It takes money to make money. Most investors know that, but with business media so focused on the "how much," very few investors bother to ask, "How fast?"
When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to SeaChange International (Nasdaq: SEAC ) .
Let's break this down
In this series, we measure how swiftly a company turns cash into goods or services and back into cash. We'll use a quick, relatively foolproof tool known as the cash conversion cycle, or CCC for short.
Why does the CCC matter? The less time it takes a firm to convert outgoing cash into incoming cash, the more powerful and flexible its profit engine is. The less money tied up in inventory and accounts receivable, the more available to grow the company, pay investors, or both.
Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Own For 2015: RetailMeNot Inc (SALE)
RetailMeNot Inc., incorporated on September 17, 2007, operates digital coupon marketplace, connecting consumers with retailers and brands. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had contracts with more than 10,000 paid retailers. The Company owns and operates digital coupon Websites in the United States (RetailMeNot.com) and the United Kingdom (VoucherCodes.co.uk). The Company�� Websites, mobile applications, e-mail newsletters and alerts and social media presence enable consumers to search for, discover and redeem digital coupons from retailers and brands. Its marketplace features digital coupons across multiple product categories, including clothing; electronics; health and beauty; home and office; travel, food and entertainment; personal and business services; and shoes. It aggregates digital coupons from retailers, performance marketing networks, its user community, its employees and outsourced providers.
Products and Services for Consumers
The Company�� product development approach is centered on building products that enable consumers to discover quality digital coupons, virtually anytime and anywhere, and redeem them online or in-store. The Company�� products and services for consumers are available through its Websites and mobile applications. The Company offers its consumers digital coupons from retailers and brands across multiple product categories. Consumers visiting its marketplace search for and discover digital coupons based on retailer name, product, category, digital coupon type, popularity, success rate and other characteristics. Once a consumer discovers a relevant digital coupon, the consumer clicks on that digital coupon and is directed to the Website of the respective retailer, where the consumer is able to purchase products and redeem the digital coupon.
The Company�� mobile applications allow consumers to shop when they want, where they want. Consumers use its mobile applications to discover, store for use later and access the digit! al coupons they want and to redeem them both online and in-store. They can browse top digital coupons, stores and product category listings. Its mobile applications allow users to share digital coupons with others through e-mail, text message or through social media channels. In addition, utilizing location-based technology, the RetailMeNot iPhone application notifies consumers of savings opportunities when they are shopping near one of 575 geo-fenced shopping malls by sending consumers alerts for digital coupons that can be used in these malls. Consumers can redeem these digital coupons by scanning the barcode at the retailer�� register or by having the sales associate enter the promotional code shown on the consumer�� mobile screen into their point-of-sale system.
Using the Company�� geo-location technology, users that opt in receive an alert when they are near a shopping mall. The alert lists digital coupons that can be redeemed at certain stores within that mall. The mobile application also allows consumers to discover and redeem digital coupons online and to find nearby stores where the digital coupon can be utilized. Consumers can subscribe to receive its periodic e-mail newsletter and alerts. Its e-mail newsletter allows consumers to stay informed about featured digital coupons, while its alerts notify consumers when digital coupons from their preferred retailers become available. As of March 31, 2013, it had over nine million subscribers to its free e-mail newsletters and alerts.
Consumers can engage with the Company on social media channels, such as Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter, to receive promotional messages from retailers and brands. In addition, it engages consumers through social and gamification features in the Community section of RetailMeNot.com, including the ability to earn points, track dollars users have helped others save, view rankings, earn badges and win prizes.
Products and Services for Retailers
The Company ! provides ! retailers and brands with access to new customers through multiple channels online on its Websites and mobile applications, by e-mail newsletters and alerts and its social media presence, and in-store by displaying a digital coupon on a mobile device or presenting a printed coupon. It allows retailers to provide digital coupons across these multiple channels. It provides its paid retailers with a range of paid placement opportunities. Its placement opportunities include placement within the top coupon carousel of its homepage, the side rail of its category pages, its weekly e-mail newsletter, solo retailer newsletter campaigns and on the landing screen of its mobile applications. It charges a fee for these advertising tools on a campaign basis for a given period of time.
The Company competes with dealspl.us, bradsdeals, dealnews, savings.com, Tech Bargains and Coupon Cabin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Jarzemsky]
Out of the 2013 vintage, some of the best performers so far this year have been early-stage healthcare firms like BioAmber Inc.(BIOA), up 86% year-to-date through Thursday, and Kindred Biosciences Inc.(KIN), up 82%. A number of high-flying tech startups have also continued to soar. Cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc.(FEYE) has gained 67% since the start of the year. Online coupon company RetailMeNot Inc.(SALE) is up 48%.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Alamy The company that set you up with that marked-down Thai restaurant meal last month and that half-priced spa treatment last week is now calling shotgun the next time you head to the grocery store. Groupon (GRPN) on Thursday introduced Snap, an app that provides cash rebates for buying promoted items. Shoppers simply download the free app, check current offers and then go shopping. They can go to any retailer. All they have to do is submit a picture of the receipt -- hence the "Snap" -- to get the predetermined rebate. They can cash out once they accumulate $20 in savings. Wall Street doesn't see Snap as a major disrupter. Coupons.com (COUP) and RetailMeNot (SALE) are two publicly traded companies that already specialize in Web-based bargains, and neither one opened sharply lower on Thursday's news. However, it would be unwise to underestimate Groupon. Hitting the Express Lane
- [By John Udovich]
Coupons.Com Inc (NYSE: COUP) is the most recent small cap digital coupon or daily deal stock to emerge in a spectacular IPO to challenge existing players like mid cap Groupon Inc (NASDAQ: GRPN) and small caps LiveDeal Inc (NASDAQ: LIVE) and RetailMeNot Inc (NASDAQ: SALE). However and since the recent IPO, small cap Coupons.Com has been a relatively flat deal for investors.
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Alamy There are plenty of stocks going up -- and down -- in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets. Let's go over some of last week's best and worst performers. Pike (PIKE) -- Up 49 percent last week The market's biggest winner of last week was Pike, a specialty construction and engineering firm that received a bid to be taken private. J. Eric Pike -- the firm's chairman and CEO -- is teaming up with private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners to buy out shareholders at $12 a share. It's a fair premium, pricing the buyout at a better than 50 percent premium to where the stock was trading when it was announced. A few attorneys are trying to smoke out investors who feel that the CEO-led privatization push isn't fair, but it's likely to stick at that kind of healthy markup. Pike shares may have traded in the low teens last summer, but that was before revenue and earnings began heading the wrong way. Most shareholders should be more than happy to take the money and run. RadNet (RDNT) -- Up 34 percent last week Operating a network of 251 facilities that perform outpatient diagnostic imaging services is looking good for RadNet. The stock moved sharply higher after a strong quarterly report. Revenue inched slighting higher as MRI and CT scan volume increased modestly during the period. However, the real star in the report was RadNet's bottom line. Its cost-cutting and debt-slashing efforts paid off with net income soaring to $0.12 a share after clocking in at a $0.07 a share a year earlier. Analysts were only holding out for $0.05 a share. RadNet also helped improve its standing by boosting its guidance for all of 2014. You don't need any of RadNet's fancy imaging equipment to see that that's a healthy sign. Trex (TREX) -- Up 25 percent last week It was a good week for a pair of home improvement specialists. Shares of CaesarStone (CSTE) moved 20
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYK)
Liberty Global, Inc. provides video, broadband Internet, and telephony services primarily in Europe and Chile. The company offers broadband services over cable distribution systems, including video, broadband Internet, and telephony; and video services through direct-to-home satellite, or through multichannel multipoint distribution systems. Its analog video services comprise basic and expanded basic programming; and digital cable services include basic and premium programming, digital video recorders, and high definition programming, as well as pay-per-view programming, such as video-on-demand and near video-on-demand. In addition, the company offers voice-over-Internet-protocol and circuit-switched telephony services, as well as mobile telephony services using third-party networks. Further, it owns programming networks that provide video programming channels to multi-channel distribution systems owned by the company and the third parties. As of December 31, 2011, the com pany owned and operated networks that passed 33,262,100 homes; and served 18,405,500 video subscribers, 8,159,300 broadband Internet subscribers, and 6,225,300 telephony subscribers. Liberty Global, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is based in Englewood, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By GuruFocus]
Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) added to his holdings in Liberty Global PLC by 149.19%. His purchase prices were between $40.36 and $45.96, with an estimated average price of $43.34. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.17%. His holdings were 7,346,968 shares as of 03/31/2014.
Added: Liberty Global PLC (LBTYK)Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) added to his holdings in Liberty Global PLC by 149.19%. His purchase prices were between $38.905 and $43.46, with an estimated average price of $41.33. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.17%. His holdings were 7,346,968 shares as of 03/31/2014.
- [By Monica Wolfe]
Liberty Global PLC (LBTYK)
John Burbank upped his stake by 376.63% during the second quarter. The guru purchased a total of 402,991 shares in the second quarter price range of $64.57 to $73.78, with an estimated average price of $69.23 per share. Since then the price per share has increased approximately 4.9%.
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: Fuel Tech Inc.(FTEK)
Fuel Tech, Inc. uses a suite of advanced technologies to provide boiler optimization, efficiency improvement, and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers worldwide. It operates through two segments, Air Pollution Control Technologies and FUEL CHEM Technologies. The Air Pollution Control Technologies segment includes technologies, such as low and ultra low NOx Burners, over-fire air systems, NOxOUT and HERT selective non-catalytic reduction systems, and advanced selective catalytic reduction systems to reduce NOx emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces, and other stationary combustion sources. This segment distributes its products through direct sales force and agents. The FUEL CHEM Technologies segment uses chemical processes in combination with advanced computational fluid dynamics and chemical kinetics modeling boiler modeling for the control of slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity, and other sulfur trioxide-r elated issues in furnaces and boilers through the addition of chemicals into the furnace using Targeted In-Furnace Injection technology. This segment?s programs improve the efficiency, reliability, and environmental status of plants operating in the electric utility, industrial, pulp and paper, waste-to-energy, university, and district heating markets; and are installed on combustion units in North America, Europe, China, and India for treating various solid and liquid fuels, including coal, heavy oil, biomass, and municipal waste. It provides operational, financial, and environmental benefits to owners of boilers, furnaces, and other combustion units. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Shares of Fuel Tech Inc. (FTEK) �fell 15% to $5.86 on moderate volume. The air-pollution control technology company reported fourth-quarter earnings of 2 cents a share on revenue of $24.2 million. Only two analysts on FactSet estimated earnings averaging at 7 cents a share, while only one expected revenue of $28 million.
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: The York Water Company(YORW)
The York Water Company engages in impounding, purifying, and distributing drinking water in Pennsylvania. It has two reservoirs, Lake Williams and Lake Redman, which together holds up to approximately 2.2 billion gallons of water. The company also has a 15-mile pipeline from the Susquehanna River to Lake Redman that provides access to an additional supply of 12.0 million gallons of water per day. As of December 31, 2010, it served 182,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and other customers in 39 municipalities in York County and 7 municipalities in Adams County. The company was founded in 1816 and is based in York, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Dittman]
Question: I like the H2O business. I��e owned American Water Works Co Inc (NYSE: AWK) for eons. Is there any compelling reason to own more than one water utility? At what point does is there no marginal benefit added? I do like Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS) and York Water Co (NSDQ: YORW) as slow, consistent growers.
As Ben Franklin said, ��ittle strokes fell great oaks.��/p>
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated provides healthcare services in the United States. Its Health Benefits segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; and non-employer based insurance options for purchase by individuals. It also provides health and well-being services for individuals aged 50 and older; and for services dealing with chronic disease and other specialized issues for older individuals, as well as health plans for the beneficiaries of acute and long-term care Medicaid plans. This segment offers its services through a network of 730,000 physicians and other health care professionals, and 5,300 hospitals. Its OptumHealth segment provides health, financial, and ancillary services and products that assist consumers through personalized health management solutions; benefit administration, and clinical and network management; health-based financi al services; behavioral solutions; and specialty benefits, such as dental, vision, life, critical illness, short-term disability, and stop-loss product offerings. The company?s Ingenix segment offers database and data management services, software products, publications, consulting and actuarial services, business process outsourcing services, and pharmaceutical data consulting and research services. Its Prescription Solutions segment provides integrated pharmacy benefit management services comprising retail network pharmacy contracting and management, claims processing, mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy, benefit design consultation, rebate contracting and management, drug utilization review, formulary management programs, disease therapy management, and adherence programs to employer groups, union trusts, managed care organizations, Medicare-contracted plans, Medicaid plans, and third party administrators. The company was founded in 1974 and is based in Minne tonka, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Thalman]
UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) is also moving lower due to comments from the company's management team. The stock lost 3.14% of its value today after CEO Stephen Hemsley spoke about the changes and issues the company will likely face in the future due to the Affordable Care Act yesterday. Hemsley told investors at the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. conference that UnitedHealth will initially only participate in just 12 health-care exchanges. The company believes that the first wave of uninsured Americans seeking coverage through the exchanges will be costly customers due to "pent-up appetite" for medical care. This has caused UnitedHealth to take a cautious stance when it comes to the exchanges, and management wants to wait and see how everything plays out. �
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Finally, UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) rose 0.8%. A report over the weekend found that almost half of all states expect to expand their Medicaid programs in order to meet demand for poor residents seeking health insurance coverage under Obamacare's individual mandate. The news gives UnitedHealth and other insurance companies a second bite at the health-care apple, as the company can seek both to cover individuals through insurance policies as well as go after lucrative Medicaid business at the state level.
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: Penn West Petroleum Ltd(PWE)
Penn West Petroleum Ltd. engages in acquiring, exploring, developing, exploiting, and holding interests in petroleum and natural gas properties and related assets in North America. The company produces light and medium crude oil, natural gas liquids, heavy oil, and natural gas. It operates in two major regions, including the Southern District, which covers properties within Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and southern and east central Alberta with developed and undeveloped land base totaling approximately 3.3 million net acres; and the Northern District encompassing northeastern British Columbia, northern Alberta, parts of west central Alberta, and the Northwest Territories with developed and undeveloped land position of approximately 2.9 million net acres. The company was formerly known as Penn West Energy Trust and changed its name to Penn West Petroleum Ltd. in January 2011. Penn West Petroleum Ltd. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jayson Derrick]
Penn West (NYSE: PWE) reported details of several accounting irregularities and announced it will review its financial statements going back as far as four and a half years. The company noted that its historical financial documents for the period may not be reliable. As a result, the company may be forced to lower its budget and royalty expense expectations in addition to raising its operating cost for fiscal 2014. Shares lost 14.21 percent, closing at $7.85.
- [By Stephan Dube]
Peace River's most notable producers:
PennWest Exploration (PWE), see article here.Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A), see article here.Baytex (BTE), see article here.Strata Oil and Gas (SOIGF.PK), see article here.Petrobank Energy & Resources (PBEGF.PK), see article here.Cold Lake's most notable producers:
- [By Dan Caplinger]
The biggest worry that some investors have about Pengrowth is that its dividend is large compared to its earnings. Similar issues forced Penn West Petroleum (NYSE: PWE ) , also a former Canroy, to cut its dividend a couple months ago. Although extraordinary measures have helped Pengrowth and Enerplus (NYSE: ERF ) sustain payouts at levels that were last reduced in the middle of 2012, both companies could eventually see further pressure on their payouts in future.
Top International Companies To Own For 2014: Hudson City Bancorp Inc.(HCBK)
Hudson City Bancorp, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Hudson City Savings Bank that provides a range of retail banking services. It offers a range of deposit accounts, including passbook and statement savings accounts, interest-bearing transaction accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, and time deposits, as well as IRA accounts and qualified retirement plans. The company?s loan portfolio primarily comprises one-to four-family first mortgage loans for residential properties; multi-family and commercial mortgage loans; construction loans; and consumer loans, such as fixed-rate second mortgage loans and home equity credit line loans, as well as collateralized passbook loans, overdraft protection loans, automobile loans, and secured and unsecured commercial lines of credit. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 95 branches located in 17 counties throughout the State of New Jersey; 10 branch offices in Westchester County, 9 branch offices in Suffolk Cou nty, 1 branch office each in Putnam and Rockland Counties, and 6 branch offices in Richmond County; and 9 branch offices in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The company was founded in 1868 and is based in Paramus, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Beyond the Dow, Hudson City Bancorp (NASDAQ: HCBK ) has dropped more than 5% after the bank and its proposed acquirer, M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB ) , said there would be a delay in completing their merger. M&T, which has slipped almost 4%, cited regulatory concerns from the Federal Reserve over its bank secrecy and anti-money-laundering programs. Despite the two banks' plan to extend their agreement until the end of January 2014, they aren't sure the merger will be complete even by then. Shareholders will still vote on the deal later this month, but the delay has to be disconcerting for investors on both sides.
- [By Lauren Pollock]
M&T Bank Corp.(MTB) and Hudson City Bancorp Inc.(HCBK) said they expect additional delays in completing their merger deal, and any action isn’t expected to occur until the latter half of 2014. “While all parties are disappointed that the transaction is delayed further, we are gratified that M&T continues to see the value in the Hudson City franchise,” said Hudson City CEO Ronald E. Hermance Jr.
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