Thursday, December 25, 2014

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of computer-network security specialist Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT  ) plummeted 18% today after its preliminary quarterly results disappointed Wall Street.

So what: One slow quarter isn't a huge deal, of course, but Fortinet's 35-plus P/E forces analysts to come down extra-hard on the stock. In fact, management blamed the warning on waning U.S. service provider demand, EMEA/Latin America weakness, and inventory shortages, giving investors plenty of concerns over slowing growth going forward.

Now what: Management now expects first-quarter EPS of $0.10 on revenue of $134 million-$136 million, clearly below the consensus of $0.12 and $140.4 million, respectively. "We remain optimistic about Fortinet's long-term opportunities as our products and innovation are strong and security demand drivers remain high," CEO Ken Xie reassured investors. Given the stock's still-lofty forward P/E of 25, however, I'd wait for even more of a pullback before buying into that bullishness.

Best Chemical Stocks For 2015: Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO)

Cisco Systems, Inc., incorporated on December 10, 1984, designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology (IT) industry and provide services associated with these products and their use. The Company provides a line of products for transporting data, voice, and video within buildings, across campuses, and around the world. Its products are designed to transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. Its products are installed at enterprise businesses, public institutions, telecommunications companies, commercial businesses, and personal residences. The Company has five segments: United States and Canada, European Markets, Emerging Markets, Asia Pacific, and Japan. The Emerging Markets theater consists of Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. In July 30, 2012, it acquired NDS Group Ltd. In October 2012, it acquired virtual networking company, vCider. In August 2011, the Company acquired Versly. In November 2011, it acquired BNI Video. In March 2012, the Company acquired Lightwire, Inc. In May 2012, the Company acquired ClearAccess. In December 2012, the Company acquired Cloupia. In December 2012, the Company acquired Cariden Technologies Inc. In December 2012, the Company acquired Meraki, Inc.

The Company�� product offerings fall into three categories: its core technologies, routing and switching; advanced technologies, and other products. In addition to its product offerings, the Company provides a range of service offerings, technical support services and advanced services. The advanced services program supports networking devices, applications, solutions, and complete infrastructures.

Routing

The Company offers a range of routers, from core network infrastructure for service providers and enterprises to access routers for branch offices and for telecommuters and consumers at ho! me. Key products within its routing category are the Cisco ASR 901/903, Cisco 1000, 5000, and 9000 Cisco Aggregation Services Routers (ASR), as well as the Cisco ASR 800, 1900, 2900 and 3900 Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISR):; Cisco CRS-1, 7600 and Cisco CRS-3 Cisco Carrier Routing Systems (CRS). During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Cisco introduced the Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System (CRS-3) and Cisco 7600 Series Routers.

Service Provider Video

The Company�� end-to-end, digital video distribution systems and digital interactive set-top boxes enable service providers and content originators to deliver entertainment, information, and communication services to consumers and businesses around the world. Key product areas within its Service Provider Video category are: Set-Top Boxes, IP set-top boxes (both High-Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD)); Digital cable set-top boxes (both HD and SD); Cable Modem CPE (Data, EMTA, and Gateways); Videoscape Software Products and Headend Equipment (Encoders, Decoders, and Transcoders).

Switching

The Company�� switching products offer many forms of connectivity to end users, workstations, IP phones, access points, and servers, and also function as aggregators on local-area networks (LANs), metropolitan-area networks (MANs), and wide-area networks (WANs). Its switching systems employ several widely used technologies, including Ethernet, Power over Ethernet, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, Packet over Synchronous Optical Network, and Multiprotocol Label Switching. Many of its switches are designed to support an integrated set of advanced services, allowing organizations to be more efficient by using one switch for multiple networking functions rather than multiple switches to accomplish the same functions.

Cisco offers a family of Ethernet switching solutions from fixed-configuration switches for small and medium-sized businesses to modular switches for enterprise! s and ser! vice providers. Its fixed-configuration switches are designed to provide a foundation for converged data, voice, and video services. Key products within its switching category are the Cisco Catalyst 2960, 3560, 3750, 4500 and 6500 Series; the Cisco Nexus 2000, 3000, 5000 and 7000 Series switches; and MDS Series: MDS 9000.

Fixed-configuration switches are designed to cover a range of deployments in small and medium-sized businesses. It fixed-configuration switches are designed to provide a foundation for converged data, voice, and video services. They range from small, standalone switches to stackable models that function as a single, scalable switching unit. Modular switches are typically utilized by enterprise and service provider customers. Fixed-configuration and modular switches also include products such as optics modules which are shared across multiple product platforms.

NGN Routing

Routing technology is fundamental to the Internet, and this technology interconnects public and private IP networks for mobile, data, voice, and video applications. The Company's NGN Routing products are designed to enhance the intelligence, security, reliability, scalability, and level of performance in the transmission of information and media-rich applications. It offers a broad range of routers, from core network infrastructure and mobile Internet network for service providers and enterprises to access routers for branch offices and for telecommuters and consumers at home. Key product areas within its NGN Routing category are, Cisco Aggregation Services Routers: Cisco ASR 901/903, Cisco ASR 1000, Cisco ASR 5000 and Cisco ASR 9000. Cisco Integrated Services Routers: Cisco ISR 800, Cisco ISR 1900, Cisco ISR 2900 and Cisco ISR 3900. Cisco Carrier Routing Systems: Cisco CRS-1, Cisco CRS-3 and Cisco 7600 Series Routers.

Security

Cisco security solutions deliver identity, network and content security solutions designed to enable customers to reduce the ! impact of! threats and realize the benefits of a mobile, collaborative, and cloud-enabled business. The products in this category span firewall, intrusion prevention, remote access, virtual private networks (VPNs), unified clients, network admission control, Web gateways, and email gateways. Its AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client solution enables users to access networks with their mobile device of choice, including laptops and smartphone-based mobile devices, while allowing organizations to manage the security risks of networks. Its cloud-based Web security service is designed to provide real-time threat protection and to prevent malware from reaching corporate networks, including roaming or mobile users. It focuses on a proactive, layered approach to counter both existing and emerging security threats. During the fiscal year ended July 28, 2012, it introduced the Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Midrange Security Appliance, Cisco Security Manager 4.3, the IPS 4500 Series, and Prime Security Manager.

Wireless

The Cisco Unified Wireless Network aims to harness the network to solve business problems, uniting high-performance wireless access across campus, branch, remote and outdoor environments. Its offerings include wireless access points (including the Cisco Aironet product family), controllers, antennas, and integrated management. The Company�� offerings provide users with simplified management and mobile device troubleshooting features which are designed to reduce operational cost and maximize flexibility and reliability. It is also investing in custom chipsets to deliver functions such as CleanAir proactive spectrum intelligence, ClientLink acceleration for mobile devices and VideoStream multicast optimization technology.

Data Center

The Company�� data center product category has been its major product category for the past two fiscal years. Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) and Server Access Virtualization form the core of the Data Center product category.! Key prod! uct areas within its Data Center product category are: Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers, Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects.

Other Products

The Company�� other products category primarily consists of Linksys home networking products, certain emerging technologies, and other networking products. In addition to its product offerings, it provide a range of service offerings, including technical support services and advanced services.

The Company competes with Alcatel-Lucent; ARRIS Group, Inc.; Aruba Networks, Inc.; Avaya Inc.; Belden Inc.; Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.; Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.; Citrix Systems, Inc.; D-Link Corporation; LM Ericsson Telephone Company; Extreme Networks, Inc.; F5 Networks, Inc.; Force10 Networks, Inc.; Fortinet, Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Company; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; International Business Machines Corporation; Juniper Networks, Inc.; LogMeIn, Inc.; Meru Networks, Inc.; Microsoft Corporation; Motorola, Inc.; NETGEAR, Inc.; Polycom, Inc.; Riverbed Technology, Inc.; and Symantec Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rex Crum]

    H-P�� results also come following mixed results from IBM Corp. (IBM) �and Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) , and amid growing concerns about the turnaround efforts launched by Chief Executive Meg Whitman. �

  • [By Anders Bylund]

    It looks like Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) is getting back into the growth-by-acquisition game again.

    The networking giant famously promised to slim down in 2011. Cisco had become too bulky, too complicated, and too inefficient after swallowing scores of consumer-oriented companies, and a serious diet was in order. The company has killed off or sold most of its consumer-grade product lines, including the Linksys network router division and the Flip video camera business.

  • [By Matt Thalman]

    After both the Dow and the S&P 500 set new record closing prices yesterday, they seem poised to do it again today. And even though the Dow has given back some of its earlier gains, only three of its 30 components are trading in the red today. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) and Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) are among the losers this afternoon.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Bhp Billiton PLC (BBL)

BHP Billiton plc, incorporated in 1996, is diversified natural resources company. The Company generally operates through customer sector groups (CSGs). The Company operates in nine segments: Petroleum, Aluminium, Base Metals, Diamonds and Specialty Products, Stainless Steel Materials, Iron Ore, Manganese, Metallurgical Coal and Energy Coal. As of June 30, 2012, the Company was working in more than 100 locations worldwide. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company total petroleum production was 222.3 millions of barrels of oil equivalent. During fiscal 2012, its aluminium had a total production in 1.2 million tones (Mt) of aluminium. In August 2011, the Company acquired Petrohawk Energy Corporation. On September 30, 2011, it acquired HWE Mining Subsidiaries from Leighton Holdings. On September 7, 2012, the Company announced the sale of its 37.8 % non-operated interest in Richards Bay Minerals.

Petroleum Customer Sector Group

The Company�� petroleum customer sector group (CSG) consists of a base of onshore and offshore operations that are located in six countries throughout the world. The Company�� production operations include Bass Strait, North West Shelf, Australia operated, Gulf of Mexico, Onshore United States, Liverpool Bay and Bruce/Keith, Algeria, Trinidad and Tobago and Zamzama. Together with its 50-50 joint venture Esso Australia (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil), the Company has been producing oil and gas from Bass Strait, off the south-eastern coast of Australia. The Company dispatches the majority of its Bass Strait crude oil and condensate production to refineries along the east coast of Australia. Gas is piped onshore to its Longford processing facility, from which it sells the Company�� production to domestic distributors under contracts with periodic price reviews.

The Company is a joint venture participant in the North West Shelf Project in Western Australia. The North West Shelf Project was developed in phases the do! mestic gas phase supplies gas to the Western Australian domestic market mainly under long-term contracts, and a series of liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion phases supplying LNG to buyers in Japan, Korea and China under a series of long-term contracts. The project also produces liquefied petroleum gas LPG and condensate. The Company is also a joint venture participant in four nearby oil fields. Both the North West Shelf gas and oil ventures are operated by Woodside.

The Company operates two oil fields offshore Western Australia and one gas field in Victoria. The Pyrenees oil development consists of three fields, two of which (Crosby and Stickle) are located in blocks WA-42-L, while the third (Ravensworth) straddles blocks WA-42-L and WA-43-L. The project uses a FPSO facility. The Stybarrow operation is an oil development located offshore Western Australia. The Minerva operation is a gas field located offshore Victoria. The operation consists of two subsea producing wells which pipe gas onshore to a processing plant. The gas is delivered into a pipeline and sold domestically.

The Company operates two fields in the Gulf of Mexico (Neptune and Shenzi) and hold non-operating interests in a further three fields (Atlantis, Mad Dog and Genesis). The Company divested its interest in the West Cameron and Starlifter areas in June 2012. The Company delivers its oil production to refineries along the Gulf Coast of the United States. The Company operates in four shale fields located onshore in the United States Fayetteville, Eagle Ford, Haynesville and Permian. The combined leasehold acreage of the Onshore United States fields is approximately 1.6 million net acres in the states of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Its ownership interests range from less than 1% to 100%. During fiscal 2012, the Onshore United States business delivered 6.9 million barrels of crude oil and condensates, 448 billion cubic feet of natural gas and four million barrels of natural gas liquids.

The Liv! erpool Ba! y, United Kingdom, integrated development consists of five producing offshore gas and oil fields in the Irish Sea, the Point of Ayr onshore processing plant in north Wales and associated infrastructure. The Company delivers the Liverpool Bay gas by pipeline to E.ON�� Connah�� Quay power station. The Company owns 46.1% of and operates Liverpool Bay. It also holds a 16% non-operating interest in the Bruce oil and gas field in the North Sea and operates the Keith field, a subsea tie-back, which is processed via the Bruce platform facilities.

The Company�� Algerian operations consists its 38% interest in the ROD Integrated Development, which consists of six satellite oil fields that pump oil back to a dedicated processing train. The Company exited its effective 45 % interest in the Ohanet wet gas development in October 2011. The Greater Angostura project is integrated oil and gas development located offshore east Trinidad. The Company operates the field and has a 45% interest in the production sharing contract for the project. The Company holds a 38.5 % working interest in and operates the Zamzama gas project in Sindh province of Pakistan. Both gas and condensate are sold domestically.

Aluminium Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Aluminium customer sector groups (CSG) is a portfolio of assets at three stages of the aluminium value chain, such as mining bauxite, refining bauxite into alumina, and smelting alumina into aluminium metal. The Company also produced 12.8 metric ton of bauxite and 4.2 metric ton of alumina. Its Boddington/Worsley is an integrated bauxite mining/alumina refining operation. The Boddington bauxite mine in Western Australia supplies bauxite ore to the Worsley alumina refinery via a 62-kilometre long conveying system. It is the Company�� sole integrated bauxite mining/alumina refining asset. The Company owns 14.8 % of Mineracao Rio do Norte (MRN), which owns and operates a large bauxite mine in Brazil.

The Company's Alumar! is an in! tegrated alumina refinery/aluminium smelter. The Company owns 36 % of the Alumar refinery and 40 % of the smelter. Alcoa operates both facilities. The operations, and their integrated port facility, are located at Sao Luis in the Maranhao province of Brazil. Alumar sources bauxite from MRN. During fiscal 2012, approximately 27 % of Alumar�� alumina production was used to feed the smelter, while the remainder was exported. Its Hillside and Bayside smelters are located at Richards Bay, South Africa. It has a capacity of approximately 715 kiloton�� per annum. Hillside imports alumina from its Worsley refinery. The Company owns 47.1 % of and operates the Mozal aluminium smelter in Mozambique, which has a total capacity of approximately 563 kiloton�� per annum. Mozal sources power generated by Hydro Cahora Basa via Motraco, a transmission joint venture between Eskom and the national electricity utilities of Mozambique and Swaziland.

Base Metals Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Base Metals CSG is producers of copper, silver, lead and uranium, and a producer of zinc. Its portfolio of mining operations includes the Escondida mine in Chile and Olympic Dam in South Australia. Its total copper production during fiscal 2012, was 1.1 metric ton. In addition to conventional mine development, it pursue advanced treatment technologies, such as leaching low-grade chalcopyrite ores. The Company markets five primary products, such as copper concentrates, copper cathodes, uranium oxide, lead concentrates and zinc concentrates.

The Company has 57.5% interest owned and operated Escondida mine. During fiscal 2012, its share of Escondida production was 333.8 kiloton of payable copper in concentrate and 172.0 kiloton of copper cathode. Its Olympic Dam is a producer of copper cathode and uranium oxide and a refiner of smaller amounts of gold and silver bullion. The Company owns 33.75 % of Antamina copper/zinc mine in Peru. The Company�� wholly owned Spence copper mine produces! copper c! athode. During fiscal 2012, the Company produced 180.3 kiloton of copper cathode. The Company also has interest in Pampa Norte Cerro Colorado Operation, Cannington and North America-Pinto Valley.

Diamonds and Specialty Products Customer Sector Group

The Company�� diamonds and specialty products CSG operate its diamonds business and engage in the exploration and development of a potash business. Its diamonds business is consists of the EKATI Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The Company�� interest in EKATI consists of an 80%t interest in the Core Zone Joint Venture, consisting existing operations and a 58.8 % interest in the Buffer Zone Joint Venture, primarily focusing on exploration targets. The Company sells its rough diamonds to international diamond buyers through its Antwerp sales office.

Stainless Steel Materials Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Stainless Steel Materials CSG is primarily a supplier of nickel to the stainless steel industry. The Company also supplies nickel to other markets, including the specialty alloy, foundry, chemicals and refractory material industries. The Company�� nickel business consists of two assets, including Nickel West and Cerro Matoso. Nickel West is the name for its wholly owned Western Australian nickel Asset, which consists of an integrated system of mines, concentrators, a smelter and a refinery. The Company mine nickel-bearing sulphide ore at its Mt Keith, Leinster and Cliffs Operations north of Kalgoorlie. The Company operates concentrator plants at Mt Keith and at Leinster, which also concentrate ore from Cliffs. The Company also operates the Kambalda concentrator south of Kalgoorlie, where it source ore through tolling and concentrate purchase arrangements with third parties in the Kambalda region. The Company�� Cerro Matoso is its 99.94 % owned nickel Asset in Colombia, combines a lateritic nickel ore deposit with a ferronickel smelter. Production in during fiscal 2012, was! 48.9 kil! oton of nickel in ferronickel form.

Iron Ore Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Iron Ore CSG consists of its Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) interests and a 50 % interest in the Samarco Joint Venture in Brazil. The Company sells lump and fines product produced in Australia and pellets from its operations in Brazil. WAIO�� operations involve integrated system of mines and more than 1,000 kilometers of rail infrastructure and port facilities in the Pilbara region of northern Western Australia. WAIO operations consist of three joint ventures, such as Mt Newman, Yandi and Mt Goldsworthy and Jimblebar. The Company is a joint venture partner with Vale at the Samarco Operation in Brazil. Samarco consists of a mine and two concentrators located in the State of Minas Gerais, and three pellet plants and a port located in the State of Espirito Sant.

Manganese Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Manganese CSG produces a combination of ores and alloys from sites in South Africa and Australia. Aproximately 80 % of its ore production is sold directly to external customers and the remainder is used as feedstock in its alloy smelters. The Company owns and manages all manganese mining operations and alloy plants through joint ventures with Anglo American. Its joint venture interests are held through Samancor Manganese, which operates its global Manganese assets. In South Africa, Samancor Manganese (Pty) Ltd owns 74 % of Hotazel Manganese Mines (Pty) Ltd (HMM) and 100 % of the Metalloys division. In Australia, it owns 60 % of Groote Eylandt Mining Company Pty Ltd (GEMCO) and has an effective interest of 60 % in Tasmanian Electro Metallurgical Company Pty Ltd (TEMCO) through GEMCO, which owns 100 % of TEMCO.

Metallurgical Coal Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Metallurgical Coal CSG is a supplier of seaborne metallurgical coal. Metallurgical coal, along with iron ore and manganese, is a key input in the production of steel. The Comp! any�� e! xport customers are steel producers around the world. The Company has assets in two resource basins, such as the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland, Australia, and the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.

The Bowen Basin is well positioned to supply the seaborne market. The Company also has access to key infrastructure, including a modern, integrated electric rail network and its own coal loading terminal at Hay Point, Mackay. The Company owns and operates three underground coal mines in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, which supply metallurgical coal to the nearby BlueScope Port Kembla steelworks, and other domestic and export markets. Total production in during fiscal 2012, was approximately 7.9 metric ton.

Energy Coal Customer Sector Group

The Company�� Energy Coal CSG is a producers and marketers of export energy coal (also known as thermal or steaming coal) and is also a domestic supplier to the electricity generation industry in Australia, South Africa and the United States. The Company makes export sales to power generators and some industrial users in Asia, Europe and the United States, usually under contracts for delivery of a fixed volume of coal. The Company operates three assets, including a group of mines and associated infrastructure collectively known as BHP Billiton Energy Coal South Africa; its New Mexico Coal operations in the United States; and its New South Wales Energy Coal operations in Australia. The Company also owns a 33.33 % share of the Cerrejon Coal Company, which operates a coal mine in Colombia.

BHP Billiton Energy Coal South Africa (BECSA) operates four coal mines being Khutala, Klipspruit, Middelburg and Wolvekrans in the Witbank region of Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Company owns and operates the Navajo mine, located on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico, and the nearby San Juan mine located in the state of New Mexico. Each mine transports its production directly to a nearby power station.! New Sout! h Wales Energy Coal�� operating asset is the Mt Arthur Coal open-cut mine in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, which produced approximately 17 metric ton during fiscal 2012. The Company has a one-third interest in Cerrejon Coal Company, which owns and operates open-cut export coal mines in La Guajira province of Colombia, as well as integrated rail and port facilities through which the majority of production is exported to European, Middle Eastern, North American and Asian customers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alex Planes]

    Billiton's beginnings
    Tin was first discovered on the Sumatran island of Billiton (Belitung�) on June 28, 1851. Nine years later, a company of the same name was formed in the Netherlands to exploit the resource-rich island. For over a century, Billiton dominated the mining industry of the Indonesian archipelago, and eventually would expand its reach and business range throughout the world. Billiton�merged with Australian metals leader BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary) in 2001 to form BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP  ) (NYSE: BBL  ) , which is now the largest mining company in the world.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Astrotech Corporation(ASTC)

Astrotech Corporation operates as a commercial aerospace company in the United States. The company provides spacecraft payload processing and related services; designs and manufactures space hardware; and commercializes space technologies for use on the earth. It also offers satellite launch processing support to government and commercial customers for their communication, earth observation, and deep space satellites. The company?s processing activities consist of satellite ground transportation; pre-launch hardware integration and testing; satellite encapsulation, fueling, launch pad delivery; and communication linked launch control, as well as engineering services. In addition, it develops Miniature Chemical Detector, a chemical analyzer for use on international space station, as well as detects residues and vapors from a range of chemicals, including explosives, chemical warfare agents, toxic chemicals, and volatile organic compounds. The company serves the United Stat es Government and commercial satellite and spacecraft customers. Astrotech Corporation was founded in 1984 is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

     

    Astrotech (ASTC) operates as a commercial aerospace company in the U.S. This stock closed up 7.2% to $3.26 a share in Thursday's trading session.

     

    Thursday's Range: $3.02-$3.31

    52-Week Range: $0.61-$4.05

    Thursday's Volume: 295,000

    Three-Month Average Volume: 570,805

     

    From a technical perspective, ASTC spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $2.96 with lighter-than-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last four months, with shares moving higher from its low of 63 cents per share to its recent high of $4.05. During that uptrend, shares of ASTC have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. This spike on Thursday is now starting to push shares of ASTC within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if ASTC manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.50 to $3.75 and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $4.05 with high volume.

     

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ASTC as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $2.66 or above more near-term support at $2.62 and then once it sustain a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 570,805 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ASTC will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets of that breakout are $5 to $5.50.

     

  • [By Quick Pen]

    American aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin (LMT) recently announced its plans of acquiring the satellite wing of Astrotech Corp. (ASTC), Astrotech Space Operations. Lockheed expects to close the deal by the third quarter of the current year. After the deal closes, Astrotech Space Operations would become the wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin and would operate under the company�� Space Systems business segment.

  • [By Peter Graham]

    The Q3 2014 earnings report for small cap space stock Orbital Sciences Corp (NYSE: ORB), a potential peer of Alliant Techsystems Inc (NYSE: ATK) who ORB is actually merging with plus Astrotech Corp (NASDAQ: ASTC) which actually just completed the sale of�part of its�space business to subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) and Toronto listed Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd (TSE: MDA), is scheduled for before the market opens on Thursday (October 16th). Aside from the Orbital Sciences Corp earnings report, it should be said that Alliant Techsystems Inc will report earnings before the market opens on October 30th; Astrotech Corp reported Q4 2014 earnings on September 29th (they completed the sale of Astrotech Space Operations in August); and Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd will report earnings on October 29th after the market closes.��

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Digital Power Corp (DPW)

Digital Power Corporation (Digital), incorporated in 1969, is a solution-driven organization that designs, develops, manufactures and sells high-grade customized and flexible power system solutions for the demanding applications in the medical, military, telecom and industrial markets. It also has a wholly owned subsidiary, Digital Power Limited (DPL), which operates under the brand name of Gresham Power Electronics (Gresham). DPL is located in Salisbury, England, and it designs, manufactures and sells power products and system solutions mainly for the European marketplace, including power conversion, power distribution equipment, direct current/active current (DC/AC) inverters and uninterrupted power supply (UPS) products. DPL�� defense business has specialists in the field of naval applications of power distribution conversion. It markets and sells its products to many diverse market segments, including the telecom, industrial, medical and military/defense industries. Its products serve a global market, with an emphasis on North America and Europe. The Company offers a product variety, including a full custom product design and production, high-speed switching power front-end, modified-standard and value added products, open-frame, Compact-PCI, ATSC front-ends and power over Ethernet (PoE) product solutions, providing power output from 50 to 24,000 watts. On June 16, 2011 the Company has acquired Telkoor Telecom Ltd.

Power System Solutions

The Company provides custom power system solutions, high-grade flexibility series power supply products and value-added services to diverse industries and markets, including military/defense, telecom, medical and industrial. It provides high-grade custom power system solutions to numerous customers in multiple industry segments. Each custom solution that it develops is based on high power density and a special layout to meet each of its customer�� operation environments where efficiency, size and performance are key.

Di! gital Power Limited (Gresham Power Electronics)

DPL designs, manufactures, and distributes switching power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies, and power conversion and distribution equipment frequency converters for the commercial and military markets, under the name Gresham. Frequency converters manufactured by Gresham are used by navel warships to convert their generated 60-cycle electricity supply to 400 cycles. This 400-cycle supply is used to power their critical equipment such as gyro, compass, and weapons systems. Gresham also designs and manufactures transformer rectifiers for naval use. Typically, these provide battery supported back up for critical DC systems, such as machinery and communications. In addition, higher power rectifiers are used for the starting and servicing of helicopters on naval vessels, and Gresham supplies these as part of overall helicopter start and servicing systems.

The Company competes with Power-One, Emerson (Astec) Technologies, Inc., Lambda Electronics, and Mean-Well Power Supplies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Wall]

    One of the country�� largest employers with more than 150,000 staff, Royal Mail has shifted away from letters to more lucrative package shipping, competing with TNT Express NV (TNTE) of the Netherlands and Deutsche Post AG (DPW)�� DHL Express.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Qatar Investment Fund PLC (QIF)

Qatar Investment Fund plc, formerly Epicure Qatar Equity Opportunities plc, is a closed-end investment company established to invest primarily in quoted equities of Qatar and other Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries. Its investment objective is to capture, principally through the medium of the Qatar Exchange by investing in listed companies or companies to be listed. It also invests in listed companies, pre-initial public offer (IPO) companies, in other GCC countries. As of June 30, 2010, the Company had a portfolio of 22 investments in quoted companies in the Gulf, with 17 of them being in Qatar, four investments in United Arab Emirates and one in Kuwait. As at June 30, 2010, the top five holdings of the Company are Qatar National bank, Industries Qatar, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Qatar Islamic Bank and Rayan Bank. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary is Epicure Qatar Opportunities Holdings Limited. The investment manager of the Company is Epicure Managers Qatar Limited. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Vivian Lewis]

    The fund also operates to cut tax liabilities. EXG executes timely trades to capture additional qualified dividend income (QIF) subject to capital gains taxes which are usually lower than income taxes.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Bank of Ireland (BKIR)

Bank of Ireland and its subsidiaries provide a range of banking and other financial services. The Company operates in five segments: Retail Ireland, Bank of Ireland Life, Retail UK, Corporate and Treasury and Group Centre. Group Centre includes capital management activities, unallocated Group support costs and the cost of the Credit Institutions. Retail Ireland distributes a range of financial products and services through the Bank�� branch operations in the Republic of Ireland and through its direct channels. The Company operates in the life and pensions market in Ireland through its wholly owned subsidiary New Ireland Assurance Company plc (NAIC).Retail UK consists of Business Banking in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the branch network in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom residential mortgage business and the business activities with the United Kingdom Post Office. Corporate and Treasury division consists of Corporate Banking, Global Markets and IBI Corporate Finance. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sarah Jones]

    In Dublin, Bank of Ireland (BKIR) slipped 3.4 percent to 14.1 euro cents and Permanent TSB Group Holdings Plc (IPM) tumbled 13 percent to 2.6 cents. Allied Irish Banks Plc (ALBK), which is owned by the state, slid 1.5 percent to 6.5 cents.

Top 10 High Tech Stocks To Buy For 2014: Ziggo NV (ZIGGO)

Ziggo NV is the Netherlands-based provider of entertainment, information and communication through television, Internet and telephony services. The Company provides digital, interactive and high definition (HD) television, broadband Internet, data communication and telephony services to both private and corporate customers. To business customers, it offers services over the network. For home use and small business, they are provided through business bundles and packages, such as Office Basis, Internet Plus and All-in-1. Ziggo NV serves around 3 million households, with almost 1.8 million Internet subscribers, more than 2.2 million subscribers using digital television and about 1.4 million telephony subscribers. Additionally, it operates a music streaming service, Ziggo Muziek, and a fiber optic network. The Company is wholly owned by Zesko Holding BV and has several subsidiaries, such as Zesko BV, Ziggo Bond Company Holding BV and Ziggo Bond Company BV, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sarah Jones]

    Ziggo NV (ZIGGO), a Dutch cable-television operator, advanced 4.5 percent to 29.58 euros, after Vodafone confirmed it approached Kabel Deutschland. Liberty Global Inc., which owns an 18 percent stake in Ziggo, had also considered bidding for the German company, two people familiar with the matter said in April.

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