Saturday, August 31, 2013

5 Best Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014

I love little-elves companies, and no, I�� not referring to anything like the technical analysts dubbed ��lves��by the late Louis Rukeyser on his classic PBS weekly show, Wall Street Week.

I�� referring instead to situations where you read or hear about a company�� business and blurt out something like: �� didn�� know that sort of thing was done by publicly-traded corporations. I thought it was done by little elves.��nbsp; Forbes Low Priced Stock Report�� Top 40-company Insignia Systems Insignia Systems, which makes retail store shelf labels and small product signs (communicating information about prices, often in the context of promotion) is just such a company.

5 Best Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: V.F. Corporation(VFC)

V.F. Corporation designs and manufactures, or sources from independent contractors various apparel and footwear products primarily in the United States and Europe. The company offers apparel, footwear, outdoor gear, skateboard-inspired and surf-inspired footwear, backpacks, luggage, handbags and accessories, outdoor apparel, travel accessories, and women?s active wear primarily under the Vans, The North Face, JanSport, Eastpak, Kipling, Napapijri, Reef, Eagle Creek, and lucy brands; and denim and casual bottoms, and tops principally under Wrangler, Lee, Riders, Rustler, and Timber Creek by Wrangler brands. Its products also include occupational, athletic, and licensed apparel primarily under the Red Kap, Bulwark, Majestic, MLB, NFL, and Harley-Davidson brands; men?s fashion sportswear, denim bottoms, sleepwear, underwear, as well as handbags, luggage, backpacks, and accessories principally under the Nautica and Kipling brands; and denim and casual bottoms, sportswear, acce ssories, men?s apparel and footwear, and women?s sportswear primarily under the 7 For All Mankind, John Varvatos, Splendid, and Ella Moss brands. The company sells its products to specialty stores, department stores, national chains, and mass merchants primarily through its sales force, independent sales agents, and distributors. V.F. Corporation was founded in 1899 and is based in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By SamSam Collins Collins]

    V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC ) is a global apparel company that designs and manufactures a variety of apparel and footwear for all ages. The company is transforming the denim and daypack area with lifestyle apparel brands, according to Standard & Poor's. And its Vans and North Face brands are viewed as growth drivers, along with its new store growth in Asia.

    S&P has a 12-month target of $106 and a "five-star strong buy" rating on the stock. VFC has been consolidating for over a year between $70 and $86, but a recent double-bottom and a pending breakout from that pattern, and a stochastic buy are very powerful signals that this stock could make a run to over $90.

  • [By Rebecca Lipman]

     Designs and manufactures, or sources from independent contractors various apparel and footwear products primarily in the United States and Europe. Market cap of $14.26B. EPS growth (5-year CAGR) at 19%. According to Morgan Stanley: "VF's changing port-folio mix toward Outdoor and Action Sports should allow it to grow faster, producing mid-teens EPS growth annually. We are bullish on the Timberland acquisition and believe it will be a meaningful contributor to the top and bottom lines."

5 Best Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: OSI Systems Inc.(OSIS)

OSI Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs and manufactures electronic systems and components for homeland security, healthcare, defense, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates in three divisions: Security, Healthcare, and Optoelectronics and Manufacturing. The Security division provides security and inspection systems under the Rapiscan Systems name. Its products include baggage and parcel inspection, cargo and vehicle inspection, hold baggage screening, and people screening products to search for weapons, explosives, drugs, and other contraband, as well as for the verification of cargo manifests for monitoring the export and import of controlled materials. This division also offers various turn-key security screening solutions under the S2 trade name. The Healthcare division provides patient monitoring, diagnostic cardiology, and anesthesia delivery and ventilation systems under the Spacelabs name that are used in critical care, emergency, and perioperative areas within hospitals, as well as physician?s offices, medical clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. The Optoelectronics and Manufacturing division offers optoelectronic devices for the aerospace and defense, avionics, medical imaging and diagnostic, renewable energy, biochemistry analysis, pharmaceutical, nanotechnology, telecommunications, construction, and homeland security markets under the OSI Optoelectronics name; and electronics manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers under the OSI Electronics name. This division also provides laser-based remote sensing devices to detect and classify vehicles in toll and traffic management systems under the OSI Laserscan name; blood pressure cuffs and unifusors under the Statcorp Medical name; and solid-state laser products for aerospace, defense, telecommunication, and medical applications under the OSI LaserDiode trade name. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Hawthorne, California.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Buy For 2014: Logitech international SA (LOGI)

Logitech International S.A. (Logitech) is a holding company. Logitech develops and markets hardware and software products for digital navigation, music and video entertainment, gaming, social networking, audio and video communication over the Internet, video security and home-entertainment control. Logitech operates in two segments: peripherals and video conferencing. The Company�� peripherals segment includes design, manufacturing and marketing of peripherals for personal computers (PCs) and other digital platforms. Its products for the PC include mice, trackballs, keyboards, interactive gaming controllers, multimedia speakers, headsets, webcams, and lapdesks. Logitech�� Internet communications products include webcams, headsets, video communications services, and digital video security systems for a home or small business. Its digital music products include speakers, earphones, and custom in-ear monitors. On July 6, 2010, Logitech acquired all of the assets of Paradial AS. On March 31, 2011, the Company sold its equity interest in certain 3Dconnexion subsidiaries.

3Dconnexion subsidiaries are the providers of the Company�� 3D controllers, and its intellectual property rights related to the manufacture and sale of certain 3Dconnexion products. Paradial AS provides firewall and network address translation (NAT) traversal solutions for video communications. For home entertainment systems, Logitech offers the Harmony line of advanced remote controls, Squeezebox wireless music solutions and, in the United States, a line of Logitech products for the Google TV platform. For gaming consoles, the Company offers a range of gaming controllers and microphones, as well as other accessories. Logitech�� sells its peripheral products to a network of distributors and resellers and to other equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company�� worldwide retail network includes wholesale distributors, consumer electronics retailers, mass merchandisers, specialty electronics stores, computer and telecomm! unications stores, resellers and online merchants.

The Company�� video conferencing segment includes design, manufacturing and marketing of LifeSize video conferencing products, infrastructure and services for the enterprise, public sector and other business markets. LifeSize products include high-definition (HD) video communication endpoints, HD video conferencing systems with integrated monitors, video bridges and other infrastructure software and hardware to support large scale video deployments, and services to support these products. Logitech sells its LifeSize products and services to distributors, resellers, OEMs and direct enterprise customers. Logitech conducts its business through subsidiaries in the Americas, including North and South America; Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia Pacific, including, among other countries, China, Taiwan, Japan, India and Australia.

Pointing Devices

Logitech offers a range of computer mice, sold through retail and OEM channels. Its mice products include M215, M310 and M305 wireless mice with advanced 2.4 gigahertz wireless connection and cordless universal serial bus (USB) plug-and-forget nano-receiver; Performance Mouse MX and Anywhere Mouse MX with Logitech Darkfield Laser Tracking; Marathon Mouse 750, and Wireless Trackball M570. Logitech�� mice products also include a line of gaming mice, including the Wireless Gaming Mouse G700, with 13 precisely placed, programmable controls to perform single actions and complex macros, full-speed gaming-grade wireless, and a quick-connect charging cable. In addition, the Company sells both corded and cordless mice designed specifically for OEM customers.

Keyboards and Desktops

Logitech offers a range of corded and cordless keyboards and desktops (keyboard-and-mouse combinations). The Company�� keyboards and desktops include Wireless Solar Keyboard K750; K800 Illuminated Wireless Keyboard; The diNovo Edge keyboard; Wireless Desktop MK320, and G! 19 Keyboa! rd for Gaming.

Audio

Logitech designs and manufactures a range of multimedia speakers, including Wireless Speaker Z515, The Laptop Z305 speaker, and The S-series line of portable iPod/MP3 docks, including the Rechargeable Speaker S715i and the Portable Speaker S135i. It also designs and manufactures The Z-623 2.1 THX certified speakers, the Z-506 5.1 Speakers, and the Z-906 5.1 Surround Sound speakers. Logitech offers a portfolio of network music systems. The Squeezebox Touch, with its 4.3-inch color touch screen, connects to existing stereo system and speakers and supports sampling rates of up to 24 bits at 96 kilohertz. The Squeezebox Radio is a compact network music player and alarm that allows to connect to home network, and access Internet radio, personal music collection or subscription services.

The Ultimate Ears product line offers a range of in-ear consumer or fit earphones for portable music enthusiasts, as well as custom stage earphones for musicians and sound engineers. Its line of earphones include Ultimate Ears 100 and 200 value-priced earphones, with silicone ear cushions in a durable sweat-resistant design; Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 with triple armature speakers, and The Ultimate Ears 600 featuring single armature speakers, the Ultimate Ears 600vi, and the Ultimate Ears 700 featuring dual armature speakers. Its line of Ultimate Ears Custom Stage Earphones include Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors co-designed with Capitol Studios for professional studio engineers and producers for use during recording, mixing and mastering original music content, the UE-18 Pro featuring a six-speaker design, the UE-7 Pro for live performance and stage use, and the UE-4 Pro featuring a dual speaker design for artists and audiophiles.

Logitech offers headsets and microphones designed for applications, such as PC voice communications, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications and online gaming. Its products in this category include the ClearCha! t PC Wire! less headset, the Wireless Headset H760, the USB Headset H530, the G35 Surround Sound Headset for gaming, the Wireless Gaming Headset G930, the USB Desktop Microphone, and the OCS certified Logitech B-530 USB Headset.

Video

Logitech�� webcam offerings include Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910, Logitech Webcam Pro 9000, Logitech HD Webcam C510 and Logitech TV Cam for use with Logitech Revue. Logitech�� webcams works with video messaging applications, and provides up to HD 720p video calling in Skype, Windows Live Messenger and Logitech Vid HD. The Logitech Alert digital video security system is a complete home or small business video security system, with software that provides motion alerts and a live view from an Internet-connected computer, smartphone, tablet or Google TV system, including Logitech Revue.

Gaming

Logitech offers a range of game controllers for PC gamers, including joysticks, steering wheels, gamepads, mice and keyboards, and headsets, as well as gaming products for console platforms, such as PlayStation2, PlayStation3, PSP (PlayStation Portable), Xbox, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. The Company�� gaming products include Logitech G700 Wireless Gaming Mouse; Logitech G13 advanced gameboard with a built-in LCD screen, 25 programmable keys and onboard memory; Logitech G27 Racing Wheel and Logitech G35 Surround Sound Headset.

Digital Home

The Company�� line of remotes includes Harmony One remote, Harmony 900 remote and Harmony 650. In October 2010, Logitech introduced its line of products for Google TV in the United States, including Logitech Revue and the Logitech Keyboard Controller; Logitech TV Cam and Vid HD service, and Logitech Mini Controller.

LifeSize Video Conferencing

LifeSize division offers HD video communication solutions, including HD video conferencing products, audio conference telephones, hardware infrastructure solutions, video management software, and services to support ! video and! audio communications and help users connect to any network securely and with ease. The LifeSize product line includes Passport, LifeSize Video Center, Express Series, Team Series, Room Series and LifeSize Bridge.

The Company competes with Microsoft Corporation, Plantronics, Inc., Altec Lansing LLC, Creative Labs, Inc., Bose Corporation, Sony Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics NV, Hewlett-Packard, Intec, Razer USA Ltd., Performance Designed Products, LLC (Pelican Accessories), Mad Catz Interactive, Inc., Universal Remote Control, Inc., Universal Electronics Inc., RCA, Apple Inc., Roku, Inc., Cisco, Radvision Ltd., Vidyo, Inc. and Polycom.

5 Best Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: eFuture Information Technology Inc.(EFUT)

eFuture Information Technology Inc. provides integrated software and services to retail and consumer goods industries in the People?s Republic of China. It offers software solutions, which include foundation solutions for retail management, point of sale, distribution management, logistics management, warehouse management, vendor payment and control, and loyalty card management; collaborative solutions for visual SCM and visual process management systems; and intelligent solutions for business intelligence, brand analysis, supplier relationship management, and customer relationship management systems. The company also provides support services on existing software installations; delivery services; consulting services, including systems planning and design, customer-specific configuration of application modules, and onsite implementation or conversion from existing systems; post-implementation consulting services, such as utilization reviews and business process optimizati on; and outsourcing services comprising design, development, implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of information technology and business functions. In addition, it offers cloud services based on cloud computing architecture, such as B2C eCommerce and salesforce automation. The company serves manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, logistics companies, and retailers in front-end supply chain market. It has strategic partnerships with Microsoft Corporation and JDA Software Group, Inc. to co-develop software and to implement partners? solutions. The company was formerly known as e-Future Information Technology Inc. and changed its name to eFuture Information Technology Inc. in 2008. eFuture Information Technology Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

5 Best Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: Datawatch Corporation(DWCH)

Datawatch Corporation engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and support of business computer software products primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company?s products include Monarch 11, a desktop reporting and data analysis application that allows users to extract and manipulate data from ASCII report files, PDF files, or HTML files; Monarch Data Pump, a data replication and migration tool, which provides information delivery and data extract, and transform and load capabilities in one automated solution; and Monarch Enterprise Server that offers Web-enabled report storage, transformation, and distribution, including data analysis, visualization, and MS Excel integration. It also offers Monarch RMS, a Web-based report analytics solution that integrates with existing enterprise content management system; Monarch Report Manager on Demand, a document archive system that stores text, images, intelligent data streams, and unstructur ed content with file compression and encryption; and Datawatch Dashboards, an interactive dashboard solution that gives various levels of users a visual overview of operational performance, as well as the ability to monitor specific business processes and events. In addition, the company provides iMergence iStore, a report management solution, which manages computer-generated reports, mines the data contained in them, and allows users to interactively merge and transform them into new reports; Visual QSM, a Web-enabled IT service management system that incorporates workflow and network management capabilities, and provides Web access to multiple databases while enabling customers to interact through browser; and Visual Help Desk, which offers Web-based help desk and call center solutions. It sells its products through direct sales force, value added resellers, and distributors. Datawatch Corporation was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

Ennore Port to raise Rs 500 cr via tax free bonds

Company also has an option to retain oversubscription upto Rs 500 crore , aggregating to Rs 1,000 crore.

Coupon rate for retail investors and HUFs (which are applying for an amount aggregating up to and including Rs 10 lakh across all series of bonds in the issue) is fixed at 7.51 percent in case of series 1 and 7.67 percent in case of series 2. For other investors, the coupon rate fixed at 7.01 percent and 7.17 percent in case of series 1 and 2, respectively.

Bids can be made for minimum 5 bonds across both series of bonds and in multiples of 1 bond thereafter. Interest payment will be received by investors on annual basis.

Redemption of bonds will take place after 10 years and 15 years from the deemed date of allotment in case of series 1 and 2, respectively.

Bonds are proposed to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The issue will close on March 15, 2013.

IDFC Capital Limited, A K Capital Services Limited and SBI Capital Markets Limited are lead managers to the issue.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Comcast's NBCUniversal Offers TV App - Analyst Blog

Top Performing Companies To Buy For 2014

Owned by Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), NBCUniversal's USA Network is offering original programs like "Royal Pains" and "Burn Notice" on smartphones and tablets thorough new TV apps.

The subscribers can view these shows just by downloading the free USA Now app on their iPads and other mobile devices. Apart from TV shows, the users can play games linked with the show and comment on Facebook and Twitter. The customer will be eligible to use the new app for a year.

Apart from Comcast's customers, the new app can also be accessed by the subscribers of Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC), Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC), Mediacom Communications Corp., Suddenlink Communications, DirecTV (DTV) and Dish Network Corp. Moreover, Verizon Wireless's FiOS TV can also use the app.

However, the new app will not be ad free as NBCUniversal is seeking sponsorship for the app. After the launch of the USA Now app, the company is looking forward to offering Sify network and Telemundo channel apps.

Higher adoption of smartphones and tablets and increased deployment of 4GLTE technology supporting faster data speed and better streaming have completely altered the concept of TV viewing. There are multiple devices on which the customers can watch their favorite shows and connect to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

So, to address such issues as well as to promote the concept of Xfinity TV –, an on-demand, Web-based service, – Comcast is gradually launching these TV apps. Moreover, it will also help the company to safeguard its position against low-cost video streaming companies like Hulu and Netflix.

Currently, Comcast Corporation carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Q2 Earnings season get into high gear - Earnings Preview

Top Insurance Stocks To Buy For 2014

The 2013 Q2 earnings season gets into high gear this week as earnings reports from 178 companies come out, including 76 from the S&P 500. By the end of this week, we have earnings reports from more than a fifth of the index's total membership; giving us a good enough sample size to judge the Q2 earnings season.

This week's reporting docket is heavy with Finance sector results, but we have plenty of bellwethers from other key sectors on deck as well, which makes this week's reports a fairly representative sample. From Google (GOOG), IBM (IBM), and Intel (INTC) to Coke (KO) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Pepsi (PEP) and much more in between, this week's reports span the full spectrum of the economy. While earnings reports from almost 80% of the S&P 500 companies will still be awaited by the end of the week, the trends established this week will likely carry through the rest of this reporting cycle with only minor changes.

With respect to the results thus far, we have seen Q2 results from 29 S&P 500 members (as of Friday, July 12th). These results provide a bit of a mixed picture, though not materially different from what we saw in Q1. Earnings and revenue growth for these 29 companies are comparable to what these same companies achieved in 2013 Q1. But the beat ratios (% of companies coming out with positive surprises) are modestly weaker on the earnings side and about the same on the revenue side. Given the very small sample size, it is not advisable to draw any conclusions at this stage. As such, the more important story on the earnings front pertains to expectations form the coming reports.

In terms of earnings growth, the remaining Finance sector companies are expected to sustain the trend established by J.P. Morgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC), even though both banks cautioned against the impact of higher interest rates on mo! rtgages in an otherwise low demand backdrop for loans. The spike in interest rates will in the long run help improve net-interest margins for the banks, though margins will likely be flat at best in Q2, as was the case with these two banks.

Total earnings for the rest of the Finance sector are expected to be up +20.5% from the same period last year, with favorable comparisons at Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), and Goldman Sachs (GS). The composite picture for the Finance sector, combining the results that have come out with those still to come, is for earnings growth of +21.3% from the same period last year, an improvement from what was expected before the JPM/WFC results.

The composite Q2 earnings growth picture - combining the result for the 29 companies that have come out with results with the 471 still awaited – shows a growth rate of +0.7% on -0.7% lower revenues and modestly higher margins. This is sharply down from +3.9% growth expected in early April. Nine of the 16 Zacks sectors are expected to show negative earnings growth in Q2. But the growth picture in Q2 is even more underwhelming when Finance is excluded from the data. Outside of Finance, total earnings for the S&P 500 would be down -3.4%.

Unlike Finance, the earnings picture for the Technology sector remains fairly weak. Total earnings for the sector are expected to be down -8.3% from the same period last year, which follows the -4.2% earnings decline in Q1. Earnings estimates for the sector steadily came down as the quarter progressed, with the current -8.3% decline down from the expected decline of -3.1% in mid-April. Excluding Technology, total Q2 earnings for the S&P 500 would be up +2.8% from the same period last year.

The weakest group within the Technology sector is the PC makers, with total earnings for the Computers and Office Equipment industry expected to be down -16.1% in Q2 after the -14.1% decline in Q1. Semiconductors and electronics are other Tech industries with negative ea! rnings gr! owth in the quarter, while the software group is expected to show a modest positive growth.

High Expectations for Second half & Next year

Expectations for total earnings in 2013 have come down as estimates for Q2 were revised lower, though estimates for the second half of the year and full-year 2014 have held up fairly well. The +6.3% growth in total earnings this year, down from +6.8% in early April, reflects a material ramp up in the second half of the year that is then expected to carry into 2014. Combining the actual results for Q1 with estimates for Q2 gives us +1.7% year-over-year growth in total earnings during the first half of 2013. But total earnings are expected to be up +8.1% in the second half of the year and further +11.4% in full-year 2014.

Total earnings for companies in the S&P 500 in Q2 are expected to remain below Q1's record level. The Zacks Consensus bottom up earnings estimates aggregate to $250.9 billion in Q2, compared to $249.2 billion in 2012 Q2 and 2013 Q1's record of $252.7 billion. The Finance sector will generate $49.8 billion or 18.7% of the S&P 500's total Q2 earnings, while the Tech sector is expected to generate $43.5 billion or 16.7% of the index's total earnings.

Finance is reclaiming its dominant earnings position in the index which was taken over by the Tech sector following the 2008 crash. Tech remained the biggest earnings producer for the S&P 500 from 2008 through 2012, but the leadership role moves back to Finance this year. Finance is on track to produce $198 billion in 2013 (19.2% of the total), up from $173.7 billion in 2012 (17.9% of the total), while Tech is expected to produce $186.1 billion this year (18% of the total), up from $181.9 billion in 2012 (18.8% of the total).

Trends in Estimate Revisions

The revisions trend that appeared to be moving in a positive direction a few weeks back has lost ground lately, though revisions activity is typically closed to its lowest point ahead of th! e reporti! ng cycle, as is the case at present. We should see a material pick up in revisions activity, as analysts adjust their estimates for the following quarters after earnings releases. The 'Revisions Ratio', the key metric plotted below, is basically the ratio of total number of upward revisions over the preceding four weeks to the total number of revisions (positive and negative) over that same period.

We have two charts each for 2013 and 2014. The bar charts show the current state of the 'revisions ratio' (as of 7/7/13), while the line charts plot the ratio's trajectory over the preceding 24 months. As you can see below, the revisions ratio for 2013 dropped to 42% from the prior week's 47% level, while the same for 2014 dropped to 44% from 49% the week before. Both ratios are now moderately in negative territory.








The ratio doesn't tell you the 'magnitude' of the revisions, only the direction. The '50%' level (the dark line) is the dividing line between positive and negative trends, with readings above 50% implying more positive than negative revisions. That said our analysis shows that readings between 45% and 55% don't offer material insights into the magnitude of revisions. It is only readings above 55% and below 45% that offer bullish and bearish signals about the magnitude of earnings revisions.

As you can see in the 2013 chart above, the revisions trend for the index as a whole has moved into bearish territory, with only 6 of the 16 sectors at or above the 50% level this week, down from 7 sectors last week ! (Tech wen! t below the 50% level). On the bearish side, 9 of the 16 sectors remain below the 45% level, with revisions activity in Basic Materials and Consumer Staples continuing to the down side.

Finance's revisions ratio currently (as of 7/5) stands at 56% for 2013 (down from 66% the week before) and 56% for 2014 (down from 70%), signaling material loss of momentum though the trend still remains positive. This week's earnings reports will give us a clear signal about the direction of estimate revisions for the coming quarters. J. P. Morgan and Wells Fargo generally made favorable comments about the outlook for net-interest margins, though they did caution towards potentially tougher times in the mortgage banking business in an elevated interest rate environment.

Earnings will be the focus all week, though we have the June Retail Sales, Industrial Production, CPI, and Housing Starts data on the docket as well. The Fed will likely steal the limelight later in the week, with Bernanke's testimony to the House on Wednesday and the Senate on Thursday.

Monday-7/15

We will get the June Retail Sales data in the morning, with expectations of +0.9% 'headline' increase after the +0.6% increase the month before. We will also get the July Empire State regional manufacturing survey. Citigroup (C) is the only major report in the morning.
Tuesday -7/16

We will get June CPI and Industrial Production and the July homebuilder index. Inflation is expected to be up +0.4% on the 'headline' and +0.2% on the 'core', while Industrial Production is expected to be up +0.1% in June after the flat reading in May. Coke (KO), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), and Goldman Sachs (GS) are the key reports before the open, while Yahoo (YHOO) and CSX Corp (CSX) will report after the close. Zacks ESP or Earnings Surprise Prediction, our proprietary leading indicator of earnings surprises, is showing CSX Corp coming out with an earnings beat. For a full report on Zacks ESP, clic! k here. W! ednesday-7/17

Bernanke will likely dominate the headlines with his House testimony, though we have a ton of earnings reports and the June Housing Starts numbers coming out. Bank of America (BAC), Piper Jaffray (PJC), and PNC Financial (PNC) are the key reports in the morning, while Intel (INTC), IBM (IBM), and eBay (EBAY) will report after the close. Zacks ESP is showing Bank of America and Intel coming out with positive earnings surprises. Thursday -7/18

In addition to weekly Jobless Claims, we will get the July Philly Fed survey in the morning. We will also have another day of Bernanke testimony, this time in the Senate. A very busy day on the earnings front, with Verizon (VZ), Morgan Stanley (MS), Sherwin Williams (SHW), and Union Pacific (UNP) reporting in the morning, while Google (GOOG) and Microsoft (MSFT) report after the close. Friday-7/19

Not much on the economic calendar, but plenty of earnings reports. We will have General Electric (GE), Schlumberger (SLB), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Honeywell (HON), Baker Hughes, and State Street (STT) as the key reports today, all in the morning.Here is a list of the 178 companies reporting this week, including 76 S&P 500 members.

! 5 0.49 37.5 ! BTO Thursday 0.85 MORGAN STANLEY -200 1.07
Company Ticker Current Qtr Year-Ago Qtr Last EPS Surprise % Report Day Time
BROWN & BROWN BRO 0.35 0.29 5.13 Monday AMC
CINTAS CORP CTAS 0.7 0.6 -3.23 Monday AMC
CITIGROUP INC C 1.18 0.95 9.32 Monday BTO
HUNT (JB) TRANS JBHT 0.74 0.67 -4.69 Monday N/A
JOES JEANS INC JOEZ 0.03 0.02 50 Monday AMC
STANLEY FURN CO STLY -0.12 -0.1 -18.18 Monday AMC
COCA COLA CO KO 0.63 0.61 2.22 Tuesday BTO
COMERICA INC CMA 0.69 0.76 4.48 Tuesday BTO
CSX CORP CSX 0.47 0.49 12.5 Tuesday AMC
DEL FRISCOS RST DFRG 0.19 0.2 Tuesday BTO
GOLDMAN SACHS GS 2.81 1.78 11.43 Tuesday BTO
INTERACTIVE BRK IBKR 0.22 0.17 -12.5 Tuesday AMC
JOHNSON & JOHNS JNJ 1.4 1.3 2.13 Tuesday BTO
MARTEN TRANS MRTN 0.25 0.23 18.52 Tuesday AMC
MERCANTILE BANK MBWM 0.35 0.36 51.52 Tuesday BTO
MILLER ENERGY MILL -0.15 -0.2 -257.14 Tuesday AMC
MOSAIC CO/THE MOS 1.15 1.27 5.62 Tuesday BTO
PACKAGING CORP PKG 0.63! 10.71 Tuesday AMC
PINNACLE FIN PT PNFP 0.39 0.23 18.18 Tuesday AMC
RENASANT CORP RNST 0.32 0.25 3.45 Tuesday AMC
RESOURCES CNCTN RECN 0.15 0.21 0 Tuesday AMC
SCHWAB(CHAS) SCHW 0.19 0.2 -6.25 Tuesday BTO
UTD RENTALS INC URI 1.02 0.66 11.54 Tuesday AMC
WESTAMER BANCP WABC 0.64 0.75 -1.54 Tuesday N/A
WINTRUST FINL WTFC 0.61 0.52 10.17 Tuesday AMC
YAHOO! INC YHOO ! 0.26 0.27 36 Tuesday AMC
ABBOTT LABS ABT 0.44 1.23 0 Wednesday BTO
ALBEMARLE CORP ALB 0.99 1.24 -7 Wednesday AMC
AMER EXPRESS CO AXP 1.21 1.15 3.6 Wednesday AMC
ASML HOLDING NV ASML 0.61 1.13 -7.55 Wednesday BTO
ASTORIA FINL CP AF 0.12 0.13 7.69 Wednesday AMC
BANK OF AMER CP BAC 0.25 0.19 -13.04 Wednesday BTO
BANK OF NY MELL BK 0.58 0.57 9.62 Wednesday BTO
BOSTON! PRIV FIN! BPFH 0.19 0.14 -23.53 Wednesday AMC
CATHAY GENL BCP CATY 0.35 0.33 -6.25 Wednesday AMC
COHEN&STRS INC CNS 0.44 0.36 7.32 Wednesday AMC
CORE LABS NV CLB 1.31 1.14 6.09 Wednesday AMC
COVANTA HOLDING CVA 0.04 0.15 -61.54 Wednesday AMC
CROWN HLDGS INC CCK 0.93 0.84 4.17 Wednesday AMC
CVB FINL CVBF 0.21 0.23 -4.55 Wednesday AMC
EAST WEST BC EWBC 0.51 0.47 0 Wednesday AMC !
EBAY INC EBAY 0.54 0.52 3.7 Wednesday AMC
EL PASO PIPELIN EPB 0.47 0.44 7.41 Wednesday AMC
FIRST CASH FINL FCFS 0.57 0.56 0 Wednesday BTO
FIRST REP BK SF FRC 0.63 0.6 0 Wednesday BTO
GRAINGER W W GWW 2.96 2.63 7.69 Wednesday BTO
GREENHILL & CO GHL 0.45 0.07 -34.78 Wednesday AMC
HNI CORP HNI 0.25 0.17 250 Wednesday AMC
IGATE CORP IGTE 0.29 0.16 23.68 We! dnesday BTO
INTEL CORP INTC 0.39 0.54 -4.76 Wednesday AMC
INTL BUS MACH IBM 3.78 3.51 -1.96 Wednesday AMC
KINDER MORG ENG KMP 0.62 0.37 0 Wednesday AMC
KINDER MORGAN KMI 0.31 0.36 -12.5 Wednesday AMC
KNOLL INC KNL 0.14 0.28 8.33 Wednesday BTO
LASALLE HTL PRP LHO 0.72 0.72 8 Wednesday AMC
M&T BANK CORP MTB 2.09 1.74 6.19 Wednesday BTO
MATTEL INC MAT 0.31 0.28 ! Wednesday BTO
NOBLE CORP NE 0.58 0.59 3.51 Wednesday AMC
NORTHERN TRUST NTRS 0.83 0.74 -1.39 Wednesday BTO
NOVARTIS AG-ADR NVS 1.31 1.38 4 Wednesday BTO
PACIFIC CONTL PCBK 0.21 0.17 35.71 Wednesday AMC
PIPER JAFFRAY PJC 0.43 0.31 9.09 Wednesday BTO
PLATINUM UNDRWT PTP 1.1 1.24 70.99 Wednesday AMC
PLEXUS CORP PLXS 0.58 0.66 1.96 Wednesday AMC
PNC FINL SVC CP PNC 1.64 1.25 12.1 Wednesday BTO
PREFERRED BANK PFBC 0.27 -0.43 36.36 Wednesday AMC
RLI CORP RLI 1.18 1.17 -1.89 Wednesday AMC
SANDISK CORP SNDK 0.88 0.15 12.86 Wednesday AMC
SELECT COMFORT SCSS 0.23 0.3 -4.55 Wednesday AMC
SLM CORP SLM 0.7 0.49 3.39 Wednesday AMC
ST JUDE MEDICAL STJ 0.94 0.88 0 Wednesday BTO
STEEL DYNAMICS STLD 0.13 0.2 5 Wednesday AMC
TEXTRON INC TXT 0.38 0.58 -14.89 Wednesday BTO
UMPQUA HLDGS CP UMPQ 0.22 0.21 -4.35 Wednesday AMC
UNIVL FST PRODS UFPI 0.72 0.67 2500 Wednesday AMC
US BANCORP USB 0.76 0.71 0 Wednesday BTO
VALMONT INDS VMI 2.89 2.24 15.6 Wednesday AMC
WNS HLDGS-ADR WNS 0.23 0.19 15.38 Wednesday BTO
XILINX INC XLNX 0.47 0.47 4.44 Wednesday AMC
ZHONE TECH INC ZHNE 0.02 -0.07 N/A Wednesday AMC
ACACIA RESEARCH ACTG 0.38 0.31 213.64 Thursday AMC
ADV MICRO DEV AMD -0.12 0.06 23.53 Thursday AMC
ALIGN TECH INC ALGN 0.28 0.34 13.04 Thursday AMC
AMER RIVER BSH AMRB 0.07 0.09 -12.5 Thursday AMC
AMPHENOL CORP-A APH 0.94 0.86 1.16 Thursday BTO
ASSOC BANC CORP ASBC 0.25 0.24 8 Thursday AMC
ATHENAHEALTH IN ATHN 0.08 0.12 33.33 Thursday AMC
AUTONATION INC AN 0.74 0.66 7.94 Thursday
BADGER METER BMI 0.55 0.52 -58.33 Thursday AMC
BAXTER INTL BAX 1.13 1.12 0.96 Thursday BTO
BB&T CORP BBT 0.74 0.72 2.99 Thursday BTO
BLACKROCK INC BLK 3.82 3.1 1.67 Thursday BTO
BLACKSTONE GRP BX 0.53 0.19 1.85 Thursday BTO
CAPITAL ONE FIN COF 1.71 0.33 17.79 Thursday AMC
CELANESE CP-A CE 1.16 1.47 44.3 Thursday AMC
CHECK PT SOFTW CHKP 0.76 0.71 ! 0 BTO
CHEMED CORP CHE 1.16 1.18 9.92 Thursday AMC
CHIPOTLE MEXICN CMG 2.8 2.56 9.81 Thursday AMC
CITY NATIONAL CYN 0.96 1.01 -2.17 Thursday AMC
COBIZ FINL INC COBZ 0.14 0.14 7.69 Thursday N/A
CYPRESS SEMICON CY 0 0.06 37.5 Thursday BTO
CYS INVESTMENTS CYS 0.29 0.49 -45.16 Thursday BTO
CYTEC INDS INC CYT 1.27 0.73 -12.79 Thursday AMC
DANAHER CORP DHR 0.85 0! .81 -1.32 Thursday BTO
DOVER CORP DOV 1.3 1.15 1.85 Thursday BTO
EASTGROUP PPTYS EGP 0.77 0.77 -1.3 Thursday AMC
ELECTRN IMAGING EFII 0.18 0.23 56.25 Thursday AMC
ERICSSON LM ADR ERIC 0.16 0.11 50 Thursday BTO
FAIRCHILD SEMI FCS 0.08 0.14 -200 Thursday BTO
FIFTH THIRD BK FITB 0.44 0.36 12.82 Thursday BTO
FORWARD AIR CRP FWRD 0.53 0.48 -7.69 Thursday AMC
GATX CORP GMT 0.8 -11.76 Thursday BTO
GENUINE PARTS GPC 1.21 1.08 -6.06 Thursday BTO
GLIMCHER REALTY GRT 0.17 0.14 14.29 Thursday AMC
GOOGLE INC-CL A GOOG 9.01 8.82 13.25 Thursday AMC
HOME BANCSHARES HOMB 0.31 0.28 1.64 Thursday BTO
HOME LOAN SERVC HLSS 0.46 0.33 2.33 Thursday BTO
HUB GROUP INC-A HUBG 0.49 0.46 0 Thursday AMC
HUBBELL INC -B HUB.B 1.31 1.29 -0.9 Thursday BTO
HUNTINGTON BANC HBAN 0.16 0.17 6.25 Thursday BTO
ICU MEDICAL INC ICUI 0.65 0.63 28.89 Thursday AMC
INTUITIVE SURG ISRG 4.12 3.75 14 Thursday AMC
JOHNSON CONTROL JCI 0.75 0.64 0 Thursday BTO
KEYCORP NEW KEY 0.2 0.23 5 Thursday BTO
MARRIOT VAC WW VAC 0.49 0.33 10.2 Thursday AMC
MATTHEWS INTL-A MATW 0.72 0.6 -3.17 Thursday AMC
MICROSOFT CORP MSFT 0.75 0.73 7.46 Thursday AMC
MS 0.44 0.16 7.02 Thursday BTO
MYERS INDS MYE 0.21 0.17 -11.11 Thursday BTO
NETSCOUT SYSTMS NTCT 0.12 0.16 5.56 Thursday BTO
NOKIA CP-ADR A NOK -0.03 -0.1 33.33 Thursday BTO
NUCOR CORP NUE 0.3 0.44 4 Thursday BTO
OCEANFIRST FINL OCFC 0.28 0.3 -10.34 Thursday AMC
PEOPLES UTD FIN PBCT 0.19 0.19 0 Thursday AMC
PHILIP MORRIS PM 1.41 1.36 -4.44 Thursday ! BTO
POOL CORP POOL 1.42 1.34 16.67 Thursday BTO
POPULAR INC BPOP 0.69 0.63 -10.94 Thursday BTO
PPG INDS INC PPG 2.34 2.36 1.28 Thursday BTO
PREMIERE GLOBAL PGI 0.18 0.16 0 Thursday AMC
PRIVATEBANCORP PVTB 0.33 0.19 25 Thursday BTO
QUEST DIAGNOSTC DGX 1.09 1.17 -14.42 Thursday BTO
SAFEWAY INC SWY 0.5 0.5 -2.78 Thursday BTO
SANDY SPRING SASR 0.39 0.36 13.51 Th! ursday BTO
SAP AG ADR SAP 0.91 0.77 41.51 Thursday BTO
SHERWIN WILLIAM SHW 2.6 2.17 2.78 Thursday BTO
SIMMONS FIRST A SFNC 0.4 0.38 -9.76 Thursday BTO
SKYWORKS SOLUTN SWKS 0.44 0.35 -2.56 Thursday AMC
SNAP-ON INC SNA 1.43 1.3 4.48 Thursday BTO
SONOCO PRODUCTS SON 0.58 0.58 -5.66 Thursday BTO
STRYKER CORP SYK 1.03 0.98 1.98 Thursday AMC
SUPERVALU INC SVU 0.02 0.19 Thursday BTO
TAIWAN SEMI-ADR TSM 0.27 0.27 13.04 Thursday BTO
ULTRATECH STEP UTEK 0.04 0.41 -2.04 Thursday BTO
UNION PAC CORP UNP 2.35 2.1 3.57 Thursday BTO
UNITEDHEALTH GP UNH 1.26 1.27 0 Thursday BTO
UTD FINL BCP UBNK 0.26 0.21 0 Thursday AMC
VERIZON COMM VZ 0.73 0.64 3.03 Thursday BTO
WATSCO INC WSO 1.41 1.15 18.18 Thursday BTO
WESTERN ALLIANC WAL 0.27 0.16 14.29 Thursday AMC
AUTOLIV INC ALV 1.38 1.33 1.57 Friday BTO
BAKER-HUGHES BHI 0.64 1 4.84 Friday BTO
BANCO LATINOAME BLX 0.54 0.61 -21.82 Friday BTO
FIRST HRZN NATL FHN 0.19 -0.5 0 Friday BTO
FIRST NIAGARA FNFG 0.18 0.17 5.88 Friday BTO
GENL ELECTRIC GE 0.35 0.38 11.43 Friday BTO
HONEYWELL INTL HON 1.22 1.14 6.14 Friday BTO
INGERSOLL RAND IR 1.15 2.44 Friday BTO
INTERPUBLIC GRP IPG 0.22 0.22 -7.69 Friday BTO
KANSAS CITY SOU KSU 0.95 0.85 2.3 Friday BTO
LABORATORY CP LH 1.8 1.77 -1.69 Friday BTO
MANPOWER INC WI MAN 0.89 0.76 40 Friday BTO
METROCORP BANCS MCBI 0.15 0.16 14.29 Friday AMC
MOSYS INC MOSY -0.11 -0.15 21.43 Friday BTO
ROCKWELL COLLIN COL 1.15 1.14 0.86 Friday BTO
SCHLUMBERGER LT S! LB 1.11 1.05 2.02 Friday BTO
STATE ST CORP STT 1.19 1.01 3.23 Friday BTO
SUNTRUST BKS STI 0.67 0.5 3.28 Friday BTO
V F CORP VFC 1.17 1.11 11.98 Friday N/A

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Drugs Driving JNJ, With Slow Progress In Devices And ...

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Watch For 2014

Another quarter is in the books, and not all that much has changed at healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). The company's drug business continues to grow exceptionally well, lifting margins along the way. Meanwhile, the recovery in the consumer business continues to be slow, as is the progress in producing better growth from the large device business. Although I've been lukewarm on JNJ's shares relative to other (better-performing) stocks in the drug and device space, the shares have done pretty well over the past year and while not cheap, aren't all that expensive for long-term holders.

Q2 Comes In Strong Due To Drugs
Johnson & Johnson reported that revenue grew about 10% this quarter (on an "operational" basis), with organic growth a bit below 6%. That was good for a slight (roughly 1%) outperformance relative to to expectations but all of the upside seemed to come from the pharmaceutical operations.

SEE: Positive Start To Q2 Earnings Season

Pharma revenue rose almost 13% on a constant currency basis, good for a 4% beat relative to sell-side expectations. The single largest drug, Remicade, continues to do well (up 10%), and the blockbuster-in-the-making Zytiga continues to grow particularly well (up 70% this quarter).

In the consumer business, JNJ saw just under 2% constant currency growth, which isn't that good relative to what is expected from other drug companies like Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) or Sanofi (NYSE:SNY), nor personal care companies like Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) or Beiersdorf.

I'll go into more detail on the device business in a moment, but for now I'll just mention that the 12% reported growth (and sub-2% organic growth) were below expectations for the quarter, though it was an improvement from the first quarter.

Operationally, the contributions of the drug business and the improvements in the consumer business are certainly helping. Gross margin rose about a half-point from last year, and operating income rose 10%, good for a roughly 3% beat versus the average estimate. The operating margin improved 40bp, whereas the average expectation was for a slight drop.

SEE: Analyzing Operating Margins

Devices – Ortho Slowly Improving, But Plenty Of Weakness Elsewhere
Orthopedics is about one-third of the JNJ device business now, and fortunately this was one of the better growers in the quarter – up a bit less than 3% on an organic basis. Like Biomet, JNJ saw improvements in the recon business, with growth in both hips and knees (Biomet was weaker in knees). Spine looks weak, though, and that could be an issue for others like Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and NuVasive (Nasdaq:NUVA). With this, I'd say investors have reason to expect better recon numbers from Zimmer (NYSE:ZMH), but perhaps not so much from Stryker (NYSE:SYK).

While cardio showed a decent uptick (up 5%), surgical continues to be weak (down 3%) as the company sees an ongoing shift away from mechanical toward minimally invasive, and companies like Covidien (NYSE:COV) gain some share. Diabetes continues to be a real mess (down 12% and down 23% in the U.S.), while diagnostics and vision care were also a little disappointing.

Drugs Will Continue Doing The Heavy Lifting
On the device side, I don't see a lot for JNJ to do but wait for operating conditions to improve and perhaps consider a few focused acquisitions to improve areas like its minimally invasive tools. The company has a decent chance of competing in the peripheral intervention and atrial fibrillation markets, and ortho should continue to show steady, if restrained improvement. Unless JNJ wishes to be bold and do an expensive deal, devices aren't going to drive growth for some time yet.

On the other hand, the drug business is doing well and liable to get even stronger. The company has filed for FDA approval of ibrutinib (for which it partnered with Pharmacyclics (Nasdaq:PCYC)) and expectations are for this drug to quickly become another blockbuster for JNJ in the oncology space. In addition to other oncology drug candidates, JNJ also has anti-TNF compounds in the works and the Hepatitis C (HCV) drug simeprevir filed with the FDA – a drug that is unlikely to threaten the presumed leadership roles of Gilead (Nasdaq:GILD) and AbbVie (Nasdaq:ABBV) in the emerging next-gen HCV space, but could offer some upside.

The Bottom Line
I'm still more or less lukewarm on Johnson & Johnson as an investment. Like the rest of the drug and device space, these shares have done pretty well over the past year, and the company does generate quite a bit of cash flow. That said, it will be hard for me to be really bullish on the stock unless/until growth improves in devices and consumer and/or the Street suddenly reverses course and gets too bearish on the drug business. I assume JNJ will grow its free cash flow at a long-term rate between 6% and 7% for the next decade, but I wouldn't pay more than the mid-to-high $80s for that cash flow stream right now.

3 Reasons Silver Is Not the Same As Gold

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now

In recent weeks, many investors reluctant to add to their gold positions are asking me if they would be better off getting their exposure to precious metals through silver instead.

While I don't have strong views on the direction of silver prices, I think it's important to distinguish between silver and gold rather than assume that the two metals are interchangeable .

To be sure, it's not unreasonable that gold and silver (along with platinum) are often lumped together in the precious metal basket. Silver, like gold, is viewed as a store of value and indeed has acted as a form of monetary base in the past. (History buffs will recall the late 19th advocacy of "free silver", a debate memorialized by William Jennings Bryan in his famous Cross of Gold speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention).

But while silver shares many characteristics with gold, here are three important differences between the metals .

Silver tends to be more sensitive to economic variables, while gold is often more sensitive to monetary variables. Industrial uses make up a large portion of silver demand — roughly 40%. In contrast, gold demand is driven almost exclusively by investment and jewelry demand. Thanks to its strong tie to industry, silver tends to be far more sensitive to economic variables, such as industrial production and manufacturing demand, than gold is.At the same time, gold tends to have a higher correlation with monetary variables such as real interest rates, inflation and changes in the value of the dollar. For example, based on annual data over the past fifty years, gold prices have had a 0.5 correlation with inflation, while the correlation between silver and inflation is around 0.35. And in earlier posts, I've written much about the high correlation between gold's returns and real interest rates. While the s! ame relationship holds for silver, it is less strong .

Silver and gold come from different production sources, which can have an important bearing on their prices. The majority of silver is produced as a by-product of lead, zinc, copper and gold production. As such, there is not as tight a relationship between silver production and silver prices as there is between gold prices and gold production.Silver prices can be more volatile than gold prices, partly owing to silver's lower ounce value and smaller market size. This volatility can make silver less attractive than gold to some investors from a portfolio construction perspective.So where does understanding these differences leave investors?

Whether investors should consider exposure to silver or gold, or both, partly depends on why they are allocating to precious metals in the first place. Those investors that view their position in precious metals primarily as an inflation hedge may want to consider gold, which, at least historically, has done a better job of hedging portfolios against rising prices.

However, investors that are looking to play a cyclical rebound in the global economy may want to consider silver because silver prices are likely to benefit more from an uptick in manufacturing.





Monday, August 26, 2013

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now

With shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) trading at around $36.89, is ABT an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

C = Catalyst for the Stock�� Movement

Abbott was given an OUTPERFORM rating here on April 2. It has had a good run since, but have circumstances changed?

Abbott operates in four segments: Nutritionals, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, and Established Pharmaceuticals. The biggest selling point for Abbott is an aging population ��not just in the United States, but in emerging markets as well. But will that be enough in a difficult economic environment? Let�� take a look at some positives and negatives:

NEW! Discover a new stock idea each week for less than the cost of 1 trade. CLICK HERE for your Weekly Stock Cheat Sheets NOW!

Positives:

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: EntreMed Inc (ENMD.PH)

EntreMed, Inc. (EntreMed), incorporated in 1991, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. EntreMed's drug candidate is ENMD-2076, an Aurora A and angiogenic kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer. ENMD-2076 has completed Phase I studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma and leukemia and is completing data for a multi-center Phase II study in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. The Company�� other product candidates have includes MKC-1, ENMD-1198 and 2-methoxyestrdiol (2ME2, Panzem) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

ENMD-2076 is a novel orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and multiple tyrosine kinases linked to cancer and inflammatory diseases. ENMD-2076 is relatively selective for the Aurora A isoform in comparison to Aurora B. Aurora kinases are key regulators of the process of mitosis, or cell division, and are often over-expressed in human cancers. E NMD-2076 exerts its effects through multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-proliferative activity and the inhibition of angiogenesis. ENMD-2076 has demonstrated significant, dose-dependent preclinical activity as a single agent, including tumor regression, in multiple xenograft models (such as breast, colon, leukemia), as well as activity towards ex vivo-treated human leukemia patient cells.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Terumo (TRUMY.PK)

TERUMO CORPORATION operates in four business segment. The Hospital Products segment is engaged in the manufacture, purchase and sale of hospital medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, peritoneal dialysis and diabetes related products, and the rental of hospital medical equipment and home medical products. The Cardiac and Vascular Area segment is involved in the manufacture, purchase and sale of catheter systems, artificial heart and lungs, as well as artificial blood vessels, the manufacture and sale of therapeutic coils for cerebral aneurysm, sampling equipment and kits for platelet-rich plasma and concentrated bone-marrow cell, and large-bore sheaths. The Blood System segment is engaged in the manufacture, purchase and sale of blood transfusion-related products. The Healthcare segment manufactures and sells healthcare related products. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had 79 subsidiaries and 2 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Holmes]

     Analyst Mayo Mita says the Japanese earthquake and tsunami was a setback for the company, Terumo has a more visible growth stage coming.

    "Over the next five years we see clear growth from China, the NOBORI drug eluting stent (DES), the U.S. catheter business, and the blood management business," Mita writes.

    The base-case Mita lays out is for a 26% rise in share price next year, although Mita's most bullish forecast has shares up twice that. On the downside, Mita's most bearish scenario has shares falling 11% in the next 12 months.

    The chart below shows shares of Terumo that trade on the Pink Sheets in the U.S., but Morgan Stanley is recommending buying shares in Tokyo.

Hot Undervalued Companies To Own In Right Now: Hemispherx Biopharma Inc (HEB)

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (Hemispherx) is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the clinical development of new drugs therapies based on natural immune system enhancing technologies for the treatment of viral and immune based chronic disorders. Hemispherx focuses on two core pharmaceutical technology platforms Ampligen and Alferon N Injection.The commercial focus for Ampligen includes application as a treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and as an influenza vaccine enhancer (adjuvant) for both therapeutic and preventative vaccine development. Alferon N Injection is a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved product with an indication for refractory or recurring genital warts. Alferon LDO (Low Dose Oral) is a formulation under development targeting influenza. It has three subsidiaries BioPro Corp., BioAegean Corp., and Core BioTech Corp. The Company's foreign subsidiary is Hemispherx Biopharma Europe N.V./S.A.

Ampligen

Ampligen is an experimental drug, which is undergoing clinical development for the treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Over 1,000 patients have participated in the Ampligen clinical trials representing the administration of more than 90,000 doses of this drug. The Company is also engaged in ongoing, experimental studies assessing the efficacy of Ampligen against influenza viruses.

Alferon N Injection

Alferon N Injection is the registered trademark for the Company's injectable formulation of natural alpha interferon. Interferons are a group of proteins produced and secreted by cells to combat diseases. The Company's natural alpha interferon is produced from human white blood cells. Alferon N Injection [Interferon alfa-n3 (human leukocyte derived)] is a highly purified, natural-source, glycosylated, multi-species alpha interferon product.

Alferon LDO (Low Dose Oral)

Alferon LDO [Low Dose Oral Interferon Alfa-n3 (Human Leukocyte Derived)]! is an experimental low-dose, oral liquid formulation of Natural Alpha Interferon and like Alferon N Injection should not cause antibody formation, which is a problem with recombinant interferon. It is an experimental immunotherapeutic that works by stimulating an immune cascade response in the cells of the mouth and throat, enabling it to bolster systemic immune response through the entire body by absorption through the oral mucosa.

The Company competes with Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, AstraZeneca, Baxter International, Fletcher/CSI, AVANT Immunotherapeutics, AVI BioPharma and Genta.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: StemCells Inc (STEM)

StemCells, Inc. (StemCells), incorporated in August 1988, is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of stem cell therapeutics and related tools and technologies for academia and industry. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing stem and progenitor cells as the basis for therapeutics and therapies, and cells and related tools and technologies to enable stem cell-based research and drug discovery and development. The Company�� primary research and development efforts are focused on identifying and developing stem and progenitor cells as potential therapeutic agents. The Company has two therapeutic product development programs, including its CNS Program, which is developing applications for HuCNS-SC cells, its human neural stem cell product candidate, and its Liver Program, which is characterizing the Company�� human liver cells as a therapeutic product.

CNS Program

The Company in its CNS Program, is in clinical development with its HuCNS-SC cells for a range of disorders of the central nervous system. The CNS includes the brain, spinal cord and eye. In February 2012, the Company had completed a Phase I clinical trial in Pelizeaus-Merzbacher Disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in the brain.

The Company�� CNS Program is focused on developing clinical applications, in which transplanting HuCNS-SC cells protect or restore organ function of the patient before such function is irreversibly damaged or lost due to disease progression. The Company�� initial target indications are PMD, and more generally, diseases in which deficient myelination plays a central role, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis; spinal cord injury, disorders in which retinal degeneration plays a central role, such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The Company�� product candidate, HuCNS-SC cells, is a purified and expanded composition of normal human neural stem cells. Its HuCNS-SC cells can be directly transp! lanted.

Liver Program

Liver stem or progenitor cells offer an alternative treatment for liver diseases. A liver cellular therapy or cell-based therapeutic provide or support liver function in patients with liver disease. The Company held a portfolio of issued and allowed patents in the liver field, which cover the isolation and use of both hLEC cells and the isolated subset, as well as the composition of the cells themselves.

The Company�� range of cell culture products, which are sold under the SC Proven brand, includes iSTEM, GS1-R, GS2-M, RHB-A, RHB-Basal, NDiff N2, and NDiff N2B27. Its iSTEM is a serum-free, feeder-free medium that maintains mouse embryonic stem cells in their pluripotent ground state by using selective small molecule inhibitors to block the pathways, which induce differentiation. RHB-A is a defined, serum-free culture medium for the selective culture of human and mouse neural stem cells and their maintenance and expansion as adherent cell populations. RHB-Basal is a defined, serum-free basal medium. When supplemented with specific growth factors, this media is formulated for the propagation and differentiation of adherent neural stem cells. RHB-Basal can also be tailored to specific-cell type requirements by the addition of customer preferred supplements.

The Company�� NDiff N2 is a defined serum-free scell culture supplement for the derivation, maintenance, expansion and/or differentiation of human and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and tissue-derived neural stem cells supplement. Its NDiff N2-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N2. Its NDiff N2B27 is a defined, serum-free medium for the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to neural cell types. NDiff N27-AF is a serum-free and animal component-free version of NDiff N27. Its GS1-R is a serum-free media formulation shown to enable the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent rat embryonic stem cells without the add! ition of ! cytokines or growth factors. Its GS2-M is a defined, serum- and feeder-free medium for the derivation and long-term maintenance of true, germline competent mouse iPS cells.

The Company also markets a number of antibody reagents for use in cell detection, isolation and characterization. These reagents are also under the SC Proven brand and it includes STEM24, STEM101, STEM121 and STEM123. Its STEM24 is a human antibody that recognizes human CD24, also known as heat stable antigen (HSA), a glycoprotein expressed on the surface of many human cell types, including immature human hematopoietic cells, peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes and many human carcinomas. Its CD24 is also a marker of human neural differentiation. Its STEM101 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes the Ku80 protein found in human nuclei. Its STEM121 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes a cytoplasmic protein of human cells. Its STEM123 is a human-specific mouse antibody that recognizes human glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

The Company�� Other products marketed under SC Proven include total cell genomic DNA (gDNA), RNA and protein lysate reagents purified from homogenous stem cell populations for intra-comparative studies, such as Epigenetic fingerprinting, Southern, Western and Northern blots, PCR, RT-PCR and microarrays. This range of purified stem cell line lysates includes mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells propagated in SC Proven 2i inhibitor-based GS2-M media and mouse ES cell-derived and fetal tissue-derived neural stem (NS) cells propagated in SC Proven RHB-A media.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Celgene Corp (CELG)

Celgene Corporation is a global biopharmaceutical company primarily engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases. The Company is engaged in the research and development, which is designed to bring new therapies to market, and is engaged in research in several scientific areas that may deliver therapies, focusing areas, such as intracellular signaling pathways in cancer and immune cells, immunomodulation in cancer and autoimmune diseases, and therapeutic application of cell therapies. The Company�� primary commercial stage products include REVLIMID, VIDAZA, THALOMID, ABRAXANE and ISTODAX. Additional sources of revenue include a licensing agreement with Novartis, which entitles it to royalties on FOCALIN XR and the entire RITALIN family of drugs, the sale of services through its Cellular Therapeutics subsidiary and other miscellaneous licensing agreements. In March 2012, it acquired Avila Therapeutics.

The Company invests in research and development, and the drug candidates in its pipeline at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. These candidates include pomalidomide and apremilast, its oral anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents, PDA-001, its cellular therapy, oral azacitidine, CC-223 and CC-115 for hematological and solid tumor malignancies, CC-122, its anti-cancer pleiotropic pathway modifier, and ACE-011 and ACE-536 biological products for anemia in several clinical settings of unmet need. Celgene product candidates include Pomalidomide (CC-4047), Oral Anti-Inflammatory: Apremilast (CC-10004), CC-11050, Kinase Inhibitors:Tanzisertib (CC-930), Cellular Therapies: PDA-001, Activin Biology: Sotatercept (ACE-011) ACE-536, and Anti-tumor Agents: CC-22, CC-115, CC-122 and Oral Azacitidine. It owns and operates a manufacturing facility in Zofingen, Switzerland. The Company also owns and operates a drug product manufacturing facility in Boudry, Switzerland.

Commercial! Stage Products

REVLIMID (lenalidomide) is an oral immunomodulatory drug marketed in the United States and many international markets, in combination with dexamethasone, for treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. It is also marketed in the United States and certain international markets for the treatment of transfusion-dependent anemia due to low- or intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. REVLIMID is distributed in the United States through contracted pharmacies under the RevAssist program, which is a risk-management distribution program. Internationally, REVLIMID is distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs.

REVLIMID continues to be evaluated in numerous clinical trials worldwide either alone or in combination with one or more other therapies in the treatment of a range of hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MDS) various lymphomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) other cancers and other diseases. VIDAZA (azacitidine for injection) is a pyrimidine nucleoside. VIDAZA is a Category 1 recommended treatment for patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS and is marketed in the United States for the treatment of all subtypes of MDS. In Europe, VIDAZA is marketed for the treatment of intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 30% blasts and has been granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of MDS and AML.

THALOMID (thalidomide) is marketed for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and for the acute treatment of the cutaneous manifestations of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) an inflammatory complication of leprosy and as maintenance therapy for prevention and suppression of the cutaneous manifestation of ENL recurrence. THALOMID is distributed in the United States under its System f! or Thalid! omide Education and Prescribing Safety (S.T.E.P.S.) program. Internationally, THALOMID is also distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs. ABRAXANE (paclitaxel albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension) is a solvent-free chemotherapy treatment option for metastatic breast cancer, which was developed using its nab technology platform. This protein-bound chemotherapy agent combines paclitaxel with albumin. As of December 31, 2011, ABRAXANE was in various stages of investigation for the treatment of expanded applications for metastatic breast; non-small cell lung; malignant melanoma; pancreatic; bladder and ovarian.

ISTODAX (romidepsin) has received orphan drug designation for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's T-cell lymphomas, which includes CTCL and PTCL. The Company has licensed the worldwide rights (excluding Canada) regarding certain chirally pure forms of methylphenidate for FOCALIN and FOCALIN XR to Novartis. It also licensed to Novartis the rights related to long-acting formulations of methylphenidate and dex-methylphenidate products which are used in FOCALIN XR and RITALIN LA.

Preclinical and Clinical-Stage Pipeline

The product candidates in the Company�� pipeline are at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. Pomalidomide is a small molecule that is orally available and modulates the immune system and other biologically important targets. Pomalidomide is being evaluated in a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of myelofibrosis and a phase III clinical trial evaluating pomalidomide as a treatment for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma is accruing patients.

The Company is developing a product, ORAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS, which is orally available small molecules that target PDE4, an intracellular enzyme that modulates the production of multiple pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, IL-12, IL-23, INF-gamma, TNF-a, leukotrienes,! and nitr! ic oxide synthase. Its investigational drug, apremilast (CC-10004), is used for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis and is being evaluated in a phase II trial for rheumatoid arthritis and six phase III multi-center international clinical trials. In addition, it is investigating its oral PDE4 inhibitor, CC-11050, which is an anti-inflammatory compound that treat a variety of chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE).

The Company�� oral kinase inhibitor platform includes inhibitors of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mTOR kinase, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) c-fms tyrosine kinase (c-FMS) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK). Its oral Syk, c-FMS and DNAPK kinase inhibitors are being investigated in pre-clinical studies. The Company�� new second generation JNK inhibitor, tanzisertib (CC-930), is being evaluated in a phase II trial for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a phase II trial for the treatment of discoid lupus is accruing patients. Amrubicin is a third-generation fully synthetic anthracycline molecule with potent topoisomerase II inhibition.

At Celgene Cellular Therapeutics (CCT), it is researching stem cells derived from the human placenta, as well as from the umbilical cord. CCT is the Company�� research and development division. Stem cell based therapies provide disease-modifying outcomes for serious diseases, which lack adequate therapy. It has developed technology for collecting, processing and storing placental stem cells with broad therapeutic applications in cancer, auto-immune diseases, including Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, neurological disorders, including stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), graft-versus-host disease, and other immunological / anti-inflammatory, rheumatologic and bone disorders.

The Company has collaborated with Acceleron Pharma, Inc. (Acceleron) to develop sotatercept. Two phase I clinical studies have been co! mpleted. ! An additional phase II clinical study has been initiated and is ongoing related to treatments for end-stage renal anemia and to evaluate effects on red blood cell mass and plasma volume.

The Company competes with Abbott Laboratories, Amgen Inc. (Amgen), AstraZeneca PLC., Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eisai Co., Ltd., F. Hoffmann-LaRoche Ltd., Johnson and Johnson, Merck and Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer, Sanofi and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Takeda).

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cannabis Science Inc (CBIS.PK)

Cannabis Science, Inc., incorporated on May 4, 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the creation of cannabis-based medicines, both with and without psychoactive properties, to treats disease and the symptoms of disease, as well as for general health maintenance. On February 9, 2012, the Company acquired GGECO University, Inc. (GGECO). On March 21, 2012, the Company acquired Cannabis Consulting Inc. (CCI Group).

The Company is engaged in medical marijuana research and development. The Company works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce, and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Fuse Science Inc (DROP.PK)

Fuse Science, Inc. ( Fuse Science), incorporated on September 21, 1988, is a consumer products holding company. The Company maintains the rights to sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactive agents that can effectively encapsulate and charge many varying molecules in order to produce complete product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or delivered otherwise sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The Fuse Science technology is designed to accelerate conveyance of medicines or nutrients relative to traditional pills and liquids and can enhance how consumers receive these products. In December 2012, the Company launched its initial DROP products, PowerFuse, an energy formulation in a concentrated drop and ElectroFuse, an electrolyte formula in a concentrated drop, online, with the expansion into targeted retail distribution channels.

The Compan y is developing formulations and devices, which are compatible with alternative delivery systems for energy, medicines, vitamins and minerals, among other bioactives. These alternative systems include, but are not limited to, sublingual, transdermal and buccal drug delivery methods. use Science has developed and continues to advance, in conjunction with its scientific team, sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactives that can effectively encapsulate and charge varying molecules in order to produce product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or otherwise delivered sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The delivery technology is consists of encapsulation vesicles and ion exchange permeation enhancers. This technology utilizes a gradient across the mucosa membrane to help deliver the bioactive more efficiently through the mucosa.

The Company

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Boston Scientific Corp (BSX)

Boston Scientific Corporation is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its products were offered for sale by seven core businesses: Interventional Cardiology, CRM, Endoscopy, Peripheral Interventions, Urology/Women�� Health, Neuromodulation, and Electrophysiology. In January 2011, it completed the acquisition of Intelect Medical, Inc. In January 2011, it completed the acquisition of Sadra Medical, Inc. In March 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Atritech, Inc. In February 2011, it announced the acquisitions of S.I. Therapies and ReVascular Therapeutics, Inc. In January 2011, the Company sold its Neurovascular business to Stryker Corporation. In June 2012, the Company acquired Cameron Health, Inc. of San Clemente, California and, as a result, added to its product portfolio subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator, called the S-ICD System.

Interventional Cardiology

The Company offers coronary stent product. Coronary stents are tiny, mesh tubes used in the treatment of coronary artery disease, which are implanted in patients to prop open arteries and facilitate blood flow to and from the heart. The Company offers a two-drug platform strategy with its paclitaxel-eluting and everolimus-eluting stent system offerings, and it offers a range of stent sizes. The Company markets its next-generation internally-developed and self-manufactured PROMUS Element stent system in the United States, its Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) region and certain Inter-Continental countries, including China and India. It markets the PROMUS everolimus-eluting stent system, supplied to the Company by Abbott Laboratories, in Japan. It also markets its TAXUS paclitaxel-eluting stent line, including its third-generation TAXUS Element paclitaxel-eluting stent system in the U.nited States, Japan, EMEA and certain Inter-Continental countries.

The Compa! ny markets a line of products used to treat patients with atherosclerosis, a principal cause of coronary artery obstructive disease. Its product offerings include balloon catheters, rotational atherectomy systems, guide wires, guide catheters, embolic protection devices, and diagnostic catheters used in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The Company markets a family of intraluminal catheter-directed ultrasound imaging catheters and systems for use in coronary arteries and heart chambers, as well as certain peripheral vessels. The iLab Ultrasound Imaging System continues as its flagship console and is compatible with its line of imaging catheters. The system is designed to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of blocked vessels and heart disorders. Sadra is developing a repositionable and retrievable device for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis. The Lotus Valve System consists of a stent-mounted tissue valve prosthesis and catheter delivery system for guidance and placement of the valve. Atritech has developed a device designed to close the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation who are at risk for ischemic stroke. The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Technology, developed by Atritech, is the first device proven in a randomized clinical trial to offer an alternative to anticoagulant drugs, and is approved for use in CE Mark countries.

Cardiac Rhythm Management

The Company develops, manufactures and markets a variety of implantable devices that monitor the heart and deliver electricity to treat cardiac abnormalities, including Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) systems used to detect and treat abnormally fast heart rhythms (tachycardia) that could result in sudden cardiac death, including implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) systems used to treat heart failure, and implantable pacemaker systems used to manage slow or irregular heart rhyth! ms (brady! cardia), including implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT-P) systems used to treat heart failure. Its product offerings include its COGNIS cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), its TELIGEN ICD systems and its ALTRUA family of pacemaker systems. During 2011, it began the United States launch of its next-generation line of defibrillators, INCEPTA, ENERGEN and PUNCTUA.

Endoscopy

The Company markets a range of products to diagnose, treat and ease a variety of digestive diseases, including those affecting the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, duodenum, and colon. Common disease states include esophagitis, portal hypertension, peptic ulcers as well as esophageal, biliary, pancreatic and colonic cancer. The Company offers the Radial Jaw 4 Single-Use Biopsy Forceps, which are designed to enable collection of large high-quality tissue specimens without the need to use large channel therapeutic endoscopes. Its exclusive line of RX Biliary System devices are designed to provide greater access and control for physicians to diagnose and treat challenging conditions of the bile ducts, such as removing gallstones, opening obstructed bile ducts and obtaining biopsies in suspected tumors. The Company also markets the Spyglass Direct Visualization System for direct imaging of the pancreatico-biliary system. The Spyglass System is a single-operator cholangioscopy device that offers clinicians a direct visualization of the pancreatico-biliary system and includes supporting devices for tissue acquisition, stone management and lithotripsy. Its products also include the WallFlex family of stents, in particular, the WallFlex Biliary line and WallFlex Esophageal line; and in 2011, the Company launched its Advanix Biliary Plastic Stent System and the Expect Endoscopic Ultrasound Aspiration Needle in the United States and certain international markets. Its Resolution Clip Device is an endoscopic mechanical clip designed to treat gastrointestinal bleeding.

T! he Company markets devices to diagnose, treat and ease pulmonary disease systems within the airway and lungs. Its products are designed to help perform biopsies, retrieve foreign bodies from the airway, open narrowings of an airway, stop internal bleeding, and ease symptoms of some types of airway cancers. Its product line includes pulmonary biopsy forceps, transbronchial aspiration needles, cytology brushes and tracheobronchial stents used to dilate narrowed airway passages or for tumor management. Asthmatx, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a less-invasive, catheter-based bronchial thermoplasty procedure for the treatment of severe persistent asthma. The Alair Bronchial Thermoplasty System, developed by Asthmatx, has both CE Mark and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and is the first device-based asthma treatment approved by the FDA.

Peripheral Interventions

The Company sells various products designed to treat patients with peripheral disease, including a line of medical devices used in percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and peripheral vascular stenting. Its peripheral product offerings include stents, balloon catheters, wires, peripheral embolization devices and vena cava filters. In 2010 and 2011, it launched several of its products internationally, including the EPIC self-expanding nitinol stent system in certain international markets, and the Carotid WALLSTENT stent system in Japan. The Company launched three new peripheral angioplasty balloons in 2011, including its next-generation Mustang percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon, its Coyote balloon catheter, a highly deliverable and ultra-low profile balloon dilatation catheter designed for a range of peripheral angioplasty procedures and its Charger PTA Balloon Catheter, a 0.035 inch percutaneous transluminal angioplasty balloon catheter designed for post-stent dilatation, as well as conventional balloon angioplasty to open blocked peripheral arteries. The Company has commenced a limited ma! rket rele! ase of its OFFROAD re-entry catheter system in certain international markets, and in February 2012, it launched its TRUEPATH intraluminal CTO device in the United States.

The Company sells products designed to treat patients with non-vascular disease. Its non-vascular suite of products include biliary stents, drainage catheters and micro-puncture sets designed to treat, diagnose and ease various forms of benign and malignant tumors. The Company continues to market its extensive line of Interventional Oncology product solutions, including the Renegade HI-FLO Fathom microcatheter and guidewire system and Interlock - 35 Fibered IDC Occlusion System for peripheral embolization. The Company�� FilterWire EZ Embolic Protection System is a filter designed to capture embolic material that may become dislodged during a procedure, which could otherwise travel into the microvasculature where it could cause a heart attack or stroke. It is commercially available in the United States, its EMEA region and certain Inter-Continental countries for multiple indications, including the treatment of disease in peripheral, coronary and carotid vessels. It is also available in the United States for the treatment of saphenous vein grafts and carotid artery stenting procedures.

Urology/Women�� Health

The Company�� Urology/Women�� Health division develops, manufactures and sells devices to treat various urological and gynecological disorders. The Company sells a variety of products designed to treat patients with urinary stone disease, stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and excessive uterine bleeding. The Company offers a line of stone management products, including ureteral stents, wires, lithotripsy devices, stone retrieval devices, sheaths, balloons and catheters.

The Company markets a range of devices for the treatment of conditions, such as female urinary incontinence, pelvic floor reconstruction (rebuilding of the anatomy to its original state), and ! menorrhag! ia (excessive menstrual bleeding). It offers a breadth of mid-urethral sling products, sling materials, graft materials, pelvic floor reconstruction kits, and suturing devices. The Company markets its Genesys Hydro ThermAblator (HTA) system, a next-generation endometrial ablation system designed to ablate the endometrial lining of the uterus in premenopausal women with menorrhagia. The Genesys HTA System features a smaller and lighter console, simplified set-up requirements, and an enhanced graphic user interface and is designed to improve operating performance.

Neuromodulation

The Company within its Neuromodulation business markets the Precision Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system, used for the management of chronic pain. In 2011, the Company launched its Clik Anchor for its Precision Plus SCS System, a rechargeable SCS device for chronic pain management. During 2011, it received FDA approval for and launched the Infinion 16 Percutaneous Lead, a 16-contact percutaneous lead. The Company also markets the Linear 3-4 and Linear 3-6 Percutaneous Leads for use with its SCS systems, which are designed to provide physicians more treatment options for their chronic pain patients. Intelect Medical, Inc. is a development-stage company developing advanced visualization and programming for the Vercise system.

Electrophysiology

The Company within its Electrophysiology business develops less-invasive medical technologies used in the diagnosis and treatment of rate and rhythm disorders of the heart. Included in its product offerings are radio frequency (RF) generators, steerable RF ablation catheters, intracardiac ultrasound catheters, diagnostic catheters, delivery sheaths, and other accessories. Its products include the Blazer and Blazer Prime line of temperature ablation catheters, designed to deliver enhanced performance, responsiveness, and durability. Its cooled ablation portfolio includes the closed-loop irrigated catheter on the market, the Chilli II cooled! ablation! catheter, and the newly launched Blazer Open-Irrigated ablation catheter with a Total Tip Cooling Design.

The Company competes with Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Organovo Holdings Inc (ONVO.PK)

Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), formerly Real Estate Restoration & Rental, Inc., incorporated in 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company has developed and is commercializing a platform technology for the generation of three-dimensional (3D) human tissues that can be employed in drug discovery and development, biological research, and as therapeutic implants for the treatment of damaged or degenerating tissues and organs. On December 28, 2011, Real Estate Restoration and Rental, Inc.�� (RERR) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, pursuant to which RERR merged with its, wholly owned subsidiary, Organovo (Merger Sub). On February 8, 2012, the Company merged with and into Organovo Acquisition Corp. (Acquisition Corp.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Organovo Holdings (the Merger). As a result of the Merger, Organovo acquired the business of Organovo, Inc.

The C ompany has collaborative research agreements with Pfizer, Inc. (Pfizer) and United Therapeutic Corporation (Unither). As of March 31, 2012, it has five federal grants, including Small Business Innovation Research grants and developed the NovoGen MMX Bioprinter (its first-generation 3D bioprinter). The Company is engaged in the development of specific 3D human tissues to aid Pfizer in discovery of therapies in two areas of interest. In addition, in October 2011, it entered into a research agreement with Unither to establish and conduct a research program to discover treatments for pulmonary hypertension using its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter technology. Additionally, under the research agreement with Unither, the Company granted Unither an option to acquire from the Company a worldwide, royalty-bearing license in certain intellectual property created under the research agreement solely for use in the treatment or prevention of pulmonary hypertension and all other lung diseases.

The Company�� NovoGen MMX Bioprinter is an aut! om! ated device that enables the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) living tissues comprised of mammalian cells. A custom graphic user interface (GUI) facilitates the 3D design and execution of scripts that direct precision movement of the dispensing heads to deposit cellular building blocks (bio-ink) or supporting hydrogel. The Company is using a third party manufacturer, Invetech Pty., of Melbourne, Australia, to manufacture its NovoGen MMX Bioprinter. Its bioprinting technology and surrounding intellectual property and commercial rights serve as a platform for product generation across multiple markets that employ cell- and tissue-based products and services.

The Company competes with Organogenesis, Advanced BioHealing, Tengion, Genzyme, HumaCyte and Cytograft Tissue Engineering.

Top 10 Medical Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cell Therapeutics Inc (CTIC)

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI), incorporated in 1991, develops, acquires and commercializes treatments for cancer. The Company�� research, development, acquisition and in-licensing activities concentrate on identifying and developing new ways to treat cancer. As of December 31, 2011, CTI focused its efforts on Pixuvri (pixantrone dimaleate) (Pixuvri), OPAXIO (paclitaxel poliglumex) (OPAXIO), tosedostat, brostallicin and bisplatinates. As of December 31, 2011, it developed Pixuvri, an anthracycline derivative for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Another late-stage drug candidate of the Company, OPAXIO, is being studied as a potential maintenance therapy for women with advanced stage ovarian cancer, who achieve a complete remission following first-line therapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin. As of December 31, 2011, it also developed tosedostat in collaboration with Chroma Therapeutics, Ltd. (Chroma). On May 31, 2012, CTI completed its acquisition gaining worldwide rights to S*BIO Pte Ltd.'s (S*BIO) pacritinib.

Pixuvri

As of December 31, 2011, the Company developed Pixuvri, an aza-anthracenedione derivative, for the treatment of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL), and various other hematologic malignancies, and solid tumors. Pixuvri was studied in the Company�� EXTEND, or PIX301, clinical trial, which was a phase III single-agent trial of Pixuvri for patients with relapsed, refractory aggressive NHL who received two or more prior therapies and who were sensitive to treatment with anthracyclines. On September 28, 2011, CTI announced that a second independent radiology assessment of response and progression endpoint data from its PIX301 clinical trial of Pixuvri was achieved with statistical significance. The results of the EXTEND trial met its primary endpoint and showed that patients randomized to treatment with Pixuvri achieved a significantly higher rate of confirmed and unconfirmed complete response compared to patients treated with standard chem! otherapy had a significantly increased overall response rate and experienced a statistically significant improvement in median progression free survival. Pixuvri had predictable and manageable toxicities when administered at the proposed dose and schedule in the EXTEND clinical trial in heavily pre-treated patients. In March 2011, the Company initiated the PIX-R trial to study Pixuvri in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Pixuvri has also been studied in patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have tumor progression after at least two, but not more than three, prior chemotherapy regimens. In the second quarter of 2010, the NCCTG opened this phase II study for enrollment. The study is closed to accrual and results are expected to be reported by the NCCTG later in 2012.

OPAXIO

OPAXIO is the Company�� biologically-enhanced chemotherapeutic agent that links paclitaxel to a biodegradable polyglutamate polymer, resulting in a new chemical entity. As of December 31, 2011, the Company focused its development of OPAXIO on ovarian, brain, esophageal, head and neck cancer. OPAXIO was designed to improve the delivery of paclitaxel to tumor tissue while protecting normal tissue from toxic side effects. In November 2010, results were presented by the Brown University Oncology Group from a phase II trial of OPAXIO combined with temozolomide (TMZ), and radiotherapy in patients with newly-diagnosed, high-grade gliomas, a type of brain cancer. The trial demonstrated a high rate of complete and partial responses and a high rate of six month progression free survival (PFS). Based on these results, the Brown University Oncology Group has initiated a randomized, multicenter, phase II study of OPAXIO and standard radiotherapy versus TMZ and radiotherapy for newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma with an active gene termed MGMT that reduces responsiveness to TMZ. A phase I/II study of OPAXIO combined with radi! otherapy ! and cisplatin was initiated by SUNY Upstate Medical University, in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Tosedostat

In March 2011, the Company entered into a co-development and license agreement with Chroma Therapeutics, Ltd. (Chroma), providing the Company with marketing and co-development rights to Chroma�� drug candidate, tosedostat, in North, Central and South America. Tosedostat is an oral, aminopeptidase inhibitor that has demonstrated anti-tumor responses in blood related cancers and solid tumors in phase I-II clinical trials. Interim results from the phase II OPAL study of tosedostat in elderly patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) showed that once-daily, oral doses of tosedostat had predictable and manageable toxicities and results demonstrated response rates, including a high-response rate among patients who received prior hypomethylating agents, which are used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a precursor of AML.

Brostallicin

As of December 31, 2011, the Company developed brostallicin through its wholly owned subsidiary, Systems Medicine LLC, which holds rights to use, develop, import and export brostallicin. Brostallicin is a synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) minor groove binding agent that has demonstrated anti-tumor activity and a favorable safety profile in clinical trials, in which more than 230 patients have been treated as of December 31, 2011. The Company uses a genomic-based platform to guide the development of brostallicin. A phase II study of brostallicin in relapsed, refractory soft tissue sarcoma met its predefined activity and safety hurdles and resulted in a first-line phase II clinical trial study that was conducted by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).

The Company competes with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Roche Group, Genentech, Inc., Astellas Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Celgene, Telik, I! nc., TEVA! Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and PharmaMar.