U.S. stocks are roughly unchanged this morning, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC ) and the narrower, price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) up 0.4% and 0.46%, respectively, as of 10:10 a.m. EDT.
Top that!
Yesterday, hedge fund manager-cum-hyperactive financial diarist Doug Kass -- his contract with TheStreet requires that he "post market commentary and trading ideas twelve times each business day to his daily diary on Real Money Pro" [emphasis mine] -- made a grave pronouncement on CNBC: "The market could be making a high for the year this week and possible even longer. I'm flat-out saying the market is making a top here."
That has a familiar ring to it -- maybe because on Jan. 29 of this year, Kass told CNBC: "The market probably has a fair value 80 or 90 S&P 500 points lower than where it is now, so that would imply a decline of 6% or 7%, but I think the more important statement I'm making is that we are likely to be in the process of making a yearly high for the year."
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Macatawa Bank Corporation(MCBC)
Macatawa Bank Corporation operates as the holding company for Macatawa Bank that provides various commercial and personal banking services. It offers various deposit products, which comprise checking accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, transaction accounts, savings and time certificates, non-interest bearing and interest bearing demand deposits, and money market accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial and industrial loans, commercial real estate loans, construction and development loans, and multi-family and other non-residential real estate loans; residential mortgage loans; and consumer loans, including automobile loans, home equity lines of credit, installment loans, home improvement loans, deposit account loans, and other loans for household and personal purposes. It also provides cash management services, safe deposit boxes, travelers checks, money orders, and trust services; ATMs, Internet banking, telephone banking, and debit cards; and b rokerage services, including discount brokerage, personal financial planning, and consultation regarding mutual funds. In addition, the company offers personal trust services, such as financial planning, investment management services, trust and estate administration, and custodial services; and retirement plan services, including provision of various qualified retirement plans, such as profit sharing, 401(k)s, and pension plans. It operated a network of 26 branches and a lending and operation service facility in Kent, Ottawa, and northern Allegan counties of Michigan. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Holland, Michigan.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Western Asset Variable Rate Strategic Fund Inc. (GFY)
Western Asset Variable Rate Strategic Fund Inc. is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC. It is co-managed by Western Asset Management Company, Western Asset Management Company Limited, and Western Asset Management Company Pte. Ltd. The fund invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. It seeks to invest in variable rate investment grade securities, including U.S. and non-U.S. investment grade and high yield debt, senior loans, emerging markets debt and derivatives related to these securities. The fund seeks to maintain an average duration of around one to two years with an average credit quality of BBB+. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Merrill Lynch Constant Maturity 3-Month LIBOR Index. The fund was formerly known as Salomon Brothers Variable Rate Strategic Fund Inc. Western Asset Variable Rate Strategic Fund Inc. was formed on August 3, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States.
Top Small Cap Companies To Buy For 2014: Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc.(SKT)
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company, through its subsidiary, Tanger Properties Limited Partnership, engages in acquiring, developing, owning, operating, and managing factory outlet shopping centers. As of September 30, 2005, Tanger owned and operated 33 factory outlet centers in 22 states totaling 8.7 million square feet of gross leasable area. It also provides development, leasing, and management services for its outlet centers. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to Federal income taxes provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers was founded by Stanley K. Tanger in 1981. The company is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Shauna O'Brien]
Jefferies announced on Wednesday that it has cut its rating on Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. (SKT).
The firm has downgraded SKT from “Buy” to “Hold,” and has lowered the company’s price target from $40 to $35. This price target suggests an 8% upside from the stock’s current price of $32.22.
Analyst Omotayo Okusanya commented: “We expect near-term headwinds for the mall and outlet mall segment as tenant sales growth appears to be slowing.”
“At SKT, development yields on two projects have also been reduced. Further, rising interest rates negatively impact our DDM-derived PT. Our lowered PT of $35 represents a 10% total return over the next-twelve-months (NTM); we are downgrading to Hold,” added the analyst.
Tanger Factory Outlet shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Wednesday. The stock is up more than 5% YTD.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: BRITANNIC GROUP gbp0.05(RSL.L)
Resolution Limited engages in life assurance business in the United Kingdom and internationally. It offers various protection products, including life cover, critical illness cover, income protection, and business protection. The company also provides investment and savings consisting of wealth solutions bond, a lump sum investment with a wide choice of funds; and protected investment portfolio bond that allows investing in a range of funds, as well as offers a guaranteed minimum payment on death. In addition, it provides individual personal pension, individual stakeholder pension, and online stakeholder pension that offer a tax efficient way of saving for retirement; and corporate pensions. Further, the company offers various solutions for inheritance tax planning, such as making a will, making gifts, and trusts; and annuities. Additionally, it provides life assurance-based tax and estate planning solutions for high and ultra-high net worth individuals. The company offers its products through employee benefit consultants, consulting actuaries, independent financial advisers or distribution agreements, strategic partnerships, and relationships with private banks and specialist advisors. The company was founded in 1832 and is based in St Peter Port, the Channel Islands.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Encore Capital Group Inc(ECPG)
Encore Capital Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in consumer debt buying and recovery business primarily in the United States. The company purchases and manages portfolios of defaulted consumer receivables, such as consumers? unpaid financial commitments to credit originators, including banks, credit unions, consumer finance companies, commercial retailers, auto finance companies, and telecommunication companies; and receivables subject to bankruptcy proceedings or consumer bankruptcy receivables. It also provides bankruptcy services to the finance industry, such as negotiating bankruptcy plans, monitoring and managing consumer?s compliance with bankruptcy plans, and recommending courses of action to clients in case of a deviation from a bankruptcy plan. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sally Jones]
Today�� diverse companies were chosen for their speculative enterprises. Both companies deal in the territory of what if. If Encore Capital Group Inc. (ECPG) can collect more from a huge portfolio of consumer debt, the company would grow. If Sophiris Bio Inc. (SPHS), a 10-person biopharm, is successful in competing to provide relief for prostate BPH symptoms, the company would soar.
- [By John Udovich]
Small cap debt collection stocks like�Asta Funding, Inc (NASDAQ: ASFI), Encore Capital Group, Inc (NASDAQ: ECPG) and Portfolio Recovery Associates, Inc (NASDAQ: PRAA) could be the latest target of a government shakedown or crackdown as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said this week that�before it formally proposes any rules for debt collection, it wants to hear how collectors verify borrowers' information and communicate with consumers. In other words, debt collectors could be restricted from using text messages, social media or other Internet-based tools in their pursuit to collect debts. With about one in 10 Americans coming out of the financial crisis with some debt in collection, investing in small cap�debt collection stocks has been profitable for investors. However, there is no timeline for when any new rules might be released for review or come into effect.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Sussex Bancorp(SBBX)
Sussex Bancorp operates as the holding company for Sussex Bank that provides commercial banking and related financial services to individual, business, and government customers primarily in the United States. The company?s deposit products include personal and business checking accounts, time deposits, money market accounts, and regular savings accounts. Its loan products portfolio comprises commercial, consumer, mortgage, home equity, and personal loans. The company also operates a general insurance agency, which offers commercial and personal lines of insurance. As of April 27, 2011, Sussex Bancorp operates through 10 offices, including 8 offices located in Sussex County, New Jersey; and 2 in Orange County, New York, as well as serves Pike County, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1975 and is based in Franklin, New Jersey.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: K-reit Asia (K71U.SI)
K-REIT Asia Management Limited was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Singapore.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ.AX)
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) provides a range of banking and financial products and services to retail, small business, corporate and institutional clients. The Company conducts its operations in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. It also operates in a range of other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The Company operates on a divisional structure with Australia, International and Institutional Banking (IIB), New Zealand, and Global Wealth and Private Banking. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 1,337 branches and other points of representation worldwide, excluding automatic teller machines (ATMs). In September 2012, it sold its remaining shareholding in Visa Inc.
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