In the last full day of trading before the holiday weekend, stocks ended essentially flat but small gains lifted the�Dow Jones Industrial Average� (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) and the�S&P 500�into record territory once again. On the day, the blue chips finished up 20 points, or 0.1%, while the S&P gained 0.07% and the Nasdaq edged 0.02% lower.
Though trading will close tomorrow at 1 p.m., the day will be a busy one as it's chock-full of economic reports including the always-followed monthly jobs report from the Department of Labor. Today, ADP�reported a whopping 281,000 jobs were added last month, trouncing expectations at 200,000 and May's total of 179,000. The unofficial report from ADP often differs significantly from the government's reading, but it stillbodes well for tomorrow's numbers nonetheless. Growth in construction was particularly high with 36,000 jobs as the overall number was easily the best in over a year. Elsewhere, factory orders fell 0.5% in May but economists had expected a decline in that category.�
Top Regional Bank Companies To Invest In 2015: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)
McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Saletta]
Additionally, McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) kept on cooking up cash last week, with its board of directors declaring a $0.77-per-share dividend on Wednesday. That dividend, the company's third consecutive payment at that level, is a solid reminder that the company is still making good money. That tangible reminder is especially important given the weak same-store sales the company has been reporting recently.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)
Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Douglas A. McIntyre]
Some traditional brand powerhouses have lost ground in the Top 100 since 2009. These include BMW, FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL).
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and investors have watched the stock hit new all-time record highs in November before falling back in the past two months. Despite the optimism, Procter & Gamble earnings face pressure from international giant Unilever (NYSE: UL ) as well as domestic rivals Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ) . The question facing investors is whether P&G can sustain its longtime competitive advantages against its rivals and bolster its growth.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Moreover, it's starting to appear that Clorox has weathered a tough part of its business cycle. Throughout the industry, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ) , Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) , and Clorox all had to deal with rising costs for the inputs they needed to make their respective products. The companies responded by implementing price-cutting measures and passing on part of their higher costs to their customers. For its part, Clorox was able to expand its gross margins by a full percentage point, with a worse-than-normal flu season contributing to sales. Now that input-cost inflation is easing, P&G and Clorox expect to see better profitability, with growth starting to approach the faster rates that Colgate has enjoyed.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight and the price target is now $68 (versus a $59.93 close) at Morgan Stanley.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Apple Inc.(AAPL)
Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By FinanceGuru]
Now that Broadcom (BRCM) has finally thrown in the towel on its cellular business after years of failing to succeed, the company is trying to shop around the division. The company's management team claims that the product pipeline that was under development had significant technical merit, but that the economics of running that business just couldn't support a $700 million-a-year operating expense run rate. That said, if Broadcom can successfully shop the business, Apple (AAPL) seems the most likely buyer.
- [By Doug Ehrman]
Facebook (NASDAQ: FB ) recently announced that it plans to roll out a new functionality dubbed Chat Heads that would make integrating messaging even more seamless. Not only will Chat Heads be part of the company's new meta app FB Home on Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android, but it will be available as part of the Facebook app in Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iOS. The functionality may be critical to Apple, depending on what level of traction FB Home is able to achieve.
- [By Tim Beyers]
While �AT&T's (NYSE: T ) success isn't as tied to Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) and the iPhone as it once was, investors watching this week still need to know if increased competition is taking a toll.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)
Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Melvin]
Some of the traditionally defensive stocks like Phillip Morris International (PM) and Merck (MRK) also fail our test for operating conditions and financial changes. Yield chasers have also pushed the value of their shares to unsustainable levels, and are unlikely to see much more than mid- to low-single-digit profit growth for several years.
- [By Garrett Baldwin]
As the world's second-largest tobacco company, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) is an ideal sin stock.
And with numbers like these, it's also an ideal way to play global growth...
- [By Chuck Carnevale]
But it was with the last couple of sentences of his blog post that I took the greatest exception. More precisely, I found that his example of Phillip Morris International (PM) to be misleading. However, not because of what Roger included, but rather because of what he left out. I will elaborate more right after the following excerpt where he closed out his blog post:
- [By Monica Gerson]
Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) is estimated to report its Q1 earnings at $1.16 per share on revenue of $7.01 billion.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $1.09 per share on revenue of $31.99 billion.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Benjamin Pimentel]
IBM Corp (IBM) �was down 0.5%, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) �was off 0.3% and Intel Corp. (INTC) �gave up 0.2%.
- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
IBM is a global technology company that provides essential products and services to companies and consumers worldwide. An IBM executive said that the company is still facing difficulties linked to a slow economy. The stock has been struggling over the last couple of years and continues to see lower highs and lower lows. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been rising while revenues have been declining which has produced conflicting feelings about IBM�� earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, IBM has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what IBM does this coming quarter.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Visa Inc.(V)
Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By MONEYMORNING.COM]
Here's how Apple gets the profit it needs by 2018 to reach a $1 trillion market cap:
The iPhone: Hand-wringing over the slowing growth in iPhone sales has been overblown. The law of large numbers dictates that Apple won't see 100% annual growth in iPhone sales ever again, but growth will remain steady. Research firm IDC projects that AAPL will sell 63.3 million more iPhones in 2018 than it does in 2014. Assuming profit margins stay about the same, such an increase will yield about $8.9 billion in additional annual net income by 2018. The iTunes Store/Software and Services: This previously quiet corner of Apple's empire is about to become a major contributor to the bottom line. Macquarie Capital projects that profits from this segment will explode from $10.95 billion this year to $19.12 billion in 2018, when it will account for a third of Apple's total profits. That's good for another $8.17 billion in annual net income. Wearable Tech: It's almost certain we'll see the rumored iWatch this fall - possibly as early as Sept. 9, when the iPhone 6 is expected to be unveiled. Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty has said that Apple could sell between 30 million and 60 million iWatches in its first year, with margins in excess of 40%. Assuming a sales price of $200 and 45 million iWatches sold, that would yield about $2 billion in profit in 2015. The wearable tech market is brand new and is expected to grow rapidly over the next several years, so by 2018 Apple should be wringing about $4 billion in annual net income from the iWatch and its successors. The Internet of Things: As a tech titan with an already powerful ecosystem, Apple is well-positioned to profit from the Internet of Things, a shorthand term for the idea that wireless networks and sensors will allow not just devices, but our cars, clothes, and home appliances to communicate. Wearable tech is a subset of this, but the Internet of Things is much, much bigger. Apple' - [By Dan Caplinger]
Visa (NYSE: V ) will release its quarterly report tomorrow, and anticipating continued strong growth, investors haven't hesitated to pile into the stock. Because of the company's position atop the credit card network industry, Visa earnings have been growing at a breakneck pace in recent years, and at least for now, that dominance appears likely to continue.
10 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Own For 2014: Chevron Corporation(CVX)
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bob Ciura]
It's a tough time for the integrated super-majors like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) , whose profits were walloped last year due to a horrible climate for downstream activities. Pricing spreads between domestic crude oil and the Brent international benchmark narrowed significantly, which resulted in drastically thinner margins on refined products. On the upstream side, a production dip was marked by field declines and disappointing new project returns.
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