From the impact of Obamacare to cutting-edge research, biotech buyouts to FDA decisions, the Motley Fool's health-care team sits down each week�to discuss the most fascinating developments in health care and their implications for long-term investors. In this week's edition, the team talks about the coming trend of penalizing unhealthy employees, the importance of drug branding, the avian flu outbreak, one stock investors need to watch, and more.
In the following segment, health-care analyst David Williamson discusses the week's biggest movers and shakers, including a trio of stocks receiving the FDA's new "breakthrough" designation. Watch and find out what it means for investors.
What macro trend was Warren Buffett referring to when he said "this is the tapeworm that's eating at American competitiveness"? Find out in our free report: "What's Really Eating at America's Competitiveness." You'll also discover an idea to profit as companies work to eradicate this efficiency-sucking tapeworm. Just click here for free, immediate access.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: VocalTec Communications Ltd.(CALL)
magicJack VocalTec Ltd. provides voice over Internet protocol services over various platforms. It also offers magicJack, a competitive local exchange carrier. The company was formerly known as VocalTec Communications Ltd. and changed its name to magicJack VocalTec Ltd. on May 20, 2011. magicJack VocalTec Ltd. is based in Netanya, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
The market for Vonage's services, particularly VoIP, is highly competitive, with MagicJack VocalTec (NASDAQ: CALL ) also working to drive prices down in the consumer market. Vonage has a few tricks up its sleeve, such as free video calls to in-network subscribers,�but given the rather small Vonage user base, this may not be enough to encourage growth. However, Vonage may not need gimmicks to drive growth when its restructuring has already produced real cost savings. Fellow Fool Michael Lewis points out that the company now anticipates another $100 million in annual revenue by 2014 -- not quite enough to push it over 30% cumulative revenue growth for another passing grade, but good enough to get back into positive territory.
- [By John Udovich]
Many investors or consumers alike are probably familiar with VoIP stocks magicJack VocalTec Ltd (NASDAQ: CALL) and Vonage Holdings Corp (NYSE: VG), but small cap VoIP stock Deltathree, Inc (OTCMKTS: DDDC) has surged more than 700% over the past two trading days. That�� pretty extraordinary, but what is the whole story about Deltathree and could it be more compelling than other VoIP stocks like�magicJack VocalTec Ltd and Vonage Holdings Corp?
- [By Lauren Pollock]
MagicJack VocalTec Ltd.(CALL) has repurchased $13 million in shares held by founder Daniel Borislow, who in turn agreed to end any further involvement with the beleaguered Internet-phone company’s operations. Investors cheered the news, sending shares up.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Dell Inc.(DELL)
Dell Inc. provides integrated technology solutions in the information technology (IT) industry worldwide. It designs, develops, manufactures, markets, sells, and supports mobility and desktop products, including notebooks, workstations, tablets, smartphones, and desktop PCs, as well as servers and networking products. The company offers storage solutions, including storage area networks, network-attached storage, direct-attached storage, and various backup systems. It also provides IT and business services comprising transactional services, such as support, managed deployment, enterprise installation, and configuration services; outsourcing services, including data center and systems management, network management, life cycle application development and management, and business process outsourcing services; and project-based services consisting of IT infrastructure, applications, business process, and business consulting services. In addition, the company offers third-part y software products comprising operating systems, business and office applications, anti-virus and related security software, and entertainment software; and peripheral products, such as printers, televisions, notebook accessories, mouse, keyboards, networking and wireless products, and digital cameras. Further, it provides financial services, including originating, collecting, and servicing customer receivables related to the purchase of its products and third-party technology products. The company sells its products and services directly through its sales representatives, telephone-based sales, and online sales; and through retailers, third-party solution providers, system integrators, and third-party resellers. It serves corporate businesses, law enforcement agencies, small and medium businesses, consumers, and public institutions that include government, education, and healthcare organizations. Dell Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Leading investor proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services came out in favor of Michael Dell's bid to take�Dell (NASDAQ: DELL ) private for $24.4 billion, the tech firm announced today.
- [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
Despite significant improvements to its long-term business prospects -- and a skyrocketing stock price -- HP shares still traded for just 7.3 times expected 2013 earnings as of Wednesday's close. By contrast, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL ) is on the verge of going private for more than 13 times expected 2013 earnings (or nine times earnings if you exclude excess cash). Even though Dell is even more heavily concentrated in the troubled PC industry, many highly respected investors are insisting that the company is worth far more than the proposed buyout price.
- [By Rich Smith]
Yesterday, the Pentagon announced awards of just $347 million in new contracts to contractors. Some were not the kind of companies you'd expect. For example:
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL ) landed a $9.6 million contract to supply the U.S. Army with desktop computers and tablets. Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH ) won $18.6 million as a contract modification exercising an option year on a contract to supply various Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps locations, and federal civilian agencies, with laboratory supplies through April 12, 2014.On the other hand, traditional defense contractors are still earning money by working for the Pentagon. On Tuesday, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN ) was awarded a $35.2 million order for AN/ALE-50 towed decoys, which aircraft can deploy to distract incoming missiles. Raytheon is expected to complete deliveries on this contract by March 31, 2015.
- [By Tim Melvin]
Carl Icahn had the other side of the Herbalife trade and has also made big-time moves in Dell (DELL), Apple (AAPL) and Netflix (NFLX) over the past few months. And�Daniel Loeb of Third Point Partners just revealed a large stake in Nokia (NOK) this week.
Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Buy For 2014: Keppel Tele & Tran (K11.SI)
Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd, an investment holding company, provides integrated services and solutions for logistics and data centre businesses. The company�s Logistics segment provides port operations, integrated logistics services, supply chain solutions, warehousing, distribution, container storage and repairs, and freight forwarding services in Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Vietnam. It provides temperature-controlled storage, automobile management, international freight management, warehousing and distribution, conventional trucking, nationwide long-haul trucking, ocean/air-freight, warehouse/inventory management, custom brokerage, local and long-haul trucking, last mile delivery, multi-modal, and cross-docking distribution transfer services, as well as air, sea, and rail freight forwarding services. This segment also offers non vessel-operating common carrier, feeder services, trucking services, third party logistics, procurement, and other value -added services. Its Data Centre segment owns and operates data centre facilities; provides co-location services, including business continuity and disaster recovery services in Singapore, Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. This segment also offers co-location suites and technical support to its customers. Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd is also involved in the installation and maintenance of communications systems; provision of telecommunications services; and trading and provision of communications systems and accessories. The company was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Singapore. Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation Ltd is a subsidiary of Keppel Corporation Limited.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Ebix Inc(EBIX)
Ebix, Inc. provides on-demand software and e-commerce solutions to the insurance industry. The company operates data exchanges, which connects multiple entities within the insurance markets and enables the participant to carry and process data from one end to another in the areas of life insurance, annuities, employee health benefits, risk management, workers compensation, and property and casualty (P&C) insurance. It is also involved in designing and deploying broker systems comprising three back-end systems consisting of eGlobal for multinational P&C insurance brokers; WinBeat for P&C brokers in the Australian and New Zealand markets; and EbixASP for the P&C insurance brokers in the United States. In addition, the company offers business process outsourcing services, which include certificate origination, certificate tracking, claims adjudication call center, and back office support. Further, it focuses on designing and deploying on-demand and back-end carrier systems, s uch as Ebix Advantage and Ebix Advantageweb targeted at small, medium, and large P&C carriers in the United States and internationally that operate in the personal, commercial, and specialty line areas of insurance. Additionally, Ebix, Inc. provides software development, customization, and consulting services to various companies in the insurance industry, such as carriers, brokers, exchanges, and standard making bodies. The company was formerly known as Delphi Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Ebix, Inc. in December 2003. Ebix, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Ebix (NASDAQ: EBIX ) have soared today by as much as 14% after the company agreed to sell itself to a Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS ) affiliate.
- [By John Huber]
Two Examples of Stocks where Value became the Catalyst
Dell Inc. (DELL) and Ebix Inc. (EBIX) are two stocks that I've followed for some time now as both have shown up on Greenblatt's screen for months. I list these together because they have numerous similarities: Both got cheap because of certain problems, both have similar quality metrics such as above-average returns on capital, both are involved in a pending buyout, and both have CEOs with large stakes in the business. - [By John Huber]
Dell (DELL) and Ebix (EBIX) are two stocks that I've been following for some time. Both have shown up in Joel Greenblatt's screen for months, and I've considered both to be potential investment candidates. Both have CEO's with large ownership stakes, both have negative sentiment surrounding the stock (for different reasons), both look cheap using basic value metrics, and both have traded above their deal price, signaling the market might expect a higher bid.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Inergetics Inc (NRTI)
Inergetics, Inc., formerly Millennium Biotechnologies Group, Inc., incorporated on November 9, 2000, is a holding company for its sole operating subsidiary, Millennium Biotechnologies, Inc. (Millennium). The Company through its subsidiary Millennium, engages in the research, development, and marketing of specialized nutritional supplements as an adjunct to medical treatments for select medical conditions, as well as for athletes seeking improved recovery and advanced performance. The Company markets products, which are targeted toward immuno-compromised individuals undergoing medical treatment for diseases, such as cancer, as well as wound healing and post-surgical healing and geriatric patients in long-term care facilities among other conditions. In January 2013, the Company acquired Bikini Ready and SlimTrim brands from Whole Products Group.
The Company�� product portfolio include, Resurgex Select, Ready-To Drink Resurgex Essential and Ready-To-Drink Resurgex Essential Plus. Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based, calorically dense, high-protein powdered nutritional formula developed for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Resurgex Essential and Resurgex Essential Plus represent Millennium�� Ready-to-Drink product line and are being sold into the Long-Term Care geriatric markets.
Resurgex Select
Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based nutritional product that is designed to be used throughout the course of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.), as many times patients lose weight and cannot consume adequate nutrition. This product combines dietary fiber (3 g), low sugar (5 g), and high protein (15 g) with no added antioxidants to be a high-calorie (350 calorie) supplement. It is available in three flavors (Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Fudge, and Fruit Smoothie) and each can be mixed with water, milk, juices, or in soft cold foods, such as yogurt, apple sauce or pudding.
Surgex
Surgex (www.surgexspor! ts.com), is a nutritional support formula that aims to address the concerns of many elite athletes who suffer from symptoms, such as fatigue, lean muscle loss, lactic acid buildup, oxidative stress, and stressed immune systems. This formula is designed to improve recovery parameters in efforts to enhance the performance of professional and collegiate athletes.
Resurgex Essential
The Essential line is a ready-to-drink alternative to Ensure and Boost designed to be marketed into the long-term care channel. Resurgex Essential has 250 whole food calories containing no corn syrup or corn oil. The product also contains fruit and vegetable extracts, and FOS Fiber to provide calories and taste.
The Company competes with Nestle and Abbott Laboratories Inc.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Ellipsiz Ltd (E13.SI)
Ellipsiz Ltd., an investment holding company, provides probe card, distribution, and service solutions to the semiconductor, electronics manufacturing, and telecommunication industries. The company�s Distribution and Services Solutions segment engages in the distribution of equipment and tools for semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, integrated circuit (IC) failure analysis, IC reliability testing, and printed circuit board assembly testing and inspection; and provision of equipment maintenance support engineering services, including systems integration. This segment also provides facilities management services comprising turnkey facilities hookup and turnkey wafer fabrication equipment relocation, as well as chemicals, gas, and abatement management services; test characterization services, such as qualification and reliability testing; and refurbishment services for pumps used in wafer fabs, as well as trades in consumable products for hospital, pharmaceutical, e lectronic, and food processing industries. The company�s Probe Card Solutions segment is involved in the design, manufacture, repair, and sale of probe card solutions for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. It operates in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Japan, New Zealand, Europe, and the United States. The company was formerly known as SingaTrust Ltd. and changed its name to Ellipsiz Ltd. in 2001. Ellipsiz Ltd. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Singapore.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: I.D. Systems Inc.(IDSY)
I.D. Systems, Inc. develops, markets, and sells wireless solutions for managing and securing enterprise assets, including industrial vehicles, such as forklifts, airport ground support equipment, rental vehicles, and transportation assets primarily in North America. The company offers integrated wireless solutions that enable customers to control, monitor, track, and analyze their enterprise assets. Its campus-based fleet management products include On-Asset Hardware, which provides an autonomous means of asset control and monitoring; Wireless Asset Managers that link mobile assets being monitored with customer?s computer network or to a remotely hosted server; Server Software, which manages data communications between the system?s database and either the Wireless Asset Managers or On-Asset Hardware; and Client Software, which restricts access and limits corruption of system information, as well as minimizes network bandwidth usage. The company?s remote asset management products comprise On-Asset Hardware, which addresses various remote asset types, such as dry van trailers, refrigerated trailers, domestic containers, and railcars, as well as customer-specific requirements; and VeriWise Intelligence Portal, a hosted Website that provides Internet access to client asset information. The company also offers direct feed of the data to customer through XML or Web services. In addition, it provides maintenance, customer support, and consulting services. I.D. Systems markets and sells its wireless solutions to a range of customers in the commercial and government sectors operating in various markets, such as automotive manufacturing, retailers, shippers, freight transportation companies, heavy industry, retail and wholesale distribution, aerospace and defense, homeland security, and vehicle rental directly, as well as through indirect sales channels, such as industrial equipment dealers. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Wo odcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Yesterday, small cap identity protection stock Lifelock Inc (NYSE: LOCK) surged 15.64% after reporting better-than-expected third quarter earnings thanks in part to playing on the security fears of consumers, meaning its probably time to take a look at it along with two other security stocks, I.D. Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: IDSY) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM), which can also play up the fear factor:�
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Merge Healthcare Incorporated.(MRGE)
Merge Healthcare Incorporated provides health information technology interoperability solutions. It provides products ranging from standards-based development toolkits to clinical applications. The company offers Merge iConnect, an interoperable image exchange and management suite; cardiovascular information systems to bring automation to the cardiac cath lab; radiology solutions to integrate images and information; lab information systems; orthopaedic software to automate workflow and digital templating; clinical trials tools to transform data into intelligence; and perioperative solutions to streamline the pre-surgical experience. It also offers advanced image viewers, developer toolkits, and related hardware products. The company?s products are used by healthcare providers, vendors, and researchers. Merge Healthcare Incorporated was founded in 1987 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a breakout trade is Merge Healthcare (MRGE), which develops software solutions that facilitate the sharing of images to create a more effective and efficient electronic health care experience for patients and physicians. This stock hasn't done much in 2013, with shares up just over 8% so far.
If you take a look at the chart for Merge Healthcare, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways since it gapped down in August, with shares moving between $2.35 on the downside and $2.98 on the upside. Shares of MRGE are now starting to trend back above its 50-day moving average of $2.65 a share. That move is quickly pushing the stock within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper end of its sideways trading chart pattern.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in MRGE if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.82 to $2.98 a share, and then once it takes out its 200-day moving average at $3.08 and its gap down day high of $3.20 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action o 793,997 shares. If we get that move soon, then MRGE will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from August that started at $4.60 a share.
Traders can look to buy MRGE off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $2.55 to $2.54 a share, or below that recent low of $2.35 a share. One can also buy MRGE off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Loral Space and Communications Inc.(LORL)
Loral Space & Communications Inc. operates as a satellite communications company. The company?s Satellite Manufacturing segment designs and manufactures satellites, space systems, and components used for fixed satellite services, direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting, mobile satellite services, broadband data distribution, wireless telephony, digital radio, digital mobile broadcasting, military communications, weather monitoring, and air traffic management applications in commercial and government sectors. Loral Space & Communications Inc.?s Satellite Services segment provides broadcast, enterprise, and consulting services. This segment owns and leases a satellite fleet that provides high-bandwidth services to broadcasters, cable networks, and DTH service providers. It also offers satellite transmission services for the broadcast of news, sports, and live events coverage enabling broadcasters to conduct on-the-scene transmissions. In addition, this segment operates very smal l aperture terminal (VSAT) networks in North America, and manages various VSAT terminals at customer sites, as well as provides the installation and maintenance of the end user terminal, the VSAT hub, and satellite capacity services. Further, it offers Internet protocol-based terrestrial extension services; Ka-band two-way broadband Internet services; satellite capacity and end-to-end services for data and voice transmission to telecommunications carriers; fixed satellite services to the United States and Canadian governments; and satellite consulting services. The company also owns and operates an X-band satellite, which provides X-band communications services to government users. As of December 31, 2011, it had 12 in-orbit satellites and 2 satellites under construction. The company operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, and Caribbean. Loral Space & Communications Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Top 10 Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Orbotech Ltd.(ORBK)
Orbotech Ltd. engages in designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing yield-enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry. The company?s products include automated optical inspection (AOI), automated optical repair, laser direct imaging, digital legend printing, laser drilling, laser plotters, computer-aided manufacturing, and engineering solutions for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electronics component manufacturing; and AOI, test, repair, and process monitoring systems for flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing. It also develops and markets character recognition solutions and services primarily to banks, financial institutions, and other payment processing institutions for use in check and healthcare payment processing. In addition, the company is involved in the research and development of products for the deposition of anti-reflective coating on crystalline silicon photovolta ic wafers for solar energy panels. It primarily serves manufacturer of PCB, FPD, liquid crystal displays, and other electronic components worldwide. The company was formerly known as Optrotech Ltd. and changed its name to Orbotech Ltd. as a result of its merger with Orbot Systems Ltd. in October 1992. Orbotech Ltd. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Yavne, Israel.
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 Orbotech (Nasdaq: ORBK ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By John Emerson]
Orbotech (ORBK) and Rudolph Technologies (RTEC) Sizable Net-Nets in the AOI Sector
As noted previously, I rode the elevator up and then back down on Camtek (CAMT), a tiny Israeli automated optical inspection (AOI) company. By late 2008 the company had fallen to below $1 per share. Both of Camtek�� larger rivals, RTEC and ORBK, had dropped to absurdly low levels by November 2008. I used the opportunity to switch out of CAMT and some of my other losing propositions in favor of these superior companies. In the process, I created a large amount of tax loss carry-forwards which would allow me to minimize my future taxation when I decided to sell these cyclical entities.
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