Believing the third time is the charm, grain processor Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM ) submitted its third bid for GrainCorp and at least didn't have it rejected like the other two. Now it can go on and start its due diligence process, after which it can formally submit a takeover offer.
The acquisition saga began last October, after ADM took a nearly 15% stake in the Australian grains receiving and storage specialist and then decided it wanted to own the whole thing after all. It bid $12.13 per share cash for it, but it was promptly rejected. ADM then increased its position in GrainCorp to almost 20% and upped the amount it would pay to takeover the company to $12.73 but was again rejected as still undervaluing its operations�despite the premium being offered.
ADM decided to let management and investors stew over the lost opportunity and let the matter lie for a few months until last week, when it announced it was sweetening the pot yet again in what perhaps could be seen as a best and final offer. Although ADM still values GrainCorp at $2.9 billion, it's now putting some gristle on the bone it's throwing investors, adding in $1 per share in dividends, which raises the total bid to $13.56, or $3.5 billion.
Hot Performing Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NiSource Inc (NI)
NiSource Inc. (NiSource), incorporated on March 29, 2000, is an energy holding company whose subsidiaries provide natural gas, electricity and other products and services to approximately 3.8 million customers located within a corridor that runs from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest to New England. NiSource operates in three business segments: Gas Distribution Operations; Gas Transmission and Storage Operations, and Electric Operations. NiSource�� principal subsidiaries include Columbia Energy Group (Columbia), a vertically-integrated natural gas distribution, transmission and storage holding company whose subsidiaries provide service to customers in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast; Northern Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana), a vertically-integrated gas and electric company providing service to customers in northern Indiana, and Bay State Gas Company (Columbia of Massachusetts), a natural gas distribution company serving customers in Massachusetts.
NiSource Finance Corporation (NiSource Finance) is a 100% owned, consolidated finance subsidiary of NiSource. NiSource Finance engages in financing activities to raise funds for the business operations of NiSource and its subsidiaries.
Gas Distribution Operations
NiSource�� natural gas distribution operations serve more than 3.3 million customers in seven states and operate approximately 58 thousand miles of pipeline. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Columbia, NiSource owns five distribution subsidiaries that provide natural gas to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland. NiSource also distributes natural gas to approximately 795 thousand customers in northern Indiana. Additionally, NiSource�� subsidiary, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, distributes natural gas to approximately 298 thousand customers in Massachusetts.
Gas Transmission and Storage Operations
NiSou! rce�� Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries own and operate approximately 15,000 miles of pipeline and operate a natural gas storage system capable of storing approximately 639 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Through its subsidiaries, Columbia Gas Transmission L.L.C. (Columbia Transmission), Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Columbia Gulf) and Crossroads Pipeline Company (Crossroads Pipeline), NiSource owns and operates an interstate pipeline network extending from the Gulf of Mexico to New York and the eastern seaboard. Together, these companies serve customers in 16 northeastern, mid-Atlantic, midwestern and southern states and the District of Columbia. NiSource Midstream Services is an unregulated business that is a provider of midstream services, including gathering, treating, conditioning, processing, compression and liquids handling, as well as managing mineral rights positions in the Marcellus and Utica shale areas.
The Gas Transmission and Storage Operations subsidiaries are also engaged in two joint ventures, Millennium Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Millennium) and Hardy Storage Company, L.L.C. (Hardy Storage). Millennium Pipeline, which includes 252 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipe across New York�� Southern Tier and lower Hudson Valley, has the capability to transport up to 525,400 dekatherm per day of natural gas to markets along its route, as well as to the New York City markets through its pipeline interconnections. Millennium is jointly owned by affiliates of NiSource, DTE Energy and National Grid. Hardy Storage, which consists of underground natural gas storage facilities in West Virginia, has a working storage capacity of 12 billion cubic feet and the ability to deliver 176,000 dekatherm of natural gas per day. Hardy Storage is a joint venture of subsidiaries of Columbia Transmission and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (Piedmont).
Electric Operations
NiSource generates, transmits and distributes electricity through its subsidia! ry Northe! rn Indiana Public Service Company (Northern Indiana) to approximately 458 thousand customers in 20 counties in the northern part of Indiana and engages in electric wholesale and transmission transactions. Northern Indiana operates three coal-fired electric generating stations. The three operating facilities have a net capability of 2,574 megawatts. Northern Indiana also owns and operates Sugar Creek, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant with a 535 megawatts capacity rating, four gas-fired generating units located at Northern Indiana�� coal-fired electric generating stations with a net capability of 203 megawatts and two hydroelectric generating plants with a net capability of 10 megawatts. These facilities provide for a total system operating net capability of 3,322 megawatts. Northern Indiana�� transmission system, with voltages from 69,000 to 345,000 volts, consists of 2,797 circuit miles. Northern Indiana is interconnected with five neighboring electric utilities.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on NiSource (NYSE: NI ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By David Dittman]
Answer: I like Northeast Utilities (NYSE: NU), Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners LP (TSX: BEP-U, NYSE: BEP), Pembina Pipeline Corp (TSX: PPL, NYSE: PBA), Xcel Energy Inc (NYSE: XEL) and NiSource Inc (NYSE: NI).
Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)
First Horizon National Corporation (FHN), incorporated in 1968, is a bank holding company. The Company provides financial services through its subsidiary, First Tennessee Bank National Association (the Bank), and its subsidiaries. The Company�� two brands First Tennessee and FTN Financial provide customers with a range of products and services. First Tennessee provides retail and commercial banking services throughout Tennessee. FTN Financial (FTNF) is engaged in fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. FHN has four operating business segments: regional banking, capital markets, corporate, and non-strategic. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had $16.4 billion in total deposits and $16 billion in total net loans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� subsidiaries had over 200 business locations in 17 the United States states, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, excluding off-premises automated teller machines (ATMs). As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 183 branch locations in four states, which include 172 branches in metropolitan areas of Tennessee; two branches in northwestern Georgia; seven branches in northwestern Mississippi, and two branches in North Carolina. As of December 31, 2011, FTN Financial products and services were offered through 18 offices in total, including 16 offices in 14 states plus an office in each of Hong Kong and Tokyo.
The regional banking segment offers financial products and services, including traditional lending and deposit taking, to retail and commercial customers in Tennessee and surrounding markets. Regional banking provides investments, financial planning, trust services and asset management, credit card, cash management, and first lien mortgage originations within the Tennessee footprint. In addition, the regional banking segment includes correspondent banking, which provides credit, depository, and other banking related services to other financial institutions.
The capital markets se! gment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad, as well as loan sales, portfolio advisory, and derivative sales. The corporate segment consists of gains on the extinguishment of debt, unallocated corporate expenses, expense on subordinated debt issuances and preferred stock, bank-owned life insurance, unallocated interest income associated with excess equity, net impact of raising incremental capital, revenue and expense associated with deferred compensation plans, funds management, low income housing investment activities, and charges related to restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency. The non-strategic segment consists of the wind-down national consumer lending activities, legacy mortgage banking elements, including servicing fees, and the associated ancillary revenues and expenses related to these businesses. Non-strategic also includes the wind-down trust preferred loan portfolio and exited businesses along with the associated restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency charges.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided services through its subsidiaries, which include general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments; through FTN Financial fixed income sales and trading, underwriting of bank, loan sales, advisory services and derivative sales; discount brokerage and full-service brokerage; correspondent banking; transaction processing, such as nationwide check clearing services and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency services; credit card products; equipment finance; investment and financial advisory services; mutual fund sales as agent; retail insurance sales as agent, and mortgage banking services.
As of December 31, 2011, the commercial, financial, and industrial (C&I) portfolio was eight billion dollars, and is consisted of loans used for general business purposes, and consisted of relationship customers in Tennessee and certain n! eighborin! g states, which are managed within the regional bank. Products include working capital lines of credit, term loan financing of owner-occupied real estate and fixed assets, and trade credit enhancement through letters of credit. As of December 31, 2011, the unpaid principal balance (UPB) of trust preferred loans totaled $447.2 million with the UPB of other bank-related loans totaling approximately $161.8 million. The commercial real estate portfolio includes both financings for commercial construction and non-construction loans. This portfolio is segregated between income commercial real estate (CRE) loans which contain loans, lines, and letters of credit to commercial real estate developers for the construction and mini- permanent financing of income-producing real estate, and residential CRE loans. The residential CRE portfolio includes loans to residential builders and developers for the purpose of constructing single-family detached homes, condominiums, and town homes. As of December 31, 2011, the residential CRE portfolio was $.1 billion. As of December 31, 2011, the consumer real estate portfolio was $5.3 billion, and is composed of home equity lines and installment loans. As of December 31, 2011, the credit card and other portfolios were $.3 billion, and primarily include credit card receivables, automobile loans, and over-the-counter (OTC) construction loans and other consumer related credits.
FHN�� investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds averaged $79.5 million. During 2011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.
During 2011, short-term funds (certificates of deposit greater than $100,000, federal funds purchased (! FFP), sec! urities sold under agreements to repurchase, trading liabilities, and other short-term borrowings) averaged $3.6 billion. During 2011, other borrowings increased to $.3 billion. Term borrowings include senior and subordinated borrowings and advances with original maturities greater than one year. During 2011, average term borrowings averaged $2.6 billion.
The Company competes with Regions Bank, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bank of America N.A., and Pinnacle National Bank.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers that investors need to know about First Horizon stock before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold it.
- [By Sean Williams]
Finally, regional bank First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN ) , which has banking branches throughout Tennessee, added 4.2% just a day after paying shareholders a $0.05 quarterly dividend. Like Genuine Parts, there is no company specific news driving First Horizon higher, but the prospect for a higher net interest margin because of higher interest rates is certainly adding a boost to banks like First Horizon that rely on traditional loan and deposit growth. But as my Foolish colleague John Maxfield recently pointed out, you may want to keep your expectations for First Horizon tempered in the interim.
- [By Monica Gerson]
First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $286.98 million.
Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.
- [By Eric Volkman]
After the close of trading Friday, the S&P 500 will include Pfizer spinoff Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS ) . The stock replaces First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN ) , which is to find a new home on the S&P MidCap 400.
Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: BM&F Bovespa SA Bolsa de Valores Mercadorias e Futuros (BVMF3)
BM&F Bovespa SA Bolsa de Valores Mercadorias e Futuros (BM&FBovespa) is a Brazil-based company primarily engaged in the operation of the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. The Company�� business is divided into three segments: Bovespa, which manages the exchange markets and MBO national for securities trading equities, which include stocks, receipts of shares, depository receipts on shares of Brazilian companies or foreign, equity derivatives, warrants, shares of different types of closed investment funds, non-standard options to purchase and sell securities, among others; BM&F Segment covers the main steps of the cycles of trading and settlement of securities and contracts: trading systems in environments of electronic trading and trading via Internet and systems of registration, and other assets; Corporate and Institutional Products Segment refers to services as depository of securities, loans and securities and listing of securities, information signs and rating services, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Denyse Godoy]
OGX has the third-highest weight in the Ibovespa at 5.48 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with 0.92 percent on Aug. 30, the data show. BM&FBovespa SA (BVMF3) is considering excluding stocks trading for less than 1 real, or penny stocks, from the Ibovespa, which is otherwise weighted just by trading volume, according to a statement on the exchange operator�� website.
Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: Tencent Holdings Ltd (TCTZF)
Tencent Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The Company and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the provision of Internet value-added services, mobile and telecommunications value-added services and online advertising services to users in the People�� Republic of China. The Company operates in four segments: Internet value-added services, Mobile and telecommunications value-added services, Online advertising, and Others. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Tencent Cyber (Tianjin) Company Limited, Tencent Asset Management Limited, Tencent Technology (Beijing) Company Limited, Tencent Cyber (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Tencent Technology (Shanghai) Company Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Chinese stocks fell early Wednesday, joining a broadly negative day for regional trade in the wake of overnight losses on Wall Street. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) dropped by 0.5% to 23,625.77, with the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index 0.8% lower, while the Shanghai Composite (CN:SHCOMP) fell 0.7%. Top-weighted Hang Seng component HSBC Holdings PLC (HK:5) fell 0.5%, while fellow international lender Standard Chartered PLC (HK:2888) (UK:STAN) lost 1.4%, with some reports linking the losses to the approval of the so-called Volcker rule in the U.S. which prohibits most proprietary trading by banks there. The Financial Times also cited concerns about possible cash-calls as weighing on Standard Chartered. Meanwhile, ratings moves influenced some shares. Jiangxi Copper Co. (HK:358) (JIXAY) retreated 1%, and China Shenhua Energy Co. (HK:1088) (CUAEF) dropped 1.4% after Credit Suisse cut both stocks to neutral, according to Kim Eng Securities. However, Tencent Holdings Ltd. (HK:700) (TCTZF) added 1.5% to its price after Deutsche Bank upped the Internet content provider's rating to buy. Also bucking the downtrend, China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd. (HK:688) (CAOVF) gained
Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (RH)
Restoration Hardware Holdings, Inc. (Restoration Hardware Holdings), incorporated on August 18, 2011, is a holding company. The Company is merchants of home furnishings. Restoration Hardware Holdings offers merchandise assortments across a number of categories, including furniture, lighting, textiles, bath ware, decor, outdoor, garden, and baby and child products. The Company�� business is integrated across its multiple channels of distribution, consists of its stores, catalogs and Websites. As of July 28, 2012, the Company�� operated a total of 73 retail stores, consisted of 71 Galleries and two full line Design Galleries, and 10 outlet stores throughout the United States and Canada. RH is a brand in the home furnishings. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Company opened five stores and closed 22 stores. In fiscal 2011, the Company distributed approximately 26.1 million catalogs, and its Websites logged over 14.3 million visits.
Restoration Hardware Holdings operates a Website for its Baby & Child brand at www.rhbabyandchild.com. The Company opened its two full line Design Galleries in Los Angeles in, June 2011 and Houston in November 2011. In May 2011, the Company launched catalog applications for Apple�� iPad and iPhone that enable customers to view and purchase its product assortment. Restoration Hardware Holdings operates three store types: the Company's full line Design Gallery format, approximately between 22,000 and 28,000 gross square feet; its Gallery format of approximately 7,000-15,000 gross square feet, and its Baby & Child Gallery format of approximately 2,000-3,000 gross square feet.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jack Kramer and Nick Martell] Trying to figure out which country's World Cup team bandwagon you're going to jump on isn't easy. So take a few minutes and check out what sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) down from record highs over the last week.
1. Stock market winners ...
Just in time for you to clean out your closets and replace the furniture in your living room for some spring cleaning, Restoration Hardware (NYSE: RH ) has been on quite a roll as well. Restoration Hardware stock popped in after-hours trading Wednesday following an earnings report worth putting on a mantel in your bedroom, as the company announced that revenue for the last quarter came in at $366.3 million.
So what's in the cards for the maker of all the kinds of home furnishings your mom is now into? Expansion. Restoration Hardware has 69 stores on this side of the Atlantic and wants to open another 30 that it expects will lead to $5 billion in annual sales. That kind of strategy got investors excited -- and so did word that profits were up 200% from last year.
CEO Gary Friedman had plenty of other fine goods to share with Wall Street as well. The financial analysts over at Restoration Hardware are quite an optimistic bunch -- as part of the earnings report, the company announced that it expects full-year 2014 revenue to reach $1.8 billion, with the help of $443 million to $453 million in revenue in the second quarter. � 2. ... And stock market losers
While America seems to have been loading up on Restoration Hardware goods this past spring, they weren't buying Lululemon clothes for their workouts. Shares of lululemon athletica (NASDAQ: LULU ) plummeted nearly 16% Thursday after a tied-up earnings report. On one hand, revenue beat Wall Street's expectations, rising 11% from last year to $385 million. But same-store sales fell 4% and the company also cut its full-year revenue projections, down to $1.8 billion from $1.82 billion.- [By Brian Nichols]
Restoration Hardware (RH) was Barron's latest weekend victim. To me, Barron's bearish take is reminiscent of its Facebook (FB) call, which was also an article I questioned. The similarities and situations surrounding the two calls include both stocks being post-IPO and both articles implying that stock performance indicates value and future trends. Here is why Barron's is wrong, again!
- [By Ben Fox Rubin]
Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc.'s(RH) Co-Chief Executive Carlos Alberini is resigning from the high-end home-goods retailer as of the end of next month, to become the chairman and chief executive of Lucky Brand. The announcement was made as the company also raised its fiscal-year guidance and reported that its fiscal third-quarter earnings surged as same-store sales climbed 29%. Still, shares were down 7.9% to $60.10 premarket.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
Briefly in the news
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) is walking away with Waze. After other tech titans were rumored suitors, Google announced that it closed on the acquisition of the popular real-time traffic app that uses crowdsourcing to get users around jams and police traps. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) revealed that it will introduce individual profiles for family accounts this summer. The move will help the leading video website serve up better recommendations. In other words, having your kid watch Dumbo won't stop Reservoir Dogs from coming up for you. You won't find too many retailers doing as well as Restoration Hardware (NYSE: RH ) these days. The seller of upscale home furnishings reported a 41% increase in same-store sales in its latest quarter. That's not too shabby for a retailer that went public in November at $24 a share. It's safe to say that the IPO wasn't an exit strategy, since it's doing so well several months later.
And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week. - [By Brian Nichols]
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