Joseph Lazzaro
New York - http://
First a Tea Party, Now a Coffee Party
You knew it had to happen, eventually. In response to the Tea Party, a largely conservative/libertarian political action faction that advocates free markets, and small government (except defense spending), a liberal/populist Coffee Party political action faction has formed. The Coffee Party's underlying principle is that government is "not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges we face as Americans." The first National Coffee Party Day was held last Saturday, March 13.
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Westport Innovations: One Step Ahead in Transportation Fuel
Readers of this space know that the investment tack preferred here tilts toward demonstrated business models. But every once in a while, an exception is made, Westport Innovations (WPRT) is one, and is worth a review.Note: I consider Westport to be a high-risk stock not suitable for low-risk/moderate-risk investors.
Westport is hoping is it on the cutting edge of a structural change in transportation fuel use. Already common as a fuel for home heat, electric power generation, and for commercial use, natural gas' next hurdle -- perhaps its biggest hurdle -- concerns its use as a vehicle fuel. True, we're seeing more and more natural gas buses on America's roads, but that's just a smidgen of vehicle fuel consumption.
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AMA Reiterates Qualified Support for Health Care Reform Bill
As President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats continued to recruit those House Democrats who were undecided on the health care reform bill as of Friday afternoon, the majority party received some good news on the interest group front, as the American Medical Association reiterated its qualified support for the legislation."The pending bill is imperfect, but we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good when it comes to something as important as the health of Americans," J. James Rohack, M.D., AMA president said, in a statement. "By extending health coverage to the vast majority of the uninsured, improving competition and choice in the insurance marketplace, promoting prevention and wellness, reducing administrative burdens, and promoting clinical comparative effectiveness research, this bill will help patients and their physicians."
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Ray of Light: Boeing to Boost 747, 777 Production to Meet Rising Demand
Friday's good news economic data point comes from the world's best commercial airplane manufacturer, The Boeing Company (BA), which announced it will boost production of its largest airplane to meet increasing demand. Boeing said the production rate of the 777 will return to seven per month in mid-2011, instead of early-2012. Further, production of the jumbo jet standard, the 747, will increase to two a month, from about 1 ½ per month, starting in mid-2012, instead of mid-2013.
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FPL Group: An Undervalued Utility
The stock of utility FPL Group (FPL), which I first wrote about on March 3, 2009, at a price of $43.30, has retreated in the past six months, but the business model is still preferred. Here's why:FPL appears to have declined on investor sentiment that the economic recovery in the company's key power market, Florida, will lag the U.S. recovery, and on a considerably lower-than-expected electric rate increase, $75 million as opposed to FPL's $1 billion request, from the Florida Public Service Commission. Hence, the exit of some short-term investors was to be expected.
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Honeywell's Train Is Leaving the Station
It's probably now or never regarding positioning yourself for an outsized gain in this economic expansion with Honeywell International (HON), first discussed here on February 26, 2009 at a price of $26.86.A February share dip to about $37 created a value opportunity extraordinaire with Honeywell, and the shares have since accelerated out of those lows.
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AT&T's Meandering Should End Soon
The stock of AT&T Inc. (T), first written about here on February 11, 2009, at a price of $25.89, has meandered at/near $26 for the better part of a year, and that is a disappointment. Even so, T remains well-positioned for the Internet/communications revolution in the years ahead. Look for T's revenue to grow about 2-4% in 2010, led by an impressive increase in cell phone customers (which numbered about 85 million as of January 2010) and wireless data service customers.
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In Reversal, Germany Now Wants IMF Involved in Greece Aid Plan
Thursday's key developments in "As The Eurozone Turns":Investors should have known better. A couple days after European finance ministers adopted a bailout framework for debt-plagued Greece, a rift opened in the European Union after Germany signaled that International Monetary Fund assistance should be included in any package.
Michael Meister, financial affairs spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, said a Greece rescue "without the IMF would be a very daring experiment," Bloomberg News reported Thursday.
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Research In Motion Is in Recovery Mode
Shares of Research In Motion's (RIMM), first recommended on May 5, 2009, at a price of $77.07, remain in recovery mode. After arcing to $88, RIMM's shares had swooned to about $54 in the fall 2009, including a protracted drop below the key, 50-day moving average -- a technical support breach that raised caution flags.
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United States Natural Gas Fund: Stopped-Out for Loss
They don't all work out. The United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG), which I first wrote about on July 13, 2009 at a price of $11.50, has been stopped out at $8.40. What's more, UNG, as they say, 'has not let a stop loss get in the way of a good downtrend.' In this case, make that a horrible downtrend, as UNG traded at about $7.50 on Thursday.
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OPEC Keeps Quota the Same, but Is Still Likely to Gain
As expected, OPEC left its production quotas the same on Wednesday, in what was, from a revenue standpoint, its easiest decision in many official meetings. Further, even though OPEC is pumping about 2 million more barrels per day (bpd) than its 24.845 million bpd official quota, the market is not punishing the group for it. A combination of decent demand, a weak dollar, and global GDP growth has pushed oil prices to levels that are roughly double what they were a year ago. Oil late Wednesday traded down 3 cents to $82.67 per barrel.
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Seagate Technology: Well-Positioned for the PC Rebound
Hard disk drive manufacturer Seagate Technology (STX), first discussed here on July 8, 2010 at a price of $9.50, remains in an enviable position.The company's demonstrated business model, and the calculation that traditional, desktop, bulky PCs will continue to dominate the computer market for the next 3-5 years, despite the steady increase in mobile devices and platforms, makes Seagate's shares desirable. The 'mobile cubicle' may be on the rise, but the office cubicle isn't disappearing.
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U.S. Senate's Patience on China's Yuan Policy May Be Growing Thin
The complex, delicate trade relationship between the United States and China will likely become more complex -- and heated -- in the months ahead, particular if the current mood in the U.S. Senate doesn't change.The Senate is likely to increase pressure on President Obama to push China to let its fixed-rate currency, the yuan, appreciate, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.
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Western Union Is at a Crossroad
Western Union (WU), first discussed here on July 9, 2009 at a price of $16.49, continues to meander, but the bias is to stay with the play. Western Union will likely post a 4-7% revenue gain for FY2010. However, the continued sluggish in construction work -- which has reduced day-labor demand for money transfer services -- has weighed on WU's revenue.
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Oshkosh: Ignore the Static
Ignore the static: it's still a good time to consider shares of specialty vehicle maker Oshkosh Corp. (OSK), which I first wrote about on July 6, 2009 at a price of $21.48.The static? Two competitors protesting Oshkosh's win of a U.S. Army contract for 2,568 trucks, with the possibility of supplying as many as 23,000 vehicles and trailers under a five-year contract.
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