Want a way to keep your job despite underperformance? Work on a company board with uncontested elections! Without proxy access, there is very little shareholders can do to oust underperforming directors.
At Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR ) , many shareholders are fed up with this scenario, and are pushing for the right to list alternative director nominees on the company's proxy. A shareholder proposal calling for this change won 56%�shareholder support last year. And while the proposal failed to pass this year, it still gained substantial shareholder support, with 46.7%�of shares voting for the proposal.
Investors should also note that more shares voted for the proposal than against it, and its ultimate defeat was caused by the fact that broker non-votes and abstentions were included in the final voting tally.
Shareholder shutdown
Nabors has shown an unfortunate trend of shutting down shareholders.
For example, the board has developed compensation plans that failed to receive majority shareholder support in�2011, 2012, or 2013. And don't forget that the board further embedded its power by creating a "poison pill" plan last year without shareholder approval.
Hot Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: PDF Solutions Inc.(PDFS)
PDF Solutions, Inc. provides infrastructure technologies and services for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits (IC) in Asia, the United States, and Europe. It offers manufacturing process solutions that include process research and development, and process integration and yield ramp; volume manufacturing solutions; and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) solutions, such as logic DFM, circuit level DFM, memory DFM, and pdBRIX Physical IP solutions. The company also offers characterization vehicle (CV) infrastructure, which includes CV test chips, pdCV analysis software, and pdFasTest electrical wafer test system; Yield Ramp Simulator software that analyzes an IC design to compute its systematic and random yield loss; and Circuit Surfer software, which estimates the parametric performance yield and manufacturability of analog/mixed-signal/RF blocks. In addition, it provides pdBRIX platform, which includes software for identifying and developing a set of physical IP building blocks that are tailored to a given manufacturing process and target product application; dataPOWER YMS platform that collects yield data, loads, and stores it in an integrated database and allows product engineers to identify and analyze production yield issues; FDC software, which provides fault detection and classification capabilities to identify sources of process variations and manufacturing excursions by monitoring equipment parameters; and YA-FDC service and software platform that allows online modeling to create real-time virtual measurements of final product attributes during processing. PDF Solutions sells its technologies and services through direct sales force, sales representatives, and strategic alliances to integrated device manufacturers, fabless semiconductor design companies, and foundries in the microprocessors, memory, graphics, image sensor solutions, and communications segments. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in San Jo se, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
PDF Solutions (NASDAQ: PDFS) shares reached a new 52-week low of $12.91. PDF Solutions updated the status of certain contracts and announced the effect of the change in status on previously deferred costs and expected revenues.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
PDF Solutions (PDFS) provides infrastructure technologies and services to improve yield and optimize performance of integrated circuits. This stock closed up 2.6% at $21.51 in Friday's trading session.
Friday's Volume: 543,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 112,159
Volume % Change: 393%From a technical perspective, PDFS trended up here right above some near-term support at $20.50 and into new 52-week-high territory with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last three months, with shares moving higher from its low of $14.95 to its intraday high on Friday of $21.64. During that move, shares of PDFS have been consistently making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has also been accompanies by heavy upside volume flows since mid-July.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PDFS as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $20.50 or above its 50-day at $19.06 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $21.64 with volume that's near or above 112,159 shares. If we get that move soon, then PDFS will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $25 to $28.
- [By Magic Diligence]
Liberator is a direct-to-consumer provider of medical supplies, primarily urological catheters, ostomysupplies, mastectomy fashions, and diabetic supplies, aimed at Medicare-eligible seniors. The company has an attractive revenue growth ramp, with sales growing at a 5-year average of nearly 50%. This has leveraged costs, leading margins up from just 5% in 2011 to 18% today. Liberator pays a 4.3% dividend yield and has a solid balance sheet with $20 million in cash and just $3 million in debt. Below $3, the stock is at the bottom of its 52-week range.
PDF Solutions Inc (PDFS)Far from an electronic document company, PDF Solutions provides software, IP, hardware, and services designed to speed the process and lower the cost of designing and manufacturing custom integrated circuits (ICs), especially in the area of yield improvements. PDFS has booked solid 3-year average revenue growth of 18%, has exploded operating margins from 2% in 2010 to over 35% today, generates free cash flow in excess of net income, and has no debt with a nice cash cushion of $65 million. At under $13, the stock is more than 50% below its 52-week high and carries a bargain 12% earnings yield.
Top 5 Performing Companies For 2014: HSBC USA Inc (LSC)
HSBC USA Inc.( HSBC USA), incorporated on September 26, 1973, is a is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. (HSBC North America), which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC). HSBC USA�� principal business is to act as a holding company for its subsidiaries. The Company operates in four reportable segments: Retail Banking and Wealth Management (RBWM) (formerly Personal Financial Services), Commercial Banking (CMB), Global Banking and Markets and Private Banking (PB). In January 2011, the Company acquired Halbis Capital Management (USA) Inc (Halbis), an asset management business, from an affiliate, Halbis Capital Management (UK) Ltd. In April 2011, the Company completed the sale of its European Banknotes Business.
Through its subsidiaries, the Company offers a comprehensive range of personal and commercial banking products and related financial services. HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA), its principal United States (U.S) banking subsidiary, is a national banking association with banking branch offices and/or representative offices in 14 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to its domestic offices, the Company maintains foreign branch offices, subsidiaries and/or representative offices in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Canada. Its customers include individuals, including net worth individuals, small businesses, corporations, institutions and governments. The Company also engages in mortgage banking and serve as an international dealer in derivative instruments denominated in U.S. dollars and other currencies, focusing on structuring of transactions to meet client�� needs.
Retail Banking and Wealth Management Segment
The Company Through its 461 branches (115 of which are in New York City), RBWM provides banking and wealth products and services, including personal loans, MasterCard and Visa credit card loans, deposits, branch services and financi! al planning products and services such as mutual funds, investments and insurance.
Commercial Banking Segment
The Company's Commercial banking Segment serves the growing number of united States companies that are increasingly in need of international banking and financial products and services as well as foreign companies in need of United States products and services. Commercial Banking offers comprehensive domestic and international services and banking, insurance and investment products to companies, government entities and non-profit organizations, with a particular emphasis on geographical collaboration to meet the banking needs of its international business customers. Commercial banking provides loan and deposit products, payments and cash management services, merchant services, trade and supply chain, corporate finance, global markets and risk advisory products and services to small businesses and middle-market corporations, including specialized products such as real estate financing. Commercial banking also offers various credit and trade related products such as standby facilities, performance guarantees and acceptances
Global Banking and Markets Segment
The Company�� Global Banking and Markets business segment supports HSBC�� emerging markets-led and financing-focused global strategy by leveraging HSBC Group advantages and scale, strength in developed and emerging markets and Global Markets products in order to focus on delivering international products to the United States clients and local products to international clients, with New York as the hub for the Americas business, including Canada and Latin America. Global Banking and Markets provides tailored financial solutions to government, corporate and institutional clients as well as private investors worldwide.Managed as a global business, Global Banking and Markets clients are served by sector-focused teams that bring together relationship managers and product specialists to dev! elop fina! ncial solutions that meet individual client needs.
Private Banking Segment
The Company�� private banking provides private banking and trustee services to high net worth individuals and families with local and international needs. Accessing the suitable products from the marketplace, private bank works with its clients to offer both traditional and new ways to manage and preserve wealth while optimizing returns. Private bank offers a range of wealth management and specialist advisory services, including banking, liquidity management, investment services, custody services, tailored lending, wealth planning, trust and fiduciary services, insurance, family wealth and philanthropy advisory services.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By DCResearch]
The opportunity exists because the once-thriving secondary/tertiary life settlement market has been all but abandoned by institutional investors, scared off by litigious insurers like Phoenix and a lack of manufactured policies. My research indicates that this undue pessimism towards life settlement contracts (LSC) has begun to reverse itself, or has at least stabilized. Investors who are far smarter than me are snapping up contracts and policies, seeking to capitalize on the uncorrelated, and excessive, IRRs. These investors seem to agree with our thesis that life settlements should outperform most other asset classes over a long enough time period.
Top 5 Performing Companies For 2014: Lantrovision(s)
Lantrovision (S) Ltd engages in the design, installation, supply, and provision of consultancy services on network integration and structured cabling. It is involved in the design and installation of computer cabling, as well as the trade of related accessories and peripherals; provision of cabling infrastructure services; sale of cabling accessories; and provision of system integration and network infrastructure services, as well as offers installation, maintenance, and support services for structured cabling systems and components. The company also engages in the structure, design, installation, and consultation of network system with computer communication technology. In addition, it manufactures and sells structuralized cable laying system and multimedia technology; trades in computer peripherals, electronic components, and products for various applications, planners, consultants, advisors, and managers in relation to computer services; and supplies data backup and ret rieval systems. Further, the company provides solutions for testing, monitoring, and analyzing enterprise and telecommunication networks; and contracting services for voice, data, and telecommunication. It primarily operates in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, and Korea, as well as in Thailand and the Philippines. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Singapore.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Dittman]
Federal regulators may have an opportunity this year or perhaps in 2015 to weigh in on a deal that could transform the competitive landscape of the US wireless market, as rumors of a Sprint Corp (NYSE: S) offer for Deutsche Telekom AG’s (Germany: DTE, ADR: DTEGY) T-Mobile US (NSDQ: TMUS) unit continue to circulate.
- [By Dan Radovsky]
Clearwire's (NASDAQ: CLWR ) largest minority stockholder, Crest Financial, is still urging other shareholders to vote against Sprint Nextel's (NYSE: S ) proposed buyout of their company, even after Sprint raised its bid, according to Crest's filing with the SEC late yesterday.
- [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]
The real deal?
Apple hasn't confirmed reports that it will introduce this trade-in program. Even if the reports are accurate, it's possible that only some iPhone users will be able to benefit from it. The AT&T and T-Mobile networks use the global GSM cellular standard, so the iPhones designed for their networks should work in most foreign countries. By contrast, Verizon and Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S ) use CDMA technology that's rare outside of the United States.
Top 5 Performing Companies For 2014: National Bank of Greece SA (NBG)
National Bank of Greece S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on March 30, 1841, is a Greece-based financial institution. It offers a range of integrated financial services, including corporate and investment banking, retail banking (including mortgage lending), leasing, stock brokerage, asset management and venture capital, insurance, real estate and consulting services. In addition, the Company is involved in various other businesses, including hotel and property management, real estate and information technology (IT) consulting. On May 19, 2009, the Bank established Ethniki Factors S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 8, 2009, Finansbank A.S. established Finans Faktoring Hizmetleri A.S. (Finans Factoring), a wholly owned subsidiary. On June 30, 2009, NBG Luxemburg Holding S.A. and NBG Luxfinance Holding S.A. were merged to NBG Asset Management Luxemburg S.A. On January 18, 2010, the Bank acquired 35% of the share capital of AKTOR FM. On October 16, 2009, United Bulgarian Bank A.D. (UBB) established UBB Factoring E.O.O.D., a wholly owned subsidiary of UBB. On September 15, 2009, the Bank disposed of its investment in Phosphoric Fertilizers Industry S.A.
At December 31, 2009, the Bank operated in Greece through 575 branches, one private banking unit, one unit for financial institutions and 10 specialized banking units that deal exclusively with troubled and non-performing loans. At December 31, 2009, the Bank had over 1500 automated teller machines (ATMs).
Retail Banking
The Bank offers retail customers a number of different types of deposit and investment products, as well as a range of services and products. The Bank offers a range of mortgage products, with floating, fixed, or a combination of fixed and floating interest rates. In February 2009, the Bank introduced a new floating rate product, the ESTIA MIKTO with flexible payment terms. In addition to fire and earthquake property insurance, the Bank offers an optional life insurance plan together with mortgage! s.
The Small Business Lending Unit (SBL Unit) a part of the Bank's retail banking division consists of three credit centers situated in Athens, Thessaloniki and Patrastail. The SBL Unit offers term loans geared towards medium and long-term working capital needs for the financing of asset purchases.
Corporate and Investment Banking
The Bank offers corporate accounts with overdraft facilities, foreign currency loans, variable rate loans, and currency swaps and options for corporate customers. The Bank's commercial loan portfolio in Greece comprises approximately 50,000 corporate clients, including small and medium sized enterprises. It offers the corporate clients a range of products and services, including financial and investment advisory services, deposit accounts, loans denominated in euro and other currencies, foreign exchange services, insurance products, custody arrangements and trade finance services. The Bank lends primarily in the form of credit lines, which are generally at variable rates of interest with payment terms of up to 12 months. In addition, the Bank provides letters of credit and guarantees for its clients.
The Bank�� shipping finance and syndicated loan portfolio consists of first-tier shipping groups involved in diversified shipping activities. The Bank provided project finance advisory services to the Hellenic Republic on two infrastructure projects: the new Attica Motorway and Kasteli International Airport.
Global Markets & Asset Management
The treasury activities provided by the Bank and its subsidiaries include
Greek and other sovereign securities trading, foreign exchange trading, interbank lending and borrowing in euro and other currency placements/ deposits, forward rate agreement trading, repurchase agreements, corporate bonds, and derivative products, such as options and interest rate and currency swaps. The Bank also conducts a portion of its treasury activities through its subsidia! ry CPT. A! s at December 31, 2009; CPT's portfolio comprised Greek government bonds and corporate bonds, with a total value of EUR 1.8 billion.
The Bank offers its private banking services both domestically and internationally from its international private banking units in London. The Bank offers custodian services to its foreign and domestic institutional clients who hold equity securities listed on the ATHEX or listed Greek State debt, as well as remote settlement and custody services on the Cyprus Stock Exchange. The Bank offers trade settlements, safekeeping of securities, corporate action processing, income collection, proxy voting, tax reclamation, brokerage services, customized reporting, regular market flashes and information services. The Bank also acts as global custodian to its domestic institutional clients who invest in securities outside of Greece.
The domestic fund management business is operated by NBG Asset Management, which is wholly owned by the Group. NBG Asset Management manages funds that are made available to customers through the Bank's extensive branch network. As at December 31, 2009, NBG Asset Management's total assets under management were EUR 1.9 billion.
National Securities S.A offers a range of investment services to both individual and institutional customers. In September 2009, National Securities S.A. opened a branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, to provide brokerage services to local private investors.
Turkish Operations
The Bank�� Turkish operations include the Finansbank group of companies and NBG Bank (Malta) Ltd. Finansbank's group of companies includes Finans Invest, Finans Leasing, Finans Portfolio Management, Finans Investment Trust, Finans Factoring, IBTech, Finans Pension, and Finans Consumer Finance. As at December 31, 2009, Finansbank operated through a network of 461 branches in 60 cities.
Finansbank Corporate Banking serves corporations through its eight branches in the four cities in Turkey.! Finansba! nk Commercial Banking serves medium-sized companies located in 23 cities in Turkey through its head office, four regional offices (three in Istanbul and one in Ankara) and a distribution network, which includes 61 branches.
Finansbank Investment Banking consists of project finance, corporate finance and technical consulting. Investment Banking acts as a client relations specialist while providing medium to long-term loans and other products. Finansbank Private Banking has been providing investment products and asset management services to individuals through eight private banking centers and 28 private banking corners located in Finansbank's branches in the cities throughout Turkey.
International
The Bank's international operations include the Bank's branches in Albania, Egypt and Cyprus, as well as banking subsidiaries in six countries: NBG Cyprus; Stopanska Banka A.D. in FYROM; United Bulgarian Bank A.D. in Bulgaria; Banca Romaneasca S.A., in Romania; Vojvodjanska in Serbia; and the South African Bank of Athens, as well as other subsidiaries, primarily in the leasing sector. As at December 31, 2009, the Bank had foreign branches in four countries, including one in the United Kingdom, 30 in Albania, one in Cyprus, 15 in Egypt and one in Guernsey (which closed early in 2010).
Insurance
The Bank provides insurance services to individuals and companies through the wholly owned subsidiary Ethniki Insurance Group (EI) and Finans Pension. EI offers a range of products such as life, accident and health insurance for individuals and groups, fire, catastrophe, credit, motor, marine hull and cargo insurance, and general third party liability. EI operates through a network of 2,850 tied agents and 2,620 independent insurance brokers, in addition to selling bancassurance products through the Bank's network. EI provides bancassurance products through our insurance brokerage subsidiary NBG Bancassurance S.A. (NBGB), which assumes no insurance underwr! iting ris! k, and the Bank's extensive network in Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
Nearest Resistance: $3��br>Nearest Support: $2.90��br>Catalyst: Technical Setup
National Bank of Greece (NBG) has had a challenging run in 2014: since the start of the year, the big Greek bank has nearly been halved. Most recently, shares of NBG got hit last week after economic data from Athens indicated that the Greek economy shrank 1.1% in the first quarter. The data was enough to spark a double-digit selloff in shares of NBG.
From a technical standpoint, there's no question that NBG's chart is broken. Shares may be bouncing off of support at $2.90, but an abundance of resistance levels makes this setup best avoided until buyers can establish some semblance of support again.
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