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Marshall Hargrave

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  • Cliffs Still Has a Long Way to Climb

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 17, 2013 | Tickers: BHP, CLF, VALE

    Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF) is up nearly 20% over the last week on hopes that various cost cutting plans and hopes that China's importing more iron ore will help the company finally turnaround. Last quarter (1Q), the company managed to beat EPS by over 75%, this after having missed EPS by at least 5% for the prior three quarters.

    Also, helping push the company higher was the upgrade more »

  • Is this Stock Over-Caffeinated?

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 16, 2013 | Tickers: KO, MNST, PEP

    Monster (NASDAQ: MNST) is the largest U.S. energy drink maker by sales volume. It also fell farther than any of its competitors in the six months after a poor first quarter and slowing sales in April. First quarter earnings results showed a 17% decline year over year, and missed EPS consensus by 4.9%. Monster is now well off its 52-week high.

    In November, the FDA noted that it more »

  • Betting on the Home Builders: Is It too Late?

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 16, 2013 | Tickers: DHI, MTH, NVR, PHM, RYL

    The home builders have been on a tear since last month, and for good reason. Employment is rising and credit is loosening, which means more people are buying and building homes. Housing starts were up 27.5% year-over-year for 2012, and S&P Economics is expecting housing starts to rise another 34.6% in 2013.  As a result of these solid housing numbers, all the major home builders have been more »

  • Billionaire Bill Ackman: CEO's Clock Is Ticking

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 16, 2013 | Tickers: CL, JNJ, PG

    Billionaire Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital has been calling for the turnaround of the mega-cap consumer products company Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) for some time now. At the Sohn Investment Conference last week he reiterated his position on P&G, calling out the CEO Bob McDonald.

    Ackman's comments at the Sohn conference said he was willing to give CEO McDonald two to three quarters to get the company more »

  • Buying Some Protection

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: ADT, BCO, TYC

    The nice feature about the security industry is that it presents less cyclicality compared to other industries. Thus, despite certain volatile markets or economies, these security companies provide some resilience. So which security stocks appear to be good investments?  

    ADT Corp (NYSE: ADT) is down some 4.5% over the last month after posting revenue and earnings that missed Wall Street expectations. Earnings missed expectations by 4.7%, and the more »

  • With the Chairman Out Look for this Stock to Rise

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: CVX, XOM, OXY

    Shareholders in Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) can finally breathe a sigh of relief now that former Chairman Ray Irani is gone. Over the last four years he has taken over $200 million in compensation from the company and has made nearly $1.1 billion in his 20 years as CEO. Ray Irani decided on Friday to withdraw his name as a nominee to the company's board. This now clears more »

  • Time to Get Insured?

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: GNW, LNC, MFC, PRU

    Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU) was up 11% over the past week after first quarter operating earnings surpassed consensus and year ago results. Could this be a sign of things to come for other insurers?

    Prudential is a financial services company, with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, the insurer offers an array of financial products and services, including life insurance, annuities more »

  • Yum! Brands Has A Bigger Problem In China Than The Bird Flu

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: BKW, MCD, YUM

    Lately the focus for investors in Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) has been the issues in China concerning bird flu and the company's meat suppliers. As Yum! has worked to address these issues, a bigger problem remains and that is competition. Yum! is not only seeing competition from U.S. multinationals like McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) and Burger King (NYSE: BKW), but also from home-grown Chinese competitors.

    The First Problem more »

  • Why Is This Stock So HOT?

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: CHH, IHG, HOT

    The hotel industry could be a big benefactor from the rebounding economy and increased consumer spending. It appears one of the big winners in the sector so far has been Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT). Starwood posted 1Q 2013 EPS of $0.76, compared to $0.63 for the same period last year, blowing past $0.53 consensus estimates. The question is, does this mean there are more good more »

  • Don't Be Too Chicken to Buy This Stock

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: HRL, SFD, TSN

    Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) is the largest meat processor in the U.S., working with chicken, pork, and beef. Its recent quarterly results showed weaker-than-expected results, as consumers and restaurants switched to cheaper chicken from beef. The big news was the fact that Tyson cut its full-year guidance. 

    The company's stock was down nearly 5% on the news, but has slowly recovered as investors digest it. For the first more »

  • JANA Partners Strikes Oil

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: CAM, CLH, OIS

    Barry Rosenstein's JANA Partners is on the hunt again, this time targeting Oil States International (NYSE: OIS). JANA Partners recently revealed that it holds a 9.1% stake in Oil States, making it the oilfield servicer's largest shareholder. JANA has already indicated that they are going to be an active investor. According to JANA's SEC filing:

    The Reporting Person acquired the Shares because it believes the Shares more »

  • Whirlpool Investors on a Whirlwind

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: GE, SI, WHR

    Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) has managed to beat earnings in each of the last three quarters. The story was more of the same when the appliance maker posted EPS of $3.12, compared to $1.17 during the same period last year. Whirlpool tumbled to close to $20 per share at the height of the real estate downturn, but now the stock is back above pre-crisis levels. Is there still room more »

  • Buying the Pharma Dips

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: BMY, MRK, PFE

    Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) saw a strong pullback earlier this month, with its stock tumbling over 6% after reporting first-quarter earnings results. Meanwhile, fellow drug maker Merck (NYSE: MRK) was down over 4% for similar reasons. Does this present investors with a buying opportunity? Quite possibly so; however, not all drug makers are created equally.
     
    After the pullback, Pfizer trades at 12.3 times forward earnings and Merck at 12 times more »

  • Investing in Investment Managers

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: IVZ, LAZ, LM

    Invesco (NYSE: IVZ) is up 25% year to date, and 10% over the past week alone. This thanks to a stellar start to the year with 1Q 2013 EPS that came in at $0.52, compared to $0.45 from the previous quarter and consensus estimates of $0.47.  Tailwinds for the better-than-expected earnings were related to rising assets under management (AUM) and a stabilizing balance sheet.
     
    At the end more »

  • What Could Drive This Automaker Higher?

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: F, GM, TM

    This car maker's recent results are just another vote of confidence that Ford (NYSE: F) could be one of the top company's in the auto industry. Late last month, Ford managed to post preliminary adjusted 1Q 2013 EPS of $0.41 compared to $0.39 for the same quarter last year, meeting consensus estimates. From the announcement, North American results remain positive, but Europe continues to struggle. 
     

  • Billionaire Dan Loeb Is Making Paper

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 11, 2013 | Tickers: CLW, IP, PKG | Editor's Choice

    International Paper (NYSE: IP) saw a slight pull back earlier this month after posting weaker than expected earnings. First-quarter EPS came in at $0.65, $0.09 below consensus estimates. This will likely disappoint one of International Paper's largest shareholders, Third Point Capital and the hedge fund founder billionaire Dan Loeb. Loeb made the case for owning International Paper in his most recent letter to his investors dated April more »

  • Why Netflix Is Too Rich for My Blood

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 11, 2013 | Tickers: AMZN, CSTR, NFLX

    Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) saw its stock soar some 32% during the week following its first-quarter earnings beat. I have my doubts as to whether the company will be able to maintain the momentum in the second quarter and move higher. The second quarter has historically been Netflix's weakest in terms of subscriber growth; so let's see how Netflix performed in 1Q and might fare in 2Q.

    Q1 review more »

  • Calling On A Cheap Dividend Play

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 10, 2013 | Tickers: T, S, VZ

    AT&T (NYSE: T) fell over 4% after posting first quarter results that showed a slowing of revenues and subscriber additions. However, I think AT&T is well positioned in spectrum race and will continue to be a leader in the mobile space. I see the pull back as a great entry opportunity into the Dividend Aristocrat. AT&T has raised its dividend every year since 1985 and currently pays more »

  • Procter & Gamble a Buy After Plummeting

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 8, 2013 | Tickers: CL, JNJ, PG

    Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) saw a 5% plus pullback in its stock last week after reporting unimpressive quarterly results; however, this consumer-products giant owns some of the most recognized products in the world; selling items in more than 180 countries around the world. So is the pullback a great opportunity to jump into the stock? 
     
    I think so, as P&G has 50 brands and include some of the world more »

  • Smartphone Decline Be Darned

    By Marshall Hargrave - May 8, 2013 | Tickers: BRCM, QCOM, TXN

    Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM), the designer and maker of digital wireless telecom products, saw a big pullback in its stock last week despite posting in-line EPS numbers. The real fear is that total smartphone sales could be slowing, which were affirmed by Apple and Samsung's guidance earlier last week. However, is Qualcomm's pullback exaggerated, and could this be a great entry point for investors? 

    After the big pullback, the more »

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