 is a promoter of tumor growth and survival than previously appreciated.

MM-302

MM-302 is a nanotherapeutic encapsulation of doxorubicin with attached antibodies that are designed to target MM-302 to cells that over express the ErbB2 (HER2) receptor. The Company is conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial of MM-302 in patients with advanced ErbB2 (HER2) positive breast cancer.

MM-151

MM-151 is an oligoclonal therapeutic consisting of a mixture of three fully human monoclonal antibodies designed to bind to non-overlapping epitopes of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR is also known as ErbB1. An oligoclonal therapeutic is a mixture of two or more distinct monoclonal antibodies. The Company has designed MM-151 to block signal amplification that occurs within the ErbB cell signaling network. The Company has submitted an investigational new drug application (IND), to the FDA for MM-151 in July 2011.

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Own For 2015: Vittoria(VITI.MI)

Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides various life and non-life insurance products to individuals, families, and businesses in Italy. Its life insurance products comprise savings insurance products; protection policies covering risks of death, disability, and non-self-sufficiency; supplementary pension plans, including individual pension schemes and open-ended pension fund; and unit-linked financial policies. The company?s non-life insurance products include accident, health, and fire and natural events insurance; other asset damage insurance, which covers the risks of theft and burglary, hail, damage to electronic equipment, and technological damage; general third party liability, pecuniary loss, and legal protection insurance; credit and bond insurance; aircraft and watercraft hulls insurance; railway rolling stock insurance; and goods in transit insurance. It also offers motor insurance products, such as third-party liability for motor vehicles and watercraft, land motor vehicle hulls, and assistance; and outward and inward reinsurance products. In addition, the company engages in the real estate trading; and real estate management, brokerage, and promotional activities. As of December 31, 2010, it offered its products through 318 general agencies and 551 professional sub-agencies. The company was formerly known as The Victory Insurance and changed its name to Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. in 1968. Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. was founded in 1921 and is based in Milan, Italy.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Prospero Silver Corp (PSL.V)

Prospero Silver Corp., together with its subsidiary, Minera Fumarola S.A. de C.V., engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, and base metals. Its properties include the Campana property consisting of 9 titled claims with an area of 6,035 hectares and an untitled claim of 7,226 hectares in north-central Durango; San Luis del Cordero project situated in Durango City in Durango state; Baborigame property comprising 8 claims with an area of 8,736 hectares located to the southwest of Chihuahua city in Chihuahua state; and Santa Maria del Oro project covering 33,800 hectares situated in Durango state. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Macro Enterprises Inc (MCR.V)

Macro Enterprises Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides pipeline and facility construction, and maintenance services to the oil and gas companies in northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta. It is involved in the construction, alteration, repair, and installation of pipeline and facility pressure piping and structural steel. The company offers facility and compression construction services, which comprise fabrication, piping modifications, station yard underground piping recoat programs, and meter station maintenance for measurement. It also offers pipeline systems services, including inline inspection support, pipe and pipeline valve replacement, installation of reinforcement sleeves, hot taps, surface and sub-surface looping, pigging crews, and valve services, as well as corrosion anomaly repairs, such as excavation, inspection, sandblasting, and re-coating by hand and spray applications. In addition, the company provides water courses, slope instability remediation, surface and sub-surface drainage installation, general right-of-way repair, and second calls handling services; and pressure testing and pigging services. Further, the company is involved in constructing, installing, maintaining, testing, and repairing pipelines and facilities in the oil and gas industry in western Canada. Macro Enterprises Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Fort St John, Canada.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Hudbay Minerals In Com Npv (HBM.TO)

HudBay Minerals Inc., an integrated mining company, engages in the exploration and development of copper, zinc, and precious metals mines in North and South America. It primarily produces copper concentrates containing copper, gold, and silver; and zinc metal. The company principally owns underground 777 mine that covers an area of 4,400 hectares and is located in Flin Flon, Manitoba. It also owns ore concentrators and a zinc production facility in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1992 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: SL Industries Inc. (SLI)

SL Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of power electronics, motion control, power protection, and specialized communication equipment in the United States and internationally. The company offers power conversion products for use in customer�s specific equipment under the SL Power Electronics, Condor, and Ault brand names to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medical, industrial/instrumentation, military, and information technology equipment. It also provides custom power conditioning and distribution units for custom electrical subsystems for OEMs of medical imaging, medical treatment, military aerospace, semiconductor, solar, and advanced simulation systems under the Teal brand name; and power quality products, including three-phase AC reactors, DC link chokes, and a series of harmonic, RFI/EMI, and motor protection filters used in industrial plants, natural resource harvesting sites and facilities, a nd commercial buildings to protect equipment from power surges under the MTE brand name. In addition, the company offers high power density precision motors that are used in military and commercial aerospace, oil and gas, and medical and industrial product applications; and communication and power protection products/systems that are used to protect electric utility transmission lines and apparatus, as well as products and systems used in rail and highway industries. SL Industries, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Rum Jungle Uranium Ltd(RUM.AX)

Rum Jungle Uranium Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration of mineral properties in the Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia. It explores for uranium, potash, phosphate, copper, gold, iron, nickel, cobalt, and silver. The company owns exploration licenses at project areas, including Ross River, Tennant Creek, Mount Bundy, Karinga Creek, Dajarra, Ammaroo, and Woolner. It has joint venture exploration agreements with Uranium West Ltd; Crocodile Gold Australia Pty Ltd; Deep Yellow Ltd; and Reward Minerals Ltd. The company is headquartered in Stuart Park, Australia.

Hot Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: AudioCodes Ltd. (AUDC)

AudioCodes Ltd. and its subsidiaries design, develop, and market products and services for voice, data, and video over Internet protocol (IP) networks to service providers and channels, original equipment manufacturers, network equipment providers, and systems integrators in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Israel. Its networking products consist of media gateways, enterprise session border controllers, multi-service business routers, IP phones, mobile voice over IP (VoIP), media servers, and various products that are tailored for Microsoft unified communication environments. The company also offers VoIP network assessment for enterprises; and value added applications for unified communications, as well as supports its networking products with a range of professional services. Its technology products comprise signal processor chips that process and compress voice, data, and fax, as well as enable connectivity between traditional telephone networks and pa cket networks; VoIP communications boards; media processing boards for enhanced services and functionalities; and voice and data logging hardware integration board products. AudioCodes Ltd. was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Lod, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  AudioCodes (AUDC) designs, develops and sells products and services for voice and data over packet networks. This stock closed up 8.4% to $4.75 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $4.57-$4.86
  
  52-Week Range: $1.20-$5.04
  
  Tuesday's Volume: 493,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 108,175

  From a technical perspective, AUDC gapped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $4.43 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of AUDC within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if AUDC manages to take out its 52-week high at $5.04 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AUDC as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $4.43 or above more support at $4.29 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 52-week high at $5.04 with volume that hits near or above 108,175 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AUDC will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.75 to $6.50, or even $7.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  AudioCodes (AUDC) and its subsidiaries design, develop and market products and services for voice, data and video over Internet protocol networks to service providers and channels, original equipment manufacturers, network equipment providers and systems integrators in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Israel. Its This stock closed up 8% to $6.73 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $6.23-$6.85
  
  52-Week Range: $2.13-$7.07
  
  Tuesday's Volume: 574,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 261,738

  From a technical perspective, AUDC spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $6.04 with above-average volume. This move also pushed shares of AUDC into breakout territory, since the stock took out some near-term overhead resistance at $6.70. Shares of AUDC are now quickly moving within range of triggering another big breakout trade. That trade will hit if AUDC manages to clear Tuesday's high of $6.85 and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $7.07 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AUDC as long as it's trending above some near-term support levels at $6.25 or $6.04 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 261,738 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AUDC will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $8 to $9.

Beware of a New One-Ring Cell Phone Scam

The next time you miss a call and don't recognize the number on your caller ID, don't return the call because it could be a scam.

SEE ALSO: IRS Warns of a New Phone Scam

Scammers are using auto-dialers to call cell-phone numbers nationwide, let the phone ring once and then hang up, according to the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission. Those who call back are connected to a paid international adult entertainment service, chat line or other premium service that charges a $19.95 international call fee and per-minute fees that are $9 or more, according to the BBB.

These "one-ring" scam calls appear to come from within the U.S. but typically originate from the Caribbean, according to the FTC. Area codes on the calls are frequently 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876.

Both the BBB and FTC are urging consumers not to answer or return calls from numbers they don't recognize to avoid becoming victims of this one-ring scam. The agencies also recommend checking your mobile phone bill carefully and alerting your carrier if you see any unauthorized charges. The sooner you catch and report fraud, the better your chances of having the charges removed, according to the BBB. If you're unable to resolve the issue with your carrier, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission.

Using Charitable Gifts to Increase Your Income

Charitable gifts can help many people. Of course, they help the beneficiaries of charities. Well-planned gifts also can help the donor by reducing income taxes and by providing a stream of income from an asset that previously generated no income.

There are several charitable giving strategies that help donors generate income from their gifts. Each is appropriate in different situations.

Charitable remainder trust. This is the classic vehicle for converting an appreciated asset into a stream of income while helping others.

In the CRT, you donate appreciated capital gain property to a trust you created. The trust sells the property and invests the proceeds to generate income or to achieve a combination of income and capital gains. The trust pays you (or other beneficiaries you name) income for either a period of years (up to 20 years) or for life, whichever you designate. After the income period ends, the remainder of the property in the trust goes to the charity or charities you designated when creating the trust. The charities can be changed during the income payout period.

When you transfer property to the trust, you receive a charitable contribution deduction. The deduction is for less than the full value of the property. The deduction is based on current interest rates and your age (or the term of years the income is paid) and is computed using tables issued by the IRS. The older you are, the higher the percentage of the property's value you can deduct. There's a limit to the amount that can be deducted each year, and it depends on the type of property donated and the type or charity. Unused deductions generally can be carried forward to future years.

You don't owe income or capital gains taxes on the appreciation that occurred while you owned the property, and the trust doesn't pay any taxes when it sells the property since it is a charitable trust. So, the full value of the prop! erty after transaction costs can be invested.

The value of the property also is excluded from your estate for federal tax purposes. So, the CRT is a valuable estate planning vehicle for those whose estates are large enough to worry about estate taxes.

The annual income payouts are based on a formula you set within limits set by the IRS. You can have the trust pay you a fixed percentage of the value of trust assets each year (known as a unitrust), or you can have the trust pay a fixed dollar amount (known as an annuity trust). You set the formula when creating the trust and can't change it.

The unitrust has the potential for the payouts to increase as the value of the trust's portfolio increases, giving you an inflation hedge. But there's no guarantee the trust value will increase each year, so payouts can fall or stagnate, depending on what the trust's value does. The annuity trust gives you a fixed payment you can plan on, though its value will lose ground to inflation over time.

There are some possible variations to consider on the payout for a unitrust. You can say there won't be an income payout in a year when the trust doesn't have enough income (interest, dividends, and rent) to make the payout. Known as a net income trust, this allows a younger person to set up the trust and take the tax deduction today but defer most of the income until later by having the trust invested so it doesn't generate much income. Later, the portfolio can be shifted to generate income.

This type of trust also can have a makeup provision so distributions that weren't made in some years because of the lack of income can be paid in future years when the trust has enough income. Finally, the net income trust can flip, so that it pays little or no income for a number of years, but then on a designated date its mandate changes to pay out a flat rate each year regardless of the amount of income earned. This is known as a FLIP CRUT.

The FLIP CRUT can be advantageous when you w! ant a cha! ritable contribution today for an asset that might not be sold for years. You can put land, private company stock, art, or collectibles in the trust. Years from now when you want income or believe the asset has appreciated enough, the trust sells the property and begins paying you income. Of course, this trust also is valuable when you want the charitable deduction now but don't want additional income for a few years.

There's a ceiling to the amount of payout you can receive from a CRT. The payout has to be set so, using assumptions set by the IRS, the charity is estimated eventually to receive at least 10% of the original trust value.

When you receive income from the trust it is included in your gross income. It is ordinary income to the extent of the trust's interest and dividend income. Distributions above that amount are capital gains until the gain that was inherent in the property when you transferred it to the trust is exhausted.

CRTs aren't without disadvantages, with the main one being the costs. You have to set up the trust, and it needs a trustee and someone to manage the portfolio. It also will have to file annual tax returns. Most advisors say a CRT probably doesn't make sense unless you're transferring at least $250,000 worth of property.

Charitable gift annuity. The charitable gift annuity is simpler than the CRT, but it's  another way charitable contributions generate income while providing a tax benefit.

You transfer cash or property to a charity. In return it promises to pay you a stream of income for life or a period of years, whichever you select. Again, you don't pay capital gains taxes on the appreciation the property accrued during your ownership. You receive a tax deduction for part of the value of the property you transferred to the charity. As with the CRT, IRS tables determine your tax deduction, and the older you are the greater your deduction.

Each income payment you receive from the charity is partially tax-free as a retu! rn of pri! nciple and partially ordinary income, as with standard annuities, until the amount of your contribution to the charity is recovered. Details of how to compute the deduction are in IRS Publications 939 and 575, available free on the IRS web site www.irs.gov. Most charities also will provide tax information for you.

The charitable annuity provides you a steady, known flow of income for life while also helping the charity. You will receive a lower payout than you would from a commercial annuity from an insurer, because the charity takes part of the payment as a contribution. That's why you get a tax deduction.

You might receive a higher income payout from the charitable annuity, however, if you're donating appreciated property to the charity. To convert the appreciated property into a commercial annuity you'd have to sell the property, pay capital gains taxes on it, and invest the after-tax amount in an annuity. With the charitable annuity, you give the property to the charity and get credit for its full value. The charity doesn't have to pay taxes when it sells the property. The annuity also doesn't burden you with the administrative costs of a CRT, which is another reason it might give you higher income than some alternatives.

Keep in mind that all you're receiving from the charity is a promise to pay you money. You have no equity and no separate account at the charity. Even if the charity uses your contribution to buy a commercial annuity that funds your payout, you have no legal right to that annuity. If the charity has financial troubles, you're a general creditor. Some people lost part of their retirement incomes when they created charitable annuities with charities that invested their portfolios with Bernie Madoff. So, you want to deal only with an established charity that's been around for a while and has financial stability.

You aren't likely to get a better deal by shopping among charities. Most charities belong to a national group that sets the annuity p! ayout rat! es and agree to adhere to those rates.

Suppose you also want to leave something for your heirs. Neither of these strategies will allow that. What some people do is use part of their tax savings from the charitable contributions to pay a life insurance policy and put it in what's known as a wealth replacement trust.

Charity and IRA conversions. You can combine a charitable contribution strategy with an IRA conversion.

Suppose you have a large traditional IRA you'd like to convert into a Roth IRA. You want to avoid those large required minimum distributions after age 70½ and help you or your heirs receive tax-free income in the future.

If the charitable remainder trust or charitable annuity already is a good idea for you, the benefits might be multiplied when you convert all or part of a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA in the same year you execute one of those strategies.

Here's how it works. You transfer property to either the CRT or charity, depending on the strategy you select. That generates a large tax deduction. If you don't have enough other income that will be offset by the tax deduction, consider converting enough of your IRA so that all or most of the conversion is tax free after being offset by the charitable deduction. That sets you up for tax-free income down the road from the Roth IRA and also reduces the RMDs as times goes on.

Combining one of the charitable strategies with an IRA conversion ensures that the tax benefits will last for many years.

These charitable strategies are ideal for people with highly appreciated assets that don't generate income. You don't want to incur the capital gains taxes now from selling the assets and converting them to income-paying investments. If you're already charitably inclined, consider these strategies as a way to generate income and avoiding the big tax bill.

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Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015

MOSCOW (AP) -- A liberal Russian economist who has criticized President Vladimir Putin's policies said Friday he fled Russia on a day's notice because of fears of losing his freedom on "very bogus grounds."

Sergei Guriev told The Associated Press that he wanted to escape pressure from a new criminal investigation around jailed oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia's richest man.

In a 25-minute phone conversation from Paris, where he arrived on a one-way flight on April 30, Guriev said he feared he could share the fate of witnesses in two previous investigations into Khodorkovsky who were later charged and died in prison.

"I don't see under what circumstances I can return," he said.

Investigators began proceedings early this year against the authors of an expert report commissioned by then-president Dmitry Medvedev in 2011, to which Guriev contributed, that criticized Khodorkovsky's conviction in late 2010 for embezzling oil. He had been imprisoned since 2003 on charges of avoiding taxes on the same oil.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AX)

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (the Bank) is engaged in the provision of a range of banking and financial products and services to retail, small business, corporate and institutional clients. The Bank is a provider of integrated financial services, including retail, business and institutional banking, superannuation, life insurance, general insurance, funds management, broking services and finance company activities. Its operating segments include Retail Banking Services, Business and Private Banking, Institutional Banking and Markets, Wealth Management, New Zealand, Bankwest and Other. Its retail banking services include home loans, consumer finance, retail deposits and distribution. Its business and private banking include corporate financial services, regional and agribusiness banking, local business banking, private bank and equities and margin lending. The Bank and its subsidiaries ceased to be a substantial holder in Ten Network Holdings Limited, as of September 12, 2012.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Suzlon Energy Ltd (SUZLON)

Suzlon Energy Limited (SEL) is an India-based wind power company. The Company along with its subsidiaries is in the business of selling and installing wind turbine generators (WTGs). It is engaged in the manufacture of wind turbine generators of various capacities and its components. Its operations relate sale of WTGs and allied activities including sale/sub-lease of land, infrastructure development income; sale of gear boxes, and sale of foundry and forging components. Others primarily include power generation operations. The Company�� subsidiaries include Suzlon Towers and Structures Limited, Suzlon Power Infrastructure Limited, Suzlon Infrastructure Services Limited, Suzlon Gujarat Wind Park Limited, Suzlon Structure Limited, SE Forge Limited, SE Composites Limited, Suzlon Wind International Limited, SE Electricals Limited, Suzlon Rotor Corporation, AE Rotor Holding B.V. and Suzlon Energy A/S.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Watch In Right Now: Novavax Inc.(NVAX)

Novavax, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing recombinant vaccines for infectious diseases using its virus-like particle platform (VLP) technology. It develops vaccine product candidates that target pandemic influenza, including H1N1 and H5N1 strains; seasonal influenza; and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Novavax has a joint venture with Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to develop and manufacture the company?s pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccine candidates, Cadila?s biogeneric products, and other diagnostic products for the territory of India; and a licensing agreement with LG Life Sciences, Ltd. to use the company?s VLP technology to develop and sell the company?s influenza vaccines in South Korea and other countries. It also has a co-marketing agreement with GE Healthcare for a pandemic influenza vaccine solution. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John McCamant]

  Novavax (NVAX) released its Phase I trial of 284 subjects injected with the H7N9 flu virus vaccine.

  While the data was expected to be released before the end of the year, the fact that the NEJM published the Phase I study adds tremendous validation to the NVAX vaccine. We would note that the prestigious NEJM rarely publishes Phase I data.

• [By Jay Silverman]

  Novavax (NVAX) is executing its clinical plan with a clearly defined, and risk-adjusted, strategy. The firm is developing proprietary flu and RSV vaccines using their VLP technology.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Novavax (NVAX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing recombinant protein nanoparticle vaccines to address a range of infectious diseases. This stock closed up 3.1% to $2.59 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $2.47-$2.63
  
  52-Week Range: $1.52-$2.77
  
  Thursday's Volume: 1.37 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 1.53 million

  From a technical perspective, NVAX spiked notably higher here right above some near-term support at $2.35 with decent upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of NVAX within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if NVAX manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.69 to $2.72 and then once it clears its 52-week high at $2.77 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NVAX as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $2.35 or its 50-day at $2.19 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.53 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NVAX will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $3.50 to $4.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature an upgrade for Thomson Reuters Reuters (NYSE: TRI  ) , a new buy rating for Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX  ) -- but for Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP  ) , a downgrade. Let's get that bad news out of the way first.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Ensign Energy Svs Com Npv (ESI.TO)

Ensign Energy Services Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides oilfield services to the crude oil and natural gas industry in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Its oilfield services include drilling and well servicing, oil sands coring, directional drilling, underbalanced drilling, equipment rentals, transportation, wireline services, production testing services, and custom manufacturing. The company offers shallow, intermediate and deep well drilling, and specialized drilling services, including horizontal drilling, underbalanced drilling, horizontal re-entry, and slant drilling for steam assisted gravity drainage applications. It also provides coring/drilling rigs that support oil sands, coal bed methane, and shallow oil and natural gas development, as well as coring and drilling services to the mining and oil and natural gas industries. In addition, the company offers shallow to deep well services to oil and natural gas producers, such as completion s, abandonments, production workovers, and bottom hole pump changes; engages in the rental of oilfield equipment comprising drill strings, loaders, tanks, pumps, rig matting, and blow-out preventers; and offers ancillary equipment consisting of mud cleaning equipment, drill collars, drives, rotating heads, gas busters, iron roughnecks, hydraulic chokes, forklifts, and loaders. Further, it provides drilling contractor services, including directional drilling services; slickline, braided line, and production testing services; production and manufacturing services to the oil and natural gas industry; and mechanical wireline, production testing, and well optimization services, as well as designs and manufactures oil and natural gas production equipment. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned and operated a fleet of 344 land drilling and specialty rigs, as well as 139 well servicing rigs. Ensign Energy Services was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: A123 Systems Inc.(AONE)

A123 Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems worldwide. The company?s battery products are based on its Nanophosphate technology that delivers energy storage solutions for power generation, transmission, and distribution for application development in the transportation, electric grid services, and commercial markets. Its battery systems comprise energy storage solutions for BAE systems; and grid storage solutions, prismatic battery systems, starter battery systems, and lead acid replacement batteries. In addition, the company provides research and development services to government agencies and commercial customers. A123 Systems, Inc. sells its batteries and battery systems directly to end-user customers, as well as through reseller and distributor channels. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: ADTRAN Inc.(ADTN)

ADTRAN, Inc. designs, manufactures, markets, and services communications network solutions that enable voice, data, video, and Internet communications across wireline and wireless networks worldwide. Its Carrier Networks division provides fiber and copper-based solutions for service providers to deliver voice, data, and video services to customers? premises and mobile network cell sites. Its products enable services, such as voice, VoIP, IP television, RF video, high speed Internet access, and data services based upon Ethernet, frame relay, TDM, and ATM networks, connecting the network with user components, such as switches, routers, gateways, integrated access devices (IADs), private branch exchanges (PBXs), and telephone key systems. This division serves local exchange carriers, independent operating companies, competitive local exchange carriers, utilities, municipalities, cable MSOs, international carriers, and wireless service providers. The company?s Enterprise Net works division provides Internetworking solutions for enterprise customers to construct voice, data, and video networks within their sites or among distributed sites. It offers Internetworking solutions, including IP business gateways, optical network terminals, virtual wireless LAN products, multi-service routers, managed Ethernet switches, IP PBX products, IP phone products, unified communications and unified threat management solutions, and carrier Ethernet network terminating equipment, as well as provides IADs. This division serves the retail, food service, healthcare, finance, government, education, manufacturing, military, transportation, hospitality, and energy/utility markets. ADTRAN, Inc. also provides digital data service and integrated services digital network products, high bit-rate digital subscriber line products, T1/E1/T3, channel service units/data service units, and fixed wireless products. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including�Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN),RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM), ADTRAN, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN), and Del Frisco�� Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: DFRG)

• [By Seth Jayson]

  ADTRAN (Nasdaq: ADTN  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings on July 10. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict ADTRAN's revenues will wane -16.3% and EPS will compress -50.0%.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  ADTRAN�Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTN) is set to report before the open on Wednesday. ADTRAN is not exactly the most significant hardware player in communications network solutions technology, but it is the first earnings report for the sector each earnings season. Shares have almost doubled from the 52-week low as well. Estimates are $0.22 EPS and $175.1 million in sales.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Noodles & Co (NDLS)

Noodles & Company, incorporated on December 19, 2002, is a casual restaurant concept offering lunch and dinner. The Company offers noodle and pasta dishes, staples of many cuisines, with the goal of delivering fresh ingredients and flavors globally under one roof from Pad Thai to Mac & Cheese. The Company�� globally inspired menu includes a variety of cooked-to-order dishes, including noodles and pasta, soups, salads and sandwiches, which are served on china by its friendly team members.

As of May 28, 2013, including the 16 Company owned restaurants and one franchise restaurant opened in 2013. The Company opened 39 new company owned restaurants and six franchise restaurants. In 2012, the Company began using Your World Kitchen to describe the breadth of its offering and its customers' dining experience.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Noodles & Company's (NASDAQ: NDLS  ) stock continues to rise. Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) experiences a pullback. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV  ) and DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) team up to offer live TV to passengers. And it was a bad day for anyone who thinks Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is overvalued. In this installment of Investor Beat, Jason and Matt discuss four stocks making big moves today.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund Inc.(NVC)

Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is managed by Nuveen Asset Management. It invests in the fixed income markets of California. The fund invests primarily in municipal securities rated Baa/BBB or better. It invests in securities that provide income exempt from federal and California income tax. The fund employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P California Municipal Bond Index and the S&P National Municipal Bond Index. Nuveen California Select Quality Municipal Fund, Inc. was formed on April 3, 1991 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: ChinaCast Education Corporation(CAST)

ChinaCast Education Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides post-secondary education and e-learning services in China. The company operates in two segments, E-learning and Training Service Group and Traditional University Group. The E-learning and Training Service Group provides post secondary education distance learning services that enable universities and other higher learning institutions to provide nationwide real-time distance learning services. It also provides K-12 educational services, such as broadcast multimedia educational content services to primary, middle, and high schools; and vocational/career training services. The Traditional University Group segment operates private residential universities that offer four-year bachelor?s degree and three-year diploma programs in finance, economics, trade, tourism, advertising, IT, music, foreign languages, tourism, hospitality, computer engineering, law, and art. The company also provides logistic service s. ChinaCast Education Corporation was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Kentucky First Federal Bancorp(KFFB)

Kentucky First Federal Bancorp operates as the holding company for First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Hazard, and First Federal Savings Bank of Frankfort that provide various banking and financial products and services primarily in Perry, Franklin, Anderson, Scott, Shelby, and Woodford counties in Kentucky. Its deposit products include passbook savings and certificate accounts, checking accounts, and individual retirement accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises one- to four-family residential mortgage loans; construction loans; multi-family and nonresidential loans secured by commercial office buildings, churches, condominiums, and properties used for other purposes; and consumer loans, such as home equity lines of credit and loans secured by savings deposits. As of August 18, 2011, it operated one banking office in Hazard, Kentucky, as well as three banking offices in Frankfort, Kentucky. The company is based in Hazard, Kentucky.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.(AMLN)

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drug candidates for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and other diseases. The company offers BYDUREON (exenatide extended-release for injectable suspension), a once-weekly diabetes treatment as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Its products include BYETTA (exenatide) injection for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; and SYMLIN (pramlintide acetate) injection for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The company develops a dual chamber cartridge pen configuration of BYDUREON that allow patients to mix and administer BYDUREON from a pre-filled pen device. The company markets its products to healthcare providers, managed healthcare organizations, hospitals, wholesalers and pharmacies, government purchasers, and other third-party payers primarily in the United States. It has collabora tion agreements with Alkermes Controlled Therapeutics, Inc. II for the development, manufacture, and commercialization of BYDUREON, as well as Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited to co-develop and commercialize pharmaceutical products for the treatment of weight management and/or obesity, glycemic control, and cardiovascular disease; and a strategic relationship with Biocon, Limited, to develop pharmaceutical products for diabetes. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Panhandle Royalty Company(PHX)

Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc. engages in the acquisition, management, and development of oil and natural gas properties. The company?s mineral and leasehold properties are located primarily in Arkansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas. As of September 30, 2011, it owned 255,857 net mineral acres; leased 17,480 net acres; held working and royalty interests in 5,107 producing oil and natural gas wells; and operated 48 wells in the process of being drilled. It serves pipeline and marketing companies. Panhandle Oil and Gas Inc. was founded in 1926 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Sandvine Corp Com Npv (SVC.TO)

Sandvine Corporation develops and markets network policy control solutions for broadband Internet service providers in North America, the Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers network policy control solutions comprising a hardware platform and proprietary software modules, which provide a system for broadband Internet service providers to identify specific types of traffic across their networks, such as VoIP, online gaming, or video streams; and provides tools to help service providers apply specific network policies that enable the quality of service for their subscribers, mitigate malicious traffic, and manage their network. It also offers consultation, installation, integration, and training services; and support and software maintenance services. The company sells its products and services directly, as well as through network equipment resellers and value-added resellers. Sandvine Corporation was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canada.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: Petro-Reef Resources Ltd (PER.V)

Alexander Energy Ltd. engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties in Canada. The company�s principal properties comprise Alexander/Qui Barre and Goose River properties located in Alberta. As of December 31, 2012, it had gross proved plus probable reserves of 1,823,500 barrels of oil equivalent. The company was formerly known as Petro-Reef Resources Ltd. and changed its name to Alexander Energy Ltd. in September 2012. Alexander Energy Ltd. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2015: AbbVie Inc (ABBV)

AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie), incorporated on April 10, 2012, is a research-based pharmaceuticals company. The Company discovers, develops, and commercializes advanced therapies. AbbVie's portfolio of products include a line of adult and pediatric pharmaceuticals, which includes HUMIRA, metabolics/hormones products, virology products, endocrinology products, dyslipidemia products and other products.

AbbVie products are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cystic fibrosis complications, low testosterone, thyroid disease, Parkinson's disease and complications associated with chronic kidney disease, among other indications. In October 2012, AbbVie initiated a comprehensive Phase III program for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype one.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  The company should continue to be a dominant force in the HIV drug market. AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) continues to lose market share with Kaletra. Gilead could face a serious challenge, though, from ViiV Healthcare, a joint collaboration between GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK  ) , Pfizer (NYSE: PFE  ) , and Japanese drugmaker�Shionogi.�

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Friday, AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed kneejerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.