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<p>With doomsayers flooding the market with warnings of a looming crash even as the broader indices are hitting all-time highs, I don't blame you if you're losing sleep over your portfolio. But there's a way to sleep soundly through market ups and downs: owning stocks that can withstand volatility and keep your portfolio in good shape regardless of the state of the markets. Three fine examples are Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE: BIP),&amp;#160;Waste Management (NYSE: WM), and MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA).</p> <p>Each of these stocks has a unique growth catalyst that should help them keep their heads above water during times of crisis. Waste Management is the leader in an indispensable industry, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners is a solid dividend growth stock in the making, and MasterCard is poised to ride a huge emerging global trend. Read on for more.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>A high-yield stock can be your best friend during down markets, and even more so when the dividends are stable and growing.</p> <p>As a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/13/3-things-you-didnt-know-about-brookfield-infrastru.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">master limited partnership Opens a New Window.</a>, Brookfield Infrastructure pays out 60% to 70% of its <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/ffo-vs-cash-flow.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">funds from operations Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;(FFO) in dividends. Backed by a large and growing portfolio of essential-services infrastructure assets such as power transmission lines, railroads, toll roads, gas pipelines, and cellular towers, Brookfield has grown&amp;#160;its FFO and dividends per share by compounded average rates of 24% and 12%, respectively, since 2009. By doing so, Brookfield has proved its mettle for buying high-quality, distressed assets and converting them into money-minting machines.</p> <p>Because 95%&amp;#160;of Brookfield's revenue is contracted or regulated, its cash flows are highly sustainable. Not surprisingly, management is confident of boosting&amp;#160;dividends by 5%-9% annually. With the company <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/08/why-brookfield-infrastructure-partners-lp-investor.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">aggressively eyeing growth projects Opens a New Window.</a> in high-potential countries like India, investors can trust management's dividend goals.</p> <p>With a beta rating of 1, Brookfield stock moves pretty much in line with the markets, but its 4% yield gives it an edge when the markets fall, making it the kind of stock you'd want to buy and forget.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The business of managing waste might sound boring, but one glimpse of the industry leader's growth in recent years is bound to pique your interest in the stock.</p> <p>So how is Waste Management pulling it off? For starters, we're generating a lot of waste. According to the most recent available statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generated&amp;#160;258 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2014, making it the largest&amp;#160;trash producer in the world. That's big business for Waste Management, which currently serves nearly 21 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. Competition isn't a concern, as the company dominates the industry today, and building landfills and recycling facilities requires boatloads of money and time, acting as a solid entry barrier.</p> <p>Over the years, a resilient business, innovative leadership, and an expanding footprint have helped Waste Management grow by leaps and bounds, encouraging management to increase dividends every year since 2003. That means Waste Management also makes for a great dividend growth stock, currently yielding 2.2%.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/beta.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">beta Opens a New Window.</a> of only 0.71 means Waste Management stock is also less volatile than the overall markets, mirroring only about 70% of their rise or fall any given day. During market downturns, a low-beta dividend-paying stock can singlehandedly save your portfolio from nasty shocks.</p> <p>MasterCard represents the future of payments, both cashless and digital. Credit and debit cards may have become a way of life for you, but you'd be surprised to know that some of the largest economies of the world, including India, still run primarily on cash. For payments-processing giant MasterCard, which is roaring ahead with aggressive growth moves such as its Vocalink acquisition under the able leadership of Indian origin CEO Ajay Banga, the world's secular shift away from cash <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/02/13/why-india-not-china-is-mastercards-biggest-interna.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">represents opportunities Opens a New Window.</a> that could run into trillions of dollars.</p> <p>The company has already proved its worth on the operational front by growing its constant currency net revenue and earnings per share by&amp;#160;13% and 19%, respectively, in the past five years. Its free cash flows, meanwhile, have grown nearly 50% during the period. In recent years, MasterCard has also started paying out <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/30/5-dividend-stocks-that-are-minting-money.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">higher dividends to shareholders Opens a New Window.</a>, nearly doubling the payout since 2014.</p> <p>MasterCard now expects&amp;#160;to generate a "minimum" operating margin of 50% and grow its EPS at a compounded average clip of 20% through 2018. A beta of 1.19 means MasterCard may move a bit more than the market either side, but going by the company's growth potential and projections, the share price should stay on the right side of the market, allowing you to sleep well at night.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Waste ManagementWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=7b055f5d-2bfb-471e-a4b8-f6dfe53a3cb4&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Waste Management wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=7b055f5d-2bfb-471e-a4b8-f6dfe53a3cb4&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Nehams/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Neha Chamaria Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MasterCard. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=2ea3130a-89c1-11e7-a7b2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

doomsayers flooding market warnings looming crash even broader indices hitting alltime highs dont blame youre losing sleep portfolio theres way sleep soundly market ups downs owning stocks withstand volatility keep portfolio good shape regardless state markets three fine examples brookfield infrastructure partners lp nyse bip160waste management nyse wm mastercard inc nyse stocks unique growth catalyst help keep heads water times crisis waste management leader indispensable industry brookfield infrastructure partners solid dividend growth stock making mastercard poised ride huge emerging global trend read continue reading highyield stock best friend markets even dividends stable growing master limited partnership opens new window brookfield infrastructure pays 60 70 funds operations opens new window160ffo dividends backed large growing portfolio essentialservices infrastructure assets power transmission lines railroads toll roads gas pipelines cellular towers brookfield grown160its ffo dividends per share compounded average rates 24 12 respectively since 2009 brookfield proved mettle buying highquality distressed assets converting moneyminting machines 95160of brookfields revenue contracted regulated cash flows highly sustainable surprisingly management confident boosting160dividends 59 annually company aggressively eyeing growth projects opens new window highpotential countries like india investors trust managements dividend goals beta rating 1 brookfield stock moves pretty much line markets 4 yield gives edge markets fall making kind stock youd want buy forget advertisement business managing waste might sound boring one glimpse industry leaders growth recent years bound pique interest stock waste management pulling starters generating lot waste according recent available statistics environmental protection agency us generated160258 million tons municipal solid waste 2014 making largest160trash producer world thats big business waste management currently serves nearly 21 million customers us canada competition isnt concern company dominates industry today building landfills recycling facilities requires boatloads money time acting solid entry barrier years resilient business innovative leadership expanding footprint helped waste management grow leaps bounds encouraging management increase dividends every year since 2003 means waste management also makes great dividend growth stock currently yielding 22 beta opens new window 071 means waste management stock also less volatile overall markets mirroring 70 rise fall given day market downturns lowbeta dividendpaying stock singlehandedly save portfolio nasty shocks mastercard represents future payments cashless digital credit debit cards may become way life youd surprised know largest economies world including india still run primarily cash paymentsprocessing giant mastercard roaring ahead aggressive growth moves vocalink acquisition able leadership indian origin ceo ajay banga worlds secular shift away cash represents opportunities opens new window could run trillions dollars company already proved worth operational front growing constant currency net revenue earnings per share by16013 19 respectively past five years free cash flows meanwhile grown nearly 50 period recent years mastercard also started paying higher dividends shareholders opens new window nearly doubling payout since 2014 mastercard expects160to generate minimum operating margin 50 grow eps compounded average clip 20 2018 beta 119 means mastercard may move bit market either side going companys growth potential projections share price stay right side market allowing sleep well night 10 stocks like better waste managementwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right waste management wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns september 5 2017 neha chamaria opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares recommends mastercard motley fool recommends brookfield infrastructure partners motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Technology and industrials take the brunt of selloff</p> <p>U.S. stocks closed lower Thursday in their worst session in two weeks with the Dow snapping a seven-day win streak on worries over a possible delay in much-anticipated corporate tax cut. However, main indexes trimmed losses after the House Ways and Committee approved a bill to overhaul the tax code, setting up a vote by the full House.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>How did stock indexes fare?</p> <p>The S&amp;amp;P 500 fell 9.76 points, or 0.4%, to 2,584.62 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 101.42, or 0.4%, to 23,461.94. Both indexes logged their biggest one-day percentage drop since Oct. 25.</p> <p>Technology stocks were among the biggest losers with the Nasdaq Composite Index down 39.07 points, or 0.6%, to 6,750.05, its biggest one-day percentage decline since Oct. 23.</p> <p>A popular measure of implied volatility, as measured by the CBOE Volatility index , soared as much as 20%, but pared gains to be up 11% at 10.86, still below its historic average at around 19 but pointing to elevated levels of market anxiety.</p> <p>What drove the market?</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Stocks were initially battered by fears that tax cuts would be delayed as the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday released its version of a tax plan (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/senate-bill-delays-corporate-tax-cut-doesnt-repeal-estate-tax-2017-11-09) that would defer implementing a 20% corporate tax until 2019, versus next year, as proposed by House Republicans.</p> <p>But some of those jitters were soothed when the House Ways and Committee passed the bill put forth by the Republicans (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tax-reform-advances-a-step-as-house-committee-passes-bill-2017-11-09) which proposes cutting corporate taxes to 20% from 35%, repeals the estate tax over time, and revise the existing seven tax brackets into four. The bill will move to the House floor for a vote, possibly as soon as next week.</p> <p>See:How the Republican tax plan would affect homeowners and buyers (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-claims-hed-be-big-loser-from-tax-plan-how-the-senates-bill-may-differ-from-houses-2017-11-08)</p> <p>The tax bill written by House Republicans would boost the U.S. deficit by $300 billion more (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/cbo-says-tax-bill-would-increase-deficit-by-17-trillion-2017-11-08) than lawmakers estimated, the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. And over a decade, it would increase the deficit by $1.7 trillion, beyond the $1.5 trillion required to meet Senate rules under the recently passed budget.</p> <p>Read:1 in 5 would see tax hike in a decade under Republican bill, congressional analysis finds (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/one-in-five-would-see-tax-hike-in-a-decade-under-republican-bill-congressional-analysis-finds-2017-11-07).</p> <p>See also:These states have won the race to the bottom for spending beyond their means (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-jersey-is-in-worse-shape-than-illinois-by-this-measure-and-kentucky-is-worse-than-california-2017-11-09)</p> <p>(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-jersey-is-in-worse-shape-than-illinois-by-this-measure-and-kentucky-is-worse-than-california-2017-11-09)The Federal Reserve isn't factoring the tax bill into its monetary policy forecasts because it is unclear still what will and won't be included, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said on CNBC Thursday morning. "I need to see more of the details," she said. Mester isn't a voting member of the central bank's Federal Open Market Committee this year.</p> <p>What are strategists saying?</p> <p>"A combination of worries about the tax delay and news about Department of Justice's stance on the AT&amp;amp;T deal sparked a mild risk-off day," said Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones.</p> <p>"It's a sign that regulatory regime is not quite as favorable as investors first thought, while delays to tax reform means slower growth next year," Warne added.</p> <p>"There is a lot of division among Republicans in the Congress, especially between those who come from states whose constituents stand to lose under the current proposal. Investors are worried that the tax bill will be delayed," said Mark Kepner, managing director of sales and trading at Themis Trading</p> <p>Which stocks are in focus?</p> <p>Roku Inc.(ROKU) shares soared 55%. The video-streaming company in its first earnings report as a public company late Wednesday, posting profit and revenue that both beat forecasts (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/here-are-the-numbers-that-sent-roku-stock-soaring-after-its-first-earnings-report-2017-11-08).</p> <p>Office Depot Inc. (ODP) shares jumped 7.6% after the firm reported quarterly results that were better than expected (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/office-depot-beats-estimates-despite-hurricane-impact-2017-11-09).</p> <p>Sage Therapeutics Inc. shares surged 54% after the company said its postpartum-depression therapy (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sage-therapeutics-stock-surges-50-on-positive-trial-results-in-postpartum-depression-2017-11-09) has positive results in two late-stage clinical trials.</p> <p>Shares of Vista Outdoor Inc. (VSTO) dropped 28% after the gun and outdoor-sports-products company beat fiscal second-quarter profit expectations (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vista-outdoors-stock-tumbles-after-sales-miss-and-slashed-outlook-offsets-profit-beat-2017-11-09), but missed on sales and slashed its full-year outlook.</p> <p>D.R. Horton Inc.(DHI) stock rose 1.3% after beating profit and sales forecasts.</p> <p>Shares of Macy's Inc.(M) surged 11% as the retailers earnings came ahead of expectations.</p> <p>Shares of Snap Inc.(SNAP) fell 4.1% after a 15% loss posted on Wednesday that came after the company posted disappointing quarterly results (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/snaps-stock-sinks-as-disappointing-results-outweigh-large-tencent-stake-2017-11-08).</p> <p>Opinion:The outlook for Snap isn't as gloomy as the stock market suggests (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-death-of-snap-is-being-greatly-exaggerated-2017-11-08)</p> <p>Perrigo Co. PLC(PRGO) jumped 8.4% after the health-products maker reported better-than-expected earnings.</p> <p>What data were on the economic calendar?</p> <p>Weekly jobless claims (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/four-week-jobless-claims-average-falls-to-lowest-level-since-march-1973-2017-11-09) for the week ended Nov. 4 rose by 10,000 to 239,000, but the more stable monthly average of claims decreased by 1,250 to 231,250 to the lowest level since March 1973.</p> <p>How did other markets perform?</p> <p>Asian markets closed mixed, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index turning a 2% gain at midday into a 0.2% loss by the close, while all European markets closed in the red (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/european-stocks-head-for-3rd-loss-as-burberry-plunges-2017-11-09).</p> <p>Crude-oil prices (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-steady-near-2-year-high-as-geopolitics-stir-supply-concerns-2017-11-09) were trading higher and gold settled stronger, while the ICE Dollar Index slide 0.4%.</p> <p>--Mark DeCambre and Sara Sjolin contributed to this article</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>November 10, 2017 03:42 ET (08:42 GMT)</p>

technology industrials take brunt selloff us stocks closed lower thursday worst session two weeks dow snapping sevenday win streak worries possible delay muchanticipated corporate tax cut however main indexes trimmed losses house ways committee approved bill overhaul tax code setting vote full house continue reading stock indexes fare sampp 500 fell 976 points 04 258462 dow jones industrial average fell 10142 04 2346194 indexes logged biggest oneday percentage drop since oct 25 technology stocks among biggest losers nasdaq composite index 3907 points 06 675005 biggest oneday percentage decline since oct 23 popular measure implied volatility measured cboe volatility index soared much 20 pared gains 11 1086 still historic average around 19 pointing elevated levels market anxiety drove market advertisement stocks initially battered fears tax cuts would delayed senate finance committee thursday released version tax plan httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorysenatebilldelayscorporatetaxcutdoesntrepealestatetax20171109 would defer implementing 20 corporate tax 2019 versus next year proposed house republicans jitters soothed house ways committee passed bill put forth republicans httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorytaxreformadvancesastepashousecommitteepassesbill20171109 proposes cutting corporate taxes 20 35 repeals estate tax time revise existing seven tax brackets four bill move house floor vote possibly soon next week seehow republican tax plan would affect homeowners buyers httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorytrumpclaimshedbebigloserfromtaxplanhowthesenatesbillmaydifferfromhouses20171108 tax bill written house republicans would boost us deficit 300 billion httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorycbosaystaxbillwouldincreasedeficitby17trillion20171108 lawmakers estimated congressional budget office said wednesday decade would increase deficit 17 trillion beyond 15 trillion required meet senate rules recently passed budget read1 5 would see tax hike decade republican bill congressional analysis finds httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryoneinfivewouldseetaxhikeinadecadeunderrepublicanbillcongressionalanalysisfinds20171107 see alsothese states race bottom spending beyond means httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorynewjerseyisinworseshapethanillinoisbythismeasureandkentuckyisworsethancalifornia20171109 httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorynewjerseyisinworseshapethanillinoisbythismeasureandkentuckyisworsethancalifornia20171109the federal reserve isnt factoring tax bill monetary policy forecasts unclear still wont included cleveland fed president loretta mester said cnbc thursday morning need see details said mester isnt voting member central banks federal open market committee year strategists saying combination worries tax delay news department justices stance atampt deal sparked mild riskoff day said kate warne investment strategist edward jones sign regulatory regime quite favorable investors first thought delays tax reform means slower growth next year warne added lot division among republicans congress especially come states whose constituents stand lose current proposal investors worried tax bill delayed said mark kepner managing director sales trading themis trading stocks focus roku incroku shares soared 55 videostreaming company first earnings report public company late wednesday posting profit revenue beat forecasts httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryherearethenumbersthatsentrokustocksoaringafteritsfirstearningsreport20171108 office depot inc odp shares jumped 76 firm reported quarterly results better expected httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryofficedepotbeatsestimatesdespitehurricaneimpact20171109 sage therapeutics inc shares surged 54 company said postpartumdepression therapy httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorysagetherapeuticsstocksurges50onpositivetrialresultsinpostpartumdepression20171109 positive results two latestage clinical trials shares vista outdoor inc vsto dropped 28 gun outdoorsportsproducts company beat fiscal secondquarter profit expectations httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryvistaoutdoorsstocktumblesaftersalesmissandslashedoutlookoffsetsprofitbeat20171109 missed sales slashed fullyear outlook dr horton incdhi stock rose 13 beating profit sales forecasts shares macys incm surged 11 retailers earnings came ahead expectations shares snap incsnap fell 41 15 loss posted wednesday came company posted disappointing quarterly results httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorysnapsstocksinksasdisappointingresultsoutweighlargetencentstake20171108 opinionthe outlook snap isnt gloomy stock market suggests httpwwwmarketwatchcomstorythedeathofsnapisbeinggreatlyexaggerated20171108 perrigo co plcprgo jumped 84 healthproducts maker reported betterthanexpected earnings data economic calendar weekly jobless claims httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryfourweekjoblessclaimsaveragefallstolowestlevelsincemarch197320171109 week ended nov 4 rose 10000 239000 stable monthly average claims decreased 1250 231250 lowest level since march 1973 markets perform asian markets closed mixed japans nikkei 225 index turning 2 gain midday 02 loss close european markets closed red httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryeuropeanstocksheadfor3rdlossasburberryplunges20171109 crudeoil prices httpwwwmarketwatchcomstoryoilpricessteadynear2yearhighasgeopoliticsstirsupplyconcerns20171109 trading higher gold settled stronger ice dollar index slide 04 mark decambre sara sjolin contributed article end dow jones newswires november 10 2017 0342 et 0842 gmt

<p>TIDMINVP TIDMTSCO</p> <p>FORM 8.5 (EPT/NON-RI)</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN</p> <p>EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITHOUT RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY ("RI") STATUS</p> <p>(OR WHERE RI STATUS IS NOT APPLICABLE)</p> <p>Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")</p> <p>1. KEY INFORMATION</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>(a) Name of exempt principal trader:</p> <p>Investec Bank plc</p> <p>(b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant</p> <p>securities this form relates: Tesco plc</p> <p>Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree</p> <p>(c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt Investec are Broker to</p> <p>principal trader is connected: Booker Group plc</p> <p>(d) Date position held/dealing undertaken:</p> <p>For an opening position disclosure, state the latest 1(st) December 2017</p> <p>practicable date prior to the disclosure</p> <p>(e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the</p> <p>exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect YES - Booker Group plc</p> <p>of any other party to the offer?</p> <p>If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state</p> <p>"N/A"</p> <p>2. POSITIONS OF THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER</p> <p>If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than</p> <p>one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b),</p> <p>copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of</p> <p>relevant security.</p> <p>(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of</p> <p>the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the</p> <p>dealing (if any)</p> <p>Class of relevant security:</p> <p>Interests Short positions</p> <p>Number % Number %</p> <p>(1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled:</p> <p>0 0.0000</p> <p>(2) Cash-settled derivatives:</p> <p>(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options)</p> <p>and agreements to purchase/sell:</p> <p>TOTAL: 0 0.0000</p> <p>All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.</p> <p>Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded</p> <p>options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should</p> <p>be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).</p> <p>(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors'</p> <p>and other employee options)</p> <p>Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription</p> <p>right exists:</p> <p>Details, including nature of the rights concerned</p> <p>and relevant percentages:</p> <p>3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER</p> <p>Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant</p> <p>securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 3(a), (b),</p> <p>(c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant</p> <p>security dealt in.</p> <p>The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.</p> <p>(a) Purchases and sales</p> <p>Class of Purchases/ sales Total number Highest price Lowest price</p> <p>relevant of securities per unit per unit</p> <p>security paid/received paid/received</p> <p>Ordinary Purchase 20,000 195.5 195.5</p> <p>(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions</p> <p>Class of Product description Nature of dealing Number of Price</p> <p>relevant e.g. CFD e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing reference per</p> <p>security a long/short position securities unit</p> <p>(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)</p> <p>(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying</p> <p>Class of Product Writing, Number of Exercise Type Expiry Option</p> <p>relevant description purchasing, securities price e.g. American, European etc. date money</p> <p>security e.g. call selling, to which per paid/</p> <p>option varying option unit received</p> <p>etc. relates per</p> <p>unit</p> <p>(ii) Exercise</p> <p>Class of Product description Exercising/ Number of Exercise</p> <p>relevant e.g. call option exercised securities price per</p> <p>security against unit</p> <p>(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)</p> <p>Class of relevant Nature of dealing Details Price per unit</p> <p>security e.g. subscription, conversion (if applicable)</p> <p>4. OTHER INFORMATION</p> <p>(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements</p> <p>Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or</p> <p>any agreement or understanding, formal or informal,</p> <p>relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement</p> <p>to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the</p> <p>exempt principal trader making the disclosure and</p> <p>any party to the offer or any person acting in concert</p> <p>with a party to the offer:</p> <p>Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should</p> <p>not be included. If there are no such agreements,</p> <p>arrangements or understandings, state "none"</p> <p>None</p> <p>(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to</p> <p>options or derivatives</p> <p>Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding,</p> <p>formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader</p> <p>making the disclosure and any other person relating</p> <p>to:</p> <p>(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under</p> <p>any option; or</p> <p>(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal</p> <p>of any relevant securities to which any derivative</p> <p>is referenced:</p> <p>If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings,</p> <p>state "none"</p> <p>None</p> <p>(c) Attachments</p> <p>Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO</p> <p>Date of disclosure:</p> <p>4(th) December 2017</p> <p>Contact name:</p> <p>Gary Darch</p> <p>Telephone number:</p> <p>020 7597 4549</p> <p>Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory</p> <p>Information Service.</p> <p>The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in</p> <p>relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.</p> <p>The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at</p> <p>www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.</p> <p>This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf</p> <p>of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.</p> <p>The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely</p> <p>responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information</p> <p>contained therein.</p> <p>Source: Investec Bank plc via Globenewswire</p> <p>https://www.investec.co.uk/</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>December 04, 2017 05:08 ET (10:08 GMT)</p>

tidminvp tidmtsco form 85 eptnonri continue reading public opening position disclosuredealing disclosure exempt principal trader without recognised intermediary ri status ri status applicable rule 85 takeover code code 1 key information advertisement name exempt principal trader investec bank plc b name offerorofferee relation whose relevant securities form relates tesco plc use separate form offerorofferee c name party offer exempt investec broker principal trader connected booker group plc date position helddealing undertaken opening position disclosure state latest 1st december 2017 practicable date prior disclosure e addition company 1b exempt principal trader making disclosures respect yes booker group plc party offer cash offer possible cash offer state na 2 positions exempt principal trader positions rights subscribe disclose one class relevant securities offeror offeree named 1b copy table 2a b appropriate additional class relevant security interests short positions relevant securities offeror offeree disclosure relates following dealing class relevant security interests short positions number number 1 relevant securities owned andor controlled 0 00000 2 cashsettled derivatives 3 stocksettled derivatives including options agreements purchasesell total 0 00000 interests short positions disclosed details open stocksettled derivative positions including traded options agreements purchase sell relevant securities given supplemental form 8 open positions b rights subscribe new securities including directors employee options class relevant security relation subscription right exists details including nature rights concerned relevant percentages 3 dealings exempt principal trader dealings one class relevant securities offeror offeree named 1b copy table 3a b c appropriate additional class relevant security dealt currency prices monetary amounts stated purchases sales class purchases sales total number highest price lowest price relevant securities per unit per unit security paidreceived paidreceived ordinary purchase 20000 1955 1955 b cashsettled derivative transactions class product description nature dealing number price relevant eg cfd eg openingclosing longshort position increasingreducing reference per security longshort position securities unit c stocksettled derivative transactions including options writing selling purchasing varying class product writing number exercise type expiry option relevant description purchasing securities price eg american european etc date money security eg call selling per paid option varying option unit received etc relates per unit ii exercise class product description exercising number exercise relevant eg call option exercised securities price per security unit dealings including subscribing new securities class relevant nature dealing details price per unit security eg subscription conversion applicable 4 information indemnity dealing arrangements details indemnity option arrangement agreement understanding formal informal relating relevant securities may inducement deal refrain dealing entered exempt principal trader making disclosure party offer person acting concert party offer irrevocable commitments letters intent included agreements arrangements understandings state none none b agreements arrangements understandings relating options derivatives details agreement arrangement understanding formal informal exempt principal trader making disclosure person relating voting rights relevant securities option ii voting rights future acquisition disposal relevant securities derivative referenced agreements arrangements understandings state none none c attachments supplemental form 8 open positions attached date disclosure 4th december 2017 contact name gary darch telephone number 020 7597 4549 public disclosures rule 8 code must made regulatory information service panels market surveillance unit available consultation relation codes disclosure requirements 44 020 7638 0129 code viewed panels website wwwthetakeoverpanelorguk announcement distributed nasdaq corporate solutions behalf nasdaq corporate solutions clients issuer announcement warrants solely responsible content accuracy originality information contained therein source investec bank plc via globenewswire httpswwwinvesteccouk end dow jones newswires december 04 2017 0508 et 1008 gmt

<p>Sign up: With one click, get this newsletter delivered to your inbox.</p> <p>Electronics supply chains that Apple Inc. has helped build across Asia are shuddering at the cutback in production of the latest iPhone. Apple is slashing its plans for making iPhone X handsets by half, to 20 million, in the current quarter, the WSJ's Yoko Kubota and Tripp Mickle report. Orders for components could be cut even more, by perhaps 60%, as reductions ripple across the broad eco-system of electronics manufacturing and distribution that Apple products have fostered. The latest reduction, the result of disappointing sales of the latest generation of the iPhone, is a new example of how companies in Apple's orbit can rise and fall as the company builds up new technology and then moves on or sees some features grow stale. Just last month, shares in Dialog Semiconductor, whose chips control power use in Apple products, fell by a quarter when it said its main client "has the resources and capability" to make its own power-management chips.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Harley-Davidson Inc. is scaling down its U.S. supply chain as sales of its iconic motorcycles sag inside the country and abroad. The company is closing its assembly plant in Kansas City, Mo., and consolidating that production into one of its three remaining U.S. factories, the WSJ's Andrew Tangel reports, a step back for the manufacturing sector that follows recent announcements of new factory investments. Harley's problems look bigger than broad changes in the American economy that have fueled other factory expansion, however: The company's revenue from motorcycle sales fell 6.8% last year, and sales of its signature Hog line declined for the third straight year as it loses market share to overseas competitors. Harley has been looking to get more global its production. The company said last year it would put a plant in Thailand, in part to get tax breaks for motorcycles it ships to other Southeast Asian countries. Harley will see lower taxes in the U.S., of course, but what it needs now are more sales.</p> <p>The era of driverless cars and delivery vehicles is well underway as far as some architects and developers are concerned. Planners in cities in North America, Europe and Asia are drawing up designs for streets with curbside drop-off areas for e-commerce deliveries and passengers rather than parking spaces, the WSJ's Peter Grant writes, while architects are laying out office and residential buildings with space for stacking up packages and delivery lockers. The goal for many planners, says an executive at one architecture firm, is to "future-proof" everything from roads to parking garages against what they say is an upheaval in transportation of goods and people. Real-estate developers and architects are thinking about a driverless future today because many of the structures and streets they're designing will still be around decades from now. They want to include flexibility so they can later adapt to changing transportation and shipping patterns with limited cost.</p> <p>TRANSPORTATION</p> <p>The very meager production of Tesla Inc. Model 3 sedans has created an unusual , big-money market for the electric cars. A shortage of the vehicles is fueling a frenzy among curious competitors, the WSJ's Tim Higgins reports, with some automotive companies paying upward of $500,000 to get their hands on the car billed as Tesla's entry into mass-market sales. The Model 3 so far hasn't worked out that way, with supply chain problems and production bottlenecks leaving fewer than 2,000 of the cars rolling out over the past two quarters. That's made the sedan a kind of model for the impact of supply scarcity in a market, with competitors and analysts scrambling to get their hands on the car. For some, it's purely a business decision. Engineering firm Caresoft Global Inc. has bought three Model 3s for around three times the list price each. They're in it not for the ride but for the technical analysis that Caresoft believes it can sell to competitors.</p> <p>QUOTABLE</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>IN OTHER NEWS</p> <p>President Donald Trump called for spending of "at least $1.5 trillion" on infrastructure but offered scant details on his State of the Union address on how to fund such a program. (WSJ)</p> <p>U.S. consumer confidence rose in January. (WSJ)</p> <p>A revival of the French economy helped the eurozone clock its strongest growth in a decade last year. (WSJ)</p> <p>Mexico's economy expanded at its fastest pace in more than a year in the fourth quarter. (WSJ)</p> <p>The U.S. homeownership rate rose in 2017 for the first time in 13 years. (WSJ)</p> <p>Growth in U.S. home prices accelerated in November on tight supply. (WSJ)</p> <p>Amazon.com Inc., Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase &amp;amp; Co. are forming a company looking to reduce health-care costs for their U.S. employees. (WSJ)</p> <p>Pfizer Inc. plans to invest $5 billion in manufacturing and other capital projects in the U.S. over the next five years. (WSJ)</p> <p>McDonald's Corp. gained sales again by luring core customers to its cheapest meals and drinks. (WSJ)</p> <p>Nikola Motor Co. chose the Phoenix area for a $1 billion manufacturing plant for its hydrogen-fueled heavy-duty trucks. (Reuters)</p> <p>Sequoia Capital led a $21 million funding round for online freight marketplace Next Trucking. (VentureBeat)</p> <p>U.S. steel imports rose 15.4% last year from the year before. (Northwest Indiana Times)</p> <p>An investigation shows drug distributors sent 20.8 million prescription pain killers to a West Virginia town with 2,900 residents. (Charleston Gazette-Mail)</p> <p>Uber Technologies Inc. reportedly looked at buying Chicago-based freight broker Load Delivered Logistics to bolster its Uber Freight service. (Recode)</p> <p>Truckload carrier Werner Enterprises Inc.'s fourth-quarter operating profit soared 29% on a 9% gain in overall revenue. (Omaha World-Herald)</p> <p>Covenant Transportation Group Inc. expects a measure of truck pricing to rise at a mid to high single-digit percentage rate this year. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)</p> <p>CMA CGM Group is starting a incubator called Ze Box for digital shipping technology startups. (American Shipper)</p> <p>India's Jawaharlal Nehru Port will open its fourth container terminal this week. (DNA India)</p> <p>French logistics group Bollor&#233; Logistics acquired majority control of Danish freight forwarder Global Solutions. (The Loadstar)</p> <p>Private equity group Leonard Green &amp;amp; Partners bought packaging machinery manufacturer ProMach. (Business Journals)</p> <p>Parcel volume at U.K. delivery company Hermes expanded 12% year-over-year during the holiday peak season. (Motor Transport)</p> <p>Colombian authorities seized 185 kilos of cocaine and arrested 10 suspected drug smugglers aboard a Hapag-Lloyd AG container ship. (Splash 14/7)</p> <p>ABOUT US</p> <p>Paul Page is deputy editor of WSJ Logistics Report. Follow him at @PaulPage, and follow the entire WSJ Logistics Report team: @brianjbaskin , @jensmithWSJ and @EEPhillips_WSJ. Follow the WSJ Logistics Report on Twitter at @WSJLogistics.</p> <p>Write to Paul Page at paul.page@wsj.com</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>January 31, 2018 07:13 ET (12:13 GMT)</p>

sign one click get newsletter delivered inbox electronics supply chains apple inc helped build across asia shuddering cutback production latest iphone apple slashing plans making iphone x handsets half 20 million current quarter wsjs yoko kubota tripp mickle report orders components could cut even perhaps 60 reductions ripple across broad ecosystem electronics manufacturing distribution apple products fostered latest reduction result disappointing sales latest generation iphone new example companies apples orbit rise fall company builds new technology moves sees features grow stale last month shares dialog semiconductor whose chips control power use apple products fell quarter said main client resources capability make powermanagement chips continue reading harleydavidson inc scaling us supply chain sales iconic motorcycles sag inside country abroad company closing assembly plant kansas city mo consolidating production one three remaining us factories wsjs andrew tangel reports step back manufacturing sector follows recent announcements new factory investments harleys problems look bigger broad changes american economy fueled factory expansion however companys revenue motorcycle sales fell 68 last year sales signature hog line declined third straight year loses market share overseas competitors harley looking get global production company said last year would put plant thailand part get tax breaks motorcycles ships southeast asian countries harley see lower taxes us course needs sales era driverless cars delivery vehicles well underway far architects developers concerned planners cities north america europe asia drawing designs streets curbside dropoff areas ecommerce deliveries passengers rather parking spaces wsjs peter grant writes architects laying office residential buildings space stacking packages delivery lockers goal many planners says executive one architecture firm futureproof everything roads parking garages say upheaval transportation goods people realestate developers architects thinking driverless future today many structures streets theyre designing still around decades want include flexibility later adapt changing transportation shipping patterns limited cost transportation meager production tesla inc model 3 sedans created unusual bigmoney market electric cars shortage vehicles fueling frenzy among curious competitors wsjs tim higgins reports automotive companies paying upward 500000 get hands car billed teslas entry massmarket sales model 3 far hasnt worked way supply chain problems production bottlenecks leaving fewer 2000 cars rolling past two quarters thats made sedan kind model impact supply scarcity market competitors analysts scrambling get hands car purely business decision engineering firm caresoft global inc bought three model 3s around three times list price theyre ride technical analysis caresoft believes sell competitors quotable advertisement news president donald trump called spending least 15 trillion infrastructure offered scant details state union address fund program wsj us consumer confidence rose january wsj revival french economy helped eurozone clock strongest growth decade last year wsj mexicos economy expanded fastest pace year fourth quarter wsj us homeownership rate rose 2017 first time 13 years wsj growth us home prices accelerated november tight supply wsj amazoncom inc berkshire hathaway jpmorgan chase amp co forming company looking reduce healthcare costs us employees wsj pfizer inc plans invest 5 billion manufacturing capital projects us next five years wsj mcdonalds corp gained sales luring core customers cheapest meals drinks wsj nikola motor co chose phoenix area 1 billion manufacturing plant hydrogenfueled heavyduty trucks reuters sequoia capital led 21 million funding round online freight marketplace next trucking venturebeat us steel imports rose 154 last year year northwest indiana times investigation shows drug distributors sent 208 million prescription pain killers west virginia town 2900 residents charleston gazettemail uber technologies inc reportedly looked buying chicagobased freight broker load delivered logistics bolster uber freight service recode truckload carrier werner enterprises incs fourthquarter operating profit soared 29 9 gain overall revenue omaha worldherald covenant transportation group inc expects measure truck pricing rise mid high singledigit percentage rate year chattanooga times free press cma cgm group starting incubator called ze box digital shipping technology startups american shipper indias jawaharlal nehru port open fourth container terminal week dna india french logistics group bolloré logistics acquired majority control danish freight forwarder global solutions loadstar private equity group leonard green amp partners bought packaging machinery manufacturer promach business journals parcel volume uk delivery company hermes expanded 12 yearoveryear holiday peak season motor transport colombian authorities seized 185 kilos cocaine arrested 10 suspected drug smugglers aboard hapaglloyd ag container ship splash 147 us paul page deputy editor wsj logistics report follow paulpage follow entire wsj logistics report team brianjbaskin jensmithwsj eephillips_wsj follow wsj logistics report twitter wsjlogistics write paul page paulpagewsjcom end dow jones newswires january 31 2018 0713 et 1213 gmt

<p /> <p>Last month, Alaska Air agreed to buy trendy airline Virgin America for more than $2.5 billion, following an intense bidding war with JetBlue Airways .</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Virgin America sold itself to Alaska Air last month. Image source: Virgin America.</p> <p>While JetBlue didn't win the bidding for Virgin America, it still wants to win over Virgin America's customers. Not surprisingly, its attempts to lure loyal Virgin America fliers away have provoked a strong reaction. JetBlue and Virgin America now both seem intent on trying to steal each other's customers.</p> <p>The Alaska-Virgin America merger's weak spotOn paper, the Alaska Airlines-Virgin America tie-up makes sense. Combining the two carriers will create a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/04/alaska-air-outbids-jetblue-to-buy-virgin-america.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">West Coast powerhouse Opens a New Window.</a> with a strong presence in nearly every major West Coast market, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland.</p> <p>However, Virgin America's frequent flyer base is potentially the "soft underbelly" of the merger. Virgin America has attracted a loyal customer base in the Bay Area and Los Angeles due to its hip image, onboard amenities, and friendly service. Naturally, many of these customers are worried about how the experience will change when Alaska Air takes over.</p> <p>Over the past month, Alaska has tried to reassure loyal Virgin America customers that nothing will change for now -- and that in the long run, it will try to incorporate the best aspects of the Virgin America experience into the Alaska Airlines brand. It won't be easy to maintain these customers' loyalty, though.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Some loyal Virgin America fliers are nervous about potential changes. Image source: Virgin America.</p> <p>It's not that Alaska Airlines is a bad carrier. It's exceptionally well-run and has been ranked No. 1 among traditional carriers in customer satisfaction for eight straight years. However, it has a very different culture and "feel" than Virgin America and it will be <a href="https://skift.com/2016/04/12/the-death-of-virgin-americas-brand-and-the-aftermath-of-the-alaska-airlines-sale/" type="external">hard to satisfy both customer bases Opens a New Window.</a> with a unified product offering.</p> <p>JetBlue makes its move(s)This tension represents an opportunity for JetBlue. Soon after the Alaska-Virgin America merger was announced, JetBlue launched a "Calling All JetBlue Virgins" sweepstakes, giving away 50 free transcontinental roundtrip tickets to people who have never flown JetBlue.</p> <p>The goal was primarily to increase awareness of JetBlue on the West Coast, especially among Virgin America's customer base. JetBlue's inflight experience is similar in many ways to what Virgin America offers -- with lots of legroom in coach, TVs at every seat, and fast Wi-Fi -- and it has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any airline measured by J.D. Power.</p> <p>JetBlue also announced a broad expansion of its Mint premium service last month. Over the next two years, JetBlue will introduce Mint service -- including 16 lie-flat seats in the premium cabin -- on <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/14/jetblue-goes-upscale-to-compete-with-bigger-rivals.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">seven more transcontinental routes Opens a New Window.</a> (not including Boston-Los Angeles, which had been previously announced).</p> <p>JetBlue will roll out its Mint premium service to many more routes by 2018. Image source: JetBlue Airways.</p> <p>On all of these new Mint routes except for New York-San Diego, JetBlue currently competes with either Virgin America or Alaska Airlines. With a true premium cabin for numerous transcontinental routes, JetBlue will be able to target fans of Virgin America's luxurious first class section: not just people who fly coach.</p> <p>Virgin America strikes backNot surprisingly, Virgin America isn't happy about JetBlue going after its best customers. Thus, it struck back last week with an offer targeting JetBlue's most loyal customers.</p> <p>Virgin America has expanded its status match program to include JetBlue. Loyal JetBlue customers with Mosaic status now automatically qualify for Elevate Gold status at Virgin America, entitling them to a host of benefits (relatively similar to what Mosaic offers).</p> <p>This offer might be attractive to some JetBlue elite-level frequent flyers in the Los Angeles area (JetBlue has a small focus city in Long Beach, California). However, most of JetBlue's customer base is on the East Coast, and Virgin America has less to offer those folks.</p> <p>This is just the warm-up actOf course, just as Virgin America's weakness on the East Coast limits its ability to poach loyal JetBlue customers, JetBlue's small West Coast footprint may prevent it from winning over too many Virgin America customers.</p> <p>However, the two carriers do have significant overlap in the transcon market. Assuming the Virgin America-Alaska Air deal goes through, this overlap will increase. Furthermore, JetBlue has ambitions to grow its West Coast presence in the years ahead.</p> <p>Thus, as Alaska starts to fold Virgin America into its own brand, JetBlue could make a concerted push to grow on the West Coast and poach more Virgin America customers. If JetBlue does so, it will ignite an even bigger war over customers between the two coastal airlines.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/02/jetblue-and-virgin-america-go-to-war-to-steal-each.aspx" type="external">JetBlue and Virgin America Go to War to Steal Each Other's Customers Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGemHunter/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Adam Levine-Weinberg Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of JetBlue Airways and is long January 2017 $17 calls on JetBlue Airways. The Motley Fool recommends Virgin America. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

last month alaska air agreed buy trendy airline virgin america 25 billion following intense bidding war jetblue airways continue reading virgin america sold alaska air last month image source virgin america jetblue didnt win bidding virgin america still wants win virgin americas customers surprisingly attempts lure loyal virgin america fliers away provoked strong reaction jetblue virgin america seem intent trying steal others customers alaskavirgin america mergers weak spoton paper alaska airlinesvirgin america tieup makes sense combining two carriers create west coast powerhouse opens new window strong presence nearly every major west coast market including los angeles san francisco seattle portland however virgin americas frequent flyer base potentially soft underbelly merger virgin america attracted loyal customer base bay area los angeles due hip image onboard amenities friendly service naturally many customers worried experience change alaska air takes past month alaska tried reassure loyal virgin america customers nothing change long run try incorporate best aspects virgin america experience alaska airlines brand wont easy maintain customers loyalty though advertisement loyal virgin america fliers nervous potential changes image source virgin america alaska airlines bad carrier exceptionally wellrun ranked 1 among traditional carriers customer satisfaction eight straight years however different culture feel virgin america hard satisfy customer bases opens new window unified product offering jetblue makes movesthis tension represents opportunity jetblue soon alaskavirgin america merger announced jetblue launched calling jetblue virgins sweepstakes giving away 50 free transcontinental roundtrip tickets people never flown jetblue goal primarily increase awareness jetblue west coast especially among virgin americas customer base jetblues inflight experience similar many ways virgin america offers lots legroom coach tvs every seat fast wifi highest customer satisfaction rating airline measured jd power jetblue also announced broad expansion mint premium service last month next two years jetblue introduce mint service including 16 lieflat seats premium cabin seven transcontinental routes opens new window including bostonlos angeles previously announced jetblue roll mint premium service many routes 2018 image source jetblue airways new mint routes except new yorksan diego jetblue currently competes either virgin america alaska airlines true premium cabin numerous transcontinental routes jetblue able target fans virgin americas luxurious first class section people fly coach virgin america strikes backnot surprisingly virgin america isnt happy jetblue going best customers thus struck back last week offer targeting jetblues loyal customers virgin america expanded status match program include jetblue loyal jetblue customers mosaic status automatically qualify elevate gold status virgin america entitling host benefits relatively similar mosaic offers offer might attractive jetblue elitelevel frequent flyers los angeles area jetblue small focus city long beach california however jetblues customer base east coast virgin america less offer folks warmup actof course virgin americas weakness east coast limits ability poach loyal jetblue customers jetblues small west coast footprint may prevent winning many virgin america customers however two carriers significant overlap transcon market assuming virgin americaalaska air deal goes overlap increase furthermore jetblue ambitions grow west coast presence years ahead thus alaska starts fold virgin america brand jetblue could make concerted push grow west coast poach virgin america customers jetblue ignite even bigger war customers two coastal airlines article jetblue virgin america go war steal others customers opens new window originally appeared foolcom adam levineweinberg opens new window owns shares jetblue airways long january 2017 17 calls jetblue airways motley fool recommends virgin america try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Valuing biotech companies that lack an FDA- or EMA-approved product is a tricky endeavor, to put it mildly. So, to help shed some light on this complicated issue, we asked three of our healthcare contributors how they go about calculating a workable valuation metric for clinical-stage biotechnology companies. Here's what they had to say.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Image Source: Getty Images.</p> <p><a href="http://www.fool.com/author/14447/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Kristine Harjes Opens a New Window.</a>: In order to value a clinical-stage biotech, you must first attempt to value the company's pipeline. For simplicity's sake, let's consider a company that has one lead candidate in development. We can determine a reasonable expectation for this drug's sales by using the following formula:</p> <p>Size of patient population * expected market share * price of drug = sales</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Let's take these elements one by one. Size of the patient population is usually very easy to find with a quick internet search. If the drug targets a chronic disease, you'll want to find out how many total people have the disease. If it's a one-time cure, you'll want to note how many new cases of the disease are diagnosed each year. Additionally, if the drug targets anything later than first-line treatment, you'll need to investigate how many patients progress past the first line of therapy.</p> <p>Expected market share has two components. Does the drug have competition? If so, how does it stack up against its competition? If it beat the standard of care in trials, it's safe to say it'll steal away a good bit of market share. However, if it hasn't been tested head-to-head, it might only garner a small share, as many doctors prefer to stick to prescribing a familiar drug.</p> <p>Speaking of competing drugs on the market, this is just about the only way to estimate the price tag. If there isn't any other similar drug out there, your job just got a bit harder. This is likely the case with rare disease drugs, which almost always price in the low 6-figures.</p> <p>Sound like a lot of moving pieces and guess-work? You're correct. Fortunately, there are many analysts out there who will do this heavy lifting for you -- and it's your job at that point to check that their estimates seem reasonable. In fact, knowing what goes into a calculation can help inform your trust in these estimates.</p> <p>We can now turn to the bottom-line question: How does a peak sales estimate play directly into the valuation for a company? Historically, biotechs are valued at about three times the peak annual sales of the company's lead candidate. If chances of approval look good, which you can judge by how far along the drug is and the strength of the trial data, and yet shares are still trading for far below three times peak sales, you may just have found yourself an undervalued gem. And if the company has other drugs in development, that's a helpful hedge against the worst-case scenario: the FDA rejecting the drug, turning its peak sales to $0.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFang4apples/activity.aspx" type="external">Cory Renauer Opens a New Window.</a>:Far too often beginning -- and seasoned -- biotech investors imagine the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow without factoring in the odds of getting there. When it comes to clinical-stage drug candidates, though, adjusting for risk of failure can help you avoid biotech stocks with delusional valuations, and spot overlooked bargains.</p> <p>Let's look at an example from Celldex Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CLDX). Its lead candidate, glembatumumab vedotin (glemba), is in a phase 2 study that could support an application for treatment of breast cancer patients with tumors that lack three important targets employed by existing treatments. Each year an estimated 170,000 women are diagnosed with "triple-negative" breast cancer, but it seems a large percentage have tumors that express glemba's target.</p> <p>To illustrate adjusting clinical stage biotech assets for risk, we'll assume the drug's total annual patient population is around 50,000 patients at a list price of $100,000 each. Assuming the drug can capture the entire market, this gives us a peak annual sales estimate of $5 billion, which suggests Celldex Therapeutics' recent market cap of just $448 million is grossly undervalued.</p> <p>Before you get too excited, it's important to factor in risks associated with drug development. Between 2006 and 2015, just 8.1% of oncology candidates that entered phase 2 trials went on to earn FDA approval. Adjusting for this dismal rate of success lowers the amount of peak annual glemba revenue we can statistically hope for to just $405 million.</p> <p>Although investment in Celldex would involve significant risk, adjusting for the odds of failure still leaves us with a clear view of a stock in value territory. Toss in a solid balance sheet, and additional oncology candidates a bit closer to the finish line, and this biotech stock looks like a bargain you can feel confident about.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGBudwell/info.aspx" type="external">George Budwell Opens a New Window.</a>:Clinical-stage biotechs are extremely difficult to value because of the sheer complexity in breaking down even a single drug's real world commercial opportunity -- not to mention the daunting task of working through an entire pipeline of experimental product candidates.</p> <p>So before building more robust multivariate models to assess the probabilities underlying different events during a drug's march toward the market and its subsequent uptake, I start off by asking three fundamental questions outlined below to see if a stock even warrants a deeper dive.</p> <p>This question speaks to the likelihood that a regulatory agency may be willing to overlook some minor -- or even major -- problems with a drug's clinical dataset or regulatory application during the review process.</p> <p>Sarepta Therapeutics' controversial Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) drug Exondys 51, for example, apparently got a pass from the FDA due to the high unmet medical need for its proposed indication -- despite the drug's exceedingly small mid-stage trial and questionable efficacy results.</p> <p>A drug indicated for a market supporting multiple products such as advanced melanoma, on the other hand, may require a near flawless regulatory application in order to convince regulators to approve yet another expensive medication.</p> <p>It's no secret that experience plays a huge role in convincing regulators to first approve a drug, and then get payers to provide coverage to maximize a drug's commercial potential. If a company lacks experience on both fronts, it can spell disaster for shareholders.</p> <p>Unfortunately, a positive late-stage trial and the FDA's blessing are only the first of many major hurdles on a drug's path toward becoming a profitable commercial-stage product. Equally important is that payers are willing to cover a drug, and that's often not the case for a variety of reasons.</p> <p>In all, I begin the lengthy valuation process by first deciding if the company's lead drug candidate has a reasonable shot at garnering an approval, finding a profitable niche, and getting broad insurance coverage. A shocking two-thirds of all experimental drugs, after all, fail to ever reach the commercial stage of their life cycle -- meaning that the vast majority of clinical candidates actually sport a big goose egg in terms of their real world value proposition.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Apple When investing geniuses David and TomGardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter theyhave run for over a decade, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tomjust revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/e-sa-bbn-eg?aid=8867&amp;amp;source=isaeditxt0000474&amp;amp;ftm_cam=sa-bbn-evergreen&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">ten best stocks Opens a New Window.</a>for investors to buy right now and Apple wasn't one of them! That's right -- theythink these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/e-sa-bbn-eg?aid=8867&amp;amp;source=isaeditxt0000474&amp;amp;ftm_cam=sa-bbn-evergreen&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a>to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*StockAdvisor returns as of December 12, 2016The author(s) may have a position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns and recommends shares of Apple.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/crenauer/info.aspx" type="external">Cory Renauer Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/gbudwell/info.aspx" type="external">George Budwell Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFAnchor/info.aspx" type="external">Kristine Harjes Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Celldex Therapeutics. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

valuing biotech companies lack fda emaapproved product tricky endeavor put mildly help shed light complicated issue asked three healthcare contributors go calculating workable valuation metric clinicalstage biotechnology companies heres say continue reading image source getty images kristine harjes opens new window order value clinicalstage biotech must first attempt value companys pipeline simplicitys sake lets consider company one lead candidate development determine reasonable expectation drugs sales using following formula size patient population expected market share price drug sales advertisement lets take elements one one size patient population usually easy find quick internet search drug targets chronic disease youll want find many total people disease onetime cure youll want note many new cases disease diagnosed year additionally drug targets anything later firstline treatment youll need investigate many patients progress past first line therapy expected market share two components drug competition stack competition beat standard care trials safe say itll steal away good bit market share however hasnt tested headtohead might garner small share many doctors prefer stick prescribing familiar drug speaking competing drugs market way estimate price tag isnt similar drug job got bit harder likely case rare disease drugs almost always price low 6figures sound like lot moving pieces guesswork youre correct fortunately many analysts heavy lifting job point check estimates seem reasonable fact knowing goes calculation help inform trust estimates turn bottomline question peak sales estimate play directly valuation company historically biotechs valued three times peak annual sales companys lead candidate chances approval look good judge far along drug strength trial data yet shares still trading far three times peak sales may found undervalued gem company drugs development thats helpful hedge worstcase scenario fda rejecting drug turning peak sales 0 cory renauer opens new windowfar often beginning seasoned biotech investors imagine pot gold end rainbow without factoring odds getting comes clinicalstage drug candidates though adjusting risk failure help avoid biotech stocks delusional valuations spot overlooked bargains lets look example celldex therapeutics nasdaq cldx lead candidate glembatumumab vedotin glemba phase 2 study could support application treatment breast cancer patients tumors lack three important targets employed existing treatments year estimated 170000 women diagnosed triplenegative breast cancer seems large percentage tumors express glembas target illustrate adjusting clinical stage biotech assets risk well assume drugs total annual patient population around 50000 patients list price 100000 assuming drug capture entire market gives us peak annual sales estimate 5 billion suggests celldex therapeutics recent market cap 448 million grossly undervalued get excited important factor risks associated drug development 2006 2015 81 oncology candidates entered phase 2 trials went earn fda approval adjusting dismal rate success lowers amount peak annual glemba revenue statistically hope 405 million although investment celldex would involve significant risk adjusting odds failure still leaves us clear view stock value territory toss solid balance sheet additional oncology candidates bit closer finish line biotech stock looks like bargain feel confident george budwell opens new windowclinicalstage biotechs extremely difficult value sheer complexity breaking even single drugs real world commercial opportunity mention daunting task working entire pipeline experimental product candidates building robust multivariate models assess probabilities underlying different events drugs march toward market subsequent uptake start asking three fundamental questions outlined see stock even warrants deeper dive question speaks likelihood regulatory agency may willing overlook minor even major problems drugs clinical dataset regulatory application review process sarepta therapeutics controversial duchenne muscular dystrophy dmd drug exondys 51 example apparently got pass fda due high unmet medical need proposed indication despite drugs exceedingly small midstage trial questionable efficacy results drug indicated market supporting multiple products advanced melanoma hand may require near flawless regulatory application order convince regulators approve yet another expensive medication secret experience plays huge role convincing regulators first approve drug get payers provide coverage maximize drugs commercial potential company lacks experience fronts spell disaster shareholders unfortunately positive latestage trial fdas blessing first many major hurdles drugs path toward becoming profitable commercialstage product equally important payers willing cover drug thats often case variety reasons begin lengthy valuation process first deciding companys lead drug candidate reasonable shot garnering approval finding profitable niche getting broad insurance coverage shocking twothirds experimental drugs fail ever reach commercial stage life cycle meaning vast majority clinical candidates actually sport big goose egg terms real world value proposition 10 stocks like better apple investing geniuses david tomgardner stock tip pay listen newsletter theyhave run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tomjust revealed believe ten best stocks opens new windowfor investors buy right apple wasnt one thats right theythink 10 stocks even better buys click opens new windowto learn picks stockadvisor returns december 12 2016the authors may position stocks mentioned motley fool owns recommends shares apple cory renauer opens new window position stocks mentioned george budwell opens new window position stocks mentioned kristine harjes opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool recommends celldex therapeutics try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>RUSH: Something dramatic, crucial, and extraordinary has just happened, ladies and gentlemen. It just happened mere moments before this program began. The timing certainly not coincidental. It happened at the White House. It involved the president of the United States and a pen. And what happened was a first serious slice taken out of Obamacare. Despite Senator John McCain&#8217;s best efforts to thwart President Trump and preserve this boondoggle, the president triumphs here at this stage.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH: So let&#8217;s go to the audio sound bites, you tell me what you hear. This is the signing ceremony today, executive order to promote health care choice and competition. We have two bites. This is the first.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: In a few moments I will sign an executive order taking the first steps to providing millions of Americans with Obamacare relief. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services, the Treasury, and the Department of Labor to take action to increase competition, increase choice, and increase access to lower priced, high quality health care options. And they will have so many options. This will cost the United States government virtually nothing.</p> <p>RUSH: We don&#8217;t care about that.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: And people will have great, great health care. And when I say people, I mean by the millions and millions.</p> <p>RUSH: And here&#8217;s the next and last bite that we have.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: I&#8217;m also directing Secretary Acosta to consider ways to expand these associations and these health care plans all across state lines.</p> <p>RUSH: There you go.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: This will create tremendous competition &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH: There you go.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: &#8212; and transformative in so many ways, change aimed at creating more and lower prices for millions of Americans.</p> <p>RUSH: There you go.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: The competition will be staggering.</p> <p>RUSH: There you go. That&#8217;s right.</p> <p>THE PRESIDENT: Insurance companies will be fighting to get every single person signed up. And you will be hopefully negotiating, negotiating, negotiating. And you&#8217;ll get such low prices for such great care.</p> <p>RUSH: All right. So before getting into the nitty-gritty, I happened to be watching Fox News when this was over and they had some leftist on with Ed Rollins. I don&#8217;t even know this guy, never saw him before. Doesn&#8217;t matter. Dime a dozen. Guy&#8217;s reading &#8212; well, he was reciting talking points. And you should hear. &#8220;Well, this is good-bye coverage for preexisting conditions. The president has just seen to it that the poor are gonna lose their health insurance. The wealthy are going to get a tax &#8211;break.&#8221;</p> <p>It was just monolithic, formulaic, cliched talking points. And the infobabe was Melissa Francis. She got frustrated listening to this guy and finally cut him off and said (paraphrasing), &#8220;You didn&#8217;t see what everybody else saw.&#8221; Ed Rollins came on, &#8220;He&#8217;s just spouting talking points.&#8221; The guy was fuming. You could see him when the camera was still on him but he wasn&#8217;t speaking. He tried to go through it again after Ed Rollins finished, and Melissa, &#8220;Well, we&#8217;re just gonna have to agree to disagree, &#8217;cause you didn&#8217;t watch what we saw.&#8221;</p> <p>It didn&#8217;t matter what Trump said; the left has their reaction to this. Now, here are the basics. Some things, the pictures of this were kind of incredible. Rand Paul, who came up with the shell of this idea, was introducing it and Mike Pence, the vice president. Rand Paul praised Trump for boldness and leadership. Rand Paul, when it comes to Obamacare, has been from the beginning of this opposed to anything that didn&#8217;t literally get rid of Obamacare.</p> <p>You know, all these previous health care bills that some of them started in the House, the ones that had their origins in the Senate, he wasn&#8217;t eager about any of them because in his mind they didn&#8217;t really change anything other than cosmetically, but he&#8217;s all aboard on this. And I think it has the potential to be a huge deal.</p> <p>Now, it&#8217;s not everything, it can&#8217;t be everything with just an executive order or executive action, but it&#8217;s something, and it&#8217;s more than we were ever gonna get if we had left it up just to the Senate or just to the House. What the executive order will do is erase existing rules on small businesses banding together to buy health insurance through what are known as association health plans. It will lift limits on short-term health insurance plans, according to an administration source, and the order here directs the Department of Labor to modernize rules to allow small employers to create association health plans.</p> <p>Let me translate this for you, what all this news media-speak means. The problem with Obama &#8212; well, one of the many problems is that healthy people are not buying it. And the reason they&#8217;re not buying it, it&#8217;s twofold. It&#8217;s wildly expensive, it&#8217;s irrationally expensive, and it&#8217;s irrationally expensive because the mandate in Obamacare was going to force them to buy it, and their purchases were gonna fund health care for the poor and the elderly and others who couldn&#8217;t afford it, and so the burden was on the young and healthy. It never made any sense.</p> <p>In a free market the young and healthy would not buy health insurance other than catastrophic because they&#8217;re young and healthy. They don&#8217;t need it. So the mandate was created requiring them to, and they just didn&#8217;t do it. They opted to pay the fine or they just rolled the dice that the IRS couldn&#8217;t catch &#8217;em with all the other things the IRS has to do. And so there wasn&#8217;t anywhere near enough money coming in to fund, at the front end or the back end, Obamacare. And it led to a whole lot of people without insurance.</p> <p>This change will allow for the market to begin creating policies that match the need and desire of customers, meaning they&#8217;re going to be allowed to scrub existing policies and rewrite new ones that only offer X coverage of this, this coverage, that coverage, not mandate universal coverage for every damn thing that a young 25 year old guy will never need, like contraception coverage. Not gonna be required to buy this kind of stuff. The insurance companies will now be free to create policies that actually feature things people want.</p> <p>The theory of competition is such that if a number of insurance companies play the game, then they&#8217;re gonna be in competition with one another to get those dollars, and the policies will have to be reflective of the market and desires and then cost will lower because of the competition. Small employers will be allowed to form their own groups to create association health plans and qualify for group coverage based on their needs and their desires.</p> <p>Now, the left is just having a cow over all of this. The Politico: &#8220;It&#8217;s not yet clear how far the administration will go, or how quickly it can implement the president&#8217;s order. But if successful, the new rules could upend the way businesses and individuals buy coverage &#8212; lowering premiums for the healthiest Americans at the expense of key consumer protections and potentially tipping the Obamacare markets into a tailspin.&#8221;</p> <p>No, it already is in a tailspin. It makes no sense for the healthiest and youngest Americans to be paying the most! They won&#8217;t buy it. They&#8217;re not in the market, therefore none of their purchases get factored into the total amount of money in the pool that treats people who are in need of it. Obamacare was designed to fail just this way so that the demand for single payer would be met much easier.</p> <p>Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Foundation, used to work for Obama, said, &#8220;Within a year, this would kill the market.&#8221; No, no, no. It will kill Obamacare and the phony and fake market.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH: There is another aspect of Obamacare that is being rolled back. Short-term health insurance plans. The Trump administration is gonna end Obama-era restrictions on short-term health insurance plans. They were not legal under Obamacare. &#8220;Short-term plans allow insurers to sell stopgap policies and procedures, which don&#8217;t cover preexisting conditions or mental health services and a whole lot of other costly things.&#8221; In other words, you&#8217;re going to be able to go buy what you want and not be forced to buy a bunch of things that will never affect you.</p> <p>You&#8217;re not gonna have to help pay, for example, for preexisting conditions if you don&#8217;t have one. You&#8217;re gonna be able to go out and buy a tailored policy, and the coverage could extend for as long as a year. Current limit is three months on these kinds of policies. People can&#8217;t make plans on three months a year. It&#8217;s a little bit more time &#8217;til you figure out where in the marketplace you want to be as a buyer. It&#8217;s all good, folks.</p>

rush something dramatic crucial extraordinary happened ladies gentlemen happened mere moments program began timing certainly coincidental happened white house involved president united states pen happened first serious slice taken obamacare despite senator john mccains best efforts thwart president trump preserve boondoggle president triumphs stage break transcript rush lets go audio sound bites tell hear signing ceremony today executive order promote health care choice competition two bites first president moments sign executive order taking first steps providing millions americans obamacare relief directs department health human services treasury department labor take action increase competition increase choice increase access lower priced high quality health care options many options cost united states government virtually nothing rush dont care president people great great health care say people mean millions millions rush heres next last bite president im also directing secretary acosta consider ways expand associations health care plans across state lines rush go president create tremendous competition rush go president transformative many ways change aimed creating lower prices millions americans rush go president competition staggering rush go thats right president insurance companies fighting get every single person signed hopefully negotiating negotiating negotiating youll get low prices great care rush right getting nittygritty happened watching fox news leftist ed rollins dont even know guy never saw doesnt matter dime dozen guys reading well reciting talking points hear well goodbye coverage preexisting conditions president seen poor gon na lose health insurance wealthy going get tax break monolithic formulaic cliched talking points infobabe melissa francis got frustrated listening guy finally cut said paraphrasing didnt see everybody else saw ed rollins came hes spouting talking points guy fuming could see camera still wasnt speaking tried go ed rollins finished melissa well gon na agree disagree cause didnt watch saw didnt matter trump said left reaction basics things pictures kind incredible rand paul came shell idea introducing mike pence vice president rand paul praised trump boldness leadership rand paul comes obamacare beginning opposed anything didnt literally get rid obamacare know previous health care bills started house ones origins senate wasnt eager mind didnt really change anything cosmetically hes aboard think potential huge deal everything cant everything executive order executive action something ever gon na get left senate house executive order erase existing rules small businesses banding together buy health insurance known association health plans lift limits shortterm health insurance plans according administration source order directs department labor modernize rules allow small employers create association health plans let translate news mediaspeak means problem obama well one many problems healthy people buying reason theyre buying twofold wildly expensive irrationally expensive irrationally expensive mandate obamacare going force buy purchases gon na fund health care poor elderly others couldnt afford burden young healthy never made sense free market young healthy would buy health insurance catastrophic theyre young healthy dont need mandate created requiring didnt opted pay fine rolled dice irs couldnt catch em things irs wasnt anywhere near enough money coming fund front end back end obamacare led whole lot people without insurance change allow market begin creating policies match need desire customers meaning theyre going allowed scrub existing policies rewrite new ones offer x coverage coverage coverage mandate universal coverage every damn thing young 25 year old guy never need like contraception coverage gon na required buy kind stuff insurance companies free create policies actually feature things people want theory competition number insurance companies play game theyre gon na competition one another get dollars policies reflective market desires cost lower competition small employers allowed form groups create association health plans qualify group coverage based needs desires left cow politico yet clear far administration go quickly implement presidents order successful new rules could upend way businesses individuals buy coverage lowering premiums healthiest americans expense key consumer protections potentially tipping obamacare markets tailspin already tailspin makes sense healthiest youngest americans paying wont buy theyre market therefore none purchases get factored total amount money pool treats people need obamacare designed fail way demand single payer would met much easier karen pollitz senior fellow kaiser foundation used work obama said within year would kill market kill obamacare phony fake market break transcript rush another aspect obamacare rolled back shortterm health insurance plans trump administration gon na end obamaera restrictions shortterm health insurance plans legal obamacare shortterm plans allow insurers sell stopgap policies procedures dont cover preexisting conditions mental health services whole lot costly things words youre going able go buy want forced buy bunch things never affect youre gon na help pay example preexisting conditions dont one youre gon na able go buy tailored policy coverage could extend long year current limit three months kinds policies people cant make plans three months year little bit time til figure marketplace want buyer good folks

<p /> <p>While the music industry continues to wrestle with new technologies, one startup is looking to disrupt the evolving space.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Vadio wants to mix the old-school MTV music-video experience in with today&#8217;s streaming platforms, like Pandora (NYSE:P) and Spotify. The music video and online ad distributor on Thursday announced a $2 million seed round in funding from music, entertainment and tech industry heavyweights, in addition to landing a partnership with video-hosting platform Vevo. The Portland, Ore.-based company&#8217;s goal is to marry the curating capabilities of existing audio platforms with music videos on the back-end.</p> <p>&#8220;Music videos are one of the most popular and engaging forms of content online, but they have yet to be available where consumers prefer to access music &#8212; online streaming platforms &#8212; creating a big disconnect,&#8221; Vadio co-founder and CEO Bryce Clemmer said in a statement.</p> <p>&#8220;[Vadio is] in conversation with pretty much all the major streaming platforms in the world at this point,&#8221; Clemmer told FOXBusiness.com. &#8220;Why reinvent the wheel when you can help evolve and empower the [brands] that are out there? We view it as a solution for the industry as a whole.&#8221;</p> <p>He said the funding round and Vevo deal will help the company scale more quickly, as well as &#8220;deliver a cutting edge experience for everyone &#8212; ranging from music fans to streaming services to radio stations and record labels.&#8221; He also said that booming growth in digital audio and video consumption shows that on the Internet, &#8220;anything that can become visualized is going to be.&#8221;</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Vadio backers include media maven Ed Wilson, YouTube vice president Dean Gilbert, Lollapalooza co-founder Marc Geiger (also current head of William Morris Endeavor) and former Vivendi Universal Net USA CEO Robin Richards (also founding president MP3.com), and startup accelerator Amplify.LA.</p> <p>&#8220;The genius of Vadio is their tech approach. They&#8217;re a tech company that chose not to be a destination, but to be a distribution engine,&#8221; Vadio early investor and music industry veteran Robin Richards told FOXBusiness.com. &#8220;Vadio is the closest thing I&#8217;ve seen in this industry to something everybody wants.&#8221;</p> <p>How Vadio&#8217;s Tech Works</p> <p>Think of it as what the original iterations of MTV and VH1 would be like in the era of online music streaming and on-demand radio &#8212; essentially, TRL all the time. Under the current set up, online radio and music streamers listen to songs while static images, usually album covers, are displayed. With Vadio, these music platforms will have the ability to integrate videos into their existing services, and turn a profit through ads.</p> <p>Vadio&#8217;s technology is set up to detect what songs are playing, and swap in its respective music video, all in real-time, with all rights managed. Vadio says it can also create a live video stream, for instance during a radio broadcast, that shows video of the DJ when songs or ads aren&#8217;t playing. The company says the technology can also be embedded into native mobile apps.</p> <p>As for revenue stream, Vadio says it will split total monthly revenue with the partner company.</p> <p>&#8220;When you can add video to music, it enhances the experience,&#8221; Richards says. &#8220;And this technology can be distributed to all companies&#8230; which means they can scale very quickly.&#8221;</p> <p>Who Will Bite?</p> <p>The technology Vadio has developed, Clemmer explains, will provide &#8220;stronger engagement opportunities&#8221; and better chances for monetization. Plus, by linking up with Vevo, Vadio has access to its library of music videos, live concerts and original programming.</p> <p>Music data analytics firm Next Big Sound&#8217;s CEO Alex White says when measuring data across major social networks, &#8220;the volume of viral videos is absolutely staggering; the top streamed videos are all music videos.&#8221;</p> <p>Digital media entrepreneur and angel investor Miles Spencer likens Vadio&#8217;s business plan to MTV in the 80&#8217;s, saying that in terms of ad sales in the digital age, he&#8217;s &#8220;not surprised they&#8217;re chasing video.&#8221;</p> <p>In fact, Spencer says, &#8220;video content has the best CPMs by far.&#8221;</p> <p><a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cpm.asp" type="external">Investopedia says the most common way to price web ads is as CPMs Opens a New Window.</a>, explaining that publishers prefer CPM advertising as &#8220;they get paid for simply displaying the ads.&#8221; <a href="http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2013/reaching-consumers-online-the-new-normal-for-digital-ads.html" type="external">According to recent Nielsen data Opens a New Window.</a>, 76% of online ad campaigns were successful at reaching the intended audience.</p> <p>Still, the question remains how many platforms, and in turn, how many users will bite.</p> <p>Spencer sees potential for a niche, as he doesn&#8217;t expect users to be watching as they drive, or from work&#8212;which is prime music streaming time.</p> <p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a subset, but not a super set of people who will be interested,&#8221; he says.</p> <p>Clemmer argues it&#8217;s not so much about people taking to it or not, but &#8220;more a question about engaging actively or passively.&#8221; He says, however, there is not enough data yet to tell, but is confident streaming platforms will become completely visual and interactive, and will do so &#8220;in an elegant and seamless way.&#8221; (&#8220;There&#8217;s a reason YouTube is the largest music destination in the world,&#8221; he says.)</p> <p>Trying to disrupt any industry with new technology is challenging, but, Spencer counters, CPMs aren&#8217;t everything. Even if the technology Vadio offers is nearly perfect, it all hinges on how solid the integration with the publisher is, and the game plan for monetizing inventory.</p>

music industry continues wrestle new technologies one startup looking disrupt evolving space continue reading vadio wants mix oldschool mtv musicvideo experience todays streaming platforms like pandora nysep spotify music video online ad distributor thursday announced 2 million seed round funding music entertainment tech industry heavyweights addition landing partnership videohosting platform vevo portland orebased companys goal marry curating capabilities existing audio platforms music videos backend music videos one popular engaging forms content online yet available consumers prefer access music online streaming platforms creating big disconnect vadio cofounder ceo bryce clemmer said statement vadio conversation pretty much major streaming platforms world point clemmer told foxbusinesscom reinvent wheel help evolve empower brands view solution industry whole said funding round vevo deal help company scale quickly well deliver cutting edge experience everyone ranging music fans streaming services radio stations record labels also said booming growth digital audio video consumption shows internet anything become visualized going advertisement vadio backers include media maven ed wilson youtube vice president dean gilbert lollapalooza cofounder marc geiger also current head william morris endeavor former vivendi universal net usa ceo robin richards also founding president mp3com startup accelerator amplifyla genius vadio tech approach theyre tech company chose destination distribution engine vadio early investor music industry veteran robin richards told foxbusinesscom vadio closest thing ive seen industry something everybody wants vadios tech works think original iterations mtv vh1 would like era online music streaming ondemand radio essentially trl time current set online radio music streamers listen songs static images usually album covers displayed vadio music platforms ability integrate videos existing services turn profit ads vadios technology set detect songs playing swap respective music video realtime rights managed vadio says also create live video stream instance radio broadcast shows video dj songs ads arent playing company says technology also embedded native mobile apps revenue stream vadio says split total monthly revenue partner company add video music enhances experience richards says technology distributed companies means scale quickly bite technology vadio developed clemmer explains provide stronger engagement opportunities better chances monetization plus linking vevo vadio access library music videos live concerts original programming music data analytics firm next big sounds ceo alex white says measuring data across major social networks volume viral videos absolutely staggering top streamed videos music videos digital media entrepreneur angel investor miles spencer likens vadios business plan mtv 80s saying terms ad sales digital age hes surprised theyre chasing video fact spencer says video content best cpms far investopedia says common way price web ads cpms opens new window explaining publishers prefer cpm advertising get paid simply displaying ads according recent nielsen data opens new window 76 online ad campaigns successful reaching intended audience still question remains many platforms turn many users bite spencer sees potential niche doesnt expect users watching drive workwhich prime music streaming time think subset super set people interested says clemmer argues much people taking question engaging actively passively says however enough data yet tell confident streaming platforms become completely visual interactive elegant seamless way theres reason youtube largest music destination world says trying disrupt industry new technology challenging spencer counters cpms arent everything even technology vadio offers nearly perfect hinges solid integration publisher game plan monetizing inventory

<p /> <p>Ultralow-cost carriers (ULCCs) like Spirit Airlines (NASDAQ: SAVE), Allegiant Travel (NASDAQ: ALGT), and Volaris (NYSE: VLRS) owe their success to their extremely low cost structures. For many years, they have found ways to drive their costs even lower, widening their advantage over competitors.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>However, all three ULCCs are facing significant cost pressure right now, driving sharp unit cost increases in the second half of 2016 and into 2017. Let's take a look at what Spirit, Allegiant, and Volaris are doing to shore up their traditional cost leadership.</p> <p>Rising pilot pay is the main reason why Allegiant Travel's costs are set to spike. Year to date, non-fuel cost per available seat mile (CASM) has actually declined slightly at Allegiant, relative to 2015. However, Allegiant and its pilot union recently reached their first permanent contract, which included pay raises of up to 31% and benefit increases such as higher 401(k) matching contributions.</p> <p>Allegiant Air pilots got huge raises a few months ago. Image source: Aldo Bidini via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:McDonnell_Douglas_MD-83,_Allegiant_Air_JP7488464.jpg" type="external">Wikimedia Commons Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Additionally, the company has started to incur accelerated depreciation on its fleet of aging MD-80s, now that it has finalized plans to retire these planes in the next few years. Allegiant's shift toward newer A320-family aircraft and more flying in midsize markets is also putting pressure on non-fuel CASM.</p> <p>The net result is that Allegiant projects that non-fuel CASM will spike 10% to 12% in the fourth quarter. Cost inflation will remain elevated through most of 2017, as the pilot contract wasn't implemented until Aug. 1 and many of the other cost inflation drivers remain intact.</p> <p>However, pilot costs will rise at a modest rate after next August. Meanwhile, Allegiant's other upcoming cost headwinds are really investments that will pay off in a few years.</p> <p>Once Allegiant finishes depreciating the MD-80 fleet and incurs the one-time costs of training pilots to fly A320-family planes instead, it will have a much younger fleet. Fuel efficiency could improve by nearly 20% between now and 2020, while maintenance costs should decline. This will help Allegiant get its cost structure moving in the right direction again.</p> <p>Like Allegiant, Spirit Airlines has reduced its non-fuel unit costs year to date but expects significant cost inflation in Q4. Spirit's forecast calls for an 8% rise in non-fuel CASM this quarter, due to higher maintenance costs on a year-over-year basis.</p> <p>For 2017, Spirit expects to see continued maintenance-cost pressure. Supplemental rent related to returning several leased aircraft (essentially the cost of returning the planes to "like new" condition) will also threaten to push costs higher.</p> <p>Spirit Airlines' maintenance costs are creeping up as its fleet ages. Image source: Spirit Airlines.</p> <p>Despite those cost headwinds, Spirit Airlines has forecast that non-fuel CASM will be roughly flat year over year in 2017. Yet there is one big caveat: This guidance doesn't include the impact of a new pilot contract. Spirit's pilots have been aggressively negotiating for a new contract, and whenever a deal gets signed, it is sure to incorporate big raises.</p> <p>To offset these cost headwinds, Spirit will continue to buy most of its airplanes rather than lease them. By doing so, it can save about $1 million annually per plane. Spirit also plans to double its fleet of larger -- and more cost-efficient -- A321s over the next two years. This will help it spread its pilot costs across more passengers.</p> <p>Mexican ULCC Volaris isn't facing the sharp pilot-wage increases seen in the U.S. However, it is suffering from even worse cost inflation than its U.S. peers.</p> <p>Last quarter, Volaris' non-fuel CASM soared a stunning 29.7% year over year when measured in pesos. Much of this increase was caused by the falling peso, which drove up dollar-denominated costs such as aircraft rent and maintenance expense. However, even in dollar terms, Volaris recorded a 13.1% jump in non-fuel CASM.</p> <p>The biggest driver of these cost increases was supplemental rent for leased aircraft that Volaris is returning to lessors in the near future. Maintenance costs also rose significantly year over year.</p> <p>Volaris is returning most of its Airbus A319s to lessors. Image source: The Motley Fool.</p> <p>Lease-return costs will likely remain elevated for the next couple of years as Volaris transitions its fleet away from the smaller A319 toward larger and more fuel-efficient Airbus planes. The carrier's current fleet plan calls for returning three A319s to lessors in 2017 and another seven in 2018.</p> <p>The benefit of these lease returns will be felt in a few years, when more than 40% of Volaris' fleet will consist of the extremely fuel-efficient A321, A320neo, and A321neo models. That lineup will reduce Volaris' fuel costs. Volaris is also considering buying some of its A320neo aircraft rather than leasing them, in order to reduce its future costs.</p> <p>Due to a variety of factors, Allegiant Travel, Spirit Airlines, and Volaris are all facing unusually big cost increases right now. However, many of these cost headwinds are temporary (e.g., the accelerated depreciation and supplemental rent costs related to fleet transitions at Allegiant and Volaris) or one-time in nature (e.g., pilot pay increases at Allegiant and Spirit).</p> <p>All three ultralow-cost carriers are working hard to find savings in future years. This should allow them to maintain or even grow their cost advantage over legacy carriers going forward.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2691&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGemHunter/info.aspx" type="external">Adam Levine-Weinberg Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Volaris and Spirit Airlines and is long December 2016 $30 calls on Spirit Airlines. The Motley Fool recommends Spirit Airlines. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

ultralowcost carriers ulccs like spirit airlines nasdaq save allegiant travel nasdaq algt volaris nyse vlrs owe success extremely low cost structures many years found ways drive costs even lower widening advantage competitors continue reading however three ulccs facing significant cost pressure right driving sharp unit cost increases second half 2016 2017 lets take look spirit allegiant volaris shore traditional cost leadership rising pilot pay main reason allegiant travels costs set spike year date nonfuel cost per available seat mile casm actually declined slightly allegiant relative 2015 however allegiant pilot union recently reached first permanent contract included pay raises 31 benefit increases higher 401k matching contributions allegiant air pilots got huge raises months ago image source aldo bidini via wikimedia commons opens new window advertisement additionally company started incur accelerated depreciation fleet aging md80s finalized plans retire planes next years allegiants shift toward newer a320family aircraft flying midsize markets also putting pressure nonfuel casm net result allegiant projects nonfuel casm spike 10 12 fourth quarter cost inflation remain elevated 2017 pilot contract wasnt implemented aug 1 many cost inflation drivers remain intact however pilot costs rise modest rate next august meanwhile allegiants upcoming cost headwinds really investments pay years allegiant finishes depreciating md80 fleet incurs onetime costs training pilots fly a320family planes instead much younger fleet fuel efficiency could improve nearly 20 2020 maintenance costs decline help allegiant get cost structure moving right direction like allegiant spirit airlines reduced nonfuel unit costs year date expects significant cost inflation q4 spirits forecast calls 8 rise nonfuel casm quarter due higher maintenance costs yearoveryear basis 2017 spirit expects see continued maintenancecost pressure supplemental rent related returning several leased aircraft essentially cost returning planes like new condition also threaten push costs higher spirit airlines maintenance costs creeping fleet ages image source spirit airlines despite cost headwinds spirit airlines forecast nonfuel casm roughly flat year year 2017 yet one big caveat guidance doesnt include impact new pilot contract spirits pilots aggressively negotiating new contract whenever deal gets signed sure incorporate big raises offset cost headwinds spirit continue buy airplanes rather lease save 1 million annually per plane spirit also plans double fleet larger costefficient a321s next two years help spread pilot costs across passengers mexican ulcc volaris isnt facing sharp pilotwage increases seen us however suffering even worse cost inflation us peers last quarter volaris nonfuel casm soared stunning 297 year year measured pesos much increase caused falling peso drove dollardenominated costs aircraft rent maintenance expense however even dollar terms volaris recorded 131 jump nonfuel casm biggest driver cost increases supplemental rent leased aircraft volaris returning lessors near future maintenance costs also rose significantly year year volaris returning airbus a319s lessors image source motley fool leasereturn costs likely remain elevated next couple years volaris transitions fleet away smaller a319 toward larger fuelefficient airbus planes carriers current fleet plan calls returning three a319s lessors 2017 another seven 2018 benefit lease returns felt years 40 volaris fleet consist extremely fuelefficient a321 a320neo a321neo models lineup reduce volaris fuel costs volaris also considering buying a320neo aircraft rather leasing order reduce future costs due variety factors allegiant travel spirit airlines volaris facing unusually big cost increases right however many cost headwinds temporary eg accelerated depreciation supplemental rent costs related fleet transitions allegiant volaris onetime nature eg pilot pay increases allegiant spirit three ultralowcost carriers working hard find savings future years allow maintain even grow cost advantage legacy carriers going forward secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window adam levineweinberg opens new window owns shares volaris spirit airlines long december 2016 30 calls spirit airlines motley fool recommends spirit airlines try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>While Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) currently yields a jaw-dropping 10.9%, that payout is on shaky ground. Not only does the company distribute nearly all its available cash flow to unitholders, since its coverage ratio has averaged 1.03 times this year, but it has a pile of debt on its balance sheet, evidenced by a concerning leverage ratio that was 5.97 times at&amp;#160;the end of last quarter. The company, however, is in the process of shoring up its financial situation by&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/27/sunoco-lps-most-brilliant-move-in-2017-so-far.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">selling its convenience-store business Opens a New Window.</a> in a $3.3 billion deal to 7-Eleven.</p> <p>That said, even with that looming catalyst on the horizon, there are better options out there for income-seeking investors. Three better buys, in my opinion, are Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP), MPLX (NYSE: MPLX), and Summit Midstream Partners (NYSE: SMLP).</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>While Phillips 66 Partners currently yields about half what Sunoco LP does at 5.3%, that <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/17/this-mlp-could-offer-retirees-sustainable-income.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">payout is on much safer ground Opens a New Window.</a>. First of all, 100% of Phillips 66 Partners' earnings come from fee-based contracts, which enables the company to generate stable cash flow. Contrast that with Sunoco LP, which, after selling its retail assets, will still only get 87% of its earnings from stable sources.</p> <p>Second, Phillips 66 Partners maintains a much more conservative distribution-coverage ratio that has averaged 1.33 times this year. Finally, it has an investment-grade credit rating backed by a low 3.5 times leverage ratio.</p> <p>Not only is Phillips 66 Partners' current payout on rock-solid ground, but it will likely continue growing at a healthy clip. In fact, the company plans to increase the payout by a 30% compound annual rate through the end of next year via a combination of drop-down transactions from its parent company and organic growth projects. Given the visibility&amp;#160;of what Phillips 66 Partners has in the pipeline, it's very likely that it can achieve that ambitious distribution-growth goal.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>MPLX shares many similarities with Phillips 66 Partners. For example, fee-based assets also supply the bulk of its income, as 95% will come from stable sources this year. Meanwhile, it has a solid balance sheet given its low 3.8 times leverage ratio and healthy distribution coverage that has averaged 1.25 times so far this year. Those three factors provide excellent support for the company's generous 6.8% distribution.</p> <p>Meanwhile, MPLX is in the midst of working through several strategic actions with its parent to enhance value. These include the planned drop down of assets that generate $1.4 billion of annual earnings by year-end and the elimination of its high-cost incentive-distribution rights. MPLX believes that these actions will simplify the company's structure, lower its capital costs, and improve the visibility into future growth. Further, the company has a slew of organic growth projects underway that support its ability to increase the distribution by 12% to 15% this year and at a double-digit rate in 2018.</p> <p>Summit Midstream Partners offers the highest current yield of the group, at 11.8%. That said, unlike Sunoco LP, it can afford that payout since it has better financial metrics, given that its coverage ratio has averaged 1.15 times this year, while leverage is currently 4.35 times. Further, 98% of its earnings come from stable fee-based contracts.</p> <p>Meanwhile, cash flow should increase over the coming years due to the growth projects the company has coming down the pipeline. The most recent is a $110 million investment in a gathering and processing project for an ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) subsidiary in the <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/16/the-5-companies-dominating-the-permian-basin.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Permian Basin Opens a New Window.</a>. The initial phase of that project should enter service in the second quarter of next year, and it has significant expansion potential as Exxon and others increase production in this fast-growing region. In fact, Summit estimates that the region will need $5 billion of infrastructure development over the next several years to support producers, and it's already evaluating more than $500 million of opportunities.</p> <p>That said, one reason its payout is in the double digits is that the company owes its parent a deferred payment for a drop-down transaction they undertook in 2016. Summit must make this payment by the end of 2020, which it currently estimates will be around $800 million. The unknown surrounding how the company will finance that obligation is weighing on units, though it still has plenty of time and options to opportunistically raise the money, while maintaining conservative coverage and leverage metrics.</p> <p>While Sunoco LP is working to turn around its financial situation and put its payout back on solid ground, it's still possible that the company might have to reduce the distribution. Given that uncertainty, investors are better off with either Phillips 66 Partners, MPLX, or Summit Midstream Partners, since they have lower-risk business models and stronger financial metrics. This makes it likely that their distributions will head higher in the future.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Summit Midstream PartnersWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=56583c0b-51fe-4bb1-aec1-84135619a2b3&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Summit Midstream Partners wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=56583c0b-51fe-4bb1-aec1-84135619a2b3&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Matthew DiLallo Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=c905d0b8-8769-11e7-bbe3-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

sunoco lp nyse sun currently yields jawdropping 109 payout shaky ground company distribute nearly available cash flow unitholders since coverage ratio averaged 103 times year pile debt balance sheet evidenced concerning leverage ratio 597 times at160the end last quarter company however process shoring financial situation by160 selling conveniencestore business opens new window 33 billion deal 7eleven said even looming catalyst horizon better options incomeseeking investors three better buys opinion phillips 66 partners nyse psxp mplx nyse mplx summit midstream partners nyse smlp continue reading phillips 66 partners currently yields half sunoco lp 53 payout much safer ground opens new window first 100 phillips 66 partners earnings come feebased contracts enables company generate stable cash flow contrast sunoco lp selling retail assets still get 87 earnings stable sources second phillips 66 partners maintains much conservative distributioncoverage ratio averaged 133 times year finally investmentgrade credit rating backed low 35 times leverage ratio phillips 66 partners current payout rocksolid ground likely continue growing healthy clip fact company plans increase payout 30 compound annual rate end next year via combination dropdown transactions parent company organic growth projects given visibility160of phillips 66 partners pipeline likely achieve ambitious distributiongrowth goal advertisement mplx shares many similarities phillips 66 partners example feebased assets also supply bulk income 95 come stable sources year meanwhile solid balance sheet given low 38 times leverage ratio healthy distribution coverage averaged 125 times far year three factors provide excellent support companys generous 68 distribution meanwhile mplx midst working several strategic actions parent enhance value include planned drop assets generate 14 billion annual earnings yearend elimination highcost incentivedistribution rights mplx believes actions simplify companys structure lower capital costs improve visibility future growth company slew organic growth projects underway support ability increase distribution 12 15 year doubledigit rate 2018 summit midstream partners offers highest current yield group 118 said unlike sunoco lp afford payout since better financial metrics given coverage ratio averaged 115 times year leverage currently 435 times 98 earnings come stable feebased contracts meanwhile cash flow increase coming years due growth projects company coming pipeline recent 110 million investment gathering processing project exxonmobil nyse xom subsidiary permian basin opens new window initial phase project enter service second quarter next year significant expansion potential exxon others increase production fastgrowing region fact summit estimates region need 5 billion infrastructure development next several years support producers already evaluating 500 million opportunities said one reason payout double digits company owes parent deferred payment dropdown transaction undertook 2016 summit must make payment end 2020 currently estimates around 800 million unknown surrounding company finance obligation weighing units though still plenty time options opportunistically raise money maintaining conservative coverage leverage metrics sunoco lp working turn around financial situation put payout back solid ground still possible company might reduce distribution given uncertainty investors better either phillips 66 partners mplx summit midstream partners since lowerrisk business models stronger financial metrics makes likely distributions head higher future 10 stocks like better summit midstream partnerswhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right summit midstream partners wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns august 1 2017 matthew dilallo opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares exxonmobil motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Earlier this year, an analyst asked Citigroup Chief Executive Michael Corbat what he would do if activist investors tried to shake things up after what seems like eons of underperformance.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Corbat's response? He would take the new shareholders down to the U.S. Federal Reserve so they could see the limitations he faces.</p> <p>"He was confident that they would not have any success with getting the regulators to look kindly on their plans," said Charles Peabody of Portables Partners, recounting his March meeting with Corbat.</p> <p>The Fed's tight control over capital distributions, business plans and interest rates is a challenge for all big U.S. banks today. But Citigroup may be the best example of how the Fed's efforts to make the banking system safer are tying management's hands and frustrating shareholders.</p> <p>Corbat is planning to set out new targets later this year, and people close to him say he knows the pressure is on. Yet he has little choice but to ask for more patience, analysts say. Corbat and his management team have been meeting with analysts and investors for months, explaining Citi's situation.</p> <p>Citigroup needed more than $45 billion in bailouts during the 2007-2009 financial crisis &#8211; more than any other bank - and regulators have kept it on a tight leash. That left it lagging its peers in terms of capital returned to shareholders and its share performance.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>As the 56-year-old former bond trader approaches his fourth anniversary as CEO, the bank is slipping further away from financial targets he set out in March 2013 and analysts' profit forecasts suggest the goals will remain elusive.</p> <p>"It is an adjustment that is taking longer than would have been expected," said Macrae Sykes, an analyst at money manager Gabelli &amp;amp; Co, which owns Citigroup shares.</p> <p>Returns on capital "have been underwhelming the last couple of years," he added. "It just continues to be a challenging environment."</p> <p>PATIENCE WEARING THIN</p> <p>Shortly after taking the helm, Corbat set the goal of reaching a 10 percent return on equity by 2015.</p> <p>Last year, the gauge, which measures how well a bank uses shareholder capital to earn profits, only hit 9.2 percent and analyst estimates suggest it may slip to 7.5 percent this year.</p> <p>While low interest rates depress earnings, the Fed's requirement that Citigroup retain more and more capital make it harder to hit the earnings-to-capital ratio target.</p> <p>Analysts say the Fed would need to allow the bank to return as much as it earns to significantly improve shareholders' returns and the Fed now lets Citi distribute about 65 percent of its capital. Corbat reached that level in June when he won approval from the regulator to triple the bank's dividend and increase spending on its stock buybacks by more than a third. Previously, Citi had failed Fed tests of its capital plans twice.</p> <p>While no activist investors have stepped forward with big stakes in Citigroup, they have been eyeing big bank stocks for some time.</p> <p>On Monday, ValueAct Capital Management disclosed a 2 percent stake in Morgan Stanley, spurring chatter on Wall Street about who might be targeted next.</p> <p>Even without activists investors, investor patience is wearing thin.</p> <p>"Citi management owes investors an explanation as to how they are going to get capital out of the business," said Keefe, Bruyette &amp;amp; Woods analyst Brian Kleinhanzl.</p> <p>Corbat declined to be interviewed for this story, as did the bank's chairman, Mike O'Neill. Other executives who spoke to Reuters did so on the condition of anonymity.</p> <p>"The strategy we are executing is generating significant capital," the bank said in a statement. "We are committed to continuing to increase the amount of capital we return to our investors to reach the amount they expect and deserve."</p> <p>HOPES FADING</p> <p>Corbat took over Citigroup after a tumultuous period.</p> <p>Chairman Michael O'Neill was only six months into his tenure in October 2012 when he replaced Vikram Pandit with Corbat and made him responsible for carrying out the board's strategy of unloading bad assets, reducing expenses and returning capital.</p> <p>Citigroup shares soared 20 percent in Corbat's first four months on the job. But the stock has moved little since.</p> <p>As of Wednesday Citigroup shares had gained 27 percent during Corbat's tenure as CEO, compared with a 39 percent rise in the KBW bank stock index and gains of more than 50 percent for big bank rivals JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America.</p> <p>To improve performance, some analysts and investors have called for Citi's break up, perhaps by separating its consumer and institutional businesses, or by selling big chunks, such as its Mexican bank, Banamex.</p> <p>As part of a broad retrenchment, Corbat has already shed consumer operations in 22 countries of more than 40 where Citigroup operated. He also closed a third of branch offices and 182 operations sites. Payroll is down by 43,000 jobs during his tenure.</p> <p>But some investors and analysts want more. Both Kleinhanzl and Mike Mayo, an analyst with CLSA, have argued that Citigroup ought to break up or sell larger assets.</p> <p>"They have taken a lot of steps, but it is not enough," said Mayo. "Many investors have said, 'Amen' to what we have proposed."</p> <p>(Reporting by David Henry in New York; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Tomasz Janowski)</p>

earlier year analyst asked citigroup chief executive michael corbat would activist investors tried shake things seems like eons underperformance continue reading corbats response would take new shareholders us federal reserve could see limitations faces confident would success getting regulators look kindly plans said charles peabody portables partners recounting march meeting corbat feds tight control capital distributions business plans interest rates challenge big us banks today citigroup may best example feds efforts make banking system safer tying managements hands frustrating shareholders corbat planning set new targets later year people close say knows pressure yet little choice ask patience analysts say corbat management team meeting analysts investors months explaining citis situation citigroup needed 45 billion bailouts 20072009 financial crisis bank regulators kept tight leash left lagging peers terms capital returned shareholders share performance advertisement 56yearold former bond trader approaches fourth anniversary ceo bank slipping away financial targets set march 2013 analysts profit forecasts suggest goals remain elusive adjustment taking longer would expected said macrae sykes analyst money manager gabelli amp co owns citigroup shares returns capital underwhelming last couple years added continues challenging environment patience wearing thin shortly taking helm corbat set goal reaching 10 percent return equity 2015 last year gauge measures well bank uses shareholder capital earn profits hit 92 percent analyst estimates suggest may slip 75 percent year low interest rates depress earnings feds requirement citigroup retain capital make harder hit earningstocapital ratio target analysts say fed would need allow bank return much earns significantly improve shareholders returns fed lets citi distribute 65 percent capital corbat reached level june approval regulator triple banks dividend increase spending stock buybacks third previously citi failed fed tests capital plans twice activist investors stepped forward big stakes citigroup eyeing big bank stocks time monday valueact capital management disclosed 2 percent stake morgan stanley spurring chatter wall street might targeted next even without activists investors investor patience wearing thin citi management owes investors explanation going get capital business said keefe bruyette amp woods analyst brian kleinhanzl corbat declined interviewed story banks chairman mike oneill executives spoke reuters condition anonymity strategy executing generating significant capital bank said statement committed continuing increase amount capital return investors reach amount expect deserve hopes fading corbat took citigroup tumultuous period chairman michael oneill six months tenure october 2012 replaced vikram pandit corbat made responsible carrying boards strategy unloading bad assets reducing expenses returning capital citigroup shares soared 20 percent corbats first four months job stock moved little since wednesday citigroup shares gained 27 percent corbats tenure ceo compared 39 percent rise kbw bank stock index gains 50 percent big bank rivals jpmorgan chase bank america improve performance analysts investors called citis break perhaps separating consumer institutional businesses selling big chunks mexican bank banamex part broad retrenchment corbat already shed consumer operations 22 countries 40 citigroup operated also closed third branch offices 182 operations sites payroll 43000 jobs tenure investors analysts want kleinhanzl mike mayo analyst clsa argued citigroup ought break sell larger assets taken lot steps enough said mayo many investors said amen proposed reporting david henry new york editing lauren tara lacapra tomasz janowski

<p /> <p>RUSH: Starting on the phones here with Matt in Arnolds Park, Iowa.&amp;#160; Hi, Matt.&amp;#160; How you doing?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Good, Rush.&amp;#160; Merry Christmas, and cigar smoking aviation dittos to you.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Thank you, sir, very much.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Thanks for taking my call.&amp;#160; I&#8217;ll get right to my point.&amp;#160; I voted for Trump.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m for Trump, but one thing that concerns me, I&#8217;d like your take, is the infrastructure spending. I&#8217;m confident that if we round off and say a trillion dollars for airports and all that stuff, Obama gave that away to the unions.&amp;#160; And I realize that Trump will actually use infrastructure for infrastructure, but then it&#8217;s gonna get embedded in the baseline budgeting from here to eternity.&amp;#160; And why can&#8217;t we &#8212; and I know there&#8217;s surrogates from his team that listen to you.&amp;#160; That money that was in TARP for Obama his first year, 2008, &#8216;9, or &#8217;10 whenever we passed that, or they passed it, I should say, why can&#8217;t we use that money and &#8212; it just doesn&#8217;t &#8212; I learned about baseline budgeting from you and &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; &#8212; Louie Gohmert, and it doesn&#8217;t get talked about enough, and it&#8217;s just gonna kill this country, and why can&#8217;t we use that first TARP money, dig it out and explain to people &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Because that money&#8217;s at the Democrat Party now.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Well, but it&#8217;s in there every year thereafter, Rush.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Yeah, but it&#8217;s been apportion &#8212; I need to try to tell you how this is gonna be done, at least the way it is being planned.&amp;#160; What I&#8217;m gonna tell you, I&#8217;m in no way &#8212; please don&#8217;t infer right now that I&#8217;m enforcing this &#8212;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; &#8212; by virtue of my tone of voice, but I want to explain it to you, because I have looked into this and I have talked to people up on Capitol Hill about this, and they are convinced that Trump is serious, that Trump wants a trillion dollar real infrastructure bill. That it is one of his top priorities. And so be advised &#8212; this probably will not come as a surprise to you &#8212; that Republicans on Capitol Hill are therefore very intent on seeing he gets it.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Hm-hm.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Now, wait, before you go jumping off the bridge here that&#8217;s gonna be rebuilt next year, it&#8217;s a trillion dollars over ten years, number one.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s not a giant appropriation of $1 trillion.&amp;#160; And it&#8217;s not all government money.&amp;#160; Some of it is going to be private sector money.&amp;#160; At least the attempt is going to be to have some of the money come from private sector donations, people who will be benefiting from some of the rebuilding.&amp;#160;</p> <p>There&#8217;s also gonna be an effort &#8212; do not know to what extent &#8212; to get some of the states where this is going to happen to be participating in it as well.&amp;#160; There&#8217;s also going to be an effort to get some of this money from existing spots in the budget.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Okay.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; It&#8217;s gonna be a fascinating jigsaw puzzle to put together.&amp;#160; Hang on.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m not halfway finished here.&amp;#160; Don&#8217;t go away.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; We have Matt here from Arnolds Park, Iowa, concerned about the effect of Trump&#8217;s trillion dollar stimulus plan on the ongoing growth of the budget via baseline budgeting.&amp;#160; What I&#8217;m given to understand here&#8230; Nobody knows how it&#8217;s actually gonna come out.&amp;#160; I&#8217;ve learned what people&#8217;s thinking is, and Trump really wants it.&amp;#160; He really, really thinks our airports are dilapidated and a number of bridges and things, schools. But a lot of this is airport related and bridge and road &#8212; major, major thoroughfares. He apparently is embarrassed flying around, driving around, looking at the state of these things.&amp;#160;</p> <p>And he&#8217;s seen all the money supposedly appropriated years and years and years ago for this, and it never gets spent on this, so he&#8217;s hell-bent on it.&amp;#160; And the Republicans in Congress understand how serious he is and are going to try to find a way to make it happen with as little budget impact as it can be.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s not gonna be your usual series of appropriations.&amp;#160; I don&#8217;t know the mix, and I don&#8217;t know if they&#8217;re actually gonna be able to pull off their plan of combining federal money with private money, with state money. But it&#8217;s a trillion dollars over ten years, and Trump is insistent that it be revenue neutral, meaning that it&#8217;s not gonna grow the budget.&amp;#160;</p> <p>Now, you talk to Republicans in Congress and they&#8217;ll tell you, &#8220;Well, I&#8217;m sorry, Mr. Trump. The only place to get money from that is from entitlements.&#8221;&amp;#160; But that isn&#8217;t true.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Well, Rush, I agree with what you&#8217;re saying.&amp;#160; I just wish legislation &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Did you vote for Trump?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; I did.&amp;#160; I was a Ted Cruz guy in Iowa for, you know, the caucuses.</p> <p>RUSH: All right.</p> <p>CALLER: But when that went awry, yeah, Trump was my number two guy.&amp;#160; In fact, I wish they could have kind of put things aside and been a team. That would have been awesome.&amp;#160; But, yeah, I voted for him.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Okay.&amp;#160; Well, but he was not your first choice, so therefore he doesn&#8217;t satisfy your primary &#8212;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; No, I wouldn&#8217;t say that.&amp;#160; I mean, you know, I thought Cruz put up a valid fight, but he was the number two guy, and, hey, maybe next time.&amp;#160; But I love how he&#8217;s thinking out of the box and everything is totally different &#8217;cause I think that going forward, elections forward, I think Republicans have been set free, that you&#8217;ve just gotta totally rethink this thing in how we&#8217;ve done things.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Well, I think that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re in the midst of witnessing.&amp;#160;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Look, contrary on what&#8230; I don&#8217;t know that the Trump people listen here.&amp;#160; I haven&#8217;t talked to Donald Trump since two weeks after he made the comment on McCain.&amp;#160; So I&#8217;m not wired, I&#8217;m not connected there at all.&amp;#160; All I have is my instincts.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Oh, Rush, he&#8217;s addicted to the program, just like everybody that listens for six weeks or more.</p> <p>RUSH: (chuckling)</p> <p>CALLER: I mean, I know he&#8217;s a busy man, but I know he&#8217;s surrounded. Anyway, you&#8217;re just not being gracious enough to yourself.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Well, here&#8217;s the thing.&amp;#160; This is what I&#8217;m telling myself.&amp;#160; I have faith in this.&amp;#160; I really do believe that Trump is cut from a different cloth.&amp;#160; We&#8217;re all so conditioned.&amp;#160; We couldn&#8217;t be otherwise.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; We are so conditioned to monitoring and witnessing and disapproving the political appropriations process all of our lives. We know they lie to us about it. We know they tell us that everything&#8217;s gonna be revenue neutral and taxes aren&#8217;t gonna go up and it&#8217;s not gonna bust the budget.&amp;#160; It always does.&amp;#160; One other little aside here.&amp;#160; There are a lot of conservatives out there that are taking the occasion of Trump&#8217;s desired stimulus to point out, &#8220;See, we told you this guy&#8217;s not conservative.&amp;#160; This guy&#8217;s spending money like every left-wing liberal.&#8221;&amp;#160; These are the same people, Matt &#8212; these are the same people &#8212; that authorized every Obama budget rather than oppose him.&amp;#160; These are the same people that that said, &#8220;No, we&#8217;ll deal with that. We&#8217;ll give Obama&#8230;&#8221; So these people have been complicit in Obama&#8217;s spending, as far as I&#8217;m concerned.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; And they want to act like they&#8217;re on a high horse and say that Trump is violating &#8212;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; These people are the Republican that looked the other way and didn&#8217;t have the guts to stop Obama when his budgeting went out of control.&amp;#160; I think Trump is literally going to try.&amp;#160; That&#8217;s why he&#8217;s got the people he&#8217;s got in his cabinet.&amp;#160; These are people that can&#8217;t spend willy-nilly.&amp;#160; These are people that have to show a profit all their lives.&amp;#160; They&#8217;ve had to answer to shareholders.&amp;#160; They have had to be responsible in the way they&#8217;ve conducted their business.&amp;#160;</p> <p>And they&#8217;re all fed up with the way Washington works.&amp;#160; And if these people &#8212; led by Trump &#8212; think that our airports, for example, are falling apart and need to be rebuilt and you tell &#8217;em, &#8220;We don&#8217;t have the money for it,&#8221; these are people know how to find money that no politician says he can find.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m interested.&amp;#160; I really think that we&#8217;re on the cusp here of redefining the way Washington works.&amp;#160; I think that&#8217;s why Washington&#8217;s so paranoid.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; I think you&#8217;re right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; I think we&#8217;re on the cusp here of having the entire game blown to smithereens.&amp;#160; Baseline budgeting, for example, is a trick that allows Washington to never cut the budget, that they put in the budget for that express purpose.&amp;#160; I think baseline budgeting is the kind of thing &#8212; maybe not specifically. But baseline budgeting is the kind of thing that people in Trump&#8217;s orb are gonna look at and say, &#8220;This is silly!&amp;#160; It&#8217;s stupid!&amp;#160; How can you authorize more spending when this budget area still has some left?&#8221;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; So &#8212;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; It&#8217;s killing us, Rush.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s killing the country.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; It is.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; At some point it is &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; It&#8217;s not just that.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s what it&#8217;s being spent on.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s being spent on people to keep them dumb, to keep them unemployed, and to keep them dependent.&amp;#160; And believe me this is not what Trump wants, and certainly not people in his cabinet.&amp;#160; Some of these people I know, and they are in no way interested in acquiring power the way the Democrat Party is or your average politician, i.e., in creating dependency among people.&amp;#160; Trump wants people productive.&amp;#160; He wants people kicking ass and busting their ass.&amp;#160; He wants the country to actually become great again as he remembers it in his youth and beyond, and he thinks it can be done, and he thinks everything being done now in the way it&#8217;s being done is cockeyed and crazy.&amp;#160;</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Rush, do you think like the State Department, which is just full of career politicians that are liberals &#8212; or career people that are liberals. Do you think that swamp will get drained? I would be heartbroken&#8230; It would make me mad to know that Marie Harf still has a job in this new administration doing something different. (chuckles) I mean, are people like that gonna get their walking papers?</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; She may have already.&amp;#160; I haven&#8217;t seen Marie Harf in a couple of years.&amp;#160; She&#8217;s a spokesman anyway.&amp;#160; She&#8217;s just the, you know, &#8220;assistant secretary of state for strategic communications&#8221; or whatever.&amp;#160; That&#8217;s just spokesman.</p> <p>CALLER: (laughing) I know! It&#8217;s unbelievable she&#8217;s collecting a paycheck.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Let me tell you: If Rex Tillerson is confirmed as secretary of state, they&#8217;re gonna have mass resignations in there.&amp;#160; You&#8217;re gonna have a bunch of liberals; they&#8217;re gonna march out of there in protest.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; But, look, we&#8217;re way too soon to be able to make real solid predictions here. &amp;#160;I&#8217;m trying to separate my predictions from my desires.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; I&#8217;m like you. I don&#8217;t really know what&#8217;s gonna happen, except that I know Trump, and I listen to him.&amp;#160; I believe he says what he means when it comes to things like this that he&#8217;s very serious about.&amp;#160; I think when Trump talks about how stupid our leaders have been, I think it&#8217;s this kind of stuff he&#8217;s talking about: Budgeting, wasting money and getting nothing for it &#8212; other than cementing political power.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; I think he&#8217;s about something entirely different, and we&#8217;ll just have to wait and see.&amp;#160; I could be shown to be dead wrong in time.&amp;#160; And if he is, his base&#8230; If he is anything&#8230; If he is significantly different than what he&#8217;s leading his base supporters to believe, he&#8217;s gonna have troubles with &#8217;em.&amp;#160; He&#8217;s made it very clear to them what he&#8217;s gonna do and who he is and he understands why they supported him.&amp;#160; And I think the panic in Washington is well deserved on these people&#8217;s part because I think they&#8217;re fully aware of just how much he could come and shake these things up.&amp;#160; The Republicans already are working on their early first-year Trump agenda that is designed to give him what he wants.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Rush, can I ask you a quick aviation question.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Sure.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; I&#8217;m a pilot, and I do work at an airport.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Yeah, go ahead.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; EIB 1, I understand TFRs, and I know you talked about this a couple of weeks ago.&amp;#160; Are you gonna get a special waiver from him to be able to get EIB 1, you know, repositioned?&amp;#160; I mean, we kind of laugh, but if he&#8217;s elected for eight years, that could be a real thorn in your side.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; We don&#8217;t know yet.&amp;#160; What exists now &#8212; pardon me, folks, &#8217;cause I gotta do some aeronautics inside baseball lingo here.&amp;#160; I had to fly out of here over the weekend, and I drove past Trump&#8217;s plane on the way to EIB 1, and Trump&#8217;s plane, if he were president, would be Air Force One.&amp;#160; The way it&#8217;s working now &#8212; and I don&#8217;t want to give too much of this away, but we&#8217;re all given unique squawks that are going constantly and are the equivalent of a digital fingerprint.&amp;#160; And they have to be on the whole time. There are no restrictions so far, there haven&#8217;t been any.&amp;#160;</p> <p>Now, what happens when Air Force One is on the ground instead of Trump 1, I don&#8217;t know, but nobody has alluded here to any impending, dire consequences.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m not too worried about it.&amp;#160; And if I were to be granted an exemption, you would be the last to know. (laughing) If I get one, I would in no way say so.&amp;#160; In fact, if you ask me if I got an exemption, I would say, &#8220;What exemption?&#8221;&amp;#160; Now, before you go here, Matt, do you want an iPhone 7 or an iPhone 7 Plus?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Rush, God love for everything you do.&amp;#160; I&#8217;ll take a 7 Plus, Verizon.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; And what&#8217;s your carrier?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Verizon.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Verizon.&amp;#160; What color you want?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Rose gold?</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Rose gold.&amp;#160; We got it.&amp;#160; We can set you up.&amp;#160; You sound just like Mike Pence.&amp;#160; Are you sure you&#8217;re not Mike Pence just angling for a free phone?</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; (laughing) No, I&#8217;ve never heard that before, but I take that as compliment.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; You sound just like Pence on the phone, anyway, to me.&amp;#160; Remember I&#8217;m deaf.</p> <p>CALLER:&amp;#160; Right.</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; So don&#8217;t hang up.&amp;#160; Mr. Snerdley will get your address.&amp;#160; Rose gold, Verizon, 7 Plus, we&#8217;ll get it out today.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; You know, I take it back.&amp;#160; I&#8217;ve been reminded.&amp;#160; <a href="" type="internal">Trump called here on October 25th,</a> and we did a 15- or 20 minute &#8212; it wasn&#8217;t an interview.&amp;#160; We had a conversation.&amp;#160; It was during that conversation where I asked him about his continual reaction to critics and, &#8220;Why don&#8217;t you just ignore &#8217;em?&amp;#160; I mean, these people are chump change out there.&#8221;&amp;#160;</p> <p><a href="" type="internal" />And that&#8217;s when he said, &#8220;Yeah, I know, my advisers are telling me don&#8217;t waste my time, but, Rush, whenever somebody attacks me, somebody attacks my family, I&#8217;m not gonna let it set in.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m not gonna let it get planted and start growing out there.&amp;#160; I&#8217;m gonna nuke it.&amp;#160; Somebody wounds me, I&#8217;m gonna hit &#8217;em back.&amp;#160; And you&#8217;re right, my advisers are telling me to forget it, but I just can&#8217;t.&#8221;&amp;#160;</p> <p>And it made news, because the reason up to that point that people thought Trump was tweeting out all these reactions to small-fry critics was that he was a narcissist and an egomaniac and just couldn&#8217;t help himself.&amp;#160; And in fact his answer explained the opposite.&amp;#160; It wasn&#8217;t narcissism or ego.&amp;#160; It was an effort to do what he could to keep his name and his family from being destroyed, being impugned with lies.&amp;#160; And he has continued to do so.&amp;#160;</p> <p>Last example of this, this little union guy up in Indiana upset over the Carrier deal saying Trump was bragging about it too much, and Trump reacted to him and basically told him to go get a screwdriver and put it where the sun doesn&#8217;t shine. And people said, &#8220;You&#8217;re president-elect, you can&#8217;t start reacting to every day citizens who criticize you.&amp;#160; Trump said to hell with it, the guy&#8217;s wrong, he&#8217;s lying about me, and I&#8217;m not gonna let it set in.&amp;#160; And that&#8217;s just who he is.&amp;#160;</p> <p>But I had erred and said the last time I had spoken to Trump is shortly after he had said of McCain that he was not impressed with military people that get captured. I had forgotten that he called on October 25th.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH:&amp;#160; Look, my answer to the caller on the Trump infrastructure spending as it relates to baseline budgeting, believe me, it&#8217;s a trillion dollars over ten years, and there is a desire for a mixture of all kinds of funding here, not strictly federal. Trump expressed the desire to get as much of it from existing areas of the budget where there is waste and unnecessary spending.&amp;#160; There&#8217;s lots of those areas, so we&#8217;ll see.&amp;#160;&amp;#160;</p>

rush starting phones matt arnolds park iowa160 hi matt160 caller160 good rush160 merry christmas cigar smoking aviation dittos rush160 thank sir much caller160 thanks taking call160 ill get right point160 voted trump160 im trump one thing concerns id like take infrastructure spending im confident round say trillion dollars airports stuff obama gave away unions160 realize trump actually use infrastructure infrastructure gon na get embedded baseline budgeting eternity160 cant know theres surrogates team listen you160 money tarp obama first year 2008 9 10 whenever passed passed say cant use money doesnt learned baseline budgeting rush160 right caller160 louie gohmert doesnt get talked enough gon na kill country cant use first tarp money dig explain people rush160 moneys democrat party caller160 well every year thereafter rush rush160 yeah apportion need try tell gon na done least way planned160 im gon na tell im way please dont infer right im enforcing caller160 right rush160 virtue tone voice want explain looked talked people capitol hill convinced trump serious trump wants trillion dollar real infrastructure bill one top priorities advised probably come surprise republicans capitol hill therefore intent seeing gets caller160 hmhm rush160 wait go jumping bridge thats gon na rebuilt next year trillion dollars ten years number one160 giant appropriation 1 trillion160 government money160 going private sector money160 least attempt going money come private sector donations people benefiting rebuilding160 theres also gon na effort know extent get states going happen participating well160 theres also going effort get money existing spots budget caller160 okay rush160 gon na fascinating jigsaw puzzle put together160 hang on160 im halfway finished here160 dont go away break transcript rush160 matt arnolds park iowa concerned effect trumps trillion dollar stimulus plan ongoing growth budget via baseline budgeting160 im given understand nobody knows actually gon na come out160 ive learned peoples thinking trump really wants it160 really really thinks airports dilapidated number bridges things schools lot airport related bridge road major major thoroughfares apparently embarrassed flying around driving around looking state things160 hes seen money supposedly appropriated years years years ago never gets spent hes hellbent it160 republicans congress understand serious going try find way make happen little budget impact be160 gon na usual series appropriations160 dont know mix dont know theyre actually gon na able pull plan combining federal money private money state money trillion dollars ten years trump insistent revenue neutral meaning gon na grow budget160 talk republicans congress theyll tell well im sorry mr trump place get money entitlements160 isnt true caller160 well rush agree youre saying160 wish legislation rush160 vote trump caller160 did160 ted cruz guy iowa know caucuses rush right caller went awry yeah trump number two guy160 fact wish could kind put things aside team would awesome160 yeah voted rush160 okay160 well first choice therefore doesnt satisfy primary caller160 wouldnt say that160 mean know thought cruz put valid fight number two guy hey maybe next time160 love hes thinking box everything totally different cause think going forward elections forward think republicans set free youve got ta totally rethink thing weve done things rush160 well think thats midst witnessing160 caller160 right rush160 look contrary dont know trump people listen here160 havent talked donald trump since two weeks made comment mccain160 im wired im connected all160 instincts caller160 oh rush hes addicted program like everybody listens six weeks rush chuckling caller mean know hes busy man know hes surrounded anyway youre gracious enough rush160 well heres thing160 im telling myself160 faith this160 really believe trump cut different cloth160 conditioned160 couldnt otherwise caller160 right rush160 conditioned monitoring witnessing disapproving political appropriations process lives know lie us know tell us everythings gon na revenue neutral taxes arent gon na go gon na bust budget160 always does160 one little aside here160 lot conservatives taking occasion trumps desired stimulus point see told guys conservative160 guys spending money like every leftwing liberal160 people matt people authorized every obama budget rather oppose him160 people said well deal well give obama people complicit obamas spending far im concerned caller160 right rush160 want act like theyre high horse say trump violating caller160 right rush160 people republican looked way didnt guts stop obama budgeting went control160 think trump literally going try160 thats hes got people hes got cabinet160 people cant spend willynilly160 people show profit lives160 theyve answer shareholders160 responsible way theyve conducted business160 theyre fed way washington works160 people led trump think airports example falling apart need rebuilt tell em dont money people know find money politician says find160 im interested160 really think cusp redefining way washington works160 think thats washingtons paranoid caller160 think youre right rush160 think cusp entire game blown smithereens160 baseline budgeting example trick allows washington never cut budget put budget express purpose160 think baseline budgeting kind thing maybe specifically baseline budgeting kind thing people trumps orb gon na look say silly160 stupid160 authorize spending budget area still left caller160 right rush160 caller160 killing us rush160 killing country rush160 caller160 point rush160 that160 spent on160 spent people keep dumb keep unemployed keep dependent160 believe trump wants certainly people cabinet160 people know way interested acquiring power way democrat party average politician ie creating dependency among people160 trump wants people productive160 wants people kicking ass busting ass160 wants country actually become great remembers youth beyond thinks done thinks everything done way done cockeyed crazy160 caller160 rush think like state department full career politicians liberals career people liberals think swamp get drained would heartbroken would make mad know marie harf still job new administration something different chuckles mean people like gon na get walking papers rush160 may already160 havent seen marie harf couple years160 shes spokesman anyway160 shes know assistant secretary state strategic communications whatever160 thats spokesman caller laughing know unbelievable shes collecting paycheck rush160 let tell rex tillerson confirmed secretary state theyre gon na mass resignations there160 youre gon na bunch liberals theyre gon na march protest caller160 right rush160 look way soon able make real solid predictions 160im trying separate predictions desires caller160 right rush160 im like dont really know whats gon na happen except know trump listen him160 believe says means comes things like hes serious about160 think trump talks stupid leaders think kind stuff hes talking budgeting wasting money getting nothing cementing political power caller160 right rush160 think hes something entirely different well wait see160 could shown dead wrong time160 base anything significantly different hes leading base supporters believe hes gon na troubles em160 hes made clear hes gon na understands supported him160 think panic washington well deserved peoples part think theyre fully aware much could come shake things up160 republicans already working early firstyear trump agenda designed give wants caller160 rush ask quick aviation question rush160 sure caller160 im pilot work airport rush160 yeah go ahead caller160 eib 1 understand tfrs know talked couple weeks ago160 gon na get special waiver able get eib 1 know repositioned160 mean kind laugh hes elected eight years could real thorn side rush160 dont know yet160 exists pardon folks cause got ta aeronautics inside baseball lingo here160 fly weekend drove past trumps plane way eib 1 trumps plane president would air force one160 way working dont want give much away given unique squawks going constantly equivalent digital fingerprint160 whole time restrictions far havent any160 happens air force one ground instead trump 1 dont know nobody alluded impending dire consequences160 im worried it160 granted exemption would last know laughing get one would way say so160 fact ask got exemption would say exemption160 go matt want iphone 7 iphone 7 plus caller160 rush god love everything do160 ill take 7 plus verizon rush160 whats carrier caller160 verizon rush160 verizon160 color want caller160 rose gold rush160 rose gold160 got it160 set up160 sound like mike pence160 sure youre mike pence angling free phone caller160 laughing ive never heard take compliment rush160 sound like pence phone anyway me160 remember im deaf caller160 right rush160 dont hang up160 mr snerdley get address160 rose gold verizon 7 plus well get today160160 break transcript rush160 know take back160 ive reminded160 trump called october 25th 15 20 minute wasnt interview160 conversation160 conversation asked continual reaction critics dont ignore em160 mean people chump change there160 thats said yeah know advisers telling dont waste time rush whenever somebody attacks somebody attacks family im gon na let set in160 im gon na let get planted start growing there160 im gon na nuke it160 somebody wounds im gon na hit em back160 youre right advisers telling forget cant160 made news reason point people thought trump tweeting reactions smallfry critics narcissist egomaniac couldnt help himself160 fact answer explained opposite160 wasnt narcissism ego160 effort could keep name family destroyed impugned lies160 continued so160 last example little union guy indiana upset carrier deal saying trump bragging much trump reacted basically told go get screwdriver put sun doesnt shine people said youre presidentelect cant start reacting every day citizens criticize you160 trump said hell guys wrong hes lying im gon na let set in160 thats is160 erred said last time spoken trump shortly said mccain impressed military people get captured forgotten called october 25th160160 break transcript rush160 look answer caller trump infrastructure spending relates baseline budgeting believe trillion dollars ten years desire mixture kinds funding strictly federal trump expressed desire get much existing areas budget waste unnecessary spending160 theres lots areas well see160160

<p /> <p>Does it really matter who President Obama nominates to succeed Ben Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve?</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Well, yes and no.</p> <p>Yes because whoever is chosen will bring their own leadership style to the immensely powerful position and that style will undoubtedly influence and color the entire institution. And no because the Fed&#8217;s mandate for the next few years -- winding down the extraordinary measures put in place in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis -- isn&#8217;t likely to change much regardless of who Obama nominates.</p> <p>The two leading candidates to replace Bernanke when his term ends in January couldn&#8217;t be more different: current Fed Vice-Chair Janet Yellen, the quiet academic seen as a behind-the-scenes consensus builder, and the brash Larry Summers, a consummate Washington insider known for ruffling feathers wherever he&#8217;s perched.</p> <p>Yellen and Summers will certainly offer contrasting styles of leadership, a point not lost on supporters and opponents of both candidates.</p> <p>"... the difference in conducting monetary policy between the two will be minimal in the next years."</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Yellen is widely seen as Bernanke&#8217;s natural successor, a veteran Fed hand who not only agrees with Bernanke&#8217;s interventionist monetary policies but who would also maintain what might be Bernanke&#8217;s primary legacy &#8211; the dramatic increase in transparency at the once-insular central bank.</p> <p>Summers, a former Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton and top economic advisor during Obama&#8217;s first term, isn&#8217;t known as a consensus builder. Rather he&#8217;s recognized as an uncommonly brilliant economist who strongly trusts his own instincts, a potentially problematic trait given the collegial atmosphere Bernanke has fostered at the Fed.</p> <p>Mark Williams, a former Fed examiner who now teaches banking at Boston University, said the Fed &amp;#160;&amp;#160;&amp;#160;chief&#8217;s personality and leadership style play a big role in how the Fed is viewed by global markets.</p> <p>&#8220;Leadership Sets the Tone&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;It absolutely matters who sits in the corner office,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The leadership sets the tone at the top.&#8221;</p> <p>Williams served at the Fed under Alan Greenspan, an almost mythical figure during his nearly two decades at the central bank&#8217;s helm. &#8220;Everyone hung on his every word,&#8221; Williams said of Greenspan&#8217;s infrequent and often cryptic public comments.</p> <p>Greenspan, according to Williams, used his votes as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets most Fed policy, to send a clear message to other voting members of the FOMC. When he wanted the other members to support him and vote with him on an important issue he voted first to let them know where he stood. When the issue was less of a priority to him he voted last.</p> <p>Williams said Greenspan&#8217;s style evoked a sense of confidence, a feeling across securities markets that the Fed knew what it was doing and that all the members were on the same page. (In hindsight, perhaps the markets shouldn&#8217;t have been so trusting of Greenspan&#8217;s grasp of economic conditions).</p> <p>Bernanke&#8217;s emphasis on increased transparency, on the other hand, has frequently left markets confused, especially after public statements by Fed members <a href="" type="internal">sent mixed messages</a>regarding when and how the central bank should begin scaling back its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases known as quantitative easing.</p> <p>The Fed has attempted in recent weeks to unify that message, apparently in preparation for the gradual phasing out of the easy-money policies in place now for nearly five years. Since late 2008 the Fed has increased its balance sheet to $3.6 trillion and kept interest rates at near zero in an effort to goose the staggering U.S. economy.</p> <p>But as the economy has shown signs of gradual healing and the unemployment rate has ticked lower pressure has risen to shut down the stimulus. The markets seem resigned to so-called tapering, possibly as early as September.</p> <p>If the economic data continue to improve, the Fed&#8217;s mandate should remain clear for the next few years &#8211; unwind the unprecedented actions taken over the last five years without threatening the fragile recovery.</p> <p>"Minimal" Difference in Conducting Monetary Policy</p> <p>If that&#8217;s how things play out then it shouldn&#8217;t make much difference whether Yellen or Summers is leading the Fed, despite their well-publicized differences in leadership styles and policy preferences.</p> <p>&#8220;Yellen supports using unconventional monetary policy tools like quantitative easing, while Summers is skeptical regarding its effect and is more likely to put pressure on the politicians to use fiscal policy to stimulate aggregate demand,&#8221; Lars Christensen, chief analyst at Danske Bank, said in a recent research note. &#8220;This difference is important if the U.S. is hit by a large negative shock in the coming years &#8211; otherwise we believe the difference in conducting monetary policy between the two will be minimal in the next years.&#8221;</p> <p>If, however, the recovery stalls or goes into reverse the differences between Yellen and Summers will become starkly apparent.</p> <p>Williams believes Yellen is far more likely to initiate another round of bond purchases, or QE4, than Summers, who could be expected to use the bully pulpit of the Fed chair to push Congress toward stimulating the economy through tax reforms or shifts in government spending.</p> <p>Broader transparency, meanwhile, is likely to remain under either Yellen or Summers. &#8220;Can you put the toothpaste back in the tube? Probably not. At this point the Fed can&#8217;t dial back and provide less information,&#8221; said Williams.</p> <p>In any case, Obama is apparently not too concerned with continuity of leadership style since he appears to be leaning toward nominating Summers. The hope is that the economy continues to recover and the Fed&#8217;s mandate moves forward unchanged. In which case it won&#8217;t make much difference who&#8217;s in charge.</p>

really matter president obama nominates succeed ben bernanke chairman federal reserve continue reading well yes yes whoever chosen bring leadership style immensely powerful position style undoubtedly influence color entire institution feds mandate next years winding extraordinary measures put place wake 2008 financial crisis isnt likely change much regardless obama nominates two leading candidates replace bernanke term ends january couldnt different current fed vicechair janet yellen quiet academic seen behindthescenes consensus builder brash larry summers consummate washington insider known ruffling feathers wherever hes perched yellen summers certainly offer contrasting styles leadership point lost supporters opponents candidates difference conducting monetary policy two minimal next years advertisement yellen widely seen bernankes natural successor veteran fed hand agrees bernankes interventionist monetary policies would also maintain might bernankes primary legacy dramatic increase transparency onceinsular central bank summers former treasury secretary president bill clinton top economic advisor obamas first term isnt known consensus builder rather hes recognized uncommonly brilliant economist strongly trusts instincts potentially problematic trait given collegial atmosphere bernanke fostered fed mark williams former fed examiner teaches banking boston university said fed 160160160chiefs personality leadership style play big role fed viewed global markets leadership sets tone absolutely matters sits corner office said leadership sets tone top williams served fed alan greenspan almost mythical figure nearly two decades central banks helm everyone hung every word williams said greenspans infrequent often cryptic public comments greenspan according williams used votes member federal open market committee sets fed policy send clear message voting members fomc wanted members support vote important issue voted first let know stood issue less priority voted last williams said greenspans style evoked sense confidence feeling across securities markets fed knew members page hindsight perhaps markets shouldnt trusting greenspans grasp economic conditions bernankes emphasis increased transparency hand frequently left markets confused especially public statements fed members sent mixed messagesregarding central bank begin scaling back 85 billion monthly bond purchases known quantitative easing fed attempted recent weeks unify message apparently preparation gradual phasing easymoney policies place nearly five years since late 2008 fed increased balance sheet 36 trillion kept interest rates near zero effort goose staggering us economy economy shown signs gradual healing unemployment rate ticked lower pressure risen shut stimulus markets seem resigned socalled tapering possibly early september economic data continue improve feds mandate remain clear next years unwind unprecedented actions taken last five years without threatening fragile recovery minimal difference conducting monetary policy thats things play shouldnt make much difference whether yellen summers leading fed despite wellpublicized differences leadership styles policy preferences yellen supports using unconventional monetary policy tools like quantitative easing summers skeptical regarding effect likely put pressure politicians use fiscal policy stimulate aggregate demand lars christensen chief analyst danske bank said recent research note difference important us hit large negative shock coming years otherwise believe difference conducting monetary policy two minimal next years however recovery stalls goes reverse differences yellen summers become starkly apparent williams believes yellen far likely initiate another round bond purchases qe4 summers could expected use bully pulpit fed chair push congress toward stimulating economy tax reforms shifts government spending broader transparency meanwhile likely remain either yellen summers put toothpaste back tube probably point fed cant dial back provide less information said williams case obama apparently concerned continuity leadership style since appears leaning toward nominating summers hope economy continues recover feds mandate moves forward unchanged case wont make much difference whos charge

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>If you are looking for companies that have dividend yields north of 5%, then you'll need to travel into the territory of companies that have questionable payouts or less-than-certain futures. Fortunately, some companies with such high yields are less vulnerable than others. Three that stand out today are Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD), Holly Energy Partners (NYSE: HEP), and Eni (NYSE: E). Here's a quick rundown as to why each of them should be able to keep its high yield payout going for some time.</p> <p>You will be hard pressed to find an investment that combines high yield with payout security as well as Enterprise Products Partners. The company's distribution yield now stands at 5.9%, but it's based on a payout that has risen every year since the company's IPO back in 1998. If it keeps that pattern going, it will become a dividend aristocrat in 2023.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/EPD/dividend" type="external">EPD Dividend</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Based on its business model,Enterprise should have no difficulty getting there. More than 85% of the company's gross profits come from fee-based services it provides involving its pipeline and infrastructure network, shielding it from much of the commodity price pain that has afflicted so many other energy companies. The company's strong balance sheet and payout policy have kept its finances much healthier than many of its peers.</p> <p>For the company to actually grow, though, it will need to a produce suite of new projects that can deliver more cash to the coffers. Today, that doesn't appear to be a problem: Enterprise currently has $6.5 billion in new projects under construction, and expects $1.2 billion worth of them to come online by the end of 2016. This robust construction plan should be enough to see it through at least the end of the decade, and should put it on track to achieve that vaunted dividend aristocrat status.</p> <p>Even though Holly Energy Partners is one-thirtieth the size of Enterprise, the two do share some attractive similarities. Holly Energy Partners' revenue stream comes from long-term, fixed-fee contracts that mostly insulate it from the ups and downs of commodity prices. In fact, 100% of its contracts and services are fee based, so the only exposure the company has to commodity prices is if a shift in values caused the volume of products moved to decline significantly.</p> <p>The other thing that makes Holly Energy Partners similar to Enterprise is that its management has eschewed a common modus operandi of other master limited partnerships, which often try to increase payouts too quickly and end up paying out all their available cash. Instead, it has elected to grow its dividend at a rate that keeps some cash on the books each quarter to either support funding of other projects or as a safety net in case earnings unexpectedly turn south. This conservative approach has allowed the company to raise its dividend every quarter since it IPO'd back in 2004.</p> <p>It also helps that Holly Energy Partners has support from its general partner HollyFroniter (NYSE: HFC). HollyFrontier's management has been one of the best in the oil refining business at allocating capital to high return projects, and it is using that approach with Holly Energy Partners as well. For the company's projected capital spending of $65 million to $85 million this year, the company expects 2017 EBITDA to increase by $51 million. Those high rates of return should be more than enough to keep its payout streak alive for a while longer.</p> <p>One integrated oil and gas company that routinely gets overlooked -- despite a $50 billion market cap and a dividend yield of 5.8% -- is Eni. Based on some of the moves theItalian company has made to shore up its balance sheet as of late and the big production bump it will soon receive from a massive gas discovery last year, it may be time to start paying attention.</p> <p>Yes, because of the steep decline in oil prices over the past couple of years, Eni was the first -- and so far the only -- integrated oil and gas company to cut its dividend, a move it made in March 2015. For those who held its shares at the time, that probably stung. However, that 28% dividend cut helped to free up $1.2 billion in cash that it can now use to close the gap between its spending and its income over the next couple of years -- which it is likely to need, given that oil companies are forecasting that oil prices will remain low for some time. This should mean that Eni's current dividend will be stable, and put it in a position to grow after the company starts production at some of its major new projects in the coming years.</p> <p>The biggest of those start-ups will be in the Zohr discovery off the coast of Egypt, which is estimated to hold 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, making it one of the largest discoveries of the past century. Also, it will be a relatively lower cost source because there is already robust oil and gas infrastructure nearby. Eni is looking to sell a small equity stake -- about 20% -- to help pay for the development, but even after accounting for the sale, that one new field alone should boost Eni's production by 10%. With projects like these on the horizon, and a currently healthy financial situation, Eni's dividend looks pretty attractive.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2692&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDirtyBird/info.aspx" type="external">Tyler Crowe Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Enterprise Products Partners.You can follow him at Fool.comor on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerCroweFool" type="external">@TylerCroweFool Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source getty images continue reading looking companies dividend yields north 5 youll need travel territory companies questionable payouts lessthancertain futures fortunately companies high yields less vulnerable others three stand today enterprise products partners nyse epd holly energy partners nyse hep eni nyse e heres quick rundown able keep high yield payout going time hard pressed find investment combines high yield payout security well enterprise products partners companys distribution yield stands 59 based payout risen every year since companys ipo back 1998 keeps pattern going become dividend aristocrat 2023 epd dividend data ycharts opens new window advertisement based business modelenterprise difficulty getting 85 companys gross profits come feebased services provides involving pipeline infrastructure network shielding much commodity price pain afflicted many energy companies companys strong balance sheet payout policy kept finances much healthier many peers company actually grow though need produce suite new projects deliver cash coffers today doesnt appear problem enterprise currently 65 billion new projects construction expects 12 billion worth come online end 2016 robust construction plan enough see least end decade put track achieve vaunted dividend aristocrat status even though holly energy partners onethirtieth size enterprise two share attractive similarities holly energy partners revenue stream comes longterm fixedfee contracts mostly insulate ups downs commodity prices fact 100 contracts services fee based exposure company commodity prices shift values caused volume products moved decline significantly thing makes holly energy partners similar enterprise management eschewed common modus operandi master limited partnerships often try increase payouts quickly end paying available cash instead elected grow dividend rate keeps cash books quarter either support funding projects safety net case earnings unexpectedly turn south conservative approach allowed company raise dividend every quarter since ipod back 2004 also helps holly energy partners support general partner hollyfroniter nyse hfc hollyfrontiers management one best oil refining business allocating capital high return projects using approach holly energy partners well companys projected capital spending 65 million 85 million year company expects 2017 ebitda increase 51 million high rates return enough keep payout streak alive longer one integrated oil gas company routinely gets overlooked despite 50 billion market cap dividend yield 58 eni based moves theitalian company made shore balance sheet late big production bump soon receive massive gas discovery last year may time start paying attention yes steep decline oil prices past couple years eni first far integrated oil gas company cut dividend move made march 2015 held shares time probably stung however 28 dividend cut helped free 12 billion cash use close gap spending income next couple years likely need given oil companies forecasting oil prices remain low time mean enis current dividend stable put position grow company starts production major new projects coming years biggest startups zohr discovery coast egypt estimated hold 30 trillion cubic feet natural gas making one largest discoveries past century also relatively lower cost source already robust oil gas infrastructure nearby eni looking sell small equity stake 20 help pay development even accounting sale one new field alone boost enis production 10 projects like horizon currently healthy financial situation enis dividend looks pretty attractive secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window tyler crowe opens new window owns shares enterprise products partnersyou follow foolcomor twitter tylercrowefool opens new window motley fool recommends enterprise products partners try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>The Marlboro brand is the centerpiece of Altria Group's(NYSE: MO) vast operations, and that makes many people forget that Altria also includes a wider range of products. In addition to other cigarette brands, Altria also has businesses that sell cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, and wine. On Tuesday, Altria acknowledged the value in expanding beyond Marlboro by announcing that it had purchased privately held Sherman Group Holdings and its Nat Sherman subsidiary. With the purchase, Altria hopes to boost its exposure to the high-end market, perhaps acknowledging the success that Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) has had with its Natural American Spirit brand and seeking to come up with its own competitive answer.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Nat Sherman's flagship store. Image source: Nat Sherman.</p> <p>Sherman Group is the parent company of Nat Sherman, which sells super-premium cigarettes and premium cigars. Nat Sherman was founded in 1930 in the Garment District of New York City and remains family owned and operated. Sherman's manufacturing facilities are in Greensboro, N.C., and the company has put together a limited distribution network that extends across the U.S. market as well as in more than 40 countries internationally. A flagship store on 42nd Street just off Fifth Avenue in New York, shown above, also supports the company's prestige and upscale image.</p> <p>Nat Sherman is proud of its heritage and the quality of its products. The company boasts 100% natural tobacco cigarettes, with a commitment to excellence and service. Moreover, its line of premium cigars are available at retail tobacconists around the world. The Sherman family remains the key to its operation, with son Joel and third-generation family members William, Michele, and Laurence remaining among the company's leadership.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Altria's stated reason for buying Nat Sherman's parent company was simple. In the words of Altria CEO Marty Barrington, "Nat Sherman has a terrific brand portfolio which complements Altria's existing smokeable product segment." Barrington believes that the deal has plenty of upside for Nat Sherman as well, giving it access to Altria's expertise in retail distribution, brand management, and consumer engagement.</p> <p>Image source: Nat Sherman.</p> <p>Neither Altria nor Sherman disclosed terms of the deal, but for its part, Sherman sounds pleased with the deal. Executive Vice President Bill Sherman commented, "We are excited to have our family's business join the Altria family of companies, [and] we believe Altria will be a great steward of the Sherman company and its brands."</p> <p>Altria did reveal that one benefit of the acquisition will be to make the tobacco giant more competitive in the super-premium cigarette market. Sales have grown substantially during the past five years, and tobacconists widely regard Sherman's offerings as being in the same class as luxury brands like British American Tobacco's (NYSEMKT: BTI) Dunhill.</p> <p>Predictably, some customers are already worried that being part of a corporate giant will hurt Sherman's reputation. Yet many people don't realize that Altria has holdings beyond its key Marlboro brand, because it tends to be relatively hands-off with its subsidiaries. The John Middleton unit's cigar business runs largely independently from the remainder of the business, and most of those following Altria believe that it will do the same thing with Nat Sherman. Allowing current Sherman management to keep running the business while taking advantage of Altria's financial, distribution, and talent resources could give Nat Sherman the best of both worlds.</p> <p>Image source: Nat Sherman.</p> <p>Yet the big question for Altria is how far it wants to go with promoting Nat Sherman. On one hand, exclusivity has been a key to Sherman's success, and Altria won't want to overpromote the product and lose that cachet. Yet Reynolds American's Natural American Spirit has become a major player in the U.S. tobacco market, commanding market share of about 2.3% in the U.S. and finding interest overseas as well. Consumer appetite for "natural" cigarettes could give Sherman a new strategic direction to follow, but it would run the risk of watering down its luxury brand.</p> <p>For now, few things should change quickly at Nat Sherman despite Altria's purchase. Over time, it will be interesting to see how the acquisition fits into Altria's overall strategic vision -- and how Nat Sherman changes in response to that vision.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Altria Group When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. 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The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

marlboro brand centerpiece altria groupsnyse mo vast operations makes many people forget altria also includes wider range products addition cigarette brands altria also businesses sell cigars smokeless tobacco ecigarettes wine tuesday altria acknowledged value expanding beyond marlboro announcing purchased privately held sherman group holdings nat sherman subsidiary purchase altria hopes boost exposure highend market perhaps acknowledging success reynolds american nyse rai natural american spirit brand seeking come competitive answer continue reading nat shermans flagship store image source nat sherman sherman group parent company nat sherman sells superpremium cigarettes premium cigars nat sherman founded 1930 garment district new york city remains family owned operated shermans manufacturing facilities greensboro nc company put together limited distribution network extends across us market well 40 countries internationally flagship store 42nd street fifth avenue new york shown also supports companys prestige upscale image nat sherman proud heritage quality products company boasts 100 natural tobacco cigarettes commitment excellence service moreover line premium cigars available retail tobacconists around world sherman family remains key operation son joel thirdgeneration family members william michele laurence remaining among companys leadership advertisement altrias stated reason buying nat shermans parent company simple words altria ceo marty barrington nat sherman terrific brand portfolio complements altrias existing smokeable product segment barrington believes deal plenty upside nat sherman well giving access altrias expertise retail distribution brand management consumer engagement image source nat sherman neither altria sherman disclosed terms deal part sherman sounds pleased deal executive vice president bill sherman commented excited familys business join altria family companies believe altria great steward sherman company brands altria reveal one benefit acquisition make tobacco giant competitive superpremium cigarette market sales grown substantially past five years tobacconists widely regard shermans offerings class luxury brands like british american tobaccos nysemkt bti dunhill predictably customers already worried part corporate giant hurt shermans reputation yet many people dont realize altria holdings beyond key marlboro brand tends relatively handsoff subsidiaries john middleton units cigar business runs largely independently remainder business following altria believe thing nat sherman allowing current sherman management keep running business taking advantage altrias financial distribution talent resources could give nat sherman best worlds image source nat sherman yet big question altria far wants go promoting nat sherman one hand exclusivity key shermans success altria wont want overpromote product lose cachet yet reynolds americans natural american spirit become major player us tobacco market commanding market share 23 us finding interest overseas well consumer appetite natural cigarettes could give sherman new strategic direction follow would run risk watering luxury brand things change quickly nat sherman despite altrias purchase time interesting see acquisition fits altrias overall strategic vision nat sherman changes response vision 10 stocks like better altria group investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right altria group wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns january 4 2017 dan caplinger opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool position stocks mentioned motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Recruiters and <a href="https://www.recruiter.com/hiring-process.html" type="external">hiring managers Opens a New Window.</a> are like peanut butter and jelly &#8211; except when the peanut butter wishes the jelly would have told her about that master's degree requirement before she posted the job.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Okay, so the simile isn't perfect, but the fact remains that recruiters and hiring managers would, in an ideal world, work in tandem to <a href="http://blog.redbranchmedia.com/2015/10/27/hiring-from-the-ground-up/" type="external">find and keep the very best hires Opens a New Window.</a>. In order to find the best people to fill a role, recruiters need to tap into hiring managers' knowledge and expertise. For hiring managers to keep holding down the fort and moving their teams forward, they need recruiters to listen when they are forthcoming with information.</p> <p>In today's global economy, with its highly distributed workforces, this kind of collaboration can be more difficult than ever before. While we have technology that allows us to communicate instantly and across any distance, we also have barriers like time zones, endless meetings, and the misunderstandings that can&amp;#160;arise when&amp;#160;we don't get to communicate face to face.</p> <p>However, there are steps you can take to make sure you are successful in working with hiring managers to get&amp;#160;them the talent they need to keep their departments &#8211; and the company itself &#8211;&amp;#160;running:</p> <p>1. Meet With Hiring Managers Often to See How New Hires Are Performing and to Keep Track of New Hiring Needs</p> <p>This may sound like a lot to add to your plate, but the fact is you and the hiring manager will probably have a lot to say to one another. Ask about how their most recent hire is doing&amp;#160;and about engagement levels on the team.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>You may also want to talk to them about encouraging their top performers and engaged team members to leave good reviews of the company on sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Ratedly.&amp;#160;Positive reviews on these sites are&amp;#160;very important to your employer brand and, by extension, your recruiting efforts. After all,&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.glassdoor.com/employers/popular-topics/hr-stats.htm" type="external">69 percent of job seekers Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;won't&amp;#160;take a job with a company that has a bad reputation. Urging hiring managers to send out monthly review requests is good for you and&amp;#160;good for them.</p> <p>What you should do: Get in the habit of sending a monthly email to your hiring managers asking about new hires and reminding them to encourage their team members to review your company.</p> <p>In addition, you may want to revamp your intake process with candidates in mind. You're the recruiter. You know what candidates ask you, so ask hiring managers the same questions. Smart, passive candidates are likely to ask why the role is empty, what the team environment is like, and what they will spend their days doing. Get this information from the hiring manager ahead of time. Asking specific questions about skill level, daily activities, team members, and any other relevant background information will make recruiting for the empty role much easier.</p> <p>If you haven't already, create an intake form with specific questions like:</p> <p>- What kind of skills does a person need to be successful in this role?</p> <p>- What is the background of your ideal candidate? What sort of jobs might they have held before?</p> <p>- What is the current team dynamic? What personalities thrive there?</p> <p>- Why is the role empty? Is it due to growth, or did someone leave?</p> <p>2. Do Research to Understand the Roles You Are Hiring for and What Skills Are Actually Required</p> <p>Great recruiters are always trying to learn more. <a href="https://redbranchmedia.com/blog/communicating-your-employer-brand-through-social-media-part-1/" type="external">Listening and communication skills Opens a New Window.</a> are important qualities for every recruiter. If you don't&amp;#160;start researching the position as soon as the req. lands on your desk, don't be angry with the hiring manager when they get frustrated about having to tell you rudimentary keywords to search.</p> <p>How do you research a role? By reading industry blogs, looking through profiles on professional websites, and reviewing&amp;#160;the last couple of projects completed by the hiring team.</p> <p>What you should do: Look over similar roles across the country. Find out what frequently occurring terms mean and bring your newly minted glossary with you to ensure you understand what those terms mean at your company.</p> <p>Figure out what is actually required for the role, and move the rest to a box to the left &#8211; just kidding! But it is important to differentiate between what the hiring team wants and what they actually need. A common desire is to try to replace all the skills of the person who just left or to fill all the deficiencies of the current team with one hire. This is a fool's errand for many recruiters and wastes time and money.</p> <p>Ask questions about each requirement, like:</p> <p>- Does everyone on the current team have an MBA? Why do you feel that is important?</p> <p>- Did the last successful hire have an intermediate knowledge of Ruby on Rails? Could we train a beginner if necessary?</p> <p>- Does this person have to work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.&amp;#160;simply because the rest of the team does? Will a split shift or later start time cause harm to the team?</p> <p>Asking probing questions about every need the hiring manager presents so you can widen the talent funnel and focus on as many great candidates as possible.</p> <p>3. Set Expectations and Make Sure the Hiring Manager&amp;#160;Understands the Hiring Timeline</p> <p>Before working on a new requisition with a hiring manager, take a step back and swallow an empathy pill. Recruiters tend to work well under pressure, but that's not always true of everyone. Consider that until this role is filled, the hiring manager you're about to meet will be doing the work of two people and managing a team that is also chipping in to get things done. If you attempt to separate needs from wants and get pushback, this may be why.</p> <p>Arm yourself with data. Show the hiring manager how much more quickly you might be able to fill the role if they are&amp;#160;willing to train someone on QuickBooks versus hiring an expert. Show them how many project managers are available in your region who are not Six Sigma certified &#8211; yet.</p> <p>What you should do: Let hiring managers know how long you anticipate the search to take based&amp;#160;on the final list of requirements. If possible, print out screenshots of the criteria you have before this conversation to illustrate the difference between the timeline for hiring, say, a PMP-certified pro and the timeline for hiring someone who is re-entering the workforce whose credentials have expired.</p> <p>4. Be Accountable and Expect Accountability in Return</p> <p>Make it as easy as possible for hiring managers to <a href="http://blog.redbranchmedia.com/2016/05/23/5-employee-feedback-stats-need-see/" type="external">give you feedback Opens a New Window.</a>. Record feedback in your ATS, send an email, walk to their desk with a tape recorder in your hand&amp;#160;&#8211; just do what you have to do to get hiring manager feedback or else you will be in bottleneck purgatory.</p> <p>Set an ideal timeline for every step, and get the hiring manager's agreement before setting off to fill the role. Let your hiring manager know in no uncertain terms that if they cannot meet deadlines, the role will stay open even longer &#8211; and no one wants that.</p> <p>What you should do: Again, your data tells a story. Look at what the hiring manager's timelines normally look like. If they are a two-week Timmy, you are not going to turn them into a four-day Frank overnight. Set reasonable deadlines they can actually hit.</p> <p>The average new hire takes <a href="https://www.officevibe.com/blog/12-recruiting-stats" type="external">27 business days Opens a New Window.</a>,&amp;#160;so as long as you both work to cut that number down, you should be on good deadline terms.</p> <p>But what if your data shows the hiring manager is responsive and you're the cause of gridlock? Well, that's a whole different article.</p> <p>A version of this article originally appeared on the&amp;#160; <a href="https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/hiring-managers/2016/4-must-dos-for-a-successful-partnership-with-hiring-managers?utm_source=feedblitzutm_medium=FeedBlitzEmailutm_content=946764utm_campaign=0" type="external">LinkedIn Talent Blog Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Maren Hogan is founder and CEO of&amp;#160; <a href="http://redbranchmedia.com/" type="external">Red Branch Media. Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;You can read more of her work on Forbes, Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and her blog,&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.marenated.com/" type="external">Marenated Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

recruiters hiring managers opens new window like peanut butter jelly except peanut butter wishes jelly would told masters degree requirement posted job continue reading okay simile isnt perfect fact remains recruiters hiring managers would ideal world work tandem find keep best hires opens new window order find best people fill role recruiters need tap hiring managers knowledge expertise hiring managers keep holding fort moving teams forward need recruiters listen forthcoming information todays global economy highly distributed workforces kind collaboration difficult ever technology allows us communicate instantly across distance also barriers like time zones endless meetings misunderstandings can160arise when160we dont get communicate face face however steps take make sure successful working hiring managers get160them talent need keep departments company 160running 1 meet hiring managers often see new hires performing keep track new hiring needs may sound like lot add plate fact hiring manager probably lot say one another ask recent hire doing160and engagement levels team advertisement may also want talk encouraging top performers engaged team members leave good reviews company sites like linkedin glassdoor ratedly160positive reviews sites are160very important employer brand extension recruiting efforts all160 69 percent job seekers opens new window160wont160take job company bad reputation urging hiring managers send monthly review requests good and160good get habit sending monthly email hiring managers asking new hires reminding encourage team members review company addition may want revamp intake process candidates mind youre recruiter know candidates ask ask hiring managers questions smart passive candidates likely ask role empty team environment like spend days get information hiring manager ahead time asking specific questions skill level daily activities team members relevant background information make recruiting empty role much easier havent already create intake form specific questions like kind skills person need successful role background ideal candidate sort jobs might held current team dynamic personalities thrive role empty due growth someone leave 2 research understand roles hiring skills actually required great recruiters always trying learn listening communication skills opens new window important qualities every recruiter dont160start researching position soon req lands desk dont angry hiring manager get frustrated tell rudimentary keywords search research role reading industry blogs looking profiles professional websites reviewing160the last couple projects completed hiring team look similar roles across country find frequently occurring terms mean bring newly minted glossary ensure understand terms mean company figure actually required role move rest box left kidding important differentiate hiring team wants actually need common desire try replace skills person left fill deficiencies current team one hire fools errand many recruiters wastes time money ask questions requirement like everyone current team mba feel important last successful hire intermediate knowledge ruby rails could train beginner necessary person work 7 4 pm160simply rest team split shift later start time cause harm team asking probing questions every need hiring manager presents widen talent funnel focus many great candidates possible 3 set expectations make sure hiring manager160understands hiring timeline working new requisition hiring manager take step back swallow empathy pill recruiters tend work well pressure thats always true everyone consider role filled hiring manager youre meet work two people managing team also chipping get things done attempt separate needs wants get pushback may arm data show hiring manager much quickly might able fill role are160willing train someone quickbooks versus hiring expert show many project managers available region six sigma certified yet let hiring managers know long anticipate search take based160on final list requirements possible print screenshots criteria conversation illustrate difference timeline hiring say pmpcertified pro timeline hiring someone reentering workforce whose credentials expired 4 accountable expect accountability return make easy possible hiring managers give feedback opens new window record feedback ats send email walk desk tape recorder hand160 get hiring manager feedback else bottleneck purgatory set ideal timeline every step get hiring managers agreement setting fill role let hiring manager know uncertain terms meet deadlines role stay open even longer one wants data tells story look hiring managers timelines normally look like twoweek timmy going turn fourday frank overnight set reasonable deadlines actually hit average new hire takes 27 business days opens new window160so long work cut number good deadline terms data shows hiring manager responsive youre cause gridlock well thats whole different article version article originally appeared the160 linkedin talent blog opens new window maren hogan founder ceo of160 red branch media opens new window160you read work forbes business insider entrepreneur blog160 marenated opens new window

<p /> <p>When Elyria Mayor Holly Brinda learned that Riddell Inc. was looking to leave this small city in northeast Ohio, she came up with a $14 million package of tax incentives and offered to lease land to the company for $1 a year.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>It wasn't enough. Riddell, which makes the football helmets used by many NFL and college players, decided to move its roughly 320 employees just over 2 miles down the road to a neighboring town, which offered its own bundle of incentives and lower corporate and individual income-tax rates.</p> <p>Riddell is one of a string of local businesses that Ms. Brinda, now in her sixth year as mayor, is struggling to hang onto. These days, the competition often isn't Mexico, China or some other country promising cheap wages and low taxes. In many cases, Elyria, which celebrates its 200th birthday this month, is vying with cities that aren't very far away.</p> <p>The race to woo companies has intensified as state and local governments struggle with a slow economic recovery, sluggish new business formation and job losses resulting from automation. Many older industrial cities see tax incentives as one of the few levers they can pull.</p> <p>The fight to attract and retain companies "is probably as competitive as it has ever been in the 30 years I have been doing this type of work," said Lawrence Kramer, managing partner with Incentis Group, the consulting firm that helped Riddell with incentive negotiations.</p> <p>Economic-development tax incentives more than tripled over the past 25 years, offsetting about 30% of the taxes the companies receiving incentives would have otherwise paid in 2015, compared with about 9% offset in 1990, according to an analysis of incentives covering more than 90% of the U.S. economy.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>By 2015, the total annual cost of these incentives was $45 billion, according to the analysis, by Timothy Bartik, a senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, Mich. The study looked at 47 cities in 32 states plus the District of Columbia.</p> <p>Total incentives are likely higher because the analysis didn't include some used by cities, including Elyria, such as city income tax rebates for companies.</p> <p>"The national headwinds are not in favor of these older, industrial small-to-midsize places," said John Lettieri, senior director of policy and strategy at the Economic Innovation Group, a nonprofit, bipartisan research and advocacy organization. The cities are often tied to a single sector and tend to have more-static economies, with a low rate of firm formation and little growth or even declines in population, he said.</p> <p>During his January news conference, then President-elect Donald Trump seemed to bless efforts by manufacturers and other big companies to pit states or cities against each other, even as he warned them against moving American jobs across the border.</p> <p>"You can move from Michigan to Tennessee and to North Carolina and South Carolina," Mr. Trump said. "You've got a lot of places you can move. And I don't care as long as it's within the U.S."</p> <p>A clearer picture of incentive use should begin to emerge later this year as new Governmental Accounting Standards Board rules take effect. They require state and local governments to disclose for the first time information about their tax incentive programs, including the dollar amount of taxes being abated.</p> <p>Incentives climbed after the financial crisis, but their growth slowed in 2016 as some state and local governments began re-examining the effectiveness of the programs, said Christopher Steele, chief operating officer of Investment Consulting Associates, a site selection and management consulting firm. Mr. Steele said he is seeing some early signs of a pickup in incentive use this year.</p> <p>Critics say tax incentives do little to spur job creation or economic growth. Most incentives are "redundant," meaning, "they have no impact on behavior," said Nathan Jensen, a professor of government at the University of Texas, Austin, who compared job creation numbers for firms in four states that received tax incentives to similar firms that didn't receive the benefits.</p> <p>The Florida House of Representatives this month approved legislation to eliminate the state's main provider of tax incentives and other development assistance. Florida has attractions such as a good climate and no income tax, said Paul Renner, a Republican who sponsored the bill, and would be better off focusing on other forms of economic development, such as education and infrastructure.</p> <p>Columbus, Ohio, last year agreed to pay a consulting firm $150,000 to analyze for the first time how the results of the city's tax incentive programs stack up against the programs of other midsize cities across the U.S. and against those of neighboring communities.</p> <p>A line at a food pantry in an Elyria church, and a vacant factory site.</p> <p>St. Louis in 2015 began reworking its formula for development incentives, raising standards for approval and shifting more attention to struggling neighborhoods, said Otis Williams, executive director for the city's economic development arm. St. Louis is now re-evaluating its corporate-incentive program, "to make sure we raise the bar for that as well," he said.</p> <p>Some mayors don't feel they have a choice. "We would be dead in the water without economic incentives," said Virg Bernero, the mayor of Lansing, Mich. Old, vacant buildings and contaminated industrial properties can be impossible to redevelop without incentives because they aren't cost competitive, he said. The competition is heightened because suburbs now routinely offer tax incentives, too, he said.</p> <p>Manufacturing still accounts for roughly twice as many jobs in smaller, heartland Ohio cities as in the nation as a whole, according to a November 2016 report by the Center for Community Solutions, a nonpartisan think tank based in Cleveland.</p> <p>The greater Cleveland metro area, which includes Elyria, posted the nation's largest drop in the number of firms between 2010 and 2014, losing 712 of its companies, the Economic Innovation Group found.</p> <p>Ms. Brinda, the mayor, said her priority is to focus on the larger companies that are likely to provide more of Elyria's jobs. "We have big companies, old plants. We are all built up," explained Ms. Brinda, who grew up in Elyria, a town of 54,000. The challenge, she added, "is how to keep who we have and to help them grow."</p> <p>Elyria has relied heavily on tax incentives and has also tried to assemble contiguous pieces of land that might appeal to employers looking to expand. Over the past 18 months, the city has offered roughly $50 million in incentives to companies it is seeking to attract or retain.</p> <p>Mayor Holly Brinda, seated at the Cascade Cafe in downtown Elyria, has been trying to keep industry in town with tax incentives.</p> <p>Mayor Holly Brinda, seated at the Cascade Cafe in downtown Elyria, has been trying to keep industry in town with tax incentives.</p> <p>Such deals hurt city revenues, the mayor said, but "I can't say no to a global giant who wants an incentive package." Proponents say the corporate tax loss is offset by more employed people paying income tax and consuming goods and services in the local economy, and by taxes the company still pays.</p> <p>The city's Lorain County Community College operates a startup incubator with the help of state and county funding. Over the past decade, the incubator's startups have created more than 1,200 jobs, mostly in biotech and software, said Cliff Reynolds, co-director of the program. But only about a third of those jobs have remained in Elyria, he estimated. Often ventures move to nearby Cuyahoga County to get closer to programming talent and funding in the Cleveland area, he said.</p> <p>The latest blow to Elyria's manufacturing base came in November, when 3M Co. announced it would close a plant that employs 150 to make cellulose block used in sponge production. The company, which says it wants to get out of the cellulose block business, plans to shift the work to a larger and more efficient plant in western New York where the product is also made, a company spokeswoman said.</p> <p>Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, a supplier of safety and braking systems for commercial vehicles that had been headquartered in Elyria since 1941, in 2015 turned down an offer worth as much as $17 million to stay. It is moving its headquarters and roughly 460 jobs to a new site 10 miles away in Avon, Ohio, also in Lorain County.</p> <p>Bendix will receive roughly $11 million in tax abatements from Avon plus $363,000 in state tax incentives. A spokeswoman for Bendix, a subsidiary of Germany's Knorr-Bremse Group, declined to comment.</p> <p>"If we lose them from the county, that's bigger than losing them from Elyria," said Avon's mayor, Bryan Jensen.</p> <p>In a success story for Elyria, Dura-Line Corp., a maker of plastic conduit that protects fiber optic cable, agreed in January to an expansion that will add 60 jobs in the next five years. The company will receive tax credits and incentives worth more than $1.4 million from the city and state.</p> <p>A Dura-Line spokeswoman said the company also considered sites in Missouri and Kentucky. "All things being equal, the preference was to stay" in Elyria, she said. "We were looking to offset the cost of expansion."</p> <p>Elyria is currently in discussions with three other large, local employers, Ms. Brinda said. The mayor declined to identify the companies but said discussions are focused on retention and expansion.</p> <p>Riddell, a unit of BRG Sports Inc., determined it needed more space in early 2015 and started exploring location options. It liked Elyria, but "the geometry and size of that lot could not accommodate our plans," said Allison Boersma, BRG and Riddell's chief operating officer. Parking space was also a problem.</p> <p>The company hired a site selection firm that brought in Incentis to consult on tax incentives. Riddell looked at 17 sites in Ohio, plus options in Illinois and Texas, weighing 30 criteria including access to and visibility from the interstate, quick movement on permits, services such as roads, sewage and electric, and the possibility of future expansion. It also said it valued moving quickly into a new facility and retaining its existing workforce.</p> <p>Ms. Brinda, Elyria's mayor, said Riddell's decision to hire a site selection firm was a red flag, because it meant the company was seriously considering other options. In November 2015, Elyria offered Riddell the best alternate locations it could find, including one that straddled the Elyria-North Ridgeville line. The mayor said she also asked county officials for assistance.</p> <p>The deal, the city said, would reduce the costs of expanding the existing facility or building a new one by as much as 50%.</p> <p>In the meantime, Riddell's representatives had approached North Ridgeville about a company "engaged in light manufacturing," without naming the company, according to North Ridgeville's mayor, G. David Gillock. "They asked what incentives could we put on the table," he said.</p> <p>The community had an undeveloped site that could be built to company specifications and offered up to $7 million in tax incentives.</p> <p>Ms. Boersma said the company saw it as the best option, and Riddell will make the move across the railroad tracks to the new site next month. Riddell said it is adding about 50 new positions, which will increase its workforce by roughly 15%.</p> <p>None of Riddell's current employees will have to sell their homes or move their children into a different school system. Employees are also happy about "additional parking, a fitness center and overall improved work environment," Ms. Boersma said.</p> <p>"If we had said we don't have any incentives, but we have a low income-tax rate and we would love to have you, they would not be here," said North Ridgeville's Mr. Gillock. "If you don't have something on the table, you are going to lose."</p>

elyria mayor holly brinda learned riddell inc looking leave small city northeast ohio came 14 million package tax incentives offered lease land company 1 year continue reading wasnt enough riddell makes football helmets used many nfl college players decided move roughly 320 employees 2 miles road neighboring town offered bundle incentives lower corporate individual incometax rates riddell one string local businesses ms brinda sixth year mayor struggling hang onto days competition often isnt mexico china country promising cheap wages low taxes many cases elyria celebrates 200th birthday month vying cities arent far away race woo companies intensified state local governments struggle slow economic recovery sluggish new business formation job losses resulting automation many older industrial cities see tax incentives one levers pull fight attract retain companies probably competitive ever 30 years type work said lawrence kramer managing partner incentis group consulting firm helped riddell incentive negotiations economicdevelopment tax incentives tripled past 25 years offsetting 30 taxes companies receiving incentives would otherwise paid 2015 compared 9 offset 1990 according analysis incentives covering 90 us economy advertisement 2015 total annual cost incentives 45 billion according analysis timothy bartik senior economist upjohn institute employment research kalamazoo mich study looked 47 cities 32 states plus district columbia total incentives likely higher analysis didnt include used cities including elyria city income tax rebates companies national headwinds favor older industrial smalltomidsize places said john lettieri senior director policy strategy economic innovation group nonprofit bipartisan research advocacy organization cities often tied single sector tend morestatic economies low rate firm formation little growth even declines population said january news conference presidentelect donald trump seemed bless efforts manufacturers big companies pit states cities even warned moving american jobs across border move michigan tennessee north carolina south carolina mr trump said youve got lot places move dont care long within us clearer picture incentive use begin emerge later year new governmental accounting standards board rules take effect require state local governments disclose first time information tax incentive programs including dollar amount taxes abated incentives climbed financial crisis growth slowed 2016 state local governments began reexamining effectiveness programs said christopher steele chief operating officer investment consulting associates site selection management consulting firm mr steele said seeing early signs pickup incentive use year critics say tax incentives little spur job creation economic growth incentives redundant meaning impact behavior said nathan jensen professor government university texas austin compared job creation numbers firms four states received tax incentives similar firms didnt receive benefits florida house representatives month approved legislation eliminate states main provider tax incentives development assistance florida attractions good climate income tax said paul renner republican sponsored bill would better focusing forms economic development education infrastructure columbus ohio last year agreed pay consulting firm 150000 analyze first time results citys tax incentive programs stack programs midsize cities across us neighboring communities line food pantry elyria church vacant factory site st louis 2015 began reworking formula development incentives raising standards approval shifting attention struggling neighborhoods said otis williams executive director citys economic development arm st louis reevaluating corporateincentive program make sure raise bar well said mayors dont feel choice would dead water without economic incentives said virg bernero mayor lansing mich old vacant buildings contaminated industrial properties impossible redevelop without incentives arent cost competitive said competition heightened suburbs routinely offer tax incentives said manufacturing still accounts roughly twice many jobs smaller heartland ohio cities nation whole according november 2016 report center community solutions nonpartisan think tank based cleveland greater cleveland metro area includes elyria posted nations largest drop number firms 2010 2014 losing 712 companies economic innovation group found ms brinda mayor said priority focus larger companies likely provide elyrias jobs big companies old plants built explained ms brinda grew elyria town 54000 challenge added keep help grow elyria relied heavily tax incentives also tried assemble contiguous pieces land might appeal employers looking expand past 18 months city offered roughly 50 million incentives companies seeking attract retain mayor holly brinda seated cascade cafe downtown elyria trying keep industry town tax incentives mayor holly brinda seated cascade cafe downtown elyria trying keep industry town tax incentives deals hurt city revenues mayor said cant say global giant wants incentive package proponents say corporate tax loss offset employed people paying income tax consuming goods services local economy taxes company still pays citys lorain county community college operates startup incubator help state county funding past decade incubators startups created 1200 jobs mostly biotech software said cliff reynolds codirector program third jobs remained elyria estimated often ventures move nearby cuyahoga county get closer programming talent funding cleveland area said latest blow elyrias manufacturing base came november 3m co announced would close plant employs 150 make cellulose block used sponge production company says wants get cellulose block business plans shift work larger efficient plant western new york product also made company spokeswoman said bendix commercial vehicle systems llc supplier safety braking systems commercial vehicles headquartered elyria since 1941 2015 turned offer worth much 17 million stay moving headquarters roughly 460 jobs new site 10 miles away avon ohio also lorain county bendix receive roughly 11 million tax abatements avon plus 363000 state tax incentives spokeswoman bendix subsidiary germanys knorrbremse group declined comment lose county thats bigger losing elyria said avons mayor bryan jensen success story elyria duraline corp maker plastic conduit protects fiber optic cable agreed january expansion add 60 jobs next five years company receive tax credits incentives worth 14 million city state duraline spokeswoman said company also considered sites missouri kentucky things equal preference stay elyria said looking offset cost expansion elyria currently discussions three large local employers ms brinda said mayor declined identify companies said discussions focused retention expansion riddell unit brg sports inc determined needed space early 2015 started exploring location options liked elyria geometry size lot could accommodate plans said allison boersma brg riddells chief operating officer parking space also problem company hired site selection firm brought incentis consult tax incentives riddell looked 17 sites ohio plus options illinois texas weighing 30 criteria including access visibility interstate quick movement permits services roads sewage electric possibility future expansion also said valued moving quickly new facility retaining existing workforce ms brinda elyrias mayor said riddells decision hire site selection firm red flag meant company seriously considering options november 2015 elyria offered riddell best alternate locations could find including one straddled elyrianorth ridgeville line mayor said also asked county officials assistance deal city said would reduce costs expanding existing facility building new one much 50 meantime riddells representatives approached north ridgeville company engaged light manufacturing without naming company according north ridgevilles mayor g david gillock asked incentives could put table said community undeveloped site could built company specifications offered 7 million tax incentives ms boersma said company saw best option riddell make move across railroad tracks new site next month riddell said adding 50 new positions increase workforce roughly 15 none riddells current employees sell homes move children different school system employees also happy additional parking fitness center overall improved work environment ms boersma said said dont incentives low incometax rate would love would said north ridgevilles mr gillock dont something table going lose

<p /> <p>Buying stocks for your kids can be a great way to teach them about investing and get them an early start on building their financial futures. But which to buy? Our panel of writers has identified two top stocks and a top exchange-traded fund for budding investors. Read on to learn whyWalt Disney (NYSE: DIS), the Vanguard S&amp;amp;P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO), and Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) made the list.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a> (Walt Disney): When you want to buy a stock for your kids, you need to look at it from two points of view. First, you want a stock that's most likely to provide good long-term returns, because you want to give your child a positive investing experience from the start while taking maximum advantage of the time your child has to watch even modest amounts of money grow. Second, you want a company with which your child is familiar, because that way, the connection between a stock and the business that the company does will be clear.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Disney makes a great choice by these measures for a number of reasons. Children of all ages are quite familiar with Disney's offerings, but they might not realize just how extensive the entertainment giant's empire is. Offerings like the Disney Channel and Disney theme parks carry the corporate name and are thus obvious draws, but many kids don't realize that networks like ESPN and movie franchises like Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm are actually Disney properties. This extensive group of content-producing businesses gives Disney much of its long-term value, and popular entertainment franchises are only likely to grow in the years to come. If you want to start your child's portfolio on the right foot, Disney makes a great choice to achieve both solid returns and the educational value of investing in companies with which your child will be quite familiar.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/keithnoonan/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Noonan Opens a New Window.</a>(Activision Blizzard):Like Dan, I subscribe to the idea that buying strong companies that your kids have a connection with is a good way to introduce them to the world of investing. With those qualities in mind, I think that Activision Blizzard would make a great starter stock.</p> <p>Video games are more popular than ever, and Activision Blizzard's leading position in the space means that it's a stock that has the potential to grow along with your kids' interest in investing.BetweenSkylanders, Candy Crush Saga, andHearthstone, the company has a wide range of franchises that are popular with children, and it also produces titles geared toward older audiences, sothere's a good chance that your kids will have some familiarity with the company's franchises regardless of what age group they're in -- and that they'll maintain a connection with its products as they get older.</p> <p>No video game software company has a more potent catalog of franchises than Activision Blizzard, and the publisher's strong track record of quality and innovation combined with the strength of its properties points to big things down the line.The company is also benefiting from an industry trend that sees more consumers purchasing games directly from publishers through digital downloads, and it looks poised to be a leader in emerging categories like virtual reality and e-sports.</p> <p>With strong growth prospects and a relatable line of products, Activision Blizzard looks like a great stock to buy for your kids.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFVelvetHammer/info.aspx" type="external">Jason Opens a New Window.</a> <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFVelvetHammer/info.aspx" type="external">Hall Opens a New Window.</a>(Vanguard S&amp;amp;P 500 ETF): Buying stocks for kids is usually intended to do two things:</p> <p>For this reason, a lot of articles like this tend to focus on "kid-friendly" companies, often toymakers, entertainment purveyors, or consumer brands with which children can identify. If a kid owns part of a company he's familiar with, it will make investing more fun and attainable, right?</p> <p>The downside, of course, is a bad choice -- or just bad timing -- can lead to losses that can take years to recover, raining all over your "Let's learn about making money with stocks!" parade. Furthermore, kids can lose interest in a brand quickly, and if the kid doesn't care about the toy or the clothing maker anymore, they may lose interest in the stock.For these reasons, more parents should at least consider buying shares of the Vanguard S&amp;amp;P 500 ETF instead.</p> <p>The <a href="https://advisors.vanguard.com/VGApp/iip/site/advisor/investments/productoverview?fundId=0968&amp;amp;CMPGN=EX:PS:FAS:Sustaining" type="external">Vanguard S&amp;amp;P 500 ETF Opens a New Window.</a> tracks the performance of the 500 large-cap stocks in the S&amp;amp;P 500. It currently has an expense ratio of 0.05% and offers a 2.01% dividend yield at the current price.</p> <p>It may not be as exciting as an individual stock, but instead of the occasional "Hey, you own part of the company that makes that thing!" moment, owning a piece of the S&amp;amp;P 500 will give you almost constant opportunities to teach how investing in stocks is ownership of real companies that make products and provide services.It's also a solid long-term investment, averaging nearly 10% per year in annualized returns.</p> <p>If you're unsure of which stock to buy, or concerned your kid may lose interest in a single company, give the S&amp;amp;P 500 index a shot.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Walt DisneyWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=e6a1477b-cc52-4c71-9419-480cdc475dc8&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Walt Disney wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=e6a1477b-cc52-4c71-9419-480cdc475dc8&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger</a> owns shares of Walt Disney. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/elihpaudio/info.aspx" type="external">Jason Hall Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Activision Blizzard and Walt Disney. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/keithnoonan/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Noonan</a> owns shares of Activision Blizzard. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Activision Blizzard and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

buying stocks kids great way teach investing get early start building financial futures buy panel writers identified two top stocks top exchangetraded fund budding investors read learn whywalt disney nyse dis vanguard sampp 500 etf nysemkt voo activision blizzard nasdaq atvi made list continue reading dan caplinger opens new window walt disney want buy stock kids need look two points view first want stock thats likely provide good longterm returns want give child positive investing experience start taking maximum advantage time child watch even modest amounts money grow second want company child familiar way connection stock business company clear image source getty images disney makes great choice measures number reasons children ages quite familiar disneys offerings might realize extensive entertainment giants empire offerings like disney channel disney theme parks carry corporate name thus obvious draws many kids dont realize networks like espn movie franchises like marvel pixar lucasfilm actually disney properties extensive group contentproducing businesses gives disney much longterm value popular entertainment franchises likely grow years come want start childs portfolio right foot disney makes great choice achieve solid returns educational value investing companies child quite familiar advertisement keith noonan opens new windowactivision blizzardlike dan subscribe idea buying strong companies kids connection good way introduce world investing qualities mind think activision blizzard would make great starter stock video games popular ever activision blizzards leading position space means stock potential grow along kids interest investingbetweenskylanders candy crush saga andhearthstone company wide range franchises popular children also produces titles geared toward older audiences sotheres good chance kids familiarity companys franchises regardless age group theyre theyll maintain connection products get older video game software company potent catalog franchises activision blizzard publishers strong track record quality innovation combined strength properties points big things linethe company also benefiting industry trend sees consumers purchasing games directly publishers digital downloads looks poised leader emerging categories like virtual reality esports strong growth prospects relatable line products activision blizzard looks like great stock buy kids jason opens new window hall opens new windowvanguard sampp 500 etf buying stocks kids usually intended two things reason lot articles like tend focus kidfriendly companies often toymakers entertainment purveyors consumer brands children identify kid owns part company hes familiar make investing fun attainable right downside course bad choice bad timing lead losses take years recover raining lets learn making money stocks parade furthermore kids lose interest brand quickly kid doesnt care toy clothing maker anymore may lose interest stockfor reasons parents least consider buying shares vanguard sampp 500 etf instead vanguard sampp 500 etf opens new window tracks performance 500 largecap stocks sampp 500 currently expense ratio 005 offers 201 dividend yield current price may exciting individual stock instead occasional hey part company makes thing moment owning piece sampp 500 give almost constant opportunities teach investing stocks ownership real companies make products provide servicesits also solid longterm investment averaging nearly 10 per year annualized returns youre unsure stock buy concerned kid may lose interest single company give sampp 500 index shot 10 stocks like better walt disneywhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right walt disney wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns february 6 2017 dan caplinger owns shares walt disney jason hall opens new window owns shares activision blizzard walt disney keith noonan owns shares activision blizzard motley fool owns shares recommends activision blizzard walt disney motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Energy infrastructure companies often offer investors attractive income streams because long-term fee-based contracts underpin the bulk of their assets. Since they can build additional assets that are also underpinned by long-term fee-based contracts, these entities have a slightly easier time forecasting future dividend growth.</p> <p>Meanwhile, companies that secure a substantial backlog of expansion projects have the ability to forecast monster dividend-growth potential. Take, for example, Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI) and Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), which are on pace to double their already lucrative dividends over the coming years thanks in part to their massive project backlogs. Here's a closer look at how soon these companies could be paying twice their current rate.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>U.S. natural gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan currently yields a solid 2.6%, which is a well-supported level since it is only about a quarter of the distributable cash flow the company generates from its stable fee-bearing assets. At the moment, the company uses its remaining cash flow to finance growth projects and to reduce debt. However, the gas pipeline behemoth has completed several strategic initiatives over the past year that have helped shore up the balance sheet while also securing a portion of the financing needed for future growth projects. Because of that, the company expects to generate more cash than it needs starting next year. As a result, the company recently <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/07/20/kinder-morgan-inc-unveils-its-new-way-forward.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">unveiled a plan Opens a New Window.</a> to boost its payout 60% next year and by 25% more in both 2019 and 2020; it also authorized a $2 billion share buyback program. At that rate, the company will double its dividend by 2019.</p> <p>Given that Kinder Morgan currently pays out only a quarter of its cash flow, it can easily support that higher rate (a 100% increase would still consume only about half its cash flow). In addition, Kinder Morgan has several growth projects underway that should bolster its cash flow over the next few years, providing even more support for its dividend-growth plan.</p> <p>Overall, it has $12.2 billion of projects in its backlog. While the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion under development by its Canadian subsidiary Kinder Morgan Canada Limited (TSX: KML) makes up a significant portion of its backlog, that project doesn't factor into the near-term dividend equation since it won't enter service until the end of 2019 at the earliest. That said, the company has several natural-gas-pipeline, products-pipeline, and terminal projects under construction that should fuel more than $500 million in incremental adjusted earnings before taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) over the next three years, giving it further padding for the dividend. In other words, it's a rather safe bet that Kinder Morgan will indeed give investors a 100% raise in the very near future.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Canadian energy infrastructure juggernaut Enbridge currently offers investors an even better starting yield of 4.6%. That payout is on solid ground since it consumes only about half of the company's stable cash flow. Enbridge currently uses the other half of its cash flow, along with outside capital from other sources, to finance high-return growth projects. In fact, the company estimates that it has enough commercially secured expansion projects in its backlog to support 10% to 12% annual dividend growth through 2024 while maintaining a 50% to 60% payout ratio. If Enbridge can hit the high end of that range, it would be on pace to double the dividend by 2024.</p> <p>It's worth pointing out, however, that Enbridge's dividend-growth forecast carries more risk than Kinder Morgan's plan, because it needs to complete a significant percentage of the projects in its backlog to give it the cash flow necessary to support that higher payout level. The company is off to a solid start: It has 31 billion Canadian dollars' ($25.6 billion) worth of projects underway that provide good earnings and dividend-growth visibility through 2020. However, it needs to move forward with a considerable portion of the nearly CA$48 billion ($39.6 billion) of commercially secured longer-term projects further down the pipeline to cover the rest of the projected payout. If it doesn't complete enough projects, it might not deliver the high-end growth needed to double its dividend by 2024. Notably, though, Enbridge has an ample supply of projects focused on cleaner energy sources such as natural gas and wind, which increases the likelihood that it can achieve the high-end rate needed to double its already attractive payout within seven years.</p> <p>Kinder Morgan and Enbridge each offer investors an attractive current income stream that appears poised to double in the years ahead. That said, investors have an interesting choice. They can accept less income now with a high probability that the payout will double in just two years, by going with Kinder Morgan. Or they could opt for more cash flow in the near term with the potential to collect twice that rate several years from now, by choosing Enbridge. While either option looks like a winner, it's worth noting that Kinder Morgan's stock price is <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/19/3-great-stocks-you-can-buy-on-sale.aspx?yptr=yahoo&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">dirt cheap right now Opens a New Window.</a>, which opens up the possibility of equally compelling capital gains as the company makes good on its promised dividend growth.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Kinder MorganWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=62dcb609-8cc4-44a0-8d4b-417c388aac83&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Kinder Morgan wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=62dcb609-8cc4-44a0-8d4b-417c388aac83&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Matthew DiLallo Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Kinder Morgan and has the following options: short January 2018 $30 puts on Kinder Morgan, long January 2018 $30 calls on Kinder Morgan, and short December 2017 $19 puts on Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge and Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd007fd6-940d-11e7-83f2-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

energy infrastructure companies often offer investors attractive income streams longterm feebased contracts underpin bulk assets since build additional assets also underpinned longterm feebased contracts entities slightly easier time forecasting future dividend growth meanwhile companies secure substantial backlog expansion projects ability forecast monster dividendgrowth potential take example kinder morgan nyse kmi enbridge nyse enb pace double already lucrative dividends coming years thanks part massive project backlogs heres closer look soon companies could paying twice current rate continue reading us natural gas pipeline giant kinder morgan currently yields solid 26 wellsupported level since quarter distributable cash flow company generates stable feebearing assets moment company uses remaining cash flow finance growth projects reduce debt however gas pipeline behemoth completed several strategic initiatives past year helped shore balance sheet also securing portion financing needed future growth projects company expects generate cash needs starting next year result company recently unveiled plan opens new window boost payout 60 next year 25 2019 2020 also authorized 2 billion share buyback program rate company double dividend 2019 given kinder morgan currently pays quarter cash flow easily support higher rate 100 increase would still consume half cash flow addition kinder morgan several growth projects underway bolster cash flow next years providing even support dividendgrowth plan overall 122 billion projects backlog controversial trans mountain pipeline expansion development canadian subsidiary kinder morgan canada limited tsx kml makes significant portion backlog project doesnt factor nearterm dividend equation since wont enter service end 2019 earliest said company several naturalgaspipeline productspipeline terminal projects construction fuel 500 million incremental adjusted earnings taxes depreciation amortization ebitda next three years giving padding dividend words rather safe bet kinder morgan indeed give investors 100 raise near future advertisement canadian energy infrastructure juggernaut enbridge currently offers investors even better starting yield 46 payout solid ground since consumes half companys stable cash flow enbridge currently uses half cash flow along outside capital sources finance highreturn growth projects fact company estimates enough commercially secured expansion projects backlog support 10 12 annual dividend growth 2024 maintaining 50 60 payout ratio enbridge hit high end range would pace double dividend 2024 worth pointing however enbridges dividendgrowth forecast carries risk kinder morgans plan needs complete significant percentage projects backlog give cash flow necessary support higher payout level company solid start 31 billion canadian dollars 256 billion worth projects underway provide good earnings dividendgrowth visibility 2020 however needs move forward considerable portion nearly ca48 billion 396 billion commercially secured longerterm projects pipeline cover rest projected payout doesnt complete enough projects might deliver highend growth needed double dividend 2024 notably though enbridge ample supply projects focused cleaner energy sources natural gas wind increases likelihood achieve highend rate needed double already attractive payout within seven years kinder morgan enbridge offer investors attractive current income stream appears poised double years ahead said investors interesting choice accept less income high probability payout double two years going kinder morgan could opt cash flow near term potential collect twice rate several years choosing enbridge either option looks like winner worth noting kinder morgans stock price dirt cheap right opens new window opens possibility equally compelling capital gains company makes good promised dividend growth 10 stocks like better kinder morganwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right kinder morgan wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns september 5 2017 matthew dilallo opens new window owns shares kinder morgan following options short january 2018 30 puts kinder morgan long january 2018 30 calls kinder morgan short december 2017 19 puts kinder morgan motley fool owns shares recommends enbridge kinder morgan motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Communist nation could control American land as &#8216;development zones&#8217;</p> <p>by JEROME R. CORSI</p> <p>EDITOR&#8217;S NOTE: Barack Obama&#8217;s involvement in the DeMar Second Amendment case was previously reported in Chapter 7 of Jerome R. Corsi&#8217;s &#8220;America for Sale: Fighting the New World Order, Surviving a Global Depression, and Preserving USA Sovereignty.&#8221;</p> <p>NEW YORK &#8211; Could real estate on American soil owned by China be set up as &#8220;development zones&#8221; in which the communist nation could establish Chinese-owned businesses and bring in its citizens to the U.S. to work?</p> <p>That&#8217;s part of an evolving proposal Beijing has been developing quietly since 2009 to convert more than $1 trillion of U.S debt it owns into equity.</p> <p>Under the plan, China would own U.S. businesses, U.S. infrastructure and U.S. high-value land, all with a U.S. government guarantee against loss.</p> <p>Yu Qiao, a professor of economics in the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsighua University in Beijing, proposed in 2009 a plan for the U.S. government to guarantee foreign investments in the United States.</p> <p>WND has reliable information that the Bank of China, China&#8217;s central bank, has continued to advance the plan to convert China&#8217;s holdings of U.S. debt into equity owned by China in the U.S.</p> <p>The Obama administration, under the plan, would grant a financial guarantee as an inducement for China to convert U.S. debt into Chinese direct equity investment. China would take ownership of successful U.S. corporations, potentially profitable infrastructure projects and high-value U.S. real estate.</p> <p>Jerome Corsi exposes the globalists&#8217; plan to put America on the chopping block in &#8220;America for Sale: Fighting the New World Order, Surviving a Global Depression, and Preserving USA Sovereignty,&#8221; available at WND&#8217;s Superstore.</p> <p>The plan would be designed to induce China to resume lending to the U.S. on a nearly zero-interest basis.</p> <p>However, converting Chinese debt to equity investments in the United States could easily add another $1 trillion to outstanding Obama administration guarantees issued in the current economic crisis.</p> <p>As of November 2012, China owned $1.17 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities, according to U.S. Department of Treasury and Federal Reserve Board calculations published Jan. 16.</p> <p>Concerned about the unrestrained growth in U.S. debt under the Obama administration, China has reduced by 97 percent its holdings in short-term U.S. Treasury bills. China&#8217;s holding of $573.7 billion in August 2008, prior to the massive bank bailouts and stimulus programs triggered by the collapse in the U.S. mortgage market, dwindled to $5.96 billion by March 2011.</p> <p>Treasury bills are short-term debt that matures in one year or less, sold to finance U.S. debt. Holdings of Treasury bills are included in the $1.17 trillion of total Treasury securities owned by China as of November 2012.</p> <p>In addition to a national debt in excess of $16 trillion, the U.S. government in 2010 faced over $70 trillion in unfunded obligations, including Social Security and Medicare benefits scheduled to be paid retiring baby boomer retirees in the coming decades, with unfunded obligations showing no sign of being reduced with Congress at a deadlock over reducing federal government spending.</p> <p>Yu Qiao observed that if the U.S. dollar collapsed under the weight of proposed Obama administration trillion-dollar budget deficits into the foreseeable future, holders of U.S. debt would face substantial losses that the Financial Times estimated &#8220;would devastate Asians&#8217; hard-earned wealth and terminate economic globalization.&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;The basic idea is to turn Asian savings, China&#8217;s in particular, into real business interests rather than let them be used to support U.S. over-consumption,&#8221; Yu Qiao wrote, reflecting themes commonly suggested by Chinese government officials. &#8220;While fixed-income securities are vulnerable to any fall in the value of the dollar, equity claims on sound corporations and infrastructure projects are at less risk from a currency default,&#8221; he continued.</p> <p>The problem is that, in a struggling U.S. economy, China does not want to trade its investment in U.S. Treasury debt securities, with their inherent risk of dollar devaluation, for equally risky investments in U.S. corporations and infrastructure projects.</p> <p>&#8220;But Asians do not want to bear the risk of this investment because of market turbulence and a lack of knowledge of cultural, legal and regulatory issues in U.S. businesses,&#8221; he stressed. &#8220;However if a guarantee scheme were created, Asian savers could be willing to invest directly in capital-hungry U.S. industries.&#8221;</p> <p>Yu Qiao&#8217;s plan included four components:</p> <p>China would negotiate with the U.S. government to create a &#8220;crisis relief facility,&#8221; or CRF. The CRF &#8220;would be used alongside U.S. federal efforts to stabilize the banking system and to invest in capital-intensive infrastructure projects such as high-speed railroad from Boston to Washington, D.C. China would pool a portion of its holdings of Treasury bonds under the CFR umbrella to convert sovereign debt into equity. Any CFR funds that were designated for investment in U.S. corporations would still be owned and managed by U.S. equity holders, with the Asians holding minority equity shares &#8220;that would, like preferred stock, be convertible.&#8221;</p> <p>The U.S. government would act as a guarantor, &#8220;providing a sovereign guarantee scheme to assure the investment principal of the CRF against possible default of targeted companies or projects&#8221;.</p> <p>The Federal Reserve would set up a special account to supply the liquidity the CRF would require to swap sovereign debt into industrial investment in the United States.</p> <p>&#8220;The CRF would lessen Asians&#8217; concern about implicit default of sovereign debts caused by a collapsing dollar,&#8221; Yu Qiao concluded. &#8220;It would cost little and help the U.S. by channeling funds to business investment.&#8221;</p> <p>breitbart.com</p> <p /> <p>We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, vulgarity, profanity, all caps, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain a courteous and useful public environment where we can engage in reasonable discourse.</p>

communist nation could control american land development zones jerome r corsi editors note barack obamas involvement demar second amendment case previously reported chapter 7 jerome r corsis america sale fighting new world order surviving global depression preserving usa sovereignty new york could real estate american soil owned china set development zones communist nation could establish chineseowned businesses bring citizens us work thats part evolving proposal beijing developing quietly since 2009 convert 1 trillion us debt owns equity plan china would us businesses us infrastructure us highvalue land us government guarantee loss yu qiao professor economics school public policy management tsighua university beijing proposed 2009 plan us government guarantee foreign investments united states wnd reliable information bank china chinas central bank continued advance plan convert chinas holdings us debt equity owned china us obama administration plan would grant financial guarantee inducement china convert us debt chinese direct equity investment china would take ownership successful us corporations potentially profitable infrastructure projects highvalue us real estate jerome corsi exposes globalists plan put america chopping block america sale fighting new world order surviving global depression preserving usa sovereignty available wnds superstore plan would designed induce china resume lending us nearly zerointerest basis however converting chinese debt equity investments united states could easily add another 1 trillion outstanding obama administration guarantees issued current economic crisis november 2012 china owned 117 trillion us treasury securities according us department treasury federal reserve board calculations published jan 16 concerned unrestrained growth us debt obama administration china reduced 97 percent holdings shortterm us treasury bills chinas holding 5737 billion august 2008 prior massive bank bailouts stimulus programs triggered collapse us mortgage market dwindled 596 billion march 2011 treasury bills shortterm debt matures one year less sold finance us debt holdings treasury bills included 117 trillion total treasury securities owned china november 2012 addition national debt excess 16 trillion us government 2010 faced 70 trillion unfunded obligations including social security medicare benefits scheduled paid retiring baby boomer retirees coming decades unfunded obligations showing sign reduced congress deadlock reducing federal government spending yu qiao observed us dollar collapsed weight proposed obama administration trilliondollar budget deficits foreseeable future holders us debt would face substantial losses financial times estimated would devastate asians hardearned wealth terminate economic globalization basic idea turn asian savings chinas particular real business interests rather let used support us overconsumption yu qiao wrote reflecting themes commonly suggested chinese government officials fixedincome securities vulnerable fall value dollar equity claims sound corporations infrastructure projects less risk currency default continued problem struggling us economy china want trade investment us treasury debt securities inherent risk dollar devaluation equally risky investments us corporations infrastructure projects asians want bear risk investment market turbulence lack knowledge cultural legal regulatory issues us businesses stressed however guarantee scheme created asian savers could willing invest directly capitalhungry us industries yu qiaos plan included four components china would negotiate us government create crisis relief facility crf crf would used alongside us federal efforts stabilize banking system invest capitalintensive infrastructure projects highspeed railroad boston washington dc china would pool portion holdings treasury bonds cfr umbrella convert sovereign debt equity cfr funds designated investment us corporations would still owned managed us equity holders asians holding minority equity shares would like preferred stock convertible us government would act guarantor providing sovereign guarantee scheme assure investment principal crf possible default targeted companies projects federal reserve would set special account supply liquidity crf would require swap sovereign debt industrial investment united states crf would lessen asians concern implicit default sovereign debts caused collapsing dollar yu qiao concluded would cost little help us channeling funds business investment breitbartcom tolerance comments containing violence racism vulgarity profanity caps discourteous behavior thank partnering us maintain courteous useful public environment engage reasonable discourse

<p>Amazon's (NASDAQ: AMZN) takeover of Whole Foods stunned many brick-and-mortar retailers, which feared that merging Amazon's e-commerce ecosystem with hundreds of physical stores could render traditional supermarkets and superstores obsolete.</p> <p>Amazon already <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/12/what-amazon-needs-most-from-whole-foods.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">slashed prices Opens a New Window.</a> at Whole Foods, started selling Echo speakers in&amp;#160;stores, and plans to add pickup lockers to some locations and Whole Foods products to Prime Now, its two-hour delivery program. Those plans should pay off as Whole Foods stores become pickup and delivery hubs for groceries and online orders. That combo would make Prime memberships even more attractive with special discounts.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>However, big box retailers aren't sitting idly by waiting for their greatest rival to take over the market. Instead, they could rely on real estate agreements to limit what Amazon can do with nearby Whole Foods stores.</p> <p>Real estate companies generally lease out large properties like strip malls to a wide range of retailers. Their profits can only keep growing if those tenants stay in business and keep paying the rent.</p> <p>Many Whole Foods stores are located in strip malls and shopping centers, and analysts expect Amazon to&amp;#160;shrink many of those stores, only using them to sell fresh produce or other products that need to be seen and touched. Meanwhile, the company will store other consumable products in its fulfillment centers, shipping them directly to customers for online orders.</p> <p>That's great for Amazon, but it'll hurt neighboring stores -- landlords will see their rents decline and disappear as tenants go out of business. As a result, many leases between landlords and retailers -- which can last 10 to 20 years -- stipulate that landlords can't lease properties to certain tenants (like strip clubs) which might hurt their business, or start new construction projects without their approval.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Some leases also name competitors which are banned from opening nearby stores. If retailers aim those bans at Amazon and Whole Foods, its plans for expansion could quickly hit a roadblock.</p> <p>Target (NYSE: TGT) recently required one of its landlords, an affiliate of Regency Centers, to ban "any lockers, lock-boxes, or other type of storage system that is used to receive or store merchandise from a catalog or online retailer" at Pinecrest Place Mall in Miami.</p> <p>Target also requested a ban on using any store as "a fulfillment center in connection with receiving, storing, or distributing merchandise from a catalog or online retailer." Reuters reports that Regency agreed to those terms, so the new Whole Foods store at the center will be banned from installing Amazon lockers or fulfilling Prime Now orders.</p> <p>Target is also using similar strategies against Amazon in stores in Illinois and California. That's likely because Target <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/13/target-3-reasons-to-buy-3-reasons-to-sell.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">depends heavily Opens a New Window.</a> on grocery sales (21% of&amp;#160;its revenue in the first half of 2017), and about 7% of Whole Foods' US stores are located within a quarter mile of the nearest Target.</p> <p>Target isn't the only retailer negotiating "anti-Amazon" clauses into its leases. Earlier this year, German grocery chain Lidl negotiated lease agreements that blocked "the operation of pickup facilities" by rivals like "Wal-Mart and Amazon" near its planned store on Long Island in New York.</p> <p>A Bed Bath &amp;amp; Beyond&amp;#160;store in Manhattan negotiated a lease that bars a Whole Foods next door from selling linens, bathroom items, housewares, and frames. A Best Buy&amp;#160;store north of Miami previously secured the exclusive right to sell electronics in a shopping center -- but a subsequent lease "carve-out" (which let tenants sell gadgets on less than 250 square feet of floor space) still allowed a Whole Foods to display Amazon's Echo speakers.</p> <p>Amazon bulls probably think that retailers like Target are merely delaying the inevitable with these lease negotiations. However, such agreements indicate that retailers and landlords aren't willing to let Amazon storm in and put neighboring stores out of business.</p> <p>The company will likely find a way to work around these hurdles, either through carve-out leases of its own or property acquisitions. But until that happens, Amazon's industry-dominating plans for Whole Foods will face challenges as retailers buy some time to expand their own online and pickup offerings.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than AmazonWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=10d1bdab-8b65-47e9-b6b7-5c898c8ebef8&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Amazon wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=10d1bdab-8b65-47e9-b6b7-5c898c8ebef8&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p> <p>John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=c4d2acde-baf7-11e7-876f-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

amazons nasdaq amzn takeover whole foods stunned many brickandmortar retailers feared merging amazons ecommerce ecosystem hundreds physical stores could render traditional supermarkets superstores obsolete amazon already slashed prices opens new window whole foods started selling echo speakers in160stores plans add pickup lockers locations whole foods products prime twohour delivery program plans pay whole foods stores become pickup delivery hubs groceries online orders combo would make prime memberships even attractive special discounts continue reading however big box retailers arent sitting idly waiting greatest rival take market instead could rely real estate agreements limit amazon nearby whole foods stores real estate companies generally lease large properties like strip malls wide range retailers profits keep growing tenants stay business keep paying rent many whole foods stores located strip malls shopping centers analysts expect amazon to160shrink many stores using sell fresh produce products need seen touched meanwhile company store consumable products fulfillment centers shipping directly customers online orders thats great amazon itll hurt neighboring stores landlords see rents decline disappear tenants go business result many leases landlords retailers last 10 20 years stipulate landlords cant lease properties certain tenants like strip clubs might hurt business start new construction projects without approval advertisement leases also name competitors banned opening nearby stores retailers aim bans amazon whole foods plans expansion could quickly hit roadblock target nyse tgt recently required one landlords affiliate regency centers ban lockers lockboxes type storage system used receive store merchandise catalog online retailer pinecrest place mall miami target also requested ban using store fulfillment center connection receiving storing distributing merchandise catalog online retailer reuters reports regency agreed terms new whole foods store center banned installing amazon lockers fulfilling prime orders target also using similar strategies amazon stores illinois california thats likely target depends heavily opens new window grocery sales 21 of160its revenue first half 2017 7 whole foods us stores located within quarter mile nearest target target isnt retailer negotiating antiamazon clauses leases earlier year german grocery chain lidl negotiated lease agreements blocked operation pickup facilities rivals like walmart amazon near planned store long island new york bed bath amp beyond160store manhattan negotiated lease bars whole foods next door selling linens bathroom items housewares frames best buy160store north miami previously secured exclusive right sell electronics shopping center subsequent lease carveout let tenants sell gadgets less 250 square feet floor space still allowed whole foods display amazons echo speakers amazon bulls probably think retailers like target merely delaying inevitable lease negotiations however agreements indicate retailers landlords arent willing let amazon storm put neighboring stores business company likely find way work around hurdles either carveout leases property acquisitions happens amazons industrydominating plans whole foods face challenges retailers buy time expand online pickup offerings 10 stocks like better amazonwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right amazon wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns october 9 2017 john mackey ceo whole foods market amazon subsidiary member motley fools board directors leo sun opens new window owns shares amazon motley fool owns shares recommends amazon motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Image source: Galapagos NV.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Belgian biotech companyGalapagos NV may be one of the most important drugmakers you haven't heard of yet. It doesn't have any products to sell, but U.S. biotech heavyweightsAbbVie andGilead Sciencesare trying to change that.</p> <p>Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated investors should be paying attention to Galapagos as well. Its partnership with AbbVie could result in a cystic fibrosis treatment that might eventually threaten Vertex's burgeoning franchise.</p> <p>Vertex reached blockbuster status once with Incivek for hepatitis C, only to lose share to Gilead's next-generation antivirals.Let's take a closer look at what Galapagos and AbbVie are working on, to see if Vertex is in danger of another heartbreaking loss.</p> <p>Galapagos has a fancy drug-discovery platform that has produced some stellar preclinical candidates for the treatment of several indications, including cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is caused by a mutation in the CFTR gene -- and there are almost 2,000 known mutations. The CFTR gene is supposed to produce a protein channel that allows for the flow of ions across the cell membrane of cells in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and other organs. When a mutation occurs on the CFTR gene, it prevents the protein from functioning correctly.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>So far Galapagos has discovered a handful of compounds that look like they can get those dysfunctional proteins to work, especially when used in combination:</p> <p>Image source: Galapagos NV.</p> <p>What you're looking at on the left is Vertex's groundbreaking dual combination drug, Orkambi. Approved by the FDA last summer,it's aimed at the largest genetic subset of cystic fibrosis patients, those with two copies of the F508del mutation in the gene that produces the CFTR protein.</p> <p>What you're looking at on the right is a three-drug combination from Galapagos that appears more than five times as effective at restoring CFTR function as Vertex's Orkambi.</p> <p>Back in 2013, AbbVie was so impressed with Galapagos' discovery technology that it fronted the company $45 million to produce some cystic fibrosis candidates. It looks like AbbVie got its money's worth.</p> <p>Although Galapagos might not have the necessary resources to speed its candidates through the development process alone, its partner spent $4.4 billion last year on R&amp;amp;D. Here's why that might make Vertex investors a bit nervous.</p> <p>In the first quarter, Vertex recorded $223.1 million in sales from Orkambi,and expects sales of the drug to reach at least $1 billion by the end of the year. Kalydeco is a single drug therapy for a smaller subset of cystic fibrosis patients that's expected to reach at least $685 million in sales this year. Despite the success of these two cystic fibrosis drugs -- its only commercial-stage products -- Vertex is pushing so hard on the R&amp;amp;D pedal that it posted a loss of $41.6 million in the first quarter.</p> <p>Vertex's drugs are the only ones approved which treat the underlying cause of the disease. While they command a six-figure annual price tag, the company is reinvesting as much as possible into developing treatments for as many cystic fibrosis patients as possible. Such noble efforts aren't cheap, and if its treatments suddenly lost share of the space to a competitor from AbbVie and Galapagos, the company could be in trouble.</p> <p>Before running for the exits, here are a few things Vertex investors should understand.</p> <p>The results above are preclinical; in other words, they're laboratory observations. It's a long way from the lab to the pharmacy, and over 99% of preclinical candidates never get there.</p> <p>Another calming fact for Vertex shareholders is the nature of AbbVie's agreement with Galapagos. While the partners are committed to producing a triple therapy, Galapagos is responsible for development through phase 2. If a candidate looks promising after that point, AbbVie will step in to write the big checks.</p> <p>Image source: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.</p> <p>I think it could be a while before AbbVie needs to get out its checkbook. Galapagos didn't begin dosing people with one of its candidates until this January. The early stage trial recruited healthy volunteers to basically check for side effects, and to learn how it behaves in actual humans.</p> <p>In February it dosed its first cystic fibrosis patient withGLPG1837, which is a CFTR potentiator in the same class as Kalydeco. Its role is to increase the potential of the channel being open; the study was supposed to enroll up to six patients.</p> <p>Earlier this month Galapagos began another healthy-volunteer study with a second potentiator. Maybe the first potentiator didn't work so well, or maybe Galapagos is just using an early clinical-stage shotgun approach. The important thing to bear in mind is that it's a long way from developing a triple combination.</p> <p>First Galapagos will need to prove one of its drugs is safe and effective in a large population over a long amount of time. From that point it can begin trials with a second, then a third. Regulators are extremely hesitant about allowing more than one unknown entity at a time during trials, and when it comes to approvals it's practically unheard of. Odds are that it will be years at best before we can make concrete conclusions about the laboratory triple threat displayed above.</p> <p>In the meantime Vertex is accumulating real-world data with thousands of patients, and has some triple combinations up its sleeve that, if all goes well, could be well entrenched before any of Galapagos' and AbbVie's combinations make their first sales.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/20/a-heavy-hitter-just-stepped-up-to-the-cystic-fibro.aspx" type="external">A Heavy Hitter Just Stepped Up to the Cystic Fibrosis Plate Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/crenauer/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Cory Renauer Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow Cory on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=coryrenauer" type="external">@coryrenauer Opens a New Window.</a> or connect with him on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/coryrenauer" type="external">LinkedIn Opens a New Window.</a> for more healthcare industry insight. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Gilead Sciences and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source galapagos nv continue reading belgian biotech companygalapagos nv may one important drugmakers havent heard yet doesnt products sell us biotech heavyweightsabbvie andgilead sciencesare trying change vertex pharmaceuticals incorporated investors paying attention galapagos well partnership abbvie could result cystic fibrosis treatment might eventually threaten vertexs burgeoning franchise vertex reached blockbuster status incivek hepatitis c lose share gileads nextgeneration antiviralslets take closer look galapagos abbvie working see vertex danger another heartbreaking loss galapagos fancy drugdiscovery platform produced stellar preclinical candidates treatment several indications including cystic fibrosis cystic fibrosis caused mutation cftr gene almost 2000 known mutations cftr gene supposed produce protein channel allows flow ions across cell membrane cells lungs gastrointestinal tract organs mutation occurs cftr gene prevents protein functioning correctly advertisement far galapagos discovered handful compounds look like get dysfunctional proteins work especially used combination image source galapagos nv youre looking left vertexs groundbreaking dual combination drug orkambi approved fda last summerits aimed largest genetic subset cystic fibrosis patients two copies f508del mutation gene produces cftr protein youre looking right threedrug combination galapagos appears five times effective restoring cftr function vertexs orkambi back 2013 abbvie impressed galapagos discovery technology fronted company 45 million produce cystic fibrosis candidates looks like abbvie got moneys worth although galapagos might necessary resources speed candidates development process alone partner spent 44 billion last year rampd heres might make vertex investors bit nervous first quarter vertex recorded 2231 million sales orkambiand expects sales drug reach least 1 billion end year kalydeco single drug therapy smaller subset cystic fibrosis patients thats expected reach least 685 million sales year despite success two cystic fibrosis drugs commercialstage products vertex pushing hard rampd pedal posted loss 416 million first quarter vertexs drugs ones approved treat underlying cause disease command sixfigure annual price tag company reinvesting much possible developing treatments many cystic fibrosis patients possible noble efforts arent cheap treatments suddenly lost share space competitor abbvie galapagos company could trouble running exits things vertex investors understand results preclinical words theyre laboratory observations long way lab pharmacy 99 preclinical candidates never get another calming fact vertex shareholders nature abbvies agreement galapagos partners committed producing triple therapy galapagos responsible development phase 2 candidate looks promising point abbvie step write big checks image source cystic fibrosis foundation think could abbvie needs get checkbook galapagos didnt begin dosing people one candidates january early stage trial recruited healthy volunteers basically check side effects learn behaves actual humans february dosed first cystic fibrosis patient withglpg1837 cftr potentiator class kalydeco role increase potential channel open study supposed enroll six patients earlier month galapagos began another healthyvolunteer study second potentiator maybe first potentiator didnt work well maybe galapagos using early clinicalstage shotgun approach important thing bear mind long way developing triple combination first galapagos need prove one drugs safe effective large population long amount time point begin trials second third regulators extremely hesitant allowing one unknown entity time trials comes approvals practically unheard odds years best make concrete conclusions laboratory triple threat displayed meantime vertex accumulating realworld data thousands patients triple combinations sleeve goes well could well entrenched galapagos abbvies combinations make first sales article heavy hitter stepped cystic fibrosis plate opens new window originally appeared foolcom cory renauer opens new window position stocks mentioned follow cory twitter coryrenauer opens new window connect linkedin opens new window healthcare industry insight motley fool owns shares recommends gilead sciences vertex pharmaceuticals try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Cutting your tax liability is an art. It requires creativity, commitment, and a long-term vision.</p> <p>Here's a quick story to show you what I mean. Near the turn of the 20th century, a French postman named Ferdinand Cheval started collecting stones along his delivery route. Over the next 33 years, he used those stones to build a fantastically ornate miniature palace standing some 30 feet high in places.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>What does that have to do with taxes? Well, within the IRS' labyrinthine tax code, there are countless tax credits that, taken individually, have only a small impact. But stack them up as Cheval stacked his stones, and eventually a palace emerges.</p> <p>Remember, a tax " <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/what-is-a-tax-credit.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">credit Opens a New Window.</a>," like the ones listed here, is different from a " <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/what-is-a-tax-deduction.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">deduction Opens a New Window.</a>." A tax credit directly reduces the total tax amount owed. A deduction, however, only reduces the amount of income on which you must pay tax. Therefore, tax credits are often more valuable. Consider putting these broadly applicable tax credits to work for you.</p> <p>Those who qualify for this <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/02/what-is-a-refundable-tax-credit.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">non-refundable credit Opens a New Window.</a> can claim 20% of their first $10,000 in education-related expenses, for a maximum credit of $2,000.&amp;#160;You can claim the credit for educational expenses incurred by you, your spouse, or a dependent listed on your tax return. The credit applies to required expenses for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree courses. This includes courses to acquire or improve job skills. The full value of the credit is available to those with a <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/what-modified-adjusted-gross-income-is-and-why-its.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">modified adjusted gross income Opens a New Window.</a> (MAGI) of $65,000 or less. This limit rises to $131,000 for those who are married and filing jointly.</p> <p>The IRS is surprisingly flexible with the Lifetime Learning Credit, which can even be applied to qualified education expenses paid for with a loan. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of years in which you can claim it: As long as you're taking qualifying courses and paying qualifying expenses, you're eligible.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>You can find more details on the Lifetime Learning Credit and its restrictions in <a href="https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/02/15/can-i-claim-the-lifetime-learning-credit.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">this article Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The AOTC is powerful because it offers substantial savings and has higher income limits than the Lifetime Learning Credit. IRS rules state that those with a MAGI of $80,000 or less are permitted to claim the credit for qualified student expenses. For joint filers the AGI limit is $160,000. You can cash in on the full credit of $2,500 per student against expenses like tuition and course materials as long as your <a href="https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/how-to-calculate-your-adjusted-gross-income.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">modified adjusted gross income Opens a New Window.</a> doesn't exceed $80,000 as a single taxpayer or $160,000 as a married couple filing jointly. An income higher than these amounts doesn't necessarily preclude someone from benefiting from the AOTC. Rather, the total value of the credit will be reduced. However, single taxpayers with a MAGI exceeding $90,000, and couples filing jointly with a MAGI greater than $180,000, are not eligible.</p> <p>Given that student loan debt has become a financial epidemic, many Americans should see whether this generous credit applies to them.&amp;#160;Also, a portion of the credit is refundable: If it reduces your tax liability to $0 (or if you didn't owe anything to begin with), then you will be redunded 40% of any remaining credit amount up to $1,000.</p> <p>For more information on the AOTC, check out <a href="https://www.fool.com/taxes/2017/04/09/what-is-the-american-opportunity-tax-credit.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">this article Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>This credit encourages two forms of saving. First, with help from the IRS, users can save up to $500 on their annual tax bill after installing energy-efficient devices like modernized water-heaters, insulated doors and windows, and even furnaces. Additionally, by installing energy-efficient solutions around the house, taxpayers will likely benefit from lower utility bills in the long run. The truly environmentally minded can earn a massive $7,500 credit when they buy a plug-in electric car. However, used cars don't qualify, and the credit you receive will depend on the capacity of the battery. This tax credit is non-refundable. Find more <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/residential-energy-efficient-property-credit-section-25d-at-a-glance" type="external">here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The Economic Policy Institute <a href="http://www.epi.org/publication/its-time-for-an-ambitious-national-investment-in-americas-children/" type="external">determined Opens a New Window.</a> that the annual cost of full-time child care for a 4-year-old exceeds the cost of in-state public college tuition in 23 states. This statistic won't surprise parents who shell out an average&amp;#160;of $196 on child center costs per week, per child. Simply put, the Child Care Credit is a must for most parents. Those who qualify can receive 20% to 35% of some or all dependent care costs. Your income determines how much you save.</p> <p>Getting the full 35% requires that you earn no more than $15,000. Admittedly, this stipulation makes little sense given that an income of $15,000 makes paying for child care impossible. However, the percentage of savings you can take drops by 1% for every additional $2,000 earned as income. In short: You can save 20% on an income of $43,000 or more. You can claim that percentage of up to $3,000 in expenses paid for one qualifying person, or $6,000 for two, bringing the maximum value to $2,100 (35% x $6,000). Easy to understand? No. Worth researching? Absolutely. THis credit is non-refundable.</p> <p>If an elderly postman can haul enough rocks to build his own castle, the average American can carve out enough time to research their tax credit eligibility. Many people will find that they can claim more than one of these credits and "stack" them -- and that's where the real savings start to accrue.</p> <p>The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a87f0b6a-a11e-11e7-855a-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

cutting tax liability art requires creativity commitment longterm vision heres quick story show mean near turn 20th century french postman named ferdinand cheval started collecting stones along delivery route next 33 years used stones build fantastically ornate miniature palace standing 30 feet high places continue reading taxes well within irs labyrinthine tax code countless tax credits taken individually small impact stack cheval stacked stones eventually palace emerges remember tax credit opens new window like ones listed different deduction opens new window tax credit directly reduces total tax amount owed deduction however reduces amount income must pay tax therefore tax credits often valuable consider putting broadly applicable tax credits work qualify nonrefundable credit opens new window claim 20 first 10000 educationrelated expenses maximum credit 2000160you claim credit educational expenses incurred spouse dependent listed tax return credit applies required expenses undergraduate graduate professional degree courses includes courses acquire improve job skills full value credit available modified adjusted gross income opens new window magi 65000 less limit rises 131000 married filing jointly irs surprisingly flexible lifetime learning credit even applied qualified education expenses paid loan additionally limit number years claim long youre taking qualifying courses paying qualifying expenses youre eligible advertisement find details lifetime learning credit restrictions article opens new window aotc powerful offers substantial savings higher income limits lifetime learning credit irs rules state magi 80000 less permitted claim credit qualified student expenses joint filers agi limit 160000 cash full credit 2500 per student expenses like tuition course materials long modified adjusted gross income opens new window doesnt exceed 80000 single taxpayer 160000 married couple filing jointly income higher amounts doesnt necessarily preclude someone benefiting aotc rather total value credit reduced however single taxpayers magi exceeding 90000 couples filing jointly magi greater 180000 eligible given student loan debt become financial epidemic many americans see whether generous credit applies them160also portion credit refundable reduces tax liability 0 didnt owe anything begin redunded 40 remaining credit amount 1000 information aotc check article opens new window credit encourages two forms saving first help irs users save 500 annual tax bill installing energyefficient devices like modernized waterheaters insulated doors windows even furnaces additionally installing energyefficient solutions around house taxpayers likely benefit lower utility bills long run truly environmentally minded earn massive 7500 credit buy plugin electric car however used cars dont qualify credit receive depend capacity battery tax credit nonrefundable find opens new window economic policy institute determined opens new window annual cost fulltime child care 4yearold exceeds cost instate public college tuition 23 states statistic wont surprise parents shell average160of 196 child center costs per week per child simply put child care credit must parents qualify receive 20 35 dependent care costs income determines much save getting full 35 requires earn 15000 admittedly stipulation makes little sense given income 15000 makes paying child care impossible however percentage savings take drops 1 every additional 2000 earned income short save 20 income 43000 claim percentage 3000 expenses paid one qualifying person 6000 two bringing maximum value 2100 35 x 6000 easy understand worth researching absolutely credit nonrefundable elderly postman haul enough rocks build castle average american carve enough time research tax credit eligibility many people find claim one credits stack thats real savings start accrue 16122 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 16122 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind after160 simply click discover learn strategies opens new window motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>AP</p> <p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">Adam Kredo</a> November 13, 2013 5:00 am</p> <p>Senior Iranian officials now say that Tehran will not suspend its contested nuclear enrichment program until the West first agrees to lift all economic sanctions on the country.</p> <p>Tehran issued its new demands on Tuesday, just days after Western nuclear negotiators failed to hammer out a deal to halt Iran&#8217;s contested enrichment program for at least six months.</p> <p>Top Iranian officials now say that they will only continue negotiations if the West agrees to first lift the crippling economic sanctions that originally pushed Tehran to the bargaining table.</p> <p>The developments came on the same day that Iran&#8217;s top nuclear official announced that the country would not be reporting a host of new nuclear facilities to international nuclear inspectors.</p> <p>"We can negotiate about suspending part of our nuclear activities only if the entire sanctions program is annulled," <a href="http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920821001145" type="external">said</a> Ahmad Salek, chairman of the Iranian Parliament&#8217;s Cultural Commission.</p> <p>Iran&#8217;s right to enrich up 20 percent grade uranium has been set by the country as a non-negotiable " <a href="" type="internal">redline</a>," according to Salek and <a href="http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920803000566" type="external">multiple</a> other Iranian officials.</p> <p>"This is a political game and the nuclear energy [issue] only serves as an excuse [for Western officials], and they are after other things," Salek said according to Iran&#8217;s state-run Fars News Agency. "Otherwise, we have a powerful rationale in [dealing with] our nuclear issue."</p> <p>Salek urged Iran&#8217;s negotiating team to "act strongly and firmly without taking any backward step" when talks resume on Nov. 20.</p> <p>"What kind of negotiation could it be that they ask us to have nuclear suspension and stop uranium enrichment, while they are not to take even a single step," Salek said.</p> <p>Salek is not the only senior Iranian official to balk at Western demands that enrichment activities be suspended for at least six months.</p> <p>"The Islamic Republic of Iran makes no deal over its right," lead Iranian negotiator Mohamed Javad Zarif&amp;#160; <a href="" type="internal">said</a> just a day before negotiations with the West fell apart.</p> <p>Iran&#8217;s new negotiating stance was coupled with a major announcement that many new nuclear power plants would be built along the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea.</p> <p>However, Iran will not disclose details about the plants to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to Ali Akbar Salehi, the leader of Iran&#8217;s Atomic Energy Organization.</p> <p>"We are not obliged to introduce to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) the nuclear facilities that we are to build in the future and only 180 days before entry of nuclear substances there, we will inform the IAEA of them," Salehi said on Tuesday, <a href="http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920821000806" type="external">according</a> to Fars.</p> <p>The new nuclear plants will be built in North, South, and central Iran, according to Salehi.</p> <p>"The power plants should have access to a huge source of water," he said. "The new power plants will be supported by desalinations, mainly located in Southern parts of the country."</p> <p>As Iranian officials demand a preemptive end to sanctions, media reports have indicated that the Obama administration is <a href="" type="internal">preparing to offer</a> just that. It is believed that the deal was <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304448204579185651742048532" type="external">stymied</a> by French officials, who objected to an agreement backed by both United States and Great Britain.</p> <p>White House Press Secretary Jay Carney <a href="But%2520this%2520is%2520a%2520decision%2520to%2520support%2520diplomacy%2520and%2520a%2520possible%2520peaceful%2520resolution%2520to%2520this%2520issue" type="external">reiterated</a> the administration&#8217;s support for sanctions relief during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.</p> <p>"This is a decision to support diplomacy and a possible peaceful resolution to this issue," Carney said about negotiations with Iran.</p> <p>Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have expressed great frustration with Iran&#8217;s obstinate rhetoric and could be on the cusp of approving a new round of sanctions, sources said.</p> <p>"It's completely insane to pretend you can negotiate with these terrorists as if they weren't hardened Islamic radicals," said one senior congressional aide who works on the sanctions issue.&amp;#160;"Just because a terrorist calls himself a diplomat, doesn't mean he's not a terrorist."</p> <p>"The only thing these maniacs care about is holding on to power&#8212;and only when they are forced to choose between regime survival and their nuclear program will they concede the latter," the source said. "That's what makes the sanctions so important&#8212;they are bringing the regime to the edge of collapse&#8212;a little more pressure, and they might actually comply with their international obligations."</p> <p>However, the Iranians appear to have taken the upper hand in negotiations, according to Noah Pollak, executive director of the pro-Israel Emergency Committee for Israel, which has harshly criticized the Obama administration for capitulating to Iran during talks.</p> <p>"The Iranian approach to nuclear negotiations has always been, &#8216;heads we win, tails you lose,' but I don't think [Secretary of State] John Kerry will ever understand this concept," Pollak said to the Washington Free Beacon.</p> <p>Iran&#8217;s top foreign policy officials also criticized Kerry&#8217;s diplomacy following his surprise stop last week in Geneva on the final day of negotiations.</p> <p>Kerry later blamed the Iranians for the failure to reach a deal.</p> <p>"Mr. Secretary, was it Iran that gutted over half the U.S. draft on Thursday night, and publicly commented against it Friday morning?" lead negotiator Zarif <a href="http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13920821000844" type="external">said</a> on Tuesday.</p> <p>"No amount of spinning can change what happened within the [six powers] in Geneva from 6 p.m. Thursday to 5:45 Saturday. But it can erode confidence," Zarif said.</p>

ap adam kredo november 13 2013 500 senior iranian officials say tehran suspend contested nuclear enrichment program west first agrees lift economic sanctions country tehran issued new demands tuesday days western nuclear negotiators failed hammer deal halt irans contested enrichment program least six months top iranian officials say continue negotiations west agrees first lift crippling economic sanctions originally pushed tehran bargaining table developments came day irans top nuclear official announced country would reporting host new nuclear facilities international nuclear inspectors negotiate suspending part nuclear activities entire sanctions program annulled said ahmad salek chairman iranian parliaments cultural commission irans right enrich 20 percent grade uranium set country nonnegotiable redline according salek multiple iranian officials political game nuclear energy issue serves excuse western officials things salek said according irans staterun fars news agency otherwise powerful rationale dealing nuclear issue salek urged irans negotiating team act strongly firmly without taking backward step talks resume nov 20 kind negotiation could ask us nuclear suspension stop uranium enrichment take even single step salek said salek senior iranian official balk western demands enrichment activities suspended least six months islamic republic iran makes deal right lead iranian negotiator mohamed javad zarif160 said day negotiations west fell apart irans new negotiating stance coupled major announcement many new nuclear power plants would built along persian gulf caspian sea however iran disclose details plants international atomic energy agency iaea according ali akbar salehi leader irans atomic energy organization obliged introduce international atomic energy agency iaea nuclear facilities build future 180 days entry nuclear substances inform iaea salehi said tuesday according fars new nuclear plants built north south central iran according salehi power plants access huge source water said new power plants supported desalinations mainly located southern parts country iranian officials demand preemptive end sanctions media reports indicated obama administration preparing offer believed deal stymied french officials objected agreement backed united states great britain white house press secretary jay carney reiterated administrations support sanctions relief tuesday afternoon press conference decision support diplomacy possible peaceful resolution issue carney said negotiations iran lawmakers capitol hill expressed great frustration irans obstinate rhetoric could cusp approving new round sanctions sources said completely insane pretend negotiate terrorists werent hardened islamic radicals said one senior congressional aide works sanctions issue160just terrorist calls diplomat doesnt mean hes terrorist thing maniacs care holding powerand forced choose regime survival nuclear program concede latter source said thats makes sanctions importantthey bringing regime edge collapsea little pressure might actually comply international obligations however iranians appear taken upper hand negotiations according noah pollak executive director proisrael emergency committee israel harshly criticized obama administration capitulating iran talks iranian approach nuclear negotiations always heads win tails lose dont think secretary state john kerry ever understand concept pollak said washington free beacon irans top foreign policy officials also criticized kerrys diplomacy following surprise stop last week geneva final day negotiations kerry later blamed iranians failure reach deal mr secretary iran gutted half us draft thursday night publicly commented friday morning lead negotiator zarif said tuesday amount spinning change happened within six powers geneva 6 pm thursday 545 saturday erode confidence zarif said

<p>Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI) received some good news this week after it obtained approval to build a major pipeline from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast. That green light will enable the company to start working on another new project at a time when it faces considerable <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/02/will-kinder-morgan-incs-canadian-troubles-derail-d.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">uncertainty Opens a New Window.</a> on its ability to build the largest expansion in its backlog, the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion in Canada. With this latest project approval, the pipeline company's growth prospects continue to come into better focus.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>This week, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Kinder Morgan's Utica Marcellus Texas project, which is a 964-mile pipeline that will transport 400,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids (NGLs) from major shale plays in the Northeast to market centers in Texas. The $412 million project should enter service by the end of next year if everything goes according to plan. For the most part, the project will use existing infrastructure on Kinder Morgan's Tennessee Gas pipeline system by converting portions of that system from northward flowing gas service to southbound NGL transportation. The company, though, will build 200 miles of new pipeline to connect it to a major NGL storage hub in Texas.</p> <p>One of the themes this particular project underscores is the changing flows of hydrocarbons in the country due to the shale revolution. To build this project, Kinder Morgan will take an underutilized segment of pipeline that had been transporting gas from the Gulf of Mexico to market centers in the Northeast and convert it to move a different product southward because the Marcellus and Utica shales are providing the Northeast with plenty of gas and an overabundance of NGLs.</p> <p>It's one of several such conversions the industry has undertaken in recent years. One of the largest is&amp;#160;Enterprise Products Partners' (NYSE: EPD) 1,192-mile ATEX pipeline, which entered service in 2014. The company repurposed much of an existing pipeline so it could move ethane from the Marcellus and Utica shale plays to Enterprise's NGL hub in Texas. In addition to that pipeline, which continues to expand, Enterprise Products Partners and its 50% partner,&amp;#160;Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: MPC), are developing another project that would repurpose and reverse the flow of the currently unused Centennial Pipeline. That project would use a combination of that legacy pipeline along with new lines to move additional volumes of NGLs to Texas. One of the benefits of repurposing an existing line is that the developer doesn't need to obtain as many permits and right-of-ways, which makes these projects cheaper and quicker to build. That's why Kinder Morgan believes it can finish construction on the Utica Marcellus Texas project in about a year.</p> <p>That rather quick in-service date is worth noting because one of the issues weighing on Kinder Morgan's stock this year is the uncertainty on the future of Trans Mountain, which is a significant growth driver for the company. That said, because of the attention paid to that project, investors are missing the fact that Kinder Morgan has several others coming down the pipeline that should quickly reverse the slide in its earnings. Next year, for example, the company should bring its nearly $2 billion liquefied natural gas export project on line as well as the more than $500 million Utopia Pipeline project, which is an NGL pipeline in the Northeast. These projects, as well as several smaller natural gas pipeline expansions, should provide the company with nearly $400 million of incremental annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in 2018.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Meanwhile, the recently approved Utica Marcellus Texas project, when combined with the ramp-up of 2018's expansions and additional gas pipeline growth initiatives underway, should add several hundred million dollars of incremental EBITDA in 2019, putting the company on pace to deliver more than 10% earnings growth over the next two years.</p> <p>In addition, the company has several more expansions in development, including a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/12/kinder-morgan-inc-moves-quickly-to-partner-on-its.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">proposed pipeline project Opens a New Window.</a> with DCP Midstream (NYSE: DCP) that would move natural gas from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast. With a rumored price tag of more than $1 billion, the project would provide needle-moving growth for Kinder Morgan and DCP Midstream if they move forward with the project. One other noteworthy aspect of this project is that it could enter service as soon as late 2019, which coincides with the currently expected in-service date of Trans Mountain, suggesting that it could help to partially offset a delay in that project's completion. In the meantime, with energy prices starting to stabilize, and demand for hydrocarbons accelerating, Kinder Morgan could have more project announcements in the coming months that would help reduce the perceived reliance on Trans Mountain to drive future growth.</p> <p>While all eyes are on Trans Mountain, investors need to realize that Kinder Morgan's future is more than that one project. It has several other expansions that should enter service over the next two years, which should reverse the decline in its cash flow. That's just one of the many reasons why now looks like a great time to be a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/24/is-kinder-morgan-inc-a-buy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">buyer Opens a New Window.</a> of this stock.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Kinder MorganWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=e9f5af02-74d5-4742-9914-f3aab842830b&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Kinder Morgan wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=e9f5af02-74d5-4742-9914-f3aab842830b&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Matthew DiLallo Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Enterprise Products Partners and Kinder Morgan and has the following options: short January 2018 $30 puts on Kinder Morgan, long January 2018 $30 calls on Kinder Morgan, and short December 2017 $19 puts on Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=a0757378-a90c-11e7-89f8-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

kinder morgan nyse kmi received good news week obtained approval build major pipeline northeast gulf coast green light enable company start working another new project time faces considerable uncertainty opens new window ability build largest expansion backlog trans mountain pipeline expansion canada latest project approval pipeline companys growth prospects continue come better focus continue reading week us federal energy regulatory commission ferc approved kinder morgans utica marcellus texas project 964mile pipeline transport 400000 barrels per day natural gas liquids ngls major shale plays northeast market centers texas 412 million project enter service end next year everything goes according plan part project use existing infrastructure kinder morgans tennessee gas pipeline system converting portions system northward flowing gas service southbound ngl transportation company though build 200 miles new pipeline connect major ngl storage hub texas one themes particular project underscores changing flows hydrocarbons country due shale revolution build project kinder morgan take underutilized segment pipeline transporting gas gulf mexico market centers northeast convert move different product southward marcellus utica shales providing northeast plenty gas overabundance ngls one several conversions industry undertaken recent years one largest is160enterprise products partners nyse epd 1192mile atex pipeline entered service 2014 company repurposed much existing pipeline could move ethane marcellus utica shale plays enterprises ngl hub texas addition pipeline continues expand enterprise products partners 50 partner160marathon petroleum nyse mpc developing another project would repurpose reverse flow currently unused centennial pipeline project would use combination legacy pipeline along new lines move additional volumes ngls texas one benefits repurposing existing line developer doesnt need obtain many permits rightofways makes projects cheaper quicker build thats kinder morgan believes finish construction utica marcellus texas project year rather quick inservice date worth noting one issues weighing kinder morgans stock year uncertainty future trans mountain significant growth driver company said attention paid project investors missing fact kinder morgan several others coming pipeline quickly reverse slide earnings next year example company bring nearly 2 billion liquefied natural gas export project line well 500 million utopia pipeline project ngl pipeline northeast projects well several smaller natural gas pipeline expansions provide company nearly 400 million incremental annual earnings interest taxes depreciation amortization ebitda 2018 advertisement meanwhile recently approved utica marcellus texas project combined rampup 2018s expansions additional gas pipeline growth initiatives underway add several hundred million dollars incremental ebitda 2019 putting company pace deliver 10 earnings growth next two years addition company several expansions development including proposed pipeline project opens new window dcp midstream nyse dcp would move natural gas permian basin gulf coast rumored price tag 1 billion project would provide needlemoving growth kinder morgan dcp midstream move forward project one noteworthy aspect project could enter service soon late 2019 coincides currently expected inservice date trans mountain suggesting could help partially offset delay projects completion meantime energy prices starting stabilize demand hydrocarbons accelerating kinder morgan could project announcements coming months would help reduce perceived reliance trans mountain drive future growth eyes trans mountain investors need realize kinder morgans future one project several expansions enter service next two years reverse decline cash flow thats one many reasons looks like great time buyer opens new window stock 10 stocks like better kinder morganwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right kinder morgan wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns september 5 2017 matthew dilallo opens new window owns shares enterprise products partners kinder morgan following options short january 2018 30 puts kinder morgan long january 2018 30 calls kinder morgan short december 2017 19 puts kinder morgan motley fool owns shares recommends kinder morgan motley fool recommends enterprise products partners motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>BY: <a href="" type="internal">Adam Kredo</a> October 19, 2012 5:00 am</p> <p>Special agents tasked with protecting the Department of Energy (DOE) have blown the whistle on what they describe as a dangerous culture of "fraud, waste, and abuse" that includes drinking on the job, mismanagement of weapons, falsification of security reports, and "wasteful spending" that reaches all the way to the deputy secretary of energy.</p> <p>Current and former agents in the DOE&#8217;s Office&amp;#160;of&amp;#160;Special&amp;#160;Operations ( <a href="http://www.hss.doe.gov/specialop/index.html" type="external">OSO</a>), which is tasked with protecting the secretary and other senior officials, allege a stunning lapse in security guidelines and procedures intended to deal with a catastrophic situation, according to a recent letter sent to lawmakers and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.</p> <p>The agents&#8217; letter exposes a dysfunctional security office marred by corruption.</p> <p>From wasteful spending habits to agents consuming alcohol on the job, the security officers decry a culture of "mismanagement" and cronyism that has led at least 14 "highly qualified and experienced line&amp;#160;agents" to quit their posts in protest over the past several years.</p> <p>"From&amp;#160;its&amp;#160;very&amp;#160;inception, this&amp;#160;office&amp;#160;is&amp;#160;completely&amp;#160;backwards," the agents write.</p> <p>"This negligence has perpetuated a disgusting cycle of promoting unqualified agents to key positions which has lead to an incredibly high attrition rate among line agents, an inappropriately low level of tactical readiness, and ultimately an increased liability and risk to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and special agents."</p> <p>The office of the DOE&#8217;s inspector general received the letter nearly three weeks ago, sources said.</p> <p>A DOE spokesperson would not immediately comment on the letter, maintaining that he needed to locate it internally first.</p> <p>Among the allegations is the claim that Deputy Secretary of Energy <a href="http://energy.gov/contributors/deputy-secretary-energy-daniel-b-poneman" type="external">Daniel Poneman</a> has demanded executive protection during all international travel so that he can "maintain his business class travel status," rather than because there are credible threats on his safety, the letter states.</p> <p>One Capitol Hill source said that the cost to fly Poneman and his security detail in business class is extremely wasteful.</p> <p>"Deputy Secretary Poneman has wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer's money as one of the most traveled administration officials because he thinks he's too good to sit with the 99 percent," the source said.&amp;#160;"Not only does he owe Congress and the administration an answer for this, he owes us our money back."</p> <p>Employees in the OSO&#8212;which operates under DOE&#8217;s Office of Healthy, Safety, and Security ( <a href="http://www.hss.doe.gov/index.html" type="external">HHS</a>)&#8212;are routinely mismanaged and in some cases have engaged in highly unethical behavior, according to the letter.</p> <p>The letter alleges Program Manager James Toczko covered up the fact that personnel have been caught "consuming alcoholic beverage[s] while on duty."</p> <p>Additionally, "two of the four current [Security] Detail Leaders of the four current Detail Leaders [have not been] allowed to perform assigned duties by request of the Secretary, Deputy Secretary."</p> <p>Agents are also said to be ill-equipped and not trained to effectively handle an emergency security situation, according to the letter, which outlines a litany of ways in which "management has failed in its core responsibilities."</p> <p>There has been a "failure to provide basic safety equipment to agents such as body armor and updated medical equipment until agents are forced to file [ <a href="http://www.osha.gov/" type="external">Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a>] complaints," the letter alleges.</p> <p>The agents also describe a failure to "manage and use" certain protective measures such as "secure communications."</p> <p>No clear guidelines have been issued for the legal use of firearms by security agents, the letter states.</p> <p>There has been a "failure to provide clarification of legal standing, scope of authority, or firearms policy by General Council despite frequent requests," the whistleblowers claim.</p> <p>The hostile climate in DOE&#8217;s OSO has prompted security agents to resign their posts in frustration, the letter states.</p> <p>"Management has remained largely intact, while under their leadership they have driven out more than fourteen (14) highly qualified and experienced line agents in merely four years," the disgruntled security officers claim in the letter. "In addition, the remaining line agents are aggressively seeking employment elsewhere."</p> <p>"There&amp;#160;is&amp;#160;entirely&amp;#160;too&amp;#160;much&amp;#160;liability&amp;#160;inherent&amp;#160;to&amp;#160;this&amp;#160;profession&amp;#160;to&amp;#160;be&amp;#160;forced&amp;#160;to&amp;#160;work in&amp;#160;an&amp;#160;environment&amp;#160;of&amp;#160;constant&amp;#160;uncertainty&amp;#160;created&amp;#160;solely&amp;#160;on&amp;#160;part&amp;#160;of&amp;#160;unqualified managers," the letter adds, noting that the OSO "boasts a 24 month attrition rate of 55 percent and a 48 month attrition rate of approximately 100 percent" among certain classes of security agents.</p> <p>This level of turnover is rare and may bolster the argument that there is a large measure of dissatisfaction among the OSO&#8217;s employees.</p> <p>A dearth of clear guidelines and protocols has fostered an inability to respond to security threats, the letter claims.</p> <p>Over time, there has been a "failure to develop, implement and evaluate policies such as an active shooter response, fire evacuation, direct threat to [the secretary], medical emergency, security room operations and duress system response, and a bomb threat."</p> <p>The letter writers, whose names are not attached to a copy of the letter obtained by the Free Beacon, attribute the widespread dysfunction to a fundamental breakdown in leadership.</p> <p>"The&amp;#160;core&amp;#160;issue&amp;#160;is&amp;#160;simply&amp;#160;this:&amp;#160;There&amp;#160;is&amp;#160;no true standard for any process here at DOE-OSO," they write. "This office and its internal issues are a result of its failing leadership."</p> <p>Multiple years of "neglect, indecision, self-interest and lack of basic leadership" have compounded the problems the office faces, the letter adds. "At all levels of management, there has been a complete failure to take accountability and ownership of the program."</p>

adam kredo october 19 2012 500 special agents tasked protecting department energy doe blown whistle describe dangerous culture fraud waste abuse includes drinking job mismanagement weapons falsification security reports wasteful spending reaches way deputy secretary energy current former agents office160of160special160operations oso tasked protecting secretary senior officials allege stunning lapse security guidelines procedures intended deal catastrophic situation according recent letter sent lawmakers obtained washington free beacon agents letter exposes dysfunctional security office marred corruption wasteful spending habits agents consuming alcohol job security officers decry culture mismanagement cronyism led least 14 highly qualified experienced line160agents quit posts protest past several years from160its160very160inception this160office160is160completely160backwards agents write negligence perpetuated disgusting cycle promoting unqualified agents key positions lead incredibly high attrition rate among line agents inappropriately low level tactical readiness ultimately increased liability risk secretary deputy secretary special agents office inspector general received letter nearly three weeks ago sources said doe spokesperson would immediately comment letter maintaining needed locate internally first among allegations claim deputy secretary energy daniel poneman demanded executive protection international travel maintain business class travel status rather credible threats safety letter states one capitol hill source said cost fly poneman security detail business class extremely wasteful deputy secretary poneman wasted hundreds thousands dollars taxpayers money one traveled administration officials thinks hes good sit 99 percent source said160not owe congress administration answer owes us money back employees osowhich operates office healthy safety security hhsare routinely mismanaged cases engaged highly unethical behavior according letter letter alleges program manager james toczko covered fact personnel caught consuming alcoholic beverages duty additionally two four current security detail leaders four current detail leaders allowed perform assigned duties request secretary deputy secretary agents also said illequipped trained effectively handle emergency security situation according letter outlines litany ways management failed core responsibilities failure provide basic safety equipment agents body armor updated medical equipment agents forced file occupational safety health administration complaints letter alleges agents also describe failure manage use certain protective measures secure communications clear guidelines issued legal use firearms security agents letter states failure provide clarification legal standing scope authority firearms policy general council despite frequent requests whistleblowers claim hostile climate oso prompted security agents resign posts frustration letter states management remained largely intact leadership driven fourteen 14 highly qualified experienced line agents merely four years disgruntled security officers claim letter addition remaining line agents aggressively seeking employment elsewhere there160is160entirely160too160much160liability160inherent160to160this160profession160to160be160forced160to160work in160an160environment160of160constant160uncertainty160created160solely160on160part160of160unqualified managers letter adds noting oso boasts 24 month attrition rate 55 percent 48 month attrition rate approximately 100 percent among certain classes security agents level turnover rare may bolster argument large measure dissatisfaction among osos employees dearth clear guidelines protocols fostered inability respond security threats letter claims time failure develop implement evaluate policies active shooter response fire evacuation direct threat secretary medical emergency security room operations duress system response bomb threat letter writers whose names attached copy letter obtained free beacon attribute widespread dysfunction fundamental breakdown leadership the160core160issue160is160simply160this160there160is160no true standard process doeoso write office internal issues result failing leadership multiple years neglect indecision selfinterest lack basic leadership compounded problems office faces letter adds levels management complete failure take accountability ownership program

<p /> <p>Image source: The Motley Fool.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The second quarter isn't going to give investors in JPMorgan Chase much to write home about, as analysts are predicting that earnings at the nation's biggest banks will fall in the three months ended June 30.</p> <p>Among 28 analysts who track JPMorgan Chase, the consensus estimate is that its earnings per share will drop by 7% in the second quarter. It earned $1.54 a share in the year-ago period but is expected to bring in only $1.43 a share this year.</p> <p>If analysts are right, it will mark the second consecutive quarter in which JPMorgan Chase's net income has contracted on a year-over-year basis. It earned $5.5 billion in the first quarter, which is certainly nothing to shake a stick at. But it was nevertheless meaningfully less than the $5.9 billion it earned in the first quarter of 2015.</p> <p>The problem for banks right now is threefold. First, concerns about slowing economic growth in China, stubbornly low oil and gas prices, and the United Kingdom's pending departure from the European Union have spurred volatility in asset markets. This reduces revenue in JPMorgan Chase's capital markets divisions -- its trading and investment banking units.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>As a market maker and an advisor to companies that want to issue debt or equity, JPMorgan Chase earns commissions when its clients buy or sell products in the capital markets -- things like stocks and bonds. But heightened volatility causes many of these clients to stay on the sidelines, thereby weighing on JPMorgan's noninterest income.</p> <p>We got a taste for this in the first quarter. The New York-based bank's trading revenue fell by 11% in the three months ended March 31. And fees from investment banking declined by 25%.</p> <p>The good news is that there's reason to believe that trading revenues across the industry won't be as bad this quarter. Jefferies Group, an investment bank owned by Leucadia National, reported last month that its sales and trading revenue increased on a year-over-year basis by 21% in the three months ended May 31.</p> <p>Additionally, the head of JPMorgan Chase's investment bank, Daniel Pinto, said at a recent industry conference that trading revenue should climb by the mid-teens percentage in the second quarter. The question now, in turn, is whether or not the vote in favor of the Brexit on June 23 will have upset the markets enough to erase these gains. This seems unlikely, given how late in the quarter the Brexit vote occurred -- though there's little question that it will serve as a headwind for the rest of the year.</p> <p>A second problem banks are confronting are higher loan losses from their energy portfolios. In the first quarter, JPMorgan Chase nearly doubled the amount of money that it sets aside to cover future loan losses, recording a $1.8 billion provision compared to $959 million in the year-ago period. As the bank noted in its press release, the move "reflected an increase in wholesale reserves of $713 million, primarily driven by downgrades, including $529 million in Oil &amp;amp; Gas and Natural Gas Pipelines, and $162 million in Metals &amp;amp; Mining."</p> <p>The situation looked particularly dire earlier in the year, as oil prices briefly dipped below $30 a barrel. They've since recovered to around $45 a barrel, but that's still 21% lower than they were at this time last year. It thus seems reasonable to assume that JPMorgan Chase's loan loss provisions will stay elevated, as the bank has predicted.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/indicators/brent_crude_oil_spot_price" type="external">Brent Crude Oil Spot Price Opens a New Window.</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Finally, all banks are laboring against unprecedentedly low interest rates, which weigh on bank earnings by reducing income earned from loan and securities portfolios. While the Federal Reserve was on the verge of raising rates earlier this year, and in fact inched them up by 0.25% last December, it's since abandoned any pretense of further increases.</p> <p>All banks would benefit from higher rates, but in JPMorgan Chase's case a mere 100-basis-point increase would translate into an estimated $3 billion in additional net interest income. This would go a long way toward helping the nation's biggest bank by assets get its return on equity above the 10% threshold that most banks strive to exceed -- its ROE over the last two quarters was 9%.</p> <p>In sum, banks are navigating a very inhospitable environment right now, essentially marooned on an island waiting until the weather clears. The silver lining is that shares of JPMorgan Chase are yielding 3.1%, which offers a tempting target to income-seeking investors.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/12/jpmorgan-chase-q2-earnings-preview.aspx" type="external">JPMorgan Chase: Q2 Earnings Preview Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/JohnMaxfield37/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">John Maxfield Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Leucadia National. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source motley fool continue reading second quarter isnt going give investors jpmorgan chase much write home analysts predicting earnings nations biggest banks fall three months ended june 30 among 28 analysts track jpmorgan chase consensus estimate earnings per share drop 7 second quarter earned 154 share yearago period expected bring 143 share year analysts right mark second consecutive quarter jpmorgan chases net income contracted yearoveryear basis earned 55 billion first quarter certainly nothing shake stick nevertheless meaningfully less 59 billion earned first quarter 2015 problem banks right threefold first concerns slowing economic growth china stubbornly low oil gas prices united kingdoms pending departure european union spurred volatility asset markets reduces revenue jpmorgan chases capital markets divisions trading investment banking units advertisement market maker advisor companies want issue debt equity jpmorgan chase earns commissions clients buy sell products capital markets things like stocks bonds heightened volatility causes many clients stay sidelines thereby weighing jpmorgans noninterest income got taste first quarter new yorkbased banks trading revenue fell 11 three months ended march 31 fees investment banking declined 25 good news theres reason believe trading revenues across industry wont bad quarter jefferies group investment bank owned leucadia national reported last month sales trading revenue increased yearoveryear basis 21 three months ended may 31 additionally head jpmorgan chases investment bank daniel pinto said recent industry conference trading revenue climb midteens percentage second quarter question turn whether vote favor brexit june 23 upset markets enough erase gains seems unlikely given late quarter brexit vote occurred though theres little question serve headwind rest year second problem banks confronting higher loan losses energy portfolios first quarter jpmorgan chase nearly doubled amount money sets aside cover future loan losses recording 18 billion provision compared 959 million yearago period bank noted press release move reflected increase wholesale reserves 713 million primarily driven downgrades including 529 million oil amp gas natural gas pipelines 162 million metals amp mining situation looked particularly dire earlier year oil prices briefly dipped 30 barrel theyve since recovered around 45 barrel thats still 21 lower time last year thus seems reasonable assume jpmorgan chases loan loss provisions stay elevated bank predicted brent crude oil spot price opens new window data ycharts opens new window finally banks laboring unprecedentedly low interest rates weigh bank earnings reducing income earned loan securities portfolios federal reserve verge raising rates earlier year fact inched 025 last december since abandoned pretense increases banks would benefit higher rates jpmorgan chases case mere 100basispoint increase would translate estimated 3 billion additional net interest income would go long way toward helping nations biggest bank assets get return equity 10 threshold banks strive exceed roe last two quarters 9 sum banks navigating inhospitable environment right essentially marooned island waiting weather clears silver lining shares jpmorgan chase yielding 31 offers tempting target incomeseeking investors article jpmorgan chase q2 earnings preview opens new window originally appeared foolcom john maxfield opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares recommends leucadia national try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>This article is being republished as part of our daily reproduction of WSJ.com articles that also appeared in the U.S. print edition of The Wall Street Journal (November 28, 2017).</p> <p>Three Chinese people have been indicted in the U.S. for allegedly hacking into the email account of a Moody's Analytics economist and stealing confidential business information from German electrical engineering giant Siemens AG, according to an indictment unsealed Monday.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The hackers targeted an unnamed "influential economist" at Moody's and forwarded the economist's emails to themselves beginning in 2011, court papers said. The indictment alleges that the economist, who isn't identified by name but is described in detail, was the victim of a scheme in which all of his incoming emails were forwarded beginning no later than 2011 to an email account that was then accessed by one of the defendants.</p> <p>The indictment provides numerous details about the economist in question, and they closely match the background of Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi. Mr. Zandi declined to comment and referred questions Monday to a Moody's spokesman, who declined to comment on its economist.</p> <p>Mr. Zandi is a high-profile economist who has provided analysis for Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) and has frequently been cited by congressional Democrats and Obama administration officials.</p> <p>The alleged hackers also gained unauthorized access to Siemens's computer networks and removed about 407 gigabytes of data in 2015 from the network, including files created by Siemens' energy, technology and transportation businesses, according to the indictment. The alleged hackers also targeted in 2015 and 2016 the networks of GPS developer Trimble Inc., stealing information about a product then in development to improve the positioning accuracy of mobile devices in a cost-effective way, the indictment said.</p> <p>A Siemens representative said the company doesn't comment on "internal security matters" but that it "rigorously" monitors its networks.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>A representative for Trimble said the company had responded to the attempted hacks and determined they had "no meaningful impact" on its business.</p> <p>With the case, U.S. prosecutors are continuing a name-and-shame campaign to publicize alleged foreign hackers even though the defendants aren't in custody and are unlikely to see the inside of a U.S. courtroom any time soon. The defendants are believed to be in China, according to a Justice Department spokesman. China and the U.S. don't have an extradition treaty.</p> <p>The indictment doesn't detail what the motivations of the alleged hackers may have been. "We can't divine why they targeted these corporations in particular," said Soo Song, the acting U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh, whose office is prosecuting the case. "We do allege that there was some financial incentive or benefit that would have motivated them to make these infiltrations."</p> <p>The three alleged hackers are owners of, or employed by, a Chinese cybersecurity firm called BoYu Information Technology Co., or Boyusec, the indictment said -- a company that private security researchers have linked to the Chinese government. The indictment doesn't allege the hackers had any state backing, but Justice Department officials said Monday the Chinese government wasn't responding to U.S. requests for help in prosecuting the alleged hackers.</p> <p>U.S. officials sought China's assistance in putting a stop to Boyusec's activities in October after the indictment was returned in September, received "no meaningful response," and decided to make the charges public, a Justice Department spokesman said Monday.</p> <p>The three alleged hackers -- Wu Yingzhuo, Dong Hao and Xia Lei -- are based in Guangzhou, China, according to the indictment, which says the company is also based there. Neither the defendants nor Boyusec could immediately be reached for comment.</p> <p>A representative of the Chinese embassy in Washington didn't comment on the indictment, but pointed to a Justice Department summary of the October cybersecurity dialogue that described efforts to improve cybercrime cooperation between the U.S. and China.</p> <p>"We work hard to bring these charges...if you don't identify and expose the conduct, nothing will ever change," Ms. Song said.</p> <p>The case is similar to a 2014 indictment against five Chinese military officers, which alleged those officers hacked U.S. companies' computers to steal trade secrets to benefit Chinese state-owned companies that were competitors. After that indictment, experts said they found a drop in such activity from China. Those officers haven't been arrested, but the case helped lead to a 2015 agreement between U.S. and China under which both countries said they wouldn't support cyberespionage for commercial purposes. While the agreement appears to have slowed such activity, experts say it hasn't stopped.</p> <p>The 2015 agreement may have put pressure on China to use private contractors, such as Boyusec -- also known by the names APT 3 and Gothic Panda -- to acquire sensitive information, rather than using military hackers, said Adam Meyers, vice president of intelligence with the cyber investigation firm CrowdStrike Inc. The intelligence firm Recorded Future Inc. has linked employees of Boyusec to China's intelligence agency, known as the Ministry of State Security.</p> <p>Boyusec's past targets victims include targets of interest to the Chinese government including Hong Kong free speech dissidents, Mr. Meyers said. And the targeting of Mr. Zandi hints at a political, rather than financial motive.</p> <p>Mr. Zandi, described as an "influential economist" in the indictment, co-founded an economic-forecasting firm that was purchased by Moody's Corp. in 2005. A registered Democrat, he was an economic adviser to Mr. McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and was later consulted regularly by congressional Democrats and the Obama administration on housing and economic issues during and after the financial crisis.</p> <p>Moody's said the company has worked closely with U.S. law enforcement during the investigation and didn't believe any confidential customer data or other personal employee information had been compromised. Moody's Analytics is a unit of Moody's Corp.</p> <p>Boyusec's website was offline on Monday, but a version of the company's webpage that was saved by the Internet Archive says the company sells security assessment services.</p> <p>It also advertised a partnership with Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies Corp., whose telecom gear was effectively banned in the U.S. after a 2012 congressional report raised fears that its networking equipment could be used to spy on Americans. That company, founded by a former Chinese army engineer, has repeatedly dismissed such concerns.</p> <p>Write to Aruna Viswanatha at Aruna.Viswanatha@wsj.com, Robert McMillan at Robert.Mcmillan@wsj.com and Nick Timiraos at nick.timiraos@wsj.com</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>November 28, 2017 02:47 ET (07:47 GMT)</p>

article republished part daily reproduction wsjcom articles also appeared us print edition wall street journal november 28 2017 three chinese people indicted us allegedly hacking email account moodys analytics economist stealing confidential business information german electrical engineering giant siemens ag according indictment unsealed monday continue reading hackers targeted unnamed influential economist moodys forwarded economists emails beginning 2011 court papers said indictment alleges economist isnt identified name described detail victim scheme incoming emails forwarded beginning later 2011 email account accessed one defendants indictment provides numerous details economist question closely match background moodys chief economist mark zandi mr zandi declined comment referred questions monday moodys spokesman declined comment economist mr zandi highprofile economist provided analysis sen john mccain r ariz frequently cited congressional democrats obama administration officials alleged hackers also gained unauthorized access siemenss computer networks removed 407 gigabytes data 2015 network including files created siemens energy technology transportation businesses according indictment alleged hackers also targeted 2015 2016 networks gps developer trimble inc stealing information product development improve positioning accuracy mobile devices costeffective way indictment said siemens representative said company doesnt comment internal security matters rigorously monitors networks advertisement representative trimble said company responded attempted hacks determined meaningful impact business case us prosecutors continuing nameandshame campaign publicize alleged foreign hackers even though defendants arent custody unlikely see inside us courtroom time soon defendants believed china according justice department spokesman china us dont extradition treaty indictment doesnt detail motivations alleged hackers may cant divine targeted corporations particular said soo song acting us attorney pittsburgh whose office prosecuting case allege financial incentive benefit would motivated make infiltrations three alleged hackers owners employed chinese cybersecurity firm called boyu information technology co boyusec indictment said company private security researchers linked chinese government indictment doesnt allege hackers state backing justice department officials said monday chinese government wasnt responding us requests help prosecuting alleged hackers us officials sought chinas assistance putting stop boyusecs activities october indictment returned september received meaningful response decided make charges public justice department spokesman said monday three alleged hackers wu yingzhuo dong hao xia lei based guangzhou china according indictment says company also based neither defendants boyusec could immediately reached comment representative chinese embassy washington didnt comment indictment pointed justice department summary october cybersecurity dialogue described efforts improve cybercrime cooperation us china work hard bring chargesif dont identify expose conduct nothing ever change ms song said case similar 2014 indictment five chinese military officers alleged officers hacked us companies computers steal trade secrets benefit chinese stateowned companies competitors indictment experts said found drop activity china officers havent arrested case helped lead 2015 agreement us china countries said wouldnt support cyberespionage commercial purposes agreement appears slowed activity experts say hasnt stopped 2015 agreement may put pressure china use private contractors boyusec also known names apt 3 gothic panda acquire sensitive information rather using military hackers said adam meyers vice president intelligence cyber investigation firm crowdstrike inc intelligence firm recorded future inc linked employees boyusec chinas intelligence agency known ministry state security boyusecs past targets victims include targets interest chinese government including hong kong free speech dissidents mr meyers said targeting mr zandi hints political rather financial motive mr zandi described influential economist indictment cofounded economicforecasting firm purchased moodys corp 2005 registered democrat economic adviser mr mccains 2008 presidential campaign later consulted regularly congressional democrats obama administration housing economic issues financial crisis moodys said company worked closely us law enforcement investigation didnt believe confidential customer data personal employee information compromised moodys analytics unit moodys corp boyusecs website offline monday version companys webpage saved internet archive says company sells security assessment services also advertised partnership chinese technology giant huawei technologies corp whose telecom gear effectively banned us 2012 congressional report raised fears networking equipment could used spy americans company founded former chinese army engineer repeatedly dismissed concerns write aruna viswanatha arunaviswanathawsjcom robert mcmillan robertmcmillanwsjcom nick timiraos nicktimiraoswsjcom end dow jones newswires november 28 2017 0247 et 0747 gmt

<p /> <p>Image source: Author.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) hosted its analyst day on August 16, giving investors a look at what the company has planned next. What were the highlights of the meeting, and what can shareholders expect from the company going forward?</p> <p>The sports and chicken wing chain is in the midst of a transition period. It has a few new plans for investors to think about. Regarding the treatment of cash generation, the company made a statement that the board of directors is contemplating a cash dividend starting in 2017.</p> <p>Growing the number of restaurants has been B-Dubs' strategy over the last five years. As a result, revenue has increased an average of 24% a year, and earnings per share at 20%. That growth strategy will now be balanced with returning value to shareholders. Including a possible dividend next year, the company just authorized an additional $300 million share-repurchase program.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The company expects to achieve these milestones by becoming more efficient financially. The balance sheet will be reworked with a new target line of credit capacity of $500 million, and the company will explore new term financing. This means that new location openings in the U.S. will be slower than in the past, but the chain is still targeting 15% a year earnings-per-share growth going forward.</p> <p>It looks like the company is transitioning out of a high-growth business mode into one that's more focused on returning cash to shareholders, but that isn't saying that the company doesn't have some new initiatives in the works to keep expanding.</p> <p>Management talked a lot about the evolving world of sports, especially the digitization of the experience through social media and fantasy sports and the increasing popularity of video game sports. Even within the U.S., sports enthusiasts' tastes are undergoing changes with demographic shifts in the population.</p> <p>Regarding the digitization of sports, management displayed a slide that compared basketball star Kevin Durant to young South Korean gamer Smeb. If you're wondering who that is, I'm with you. I also had not heard of Smeb prior to the B-Dubs presentation, and I'm a Millenial! The short explanation is that he is a League of Legends video game superstar in Korea.</p> <p>The gist of the slide was to underline the change in how younger generations view sport. Wanting to stay true to its enthusiasm for all things sports, B-Dubs has been drawing attention to e-sports in recent years, and its investment in supporting the space is set to continue.</p> <p>Soccer has also been gaining in popularity as the U.S. slowly starts to catch up with the rest of the world's frenzied obsession with the sport. B-Dubs has been hot on this trend, as well, focusing advertising attention to draw the soccer crowd in to watch matches. Whatever the popular sport of the season may be, Buffalo Wild Wings wants to be the place where enthusiasts go to watch and participate.</p> <p>Not content with the North American continent, Buffalo Wild Wings has begun to expand overseas. In fact, the company expects much of its new development going forward to occur outside the U.S., with 27 new international locations slated to open in 2017. Over the next 10 years, the company is targeting a total of 400 international restaurants.</p> <p>The company has a good pipeline started in order to achieve its goal. In Mexico, the company is working with two franchisees to open a total of 36 locations, 12 of which are already open. In the United Arab Emirates, 12 locations are in the franchise agreement, with two already opened.</p> <p>B-Dubs highlighted the Asian Pacific region as a future key to growth. First restaurants in India and Vietnam are scheduled to be opened next year, with a total of 15 and 10, respectively, under contract. Future development in the region will include China, Japan, and Australia.</p> <p>The company's long-term goal is to have a diversified portfolio of restaurant brands totaling 3,000 locations. Building the infrastructure to support that will take time. The company will also continue to rely on the franchise model to accomplish this feat.</p> <p>To that end, the small fast-casual PizzaRev and R Taco chains will continue to be developed. B-Dubs management believes that it's time to begin offering franchisees another option and opportunities to expand. In combination, the two chains only total a few dozen locations in the U.S., but more of them are set to begin popping up soon.</p> <p>The Buffalo Wild Wings brand is beginning to mature, but the company is building out a foundation for continued growth in the future. While new B-Dubs locations have much more limited upside in the U.S. than in the past, the company hopes that new dining concepts and the international community will be enough to keep the momentum going.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! 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image source author continue reading buffalo wild wings nasdaq bwld hosted analyst day august 16 giving investors look company planned next highlights meeting shareholders expect company going forward sports chicken wing chain midst transition period new plans investors think regarding treatment cash generation company made statement board directors contemplating cash dividend starting 2017 growing number restaurants bdubs strategy last five years result revenue increased average 24 year earnings per share 20 growth strategy balanced returning value shareholders including possible dividend next year company authorized additional 300 million sharerepurchase program advertisement company expects achieve milestones becoming efficient financially balance sheet reworked new target line credit capacity 500 million company explore new term financing means new location openings us slower past chain still targeting 15 year earningspershare growth going forward looks like company transitioning highgrowth business mode one thats focused returning cash shareholders isnt saying company doesnt new initiatives works keep expanding management talked lot evolving world sports especially digitization experience social media fantasy sports increasing popularity video game sports even within us sports enthusiasts tastes undergoing changes demographic shifts population regarding digitization sports management displayed slide compared basketball star kevin durant young south korean gamer smeb youre wondering im also heard smeb prior bdubs presentation im millenial short explanation league legends video game superstar korea gist slide underline change younger generations view sport wanting stay true enthusiasm things sports bdubs drawing attention esports recent years investment supporting space set continue soccer also gaining popularity us slowly starts catch rest worlds frenzied obsession sport bdubs hot trend well focusing advertising attention draw soccer crowd watch matches whatever popular sport season may buffalo wild wings wants place enthusiasts go watch participate content north american continent buffalo wild wings begun expand overseas fact company expects much new development going forward occur outside us 27 new international locations slated open 2017 next 10 years company targeting total 400 international restaurants company good pipeline started order achieve goal mexico company working two franchisees open total 36 locations 12 already open united arab emirates 12 locations franchise agreement two already opened bdubs highlighted asian pacific region future key growth first restaurants india vietnam scheduled opened next year total 15 10 respectively contract future development region include china japan australia companys longterm goal diversified portfolio restaurant brands totaling 3000 locations building infrastructure support take time company also continue rely franchise model accomplish feat end small fastcasual pizzarev r taco chains continue developed bdubs management believes time begin offering franchisees another option opportunities expand combination two chains total dozen locations us set begin popping soon buffalo wild wings brand beginning mature company building foundation continued growth future new bdubs locations much limited upside us past company hopes new dining concepts international community enough keep momentum going secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window nicholas rossolillo opens new window owns shares buffalo wild wings motley fool owns shares recommends buffalo wild wings try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Investors in their 70s are typically retired, and in most cases, they gravitate toward companies with strong fundamentals that are producing dependable returns. The main idea is to keep risk under control, since you don't want the value of your portfolio to fluctuate too much when you are relying on it for your retirement needs. With this in mind, companies such as Berkshire Hathaway and PepsiCo are particularly strong candidates for investors in their 70s.</p> <p>With an estimated net worth of nearly $67.6 billion, Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors ever. The Oracle of Omaha has built his fortune by investing in a collection of high-quality businesses over the long term, and buying Berkshire Hathaway stock can be a simple and effective way to replicate Warren Buffett's investment strategy.</p> <p>Berkshire Hathaway is a holding company that has operations in a wide variety of businesses, including insurance and reinsurance, financial services, railroads, energy, utilities, manufacturing, services, consumer, and retail. Diversification provides stability for the company as a whole: When one sector of the economy is lagging, better performance from other divisions can compensate.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Insurance companies receive the premiums up front and pay claims later, and sometimes these payments can stretch out over several decades. Warren Buffett refers to this money as "the float." Even if the float is not owned by Berkshire, the company can use it to invest for its own benefit over the long term, and this is a major return driver for investors. When considering both the benefits of investing the float money and the advantages of diversification, the whole is worth more than the sum of the parts when it comes to Berkshire Hathaway.</p> <p>The company has produced impressive returns over the decades. From 1965 to 2015, Berkshire Hathaway has increased its book value per share at a compounded rate of 19.2% per year, which is almost double the annual return of 9.4% produced by the S&amp;amp;P 500 in the same period.</p> <p>Berkshire has become a huge corporation with a market capitalization value of nearly $354.2 billion, which makes it the ninth-biggest company in the S&amp;amp;P 500, and returns tend to slow down as a company gains size over time. This means it doesn't make much sense to expect from Berkshire Hathaway the same kinds of returns the company produced when it was a smaller business, decades ago. On the other hand, when it comes to safety and reliability, Warren Buffett's investment holding doesn't leave much to be desired.</p> <p>PepsiCo is a global market leader in nonalcoholic drinks and snacks. The company owns 22 different brands producing over $1 billion each in global revenue. This includes not only traditional names such as Pepsi and Lay's, but also products targeted toward health-conscious consumers, such as Tropicana, Quaker, and Gatorade, among several others.</p> <p>The shift toward healthier nutrition is a major trend in the industry. Fortunately for investors in PepsiCo, the company is actively investing in this area. PepsiCo's "guilt-free" portfolio of products, which includes both naturally healthy categories and low-calorie versions of traditional products, currently accounts for 45% of the company's overall revenue base.</p> <p>The company has also embarked in an ambitious program to increase profitability via productivity enhancements, and it has reduced annual expenses by $1 per year since 2012. During the first two quarters of 2016, PepsiCo increased its marketing and advertising expenses as a percentage of sales by 55 basis points, but the company still managed to increase profitability levels. Core gross profit margin is up by 100 basis points, and core operating margin expanded by 115 basis points versus the same period last year.</p> <p>PepsiCo has an exceptional track record of dividend payments over the long term. The company has paid uninterrupted dividends in every year since 1965, and it has accumulated 44 consecutive years of consistent dividend growth. It takes a particularly strong business to reward investors with growing cash distributions in all kinds of scenarios, which says a lot about PepsiCo and its fundamental quality.</p> <p>Dividends also provide recurrent income from your portfolio, and this is typically much appreciated by investors in retirement. After raising dividends by 7% for 2016, PepsiCo stock is trading at a dividend yield of 2.8%. The yield is not particularly high in comparison to other dividends stocks in the market, but it's also not bad at all coming from such a strong business with a proven track-record of consistent dividend growth over the long term.</p> <p>To wrap up, Berkshire Hathaway and PepsiCo operate in different industries, and they have their own weaknesses and strengths. On the other hand, they have two important characteristics in common: rock-solid fundamentals and impeccable financial performance. This makes them strong candidates for investors in their 70s, who typically look for quality and reliability in their investments.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/12/if-youre-in-your-70s-consider-buying-these-rock-so.aspx" type="external">If You're in Your 70s, Consider Buying These Rock-Solid Stocks Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/acardenal/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Andres Cardenal Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway (B shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Berkshire Hathaway (B shares) and PepsiCo. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source getty images continue reading investors 70s typically retired cases gravitate toward companies strong fundamentals producing dependable returns main idea keep risk control since dont want value portfolio fluctuate much relying retirement needs mind companies berkshire hathaway pepsico particularly strong candidates investors 70s estimated net worth nearly 676 billion warren buffett one successful investors ever oracle omaha built fortune investing collection highquality businesses long term buying berkshire hathaway stock simple effective way replicate warren buffetts investment strategy berkshire hathaway holding company operations wide variety businesses including insurance reinsurance financial services railroads energy utilities manufacturing services consumer retail diversification provides stability company whole one sector economy lagging better performance divisions compensate advertisement insurance companies receive premiums front pay claims later sometimes payments stretch several decades warren buffett refers money float even float owned berkshire company use invest benefit long term major return driver investors considering benefits investing float money advantages diversification whole worth sum parts comes berkshire hathaway company produced impressive returns decades 1965 2015 berkshire hathaway increased book value per share compounded rate 192 per year almost double annual return 94 produced sampp 500 period berkshire become huge corporation market capitalization value nearly 3542 billion makes ninthbiggest company sampp 500 returns tend slow company gains size time means doesnt make much sense expect berkshire hathaway kinds returns company produced smaller business decades ago hand comes safety reliability warren buffetts investment holding doesnt leave much desired pepsico global market leader nonalcoholic drinks snacks company owns 22 different brands producing 1 billion global revenue includes traditional names pepsi lays also products targeted toward healthconscious consumers tropicana quaker gatorade among several others shift toward healthier nutrition major trend industry fortunately investors pepsico company actively investing area pepsicos guiltfree portfolio products includes naturally healthy categories lowcalorie versions traditional products currently accounts 45 companys overall revenue base company also embarked ambitious program increase profitability via productivity enhancements reduced annual expenses 1 per year since 2012 first two quarters 2016 pepsico increased marketing advertising expenses percentage sales 55 basis points company still managed increase profitability levels core gross profit margin 100 basis points core operating margin expanded 115 basis points versus period last year pepsico exceptional track record dividend payments long term company paid uninterrupted dividends every year since 1965 accumulated 44 consecutive years consistent dividend growth takes particularly strong business reward investors growing cash distributions kinds scenarios says lot pepsico fundamental quality dividends also provide recurrent income portfolio typically much appreciated investors retirement raising dividends 7 2016 pepsico stock trading dividend yield 28 yield particularly high comparison dividends stocks market also bad coming strong business proven trackrecord consistent dividend growth long term wrap berkshire hathaway pepsico operate different industries weaknesses strengths hand two important characteristics common rocksolid fundamentals impeccable financial performance makes strong candidates investors 70s typically look quality reliability investments article youre 70s consider buying rocksolid stocks opens new window originally appeared foolcom andres cardenal opens new window owns shares berkshire hathaway b shares motley fool owns shares recommends berkshire hathaway b shares pepsico try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Petroleum persists in dominating the headlines while the news hasn&#8217;t varied much for weeks.&amp;#160; Crude supplies are presently massive, no one player can or will stop the gush, and markets are anxious as fragile credit markets, fuel dependent sovereign markets, and big oil's curbing of capital spending casts a dark, gloomy shadow over any resultant virtues &#8211; the average American pocketing $75.00 per month in gasoline savings, along with last week&#8217;s robust retail sales and Michigan confidence numbers.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Tormented Atoms in a Bed of Sand</p> <p>West Texas Intermediate (WTI) began 2014 at $90.00 and quickly pursued an ambitious pathway - an uneven flight of steps to a mid-year landing of $102.50 predicated on a harmonious surety of 3.50-4.0% nominal global GDP growth which, in turn, would adroitly siphon off 1.4MM barrels per day of demand growth.&amp;#160; Like a New Jersey boardwalk funhouse of old, consensus cautiously treaded along numerous lopsided floors while gazing upon two-way mirrors masquerading as potential wars of every conceivable stripe, unscheduled refinery maintenance, potential port shut-offs, and an enormous impending congestion problem in Cushing, Oklahoma &#8211; a dizzying expanse of risk for any one market to bear. &amp;#160;Oil continued its climb while participants tripped out of the funhouse with fear that appearances were indeed super bullish.&amp;#160; There was no other way.</p> <p>What followed across the last six months correlates with outliers rivaling the &#8220;Battle of Muret&#8221;, &#8220;Dewey beats Truman&#8221; or the &#8220;2004 Boston Red Sox&#8221; and bears weight to Voltaire&#8217;s quip describing man as a stranger to his own research.&amp;#160; With the petroleum markets in view, most of us knew not whence he comes, nor whither he goes!&amp;#160; We were collectively painting on paper whose frame didn&#8217;t match the room.</p> <p>Nominal global GDP growth fell to earth presenting a new normal slightly above the &#8220;3.0%&#8221; handle causing dominoes to scatter arresting 200,000-300,000 BPD demand growth in the process.&amp;#160;&amp;#160; We were reliant on hot growth countries including India and Indonesia to lead the demand procession yet, didn&#8217;t foresee the noxious effect of currency devaluations, the reduction and/or the elimination of fuel product subsidizes, or the fading confidence in China.</p> <p>Markets started to shrug whispers of vulnerability yet didn&#8217;t crack as we nervously flipped newspaper pages telling us tales of the supply risks from faraway lands including Algeria, Libya and Nigeria marinating with renewed distractions from Iran, Iraq, and Russia.&amp;#160; The hazards were severe and despite demand destruction oil will be resigned to hold firm.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Nothing new under the sun</p> <p>Since the mid-1970&#8217;s there have been a half-dozen oil declines similar in enormity to what we&#8217;ve witnessed this year.&amp;#160; According to recent history, when decreases were the result of increased production, the stock market generally behaved well.&amp;#160; When declines coincided with apathetic growth prospects, stocks usually suffered. There is no doubt there are portions of both demand and supply this time around but &#8211; presently it appears we are skewed towards over supply rather than lack of demand. At some point the market will come to terms with the reality that this is yet another cycle &#8211; one that the markets will eventually digest.</p> <p>Value trap?</p> <p>While the petroleum market calibrates towards a &#8220;new normal&#8221; it&#8217;s worth acknowledging that everyone you talk to seems sufficiently bearish on the oil price.&amp;#160; They indeed may be right however, imagine the enormous upside trading potential if OPEC startles us with a production cut, if demand demonstrates brisker price elasticity than forecasted, if there&#8217;s a meaningful supply disruption.&amp;#160; The rubber band is extremely taut.&amp;#160; It&#8217;s always darkest before dawn.</p> <p>Over the last 25 years, I&#8217;ve been burned by the &#8220;value trap&#8221; and select energy stocks may well be added to that list of yet another premature investment thesis.&amp;#160; However, if you expect eventual recovery in petroleum fundamentals you might consider expressing that conviction through the sale of put options as energy related implied options volatility remains at staggering levels.</p> <p>My personal favorite continues to be Schlumberger (SLB) &#8211; a stellar name in the oil services industry who appears well-positioned to bear the current pricing and to deliver low cost service given their immense scale, balance sheet, and reputation.&amp;#160; For those casually bullish on Schlumberger, I would recommend selling the January $77.50 put for $3.00 per share (reference $79.90).&amp;#160; If SLB should remain above $77.50 over the next four weeks, you will pocket $300 for each contract sold (each contract equals 100 shares of stock).&amp;#160; If SLB should drop below $77.50, you will be forced to purchase SLB at $77.50 although your actual purchase price would be $74.50 per share ($77.50 strike price minus $3.00 premium per share = $74.50).&amp;#160; If SLB should catch a bid and rally back to historical levels, your put premium received may pale in comparison to what could&#8217;ve been if you had simply purchased the stock in the first place.</p> <p>It&#8217;s been said that Wall Street graves are full of those who were right too early.</p>

petroleum persists dominating headlines news hasnt varied much weeks160 crude supplies presently massive one player stop gush markets anxious fragile credit markets fuel dependent sovereign markets big oils curbing capital spending casts dark gloomy shadow resultant virtues average american pocketing 7500 per month gasoline savings along last weeks robust retail sales michigan confidence numbers continue reading tormented atoms bed sand west texas intermediate wti began 2014 9000 quickly pursued ambitious pathway uneven flight steps midyear landing 10250 predicated harmonious surety 35040 nominal global gdp growth turn would adroitly siphon 14mm barrels per day demand growth160 like new jersey boardwalk funhouse old consensus cautiously treaded along numerous lopsided floors gazing upon twoway mirrors masquerading potential wars every conceivable stripe unscheduled refinery maintenance potential port shutoffs enormous impending congestion problem cushing oklahoma dizzying expanse risk one market bear 160oil continued climb participants tripped funhouse fear appearances indeed super bullish160 way followed across last six months correlates outliers rivaling battle muret dewey beats truman 2004 boston red sox bears weight voltaires quip describing man stranger research160 petroleum markets view us knew whence comes whither goes160 collectively painting paper whose frame didnt match room nominal global gdp growth fell earth presenting new normal slightly 30 handle causing dominoes scatter arresting 200000300000 bpd demand growth process160160 reliant hot growth countries including india indonesia lead demand procession yet didnt foresee noxious effect currency devaluations reduction andor elimination fuel product subsidizes fading confidence china markets started shrug whispers vulnerability yet didnt crack nervously flipped newspaper pages telling us tales supply risks faraway lands including algeria libya nigeria marinating renewed distractions iran iraq russia160 hazards severe despite demand destruction oil resigned hold firm advertisement nothing new sun since mid1970s halfdozen oil declines similar enormity weve witnessed year160 according recent history decreases result increased production stock market generally behaved well160 declines coincided apathetic growth prospects stocks usually suffered doubt portions demand supply time around presently appears skewed towards supply rather lack demand point market come terms reality yet another cycle one markets eventually digest value trap petroleum market calibrates towards new normal worth acknowledging everyone talk seems sufficiently bearish oil price160 indeed may right however imagine enormous upside trading potential opec startles us production cut demand demonstrates brisker price elasticity forecasted theres meaningful supply disruption160 rubber band extremely taut160 always darkest dawn last 25 years ive burned value trap select energy stocks may well added list yet another premature investment thesis160 however expect eventual recovery petroleum fundamentals might consider expressing conviction sale put options energy related implied options volatility remains staggering levels personal favorite continues schlumberger slb stellar name oil services industry appears wellpositioned bear current pricing deliver low cost service given immense scale balance sheet reputation160 casually bullish schlumberger would recommend selling january 7750 put 300 per share reference 7990160 slb remain 7750 next four weeks pocket 300 contract sold contract equals 100 shares stock160 slb drop 7750 forced purchase slb 7750 although actual purchase price would 7450 per share 7750 strike price minus 300 premium per share 7450160 slb catch bid rally back historical levels put premium received may pale comparison couldve simply purchased stock first place said wall street graves full right early

<p>Next to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton may be the most pro-abortion presidential candidate in American history. Clinton, and the Left in general, attempt to mask the heinous nature of the procedure they support by employing euphemisms such as "reproductive health" and "choice," but in reality what they're championing is the termination of innocent life, even at the latest stages of development.</p> <p>Here are three things you need to know about Hillary Clinton's beliefs regarding abortion:</p> <p>1. Hillary Wants Taxpayer Funding for Abortions</p> <p>Clinton has said that she wants to eliminate the Hyde amendment, which prohibits taxpayer dollars being used for abortions--although all money going to Planned Parenthood is fungible, meaning it can be moved around, essentially rendering the Hyde amendment moot.</p> <p>On January 10, 2016, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4572858/hillary-clinton-calls-ending-hyde-amendment" type="external">Clinton said</a>:</p> <p>"First of all, I will always defend Planned Parenthood, and I will say consistently and proudly, Planned Parenthood should be funded, supported, and appreciated, not undermined, misrepresented, and demonized. I believe we need to protect access to safe and legal abortion, not just in principle, but in practice.</p> <p>Any right that requires you to take extraordinary measures to access it is no right at all...not as long as we have laws on the books like the Hyde amendment, making it harder for low-income women to exercise their full rights."</p> <p>From July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014, <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2015/09/a-comprehensive-guide-to-planned-parenthood-funding" type="external">Planned Parenthood received approximately $528.4 million in federal funding</a>, roughly $103.6 million of which went to "family planning," which includes abortions. Hillary Clinton wants more, telling <a href="https://newrepublic.com/minutes/127886/hillary-clinton-wants-kill-hyde-amendment-yes-big-deal" type="external">Fusion</a>: "I would like to see Planned Parenthood even get more funding."</p> <p>Planned Parenthood is the nation's most <a href="http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2015/09/disentangling-the-data-on-planned-parenthood-affiliates-abortion-services-and-receipt-of-taxpayer-funding#_ftn3" type="external">prolific abortion provider</a>, accounting for more than 300,000 abortions a year.</p> <p>2. Hillary Wants Abortion Available Until Birth</p> <p>Hillary Clinton is such an extreme advocate for abortion that she refuses to entertain the idea of late-term restrictions unless exceptions are added. On October 8, 2000, <a href="http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2016/oct/09/ted-cruz/false-ted-cruz-claim-hillary-clinton-backs-unlimit/" type="external">Clinton said</a>:</p> <p>"I have said many times that I can support a ban on late-term abortions, including partial-birth abortions, so long as the health and life of the mother is protected. I've met women who faced this heart-wrenching decision toward the end of a pregnancy. Of course it's a horrible procedure. No one would argue with that. But if your life is at stake, if your health is at stake, if the potential for having any more children is at stake, this must be a woman's choice."</p> <p>This argument is a patent falsity.</p> <p>In a piece for Fox News, Lila Rose <a href="http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/opinion/2015/07/10/opinion-case-10-year-old-paraguayan-pregnant-girl-and-why-killing-is-not-answer/" type="external">explained</a> that "abortion is never medically necessary to save a mother's life. The Dublin Declaration makes this clear, with more than 1,000 signatures from obstetricians, neonatologists, pediatricians, midwives, and other medical professionals claiming that fact."</p> <p>Dr. Anthony Levatino, a former OB-GYN who performed over 1,200 abortions in his career, also claims that the "life of the mother argument" is nonsense:</p> <p>"During my time at Albany Medical Center, I managed hundreds of such cases by "terminating" pregnancies [via live delivery by C-section] to save mothers' lives. In all those hundreds of cases, the number of unborn children that I had to deliberately kill was zero."</p> <p>During his <a href="https://youtu.be/53tzMV9OmvY" type="external">2013 testimony</a> before Congress, Dr. Levatino said that at 24-weeks gestation, "the dilation of the cervix that's required for a D&amp;amp;E [Dilation and Evacuation] abortion...takes at least 36 hours." Later abortions, he said, "can necessitate almost three days of preparation prior to performance of the procedure."</p> <p>He continued:</p> <p>"It was mentioned earlier, the idea that abortion is needed to save women's lives...As a faculty member at the Albany Medical College, I have treated hundreds of women with severe problems with their pregnancies. Pregnancies that were life-threatening to them--cardiac disease, diabetes, cancers, toxemia, elevated blood pressure in pregnancy.</p> <p>I'll illustrate with one case that I dealt with personally. A patient came in at 27-weeks of gestation, blood pressure 220 over 140. You know a normal blood pressure is 120 over 80. This woman is moments or hours away from a stroke. We stabilized her, delivered her; she had a healthy baby in the end, and she did well as well.</p> <p>I was able to stabilize and deliver her within an hour... Abortion would be worthless in that situation...at 27-weeks of gestation, it would have taken at least three days to even prepare her to be able to go through the procedure. This is an important point when we talk about abortion in terms of saving women's lives."</p> <p>Hillary Clinton, however, wants "life-saving" late-term abortions protected, either out of ignorance regarding the time it takes to prepare for the procedure, or for other reasons altogether.</p> <p>3. Hillary Voted Against the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban</p> <p>In 2003, Hillary Clinton <a href="https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/108-2003/s51" type="external">voted with 32 other Senators</a> against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which prohibited doctors from knowingly performing an "intact dilation and extraction." A physician caught breaking this law can face fines and up to two years in prison.</p> <p>For the uninitiated, an intact dilation and extraction is a procedure in which an infant, approximately 18-weeks gestation or older, is almost entirely extracted from the mother in breech position, leaving its head inside the uterus. The doctor then makes an incision in the base of the infant's skull, and uses a suction cannula to remove its brain, thus collapsing the head. Prior to the procedure, the doctor administers digoxin via a needle into the infant's head or heart in order to induce cardiac arrest and death.</p> <p>This following is an illustrated video explaining the procedure (warning: graphic):</p> <p /> <p>Regarding the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, <a href="http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2016/oct/09/ted-cruz/false-ted-cruz-claim-hillary-clinton-backs-unlimit/" type="external">Clinton said</a>:</p> <p>"Clearly, the administration and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle see this as an opportunity to begin to eliminate Roe v. Wade, and the possibility of safe, legal and rare abortions in this country. And many young women don't seem to understand that this is not an option that they can take for granted."</p> <p>Hillary Clinton's position on abortion should be viewed as extreme, but it's often glossed over by the press. Euphemisms like "choice," and "women's reproductive freedom" are used to muddy public perception about abortion. Clinton likely takes advantage of these euphemisms in an effort to gain the votes of those who are unaware of the disturbing reality of abortion.</p>

next barack obama hillary clinton may proabortion presidential candidate american history clinton left general attempt mask heinous nature procedure support employing euphemisms reproductive health choice reality theyre championing termination innocent life even latest stages development three things need know hillary clintons beliefs regarding abortion 1 hillary wants taxpayer funding abortions clinton said wants eliminate hyde amendment prohibits taxpayer dollars used abortionsalthough money going planned parenthood fungible meaning moved around essentially rendering hyde amendment moot january 10 2016 clinton said first always defend planned parenthood say consistently proudly planned parenthood funded supported appreciated undermined misrepresented demonized believe need protect access safe legal abortion principle practice right requires take extraordinary measures access right allnot long laws books like hyde amendment making harder lowincome women exercise full rights july 1 2013 june 30 2014 planned parenthood received approximately 5284 million federal funding roughly 1036 million went family planning includes abortions hillary clinton wants telling fusion would like see planned parenthood even get funding planned parenthood nations prolific abortion provider accounting 300000 abortions year 2 hillary wants abortion available birth hillary clinton extreme advocate abortion refuses entertain idea lateterm restrictions unless exceptions added october 8 2000 clinton said said many times support ban lateterm abortions including partialbirth abortions long health life mother protected ive met women faced heartwrenching decision toward end pregnancy course horrible procedure one would argue life stake health stake potential children stake must womans choice argument patent falsity piece fox news lila rose explained abortion never medically necessary save mothers life dublin declaration makes clear 1000 signatures obstetricians neonatologists pediatricians midwives medical professionals claiming fact dr anthony levatino former obgyn performed 1200 abortions career also claims life mother argument nonsense time albany medical center managed hundreds cases terminating pregnancies via live delivery csection save mothers lives hundreds cases number unborn children deliberately kill zero 2013 testimony congress dr levatino said 24weeks gestation dilation cervix thats required dampe dilation evacuation abortiontakes least 36 hours later abortions said necessitate almost three days preparation prior performance procedure continued mentioned earlier idea abortion needed save womens livesas faculty member albany medical college treated hundreds women severe problems pregnancies pregnancies lifethreatening themcardiac disease diabetes cancers toxemia elevated blood pressure pregnancy ill illustrate one case dealt personally patient came 27weeks gestation blood pressure 220 140 know normal blood pressure 120 80 woman moments hours away stroke stabilized delivered healthy baby end well well able stabilize deliver within hour abortion would worthless situationat 27weeks gestation would taken least three days even prepare able go procedure important point talk abortion terms saving womens lives hillary clinton however wants lifesaving lateterm abortions protected either ignorance regarding time takes prepare procedure reasons altogether 3 hillary voted 2003 partialbirth abortion ban 2003 hillary clinton voted 32 senators partialbirth abortion ban act prohibited doctors knowingly performing intact dilation extraction physician caught breaking law face fines two years prison uninitiated intact dilation extraction procedure infant approximately 18weeks gestation older almost entirely extracted mother breech position leaving head inside uterus doctor makes incision base infants skull uses suction cannula remove brain thus collapsing head prior procedure doctor administers digoxin via needle infants head heart order induce cardiac arrest death following illustrated video explaining procedure warning graphic regarding partialbirth abortion ban act clinton said clearly administration colleagues side aisle see opportunity begin eliminate roe v wade possibility safe legal rare abortions country many young women dont seem understand option take granted hillary clintons position abortion viewed extreme often glossed press euphemisms like choice womens reproductive freedom used muddy public perception abortion clinton likely takes advantage euphemisms effort gain votes unaware disturbing reality abortion

<p /> <p>Image source: Cisco Systems.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>While news of significant layoffs at networking giant Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) roiled investors a bit when the company reported its fiscal fourth-quarter results, there are still plenty of reasons to buy the stock. Dominance in its core switching and routing markets, growth opportunities in security and collaboration, a shift to software, a bargain valuation, and an enticing dividend make Cisco an attractive investment.</p> <p>About 45% of Cisco's fourth-quarter revenue came from the company's switches and routers. Cisco has been diversifying beyond these businesses, but switching and routing still represent the core of Cisco. In 2015, Cisco enjoyed a 60.7% share of the switching market, according to IDC. Its nearest competitor, HP Enterprise, managed to claim just 9% of the market. A handful of smaller competitors, like Huawei and Arista, are gaining share quickly, but they remain minor players.</p> <p>This dominance allows Cisco to generate exceptional profitability. During the fourth quarter, the company managed a gross margin of 63.1% and an operating margin of 26.1%. Lower-priced products from competitors haven't been able to make much of a dent in the company's market share, a testament to Cisco's pricing power. Despite new technologies like software-defined networking and cloud computing, Cisco remains the overwhelming leader in the networking hardware market.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>While Cisco's switching and routing businesses tend to grow slowly on average, a few of the company's segments are picking up the slack. Security is already a major business for Cisco, generating nearly $2 billion of revenue in fiscal 2016, but it's growing at a double-digit rate nonetheless. During the fourth quarter, Cisco's security business expanded by 16% year over year, aided by a handful of recent acquisitions. Over the past year or so, Cisco has added CloudLock, Lancope, Portcullis, and OpenDNS to its security portfolio.</p> <p>Collaboration is another growth area, generating $4.35 billion of revenue in fiscal 2016 and growing by 9%. Again, Cisco is using acquisitions to fuel growth, adding companies like Acano and 1 Mainstream over the past year. Cisco spent a total of $3.16 billion on acquisitions in fiscal 2016, helping to bulk up areas the company hopes will produce growth for years to come.</p> <p>As part of its fourth-quarter earnings report, Cisco announced that it was eliminating up to 5,500 positions, representing about 7% of its global workforce. This wasn't a cost-cutting measure, but instead a move to shift its workforce toward fast-growing businesses. Cisco plans to reinvest essentially all of the cost savings generated by this plan in areas including security, Internet of Things, collaboration, and cloud computing.</p> <p>An increasing focus on software will be a theme for Cisco in the coming years. The software business is growing fast, with deferred revenue from software and subscriptions rising by 33% in the fourth quarter. While hardware will remain an important piece of Cisco's business, the company is shifting toward a more integrated approach, selling solutions instead of just hardware. Software will play a major role in the coming years, with the potential to increase margins even further.</p> <p>Shares of Cisco have doubled over the past five years, but the market is still not giving the company the credit it deserves. Cisco generated $12.4 billion of free cash flow in fiscal 2016, compared to a market capitalization of about $153 billion. That's a P/FCF ratio of just about 12.3. Back out the $37.1 billion of net cash on Cisco's balance sheet, and the ratio falls to just 9.3.</p> <p>This free cash flow gives Cisco plenty of ammunition to buy back its own shares at a discounted price. Cisco spent about $3.9 billion on buybacks in fiscal 2016, and while some of that went to canceling out dilution caused by stock-based compensation, Cisco's share count has been steadily decreasing over the past decade. With a low valuation and a meaningful share buyback program, Cisco's share price doesn't need to grow very fast to produce good results for investors.</p> <p>Cisco only began paying a dividend in 2011, but since then it has become one of the best dividend stocks in the technology sector. The stock yields 3.4% at the moment following a 24% dividend hike earlier this year, beating out many of its peers, including Microsoft, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise.</p> <p>Only about 38% of Cisco's free cash flow was eaten up by dividends during fiscal 2016, leaving the company room to grow the dividend at a faster rate than earnings for years to come. An attractive dividend should never be the only reason for buying a stock, but in Cisco's case, it's just icing on the cake.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2668&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFBargainBin/info.aspx" type="external">Timothy Green Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Cisco Systems. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Arista Networks. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Cisco Systems and Intel. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. 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image source cisco systems continue reading news significant layoffs networking giant cisco systems nasdaq csco roiled investors bit company reported fiscal fourthquarter results still plenty reasons buy stock dominance core switching routing markets growth opportunities security collaboration shift software bargain valuation enticing dividend make cisco attractive investment 45 ciscos fourthquarter revenue came companys switches routers cisco diversifying beyond businesses switching routing still represent core cisco 2015 cisco enjoyed 607 share switching market according idc nearest competitor hp enterprise managed claim 9 market handful smaller competitors like huawei arista gaining share quickly remain minor players dominance allows cisco generate exceptional profitability fourth quarter company managed gross margin 631 operating margin 261 lowerpriced products competitors havent able make much dent companys market share testament ciscos pricing power despite new technologies like softwaredefined networking cloud computing cisco remains overwhelming leader networking hardware market advertisement ciscos switching routing businesses tend grow slowly average companys segments picking slack security already major business cisco generating nearly 2 billion revenue fiscal 2016 growing doubledigit rate nonetheless fourth quarter ciscos security business expanded 16 year year aided handful recent acquisitions past year cisco added cloudlock lancope portcullis opendns security portfolio collaboration another growth area generating 435 billion revenue fiscal 2016 growing 9 cisco using acquisitions fuel growth adding companies like acano 1 mainstream past year cisco spent total 316 billion acquisitions fiscal 2016 helping bulk areas company hopes produce growth years come part fourthquarter earnings report cisco announced eliminating 5500 positions representing 7 global workforce wasnt costcutting measure instead move shift workforce toward fastgrowing businesses cisco plans reinvest essentially cost savings generated plan areas including security internet things collaboration cloud computing increasing focus software theme cisco coming years software business growing fast deferred revenue software subscriptions rising 33 fourth quarter hardware remain important piece ciscos business company shifting toward integrated approach selling solutions instead hardware software play major role coming years potential increase margins even shares cisco doubled past five years market still giving company credit deserves cisco generated 124 billion free cash flow fiscal 2016 compared market capitalization 153 billion thats pfcf ratio 123 back 371 billion net cash ciscos balance sheet ratio falls 93 free cash flow gives cisco plenty ammunition buy back shares discounted price cisco spent 39 billion buybacks fiscal 2016 went canceling dilution caused stockbased compensation ciscos share count steadily decreasing past decade low valuation meaningful share buyback program ciscos share price doesnt need grow fast produce good results investors cisco began paying dividend 2011 since become one best dividend stocks technology sector stock yields 34 moment following 24 dividend hike earlier year beating many peers including microsoft intel hewlettpackard enterprise 38 ciscos free cash flow eaten dividends fiscal 2016 leaving company room grow dividend faster rate earnings years come attractive dividend never reason buying stock ciscos case icing cake secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window timothy green opens new window owns shares cisco systems motley fool owns shares recommends arista networks motley fool owns shares microsoft motley fool recommends cisco systems intel try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>TIDMTSCO</p> <p>FORM 8.3</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY</p> <p>A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE</p> <p>Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code")</p> <p>1. KEY INFORMATION</p> <p>(a) Full name of discloser: Majedie</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Asset</p> <p>Management</p> <p>Limited</p> <p>(b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions</p> <p>disclosed, if different from 1(a):</p> <p>The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient.</p> <p>For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries</p> <p>must be named.</p> <p>(c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant</p> <p>securities this form relates: TESCO PLC</p> <p>Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree</p> <p>(d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree,</p> <p>state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:</p> <p>(e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: 30 January</p> <p>For an opening position disclosure, state the latest 2018</p> <p>practicable date prior to the disclosure</p> <p>(f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the No</p> <p>discloser making disclosures in respect of any other</p> <p>party to the offer?</p> <p>If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state</p> <p>"N/A"</p> <p>2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE</p> <p>If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than</p> <p>one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c),</p> <p>copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of</p> <p>relevant security.</p> <p>(a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of</p> <p>the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the</p> <p>dealing (if any)</p> <p>Class of relevant security: ORD 5P</p> <p>Short</p> <p>Interests positions</p> <p>Number % Number %</p> <p>(1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 313,566,650 3.83</p> <p>(2) Cash-settled derivatives:</p> <p>(3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options)</p> <p>and agreements to purchase/sell:</p> <p>TOTAL: 313,566,650 3.83</p> <p>All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.</p> <p>Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded</p> <p>options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should</p> <p>be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).</p> <p>(b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors'</p> <p>and other employee options)</p> <p>Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription</p> <p>right exists:</p> <p>Details, including nature of the rights concerned</p> <p>and relevant percentages:</p> <p>3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE</p> <p>Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant</p> <p>securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b),</p> <p>(c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant</p> <p>security dealt in.</p> <p>The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.</p> <p>(a) Purchases and sales</p> <p>Class of relevant</p> <p>security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit</p> <p>ORD 5P Buy 1,798,583 209.1536</p> <p>ORD 5P Buy 1,053,438 208.9771</p> <p>(b) Cash-settled derivative transactions</p> <p>Class of Product description Nature of dealing Number of Price</p> <p>relevant e.g. CFD e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing reference per</p> <p>security a long/short position securities unit</p> <p>(c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)</p> <p>(i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying</p> <p>Class of Product Writing, Number of Exercise Type Expiry Option</p> <p>relevant description purchasing, securities price e.g. American, European etc. date money</p> <p>security e.g. call selling, to which per paid/</p> <p>option varying option unit received</p> <p>etc. relates per</p> <p>unit</p> <p>(ii) Exercise</p> <p>Class of Product description Exercising/ Number of Exercise</p> <p>relevant e.g. call option exercised securities price per</p> <p>security against unit</p> <p>(d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)</p> <p>Class of relevant Nature of dealing Details Price per unit</p> <p>security e.g. subscription, conversion (if applicable)</p> <p>4. OTHER INFORMATION</p> <p>(a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements</p> <p>Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or</p> <p>any agreement or understanding, formal or informal,</p> <p>relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement</p> <p>to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the</p> <p>person making the disclosure and any party to the</p> <p>offer or any person acting in concert with a party</p> <p>to the offer:</p> <p>Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should</p> <p>not be included. If there are no such agreements,</p> <p>arrangements or understandings, state "none"</p> <p>None</p> <p>(b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to</p> <p>options or derivatives</p> <p>Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding,</p> <p>formal or informal, between the person making the</p> <p>disclosure and any other person relating to:</p> <p>(i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under</p> <p>any option; or</p> <p>(ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal</p> <p>of any relevant securities to which any derivative</p> <p>is referenced:</p> <p>If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings,</p> <p>state "none"</p> <p>None</p> <p>(c) Attachments</p> <p>Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO</p> <p>Date of disclosure: 31 January 2018</p> <p>Contact name: James Tanqueray</p> <p>Telephone number: 0207 618 3900</p> <p>Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory</p> <p>Information Service.</p> <p>The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in</p> <p>relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.</p> <p>The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at</p> <p>www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.</p> <p>This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf</p> <p>of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.</p> <p>The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely</p> <p>responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information</p> <p>contained therein.</p> <p>Source: Majedie Asset Management Ltd via Globenewswire</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>January 31, 2018 05:40 ET (10:40 GMT)</p>

tidmtsco form 83 continue reading public opening position disclosuredealing disclosure person interests relevant securities representing 1 rule 83 takeover code code 1 key information full name discloser majedie advertisement asset management limited b owner controller interests short positions disclosed different 1a naming nominee vehicle companies insufficient trust trustees settlor beneficiaries must named c name offerorofferee relation whose relevant securities form relates tesco plc use separate form offerorofferee exempt fund manager connected offerorofferee state specify identity offerorofferee e date position helddealing undertaken 30 january opening position disclosure state latest 2018 practicable date prior disclosure f addition company 1c discloser making disclosures respect party offer cash offer possible cash offer state na 2 positions person making disclosure positions rights subscribe disclose one class relevant securities offeror offeree named 1c copy table 2a b appropriate additional class relevant security interests short positions relevant securities offeror offeree disclosure relates following dealing class relevant security ord 5p short interests positions number number 1 relevant securities owned andor controlled 313566650 383 2 cashsettled derivatives 3 stocksettled derivatives including options agreements purchasesell total 313566650 383 interests short positions disclosed details open stocksettled derivative positions including traded options agreements purchase sell relevant securities given supplemental form 8 open positions b rights subscribe new securities including directors employee options class relevant security relation subscription right exists details including nature rights concerned relevant percentages 3 dealings person making disclosure dealings one class relevant securities offeror offeree named 1c copy table 3a b c appropriate additional class relevant security dealt currency prices monetary amounts stated purchases sales class relevant security purchasesale number securities price per unit ord 5p buy 1798583 2091536 ord 5p buy 1053438 2089771 b cashsettled derivative transactions class product description nature dealing number price relevant eg cfd eg openingclosing longshort position increasingreducing reference per security longshort position securities unit c stocksettled derivative transactions including options writing selling purchasing varying class product writing number exercise type expiry option relevant description purchasing securities price eg american european etc date money security eg call selling per paid option varying option unit received etc relates per unit ii exercise class product description exercising number exercise relevant eg call option exercised securities price per security unit dealings including subscribing new securities class relevant nature dealing details price per unit security eg subscription conversion applicable 4 information indemnity dealing arrangements details indemnity option arrangement agreement understanding formal informal relating relevant securities may inducement deal refrain dealing entered person making disclosure party offer person acting concert party offer irrevocable commitments letters intent included agreements arrangements understandings state none none b agreements arrangements understandings relating options derivatives details agreement arrangement understanding formal informal person making disclosure person relating voting rights relevant securities option ii voting rights future acquisition disposal relevant securities derivative referenced agreements arrangements understandings state none none c attachments supplemental form 8 open positions attached date disclosure 31 january 2018 contact name james tanqueray telephone number 0207 618 3900 public disclosures rule 8 code must made regulatory information service panels market surveillance unit available consultation relation codes disclosure requirements 44 020 7638 0129 code viewed panels website wwwthetakeoverpanelorguk announcement distributed nasdaq corporate solutions behalf nasdaq corporate solutions clients issuer announcement warrants solely responsible content accuracy originality information contained therein source majedie asset management ltd via globenewswire end dow jones newswires january 31 2018 0540 et 1040 gmt

<p /> <p>The best investment for some biotechs in 2016 was in themselves. Many biopharmaceutical companies bought back significant numbers of shares this year. But which of these biotech buybacks holds the potential to provide the biggest bang for the buck for investors? Here's why AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG), and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) stand at the top of the list.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images</p> <p>AbbVie's board of directors announced a $4 billion increase of its stock-repurchase program in April. That hefty buyback wasn't just to scoop up shares at a good price, though. Instead, AbbVie bought back shares as part of its acquisition of Stemcentrx.</p> <p>The Stemcentrx price tag totaled $5.8 billion. AbbVie paid around $2 billion in cash but funded the rest of the transaction with stock. There's where the $4 billion additional share buyback came into play.AbbVie took a similar approach with its 2015 acquisition of Pharmacyclics.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>After these deals, AbbVie still had $2.1 billion left in its stock repurchase authorization at the end of September. Spending that money to buy additional shares could be a smart move, considering AbbVie's low forward earnings multiple and growth opportunities.</p> <p>It remains to be seen whether AbbVie's buyback to help fund the acquisition of Stemcentrx will prove to be a good investment. Some analysts weren't impressed with preliminary clinical results from the main drug picked up in that acquisition, Rova-T. However, AbbVie thinks the cancer drug will be a huge success and ultimately generate peak annual sales around $5 billion. If the company is right, AbbVie's 2016 share buybacks should pay off in a big way.</p> <p>Celgene announced in June that its board had authorized an additional $3 billion in share buybacks. This amount was added to $2.3 billion remaining from a previous authorization. Since 2009, Celgene's stock repurchase program has totaled $20.5 billion.</p> <p>During the first three quarters of 2016, Celgene bought back a little over $2 billion of its stock. With Wall Street expecting the biotech to grow annual earnings by nearly 23% on average over the next five years, that could prove to be a great investment.</p> <p>Revlimid should be a big driver of Celgene's growth, just as it has for the last several years. Celgene should continue its dominance in the blood-disease space with Revlimid, Pomalyst, and pipeline candidates likeluspatercept.</p> <p>However, the biotech has also become a significant force in the autoimmune-disease market, which should be another growth opportunity. Sales for Otezla soared nearly 147% in the first nine months of 2016 compared with the prior-year period. The company also has solid pipeline prospects with GED-0301 and ozanimod.</p> <p>Gilead Sciences wins the prize for the biggest share buybacks. The company's board approved a $15 billion stock-repurchase program in 2015 and authorized another $12 billion this year. During the first three quarters of 2016, Gilead bought back $10 billion of its shares.</p> <p>It's probably fair to say that Gilead's stock repurchases qualify as bargain-barrel buys. The company's shares have traded below eight times earnings for most of the year. That's very low for a biotech, especially one with Gilead's impressive cash flow.</p> <p>Some might look at Gilead's challenges with Harvoni and Sovaldi sales declining and question the biotech's future prospects. I think that's a myopic view. Gilead's HIV franchise is still strong, particularly Genvoya. New hepatitis C drug Epclusa is on track to be the biotech's next blockbuster.</p> <p>Although Gilead has experienced some clinical setbacks this year, its pipeline looks pretty good overall. Anti-inflammatory candidate filgotinib and Gilead's nonalcoholic steatohepatitis program are especially promising.With $31.6 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities at its disposal, Gilead seems likely to bolster its pipeline through acquisitions in 2017.</p> <p>Which of these three biotech stocks are most likely to enjoy the biggest bang in 2017? My pick would be Celgene. Its growth story is compelling. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Gilead bounces back in a significant way next year. The stock is dirt cheap. Acquisitions and positive pipeline news could be significant catalysts.</p> <p>That being said, I like all three of these biotechs. I also like that they're buying back shares. That should mean good news for investors over the long run.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Celgene When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=cd23a181-a199-492c-93b0-18dc2a691b87&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Celgene wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=cd23a181-a199-492c-93b0-18dc2a691b87&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of Nov. 7, 2016</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Celgene and Gilead Sciences. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Celgene and Gilead Sciences. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

best investment biotechs 2016 many biopharmaceutical companies bought back significant numbers shares year biotech buybacks holds potential provide biggest bang buck investors heres abbvie nyse abbv celgene nasdaq celg gilead sciences nasdaq gild stand top list continue reading image source getty images abbvies board directors announced 4 billion increase stockrepurchase program april hefty buyback wasnt scoop shares good price though instead abbvie bought back shares part acquisition stemcentrx stemcentrx price tag totaled 58 billion abbvie paid around 2 billion cash funded rest transaction stock theres 4 billion additional share buyback came playabbvie took similar approach 2015 acquisition pharmacyclics advertisement deals abbvie still 21 billion left stock repurchase authorization end september spending money buy additional shares could smart move considering abbvies low forward earnings multiple growth opportunities remains seen whether abbvies buyback help fund acquisition stemcentrx prove good investment analysts werent impressed preliminary clinical results main drug picked acquisition rovat however abbvie thinks cancer drug huge success ultimately generate peak annual sales around 5 billion company right abbvies 2016 share buybacks pay big way celgene announced june board authorized additional 3 billion share buybacks amount added 23 billion remaining previous authorization since 2009 celgenes stock repurchase program totaled 205 billion first three quarters 2016 celgene bought back little 2 billion stock wall street expecting biotech grow annual earnings nearly 23 average next five years could prove great investment revlimid big driver celgenes growth last several years celgene continue dominance blooddisease space revlimid pomalyst pipeline candidates likeluspatercept however biotech also become significant force autoimmunedisease market another growth opportunity sales otezla soared nearly 147 first nine months 2016 compared prioryear period company also solid pipeline prospects ged0301 ozanimod gilead sciences wins prize biggest share buybacks companys board approved 15 billion stockrepurchase program 2015 authorized another 12 billion year first three quarters 2016 gilead bought back 10 billion shares probably fair say gileads stock repurchases qualify bargainbarrel buys companys shares traded eight times earnings year thats low biotech especially one gileads impressive cash flow might look gileads challenges harvoni sovaldi sales declining question biotechs future prospects think thats myopic view gileads hiv franchise still strong particularly genvoya new hepatitis c drug epclusa track biotechs next blockbuster although gilead experienced clinical setbacks year pipeline looks pretty good overall antiinflammatory candidate filgotinib gileads nonalcoholic steatohepatitis program especially promisingwith 316 billion cash cash equivalents marketable securities disposal gilead seems likely bolster pipeline acquisitions 2017 three biotech stocks likely enjoy biggest bang 2017 pick would celgene growth story compelling however wouldnt surprised gilead bounces back significant way next year stock dirt cheap acquisitions positive pipeline news could significant catalysts said like three biotechs also like theyre buying back shares mean good news investors long run 10 stocks like better celgene investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right celgene wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns nov 7 2016 keith speights opens new window owns shares celgene gilead sciences motley fool owns shares recommends celgene gilead sciences try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>The 270-152 roll call Wednesday by which the House passed a bill to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The bill now goes to President Barack Obama, who has threatened a veto.</p> <p>A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the measure.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Voting yes were 29 Democrats and 241 Republicans.</p> <p>Voting no were 151 Democrats and 1 Republican.</p> <p>X denotes those not voting.</p> <p>There are 2 vacancies in the 435-member House.</p> <p>ALABAMA</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Democrats - Sewell, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Aderholt, Y; Brooks, Y; Byrne, Y; Palmer, Y; Roby, Y; Rogers, Y.</p> <p>ALASKA</p> <p>Republicans - Young, Y.</p> <p>ARIZONA</p> <p>Democrats - Gallego, N; Grijalva, N; Kirkpatrick, N; Sinema, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Franks, Y; Gosar, Y; McSally, Y; Salmon, Y; Schweikert, Y.</p> <p>ARKANSAS</p> <p>Republicans - Crawford, Y; Hill, Y; Westerman, Y; Womack, Y.</p> <p>CALIFORNIA</p> <p>Democrats - Aguilar, N; Bass, N; Becerra, N; Bera, N; Brownley, N; Capps, N; Cardenas, N; Chu, N; Costa, Y; Davis, N; DeSaulnier, N; Eshoo, N; Farr, N; Garamendi, N; Hahn, N; Honda, N; Huffman, N; Lee, X; Lieu, N; Lofgren, N; Lowenthal, N; Matsui, N; McNerney, N; Napolitano, N; Pelosi, N; Peters, N; Roybal-Allard, N; Ruiz, X; Sanchez, Linda T., N; Sanchez, Loretta, X; Schiff, N; Sherman, N; Speier, N; Swalwell, N; Takano, N; Thompson, N; Torres, N; Vargas, N; Waters, Maxine, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Calvert, Y; Cook, Y; Denham, Y; Hunter, Y; Issa, Y; Knight, Y; LaMalfa, Y; McCarthy, Y; McClintock, Y; Nunes, Y; Rohrabacher, Y; Royce, Y; Valadao, Y; Walters, Mimi, Y.</p> <p>COLORADO</p> <p>Democrats - DeGette, N; Perlmutter, N; Polis, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Buck, Y; Coffman, Y; Lamborn, Y; Tipton, Y.</p> <p>CONNECTICUT</p> <p>Democrats - Courtney, N; DeLauro, N; Esty, N; Himes, N; Larson, N.</p> <p>DELAWARE</p> <p>Democrats - Carney, N.</p> <p>FLORIDA</p> <p>Democrats - Brown, N; Castor, N; Deutch, N; Frankel, N; Graham, Y; Grayson, N; Hastings, N; Murphy, Y; Wasserman Schultz, N; Wilson, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Bilirakis, Y; Buchanan, Y; Clawson, Y; Crenshaw, Y; Curbelo, Y; DeSantis, Y; Diaz-Balart, Y; Jolly, Y; Mica, Y; Miller, Y; Nugent, Y; Posey, Y; Rooney, Y; Ros-Lehtinen, Y; Ross, Y; Webster, Y; Yoho, Y.</p> <p>GEORGIA</p> <p>Democrats - Bishop, Y; Johnson, N; Lewis, N; Scott, David, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Allen, Y; Carter, Y; Collins, Y; Graves, Y; Hice, Y; Loudermilk, Y; Price, Y; Scott, Austin, Y; Westmoreland, Y; Woodall, Y.</p> <p>HAWAII</p> <p>Democrats - Gabbard, N; Takai, N.</p> <p>IDAHO</p> <p>Republicans - Labrador, Y; Simpson, Y.</p> <p>ILLINOIS</p> <p>Democrats - Bustos, Y; Davis, Danny, N; Duckworth, X; Foster, N; Gutierrez, N; Kelly, N; Lipinski, Y; Quigley, N; Rush, N; Schakowsky, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Bost, Y; Davis, Rodney, Y; Dold, Y; Hultgren, Y; Kinzinger, Y; Roskam, Y; Schock, Y; Shimkus, Y.</p> <p>INDIANA</p> <p>Democrats - Carson, N; Visclosky, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Brooks, Y; Bucshon, Y; Messer, Y; Rokita, Y; Stutzman, Y; Walorski, Y; Young, Y.</p> <p>IOWA</p> <p>Democrats - Loebsack, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Blum, Y; King, Y; Young, Y.</p> <p>KANSAS</p> <p>Republicans - Huelskamp, Y; Jenkins, Y; Pompeo, Y; Yoder, Y.</p> <p>KENTUCKY</p> <p>Democrats - Yarmuth, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Barr, Y; Guthrie, Y; Massie, Y; Rogers, Y; Whitfield, Y.</p> <p>LOUISIANA</p> <p>Democrats - Richmond, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Abraham, Y; Boustany, Y; Fleming, Y; Graves, Y; Scalise, Y.</p> <p>MAINE</p> <p>Democrats - Pingree, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Poliquin, Y.</p> <p>MARYLAND</p> <p>Democrats - Cummings, N; Delaney, N; Edwards, N; Hoyer, X; Ruppersberger, N; Sarbanes, N; Van Hollen, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Harris, Y.</p> <p>MASSACHUSETTS</p> <p>Democrats - Capuano, N; Clark, N; Keating, N; Kennedy, N; Lynch, N; McGovern, N; Moulton, N; Neal, N; Tsongas, N.</p> <p>MICHIGAN</p> <p>Democrats - Conyers, N; Dingell, N; Kildee, N; Lawrence, N; Levin, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Amash, N; Benishek, Y; Bishop, Y; Huizenga, Y; Miller, Y; Moolenaar, Y; Trott, Y; Upton, Y; Walberg, Y.</p> <p>MINNESOTA</p> <p>Democrats - Ellison, N; McCollum, N; Nolan, Y; Peterson, Y; Walz, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Emmer, Y; Kline, Y; Paulsen, Y.</p> <p>MISSISSIPPI</p> <p>Democrats - Thompson, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Harper, Y; Palazzo, Y.</p> <p>MISSOURI</p> <p>Democrats - Clay, N; Cleaver, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Graves, Y; Hartzler, Y; Long, Y; Luetkemeyer, Y; Smith, Y; Wagner, Y.</p> <p>MONTANA</p> <p>Republicans - Zinke, Y.</p> <p>NEBRASKA</p> <p>Democrats - Ashford, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Fortenberry, Y; Smith, Y.</p> <p>NEVADA</p> <p>Democrats - Titus, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Amodei, Y; Hardy, Y; Heck, Y.</p> <p>NEW HAMPSHIRE</p> <p>Democrats - Kuster, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Guinta, Y.</p> <p>NEW JERSEY</p> <p>Democrats - Norcross, Y; Pallone, N; Pascrell, N; Payne, N; Sires, Y; Watson Coleman, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Frelinghuysen, Y; Garrett, Y; Lance, Y; LoBiondo, Y; MacArthur, Y; Smith, Y.</p> <p>NEW MEXICO</p> <p>Democrats - Lujan Grisham, N; Lujan, Ben Ray, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Pearce, Y.</p> <p>NEW YORK</p> <p>Democrats - Clarke, N; Crowley, N; Engel, N; Higgins, N; Israel, N; Jeffries, N; Lowey, N; Maloney, Carolyn, N; Maloney, Sean, Y; Meeks, N; Meng, N; Nadler, N; Rangel, N; Rice, N; Serrano, N; Slaughter, N; Tonko, N; Velazquez, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Collins, Y; Gibson, Y; Hanna, Y; Katko, Y; King, Y; Reed, Y; Stefanik, Y; Zeldin, Y.</p> <p>NORTH CAROLINA</p> <p>Democrats - Adams, N; Butterfield, N; Price, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Ellmers, Y; Foxx, Y; Holding, Y; Hudson, Y; Jones, Y; McHenry, Y; Meadows, Y; Pittenger, Y; Rouzer, Y; Walker, Y.</p> <p>NORTH DAKOTA</p> <p>Republicans - Cramer, Y.</p> <p>OHIO</p> <p>Democrats - Beatty, N; Fudge, N; Kaptur, X; Ryan, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Boehner, X (the speaker by tradition often does not vote); Chabot, Y; Gibbs, Y; Johnson, Y; Jordan, Y; Joyce, Y; Latta, Y; Renacci, Y; Stivers, Y; Tiberi, Y; Turner, Y; Wenstrup, Y.</p> <p>OKLAHOMA</p> <p>Republicans - Bridenstine, Y; Cole, Y; Lucas, Y; Mullin, Y; Russell, Y.</p> <p>OREGON</p> <p>Democrats - Blumenauer, N; Bonamici, N; DeFazio, N; Schrader, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Walden, Y.</p> <p>PENNSYLVANIA</p> <p>Democrats - Boyle, N; Brady, Y; Cartwright, X; Doyle, Y; Fattah, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Barletta, Y; Costello, Y; Dent, Y; Fitzpatrick, X; Kelly, Y; Marino, Y; Meehan, Y; Murphy, Y; Perry, Y; Pitts, Y; Rothfus, Y; Shuster, Y; Thompson, Y.</p> <p>RHODE ISLAND</p> <p>Democrats - Cicilline, N; Langevin, N.</p> <p>SOUTH CAROLINA</p> <p>Democrats - Clyburn, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Duncan, Y; Gowdy, Y; Mulvaney, Y; Rice, Y; Sanford, Y; Wilson, Y.</p> <p>SOUTH DAKOTA</p> <p>Republicans - Noem, Y.</p> <p>TENNESSEE</p> <p>Democrats - Cohen, N; Cooper, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Black, Y; Blackburn, Y; DesJarlais, Y; Duncan, Y; Fincher, Y; Fleischmann, Y; Roe, X.</p> <p>TEXAS</p> <p>Democrats - Castro, N; Cuellar, Y; Doggett, X; Green, Al, Y; Green, Gene, Y; Hinojosa, Y; Jackson Lee, Y; Johnson, E. B., N; O'Rourke, N; Veasey, Y; Vela, Y.</p> <p>Republicans - Babin, Y; Barton, Y; Brady, Y; Burgess, Y; Carter, Y; Conaway, Y; Culberson, Y; Farenthold, Y; Flores, Y; Gohmert, Y; Granger, Y; Hensarling, Y; Hurd, Y; Johnson, Sam, Y; Marchant, Y; McCaul, Y; Neugebauer, Y; Olson, Y; Poe, Y; Ratcliffe, Y; Sessions, Y; Smith, Y; Thornberry, Y; Weber, Y; Williams, Y.</p> <p>UTAH</p> <p>Republicans - Bishop, Y; Chaffetz, Y; Love, Y; Stewart, Y.</p> <p>VERMONT</p> <p>Democrats - Welch, N.</p> <p>VIRGINIA</p> <p>Democrats - Beyer, N; Connolly, N; Scott, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Brat, Y; Comstock, Y; Forbes, Y; Goodlatte, Y; Griffith, Y; Hurt, Y; Rigell, Y; Wittman, Y.</p> <p>WASHINGTON</p> <p>Democrats - DelBene, N; Heck, N; Kilmer, N; Larsen, N; McDermott, N; Smith, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Herrera Beutler, Y; McMorris Rodgers, Y; Newhouse, Y; Reichert, Y.</p> <p>WEST VIRGINIA</p> <p>Republicans - Jenkins, Y; McKinley, Y; Mooney, Y.</p> <p>WISCONSIN</p> <p>Democrats - Kind, N; Moore, N; Pocan, N.</p> <p>Republicans - Duffy, Y; Grothman, Y; Ribble, Y; Ryan, Y; Sensenbrenner, Y.</p> <p>WYOMING</p> <p>Republicans - Lummis, Y.</p>

270152 roll call wednesday house passed bill construct keystone xl oil pipeline bill goes president barack obama threatened veto yes vote vote pass measure continue reading voting yes 29 democrats 241 republicans voting 151 democrats 1 republican x denotes voting 2 vacancies 435member house alabama advertisement democrats sewell republicans aderholt brooks byrne palmer roby rogers alaska republicans young arizona democrats gallego n grijalva n kirkpatrick n sinema n republicans franks gosar mcsally salmon schweikert arkansas republicans crawford hill westerman womack california democrats aguilar n bass n becerra n bera n brownley n capps n cardenas n chu n costa davis n desaulnier n eshoo n farr n garamendi n hahn n honda n huffman n lee x lieu n lofgren n lowenthal n matsui n mcnerney n napolitano n pelosi n peters n roybalallard n ruiz x sanchez linda n sanchez loretta x schiff n sherman n speier n swalwell n takano n thompson n torres n vargas n waters maxine n republicans calvert cook denham hunter issa knight lamalfa mccarthy mcclintock nunes rohrabacher royce valadao walters mimi colorado democrats degette n perlmutter n polis n republicans buck coffman lamborn tipton connecticut democrats courtney n delauro n esty n himes n larson n delaware democrats carney n florida democrats brown n castor n deutch n frankel n graham grayson n hastings n murphy wasserman schultz n wilson n republicans bilirakis buchanan clawson crenshaw curbelo desantis diazbalart jolly mica miller nugent posey rooney roslehtinen ross webster yoho georgia democrats bishop johnson n lewis n scott david republicans allen carter collins graves hice loudermilk price scott austin westmoreland woodall hawaii democrats gabbard n takai n idaho republicans labrador simpson illinois democrats bustos davis danny n duckworth x foster n gutierrez n kelly n lipinski quigley n rush n schakowsky n republicans bost davis rodney dold hultgren kinzinger roskam schock shimkus indiana democrats carson n visclosky n republicans brooks bucshon messer rokita stutzman walorski young iowa democrats loebsack republicans blum king young kansas republicans huelskamp jenkins pompeo yoder kentucky democrats yarmuth n republicans barr guthrie massie rogers whitfield louisiana democrats richmond republicans abraham boustany fleming graves scalise maine democrats pingree n republicans poliquin maryland democrats cummings n delaney n edwards n hoyer x ruppersberger n sarbanes n van hollen n republicans harris massachusetts democrats capuano n clark n keating n kennedy n lynch n mcgovern n moulton n neal n tsongas n michigan democrats conyers n dingell n kildee n lawrence n levin n republicans amash n benishek bishop huizenga miller moolenaar trott upton walberg minnesota democrats ellison n mccollum n nolan peterson walz republicans emmer kline paulsen mississippi democrats thompson n republicans harper palazzo missouri democrats clay n cleaver n republicans graves hartzler long luetkemeyer smith wagner montana republicans zinke nebraska democrats ashford republicans fortenberry smith nevada democrats titus n republicans amodei hardy heck new hampshire democrats kuster n republicans guinta new jersey democrats norcross pallone n pascrell n payne n sires watson coleman n republicans frelinghuysen garrett lance lobiondo macarthur smith new mexico democrats lujan grisham n lujan ben ray n republicans pearce new york democrats clarke n crowley n engel n higgins n israel n jeffries n lowey n maloney carolyn n maloney sean meeks n meng n nadler n rangel n rice n serrano n slaughter n tonko n velazquez n republicans collins gibson hanna katko king reed stefanik zeldin north carolina democrats adams n butterfield n price n republicans ellmers foxx holding hudson jones mchenry meadows pittenger rouzer walker north dakota republicans cramer ohio democrats beatty n fudge n kaptur x ryan n republicans boehner x speaker tradition often vote chabot gibbs johnson jordan joyce latta renacci stivers tiberi turner wenstrup oklahoma republicans bridenstine cole lucas mullin russell oregon democrats blumenauer n bonamici n defazio n schrader republicans walden pennsylvania democrats boyle n brady cartwright x doyle fattah n republicans barletta costello dent fitzpatrick x kelly marino meehan murphy perry pitts rothfus shuster thompson rhode island democrats cicilline n langevin n south carolina democrats clyburn republicans duncan gowdy mulvaney rice sanford wilson south dakota republicans noem tennessee democrats cohen n cooper republicans black blackburn desjarlais duncan fincher fleischmann roe x texas democrats castro n cuellar doggett x green al green gene hinojosa jackson lee johnson e b n orourke n veasey vela republicans babin barton brady burgess carter conaway culberson farenthold flores gohmert granger hensarling hurd johnson sam marchant mccaul neugebauer olson poe ratcliffe sessions smith thornberry weber williams utah republicans bishop chaffetz love stewart vermont democrats welch n virginia democrats beyer n connolly n scott n republicans brat comstock forbes goodlatte griffith hurt rigell wittman washington democrats delbene n heck n kilmer n larsen n mcdermott n smith n republicans herrera beutler mcmorris rodgers newhouse reichert west virginia republicans jenkins mckinley mooney wisconsin democrats kind n moore n pocan n republicans duffy grothman ribble ryan sensenbrenner wyoming republicans lummis

<p /> <p>When shopping for a new home, most buyers want to know about the outdoor space. For some, it&#8217;s a top requirement. They love to garden, sunbathe or just enjoy being outdoors. For others, it&#8217;s an afterthought or a &#8220;nice to have.&#8221; And outdoor space may even be a turn-off.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Some millennial buyers may take one look at gardens or landscaping and think: &#8220;It&#8217;s too much work,&#8221; or &#8220;it&#8217;s too expensive to maintain.&#8221;</p> <p>Here&#8217;s a look at the factors that can determine the value of your outdoor space.</p> <p>Big cities = Big Premiums for Outdoor Space</p> <p>Supply and demand can make your outdoor space extremely valuable, especially if you live in a big city such as New York, where private outdoor spaces are few and far between and therefore something to be coveted. For example,&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.zillow.com/new-york-ny/" type="external">New York City apartments Opens a New Window.</a> with a deeded, usable outdoor space often sell for considerably more than the same apartment without the highly sought-after outdoor access.</p> <p>Other Factors that can Determine Value</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Even in New York, however, it can be extremely difficult for real estate agents to estimate a specific value on a property&#8217;s outdoor space because so many variables are at play. Those factors include:</p> <p>Accessibility</p> <p>The key word when identifying the value of outdoor space is accessibility, meaning the space is easily accessible from the house and can be enjoyed most of the year. Usable outdoor space definitely helps sell a property. If you&#8217;re a seller and you&#8217;ve got the goods, make the extra effort to showcase your deck, yard, patio or balcony.</p> <p>Often, the most valuable outdoor spaces are accessible directly from the best parts of the home, such as the kitchen/living area or the great room/media room. These are the places where people tend to hang out the most. Having an outdoor space directly off a communal, desirable part of the house serves as an extension of that living area. And when designed correctly, it will give the inside living area the appearance of more square footage.</p> <p>If your outdoor space is detached from the property, you should still point it out to potential buyers. Some examples would include a backyard one floor below a condo or a rooftop terrace to which you have rights but no easy access. Just realize buyers aren&#8217;t likely to pay as much for your place as they might for a similarly configured property offering direct, easy outdoor access.</p> <p>Views</p> <p>Is there a beautiful city view from your outdoor space? Does the backyard overlook or even connect to a lake? If so, the space is likely to add considerable value to your property.</p> <p>Condition</p> <p>Like anything else in real estate, a beautifully maintained outdoor space can add value to your property, particularly among buyers who covet outdoor space. On the flip side, a weedy, unkempt backyard is a turn-off to just about everybody.</p> <p>Trees</p> <p>Are there lots of trees on your property? If so, be aware of the pros and cons. Depending upon where you live, the trees may appeal to some buyers who like a lot of greenery and appreciate the shade the trees cast over the house (which can help reduce air-conditioning bills). Trees can also provide a certain measure of privacy.</p> <p>Other buyers may see the trees as potential hazards, especially in areas prone to high winds and ice storms. Does a&amp;#160;neighbor&#8217;s tree tower over your house? This could be another turn-off. In this case, you might consider negotiating with the neighbor to have the tree trimmed or even removed.</p> <p>Privacy</p> <p>The more privacy the outdoor space affords, the more attractive it will be. In dense urban areas, you may be able to increase the outdoor space&#8217;s privacy and attractiveness by putting up a trellis and training vines to grow over it.</p> <p>Amenities</p> <p>Some homeowners in recent years have installed amenities such as outdoor bars and wood-fired ovens. Will these amenities add to the home&#8217;s resale value? It&#8217;s possible. But to be safe, you should consider them an investment in your enjoyment of the outdoor space.</p> <p>When you&#8217;re ready to sell, spend some time staging and prepping your outdoor space. Much like giving the front of your home curb appeal, pay extra attention to the outdoor spaces. People love to entertain, especially during the warmer months. So it&#8217;s important to show potential buyers how they can live and use this space.</p> <p>Read More from Zillow:</p> <p>Brendon DeSimone is the author of &#8220; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-Estate-Brendon-DeSimone-ebook/dp/B00HZ4DZ2E" type="external">Next Generation Real Estate: New Rules for Smarter Home Buying &amp;amp; Faster Selling Opens a New Window.</a>,&#8221; the go-to insider&#8217;s guide for navigating and better understanding the complex and ever-evolving world of buying and selling a home. DeSimone is the founder and principal of DeSimone &amp;amp; Co, an independent <a href="http://www.brendondesimone.com/real-estate-nyc/" type="external">NYC real estate Opens a New Window.</a> brokerage providing individualized services and a fresh, hands-on approach. Bringing more than a decade of residential real estate experience, DeSimone is a recognized national real estate expert and has appeared on top media outlets including CNBC, Good Morning America, HGTV, FOX News, Bloomberg and FOX Business. Consumers often call on Brendon for advice and to help them <a href="http://www.brendondesimone.com/how-to-find-a-real-estate-agent/" type="external">find a real estate agent Opens a New Window.</a>. You can follow him on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/brendondesimone" type="external">Twitter Opens a New Window.</a> or <a href="https://plus.google.com/107245760115680999593" type="external">Google Plus Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.</p>

shopping new home buyers want know outdoor space top requirement love garden sunbathe enjoy outdoors others afterthought nice outdoor space may even turnoff continue reading millennial buyers may take one look gardens landscaping think much work expensive maintain heres look factors determine value outdoor space big cities big premiums outdoor space supply demand make outdoor space extremely valuable especially live big city new york private outdoor spaces far therefore something coveted example160 new york city apartments opens new window deeded usable outdoor space often sell considerably apartment without highly soughtafter outdoor access factors determine value advertisement even new york however extremely difficult real estate agents estimate specific value propertys outdoor space many variables play factors include accessibility key word identifying value outdoor space accessibility meaning space easily accessible house enjoyed year usable outdoor space definitely helps sell property youre seller youve got goods make extra effort showcase deck yard patio balcony often valuable outdoor spaces accessible directly best parts home kitchenliving area great roommedia room places people tend hang outdoor space directly communal desirable part house serves extension living area designed correctly give inside living area appearance square footage outdoor space detached property still point potential buyers examples would include backyard one floor condo rooftop terrace rights easy access realize buyers arent likely pay much place might similarly configured property offering direct easy outdoor access views beautiful city view outdoor space backyard overlook even connect lake space likely add considerable value property condition like anything else real estate beautifully maintained outdoor space add value property particularly among buyers covet outdoor space flip side weedy unkempt backyard turnoff everybody trees lots trees property aware pros cons depending upon live trees may appeal buyers like lot greenery appreciate shade trees cast house help reduce airconditioning bills trees also provide certain measure privacy buyers may see trees potential hazards especially areas prone high winds ice storms a160neighbors tree tower house could another turnoff case might consider negotiating neighbor tree trimmed even removed privacy privacy outdoor space affords attractive dense urban areas may able increase outdoor spaces privacy attractiveness putting trellis training vines grow amenities homeowners recent years installed amenities outdoor bars woodfired ovens amenities add homes resale value possible safe consider investment enjoyment outdoor space youre ready sell spend time staging prepping outdoor space much like giving front home curb appeal pay extra attention outdoor spaces people love entertain especially warmer months important show potential buyers live use space read zillow brendon desimone author next generation real estate new rules smarter home buying amp faster selling opens new window goto insiders guide navigating better understanding complex everevolving world buying selling home desimone founder principal desimone amp co independent nyc real estate opens new window brokerage providing individualized services fresh handson approach bringing decade residential real estate experience desimone recognized national real estate expert appeared top media outlets including cnbc good morning america hgtv fox news bloomberg fox business consumers often call brendon advice help find real estate agent opens new window follow twitter opens new window google plus opens new window note views opinions expressed article author necessarily reflect opinion position zillow

<p /> <p>NEW YORK (AP) &#8212; Hollywood effectively took the weekend off, resulting in one of the most dismal box-office results in 16 years.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>An already slow August came to a screeching halt at the multiplex, where no major new releases were unveiled. That left the Samuel Jackson-Ryan Reynolds action-comedy "The Hitman's Bodyguard" to top all films for the second week with an estimated $10.1 million in ticket sales.</p> <p>But the entire slate of films grossed only about $65 million in North America and the top 12 films generated just $49.6 million. There have been similarly slow weekends in recent years, including early September in 2014 and in 2016. But not since September 2001 have the numbers been quite so dreadful.</p> <p>Mid-August through early September is historically the sleepiest time of the year for the movie business, but it's been especially so this year. This August is down a whopping 35 percent from last year, according to comScore. Next week is expected to be just as bad: No new wide releases are scheduled for Labor Day weekend.</p> <p>For many, the weekend's top entertainment option was Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor match. The Fathom Events simulcast of the fight was one of the more popular offerings in theaters, taking in $2.4 million from 481 screens.</p> <p>But the bigger problem was the death of significant releases. The six major studios have released only two new wide-release films this August: Sony's poorly received Stephen King adaptation "The Dark Tower" and Warner Bros.'s successful horror spinoff sequel "Annabelle: Creation." The latter came in second this weekend with $7.4 million, bringing its three-week total to $77.9 million.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The Weinstein Co. animated release "Leap!" was one of the few new films to hit theaters. It earned a scant $5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.</p> <p>"It's a black eye for Hollywood but not a knock-out punch," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. "Make no mistake about it, there was little foot traffic in theaters this weekend. But the story line will change in two weeks when 'It' opens."</p> <p>That second recent King adaptation is the only near light on the horizon for theaters, which are struggling through the lowest-grossing summers in years. ComScore estimates that this will be the first summer in a decade not to cross $4 billion in domestic ticket sales. The summer as a whole is running 14 percent behind last year &#8212; and the deadly quiet August is a big reason.</p> <p>Hurricane Harvey had a minimal effect on nationwide grosses. Instead, mediocre offerings were largely to blame. The Bruce Lee homage "Birth of the Dragon" opened with $2.5 million in 1,618 theaters for BH Tilt and WWE Studios. The low-budget Sony Christian film "All Saints" took in $1.6 million from 846 theaters.</p> <p>One of the few bright spots on the weekend was the expansion of the Weinstein Co.'s "Wind River," Taylor Sheridan's thriller set on an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The Jeremy Renner-led film expanded to 2,095 theaters and earned $4.1 million in its fourth weekend.</p> <p>Steven Soderbergh's heist comedy "Logan Lucky" also held well in its second week, taking in $4.4 million. The film's $15 million two-week total, though, isn't the movie industry game-changer&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/unretired-soderbergh-wants-to-pull-a-fast-one-on-hollywood/2017/08/15/2f1c01dc-81e4-11e7-9e7a-20fa8d7a0db6_story.html?utm_term=.886b82d018d1" type="external">its makers hoped it would be Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;.</p> <p>With so little action, Warner Bros. put one of the summer's biggest hits &#8212; "Wonder Woman" &#8212; back into theaters ahead of its home entertainment release. It added $1.7 million, or about three times what the 3-D restoration of James Cameron's "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" made in 563 locations. Cameron&amp;#160;was much criticized last week&amp;#160;for comments he made about the feminist credentials of "Wonder Woman."</p> <p>Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.</p> <p>1. "The Hitman's Bodyguard," $10 million ($9.1 million international).</p> <p>2. "Annabelle: Creation," $7.4 million ($22 million international).</p> <p>3. "Leap!" $5 million.</p> <p>4. "Wind River," $4.4 million.</p> <p>5. "Logan Lucky," $4.4 million ($1.6 million international).</p> <p>6. "Dunkirk," $4 million ($5.6 million international).</p> <p>7. "Spider-man: Homecoming," $2.7 million ($2.8 million international).</p> <p>8. "Birth of the Dragon," $2.5 million.</p> <p>9. "Mayweather vs. McGregor," $2.4 millon.</p> <p>10. "The Emoji Movie," $2.4 million ($7.2 million international).</p> <p>___</p> <p>Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore</p> <p>1. "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets," $32.8 million.</p> <p>2. "Annabelle Creation," $22 million.</p> <p>3. "Wolf Warrior 2," $15.8 million.</p> <p>4. "Baby Driver," $15.3 million.</p> <p>5. "Cars 3," $13.4 million.</p> <p>6. "Despicable Me 3," $12.6 million.</p> <p>7. "The Dark Tower," $9.6 million.</p> <p>8. "The Hitman's Bodyguard," $9.1 million.</p> <p>9. "The Emoji Movie," $7.2 million.</p> <p>10. "War for the Planet of the Apes," $7 million.</p>

new york ap hollywood effectively took weekend resulting one dismal boxoffice results 16 years continue reading already slow august came screeching halt multiplex major new releases unveiled left samuel jacksonryan reynolds actioncomedy hitmans bodyguard top films second week estimated 101 million ticket sales entire slate films grossed 65 million north america top 12 films generated 496 million similarly slow weekends recent years including early september 2014 2016 since september 2001 numbers quite dreadful midaugust early september historically sleepiest time year movie business especially year august whopping 35 percent last year according comscore next week expected bad new wide releases scheduled labor day weekend many weekends top entertainment option saturday nights floyd mayweatherconor mcgregor match fathom events simulcast fight one popular offerings theaters taking 24 million 481 screens bigger problem death significant releases six major studios released two new widerelease films august sonys poorly received stephen king adaptation dark tower warner bross successful horror spinoff sequel annabelle creation latter came second weekend 74 million bringing threeweek total 779 million advertisement weinstein co animated release leap one new films hit theaters earned scant 5 million according studio estimates sunday black eye hollywood knockout punch said paul dergarabedian senior media analyst comscore make mistake little foot traffic theaters weekend story line change two weeks opens second recent king adaptation near light horizon theaters struggling lowestgrossing summers years comscore estimates first summer decade cross 4 billion domestic ticket sales summer whole running 14 percent behind last year deadly quiet august big reason hurricane harvey minimal effect nationwide grosses instead mediocre offerings largely blame bruce lee homage birth dragon opened 25 million 1618 theaters bh tilt wwe studios lowbudget sony christian film saints took 16 million 846 theaters one bright spots weekend expansion weinstein cos wind river taylor sheridans thriller set indian reservation wyoming jeremy rennerled film expanded 2095 theaters earned 41 million fourth weekend steven soderberghs heist comedy logan lucky also held well second week taking 44 million films 15 million twoweek total though isnt movie industry gamechanger160 makers hoped would opens new window160 little action warner bros put one summers biggest hits wonder woman back theaters ahead home entertainment release added 17 million three times 3d restoration james camerons terminator 2 judgment day made 563 locations cameron160was much criticized last week160for comments made feminist credentials wonder woman estimated ticket sales friday sunday us canadian theaters according comscore available latest international numbers also included final domestic figures released monday 1 hitmans bodyguard 10 million 91 million international 2 annabelle creation 74 million 22 million international 3 leap 5 million 4 wind river 44 million 5 logan lucky 44 million 16 million international 6 dunkirk 4 million 56 million international 7 spiderman homecoming 27 million 28 million international 8 birth dragon 25 million 9 mayweather vs mcgregor 24 millon 10 emoji movie 24 million 72 million international ___ estimated ticket sales friday sunday international theaters excluding us canada according comscore 1 valerian city thousand planets 328 million 2 annabelle creation 22 million 3 wolf warrior 2 158 million 4 baby driver 153 million 5 cars 3 134 million 6 despicable 3 126 million 7 dark tower 96 million 8 hitmans bodyguard 91 million 9 emoji movie 72 million 10 war planet apes 7 million

<p /> <p>The past few weeks have seen shares of Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM) advance over 25% on speculation that the company might sell itself. Jana Partners took an 8.8% position in the company, and there are rumors that Amazon andKroger (NYSE: KR) could be potential suitors.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>It wouldn't be shocking to see such a move. Over the past decade, the industry has seen massive consolidation: Harris Teeter, Roundy's, Safeway, and Supervalu's grocery stores have all gone private or been acquired. And they all went for premium prices.</p> <p>Image source: Pixabay</p> <p>But an acquisition is far from a sure thing. And potential acquirers and shareholders alike have a host of issues to worry about. These are the three biggest.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Let's go back 10 years. In 2007, some chains were dipping their toes in the organic pool, but tepidly. Then, the Great Recession hit and all the interest in the niche went out the window. While Whole Foods had its own struggles, it was a huge benefactor: it had the entire organic sandbox to itself.</p> <p>That was critical, because it meant booming business once the economy started recovering. Grocery stores are normally pleased to see comparable store sales (comps) grow slightly ahead of inflation, but from 2010 to 2013 Whole Foods crushed these expectations.</p> <p>Data source: Annual Reports</p> <p>That success, however, didn't go unnoticed. Competition soon followed: Costco, Wal-Mart and -- most importantly with its private label -- Kroger all became huge vendors of organic fare.</p> <p>Just as importantly, they were doing it cheaper than Whole Foods. Back in 2011, while Whole Foods had a reputation for high prices, it still offered organic goods for <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/07/05/this-dividend-stock-will-help-you-retire.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">less Opens a New Window.</a>than the competition. But just two years later, that advantage had <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/05/09/whole-foods-stock-still-worth-every-penny.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">vanished Opens a New Window.</a> into thin air.</p> <p>The problem was simple: commoditization. There's nothing Whole Foods does that other grocers can't. As demand for organic goods has grown, more and more farmers around the world have signed on. But they aren't all beholden to Whole Foods, and if the Krogers of the world can offer the same thing for less money -- and they have far more convenient locations to shop at -- then Whole Foods is plumb out of luck.</p> <p>That's exactly what's happened at the company.</p> <p>Data source: Annual Reports</p> <p>In the fact, one recent analyst estimated that Whole Foods had lost 14 million customers over the past 18 months, mostly to Krogers.</p> <p>Whole Foods rightly earned the "Whole Paycheck" moniker. For a long time, that wasn't a bad thing: the company enjoyed profit margins other grocers could only dream of. After the cost of goods, employee salaries, real estate, electricity, and everything else involved in running a store are factored in, the average grocer will be lucky if it can pocket $0.02 for every dollar spent as profit -- a 2% margin.</p> <p>But Whole Foods routinely doubled that mark. Once competition came in, however, the company got serious about "investments in price." That's Wall Street talk for simply lowering the prices of your goods. When you combine that dip with slower traffic, this is what happens to your profit margins.</p> <p>Data source: Annual and quarterly reports. MRQ=Most Recent Quarter</p> <p>In essence, this means that the amount of cash Whole Foods gets to keep as profit has dipped over 50% since 2013!</p> <p>At the same time, management has made odd long-term financial decisions. After eschewing debt following the Great Recession, the company decided to take on $1 billion in low-interest loans. Obviously, that could help expand the pace of store openings, and perhaps be used for nationwide marketing.</p> <p>Instead, it was used for dividends and share buybacks. Even as a former shareholder, that was a real head-scratcher. It seemed the company was more focused on propping up the stock for the short-term than in creating long-term value.</p> <p>Perhaps there was dissent in the C-Suite over this, because shortly thereafter co-CEO Walter Robb stepped down. That left founder John Mackey (who is also on The Motley Fool's board of directors) as the lone CEO. Since then, he has signaled that instead of trying to gain market share at all costs, Whole Foods would return to focusing on high-end clients.</p> <p>That's probably a good move, as it's the one area where Whole Foods' brand name can function as a moat and differentiator from the competition.</p> <p>Under normal circumstances, I might even consider buying shares. I like the new focus, and the fact that Mackey is calling the shots. However, shares are simply too expensive: they trade for 27 times future earnings, and 29 times trailingfree cash flow. For a company with negative comps, that's far too much.</p> <p>Shareholders might luck out if potential suitors see the situation differently, but if that doesn't happen, there's still a host of problems to worry about as the company undergoes its transition to Whole Foods 2.0.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Whole Foods MarketWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=63d4b340-3fa4-4cfa-8537-d8397dc59278&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Whole Foods Market wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=63d4b340-3fa4-4cfa-8537-d8397dc59278&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of April 3, 2017</p> <p>John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFCheesehead/info.aspx" type="external">Brian Stoffel Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Amazon. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, and Whole Foods Market. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

past weeks seen shares whole foods nasdaq wfm advance 25 speculation company might sell jana partners took 88 position company rumors amazon andkroger nyse kr could potential suitors continue reading wouldnt shocking see move past decade industry seen massive consolidation harris teeter roundys safeway supervalus grocery stores gone private acquired went premium prices image source pixabay acquisition far sure thing potential acquirers shareholders alike host issues worry three biggest advertisement lets go back 10 years 2007 chains dipping toes organic pool tepidly great recession hit interest niche went window whole foods struggles huge benefactor entire organic sandbox critical meant booming business economy started recovering grocery stores normally pleased see comparable store sales comps grow slightly ahead inflation 2010 2013 whole foods crushed expectations data source annual reports success however didnt go unnoticed competition soon followed costco walmart importantly private label kroger became huge vendors organic fare importantly cheaper whole foods back 2011 whole foods reputation high prices still offered organic goods less opens new windowthan competition two years later advantage vanished opens new window thin air problem simple commoditization theres nothing whole foods grocers cant demand organic goods grown farmers around world signed arent beholden whole foods krogers world offer thing less money far convenient locations shop whole foods plumb luck thats exactly whats happened company data source annual reports fact one recent analyst estimated whole foods lost 14 million customers past 18 months mostly krogers whole foods rightly earned whole paycheck moniker long time wasnt bad thing company enjoyed profit margins grocers could dream cost goods employee salaries real estate electricity everything else involved running store factored average grocer lucky pocket 002 every dollar spent profit 2 margin whole foods routinely doubled mark competition came however company got serious investments price thats wall street talk simply lowering prices goods combine dip slower traffic happens profit margins data source annual quarterly reports mrqmost recent quarter essence means amount cash whole foods gets keep profit dipped 50 since 2013 time management made odd longterm financial decisions eschewing debt following great recession company decided take 1 billion lowinterest loans obviously could help expand pace store openings perhaps used nationwide marketing instead used dividends share buybacks even former shareholder real headscratcher seemed company focused propping stock shortterm creating longterm value perhaps dissent csuite shortly thereafter coceo walter robb stepped left founder john mackey also motley fools board directors lone ceo since signaled instead trying gain market share costs whole foods would return focusing highend clients thats probably good move one area whole foods brand name function moat differentiator competition normal circumstances might even consider buying shares like new focus fact mackey calling shots however shares simply expensive trade 27 times future earnings 29 times trailingfree cash flow company negative comps thats far much shareholders might luck potential suitors see situation differently doesnt happen theres still host problems worry company undergoes transition whole foods 20 10 stocks like better whole foods marketwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right whole foods market wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns april 3 2017 john mackey ceo whole foods market member motley fools board directors brian stoffel opens new window owns shares amazon motley fool owns shares recommends amazon costco wholesale whole foods market motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Americans are getting older, but not this old: Social Security records show that 6.5 million people in the U.S. have reached the ripe old age of 112.</p> <p>In reality, only few could possibly be alive. As of last fall, there were only 42 people known to be that old in the entire world.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>But Social Security does not have death records for millions of these people, with the oldest born in 1869, according to a report by the agency's inspector general.</p> <p>Only 13 of the people are still getting Social Security benefits, the report said. But for others, their Social Security numbers are still active, so a number could be used to report wages, open bank accounts, obtain credit cards or claim fraudulent tax refunds.</p> <p>"That is a real problem," said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. "When you have a fake Social Security number, that's what allows you to fraudulently do all kinds things, claim things like the earned income tax credit or other tax benefits."</p> <p>Johnson is chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which plans a hearing Monday on problems with death records maintained by the Social Security Administration.</p> <p>The agency said it is working to improve the accuracy of its death records. But it would be costly and time-consuming to update 6.5 million files that were generated decades ago, when the agency used paper records, said Sean Brune, a senior adviser to the agency's deputy commissioner for budget, finance, quality and management.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>"The records in this review are extremely old, decades-old, and unreliable," Brune said.</p> <p>The internal watchdog's report does not document any fraudulent or improper payments to people using these Social Security numbers. But it raises red flags that it could be happening.</p> <p>For example, nearly 67,000 of the Social Security numbers were used to report more than $3 billion in wages, tips and self-employment income from 2006 to 2011, according to the report. One Social Security number was used 613 different times. An additional 194 numbers were used at least 50 times each.</p> <p>People in the country illegally often use fake or stolen Social Security numbers to get jobs and report wages, as do other people who do not want to be found by the government. Thieves use stolen Social Security numbers to claim fraudulent tax refunds.</p> <p>The IRS estimated it paid out $5.8 billion in fraudulent tax refunds in 2013 because of identity theft. The head of the Justice Department's tax division described how it's done at a recent congressional hearing.</p> <p>"The plan is frighteningly simple - steal Social Security numbers, file tax returns showing a false refund claim, and then have the refunds electronically deposited or sent to an address where the offender can access the refund checks," said acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline Ciraolo.</p> <p>In some cases, she said, false tax returns are filed using Social Security numbers of deceased taxpayers or others who are not required to file.</p> <p>The Social Security Administration generates a list of dead people to help public agencies and private companies know when Social Security numbers are no longer valid for use. The list is called the Death Master File, which includes the name, Social Security number, date of birth and date of death for people who have died.</p> <p>The list is widely used by employers, financial firms, credit reporting agencies and security firms. Federal agencies and state and local governments rely on it to police benefit payments.</p> <p>But none of the 6.5 million people cited by the inspector general's report was on the list. The audit analyzed records as of 2013, looking for people with birth dates before 1901.</p> <p>President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, and the first old-age monthly benefit check was paid in 1940.</p> <p>Many of the people cited in the inspector general's report never received benefits, though they were assigned Social Security numbers so spouses and children could receive them, presumably after they died.</p> <p>The agency says it has corrected death information in more than 200,000 records. But fixing the entire list would be costly and time-consuming because Social Security needs proof that a person is dead to add them to the death list, said Brune, the agency official.</p> <p>Brune noted that the inspector general's report did not verify that any of the 6.5 million people are actually dead. Instead, the report assumed they are dead because of their advanced age.</p> <p>"We can't post information to our records based on presumption," Brune said. "We post information to our records based on evidence, and in this case it would be evidence of a death certificate."</p> <p>"Some of those records may not even exist," Brune added.</p> <p>Nearly all the Social Security numbers are from paper records generated before the agency started using electronic records in 1972, Brune said. Many of the records contain errors, with multiple birthdates and bits of information about different family members.</p> <p>"We did transcribe paper records into the electronic system and over time that information's been purified," Brune said.</p> <p>"But our focus right now is to make sure our data is as accurate and complete as it can be for our current program purpose," said Brune. "Right now, we're focused on making sure we're paying beneficiaries properly, and that's how we're investing our resources at this time."</p> <p>___</p> <p>Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap</p>

americans getting older old social security records show 65 million people us reached ripe old age 112 reality could possibly alive last fall 42 people known old entire world continue reading social security death records millions people oldest born 1869 according report agencys inspector general 13 people still getting social security benefits report said others social security numbers still active number could used report wages open bank accounts obtain credit cards claim fraudulent tax refunds real problem said sen ron johnson rwis fake social security number thats allows fraudulently kinds things claim things like earned income tax credit tax benefits johnson chairman senate committee homeland security governmental affairs plans hearing monday problems death records maintained social security administration agency said working improve accuracy death records would costly timeconsuming update 65 million files generated decades ago agency used paper records said sean brune senior adviser agencys deputy commissioner budget finance quality management advertisement records review extremely old decadesold unreliable brune said internal watchdogs report document fraudulent improper payments people using social security numbers raises red flags could happening example nearly 67000 social security numbers used report 3 billion wages tips selfemployment income 2006 2011 according report one social security number used 613 different times additional 194 numbers used least 50 times people country illegally often use fake stolen social security numbers get jobs report wages people want found government thieves use stolen social security numbers claim fraudulent tax refunds irs estimated paid 58 billion fraudulent tax refunds 2013 identity theft head justice departments tax division described done recent congressional hearing plan frighteningly simple steal social security numbers file tax returns showing false refund claim refunds electronically deposited sent address offender access refund checks said acting assistant attorney general caroline ciraolo cases said false tax returns filed using social security numbers deceased taxpayers others required file social security administration generates list dead people help public agencies private companies know social security numbers longer valid use list called death master file includes name social security number date birth date death people died list widely used employers financial firms credit reporting agencies security firms federal agencies state local governments rely police benefit payments none 65 million people cited inspector generals report list audit analyzed records 2013 looking people birth dates 1901 president franklin roosevelt signed social security act 1935 first oldage monthly benefit check paid 1940 many people cited inspector generals report never received benefits though assigned social security numbers spouses children could receive presumably died agency says corrected death information 200000 records fixing entire list would costly timeconsuming social security needs proof person dead add death list said brune agency official brune noted inspector generals report verify 65 million people actually dead instead report assumed dead advanced age cant post information records based presumption brune said post information records based evidence case would evidence death certificate records may even exist brune added nearly social security numbers paper records generated agency started using electronic records 1972 brune said many records contain errors multiple birthdates bits information different family members transcribe paper records electronic system time informations purified brune said focus right make sure data accurate complete current program purpose said brune right focused making sure paying beneficiaries properly thats investing resources time ___ follow stephen ohlemacher twitter httptwittercomstephenatap

<p /> <p>Americans might be more responsible now than they were in the early 2000s when it comes to the use of credit. At least, that's what the evidence from a Gallup poll taken earlier this year seems to suggest.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The Gallup poll, which was based on random telephone interviews with 1,026 adults, shows that a full 48 percent claim to pay their credit card balances in full when the bill comes due. Not surprisingly, the opposite group, those who carried a balance each month, came in at a record low percentage since Gallup began recording this metric in 2001.</p> <p>But the poll went further to reveal more about the secret lives of <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/credit-cards/best-low-interest-card?var1=navbar_creditcard&amp;amp;WT.qs_osrc=fxb-191084610" type="external">credit card users Opens a New Window.</a> in the United States, and how the use of credit affected overall debt levels. For example, it showed that the average American carries 2.6 credit cards on average, but the figure jumps to 3.7 when you remove those who don't carry a credit card at all from the equation. Furthermore, the average American carried $2,426 in credit card debt when this poll was taken. However, exclude those without a credit card and the figure quickly jumps to $3,573. So, what does this mean?</p> <p>"Americans are less reliant on credit cards than in the past. They are carrying less credit card debt overall, own fewer cards, and are more likely now to say they always or usually pay their full balances every month," <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/168668/americans-rely-less-credit-cards-previous-years.aspx?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-191084610" type="external">Gallup summarized earlier this year Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>"This suggests that credit cards -- a staple of American consumer life for decades -- might not be as vital a financial tool to individuals as they had been in the 1990s and 2000s, when Americans often used their credit cards to make ends meet."</p> <p>That's a good thing, right?</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Many experts would say yes.</p> <p>Are Americans on their best behavior since the Great Recession?</p> <p>Is the Gallup poll really telling us that Americans are on their best behavior when it comes to the use of credit? Say it isn't so.</p> <p>Gallup polls might indicate that trend, but other bean counters and media outlets are taking the opposite stance. According to this MarketWatch article from two months ago, " <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-credit-card-debt-hits-new-highs-2014-09-11?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-191084610" type="external">American credit-card debt hits a post-recession high Opens a New Window.</a>," Americans are relying too heavily on plastic for day-to-day living expenses. An excerpt:</p> <p>"Americans added $28.2 billion to their credit cards in the second quarter of 2014, the largest amount in the last six years and nearly 200% more than in the second quarter of 2009, when the economy emerged from the depths of the Great Recession, according to new research from personal finance website CardHub.com. After paying off $32.5 billion owed during the first quarter of 2014, consumers ran up roughly 86% more debt during the following quarter."</p> <p>Yikes.&amp;#160;</p> <p>It's scary how quickly the tide can turn, isn't it? Although personal credit card debt figures took a nose dive earlier this year, the trend certainly didn't stick around for long. Once again, we're racking up those balances with wild abandon and living the dream. Isn't it grand? &amp;lt;insert sarcasm here&amp;gt;</p> <p>Of course it's not. Most people who have lived it will tell you that it isn't grand at all -- especially when you realize what it takes to pay those balances off. The cycle can be painful -- the realization that you're in credit card debt again, the struggle to pay it off, the elation at your success. The mere fact we see the cycle repeating again shows that any change was, at best, momentary.</p> <p>That's the part many people just don't seem to get.</p> <p>Drop the cards and break the cycle</p> <p>Still, there is a way to avoid the credit card debt cycle if you are an avid spender, says CFP Practitioner Katie Ward of YourRichestLifePlanning.com.</p> <p>As a Certified Financial Planner, Ward works with people to develop long-term financial plans that help them meet their goals. And since credit card debt goes against the grain of what most people are trying to accomplish, many of her clients found that, over the years, any benefits they got from the use of credit cards were soon overshadowed by the elephant in the room -- their revolving debt load.</p> <p>"Many of my clients that struggle with spending will choose to stop using credit cards altogether," Ward admitted.</p> <p>But she doesn't see that as a sign of failure or an indication that something is wrong. According to Ward, life without credit is just better for some people.</p> <p>"There are two groups that may want to consider discontinuing the use of credit cards," says Ward. "The first group includes anyone trying to pay down existing credit card debt. Second is anyone who could better control his or her spending without the use of credit cards."</p> <p>Does credit make you spend more?</p> <p>Several studies indicate that credit cards enable people to spend more than they planned, and Dave Ramsey constantly drives this point home on the radio and on his website. According to Ramsey, using credit for everyday spending is an all-around bad idea.</p> <p>"There is no positive side to credit card use. You will spend more if you use credit cards. Even by paying the bills on time, you are not beating the system!"</p> <p>-Dave Ramsey</p> <p>That might be a harsh stance to take, but many (many) people would agree, including my friend Brian Fourman, a father and writer who blogs about his own financial journey at Luke1428.com. He and his wife stopped using credit cards altogether several years ago when they realized that their credit cards made it easier for them to overspend.</p> <p>"It seemed like every other month, in order to pay our credit cards off on time, we were forced to remove money from our savings account," said Brian. "Consequently, we never developed an adequate savings fund to handle life's emergencies."</p> <p>The cycle went on for some time until Brian and his wife decided to drop the credit cards altogether. It was then that they learned why credit cards were problematic for them from the get-go.</p> <p>"There are no warning signs with credit cards. No real limitations that you bump up against each month that make you take notice," Brian told me. " <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2014/04/24/how-to-track-your-spending-and-why-you-should/?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-191084610" type="external">You can spend as much as you want Opens a New Window.</a> up to the credit limit of the card, whether or not you make that much in monthly income."</p> <p>Debit to the rescue</p> <p>Fortunately, the move away from credit cards proved successful for Fourman and his family. Once they removed credit cards from the equation, he says, their financial situation improved dramatically. All of the mystery surrounding their overspending disappeared almost instantly, and a new sense of purpose took its place.</p> <p>Instead of credit, the Fourmans turned to debit cards instead, a move which forced them to keep a close eye on their bank account day in and day out.</p> <p>"A debit card served as the restrictor plate on my spending. It forced me to slow down, which in turn limited the amount of financial damage I could do to myself," he says.</p> <p>Is credit the culprit? The jury is out.</p> <p>Is easy credit the reason Americans continue to rack up bills they can't afford to pay? I suppose the jury is out on that one. However, it is hard to argue how a person can get into credit card debt if they don't have a credit card in the first place.</p> <p>Still, I think the issue runs deeper. Sure, some people get into credit card debt because they have a job loss, illness, or emergency situation that necessitates it. But for every person with an emergency, there's someone whose "emergency situation" is the new iPhone coming out or a seriously awesome trip to Cabo they've been planning. For most people, getting out of debt (and staying out of debt) requires much more than a stack of cards and a pair of scissors; it requires a different mindset too.</p> <p>Still, if the goal is less dependence on credit cards, we have to make decisions that will set us up for success. Foregoing credit card use altogether is just one option on the table. And if your spending is a problem, foregoing credit, at least for the time being, might be just the solution you've been seeking.</p> <p>Could you survive without a credit card? Do you think credit cards cause us to spend more? Have you broken the cycle of amassing credit card debt and paying it off? How did you break the cycle and how do you handle credit wisely now?</p> <p>The original article can be found at GetRichSlowly.org: <a href="http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/is-living-without-credit-cards-the-best-way-to-stay-out-of-debt.html?WT.qs_osrc=fxb-191084610" type="external">Is living without credit cards the best way to stay out of debt? Opens a New Window.</a></p>

americans might responsible early 2000s comes use credit least thats evidence gallup poll taken earlier year seems suggest continue reading gallup poll based random telephone interviews 1026 adults shows full 48 percent claim pay credit card balances full bill comes due surprisingly opposite group carried balance month came record low percentage since gallup began recording metric 2001 poll went reveal secret lives credit card users opens new window united states use credit affected overall debt levels example showed average american carries 26 credit cards average figure jumps 37 remove dont carry credit card equation furthermore average american carried 2426 credit card debt poll taken however exclude without credit card figure quickly jumps 3573 mean americans less reliant credit cards past carrying less credit card debt overall fewer cards likely say always usually pay full balances every month gallup summarized earlier year opens new window suggests credit cards staple american consumer life decades might vital financial tool individuals 1990s 2000s americans often used credit cards make ends meet thats good thing right advertisement many experts would say yes americans best behavior since great recession gallup poll really telling us americans best behavior comes use credit say isnt gallup polls might indicate trend bean counters media outlets taking opposite stance according marketwatch article two months ago american creditcard debt hits postrecession high opens new window americans relying heavily plastic daytoday living expenses excerpt americans added 282 billion credit cards second quarter 2014 largest amount last six years nearly 200 second quarter 2009 economy emerged depths great recession according new research personal finance website cardhubcom paying 325 billion owed first quarter 2014 consumers ran roughly 86 debt following quarter yikes160 scary quickly tide turn isnt although personal credit card debt figures took nose dive earlier year trend certainly didnt stick around long racking balances wild abandon living dream isnt grand ltinsert sarcasm heregt course people lived tell isnt grand especially realize takes pay balances cycle painful realization youre credit card debt struggle pay elation success mere fact see cycle repeating shows change best momentary thats part many people dont seem get drop cards break cycle still way avoid credit card debt cycle avid spender says cfp practitioner katie ward yourrichestlifeplanningcom certified financial planner ward works people develop longterm financial plans help meet goals since credit card debt goes grain people trying accomplish many clients found years benefits got use credit cards soon overshadowed elephant room revolving debt load many clients struggle spending choose stop using credit cards altogether ward admitted doesnt see sign failure indication something wrong according ward life without credit better people two groups may want consider discontinuing use credit cards says ward first group includes anyone trying pay existing credit card debt second anyone could better control spending without use credit cards credit make spend several studies indicate credit cards enable people spend planned dave ramsey constantly drives point home radio website according ramsey using credit everyday spending allaround bad idea positive side credit card use spend use credit cards even paying bills time beating system dave ramsey might harsh stance take many many people would agree including friend brian fourman father writer blogs financial journey luke1428com wife stopped using credit cards altogether several years ago realized credit cards made easier overspend seemed like every month order pay credit cards time forced remove money savings account said brian consequently never developed adequate savings fund handle lifes emergencies cycle went time brian wife decided drop credit cards altogether learned credit cards problematic getgo warning signs credit cards real limitations bump month make take notice brian told spend much want opens new window credit limit card whether make much monthly income debit rescue fortunately move away credit cards proved successful fourman family removed credit cards equation says financial situation improved dramatically mystery surrounding overspending disappeared almost instantly new sense purpose took place instead credit fourmans turned debit cards instead move forced keep close eye bank account day day debit card served restrictor plate spending forced slow turn limited amount financial damage could says credit culprit jury easy credit reason americans continue rack bills cant afford pay suppose jury one however hard argue person get credit card debt dont credit card first place still think issue runs deeper sure people get credit card debt job loss illness emergency situation necessitates every person emergency theres someone whose emergency situation new iphone coming seriously awesome trip cabo theyve planning people getting debt staying debt requires much stack cards pair scissors requires different mindset still goal less dependence credit cards make decisions set us success foregoing credit card use altogether one option table spending problem foregoing credit least time might solution youve seeking could survive without credit card think credit cards cause us spend broken cycle amassing credit card debt paying break cycle handle credit wisely original article found getrichslowlyorg living without credit cards best way stay debt opens new window

<p /> <p>Over the past three years, M&amp;amp;T Bank has been handcuffed. The bank was forced by regulators to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into new compliance and technology infrastructure. The bank's acquisition of Hudson City Bancorp was put on ice. The stock faltered, trailing the S&amp;amp;P 500 by over 15% since year-end 2013.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Today, though, the Hudson City acquisition is complete. The compliance overhaul is done. Some analysts think the bank's stock is poised to resume its <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/12/15/how-this-stock-returned-23500-since-1980.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">30-year track record</a> of outperformance. To make an assessment of our own, let's take a look at where the bank is today and where it's likely to go in the future.</p> <p>Putting M&amp;amp;T Bank's financial performance in context To provide context to M&amp;amp;T's current performance, we can compare its financial results to an industry average of large U.S. banks, as well as with two other large regional banks of comparable size, Regions Financial and KeyCorp . To assess each bank's performance, we will review their earnings, cost structures, and credit quality with four easy metrics.</p> <p>A bank's return on assets is a useful tool to see how well a bank generates earnings from the overall size of its balance sheet, while return on equity adds in the impact of its leverage to optimize shareholder returns. The efficiency ratio shows the costs required to produce the bank's revenue. A lower ratio indicates a better cost structure and higher efficiency. Finally, the ratio of a bank's non-performing assets to its total assets informs investors to the likelihood of credit losses existing on the bank's books. Non-performing assets are severely past-due loans plus foreclosures. A higher ratio indicates problems on the bank's balance sheet that could potentially lead to loan losses in the future.</p> <p>*Efficiency ratio, ROA, and ROE for U.S. banks with more than $10 billion in total assets, sourced from the FDIC's fourth-quarter 2015 Quarterly Banking Profile. NPA to total assets ratio from sample of 59 large U.S. banks provided by S&amp;amp;P Capital IQ.</p> <p>What do the numbers tell us about M&amp;amp;T Bank right now? M&amp;amp;T's only major outperformance is in the efficiency ratio, which is not surprising for long term followers of this stock. M&amp;amp;T has long prided itself on strong credit culture and cost management through all phases of the economic cycle. With an efficiency ratio of 55.5%, M&amp;amp;T is among the most efficient large banks in the U.S.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Unfortunately, though, that efficiency is not currently translating into industry beating returns on assets or equity. Regions and KeyCorp each produced comparable returns on assets as M&amp;amp;T and the industry average, and all three banks trailed the industry in return on equity. The non-performing assets to total assets ratio for all three banks are near the industry average and do not indicate any major problems in the immediate future.</p> <p>Despite their similar numbers, M&amp;amp;T commands a higher valuation than these two peers in terms of their price-to-book values.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/MTB/price_to_book_value" type="external">MTB Price-to-Book Value</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a>.</p> <p>This premium is partly because of M&amp;amp;T's track record over the past 30-plus years. Since 1983, M&amp;amp;T has returned 10,950% included reinvested dividends, far outpacing the S&amp;amp;P 500's 1,160% return.</p> <p>To me, however, the valuation premium here has more to do with what the market thinks M&amp;amp;T's stock will do next, as the bank moves past the regulatory issues and acquisition challenges of the past three years.</p> <p>M&amp;amp;T's future success starts in the corner office. Among the thousands of annual reports put forward by companies every year, a few CEOs stand out for their exceptional transparency, insight, and perspective. M&amp;amp;T Bank CEO Bob Wilmers is among these standouts through his <a href="https://newsroom.mtb.com/document-archive/annual-report-letters/2015-annual-report-message-to-shareholders.htm" type="external">letters to shareholders</a>.</p> <p>In this year's letter, Wilmers once again delivers. His letter lays out the continuing challenges facing all banks today and how M&amp;amp;T Bank is addressing those challenges to succeed over the long term. His core message is one of proactive risk management and vigilant cost discipline. To me, his letter is a powerful indication of strong performance to come from the bank.</p> <p>Considering the bank's recent performance, he says, "Upon reflection, our financial performance and condition in 2015 merit no small measure of pride. Considering the environment, our businesses have performed remarkably well."</p> <p>I agree. M&amp;amp;T's numbers are not earth-shattering, but do impress in consideration of the extra, nine-figure regulatory costs over the past few years.</p> <p>And yet, in a display of impressive self-awareness, Wilmers goes on to recognize that many of the bank's challenges have been self-inflicted. He says:</p> <p>So how will Wilmers and M&amp;amp;T Bank move forward in today's banking environment? By refocusing on the core principles that have driven the bank's success over the past 30 years. Wilmers says that the recent past "was an arduous journey, one that validated the need for those investments as well as extraordinary regulatory compliance costs, while rearming that scale, efficiency and credit discipline remain as competitive advantages." [emphasis added].</p> <p>Is now the time to buy M&amp;amp;T Bank stock? The past few years have been transformative for M&amp;amp;T. The bank completely overhauled its technology infrastructure and compliance programs. It's invested hundreds of millions of dollars into these projects, laying the foundation for what should be decades of growth. The bank finally received approval and closed its purchase of Hudson City Bancorp, a key strategic win even after more than three years of regulatory limbo. More important still, management has acknowledged its mistakes and convincingly moved to correct them now and for the future.</p> <p>The bank's financial performance over this time was, in consideration of this environment, impressive. It stands to reason that going forward, the bank will be able to build on that performance to reach even new heights, particularly with a CEO like Bob Wilmers leading the charge.</p> <p>For investors interested in a bank stock to buy and hold over the long term, now looks like an opportune time to take a very close look at M&amp;amp;T Bank.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/05/is-now-finally-the-time-to-buy-mt-bank-corp-stock.aspx" type="external">Is Now Finally the Time to Buy M&amp;amp;T Bank Corp. Stock?</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/jayhjenkins/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Jay Jenkins</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>

past three years mampt bank handcuffed bank forced regulators invest hundreds millions dollars new compliance technology infrastructure banks acquisition hudson city bancorp put ice stock faltered trailing sampp 500 15 since yearend 2013 continue reading today though hudson city acquisition complete compliance overhaul done analysts think banks stock poised resume 30year track record outperformance make assessment lets take look bank today likely go future putting mampt banks financial performance context provide context mampts current performance compare financial results industry average large us banks well two large regional banks comparable size regions financial keycorp assess banks performance review earnings cost structures credit quality four easy metrics banks return assets useful tool see well bank generates earnings overall size balance sheet return equity adds impact leverage optimize shareholder returns efficiency ratio shows costs required produce banks revenue lower ratio indicates better cost structure higher efficiency finally ratio banks nonperforming assets total assets informs investors likelihood credit losses existing banks books nonperforming assets severely pastdue loans plus foreclosures higher ratio indicates problems banks balance sheet could potentially lead loan losses future efficiency ratio roa roe us banks 10 billion total assets sourced fdics fourthquarter 2015 quarterly banking profile npa total assets ratio sample 59 large us banks provided sampp capital iq numbers tell us mampt bank right mampts major outperformance efficiency ratio surprising long term followers stock mampt long prided strong credit culture cost management phases economic cycle efficiency ratio 555 mampt among efficient large banks us advertisement unfortunately though efficiency currently translating industry beating returns assets equity regions keycorp produced comparable returns assets mampt industry average three banks trailed industry return equity nonperforming assets total assets ratio three banks near industry average indicate major problems immediate future despite similar numbers mampt commands higher valuation two peers terms pricetobook values mtb pricetobook value data ycharts premium partly mampts track record past 30plus years since 1983 mampt returned 10950 included reinvested dividends far outpacing sampp 500s 1160 return however valuation premium market thinks mampts stock next bank moves past regulatory issues acquisition challenges past three years mampts future success starts corner office among thousands annual reports put forward companies every year ceos stand exceptional transparency insight perspective mampt bank ceo bob wilmers among standouts letters shareholders years letter wilmers delivers letter lays continuing challenges facing banks today mampt bank addressing challenges succeed long term core message one proactive risk management vigilant cost discipline letter powerful indication strong performance come bank considering banks recent performance says upon reflection financial performance condition 2015 merit small measure pride considering environment businesses performed remarkably well agree mampts numbers earthshattering impress consideration extra ninefigure regulatory costs past years yet display impressive selfawareness wilmers goes recognize many banks challenges selfinflicted says wilmers mampt bank move forward todays banking environment refocusing core principles driven banks success past 30 years wilmers says recent past arduous journey one validated need investments well extraordinary regulatory compliance costs rearming scale efficiency credit discipline remain competitive advantages emphasis added time buy mampt bank stock past years transformative mampt bank completely overhauled technology infrastructure compliance programs invested hundreds millions dollars projects laying foundation decades growth bank finally received approval closed purchase hudson city bancorp key strategic win even three years regulatory limbo important still management acknowledged mistakes convincingly moved correct future banks financial performance time consideration environment impressive stands reason going forward bank able build performance reach even new heights particularly ceo like bob wilmers leading charge investors interested bank stock buy hold long term looks like opportune time take close look mampt bank article finally time buy mampt bank corp stock originally appeared foolcom jay jenkins position stocks mentioned motley fool position stocks mentioned try foolish newsletter services free 30 days fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy

<p /> <p>If you want to reduce&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/12/consumer-reports-holiday-humbug-index/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">stress Opens a New Window.</a> and stretch your tight budget dollars this holiday shopping season, skip Black Friday and start hunting for bargains when black cats are still in vogue.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>As <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/11/has-black-friday-lost-its-luster/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">we've previously reported Opens a New Window.</a>, the annual doorbuster ritual that has traditionally taken place on the Friday after Thanksgiving to mark the start of the Christmas shopping season has already lost a lot of its luster in recent years, thanks to overhyped bargains and sometimes surly crowds.</p> <p>The significance of Black Friday as the Super Bowl of shopping has also diminished, as more retailers have jumped the gun. A few years ago, retailers started releasing their early Black Friday deals during Thanksgiving week, says Phong Vu, CEO of DealScience.com, which tracks the discounts and deals on 13,500 brands offered by 360 retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Dick's Sporting Goods. The time frame seems to keep moving up. Phong says that two years ago, retailers started releasing early Black Friday deals at the end of the first week of November, and last year, Amazon and Walmart started releasing them on the first day of November.</p> <p>"This year, we&#8217;ll likely see Black Friday sales starting before Halloween," Phong said.</p> <p>The trend is all about retailers fighting for a bigger piece of your pocketbook in today's relatively stagnant economy. The American dream of 80 percent of consumers is homeownership and paying down debt, according to a biannual national survey of 1,700 shoppers by WSL Strategic Retail, a New York-based consulting firm.</p> <p>That mirrors the findings of <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/11/how-america-shops-now/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">our own recent study Opens a New Window.</a> of 1,006 Americans' buying habits by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. We found that, while consumers are opening up their wallets more, the recession and slow-motion seven-year recovery has had a major impact on our buying habits. Shoppers are more <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/01/spend-less-on-everything/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">frugal Opens a New Window.</a>, pragmatic, and interested in <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2010/06/50-of-the-best-tips-we-ve-ever-heard/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">saving on everything Opens a New Window.</a>. Tax refunds and imaginary <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2011/04/get-rich-by-not-playing-the-lottery/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">lottery Opens a New Window.</a> windfalls are now earmarked to pay down debt.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>"What retailers know is that most shoppers have a certain amount to spend for the holidays, and whoever gets that money first wins, because when the money runs out, the consumers stop shopping," Candace Corlette, president of WSL, said.</p> <p>Corlette says that retailers want to get their dollars before Black Friday, and that's why their sales are now starting right after Halloween. "By next year, we won't be talking about Black Friday as an event anymore," Corlette said.</p> <p>Interested in saving, but having trouble budgeting? Start with our&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/02/budgeting-and-saving-for-parents/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">Guide to budgeting and saving Opens a New Window.</a>.&amp;#160;</p> <p>To get the biggest gift-giving bang for your holiday budget bucks, plan a smart shopping strategy using these key techniques.</p> <p>1) Start early. Retailers who want your dollars in late October and early November are likely to entice with discounts that are better than the average for the rest of the year, even if they're not as good as some actual Black Friday deals. But don't forget that those Black Friday come-ons typically come in limited quantities and require shoppers to jump through hoops by showing up at certain predawn hours and running an obstacle course of maddening crowds.</p> <p>2) Check your list now. Consumer Reports product research experts, who monitor prices, have found that some items go on <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/08/best-time-to-buy-things/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">deep discount according to the calendar. Opens a New Window.</a> So if there's a bicycle, computer, digital camera, or winter coat on Santa's list, <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/10/6-products-on-sale-in-october/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">October Opens a New Window.</a> is the perfect time to buy for big savings. <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/11/7-products-on-deep-discount-in-november/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">November Opens a New Window.</a>, on the other hand, is the month for baby products, camcorders, toys, and TVs, so time your purchases accordingly.</p> <p>3) Pre-shop. Before setting foot in any store, price-shop online, then buy the items you want at the store with the lowest price. Check Amazon.com&amp;#160;but also the websites of the physical stores you patronize around town. Online prices used to be different from in-store prices, but they're now the same. "Best Buy tried charging 10 to 20 percent lower prices online, to encourage people to shop online, but customers got mad and Best Buy got rid of that practice pretty fast," Corlette said.</p> <p>4) Tap the technology. Sign up for retailers' e-mail newsletters, coupons, and special sale alerts. Use two price-comparison websites that did well in a ShopSmart evaluation earlier this year, Google.com/shopping and PriceGrabber.com. Get coupons and coupon codes on RetailMeNot.com and DealScience.com. And make sure you download the Amazon.com and Overstock.com apps to your smart phone so you can check their prices while you're in the store. PriceBlink.com is an applet that runs in the background on your phone and alerts you to better prices elsewhere.</p> <p>5) Get your game on. Approach holiday shopping with missionary zeal. That means keep your receipts, and if you see what you have already bought for a lower price, get evidence of the competing lower price, demand that the original seller match that price and refund the difference, or return the item and buy it cheaper at the other store. Give up your allegiences and be ready to compromise by buying a cheaper brand or shopping at a lower-priced merchant. And, of course, sharpen your <a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/08/how-to-bargain/index.htm?EXTKEY=AFOXDIG01" type="external">haggling Opens a New Window.</a> skills and always be ready to bargain for a better deal.</p> <p>&#8212;Jeff Blyskal (@JeffBlyskal on Twitter)</p> <p>Copyright &#169; 2005-2014 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. No reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission. Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this site.</p>

want reduce160 stress opens new window stretch tight budget dollars holiday shopping season skip black friday start hunting bargains black cats still vogue continue reading weve previously reported opens new window annual doorbuster ritual traditionally taken place friday thanksgiving mark start christmas shopping season already lost lot luster recent years thanks overhyped bargains sometimes surly crowds significance black friday super bowl shopping also diminished retailers jumped gun years ago retailers started releasing early black friday deals thanksgiving week says phong vu ceo dealsciencecom tracks discounts deals 13500 brands offered 360 retailers including amazon best buy dicks sporting goods time frame seems keep moving phong says two years ago retailers started releasing early black friday deals end first week november last year amazon walmart started releasing first day november year well likely see black friday sales starting halloween phong said trend retailers fighting bigger piece pocketbook todays relatively stagnant economy american dream 80 percent consumers homeownership paying debt according biannual national survey 1700 shoppers wsl strategic retail new yorkbased consulting firm mirrors findings recent study opens new window 1006 americans buying habits consumer reports national research center found consumers opening wallets recession slowmotion sevenyear recovery major impact buying habits shoppers frugal opens new window pragmatic interested saving everything opens new window tax refunds imaginary lottery opens new window windfalls earmarked pay debt advertisement retailers know shoppers certain amount spend holidays whoever gets money first wins money runs consumers stop shopping candace corlette president wsl said corlette says retailers want get dollars black friday thats sales starting right halloween next year wont talking black friday event anymore corlette said interested saving trouble budgeting start our160 guide budgeting saving opens new window160 get biggest giftgiving bang holiday budget bucks plan smart shopping strategy using key techniques 1 start early retailers want dollars late october early november likely entice discounts better average rest year even theyre good actual black friday deals dont forget black friday comeons typically come limited quantities require shoppers jump hoops showing certain predawn hours running obstacle course maddening crowds 2 check list consumer reports product research experts monitor prices found items go deep discount according calendar opens new window theres bicycle computer digital camera winter coat santas list october opens new window perfect time buy big savings november opens new window hand month baby products camcorders toys tvs time purchases accordingly 3 preshop setting foot store priceshop online buy items want store lowest price check amazoncom160but also websites physical stores patronize around town online prices used different instore prices theyre best buy tried charging 10 20 percent lower prices online encourage people shop online customers got mad best buy got rid practice pretty fast corlette said 4 tap technology sign retailers email newsletters coupons special sale alerts use two pricecomparison websites well shopsmart evaluation earlier year googlecomshopping pricegrabbercom get coupons coupon codes retailmenotcom dealsciencecom make sure download amazoncom overstockcom apps smart phone check prices youre store priceblinkcom applet runs background phone alerts better prices elsewhere 5 get game approach holiday shopping missionary zeal means keep receipts see already bought lower price get evidence competing lower price demand original seller match price refund difference return item buy cheaper store give allegiences ready compromise buying cheaper brand shopping lowerpriced merchant course sharpen haggling opens new window skills always ready bargain better deal jeff blyskal jeffblyskal twitter copyright 20052014 consumers union us inc reproduction whole part without written permission consumer reports relationship advertisers site

<p>With <a href="" type="internal">Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY)</a> poised to stymie as much as of President-elect Donald Trump's agenda as possible, one of the most important members to help Trump will be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell will have to use every resource at his disposal to corral his thin majority and get Trump's agenda through the Senate. But can McConnell be trusted to be an effective leader and defeat Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer?</p> <p>Here are five things you need to know about McConnell.</p> <p>1. His first name isn't actually Mitch. According to <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/5-things-might-known-mitch-mcconnell/" type="external">PBS</a>, McConnell's full name is Addison Mitchell McConnell, Jr. Apparently. he goes by Mitch.</p> <p>2. McConnell has a 40 percent liberty score at <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/05/gop-leaders-toss-loin-cloth-to-democrats-on-obamas-war-on-suburbs" type="external">Conservative Review</a>. His lack of conservative conviction is even worse than the score indicates. Conservative Review's <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/members/mitch-mcconnell/biography/" type="external">biography</a> of McConnell points out how he plays a clever game with his votes:</p> <p>While quietly voting with conservatives throughout his career on issues related to life, guns (although he has taken a number of bad votes), and most tax issues, McConnell has failed to lead for conservatives on most critical issues during his time in leadership. In the few instances where he has publicly or privately spearheaded an initiative, it was for some of the most unpopular causes with conservatives, such as the Wall Street bailout, fiscal cliff tax increases, and debt ceiling increases.</p> <p>Even in instances where McConnell ultimately voted the right way, he has never used his leadership position to spearhead a battle and whip the Republican conference against bad priorities, such as amnesty, the war in Syria, and large spending bills. The only time McConnell has significantly led a fight for conservatives was when he fought the Democrats and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on McCain-Feingold and other efforts to limit free speech. In recent years, he has taken a more vocal role in fighting against Obama&#8217;s war on coal, which dramatically affects his home state.</p> <p>That has been typical of McConnell throughout his career: he has never been effective in leading opposition efforts toward the Democrats, as demonstrated below.</p> <p>3. McConnell was one of the key figures in recruiting Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to the Gang of Eight. Publicly, McConnell voiced mealy-mouthed concerns about the bill and ultimately voted against it, but behind the scenes it appears that he was hoping for the effort to succeed.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-endorsement-of-immigration-plan-rubio-makes-first-major-policy-gambit-of-his-career/2013/04/14/20997e84-a519-11e2-a8e2-5b98cb59187f_story.html" type="external">Washington Post</a>, Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) had first tried to bring Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) aboard, to no avail. When that failed, "McConnell suggested Rubio." That small mention in the Post's piece reveals a lot, because the implication is that McConnell was aiding the Gang of Eight efforts behind the scenes to get a Tea Party senator to support the bill. McConnell also <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/Politics/mcconnell-senate-immigration-bill/2013/05/21/id/505695/" type="external">never blocked the bill</a> from getting a vote, so even though he voted against it, he aided its passage. Not only was this a sleazy way to appear conservative as he was running for re-election, McConnell suggesting Rubio all but quashed the Florida senator's chances at the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, as Gang of Eight was an albatross around Rubio's neck throughout the primary.</p> <p>This is emblematic of what McConnell has done throughout his tenure in Washington.</p> <p>4. McConnell works to undermine conservatives and surrender to the Democrats. As I noted in <a href="http://townhall.com/tipsheet/aaronbandler/2015/07/27/levin-its-time-for-boehner-and-mcconnell-to-resign-n2030840" type="external">Townhall</a> in 2015:</p> <p>When McConnell isn't bashing conservatives like Ted Cruz, he touts the Senate's ability to pass amendments- as if that's some sort of major accomplishment. How does that resonate with the American people?</p> <p>Recently, McConnell blocked amendments that would have defunded Planned Parenthood and implemented Kate's Law in cracking down on sanctuary cities using the "filling the tree" process of crowding out amendments that he didn't like- the same tactic that former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid used against Republicans.</p> <p>However, McConnell didn't block an amendment reauthorizing the Export-Import bank, a source of crony capitalism for corporations like Boeing and GE. This is why Cruz bravely stood up to McConnell on Friday. As a result, McConnell fast-tracked a stand alone bill to defund Planned Parenthood, which was meaningless because Democrats could kill it with a filibuster, which they wouldn't have been able to do if McConnell had allowed it as an amendment.</p> <p>In May, McConnell did something similar by stonewalling Lee's amendment to defend the Obama administration's Affirmative Further Fair Housing regulation, as a means of redistributing "crime from the inner cities to suburban neighborhoods," as the Daily Wire explains <a href="" type="internal">here</a>. Instead of allowing Lee's amendment to go through, McConnell had Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) put forth an amendment that claimed to accomplish what Lee's did&#8211;except that "it was crafted carefully to only prohibit HUD from actually redrawing zoning maps, something they have never done," according to <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/05/gop-leaders-toss-loin-cloth-to-democrats-on-obamas-war-on-suburbs" type="external">Daniel Horowitz</a>.</p> <p>"This has been the hallmark of Sen. Mitch McConnell&#8217;s (R-KY) Senate over the past two years," Horowitz wrote at Conservative Review. "Whereas a majority party in the Senate is supposed to embarrass their opponents with tough amendments in order to win back the White House and a 60-seat majority in the chamber, McConnell&#8217;s Republicans have been blocking conservative amendments. They even shield Democrats from any exposure to tough votes."</p> <p>McConnell has also been <a href="http://dailysignal.com/2016/09/25/house-conservatives-resort-to-spending-plan-b-to-avoid-government-shutdown/" type="external">quick to rule out government shutdowns</a>, which is not smart because it immediately gives congressional Republicans no leverage over Democrats.</p> <p>But one of the few times McConnell shows a spine is when he goes to war with conservatives. In 2014, he declared that "we are going to crush them [conservatives] everywhere," and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/09/01/why-mitch-mcconnells-strategy-to-quash-the-tea-party-is-working/" type="external">Washington Post</a> detailed how McConnell and his establishment cronies successfully defeated Tea Party insurgents in several Senate races, as McConnell only wants senators who will keep him in power.</p> <p>With all this in mind, the most pressing question facing the Trump presidency becomes...</p> <p>5. Will McConnell use the nuclear option to pass through Trump's Supreme Court appointment? Schumer will likely filibuster any originalist appointment that Trump makes, and McConnell can nullify Schumer's efforts if he invokes the nuclear option to remove the filibuster for Trump's nominee. But McConnell's team refused to tell the Daily Wire's <a href="" type="internal">Pardes Seleh</a> if they would invoke the nuclear option.</p> <p>McConnell has held on the line on stonewalling Obama's nominee, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/13/politics/mitch-mcconnell-merrick-garland-lame-duck/" type="external">Merrick Garland</a>, but given his record of selling out to the Democrats, it's hard to have any faith in McConnell using the nuclear option to bypass Schumer.</p>

senate minority leader charles schumer dny poised stymie much presidentelect donald trumps agenda possible one important members help trump senate majority leader mitch mcconnell rky mcconnell use every resource disposal corral thin majority get trumps agenda senate mcconnell trusted effective leader defeat senate minority leader chuck schumer five things need know mcconnell 1 first name isnt actually mitch according pbs mcconnells full name addison mitchell mcconnell jr apparently goes mitch 2 mcconnell 40 percent liberty score conservative review lack conservative conviction even worse score indicates conservative reviews biography mcconnell points plays clever game votes quietly voting conservatives throughout career issues related life guns although taken number bad votes tax issues mcconnell failed lead conservatives critical issues time leadership instances publicly privately spearheaded initiative unpopular causes conservatives wall street bailout fiscal cliff tax increases debt ceiling increases even instances mcconnell ultimately voted right way never used leadership position spearhead battle whip republican conference bad priorities amnesty war syria large spending bills time mcconnell significantly led fight conservatives fought democrats sen john mccain raz mccainfeingold efforts limit free speech recent years taken vocal role fighting obamas war coal dramatically affects home state typical mcconnell throughout career never effective leading opposition efforts toward democrats demonstrated 3 mcconnell one key figures recruiting sen marco rubio rfl gang eight publicly mcconnell voiced mealymouthed concerns bill ultimately voted behind scenes appears hoping effort succeed according washington post sens john mccain raz lindsey graham rsc first tried bring sen mike lee rut aboard avail failed mcconnell suggested rubio small mention posts piece reveals lot implication mcconnell aiding gang eight efforts behind scenes get tea party senator support bill mcconnell also never blocked bill getting vote even though voted aided passage sleazy way appear conservative running reelection mcconnell suggesting rubio quashed florida senators chances 2016 republican presidential nomination gang eight albatross around rubios neck throughout primary emblematic mcconnell done throughout tenure washington 4 mcconnell works undermine conservatives surrender democrats noted townhall 2015 mcconnell isnt bashing conservatives like ted cruz touts senates ability pass amendments thats sort major accomplishment resonate american people recently mcconnell blocked amendments would defunded planned parenthood implemented kates law cracking sanctuary cities using filling tree process crowding amendments didnt like tactic former senate majority leader harry reid used republicans however mcconnell didnt block amendment reauthorizing exportimport bank source crony capitalism corporations like boeing ge cruz bravely stood mcconnell friday result mcconnell fasttracked stand alone bill defund planned parenthood meaningless democrats could kill filibuster wouldnt able mcconnell allowed amendment may mcconnell something similar stonewalling lees amendment defend obama administrations affirmative fair housing regulation means redistributing crime inner cities suburban neighborhoods daily wire explains instead allowing lees amendment go mcconnell sen susan collins rme put forth amendment claimed accomplish lees didexcept crafted carefully prohibit hud actually redrawing zoning maps something never done according daniel horowitz hallmark sen mitch mcconnells rky senate past two years horowitz wrote conservative review whereas majority party senate supposed embarrass opponents tough amendments order win back white house 60seat majority chamber mcconnells republicans blocking conservative amendments even shield democrats exposure tough votes mcconnell also quick rule government shutdowns smart immediately gives congressional republicans leverage democrats one times mcconnell shows spine goes war conservatives 2014 declared going crush conservatives everywhere washington post detailed mcconnell establishment cronies successfully defeated tea party insurgents several senate races mcconnell wants senators keep power mind pressing question facing trump presidency becomes 5 mcconnell use nuclear option pass trumps supreme court appointment schumer likely filibuster originalist appointment trump makes mcconnell nullify schumers efforts invokes nuclear option remove filibuster trumps nominee mcconnells team refused tell daily wires pardes seleh would invoke nuclear option mcconnell held line stonewalling obamas nominee merrick garland given record selling democrats hard faith mcconnell using nuclear option bypass schumer

<p>Ride-hailing start-up Lyft has a big new investor: Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL).</p> <p>Lyft announced on Thursday that CapitalG, Alphabet's investment fund, is leading a $1 billion financing round for Lyft. The move follows an <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/16/why-alphabets-waymo-joined-forces-with-lyft-on-sel.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">agreement made in May Opens a New Window.</a> between Lyft and Alphabet's self-driving subsidiary Waymo to work together on the development of autonomous-vehicle technology.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>It also follows a flurry of interest in Lyft by several automakers and tech companies working on self-driving technology of their own -- including General Motors (NYSE: GM), which made a big investment in Lyft last year.</p> <p>We don't know a whole lot yet. Lyft announced that CapitalG led the round, that the total investment in Lyft is $1 billion, that CapitalG partner David Lawlee will join Lyft's board, and that Lyft's post-round valuation will be $11 billion. Lyft was valued at $7.5 billion after its most recent funding round, in April.</p> <p>Lyft didn't name the other investors in this round.</p> <p>Johana Bhuiyan of Recode, who has followed Lyft closely, <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/10/19/16503628/alphabet-lyft-ride-hail-investment-billion" type="external">reported Opens a New Window.</a> that this investment round wasn't driven by an urgent need for cash. Lyft has previously said that it expects to be profitable by next year. Why the investment now?</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>That's just one of a few reasons to think that there might be an interesting backstory here.</p> <p>For starters, consider that Waymo is locked in a fierce legal battle with Lyft arch-rival Uber Technologies. Waymo has alleged that a former employee <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/02/does-alphabets-self-driving-car-lawsuit-spell-disa.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">stole key technology secrets related to self-driving Opens a New Window.</a> when he left to form a new company; that company was acquired by Uber a few months later.</p> <p>Also consider that Waymo is racing to dominate the market for autonomous-vehicle systems, an emerging space with huge growth and profit potential. Ride-hailing is expected to be an important early market for self-driving vehicles, and Lyft could be a major customer.</p> <p>It's possible that Alphabet felt that it needed to make a big move to get out ahead of the self-driving rivals that already partnered with Lyft. Earlier this year, Lyft opened its service to automakers and tech companies that wish to test their prototype self-driving systems in real-world conditions serving Lyft customers. Besides Waymo, participants include:</p> <p>It's possible that the move by Ford was one factor in Alphabet's decision to back up its interest in Lyft with a big investment.</p> <p>But there's another piece of this puzzle: What about GM?</p> <p>Ford is a automotive heavyweight, but few expect the Blue Oval to be first to market with self-driving vehicles. It's a very different story with GM, which said last month that it has <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/09/why-general-motors-is-suddenly-a-wall-street-darli.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">completed development work Opens a New Window.</a> on a "mass-producible" <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/09/why-general-motors-is-suddenly-a-wall-street-darli.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Level 4 self-driving vehicle Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>GM, of course, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/20/why-general-motors-is-moving-into-the-ridesharing.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">invested $500 million in Lyft early last year Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;at a $5.5 billion valuation, receiving what was then a 9% stake and a seat on Lyft's board that has been filled by GM president Dan Ammann. The idea seemed to be that GM would be <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/02/19/are-general-motors-and-lyft-about-to-crush-all-sel.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Lyft's primary self-driving partner Opens a New Window.</a>, but the relationship between the two seemed to sour earlier this year.</p> <p>GM has since hinted that it might develop its own ride-hailing service via its existing car-sharing subsidiary, Maven. It has also made other moves that suggest it now wants to own as many pieces of the mobility puzzle as it can, from <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/10/09/why-general-motors-just-bought-a-self-driving-sens.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">self-driving sensor hardware Opens a New Window.</a> to ride-hailing software and (perhaps significantly) the data it would gather while operating such a service.</p> <p>That could make GM a big long-term rival to Waymo. It's probably far from the biggest consideration driving Alphabet's decision to invest in Lyft, but the search giant might think that its investment in Lyft (and its new seat on Lyft's board) could give it a better read on GM's plans and the state of its technology.</p> <p>Whatever the motivations driving Alphabet's interest, it's a good time to be Lyft. Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lyft-ipo-exclusive/exclusive-lyft-close-to-selecting-ipo-adviser-sources-idUSKCN1C3114" type="external">reported Opens a New Window.</a> last month that Lyft has been taking steps toward an initial public offering in 2018. If so, we'll know much more about Lyft's partners and intentions before long.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Alphabet&amp;#160;When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=b9c31eaa-d88a-4e07-9cda-9702fc01f644&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Alphabet wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=b9c31eaa-d88a-4e07-9cda-9702fc01f644&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p> <p>Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFMarlowe/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">John Rosevear Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Ford and General Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Ford. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=dd07846e-b4f8-11e7-8138-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

ridehailing startup lyft big new investor alphabet nasdaq goog nasdaq googl lyft announced thursday capitalg alphabets investment fund leading 1 billion financing round lyft move follows agreement made may opens new window lyft alphabets selfdriving subsidiary waymo work together development autonomousvehicle technology continue reading also follows flurry interest lyft several automakers tech companies working selfdriving technology including general motors nyse gm made big investment lyft last year dont know whole lot yet lyft announced capitalg led round total investment lyft 1 billion capitalg partner david lawlee join lyfts board lyfts postround valuation 11 billion lyft valued 75 billion recent funding round april lyft didnt name investors round johana bhuiyan recode followed lyft closely reported opens new window investment round wasnt driven urgent need cash lyft previously said expects profitable next year investment advertisement thats one reasons think might interesting backstory starters consider waymo locked fierce legal battle lyft archrival uber technologies waymo alleged former employee stole key technology secrets related selfdriving opens new window left form new company company acquired uber months later also consider waymo racing dominate market autonomousvehicle systems emerging space huge growth profit potential ridehailing expected important early market selfdriving vehicles lyft could major customer possible alphabet felt needed make big move get ahead selfdriving rivals already partnered lyft earlier year lyft opened service automakers tech companies wish test prototype selfdriving systems realworld conditions serving lyft customers besides waymo participants include possible move ford one factor alphabets decision back interest lyft big investment theres another piece puzzle gm ford automotive heavyweight expect blue oval first market selfdriving vehicles different story gm said last month completed development work opens new window massproducible level 4 selfdriving vehicle opens new window gm course invested 500 million lyft early last year opens new window160at 55 billion valuation receiving 9 stake seat lyfts board filled gm president dan ammann idea seemed gm would lyfts primary selfdriving partner opens new window relationship two seemed sour earlier year gm since hinted might develop ridehailing service via existing carsharing subsidiary maven also made moves suggest wants many pieces mobility puzzle selfdriving sensor hardware opens new window ridehailing software perhaps significantly data would gather operating service could make gm big longterm rival waymo probably far biggest consideration driving alphabets decision invest lyft search giant might think investment lyft new seat lyfts board could give better read gms plans state technology whatever motivations driving alphabets interest good time lyft reuters reported opens new window last month lyft taking steps toward initial public offering 2018 well know much lyfts partners intentions long 10 stocks like better alphabet160when investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right alphabet wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns october 9 2017 suzanne frey executive alphabet member motley fools board directors john rosevear opens new window owns shares ford general motors motley fool owns shares recommends alphabet shares alphabet c shares ford motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP) is coming off of a tough year. That is evident by looking at its financial statements, which show that adjusted EBITDA is down 4.2% year to date versus the prior period, while distributable cash flow has fallen 9.8% thanks to weaker commodity prices and some other issues. That said, earnings and cash flow should recover nicely in 2017 thanks to several strategic initiatives the company has under way. These catalysts position the company to deliver its best year ever for earnings and cash flow in 2017.</p> <p>The largest near-term catalyst for Energy Transfer Partners is its pending merger with oil pipeline sibling Sunoco Logistics Partners (NYSE: SXL). While Sunoco is technically the acquiring entity, that's merely a formality, because the combined company will retain the Energy Transfer moniker and senior management team. Instead, the driving force behind this deal is that it will significantly strengthen Energy Transfer by improving its balance sheet and other financial metrics.</p> <p>In addition to that, one of the other benefits of the consolidation is an immediate boost in distributable cash flow. For example, Energy Transfer's consolidated cash flow totaled $2.6 billion thus far in 2016 because it included Sunoco Logistics' $696 million in distributable cash flow. However, after adjusting that against distributions received for its ownership interest in the entity, Energy Transfer's actual distributable cash flow was $2.3 billion, which is roughly $100 million less on a quarterly basis. As such, this transaction stands to boost the combined entity's distributable cash flow by approximately $400 million in 2017.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The combined company also stands to benefit from a full year of Energy Transfer's acquisition of a 65% stake in PennTex Midstream Partners (NASDAQ: PTXP) in late October. Energy Transfer paid a total of $640 million for that stake, which includes 6.3 million common units, 20 million subordinated units, 100% of PennTex Midstream Partners' general partner, and all of the incentive distribution rights. During the third quarter, Energy Transfer was able to book $8 million in distributable cash flow because of an upcoming distribution to PennTex's common and subordinated unitholders. However, that income level will be higher on a go-forward basis once it also starts receiving the lucrative incentive distribution rights.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Sunoco Logistics completed two acquisitions in 2016. In September, the company acquiredVitol's Permian Basin crude oil system for approximately $760 million. Then in November, the company completed a strategic joint venture with oil giant ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) to combine their critical oil logistics assets in the Permian Basin. These deals will provide incremental earnings that will show up over the course of 2017.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>In addition to these acquisitions, both Energy Transfer and Sunoco Logistics have several organic growth projects nearing completion. Topping that list is their controversial $4.8 billion Bakken pipeline system, which is more than 85% finished. While progress on the project stalled because of a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/12/05/energy-transfer-partners-lps-crucial-pipeline-proj.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">permit issue Opens a New Window.</a>, the company should get the <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/11/21/this-pipeline-company-is-counting-down-until-inaug.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">necessary approvals early next year. Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>That said, this project is just one of several these companies still <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/12/08/whats-in-the-pipeline-at-energy-transfer-partners.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">have in the pipeline Opens a New Window.</a>as Energy Transfer puts the finishing touches on a massive $15 billion expansion phase in 2017. In the year ahead, the company should complete work on the Trans-Pecos and Comanche Trail Pipelines, the Rover Pipeline, and the Revolution System, while Sunoco Logistics expects to finish its Mariner East 2 project. While many of these projects will not go into service or start generating cash flow until the second half of the year, they will still provide a lift in 2017. That's on top of the full-year benefit from a slew of projects both companies completed in 2016.</p> <p>Overall, Energy Transfer estimates that its growth projects will deliver a 6-8 times EBITDA multiple on the capital employed in the first year. Given that it anticipates investing $10 billion for its share of these projects, this backlog represents a run rate of $700 million in annual EBITDA once all of the projects go into service. While it will not feel the full impact of that growth until 2018, these projects will still supply meaningful growth in 2017.</p> <p>In many ways, 2017 will be a transformational year for Energy Transfer Partners. Not only should it complete a merger with Sunoco Logistics, but it expects to finish the last of its major expansion projects. These growth initiatives, plus the full-year benefit of recent third-party acquisitions and an improving oil market, should reverse 2016's slide and could push EBITDA and distributable cash flow to new records. As such, the company should enjoy its best financial year ever as long as everything goes according to plan.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Energy Transfer Partners When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=bca6f94a-281e-468d-b2fe-955753ec2bc5&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now...and Energy Transfer Partners wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=bca6f94a-281e-468d-b2fe-955753ec2bc5&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of Nov. 7, 2016.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx" type="external">Matt DiLallo Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. 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image source getty images continue reading energy transfer partners nyse etp coming tough year evident looking financial statements show adjusted ebitda 42 year date versus prior period distributable cash flow fallen 98 thanks weaker commodity prices issues said earnings cash flow recover nicely 2017 thanks several strategic initiatives company way catalysts position company deliver best year ever earnings cash flow 2017 largest nearterm catalyst energy transfer partners pending merger oil pipeline sibling sunoco logistics partners nyse sxl sunoco technically acquiring entity thats merely formality combined company retain energy transfer moniker senior management team instead driving force behind deal significantly strengthen energy transfer improving balance sheet financial metrics addition one benefits consolidation immediate boost distributable cash flow example energy transfers consolidated cash flow totaled 26 billion thus far 2016 included sunoco logistics 696 million distributable cash flow however adjusting distributions received ownership interest entity energy transfers actual distributable cash flow 23 billion roughly 100 million less quarterly basis transaction stands boost combined entitys distributable cash flow approximately 400 million 2017 advertisement combined company also stands benefit full year energy transfers acquisition 65 stake penntex midstream partners nasdaq ptxp late october energy transfer paid total 640 million stake includes 63 million common units 20 million subordinated units 100 penntex midstream partners general partner incentive distribution rights third quarter energy transfer able book 8 million distributable cash flow upcoming distribution penntexs common subordinated unitholders however income level higher goforward basis also starts receiving lucrative incentive distribution rights meanwhile sunoco logistics completed two acquisitions 2016 september company acquiredvitols permian basin crude oil system approximately 760 million november company completed strategic joint venture oil giant exxonmobil nyse xom combine critical oil logistics assets permian basin deals provide incremental earnings show course 2017 image source getty images addition acquisitions energy transfer sunoco logistics several organic growth projects nearing completion topping list controversial 48 billion bakken pipeline system 85 finished progress project stalled permit issue opens new window company get necessary approvals early next year opens new window said project one several companies still pipeline opens new windowas energy transfer puts finishing touches massive 15 billion expansion phase 2017 year ahead company complete work transpecos comanche trail pipelines rover pipeline revolution system sunoco logistics expects finish mariner east 2 project many projects go service start generating cash flow second half year still provide lift 2017 thats top fullyear benefit slew projects companies completed 2016 overall energy transfer estimates growth projects deliver 68 times ebitda multiple capital employed first year given anticipates investing 10 billion share projects backlog represents run rate 700 million annual ebitda projects go service feel full impact growth 2018 projects still supply meaningful growth 2017 many ways 2017 transformational year energy transfer partners complete merger sunoco logistics expects finish last major expansion projects growth initiatives plus fullyear benefit recent thirdparty acquisitions improving oil market reverse 2016s slide could push ebitda distributable cash flow new records company enjoy best financial year ever long everything goes according plan 10 stocks like better energy transfer partners investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right nowand energy transfer partners wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns nov 7 2016 matt dilallo opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares exxonmobil try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p><a href="" type="internal" />The liberal <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/choice-america-future-mitt-romney-article-1.1196299" type="external">New York Daily News</a>, which endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, shocked the media establishment yesterday with a stinging rebuke of the President by deciding to endorse Mitt Romney for president.</p> <p>Four years ago, the Daily News endorsed Obama, seeing a historic figure whose intelligence, political skills and empathy with common folk positioned him to build on the small practical experience he would bring to the world's toughest job. We valued Obama's pledge to govern with bold pragmatism and bipartisanship.</p> <p>The hopes of those days went unfulfilled.</p> <p>Achingly slow job creation has left the U.S. with 4.3 million fewer positions than provided incomes to Americans in 2007. Half the new jobs have been part-time, lower-wage slots, a trend that has ruinously sped a hollowing of the middle class.</p> <p>The official unemployment rate stands at 7.9%, marking only the second month below 8% after 43 months above that level. Worse, add people who are working part-time because they have no better choice and the rate leaps to almost 15%. Still worse, add 8 million people who have given up looking for employment and the number who are out of jobs or who are cobbling together hours to scrape by hits some 23 million people.</p> <p>Only America's social safety net, record deficits and the Federal Reserve's unprecedented low-interest policies have kept the label Great Depression II on the shelf.</p> <p>New Yorkers have fared no better. The state is alone among the 50 in suffering significantly rising unemployment over the last 12 months, with the rate now at 8.9%. The city's pain index is 8.8%, and the five boroughs have been trading down in salaries.</p> <p>Then, the paper goes after Obama's record:</p> <p>The regrettable truth is that Obama built a record of miscalculations and missed opportunities.</p> <p>First came emergency economic stimulus. Because Obama gave free rein to House and Senate Democrats in deciding how to spend $800 billion, the legislation was heavily designed to satisfy the party's constituencies and hunger for social programs, and inadequately weighted toward job-multiplier projects like building and repairing bridges and railroads - including subways.</p> <p>After originally projecting that the program would produce 4 million more jobs than the country now has, along with a 5% jobless rate, Obama pleads that he saved Americans from more dire straits.</p> <p>Next came Obamacare. While the country bled jobs, the President battled to establish universal health insurance - without first restraining soaring medical bills. Then he pushed one of the largest social programs in U.S. history through a Democratic-controlled Congress without a single Republican vote.</p> <p>R.I.P. and never to be resurrected - Obama's promised bipartisanship.</p> <p>While the legislation has yet to take full effect, the typical family's health insurance premium has risen and many businesses will experience a hike of $70 per week per employee, further restraining wages or producing part-time jobs that lack coverage.</p> <p>Next came trillion-dollar deficits. Deep in the hole thanks to former President George W. Bush, Obama helped run up a $5 trillion increase in the national debt.</p> <p>Along the way, he appointed a bipartisan commission to devise a plan for restoring America's fiscal health, but he abandoned the panel's menu of spending cuts, entitlement reductions and tax reform. Finally, Obama failed to close a deal with Republican House Speaker John Boehner for budgetary discipline and a path to job creation.</p> <p>That was 15 months ago. Since then, Obama has presided over paralysis.</p> <p>You know Obama is in trouble when a member of the liberal media loses its confidence in him:</p> <p>Offering a rosy vision of a country already on the rise, Obama argues that he would lead a resurgence by staying the course. He posits that spending in areas such as education and clean energy would be beneficial, and he sees raising taxes on high-income earners as key to "balanced" deficit reduction. Each on its own is attractive, but the whole comes up short.</p> <p>The presidential imperative of the times is to energize the economy and get deficits under control to empower the working and middle classes to again enjoy the fruits of an ascendant America.</p> <p>So The News is compelled to stand with Romney.</p> <p>Obama claims that Romney doesn't know what change is, and that he is only repackaging old ideas. The problem is that Obama promised hope and change four years ago, but has failed to improve the employment situation in this country while piling on a record amount of debt that we will never be able to pay back.</p> <p>The News has joined a growing number of papers that have switched to Romney after endorsing Obama in 2008.</p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data/2012_newspaper_endorsements.php" type="external">American Presidency Project</a>, of the Top 100 newspapers, 12 have switched to the GOP nominee after backing Obama in 2008, compared to just one paper that endorsed Obama after backing McCain.</p> <p>The final tally shows Obama with a 41-34 edge over Romney in endorsements, but that's much closer than four years ago when Obama enjoyed a greater than 2-1 advantage over John McCain.</p> <p>For many in the liberal media, the thrill is long gone.</p>

liberal new york daily news endorsed barack obama 2008 shocked media establishment yesterday stinging rebuke president deciding endorse mitt romney president four years ago daily news endorsed obama seeing historic figure whose intelligence political skills empathy common folk positioned build small practical experience would bring worlds toughest job valued obamas pledge govern bold pragmatism bipartisanship hopes days went unfulfilled achingly slow job creation left us 43 million fewer positions provided incomes americans 2007 half new jobs parttime lowerwage slots trend ruinously sped hollowing middle class official unemployment rate stands 79 marking second month 8 43 months level worse add people working parttime better choice rate leaps almost 15 still worse add 8 million people given looking employment number jobs cobbling together hours scrape hits 23 million people americas social safety net record deficits federal reserves unprecedented lowinterest policies kept label great depression ii shelf new yorkers fared better state alone among 50 suffering significantly rising unemployment last 12 months rate 89 citys pain index 88 five boroughs trading salaries paper goes obamas record regrettable truth obama built record miscalculations missed opportunities first came emergency economic stimulus obama gave free rein house senate democrats deciding spend 800 billion legislation heavily designed satisfy partys constituencies hunger social programs inadequately weighted toward jobmultiplier projects like building repairing bridges railroads including subways originally projecting program would produce 4 million jobs country along 5 jobless rate obama pleads saved americans dire straits next came obamacare country bled jobs president battled establish universal health insurance without first restraining soaring medical bills pushed one largest social programs us history democraticcontrolled congress without single republican vote rip never resurrected obamas promised bipartisanship legislation yet take full effect typical familys health insurance premium risen many businesses experience hike 70 per week per employee restraining wages producing parttime jobs lack coverage next came trilliondollar deficits deep hole thanks former president george w bush obama helped run 5 trillion increase national debt along way appointed bipartisan commission devise plan restoring americas fiscal health abandoned panels menu spending cuts entitlement reductions tax reform finally obama failed close deal republican house speaker john boehner budgetary discipline path job creation 15 months ago since obama presided paralysis know obama trouble member liberal media loses confidence offering rosy vision country already rise obama argues would lead resurgence staying course posits spending areas education clean energy would beneficial sees raising taxes highincome earners key balanced deficit reduction attractive whole comes short presidential imperative times energize economy get deficits control empower working middle classes enjoy fruits ascendant america news compelled stand romney obama claims romney doesnt know change repackaging old ideas problem obama promised hope change four years ago failed improve employment situation country piling record amount debt never able pay back news joined growing number papers switched romney endorsing obama 2008 according american presidency project top 100 newspapers 12 switched gop nominee backing obama 2008 compared one paper endorsed obama backing mccain final tally shows obama 4134 edge romney endorsements thats much closer four years ago obama enjoyed greater 21 advantage john mccain many liberal media thrill long gone

<p>Subaru's all-wheel drive passion aside, the automaker crafts a fun, rear-wheel drive, sport coupe. The 2015 Surbaru BRZ is surprisingly affordable, too, with a starting retail price of less than $26,500.</p> <p>Better yet, the low-slung, two-door BRZ earned the top safety score of five out of five stars, overall, in federal government crash tests. Standard safety equipment includes six air bags, anti-lock brakes and brake assist, traction control and electronic stability control.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The BRZ comes only with a naturally aspirated four cylinder &#8212; no turbo. Transmission choices are a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic &#8212; no dual-clutch. And the BRZ can be noisy to ride in, with plentiful road noise.</p> <p>But the only rear-drive car offered by Subaru has precise steering, virtually no body lean in corners, sport-tuned suspension, Torsion limited-slip rear differential, 200 horsepower, light weight and a terrific-for-handling low center of gravity.</p> <p>The BRZ even has decent fuel mileage. In fact, this sporty coupe ranks sixth in federal government fuel mileage ratings among gasoline-powered, 2015 coupe nameplates. A 2015 BRZ with six-speed automatic is rated at 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 34 mpg on the highway, for a combined rating of 28 mpg.</p> <p>Most gasoline coupes that top this rating, such as the Scion iQ, Mini Cooper Coupe and Fiat 500, are arguably more utilitarian-looking than the sporty BRZ.</p> <p>Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $26,490 for a 2015 BRZ Premium with rear-wheel drive, four-cylinder "boxer" engine and six-speed manual transmission. The lowest starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a 2015 BRZ with six-speed automatic is $27,695.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>There aren't a lot of options for the BRZ, which comes standard with high-intensity discharge headlights, power windows, door locks and outside mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning, folding rear seatback, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, Aha infotainment, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel, keyless entry and voice-activated navigation system.</p> <p>The tester was one of the 1,000 Series.Blue limited editions that were new for 2015. It added $1,795 worth of sporty items including special spoilers, black-finish alloy wheels, red-painted brake calipers, carbon fiber-patterned interior trim and leather- and alcantara-trimmed seats with blue stitching.</p> <p>Competitors to the BRZ include its engineering sibling, the 2015 Scion FR-S, which has a starting retail price of $25,670 with manual transmission. This is $820 less than the corresponding BRZ. The 2015 FR-S with automatic also is lower priced. Its $26,770 starting retail price, including destination charge, undercuts the BRZ automatic model by $925.</p> <p>and Subaru worked together in engineering the two coupes and sell their versions under the different names. is a minor partner in Subaru.</p> <p>Another competitor in the lower-priced coupe segment is the 2015 Kia Forte Koup SX, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $21,415 with manual transmission. Note the Forte two door is front-wheel drive. But the SX comes with a 201-horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder.</p> <p>BRZ stands for Boxer Renaissance Zenith, referring to Subaru's traditional use of horizontally opposed, boxer engines being taken to a new level. For the BRZ, the 2-liter boxer four cylinder adds Toyota-sourced direct-injection technology to produce the 200 horses and peak torque of 151 foot-pounds of torque at 6,400 rpm.</p> <p>This compares, though, to 195 foot-pounds of torque produced by the turbo four in the Forte Koup SX, and the turbo torque starts at a low 1,750 rpm and carries to 4,500 rpm.</p> <p>The seat of the pants "oomph" sensation surely is different between the two cars. At around 2,775 pounds, the BRZ weighs up to 230 pounds less than a Forte Koup SX. As a result, the power-to-weight ratio is impressive for the BRZ. It can make the car feel exhilarating and lively, even without a turbo.</p> <p>Add in the exemplary handling &#8212; rear-wheel drive, quick steering response, tenacious road hugging &#8212; and the fun-to-drive quotient zooms.</p> <p>On twisty roads, the test BRZ moved through the right- and left-hand curves at good speed as if it were one single piece. The car's low center of gravity &#8212; some 18 inches above the pavement &#8212; keeps the BRZ amazingly flat in turns and curves, with nary any body motion.</p> <p>Engineers worked to move the engine as far back as possible to center the weight. This also allowed for short, sporty body overhangs at the front of the car.</p> <p>The nimble character and small size of the BRZ &#8212; it's only half a foot longer, from bumper to bumper, than a Honda Fit &#8212; add to the optimal handling.</p> <p>Inside, the BRZ didn't feel as cramped as expected. Front seats provided good support and were comfortable. Front-seat headroom is a decent 37.1 inches, and legroom is a generous 41.9 inches.</p> <p>It's the back seats that are diminutive, with 35 inches of headroom and just 29.9 inches of legroom. It's also a real pain to get into and out of the back seats, and rather than calling the BRZ a four-passenger auto, Subaru calls it a 2-plus-2-passenger car on the specs sheet.</p> <p>Wearing summer performance tires, the test BRZ Series.Blue was noisy. Most road noises readily came through to passengers. On all but the smoothest of asphalt passengers felt vibrations from road surfaces. At times, the ride could be downright jarring.</p> <p>The 6.1-inch display screen for the audio/navigation unit with CD player in the dashboard was small compared with those in many other cars. Buttons were small, too, and not easy to operate.</p> <p>The 196-watt amplifier often could not overcome the road and engine noises that intruded.</p> <p>Consumer Reports says reliability is well below average.</p>

subarus allwheel drive passion aside automaker crafts fun rearwheel drive sport coupe 2015 surbaru brz surprisingly affordable starting retail price less 26500 better yet lowslung twodoor brz earned top safety score five five stars overall federal government crash tests standard safety equipment includes six air bags antilock brakes brake assist traction control electronic stability control continue reading brz comes naturally aspirated four cylinder turbo transmission choices sixspeed manual sixspeed automatic dualclutch brz noisy ride plentiful road noise reardrive car offered subaru precise steering virtually body lean corners sporttuned suspension torsion limitedslip rear differential 200 horsepower light weight terrificforhandling low center gravity brz even decent fuel mileage fact sporty coupe ranks sixth federal government fuel mileage ratings among gasolinepowered 2015 coupe nameplates 2015 brz sixspeed automatic rated 25 miles per gallon city driving 34 mpg highway combined rating 28 mpg gasoline coupes top rating scion iq mini cooper coupe fiat 500 arguably utilitarianlooking sporty brz starting manufacturers suggested retail price including destination charge 26490 2015 brz premium rearwheel drive fourcylinder boxer engine sixspeed manual transmission lowest starting manufacturers suggested retail price including destination charge 2015 brz sixspeed automatic 27695 advertisement arent lot options brz comes standard highintensity discharge headlights power windows door locks outside mirrors cruise control air conditioning folding rear seatback bluetooth handsfree phone connectivity audio streaming aha infotainment leatherwrapped shift knob steering wheel keyless entry voiceactivated navigation system tester one 1000 seriesblue limited editions new 2015 added 1795 worth sporty items including special spoilers blackfinish alloy wheels redpainted brake calipers carbon fiberpatterned interior trim leather alcantaratrimmed seats blue stitching competitors brz include engineering sibling 2015 scion frs starting retail price 25670 manual transmission 820 less corresponding brz 2015 frs automatic also lower priced 26770 starting retail price including destination charge undercuts brz automatic model 925 subaru worked together engineering two coupes sell versions different names minor partner subaru another competitor lowerpriced coupe segment 2015 kia forte koup sx starting msrp including destination charge 21415 manual transmission note forte two door frontwheel drive sx comes 201horsepower turbocharged four cylinder brz stands boxer renaissance zenith referring subarus traditional use horizontally opposed boxer engines taken new level brz 2liter boxer four cylinder adds toyotasourced directinjection technology produce 200 horses peak torque 151 footpounds torque 6400 rpm compares though 195 footpounds torque produced turbo four forte koup sx turbo torque starts low 1750 rpm carries 4500 rpm seat pants oomph sensation surely different two cars around 2775 pounds brz weighs 230 pounds less forte koup sx result powertoweight ratio impressive brz make car feel exhilarating lively even without turbo add exemplary handling rearwheel drive quick steering response tenacious road hugging funtodrive quotient zooms twisty roads test brz moved right lefthand curves good speed one single piece cars low center gravity 18 inches pavement keeps brz amazingly flat turns curves nary body motion engineers worked move engine far back possible center weight also allowed short sporty body overhangs front car nimble character small size brz half foot longer bumper bumper honda fit add optimal handling inside brz didnt feel cramped expected front seats provided good support comfortable frontseat headroom decent 371 inches legroom generous 419 inches back seats diminutive 35 inches headroom 299 inches legroom also real pain get back seats rather calling brz fourpassenger auto subaru calls 2plus2passenger car specs sheet wearing summer performance tires test brz seriesblue noisy road noises readily came passengers smoothest asphalt passengers felt vibrations road surfaces times ride could downright jarring 61inch display screen audionavigation unit cd player dashboard small compared many cars buttons small easy operate 196watt amplifier often could overcome road engine noises intruded consumer reports says reliability well average

<p>Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope...</p> <p>With its shares up 17%, U.S. oil major Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is neck and neck with the S&amp;amp;P 500 for performance over the past year, lagging by just a couple of percentage points at last count. But here's the really good news: According to the analysts at Australian banker <a href="http://caps.fool.com/player/trackmacquarie.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Macquarie Opens a New Window.</a>, Chevron is about to surge into the lead!</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Here's what you need to know.</p> <p>Macquarie's buy thesis on Chevron begins and ends with cash --&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/free-cash-flow.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free cash flow Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;(FCF), to be precise.</p> <p>As explained in a write-up on <a href="http://thefly.com/news.php?symbol=CVX" type="external">TheFly.com Opens a New Window.</a> this morning, Macquarie -- which ranks in the top 5% of investors we track on Motley Fool CAPS -- sees "cost reduction efforts and new production volumes driving outstanding free cash generation" at Chevron already.</p> <p>Data from <a href="http://marketintelligence.spglobal.com/" type="external">S&amp;amp;P Global Market Intelligence Opens a New Window.</a> confirm this. According to S&amp;amp;P Global, it's been five years since Chevron generated positive free cash flow in any full-year period, and more than a decade (2005) since the last time Chevron generated positive free cash flow anywhere near to approximating positive GAAP earnings results. The past six months, however, have seen Chevron churn out $2.4 billion in real cash profit -- still short of reported GAAP earnings of $4.1 billion, but at least positive. Free cash flow was likewise positive in H2 of last year -- $1.1 billion.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Now admittedly, the combination of free cash flow numbers from H1 2017 and H2 2016 still only adds up to about $3.5 billion in real cash profit, which is considerably less than the $5.8 billion in net income that Chevron reported under GAAP. It's probably not enough cash to justify Chevron's still high market capitalization of $227.6 billion.</p> <p>As a reminder, this disconnect between reported "income" and actual cash profits is endemic in the oil industry, and the No. 1 reason <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/21/the-simple-reason-why-i-wont-buy-exxonmobil-stock.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">I don't buy oil stocks for my personal account Opens a New Window.</a>. That said, at least Chevron is generating some cash now, and as Macquarie points out, it's probably generating enough cash to "cover capex and the dividend at an oil price below $40/bbl from 2018 onward."</p> <p>This fact alone makes Chevron a viable option for investors focused on earning dividend income, and less interested in capital appreciation. It's enough to make Macquarie feel "very positive" about Chevron's prospects, and is the key reason this analyst is upgrading Chevron stock to outperform and assigning a $135 price target on the stock.</p> <p>But should Chevron stock be good enough for you?</p> <p>Not necessarily. To reiterate, oil companies as a group have a habit of claiming much stronger net income under GAAP accounting standards than they ever produce as real cash profit on their cash flow statements. This is the main reason I have historically avoided the oil industry. That said, oil companies' numbers have been improving as oil execs have worked to trim costs and right-size production in the current low-price oil environment.</p> <p>It's not just Chevron that's begun generating cash again. Over the past 12 months, Chevron rival ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) reported GAAP losses of $3.9 billion, but positive free cash flow of $2.4 billion. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) generated $14.6 billion in free cash flow versus $11.7 billion reported net income. Of the really big names, only BP (NYSE: BP) seems to be playing odd man out, reporting a small GAAP profit ($3.7 billion) but showing a free cash flow deficit of $4.1 billion.</p> <p>And even BP was FCF-positive in each of 2014 and 2015, so there's reason to hope that BP can also turn itself back around and resume generating cash, too.</p> <p>Oil majors' discovery of the virtues of cost-cutting is good news for income investors who like the industry's long history of paying robust dividends. If cash is flowing again, those dividend checks should keep on flowing, too. That said, if strong, positive free cash flow is becoming the new normal for oil majors, then I have to say I'm more enthusiastic about the valuation at Chevron rival Exxon, which currently sells for 24 times trailing free cash flow, or even ConocoPhillips, which costs about 25 times FCF, than I am about Chevron at 65 times FCF.</p> <p>Good is good, but cheaper is better.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than ChevronWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=0f29c11c-71a5-41ba-baca-f3ee1e42bd1c&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Chevron wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=0f29c11c-71a5-41ba-baca-f3ee1e42bd1c&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDitty/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Rich Smith Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f8dea554-b346-11e7-916d-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

every day wall street analysts upgrade stocks downgrade others initiate coverage analysts even know theyre talking today taking one highprofile wall street pick putting microscope shares 17 us oil major chevron corporation nyse cvx neck neck sampp 500 performance past year lagging couple percentage points last count heres really good news according analysts australian banker macquarie opens new window chevron surge lead continue reading heres need know macquaries buy thesis chevron begins ends cash 160 free cash flow opens new window160fcf precise explained writeup theflycom opens new window morning macquarie ranks top 5 investors track motley fool caps sees cost reduction efforts new production volumes driving outstanding free cash generation chevron already data sampp global market intelligence opens new window confirm according sampp global five years since chevron generated positive free cash flow fullyear period decade 2005 since last time chevron generated positive free cash flow anywhere near approximating positive gaap earnings results past six months however seen chevron churn 24 billion real cash profit still short reported gaap earnings 41 billion least positive free cash flow likewise positive h2 last year 11 billion advertisement admittedly combination free cash flow numbers h1 2017 h2 2016 still adds 35 billion real cash profit considerably less 58 billion net income chevron reported gaap probably enough cash justify chevrons still high market capitalization 2276 billion reminder disconnect reported income actual cash profits endemic oil industry 1 reason dont buy oil stocks personal account opens new window said least chevron generating cash macquarie points probably generating enough cash cover capex dividend oil price 40bbl 2018 onward fact alone makes chevron viable option investors focused earning dividend income less interested capital appreciation enough make macquarie feel positive chevrons prospects key reason analyst upgrading chevron stock outperform assigning 135 price target stock chevron stock good enough necessarily reiterate oil companies group habit claiming much stronger net income gaap accounting standards ever produce real cash profit cash flow statements main reason historically avoided oil industry said oil companies numbers improving oil execs worked trim costs rightsize production current lowprice oil environment chevron thats begun generating cash past 12 months chevron rival conocophillips nyse cop reported gaap losses 39 billion positive free cash flow 24 billion exxonmobil nyse xom generated 146 billion free cash flow versus 117 billion reported net income really big names bp nyse bp seems playing odd man reporting small gaap profit 37 billion showing free cash flow deficit 41 billion even bp fcfpositive 2014 2015 theres reason hope bp also turn back around resume generating cash oil majors discovery virtues costcutting good news income investors like industrys long history paying robust dividends cash flowing dividend checks keep flowing said strong positive free cash flow becoming new normal oil majors say im enthusiastic valuation chevron rival exxon currently sells 24 times trailing free cash flow even conocophillips costs 25 times fcf chevron 65 times fcf good good cheaper better 10 stocks like better chevronwhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right chevron wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns october 9 2017 rich smith opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares exxonmobil motley fool recommends chevron motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>With Donald Trump now apparently spending every waking hour justifying longstanding complaints about his unfitness for office, Republicans are beginning to wake up to the nightmare they have created for themselves with their willingness to back Trump. To be fair, there are two types of Republicans now living through the Trumpian Inferno: those who stayed silent during the primaries, thereby handing the primaries to Trump, and those who opposed Trump. But it won&#8217;t matter much in the end: they&#8217;ll all ride the slow boat to electoral hell with him.</p> <p>Today saw a bevy of Republican leaders struggle with their decision to back Trump, come hell or high water. They could have held out; they could have said that Trump would have to prove to them that he was conservative, that he wasn&#8217;t a nutcase, that he could in fact fulfill his promises to be presidential. They didn&#8217;t. Now they&#8217;re passengers on the Trump Train, and it&#8217;s headed for Eastwood Ravine.</p> <p>Top Republicans now have the look of existential angst that once graced the countenances of Chris Christie and Ben Carson. Christie, for one, has learned to live with his new status as Trump flunkey: as Renfield to Trump&#8217;s Dracula, he&#8217;ll keep serving the master so long as Trump feeds him spiders to replenish his life force. So today, Christie <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/chris-christie-trump-not-racist-223994" type="external">pulled a Lady Gaga</a> and celebrated Donald Trump&#8217;s right to express himself: &#8220;Those are Donald&#8217;s opinions. And he has a right to express them, the same way anybody else has the right to express their views regarding how they&#8217;re treated in the civil or criminal courts in this country. That&#8217;s part of what free speech is about.&#8221; He then called Trump &#8220;refreshing&#8221; and added, &#8220;I think you all are paying much too much attention on this.&#8221;</p> <p>Newt Gingrich, yet another Trump Igor, is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/06/06/newt-gingrich-thinks-donald-trump-is-going-to-be-just-fine-thank-you-very-much/" type="external">learning to love his new overlord</a>, too. After hearing about Trump&#8217;s Curiel comments, Gingrich called them &#8220;inexcusable.&#8221; Trump then fired back by calling Gingrich&#8217;s comments &#8220;inappropriate.&#8221; Gingrich promptly bent over and screamed, &#8220;THANK YOU SIR! MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?&#8221; (His actual comment: &#8220;Trump is going to be fine as a candidate. He is learning very rapidly&#8230;.Trump&#8217;s complaints about the judge and the law firm in the Trump University case are valid and reflect a growing pattern of politicized &#8216;justice.&#8217;&#8221;)</p> <p>Then there are the mixed multitude: Republicans who support Trump but have to convince themselves of that fact every morning. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeffrey-lord-trump-ryan-racist_us_5756d8d6e4b07823f9514271?hnlzeg62f4gy9o1or=" type="external">Speaker of the House Paul Ryan</a>, who declared his support for Trump late last week, said, &#8220;Claiming a person can&#8217;t do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment. I think that should be absolutely disavowed. It&#8217;s absolutely unacceptable.&#8221;</p> <p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, too, came out against Trump&#8217;s comments but refused to call them racist. He added, &#8220;I think the bad news is that he needs to have a full understanding of what he can and can&#8217;t do. We don&#8217;t have dictators in this country.&#8221; He said of Trump&#8217;s attacks on Curiel, &#8220;We don&#8217;t do that sort of thing in America.&#8221;</p> <p>All of that earned Ryan and McConnell the scorn of one Jeffrey Lord, Official Trump Avatar. Lord said, &#8220;Speaker Ryan is wrong and Speaker Ryan has apparently switched position and is now supporting identity politics, which is racist&#8230;The Republican establishment is playing this.&#8221; He then impugned McConnell, too.</p> <p>That isn&#8217;t stopping the rhetorical exodus away from Trump&#8217;s campaign. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who just last week came out and said he&#8217;d speak for Trump at the Republican National Convention, <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/rubio-wont-speak-on-behalf-of-trump-at-gop-convention/article/2593150#.V1YQZSX2c99.twitter" type="external">has now backed off</a>: &#8220;I&#8217;ve never said I would stand and speak on behalf of someone else&#8217;s agenda. I would speak about the things I believe in, not somebody else&#8217;s platform or on behalf of anyone else for that matter.&#8221; Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who has been widely discussed as a possible Trump VP pick, said that he didn&#8217;t condone Trump&#8217;s comments and that Trump would have to change: &#8220;To say that somebody because of their background or their ethnicity has &#8211; doesn&#8217;t have the ability to carry something out is wrong.&#8221;</p> <p>None of this will change Trump, however.</p> <p>Trump has already told his campaign surrogates, in a leaked phone call, that they ought to attack Curiel directly. This fits the Trump pattern: always attack. There&#8217;s a reason a Trump surrogate reportedly called up David French&#8217;s wife to threaten her after Trump found out that French was <a href="https://twitter.com/politico/status/740148306848976901" type="external">considering a third party run</a>.</p> <p>And while we&#8217;re seeing a temporary respite of sanity from some Republicans, they&#8217;ll be back to pressuring the rest of us to jump behind Trump soon enough. Our very unwillingness to back Trump sticks in their craw; it&#8217;s a direct repudiation of their morally obtuse argument that Trump won&#8217;t damage conservatism if they consolidate behind him.</p> <p>Hence the words of Trump&#8217;s shinebox specialist, Mike Huckabee, who told Sean Hannity that <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/Politics/mike-huckabee-republican-establishment-spanked/2016/06/06/id/732582/" type="external">the Republican establishment</a> &#8220;need to be happy they&#8217;re only getting spanked and not executed.&#8221; And hence the Republican outrage at Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE), who has openly refused to back Donald Trump. Politico reports today:</p> <p>The blowback started in earnest in May at a state Republican convention, with the passage of a resolution seen as a clear rebuke of Sasse. It stated that the state party would not support any Republican officeholder who opposes the GOP presidential nominee or advocates a third-party candidate&#8230;.Sasse&#8217;s anti-Trump mission is infuriating many Nebraska Republicans, who view it not only as self-serving but a boon to Hillary Clinton. Others privately wonder whether there is substance behind Sasse&#8217;s lofty language and question whether his meteoric rise has perhaps left him in over his head&#8230;.He is also increasingly a no-show at Republican Party lunches, even as he keeps up his social media presence. The prevailing view among Senate Republicans is that Sasse is preparing to run for president, and sooner rather than later.</p> <p>Politico <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/senate-sasse-ben-223886" type="external">goes on to complain</a> that Sasse isn&#8217;t spending enough time naming Post Offices.</p> <p>Yes, Sasse will become an outsider because he&#8217;s not willing to clamber aboard the Trump bandwagon, just as Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) became an outsider because he was unwilling to go along with McConnell&#8217;s refusal to use the power of the purse to stop the Obama agenda.</p> <p>This will be the give-and-take of the Trump campaign: Republicans driven away from Trump by his definitional unfitness, reluctantly returning to Trump out of a feeling of necessity, swinging behind Trump enthusiastically in order to justify their support, and then pressuring other Republicans to do the same and getting angry when they don&#8217;t.</p> <p>In the end, the only thing that will matter is who kept standing by Trump when he alienated every possible constituency in American life, and who stood by principle instead.</p>

donald trump apparently spending every waking hour justifying longstanding complaints unfitness office republicans beginning wake nightmare created willingness back trump fair two types republicans living trumpian inferno stayed silent primaries thereby handing primaries trump opposed trump wont matter much end theyll ride slow boat electoral hell today saw bevy republican leaders struggle decision back trump come hell high water could held could said trump would prove conservative wasnt nutcase could fact fulfill promises presidential didnt theyre passengers trump train headed eastwood ravine top republicans look existential angst graced countenances chris christie ben carson christie one learned live new status trump flunkey renfield trumps dracula hell keep serving master long trump feeds spiders replenish life force today christie pulled lady gaga celebrated donald trumps right express donalds opinions right express way anybody else right express views regarding theyre treated civil criminal courts country thats part free speech called trump refreshing added think paying much much attention newt gingrich yet another trump igor learning love new overlord hearing trumps curiel comments gingrich called inexcusable trump fired back calling gingrichs comments inappropriate gingrich promptly bent screamed thank sir may another actual comment trump going fine candidate learning rapidlytrumps complaints judge law firm trump university case valid reflect growing pattern politicized justice mixed multitude republicans support trump convince fact every morning speaker house paul ryan declared support trump late last week said claiming person cant job race sort like textbook definition racist comment think absolutely disavowed absolutely unacceptable senate majority leader mitch mcconnell came trumps comments refused call racist added think bad news needs full understanding cant dont dictators country said trumps attacks curiel dont sort thing america earned ryan mcconnell scorn one jeffrey lord official trump avatar lord said speaker ryan wrong speaker ryan apparently switched position supporting identity politics racistthe republican establishment playing impugned mcconnell isnt stopping rhetorical exodus away trumps campaign senator marco rubio rfl last week came said hed speak trump republican national convention backed ive never said would stand speak behalf someone elses agenda would speak things believe somebody elses platform behalf anyone else matter senator bob corker rtn widely discussed possible trump vp pick said didnt condone trumps comments trump would change say somebody background ethnicity doesnt ability carry something wrong none change trump however trump already told campaign surrogates leaked phone call ought attack curiel directly fits trump pattern always attack theres reason trump surrogate reportedly called david frenchs wife threaten trump found french considering third party run seeing temporary respite sanity republicans theyll back pressuring rest us jump behind trump soon enough unwillingness back trump sticks craw direct repudiation morally obtuse argument trump wont damage conservatism consolidate behind hence words trumps shinebox specialist mike huckabee told sean hannity republican establishment need happy theyre getting spanked executed hence republican outrage senator ben sasse rne openly refused back donald trump politico reports today blowback started earnest may state republican convention passage resolution seen clear rebuke sasse stated state party would support republican officeholder opposes gop presidential nominee advocates thirdparty candidatesasses antitrump mission infuriating many nebraska republicans view selfserving boon hillary clinton others privately wonder whether substance behind sasses lofty language question whether meteoric rise perhaps left headhe also increasingly noshow republican party lunches even keeps social media presence prevailing view among senate republicans sasse preparing run president sooner rather later politico goes complain sasse isnt spending enough time naming post offices yes sasse become outsider hes willing clamber aboard trump bandwagon senator ted cruz rtx became outsider unwilling go along mcconnells refusal use power purse stop obama agenda giveandtake trump campaign republicans driven away trump definitional unfitness reluctantly returning trump feeling necessity swinging behind trump enthusiastically order justify support pressuring republicans getting angry dont end thing matter kept standing trump alienated every possible constituency american life stood principle instead

<p /> <p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>While some of us enjoy dreaming of getting rich quick via a strategy of cleverly buying and selling the right stocks at a furious pace, the truth is that individual investors who want to build wealth are better off sticking with a buy-and-hold strategy instead. In fact, the S&amp;amp;P 500 has yielded a total return of 108% in the last 10 years despite dozens of doomsday headlines and one of the worst recessions in decades occurring during the period.</p> <p>Simply investing in an ETF that tracks the S&amp;amp;P 500 is perhaps one of the easiest long-term investing strategies you can follow, especially considering its average annual return of about 7% (when adjusted for inflation).</p> <p>That said, there will always be individual stocks that greatly outperform their peers. These three each returned at least 800% in the last 10 years when dividends are included, meaning an initial investment of $7,000 in any of these three would be worth over $63,000 today.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/EW/total_return_price" type="external">EW Total Return Price</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) has returned 930% in the last decade. The company was born in 1960 when Miles "Lowell" Edwards invented an artificial heart valve and successfully placed it into a patient -- and the company has been innovating in the same field ever since. After being spun-off from Baxter International in 2000, it has done one other thing: Return value to shareholders. In fact, it has returned over 3,350% in its life as a public company, and nearly 48% year-to-date.</p> <p>The company is unlikely to provide another 10-bagger to investors from its current $25 billion valuation, but it isn't done growing just yet. Edwards Lifesciences has increased revenue from $1.9 billion in 2012 to $2.5 billion in 2015, representing growth of 31%, while EPS has increased 83% in the same period. Things are expected to be even better in 2016: Management is guiding for full-year sales and EPS growth of up to 20% and 24%, respectively. With steady growth, little debt, and products that will only become more important as the global population ages, Edwards Lifesciences is as reliable of an investment as you can find.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/indices/%5ESPXTR" type="external">^SPXTR</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a></p> <p>Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) has returned 866% in the last decade. It, too, began life as a publicly traded company in 2000, but for very different reasons than Edward Lifesciences. The United States announced a working draft of the human genome in 2000 as part of the Human Genome Project, which spawned the genetic sequencing industry. Today, Illumina is the unquestioned leader of the field for one simple reason: costs. Whereas the nationally funded Human Genome Project required an estimated $3 billion to reach its goal, technologies developed by Illumina can today sequence a full human genome for between $1,000 and $5,000.</p> <p>The company's leadership position shows in its financial statements, which reflect the sales of devices (gene sequencers), consumables, and laboratory diagnostics. Revenue has increased from $1.15 billion in 2012 to $2.22 billion in 2015, representing growth of 93%, while EPS has grown 159% in the same period. The emergence of the engineered biology field and better biopharmaceuticals nearly guarantee that Illumina will continue growing for the foreseeable future, albeit at a slower pace. Management has guided for full-year sales growth of 12% and EPS growth of up to 12% for 2016. While the stock has had a rocky year-to-date performance -- losing nearly 10% -- the long-term potential of the $25 billion company remains strong.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/indices/%5ESPXTR" type="external">^SPXTR</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts</a></p> <p>CF Industries(NYSE: CF) has returned 800% in the last decade. While the return in the chart above includes dividends, it also includes a precipitous slide encountered by all fertilizer manufacturers in the last several quarters. Selling prices for all three major agricultural nutrients -- nitrogen, phosphate, and potash -- continue to set new multi-year lows thanks to severe oversupplies and reduced purchases from farmers dealing with lower grain prices. As the magnitude of the drop from mid-2015 to the present in the chart above implies, the fertilizer industry is in a historic slump at the moment.</p> <p>CF relies exclusively on nitrogen fertilizer sales, which has resulted in an even steeper drop in its stock price -- 56% in the last year -- than those suffered by its more-diversified peers. Why? Nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers have added capacity at a vigorous pace, and are expected to keep doing so well into 2017. Based on that simple fact, CF Industries doesn't expect prices to recover any earlier than 2018.</p> <p>Market conditions are certainly challenging today, but the company's leadership position in the nitrogen fertilizer industry is allowing it to eke out profits nonetheless as it waits for better days ahead. And boy, good days in the nitrogen fertilizer industry are good. CF Industries reported revenue of $6.1 billion and EPS of $5.71 in 2012, compared to just $4.3 billion and $2.96, respectively, in 2015. Things will get worse before they get better, but value-hunting investors with an eye for the long haul may want to give the company a closer look.</p> <p>These three companies present a small sample size, but they demonstrate a few hallmarks of successful investments. First, a buy-and-hold strategy was the only way to enjoy the gains listed above. If you bought and sold often over the last 10 years, trying to time the markets, then you likely wouldn't have turned $7,000 into $63,000 or more in these stocks. Second, each of these companies provides essential services and products. The world needed heart valves, genetic services, and fertilizers a decade ago -- and will still need them a decade from now. Third, all three could still represent great buy-and-holdopportunitiestoday, even after their massive gains.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2518&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFBlacknGold/info.aspx" type="external">Maxx Chatsko Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxxChatsko" type="external">Follow him on Twitter Opens a New Window.</a>to keep up with developments in the engineered biology field.</p> <p>The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Illumina. The Motley Fool recommends Baxter. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source getty images continue reading us enjoy dreaming getting rich quick via strategy cleverly buying selling right stocks furious pace truth individual investors want build wealth better sticking buyandhold strategy instead fact sampp 500 yielded total return 108 last 10 years despite dozens doomsday headlines one worst recessions decades occurring period simply investing etf tracks sampp 500 perhaps one easiest longterm investing strategies follow especially considering average annual return 7 adjusted inflation said always individual stocks greatly outperform peers three returned least 800 last 10 years dividends included meaning initial investment 7000 three would worth 63000 today advertisement ew total return price data ycharts opens new window edwards lifesciences nyse ew returned 930 last decade company born 1960 miles lowell edwards invented artificial heart valve successfully placed patient company innovating field ever since spunoff baxter international 2000 done one thing return value shareholders fact returned 3350 life public company nearly 48 yeartodate company unlikely provide another 10bagger investors current 25 billion valuation isnt done growing yet edwards lifesciences increased revenue 19 billion 2012 25 billion 2015 representing growth 31 eps increased 83 period things expected even better 2016 management guiding fullyear sales eps growth 20 24 respectively steady growth little debt products become important global population ages edwards lifesciences reliable investment find spxtr data ycharts illumina nasdaq ilmn returned 866 last decade began life publicly traded company 2000 different reasons edward lifesciences united states announced working draft human genome 2000 part human genome project spawned genetic sequencing industry today illumina unquestioned leader field one simple reason costs whereas nationally funded human genome project required estimated 3 billion reach goal technologies developed illumina today sequence full human genome 1000 5000 companys leadership position shows financial statements reflect sales devices gene sequencers consumables laboratory diagnostics revenue increased 115 billion 2012 222 billion 2015 representing growth 93 eps grown 159 period emergence engineered biology field better biopharmaceuticals nearly guarantee illumina continue growing foreseeable future albeit slower pace management guided fullyear sales growth 12 eps growth 12 2016 stock rocky yeartodate performance losing nearly 10 longterm potential 25 billion company remains strong spxtr data ycharts cf industriesnyse cf returned 800 last decade return chart includes dividends also includes precipitous slide encountered fertilizer manufacturers last several quarters selling prices three major agricultural nutrients nitrogen phosphate potash continue set new multiyear lows thanks severe oversupplies reduced purchases farmers dealing lower grain prices magnitude drop mid2015 present chart implies fertilizer industry historic slump moment cf relies exclusively nitrogen fertilizer sales resulted even steeper drop stock price 56 last year suffered morediversified peers nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers added capacity vigorous pace expected keep well 2017 based simple fact cf industries doesnt expect prices recover earlier 2018 market conditions certainly challenging today companys leadership position nitrogen fertilizer industry allowing eke profits nonetheless waits better days ahead boy good days nitrogen fertilizer industry good cf industries reported revenue 61 billion eps 571 2012 compared 43 billion 296 respectively 2015 things get worse get better valuehunting investors eye long haul may want give company closer look three companies present small sample size demonstrate hallmarks successful investments first buyandhold strategy way enjoy gains listed bought sold often last 10 years trying time markets likely wouldnt turned 7000 63000 stocks second companies provides essential services products world needed heart valves genetic services fertilizers decade ago still need decade third three could still represent great buyandholdopportunitiestoday even massive gains secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window maxx chatsko opens new window position stocks mentioned follow twitter opens new windowto keep developments engineered biology field motley fool owns shares recommends illumina motley fool recommends baxter try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Speaking at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Daily Wire Editor-in Chief Ben Shapiro confronted members of the audience who insisted that &#8220;insitututional racism&#8221; was the cause of the black community&#8217;s problems. Shapiro offered the packed auditorium cogent reasons for the deeply-troubling statistics reflected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics &#8211; African Americans comprise 13 percent of the U.S. population yet commit more than half of all murders in the country, and 93 percent of the victims being black.</p> <p>The exchange went like this, according to <a href="http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/26998/" type="external">The College Fix</a>:</p> <p>Questioner: You also say violence is a personal choice, which clearly ignores the last century of housing segregation and gentrification that&#8217;s forced blacks into the poorest, most violent communities. You then said that whites do not have an inherent better sense of self-responsibility than blacks. So, how can you explain the high levels of violence in black communities if they are in fact inherently same in decision making as whites, without considering forced racialized housing segregation?</p> <p>Shapiro: First of all, I would note that the black murder rate in the United States is about ten times the white murder rate in the United States. And this has been consistently true for the last hundred years essentially. Which is unfortunate, but also suggests, unless racism has stayed exactly the same for the last hundred years, which clearly it hasn&#8217;t, something else is in play. When there&#8217;s a differential you have to look for the possible confounds. Segregation obviously, housing segregation is evil and terrible, we all agree on this. The problem is that to blame current levels of black violence on housing segregation, which went out of style 30 years before you were born, is a little bit of a stretch, particularly when people who are committing the violence now are all young black men who are teenagers, they&#8217;re younger than you, probably. So the idea that housing segregation is to blame for the disproportionate violence, I don&#8217;t buy it 50 years after the Civil Rights Act. It just doesn&#8217;t wash for me.</p> <p>Questioner: So then what would you say is the cause?</p> <p>Shapiro: The answer is, here is a politically incorrect curve, the answer is the culture of single-motherhood breeds violence. Without the fathers in the home it creates violence.</p> <p>Shouted from audience: Who says?</p> <p>Shouted from audience: Where&#8217;s the evidence?</p> <p>Shapiro: Where&#8217;s the evidence? The evidence is that violence escalates in every community that has an escalated level of single-motherhood.</p> <p>Shouted from audience: Cite your source!</p> <p>Shapiro: Look at the Department of Justice statistics, it&#8217;s all there.</p> <p>Shouted from audience: Yeah, but cite it. Which one?</p> <p>Shapiro: Go to the Department of Justice website, and you will see this is true. I mean, I can&#8217;t go do it for you. Prisons are filled with people of every race who grew up in single parent households. The bottom line, and again, the reason you can&#8217;t attribute this purely to racism, and listen, again, everyone believes, or should believe, that racism is evil, and that Jim Crow was evil, and that slavery was evil. I mean, all of this should go without saying.</p> <p>The question was, why it was in 1960 when Jim Crow was still in effect Black single motherhood was 20 percent in the United States, and today the Black single motherhood rate is in excess of 70 percent in the United States? Is that due to an increase in racism? To what is that due? Is that due to increased housing segregation? And we know, forget crime, we know with regard to poverty, as I say, the single best generator of poverty in the United States is single-parent families. So, let me ask you the question, and it&#8217;s an honest question, it&#8217;s not a &#8220;gotcha.&#8221; The honest question is: If you believe that housing segregation is responsible for modern black ills, why are certain modern black ills tripling or quadrupling in size since the end of housing segregation?</p> <p>Shouted from audience: There&#8217;s no end!</p> <p>From audience: When did it end? It&#8217;s still going on.</p> <p>Shapiro: I&#8217;m sorry?</p> <p>From audience: It&#8217;s still going on.</p> <p>Shapiro: Housing segregation is still going on in the same way it was for your grandparents?</p> <p>Shouted from audience: Yes!</p> <p>Questioner: Blacks occupy largely the same communities that they were racially forced in to in the 40&#8217;s and 50&#8217;s.</p> <p>Shapiro: Ok, and the argument is they are free to leave now because there are no state and federal laws against them leaving. Ok, if you want to pretend the law did not change, if you&#8217;re going to pretend nothing has changed, then we can&#8217;t really have a conversation. The fact is the law is different now than it was then. Otherwise the Civil Rights movement meant nothing.</p> <p>From audience: Do you not believe in proliferation?</p> <p>Questioner: But now there&#8217;s de facto, not de jure segregation.</p> <p>Shapiro: Ok, now, that&#8217;s true, but de facto segregation and de jure segregation are two different things. If you&#8217;re going to talk about institutional racism, what is the institution that is racist now?</p> <p>Questioner: It&#8217;s the institution that was established that perpetuates today, that creates&#8212;</p> <p>Shapiro: What is the institution now, though?</p> <p>Indistinct shouts from audience</p> <p>Shapiro: But again you&#8217;re not naming an institution, you&#8217;re saying that happened fifty years ago and it still has impact. I agree. Things can happen fifty years ago that still have impact. That is not evidence of continuing white privilege and institutional racism. That&#8217;s proof that bad things that happen in the past have an impact on the present. Of course I agree with that.</p> <p>Questioner: But we don&#8217;t see legislation to desegregate neighborhoods.</p> <p>Shapiro: Because you can&#8217;t force people to desegregate.</p> <p>Audience clapping, some shouting and laughter</p> <p>Shapiro: I fully agree with this and I think it&#8217;s important to recognize that the power of government was used to segregate neighborhoods. Ok, it&#8217;s the power of government&#8212;</p> <p>Questioner: Can&#8217;t it be used to desegregate?</p> <p>Shapiro: No, the power of government is the Ring, ok? It can only be cast into Mount Doom. The government is the problem; the government forcing people to do things is the problem.</p> <p>Questioner: That&#8217;s how we got here.</p> <p>Shapiro: No, the government &#8230; that is how we got here in the first place, and the way we are going to solve this is by not having the government intervene, and instead getting back to the basic principles of capitalism. It turns out that capitalism doesn&#8217;t care what color you are; it just wants your money.</p> <p>As the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency has <a href="https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=167327" type="external">reported</a>, &#8220;the most reliable indicator of violent crime in a community is the proportion of fatherless families.&#8221;</p>

speaking university north carolina chapel hill daily wire editorin chief ben shapiro confronted members audience insisted insitututional racism cause black communitys problems shapiro offered packed auditorium cogent reasons deeplytroubling statistics reflected bureau justice statistics african americans comprise 13 percent us population yet commit half murders country 93 percent victims black exchange went like according college fix questioner also say violence personal choice clearly ignores last century housing segregation gentrification thats forced blacks poorest violent communities said whites inherent better sense selfresponsibility blacks explain high levels violence black communities fact inherently decision making whites without considering forced racialized housing segregation shapiro first would note black murder rate united states ten times white murder rate united states consistently true last hundred years essentially unfortunate also suggests unless racism stayed exactly last hundred years clearly hasnt something else play theres differential look possible confounds segregation obviously housing segregation evil terrible agree problem blame current levels black violence housing segregation went style 30 years born little bit stretch particularly people committing violence young black men teenagers theyre younger probably idea housing segregation blame disproportionate violence dont buy 50 years civil rights act doesnt wash questioner would say cause shapiro answer politically incorrect curve answer culture singlemotherhood breeds violence without fathers home creates violence shouted audience says shouted audience wheres evidence shapiro wheres evidence evidence violence escalates every community escalated level singlemotherhood shouted audience cite source shapiro look department justice statistics shouted audience yeah cite one shapiro go department justice website see true mean cant go prisons filled people every race grew single parent households bottom line reason cant attribute purely racism listen everyone believes believe racism evil jim crow evil slavery evil mean go without saying question 1960 jim crow still effect black single motherhood 20 percent united states today black single motherhood rate excess 70 percent united states due increase racism due due increased housing segregation know forget crime know regard poverty say single best generator poverty united states singleparent families let ask question honest question gotcha honest question believe housing segregation responsible modern black ills certain modern black ills tripling quadrupling size since end housing segregation shouted audience theres end audience end still going shapiro im sorry audience still going shapiro housing segregation still going way grandparents shouted audience yes questioner blacks occupy largely communities racially forced 40s 50s shapiro ok argument free leave state federal laws leaving ok want pretend law change youre going pretend nothing changed cant really conversation fact law different otherwise civil rights movement meant nothing audience believe proliferation questioner theres de facto de jure segregation shapiro ok thats true de facto segregation de jure segregation two different things youre going talk institutional racism institution racist questioner institution established perpetuates today creates shapiro institution though indistinct shouts audience shapiro youre naming institution youre saying happened fifty years ago still impact agree things happen fifty years ago still impact evidence continuing white privilege institutional racism thats proof bad things happen past impact present course agree questioner dont see legislation desegregate neighborhoods shapiro cant force people desegregate audience clapping shouting laughter shapiro fully agree think important recognize power government used segregate neighborhoods ok power government questioner cant used desegregate shapiro power government ring ok cast mount doom government problem government forcing people things problem questioner thats got shapiro government got first place way going solve government intervene instead getting back basic principles capitalism turns capitalism doesnt care color wants money journal research crime delinquency reported reliable indicator violent crime community proportion fatherless families

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Social Security is arguably the most important program for our nation's retired workforce. Without it, many seniors might be struggling to pay their bills during their golden years. But it's also a largely misunderstood and unknown program to many Americans.</p> <p>With this in mind, let's take a closer look at 25 vital Social Security facts &amp;amp; figures that should better explain the importance of Social Security, as well as simplify what might appear to be a complicated program.</p> <p>As of the September 2016 snapshot from the Social Security Administration (SSA), 60.66 million people were receiving monthly benefits, two-thirds of whom are retired workers. A little more than 6 million survivors of deceased workers and 10.6 million disabled persons were also receiving monthly benefits.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Social Security's beneficiary base is increasing rapidly due to the ongoing retirement of baby boomers, which is expected to last until about 2030. As such, 5.44 million people were newly awarded Social Security benefits in 2015.</p> <p>It's important to understand that Social Security isn't an entitlement, though the requirements for a guaranteed benefit are not too high. You need 40 lifetime work credits to qualify for Social Security benefits, and a maximum of four credits can be earned annually. In 2017, one work credit is equal to $1,300 in wages. Simply earn $5,200 in 2017 and you'll have maxed out your work credits for the year. Do that 10 times and you'll be guaranteed benefits when you retire.</p> <p>Based on statistics from the SSA, nearly all working Americans (96%) are covered by survivors insurance protection. Though Social Security is primarily designed to provide financial protection for retired workers, it does provide benefits for the spouses, children, and in rarer cases parents of deceased workers.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>To add to the above statistic, the SSA also points out that 90% of the American workforce is covered in case of long-term disability. Since nearly 70% of all private sector workers have no long-term disability insurance, it's good knowing that Social Security has their back.</p> <p>An interesting figure from the SSA is that 55% of beneficiaries are women. Social Security income is of particular importance to women since 1) they tend to live about five years longer than men, on average, and 2) they're often the caregivers that take care of the kids or sick family members, thus their lifetime earnings are often lower than their male counterparts'. Social Security income can be critical to ensuring a healthy financial foundation for women come retirement.</p> <p>According to an analysis conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Social Security income has reduced what would be a 40.5% poverty rate for seniors without this added income to just 8.5%. While the CBPP's analysis can't factor in external variables such as how much extra seniors would have saved prior to retiring if Social Security wasn't available, it's clear as day that Social Security is critical to keeping seniors on solid financial footing.</p> <p>Based on data from the SSA, 81% of all benefits paid out by the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Trust (OASDI) are heading to seniors ages 62 and up. Just 5% go to children under the age of 18, and another 14% to adults between the ages of 18 and 61.</p> <p>Statistics from the SSA in 2016 show that 61% of seniors rely on Social Security to provide at least half of their monthly income. For elderly couples this figure was 48%, while 71% of unmarried elderly persons lean heavily on the program for at least half of their monthly income.</p> <p>Image source: Social Security Administration.via 2016 annual Trustees report.</p> <p>The SSA's data showed that $920.2 billion was collected from three revenue channels in 2015. A majority of this revenue came from payroll taxes (86.4%), while interest earned on the OASDI's spare cash (10.1%) and the taxation of benefits (3.4%) comprised the remainder.</p> <p>Payroll taxes comprise the lion's share of revenue collection for Social Security. This tax totals 12.4% of wages (up to a certain point, which is discussed below) and it's typically split down the middle between you and your employer, with each paying 6.2%. If you happen to be self-employed, you're on the line for the entire 12.4% tax.</p> <p>There is, however, a cap on how much a person can be taxed by the SSA via the payroll tax. All earned income in 2017 between $1 and $127,200 is subject to the 12.4% payroll tax. Any wages beyond that point are free and clear of being taxed by the SSA.</p> <p>The September 2016 snapshot shows that the average retired worker is bringing home $1,351.70 per month, or $16,220 over the course of a year. Annual benefit increases are tied to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clericals Workers, or the CPI-W.</p> <p>Speaking of inflation, Social Security beneficiaries are getting a 0.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2017, the smallest increase on record. Social Security's COLA has been dragged down in recent years by weaker energy and food costs, which are sizable components of the CPI-W.</p> <p>One of the more saddening facts and figures about Social Security is that its COLA has been lower than medical cost inflation in 33 of the past 35 years. The CPI-W factors in a number of varied expenses, but medical costs are a much smaller portion of workers' average expenditures. Seniors spend double what urban wage earners and clerical workers do on medical costs as a percentage of their annual expenditures.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Social Security benefits are capped at $2,687 per month, which makes sense given that payroll taxes have an annual cap as well. The monthly benefit cap is usually adjusted year-to-year based on inflation. Only a small fraction of Americans have a shot at reaching this maximum payout, as you'll see in the next figure.</p> <p>Based on data from 2013, as assembled by the Centers for Retirement Research at Boston College, 60% of retirees sign up for benefits before reaching their full retirement age (FRA). A person's FRA is when they become eligible to receive 100% of their FRA benefit. By signing up early, retirees are taking a cut in benefits from their FRA benefit of up to 25% to 30%.</p> <p>Recent data from the SSA shows that the program has more than $2.8 trillion in spare cash that it's built up over the years. This excess cash is primarily invested in special issue bonds with yields ranging from 5.625% at the high point to 1.375% at the low.</p> <p>As of 2015, the worker-to-beneficiary ratio stood at 2.8 workers for every one beneficiary. In about two decades, this ratio is forecast to drop to 2.1-to-1. In simpler terms, baby boomers are retiring in increasing numbers, and there simply aren't enough new workers to take their place and maintain the worker-to-beneficiary ratio at its current level. This leads to the next point...</p> <p>Based on the latest report from the Social Security Board of Trustees, by 2020 the cash inflow into the OASDI is slated to turn into a cash outflow. In other words, what's expected to be close to $2.9 trillion in spare cash will begin dwindling in 2020.</p> <p>Perhaps the scariest finding of the Trustees' report is that Social Security's spare cash is expected to be exhausted by the year 2034. Assuming Congress passes no new laws affecting Social Security, the Trustees predict that an across-the-board benefits cut of up to 21% may be needed to sustain payouts through the year 2090.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Findings from the Board of Trustees report also showed that the actuarial deficit in 2016 was 2.66% for the program. In easier-to-understand terms, a 2.66% increase to the payroll tax would be expected to alleviate all funding concerns through the year 2090. This would mean an increase to 7.53% if you're employed by someone else, or 15.06% if you're self-employed.</p> <p>It's a fact that gets overlooked by many seniors, but Social Security income may be taxable. Individuals earning more than $25,000 annually and joint filers with income over $32,000 could have a percentage of their Social Security benefits taxed. Not to mention 13 states also tax Social Security benefits.</p> <p>According to Gallup, 51% of polled Americans in 2015 believed Social Security won't be there for them when they retire. Luckily, this is blatantly false. Social Security is essentially incapable of going bankrupt because it'll always be collecting payroll tax revenue from the workforce. Benefits may indeed need to be cut, but the program will be there for many generations to come.</p> <p>Finally, a survey conducted by MassMutual Financial Group in 2015 found that just 28% of the more than 1,500 respondents who took its quiz received a passing grade and correctly answered at least 7 out of 10 multiple choice or true/false questions. Only 1 respondent out of more than 1,500 got all 10 questions correct. It's a stark reminder of just how little Americans know about Social Security.</p> <p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFUltraLong/info.aspx" type="external">Sean Williams Opens a New Window.</a>has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name <a href="http://caps.fool.com/player/tmfultralong.aspx" type="external">TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/TMFUltraLong" type="external">@TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a>makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source getty images continue reading social security arguably important program nations retired workforce without many seniors might struggling pay bills golden years also largely misunderstood unknown program many americans mind lets take closer look 25 vital social security facts amp figures better explain importance social security well simplify might appear complicated program september 2016 snapshot social security administration ssa 6066 million people receiving monthly benefits twothirds retired workers little 6 million survivors deceased workers 106 million disabled persons also receiving monthly benefits advertisement social securitys beneficiary base increasing rapidly due ongoing retirement baby boomers expected last 2030 544 million people newly awarded social security benefits 2015 important understand social security isnt entitlement though requirements guaranteed benefit high need 40 lifetime work credits qualify social security benefits maximum four credits earned annually 2017 one work credit equal 1300 wages simply earn 5200 2017 youll maxed work credits year 10 times youll guaranteed benefits retire based statistics ssa nearly working americans 96 covered survivors insurance protection though social security primarily designed provide financial protection retired workers provide benefits spouses children rarer cases parents deceased workers image source getty images add statistic ssa also points 90 american workforce covered case longterm disability since nearly 70 private sector workers longterm disability insurance good knowing social security back interesting figure ssa 55 beneficiaries women social security income particular importance women since 1 tend live five years longer men average 2 theyre often caregivers take care kids sick family members thus lifetime earnings often lower male counterparts social security income critical ensuring healthy financial foundation women come retirement according analysis conducted center budget policy priorities cbpp social security income reduced would 405 poverty rate seniors without added income 85 cbpps analysis cant factor external variables much extra seniors would saved prior retiring social security wasnt available clear day social security critical keeping seniors solid financial footing based data ssa 81 benefits paid oldage survivors disability insurance trust oasdi heading seniors ages 62 5 go children age 18 another 14 adults ages 18 61 statistics ssa 2016 show 61 seniors rely social security provide least half monthly income elderly couples figure 48 71 unmarried elderly persons lean heavily program least half monthly income image source social security administrationvia 2016 annual trustees report ssas data showed 9202 billion collected three revenue channels 2015 majority revenue came payroll taxes 864 interest earned oasdis spare cash 101 taxation benefits 34 comprised remainder payroll taxes comprise lions share revenue collection social security tax totals 124 wages certain point discussed typically split middle employer paying 62 happen selfemployed youre line entire 124 tax however cap much person taxed ssa via payroll tax earned income 2017 1 127200 subject 124 payroll tax wages beyond point free clear taxed ssa september 2016 snapshot shows average retired worker bringing home 135170 per month 16220 course year annual benefit increases tied inflation rate measured consumer price index urban wage earners clericals workers cpiw speaking inflation social security beneficiaries getting 03 costofliving adjustment cola 2017 smallest increase record social securitys cola dragged recent years weaker energy food costs sizable components cpiw one saddening facts figures social security cola lower medical cost inflation 33 past 35 years cpiw factors number varied expenses medical costs much smaller portion workers average expenditures seniors spend double urban wage earners clerical workers medical costs percentage annual expenditures image source getty images social security benefits capped 2687 per month makes sense given payroll taxes annual cap well monthly benefit cap usually adjusted yeartoyear based inflation small fraction americans shot reaching maximum payout youll see next figure based data 2013 assembled centers retirement research boston college 60 retirees sign benefits reaching full retirement age fra persons fra become eligible receive 100 fra benefit signing early retirees taking cut benefits fra benefit 25 30 recent data ssa shows program 28 trillion spare cash built years excess cash primarily invested special issue bonds yields ranging 5625 high point 1375 low 2015 workertobeneficiary ratio stood 28 workers every one beneficiary two decades ratio forecast drop 21to1 simpler terms baby boomers retiring increasing numbers simply arent enough new workers take place maintain workertobeneficiary ratio current level leads next point based latest report social security board trustees 2020 cash inflow oasdi slated turn cash outflow words whats expected close 29 trillion spare cash begin dwindling 2020 perhaps scariest finding trustees report social securitys spare cash expected exhausted year 2034 assuming congress passes new laws affecting social security trustees predict acrosstheboard benefits cut 21 may needed sustain payouts year 2090 image source getty images findings board trustees report also showed actuarial deficit 2016 266 program easiertounderstand terms 266 increase payroll tax would expected alleviate funding concerns year 2090 would mean increase 753 youre employed someone else 1506 youre selfemployed fact gets overlooked many seniors social security income may taxable individuals earning 25000 annually joint filers income 32000 could percentage social security benefits taxed mention 13 states also tax social security benefits according gallup 51 polled americans 2015 believed social security wont retire luckily blatantly false social security essentially incapable going bankrupt itll always collecting payroll tax revenue workforce benefits may indeed need cut program many generations come finally survey conducted massmutual financial group 2015 found 28 1500 respondents took quiz received passing grade correctly answered least 7 10 multiple choice truefalse questions 1 respondent 1500 got 10 questions correct stark reminder little americans know social security 15834 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 15834 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind simply click discover learn strategies opens new window sean williams opens new windowhas material interest companies mentioned article follow caps screen name tmfultralong opens new window check twitter goes handle tmfultralong opens new window motley fool position 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<p>FOX Business: The Power to Prosper</p> <p>The markets took a steep fall on Wednesday amid worries the Federal Reserve is running out of ammunition to combat stubbornly high unemployment and anemic economic growth.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Today's Markets</p> <p>The <a href="" type="internal">Dow Jones</a> Industrial Average plunged 284 points, or 2.5%, to 11,125, the S&amp;amp;P 500 plummeted 35.3 points, or 2.9%, to 1,167 and the <a href="" type="internal">Nasdaq</a> Composite shed 52.1 points, or 2%, to 2,538. The FOX 50 fell 20.5 points to 850.</p> <p>The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it shift $400 billion short-term to long-term ones, lengthening the maturity of its balance sheet in its latest bid to stimulate the economy.&amp;#160;The Fed also renewed its call to keep short-term interest rates at exception for until at least the middle of 2013.</p> <p>The central bank has already exhausted its conventional tools, for example, short-term interest rates&amp;#160;are already at essentially 0%, meaning it has had to make more unusual moves in a bid to spur employment and economic growth. The move is a more indirect stimulus, looking to push long-term interest rates lower.</p> <p>"The Fed has few options at its disposal, so this move is not surprising," David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial wrote in a note to clients. "How much of an effect somewhat lower rates will make is questionable. At the very least, it can&#8217;t hurt."</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury fell markedly after the release, recently hitting 1.88% from it previous close of 1.944%, and 1.937% where it had been sitting before the announcement.</p> <p>More Banking Woes</p> <p>Moody's sliced the long-term credit rating of Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and Citigroup's (NYSE:C) short-term rating on Wednesday as it sees a lower probability of government support for the banking sector going forward.&amp;#160;Shares of Bank of America, a Dow component, were the hardest hit by the news, but the entire financial sector, including other blue chips like JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) and Traveler's (NYSE:TRV)&amp;#160;fell considerably too.</p> <p>Heavy-machinery maker Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) was on of the worst-performing blue chips by a significant margin in a sign of the weakness in the industrial sector on the day. &amp;#160;Materials companies like Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp;amp; Gold (NYSE:FCX) were also deep in the red.</p> <p>The Nasdaq's losses, however, were tempered by technology stocks like Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) and Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE), which posted strong performance on the heels of better-than-expected earnings reports.</p> <p>Also on the technology front, a report by Bloomberg that Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) is considering ousting its chief executive as the company struggles to find its way in a quickly-changing technology market sent its shares soaring.</p> <p>The Troubled Housing Market</p> <p>Existing home sales jumped 7.7% in August from July to a 5.03 million unit rate, topping the 1.4% gain economists had expected. &amp;#160;The housing industry has struggled as individuals have still had trouble securing financing, uncertainty over whether prices have bottomed out, and high supply in many parts of the country.</p> <p>While the number of home sales remains depressed, "the lack of further weakness does play into our general thesis that the worst of the housing market decline is certainly behind us and generally speaking, housing improvement, albeit it at a terribly slow pace, [lays] ahead," Daniel Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG, wrote in a note to clients.</p> <p>Continued Euro Jitters</p> <p>On the other side of the Atlantic, minutes from the <a href="" type="internal">Bank of England</a> released on Wednesday revealed policymakers believe the case for immediate resumption of so-called quantitative easing is strong in light of the economic malaise and ongoing sovereign debt crisis that has slammed Europe. There have been worries that English banks like Lloyds and Barclays (NYSE:BCS) may have exposure to debt of embattled euro zone countries like Greece.</p> <p>The Greek situation, which has been a major focus on Wall Street for weeks, continues developing. &amp;#160;Greek finance ministry officials said late Tuesday that progress had been made inspectors in securing the next roughly $11 billion tranche of much-needed rescue aid. European lenders have been pushing the country to take on deeper austerity measures to cut down on its enormous fiscal deficit, but the measures have been deeply unpopular among the public there. The Greek cabinet said it would cut pensions and put tens of thousands of public workers on notice late in Wednesday's session.</p> <p>The worry for the financial markets has been that if Greece defaults, it could send shockwaves that may endanger other countries, like Italy, Europe's third-largest economy. &amp;#160;Moreover, analysts have suggested, it could endanger the European banking system, which could even spillover into other global financial markets.</p> <p>In currencies, the euro slid 0.1% against the U.S. dollar, while the greenback rose 0.31% against a basket of world currencies.</p> <p>Energy markets were slightly higher following the Energy Department's weekly inventory report, but the fell with equity markets after the Fed statement. Oil inventories slipped 7.3 million barrels last week, compared to a forecast of a 700,000 barrel draw. &amp;#160;Meanwhile, gasoline stocks climbed by 3.3 million barrels, a bigger build than the 1.2 million analysts anticipated.</p> <p>Light, sweet crude dipped $1.00 cents, or 1.2%, to $85.92 a barrel. &amp;#160;Wholesale RBOB gasoline ticked lower by 3 cents, or 1.3%, to $2.67 a gallon.</p> <p>Gold fell $1.00, or 0.06%, to $1,808 a troy ounce.</p> <p>Corporate News</p> <p><a href="" type="internal">Oracle</a> (NASDAQ:ORCL) posted quarterly earnings of 48 cents a share after the bell on Tuesday, topping expectations of 46 cents.</p> <p><a href="" type="internal">Adobe</a> (NASDAQ:ADBE) posted quarterly profits that beat Wall Street's expectations after the closing bell on Tuesday, and said it expects to have a stronger fourth quarter than analysts anticipated, which sent the shares jumping.</p> <p><a href="" type="internal">Microsoft</a> (NASDAQ:MSFT) boosted its dividend by 25% to 20 cents a share late on Tuesday.</p> <p>Foreign Markets</p> <p>The English FTSE 100 dipped 2% to 5,288 and the German DAX sunk 1.4% to 5,288.</p> <p>In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei 225 rose 0.23% to 8,741 and the Chinese Hang Seng fell 1% to 18,824.</p>

fox business power prosper markets took steep fall wednesday amid worries federal reserve running ammunition combat stubbornly high unemployment anemic economic growth continue reading todays markets dow jones industrial average plunged 284 points 25 11125 sampp 500 plummeted 353 points 29 1167 nasdaq composite shed 521 points 2 2538 fox 50 fell 205 points 850 federal reserve said wednesday shift 400 billion shortterm longterm ones lengthening maturity balance sheet latest bid stimulate economy160the fed also renewed call keep shortterm interest rates exception least middle 2013 central bank already exhausted conventional tools example shortterm interest rates160are already essentially 0 meaning make unusual moves bid spur employment economic growth move indirect stimulus looking push longterm interest rates lower fed options disposal move surprising david joy chief market strategist ameriprise financial wrote note clients much effect somewhat lower rates make questionable least cant hurt advertisement yield benchmark 10year treasury fell markedly release recently hitting 188 previous close 1944 1937 sitting announcement banking woes moodys sliced longterm credit rating bank america nysebac wells fargo nysewfc citigroups nysec shortterm rating wednesday sees lower probability government support banking sector going forward160shares bank america dow component hardest hit news entire financial sector including blue chips like jpmorgan chase nysejpm travelers nysetrv160fell considerably heavymachinery maker caterpillar nysecat worstperforming blue chips significant margin sign weakness industrial sector day 160materials companies like freeportmcmoran copper amp gold nysefcx also deep red nasdaqs losses however tempered technology stocks like oracle nasdaqorcl adobe nasdaqadbe posted strong performance heels betterthanexpected earnings reports also technology front report bloomberg hewlettpackard nysehpq considering ousting chief executive company struggles find way quicklychanging technology market sent shares soaring troubled housing market existing home sales jumped 77 august july 503 million unit rate topping 14 gain economists expected 160the housing industry struggled individuals still trouble securing financing uncertainty whether prices bottomed high supply many parts country number home sales remains depressed lack weakness play general thesis worst housing market decline certainly behind us generally speaking housing improvement albeit terribly slow pace lays ahead daniel greenhaus chief global strategist btig wrote note clients continued euro jitters side atlantic minutes bank england released wednesday revealed policymakers believe case immediate resumption socalled quantitative easing strong light economic malaise ongoing sovereign debt crisis slammed europe worries english banks like lloyds barclays nysebcs may exposure debt embattled euro zone countries like greece greek situation major focus wall street weeks continues developing 160greek finance ministry officials said late tuesday progress made inspectors securing next roughly 11 billion tranche muchneeded rescue aid european lenders pushing country take deeper austerity measures cut enormous fiscal deficit measures deeply unpopular among public greek cabinet said would cut pensions put tens thousands public workers notice late wednesdays session worry financial markets greece defaults could send shockwaves may endanger countries like italy europes thirdlargest economy 160moreover analysts suggested could endanger european banking system could even spillover global financial markets currencies euro slid 01 us dollar greenback rose 031 basket world currencies energy markets slightly higher following energy departments weekly inventory report fell equity markets fed statement oil inventories slipped 73 million barrels last week compared forecast 700000 barrel draw 160meanwhile gasoline stocks climbed 33 million barrels bigger build 12 million analysts anticipated light sweet crude dipped 100 cents 12 8592 barrel 160wholesale rbob gasoline ticked lower 3 cents 13 267 gallon gold fell 100 006 1808 troy ounce corporate news oracle nasdaqorcl posted quarterly earnings 48 cents share bell tuesday topping expectations 46 cents adobe nasdaqadbe posted quarterly profits beat wall streets expectations closing bell tuesday said expects stronger fourth quarter analysts anticipated sent shares jumping microsoft nasdaqmsft boosted dividend 25 20 cents share late tuesday foreign markets english ftse 100 dipped 2 5288 german dax sunk 14 5288 asia japanese nikkei 225 rose 023 8741 chinese hang seng fell 1 18824

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>If you're planning to pay tuition in 2017, either for yourself or for a dependent, you may be able to take advantage of one of three valuable tax breaks. The best tuition tax break for you depends on your income and the student's status in school, and here's a quick guide to determine which you qualify for. In order of most lucrative to least, here are the three possibilities.</p> <p>Data source: IRS. MAGI = modified adjust gross income.</p> <p>The American Opportunity Tax Credit is the most valuable of these three tuition-related tax breaks, but it is also the most difficult to qualify for. If you can get it, the credit is worth up to $2,500 per year, per student, for up to four years of qualifying higher education expenses.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Specifically, the credit is worth 100% of the first $2,000 of qualifying expenses, and an additional 25% of the next $2,000. In other words, for the first $4,000 you pay in tuition, the government will give you $2,500 of it back -- an effective savings of about 63%.</p> <p>Keep in mind that this is a tax credit, not a deduction. Unlike a deduction, which simply reduces your taxable income, a credit reduces the amount of tax you owe dollar-for-dollar. Even better, this credit is partially refundable. Even if your tax for the year is reduced to zero, 40% of any remaining credit amount can be refunded to you.</p> <p>The catch is that this credit can only be used for the first four years of postsecondary education, with some specific requirements. If the student has completed four years of higher education before the beginning of the tax year, he or she is automatically ineligible, regardless of whether they used the credit for those years. Additionally, to claim the credit, the student must be taking courses toward a degree or some other type of credential, must be enrolled on at least a half-time basis, and have no felony drug convictions.</p> <p>The American Opportunity Tax Credit can be taken by the student themselves, if nobody else can claim them as a dependent, or by someone else who paid their tuition, such as a parent, if they are a dependent. To claim the full credit, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) must be $80,000 or less if you're single or $160,000 or less if you are married filing jointly. A partial credit may be available up to MAGI limits of $90,000 and $180,000, respectively.</p> <p>While it's not as lucrative as the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit is much more flexible in terms of its qualifications. Students do not need to be in the first four years of postsecondary education, nor do they need to be seeking a degree or another credential. You can take as little as one course simply for personal enrichment and still qualify for the credit.</p> <p>This credit is worth 20% of the first $10,000 in qualified tuition expenses per year, so the maximum value is $2,000 per return, not per student. This isn't that far off from the American Opportunity Tax Credit, but notice that you have to spend more to take full advantage.</p> <p>The income restrictions for the Lifetime Learning Credit are a bit more restrictive than for the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For single filers, the credit begins to phase out at $55,000 in MAGI and disappears completely above $65,000. For married couples filing jointly, the thresholds are $110,000 and $130,000, respectively. Also, unlike the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit is nonrefundable. If you have no federal income tax liability, any excess credit cannot be refunded to you.</p> <p>If your income is too high to qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit, and you don't meet the educational requirements for the American Opportunity Tax Credit, you may still be able to take a deduction for your tuition and fees. This is an above-the-line deduction, meaning that it can be taken whether or not you itemize deductions on your tax return. You can use this to deduct up to $4,000 in qualifying tuition and fee expenses, which will reduce your MAGI for the year.</p> <p>The income limits for the tuition and fees deduction are slightly more generous than those of the lifetime learning credit. The phase out for the tuition and fees deduction begins at an AGI of $65,000 for singles, and $130,000 for married couples filing jointly, and the thresholds where the deduction disappears completely are $80,000 and $160,000, respectively. If your filing status is married filing separately, you cannot take the deduction.</p> <p>When you receive your form 1098-T in the mail, you may see two different numbers for tuition. Box 1 of the form contains the amounts you paid during the calendar year. Box 2 contains the amounts school billed during the calendar year.</p> <p>According to the IRS, the "payments made" is the more important number. When figuring your credit or deduction, you can use the payments you made in 2017 for academic periods beginning in 2017, or beginning during the three first three months of 2018. For example, if you pay your spring 2018 tuition bill in December 2017, you can use that to figure your 2017 credit or deduction. So, be sure that you are using the correct number when figuring out your credit or deduction.</p> <p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

image source getty images continue reading youre planning pay tuition 2017 either dependent may able take advantage one three valuable tax breaks best tuition tax break depends income students status school heres quick guide determine qualify order lucrative least three possibilities data source irs magi modified adjust gross income american opportunity tax credit valuable three tuitionrelated tax breaks also difficult qualify get credit worth 2500 per year per student four years qualifying higher education expenses advertisement specifically credit worth 100 first 2000 qualifying expenses additional 25 next 2000 words first 4000 pay tuition government give 2500 back effective savings 63 keep mind tax credit deduction unlike deduction simply reduces taxable income credit reduces amount tax owe dollarfordollar even better credit partially refundable even tax year reduced zero 40 remaining credit amount refunded catch credit used first four years postsecondary education specific requirements student completed four years higher education beginning tax year automatically ineligible regardless whether used credit years additionally claim credit student must taking courses toward degree type credential must enrolled least halftime basis felony drug convictions american opportunity tax credit taken student nobody else claim dependent someone else paid tuition parent dependent claim full credit modified adjusted gross income magi must 80000 less youre single 160000 less married filing jointly partial credit may available magi limits 90000 180000 respectively lucrative american opportunity tax credit lifetime learning credit much flexible terms qualifications students need first four years postsecondary education need seeking degree another credential take little one course simply personal enrichment still qualify credit credit worth 20 first 10000 qualified tuition expenses per year maximum value 2000 per return per student isnt far american opportunity tax credit notice spend take full advantage income restrictions lifetime learning credit bit restrictive american opportunity tax credit single filers credit begins phase 55000 magi disappears completely 65000 married couples filing jointly thresholds 110000 130000 respectively also unlike american opportunity tax credit lifetime learning credit nonrefundable federal income tax liability excess credit refunded income high qualify lifetime learning credit dont meet educational requirements american opportunity tax credit may still able take deduction tuition fees abovetheline deduction meaning taken whether itemize deductions tax return use deduct 4000 qualifying tuition fee expenses reduce magi year income limits tuition fees deduction slightly generous lifetime learning credit phase tuition fees deduction begins agi 65000 singles 130000 married couples filing jointly thresholds deduction disappears completely 80000 160000 respectively filing status married filing separately take deduction receive form 1098t mail may see two different numbers tuition box 1 form contains amounts paid calendar year box 2 contains amounts school billed calendar year according irs payments made important number figuring credit deduction use payments made 2017 academic periods beginning 2017 beginning three first three months 2018 example pay spring 2018 tuition bill december 2017 use figure 2017 credit deduction sure using correct number figuring credit deduction 15834 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 15834 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind simply click discover learn strategies opens new window try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Cash is king these days.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>But don't worry if you're cashless. Turning unwanted stuff <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/do-you-have-cash-insurance-against-theft.aspx" type="external">into cash Opens a New Window.</a> is easier than you think. Sources are right at your fingertips, literally. It just takes some hunting.</p> <p>Take gift cards, which may be lingering in your wallet. They're a ready source of cash, says Bruce Bower, chief executive of Plastic Jungle Inc., a website that buys and sells gift cards.?? <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/new-gift-card-rules-a-boost-for-spenders.aspx" type="external">Gift cards Opens a New Window.</a> totaling $30 million sit unused, according to Deloitte,??a consulting and advisory firm. And that amount grows by $8 billion a year.</p> <p>"Consumers forget about them," Bower says.</p> <p>But don't stop there. Big banks like KeyBank and <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/businesses/c/chase.aspx" type="external">Chase Bank Opens a New Window.</a>, based in Cleveland,??are offering cash incentives. Whole life policies and taxable investments can be converted into, well, cash. Even old stuff in drawers and closets can be a gold mine.</p> <p>Here's the lowdown on how to convert old stuff into cash.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Gift cards are easily turned into cash, with lots of sites springing up to help you. Websites such as Plastic Jungle, GiftCardRescue and Cardpool will buy your <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/2010-gift-card-study-results.aspx" type="external">gift card Opens a New Window.</a> from you and then resell it.</p> <p>Plastic Jungle purchases around 400 <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/getting-a-gift-card-here-s-what-to-know.aspx" type="external">different cards Opens a New Window.</a>. Cards from Walmart are the most coveted, followed by those from??Home Depot, Macy's, iTunes and Target. That's because these cards sell for the most money. One plus: Cards issued by big stores usually don't have expiration dates.</p> <p>The payment process is done electronically. Sellers simply enter the gift card data, such as the merchant and??the balance, on a site, and an offer is made. Payments are made via PayPal, paper check or credits on the website Amazon.com.</p> <p>Don't expect to get full value for your card. Sellers may only reap 90% of the gift card's worth.</p> <p>Ready cash from <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/junk-or-antique-the-difference-means-cash-1.aspx" type="external">collectibles Opens a New Window.</a> may be hiding in your closet or basement.</p> <p>Toys from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers action figures, are hot stuff. Pre-1972 Barbie dolls also are highly desirable. Another hot niche is high-end designer clothes such??those made by??Gucci, says Harry Rinker, an antiques and collectibles expert in Kentwood, Mich.</p> <p>EBay can be a valuable source of <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/where-to-sell-your-junk-for-cash-1.aspx" type="external">auction Opens a New Window.</a> information. "You can see what a collectible is worth," Rinker says. "And you can see if it's a viable market."</p> <p>When selling an item, eBay is??often??a great??choice, Rinker says.??Specialized markets, which exist for certain collectibles,??are another possibility.</p> <p>Secondary markets are still another option. For instance, Hummel figurines, Lladro porcelain and Swarovski crystal have secondary markets on resale sites like eBay --??but they aren't strong.</p> <p>"The secondary market is a tough sell," Rinker says. "If you're making more than 20 cents on the dollar, you're doing well."</p> <p>Big banks are offering juicier incentives than ever.</p> <p>In 2010, cash rewards for new <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/funnel/checking-account" type="external">checking Opens a New Window.</a> account customers averaged $138, a 16% increase over 2009, according to Mintel Comperemedia, market research firm based in Chicago. Some banks offer as much as $75 for opening a checking account.??</p> <p>"You can get anywhere from $50 to $200 from these promotions," says Ken Tumin, a blogger who writes about deposit accounts. "Most incentives are for <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/savings/are-online-checking-accounts-for-you.aspx" type="external">checking accounts Opens a New Window.</a>."</p> <p>Some <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/funnel/savings/" type="external">savings Opens a New Window.</a> account incentives are equally rich, or more so??if you are willing to deposit a lot of money. Check bank websites for other cash incentives.</p> <p>Still, many incentive accounts aren't free. "Watch out for monthly fees," Tumin says. And don't be a bonus chaser. "You have to pick bonuses carefully, based on return and reviews of gotchas."</p> <p>For cash crunches, whole life <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/5-tips-for-selling-your-life-insurance.aspx" type="external">insurance Opens a New Window.</a> policies can be converted to their cash values.</p> <p>You can either surrender your policy to the insurance company for cash. Or, you can use the policy as collateral for a loan from your <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/life-insurance-for-your-heirs-1.aspx" type="external">insurance company Opens a New Window.</a>, says Glenn Daily,??a fee-only insurance consultant in New York.</p> <p>"It's a good place to borrow from," he says, adding that the interest rates are reasonable.</p> <p>Don't forget to check out any taxable gains before you surrender the policy.</p> <p>Need cash fast? Consider selling assets with the lowest cost of capital.</p> <p>"If you have equities with losses, sell them and take loss offsets on your taxes," says Michael Dubis, a Certified Financial Planner in Madison, Wis.</p> <p>The key to selling taxable investments is watching out for <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/finance/taxes/maximizing-your-capital-gains-exclusion.aspx" type="external">capital gains Opens a New Window.</a> exposure. If you've owned your equities for a long time, you may be hit with high taxes on your capital gains. You could take at least a 20% to 30% shaving, depending on your tax bracket, Dubis says.</p> <p>Some investments shouldn't be used.??It's best to avoid??cashing out your <a href="http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/retirement/convert-ira-roth-calculator.aspx" type="external">IRA Opens a New Window.</a>""or your other retirement assets. They give you protection from creditors, since they can't be touched in bankruptcy court if your finances deteriorate. Additionally, taking a loan against stocks isn't a wise investment move.</p> <p>"That's a desperation call," Dubis says. "It's a high-interest way to get a loan."</p> <p>Copyright 2012, Bankrate Inc.</p>

cash king days continue reading dont worry youre cashless turning unwanted stuff cash opens new window easier think sources right fingertips literally takes hunting take gift cards may lingering wallet theyre ready source cash says bruce bower chief executive plastic jungle inc website buys sells gift cards gift cards opens new window totaling 30 million sit unused according deloittea consulting advisory firm amount grows 8 billion year consumers forget bower says dont stop big banks like keybank chase bank opens new window based clevelandare offering cash incentives whole life policies taxable investments converted well cash even old stuff drawers closets gold mine heres lowdown convert old stuff cash advertisement gift cards easily turned cash lots sites springing help websites plastic jungle giftcardrescue cardpool buy gift card opens new window resell plastic jungle purchases around 400 different cards opens new window cards walmart coveted followed fromhome depot macys itunes target thats cards sell money one plus cards issued big stores usually dont expiration dates payment process done electronically sellers simply enter gift card data merchant andthe balance site offer made payments made via paypal paper check credits website amazoncom dont expect get full value card sellers may reap 90 gift cards worth ready cash collectibles opens new window may hiding closet basement toys 1970s 1980s teenage mutant ninja turtles transformers action figures hot stuff pre1972 barbie dolls also highly desirable another hot niche highend designer clothes suchthose made bygucci says harry rinker antiques collectibles expert kentwood mich ebay valuable source auction opens new window information see collectible worth rinker says see viable market selling item ebay isoftena greatchoice rinker saysspecialized markets exist certain collectiblesare another possibility secondary markets still another option instance hummel figurines lladro porcelain swarovski crystal secondary markets resale sites like ebay arent strong secondary market tough sell rinker says youre making 20 cents dollar youre well big banks offering juicier incentives ever 2010 cash rewards new checking opens new window account customers averaged 138 16 increase 2009 according mintel comperemedia market research firm based chicago banks offer much 75 opening checking account get anywhere 50 200 promotions says ken tumin blogger writes deposit accounts incentives checking accounts opens new window savings opens new window account incentives equally rich soif willing deposit lot money check bank websites cash incentives still many incentive accounts arent free watch monthly fees tumin says dont bonus chaser pick bonuses carefully based return reviews gotchas cash crunches whole life insurance opens new window policies converted cash values either surrender policy insurance company cash use policy collateral loan insurance company opens new window says glenn dailya feeonly insurance consultant new york good place borrow says adding interest rates reasonable dont forget check taxable gains surrender policy need cash fast consider selling assets lowest cost capital equities losses sell take loss offsets taxes says michael dubis certified financial planner madison wis key selling taxable investments watching capital gains opens new window exposure youve owned equities long time may hit high taxes capital gains could take least 20 30 shaving depending tax bracket dubis says investments shouldnt usedits best avoidcashing ira opens new windowor retirement assets give protection creditors since cant touched bankruptcy court finances deteriorate additionally taking loan stocks isnt wise investment move thats desperation call dubis says highinterest way get loan copyright 2012 bankrate inc

<p /> <p>Dividend-paying stocks are a great way to combine current income with the prospects for future growth. Many investors looking for the top dividend-paying stocks in the market turn to a strategy known as the Dogs of the Dow to maximize both income and returns. All 30 of the components of the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI) are stocks that pay dividends, but by focusing on some of the top-yielding stocks in the average, you can capture more in dividend payments -- and sometimes produce great returns.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>This year, companies such as Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), and IBM (NYSE: IBM) have a big lead over the overall Dow in terms of total return and dividend yield. Below, we'll look more closely at what these key dividend-payers have done and why they might continue to do well.</p> <p>Data source: Yahoo! Finance.</p> <p>One of the fundamental ideas behind looking at high-yielding Dow stocks it that they tend to involve companies that have hit hard times recently. When stock prices fall, dividend yields rise unless the company has to reduce its quarterly payouts. As a result, you can bottom-fish the Dow like a true value investor, picking up shares of suffering companies on the cheap and hoping for them to bounce back. That's exactly what has happened with these three dividend paying stocks.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>For instance, Caterpillar has climbed more than any other Dow stock, with much of the stock's gains having come in just the past month. The maker of heavy equipment for applications including construction, energy, and mining suffered for years from sluggish macroeconomic conditions around the world, and things looked similarly downbeat coming into 2016. But throughout the year, many have expected these key areas of the global economy to bounce back. In particular, the results of the U.S. presidential election have spurred many to believe that greater government spending will stimulate the economy and bring big wins to Caterpillar. The company hasn't been quite as upbeat, suggesting recently that the level of optimism is overly ambitious compared to Caterpillar's near-term prospects. Nevertheless, in the long run, Caterpillar is setting itself up to take advantage of the next cyclical uptrend for its business. When that happens, the company's fundamentals should catch up with its share-price advance.</p> <p>For Chevron, the factors supporting higher prices have been even clearer. Coming into 2016, crude oil prices were extremely low, and early in the year, they fell into the $30s on a per-barrel basis. Since then, though, oil has not only bottomed out, it has bounced back, and its most recent push higher over the past week has sent it into a range between $50 and $55 per barrel. That's a far cry from the triple-digit figures that prevailed only a few short years ago, but Chevron has worked hard to make it through the tough period for the energy sector. Moreover, recent action from the OPEC cartel has many oil-industry followers believing that crude could hold onto its price gains. If that's the case, then repeated writedowns from falling oil prices could be at an end, and that will let Chevron report better earnings and encourage shareholders who've had to endure a tough period for the stock.</p> <p>Finally, IBM has finally started making some progress at recapturing its lost forward momentum. Big Blue long ago realized that it couldn't survive solely on its groundbreaking hardware business, because commodity producers had captured the market and slashed the profit margin figures that IBM had been able to sustain in the past. <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/11/15/this-key-part-of-ibm-is-growing-again.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">IBM instead turned to software and services Opens a New Window.</a> as a place to look for better bottom-line growth. Even that had been a source of trouble for IBM, with the company seeing declines in software-related revenue for seven straight quarters over the past couple of years. But with software sales starting to tick back upward again, investors are growing more optimistic that Big Blue could finally start delivering the long-term returns that its innovative history has helped produce in the past.</p> <p>The Dow's blue-chip giants are all impressive, but these top-paying dividend stocks could be even more valuable for your portfolio. Be sure to keep an eye on beaten-down Dow stocks, because sometimes, they'll be the ones that bounce back the furthest when conditions improve.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Caterpillar When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=667dd69e-6db4-4e74-94d6-43b3673c4a84&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now...and Caterpillar wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=667dd69e-6db4-4e74-94d6-43b3673c4a84&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of Nov. 7, 2016.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

dividendpaying stocks great way combine current income prospects future growth many investors looking top dividendpaying stocks market turn strategy known dogs dow maximize income returns 30 components dow jones industrials djindices dji stocks pay dividends focusing topyielding stocks average capture dividend payments sometimes produce great returns continue reading year companies caterpillar nyse cat chevron nyse cvx ibm nyse ibm big lead overall dow terms total return dividend yield well look closely key dividendpayers done might continue well data source yahoo finance one fundamental ideas behind looking highyielding dow stocks tend involve companies hit hard times recently stock prices fall dividend yields rise unless company reduce quarterly payouts result bottomfish dow like true value investor picking shares suffering companies cheap hoping bounce back thats exactly happened three dividend paying stocks advertisement image source getty images instance caterpillar climbed dow stock much stocks gains come past month maker heavy equipment applications including construction energy mining suffered years sluggish macroeconomic conditions around world things looked similarly downbeat coming 2016 throughout year many expected key areas global economy bounce back particular results us presidential election spurred many believe greater government spending stimulate economy bring big wins caterpillar company hasnt quite upbeat suggesting recently level optimism overly ambitious compared caterpillars nearterm prospects nevertheless long run caterpillar setting take advantage next cyclical uptrend business happens companys fundamentals catch shareprice advance chevron factors supporting higher prices even clearer coming 2016 crude oil prices extremely low early year fell 30s perbarrel basis since though oil bottomed bounced back recent push higher past week sent range 50 55 per barrel thats far cry tripledigit figures prevailed short years ago chevron worked hard make tough period energy sector moreover recent action opec cartel many oilindustry followers believing crude could hold onto price gains thats case repeated writedowns falling oil prices could end let chevron report better earnings encourage shareholders whove endure tough period stock finally ibm finally started making progress recapturing lost forward momentum big blue long ago realized couldnt survive solely groundbreaking hardware business commodity producers captured market slashed profit margin figures ibm able sustain past ibm instead turned software services opens new window place look better bottomline growth even source trouble ibm company seeing declines softwarerelated revenue seven straight quarters past couple years software sales starting tick back upward investors growing optimistic big blue could finally start delivering longterm returns innovative history helped produce past dows bluechip giants impressive toppaying dividend stocks could even valuable portfolio sure keep eye beatendown dow stocks sometimes theyll ones bounce back furthest conditions improve 10 stocks like better caterpillar investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right nowand caterpillar wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns nov 7 2016 dan caplinger opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool recommends chevron try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Chipotle Mexican Grill's (NYSE: CMG) food safety crisis has been over for six months. But you wouldn't know it from the company's sales results. During the recently ended second quarter, Chipotle's comparable restaurant sales plunged 23.6%.</p> <p>The company can probably blame social media for its slow recovery. The rapid spread of information -- and in some cases, misinformation -- via social media has made Chipotle's late 2015 E. coli outbreak much worse for the company than it otherwise would have been.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The first E. coli incidents were reported in late October, with other E. coli and norovirus cases traced to Chipotle in November and December. As news about Chipotle's food safety problems spread during late 2015, customer traffic quickly plunged.</p> <p>Image source: The Motley Fool.</p> <p>As a result, Chipotle went from posting modest comparable restaurant sales growth in October to a 16% comp decline in November and a 30% comp decline in December. On a monthly basis, comp sales trends bottomed out in January with a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/03/a-slow-comeback-for-chipotle-is-fine-for-investors.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">stunning 36.4% decline Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Obviously, the E. coli outbreak itself was the primary cause of these sales declines. But social media likely played an important supporting role, as can be seen from a comparison to the 1992-1993 E. coli outbreak linked to Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK).</p> <p>Jack in the Box's E. coli outbreak was <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/11/23/chipotles-e-coli-outbreak-is-a-buying-opportunity.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">far worse than Chipotle's Opens a New Window.</a>. From late 1992 to early 1993, more than 500 people in the western U.S. became infected with E. coli, mainly from eating regular-size hamburgers from Jack in the Box. Four people died. By contrast, Chipotle's E. coli outbreak only affected 60 people, with no fatalities. (There was also a norovirus outbreak linked to Chipotle in December, but that is a much less serious illness.)</p> <p>Yet despite the severity of Jack in the Box's E. coli outbreak, its comparable restaurant sales fell only 22.2% during the second quarter of fiscal 1993, at the height of the crisis. Furthermore, its sales trend quickly recovered. In Q3 and Q4, Jack in the Box reported comp sales declines of about 9%.</p> <p>The difference in the impact of these E. coli outbreaks on sales results can probably be traced to social media. Social media <a href="http://nrn.com/food-safety/chipotle-companywide-meeting-mark-new-era" type="external">increased awareness Opens a New Window.</a> of Chipotle's food safety problems in the first place, and Chipotle's food safety issues continued to be the butt of jokes on social media long after the initial outbreak.</p> <p>Chipotle has started to regain customers in the six months since the CDC declared that the E. coli outbreak was over. However, the company's management has been frustrated by the slow (and uneven) pace of the recovery. Here, too, social media deserves a lot of the blame.</p> <p>Chipotle's brand continues to suffer on social media. Image source: The Motley Fool.</p> <p>For example, Chipotle's comp sales performance improved from down 36.4% in January to down just 22% by mid-March, suggesting that customers were starting to return. But in mid-March, a story quickly spread about several Boston-area Chipotle employees getting sick.</p> <p>The employees stayed home, following Chipotle's new strict food safety protocols. As a result, no customers became ill. However, while this incident showed that Chipotle's food safety protocols are working, on social media it was frequently portrayed as another sign that it wasn't safe to eat at Chipotle.</p> <p>As a result, sales slowed again. Indeed, the second quarter's comp sales decline of 23.6% was still below the mid-March sales trend.</p> <p>Even complete non-events have the potential to scuttle Chipotle's recovery due to the power of social media. Earlier this month, a popular author tweeted that his editor had to go the ER after getting sick from eating at Chipotle. So far, there is little to no evidence that the tainted food actually came from Chipotle, but it wasn't easy for Chipotle to quell the negative rumors.</p> <p>Last fall, I believed -- based on previous incidents like the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak -- that Chipotle would recover from this setback relatively quickly. However, it appears that the rise of the internet and social media has made it much harder for restaurant chains to bounce back from food safety problems.</p> <p>Chipotle is still likely to emerge from its food safety crisis stronger than ever, but it could take several years for that to happen. The lesson for executives in the restaurant industry is clear: The right time to address food safety weaknesses is now. Waiting for food safety lapses to make customers sick is a recipe for disaster.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2667&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGemHunter/info.aspx" type="external">Adam Levine-Weinberg Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

chipotle mexican grills nyse cmg food safety crisis six months wouldnt know companys sales results recently ended second quarter chipotles comparable restaurant sales plunged 236 company probably blame social media slow recovery rapid spread information cases misinformation via social media made chipotles late 2015 e coli outbreak much worse company otherwise would continue reading first e coli incidents reported late october e coli norovirus cases traced chipotle november december news chipotles food safety problems spread late 2015 customer traffic quickly plunged image source motley fool result chipotle went posting modest comparable restaurant sales growth october 16 comp decline november 30 comp decline december monthly basis comp sales trends bottomed january stunning 364 decline opens new window advertisement obviously e coli outbreak primary cause sales declines social media likely played important supporting role seen comparison 19921993 e coli outbreak linked jack box nasdaq jack jack boxs e coli outbreak far worse chipotles opens new window late 1992 early 1993 500 people western us became infected e coli mainly eating regularsize hamburgers jack box four people died contrast chipotles e coli outbreak affected 60 people fatalities also norovirus outbreak linked chipotle december much less serious illness yet despite severity jack boxs e coli outbreak comparable restaurant sales fell 222 second quarter fiscal 1993 height crisis furthermore sales trend quickly recovered q3 q4 jack box reported comp sales declines 9 difference impact e coli outbreaks sales results probably traced social media social media increased awareness opens new window chipotles food safety problems first place chipotles food safety issues continued butt jokes social media long initial outbreak chipotle started regain customers six months since cdc declared e coli outbreak however companys management frustrated slow uneven pace recovery social media deserves lot blame chipotles brand continues suffer social media image source motley fool example chipotles comp sales performance improved 364 january 22 midmarch suggesting customers starting return midmarch story quickly spread several bostonarea chipotle employees getting sick employees stayed home following chipotles new strict food safety protocols result customers became ill however incident showed chipotles food safety protocols working social media frequently portrayed another sign wasnt safe eat chipotle result sales slowed indeed second quarters comp sales decline 236 still midmarch sales trend even complete nonevents potential scuttle chipotles recovery due power social media earlier month popular author tweeted editor go er getting sick eating chipotle far little evidence tainted food actually came chipotle wasnt easy chipotle quell negative rumors last fall believed based previous incidents like jack box e coli outbreak chipotle would recover setback relatively quickly however appears rise internet social media made much harder restaurant chains bounce back food safety problems chipotle still likely emerge food safety crisis stronger ever could take several years happen lesson executives restaurant industry clear right time address food safety weaknesses waiting food safety lapses make customers sick recipe disaster secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window adam levineweinberg opens new window owns shares chipotle mexican grill motley fool owns shares recommends chipotle mexican grill try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p><a href="" type="internal" /></p> <p>Boy or girl. Public school or private school. If the Rhode Island child is middle-school age, it is now mandatory to receive a <a href="" type="internal">Human Papillomavirus</a> ( <a href="" type="internal">HPV</a>) <a href="" type="internal">vaccine</a>. The jab would most likely be a&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/search/label/Gardasil" type="external">Gardasil</a> shot, made by Merck &#8211; studied for less than two years in about 1,200 children under age 16 before it became licensed and fast-tracked by the FDA. Coincidentally, this vaccine is currently under investigation by the European Medicines Agency (but apparently it is turning out to be <a href="http://sanevax.org/hpv-vaccine-investigation-leaves-crucial-questions-unasked/" type="external">a weak one</a>).</p> <p>This proves once and for all how the side-effects of multi-trillion dollar pharma companies with bottomless salaries toward propagandists, plus bloated lawmakers and government agencies &#8211; is actually a dangerous form of insanity. <a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/search/label/vaccine-information" type="external">Forced injections</a> of chemical cocktails that have proven to be deadly in teenagers might have been recognized as child endangerment in the past. Now it&#8217;s just par for the course since the passing of California&#8217;s <a href="" type="internal">SB 277</a> which mandated vaccines for all students.</p> <p>Rhode Island is just following suit &#8211; which is precisely why parents tried to stop SB 277. If some vaccines are mandated, what if all of them get thrown into the mix, including a couple hundred in the pipeline, and parents lose all control to decide when or if their child is jabbed?</p> <p><a type="external" href="" />As naturopath <a href="http://www.healthnutnews.com/mandated-vaccines-finding-our-path-to-freedom/" type="external">Rosanne Lindsay</a>&amp;#160;recently wrote:</p> <p>In June, California became the first state to <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2015/06/30/california-vaccination-bill-sb-277-signed-by-governor-becomes-law/" type="external">mandate vaccination</a> for all children attending public and private schools. Similar mandates will apply to all <a href="http://www.sb277.org/ca-sb-792-forced-adult-vaccines.html" type="external">adults working in daycare</a> settings. There are currently <a href="http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/fighting-forced-vaccination-in-america-in-2014-58-bills-in-24-states-threatening-right-to-refuse-vaccines/" type="external">58 bills in 24 different states</a> that would limit your rights when it comes to vaccines, or lose your job. A proposed <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2232/text" type="external">Federal law</a> will attempt to jab the entire nation.</p> <p>The Associated Press <a href="http://www.turnto10.com/story/29664097/rhode-island-mandates-hpv-vaccine-for-seventh-graders" type="external">has reported</a> that starting this coming school year, middle school students must receive the jab unless they have medical or religious exemptions (both are difficult to obtain):</p> <p>Tricia Washburn, chief of the office of immunization for the <a href="http://health.ri.gov/" type="external">Rhode Island Department of Health</a>, said the Centers for Disease Control found no safety concerns with the vaccine.</p> <p>&#8220;The bottom line is that HPV is the most sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.&#8221; she said. &#8220;We are interested in protecting the public health. We feel it shouldn&#8217;t be treated any differently than any of the other vaccines recommended by the CDC.&#8221;</p> <p>Actually, this vaccine in particular should be treated differently than other vaccines. By different, I mean extra banned &#8211; or for a person to have the secured freedom to opt-out. It has been shown to be deadly, <a href="" type="internal">injurious</a>, and unnecessary given how the immune system can overcome warts. ( <a href="http://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/hpv.aspx" type="external">Quick facts about HPV</a>) By the <a href="http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/July-2009/Preventing-Gardasil-Vaccine-Injuries-Deaths.aspx" type="external">summer of 2009</a>, this fast-tracked vaccine already caused more than 15,000 thousand reports of <a href="" type="internal">vaccine reactions</a>, including more than 3,000 injuries and 48 deaths.</p> <p>Updated info from VaxTruth.org:</p> <p><a href="https://i2.wp.com/4.bp.blogspot.com/-SS8yii9adTs/Vb_fKANzeMI/AAAAAAAAHSw/lWLEYteKdQ4/s1600/11752454_10153373161647931_8954523729785441791_n.jpg" type="external" /></p> <p>Rhode Island incorporates all CDC-recommended vaccines into the state&#8217;s school immunization regulations because their Department of Health directly creates such laws/mandates. Virginia and Washington, D.C. have likewise joined in mandating the HPV shot.</p> <p>Parents keep saying that if they knew that the HPV vaccine prevented cancer, of course they would do that for their child. Do they not know that HPV can be fought off with the human immune system? Do they not wonder at mandating this vaccine for boys? Do they not mind at losing the option of at least postponing the jab until their children reach their late teens?</p> <p>A petition to repeal the regulation can be found through a Facebook group called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RIagainstHPVmandate/" type="external">Rhode Islanders Against Mandated HPV Vaccinations</a>. Rhode Island will have a hearing in August to answer concerns.</p> <p>So much more can be said about the <a href="" type="internal">dangers of the HPV vaccine</a>. At least <a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/2015/04/hpv-vaccines-danish-documentary.html" type="external">one documentary is devoted to shining light on the damage</a> this abominable jab has done to <a href="" type="internal">ravage young women&#8217;s lives</a> and rob them of bright futures. Not to mention, it was just reported on mainstream news this past Spring, that <a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/2015/04/cbs-gardasil-vaccine-can-cause.html" type="external">Gardasil vaccine can cause infection with higher risk HPV strain</a>. Isn&#8217;t that akin to giving someone cancer? It is ridiculous how homeopathy and herbals are cast in a crazy light when they have safely and effectively brought remission to various types of wart manifestations.</p> <p>But if that sounds like a pipe dream, consider this: a study using <a href="http://www.healthline.com/health-news/mushroom-extract-cures-hpv-infections-110614" type="external">human test subjects</a> found that <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Life-Kinoko-Platinum-AHCC/dp/B0047533WG?tag=permacultucom-20&amp;amp;linkCode=w13&amp;amp;linkID=&amp;amp;ref_=assoc_res_sw_us_dka_cra_t0_result_3&amp;amp;ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Factivistpost.net%2Fbanners%2Famazon.htm" type="external">ACHH</a>&amp;#160;(mushroom compound) fully eradicated HPV from some of the women who took the supplement for six months, due to its immune-boosting action supported by <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-10/jai-hii102914.php" type="external">around 20 human trials</a>. One article in March claimed that the disease didn&#8217;t even show up in a blood test after that time for some of the participants. That&#8217;s incredible given the dormant nature of viral warts.</p> <p>From a monetary standpoint, the average $50 per bottle beats out the average $116 per HPV shot (3 shots are required) and any resulting side-effects which can include seizures, brain inflammation,&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/2015/04/not-just-fainting-cardiologist-talks.html" type="external">POTS</a>, autoimmune conditions like lupus and more.</p> <p>That few hundred dollars would be much better spent on such a safe, effective option should teenagers find themselves in that situation. Either way, parents would probably prefer having that information and having those options open &#8211; instead of draconian measures that expose their child to high risk in order to benefit corporations that do not strive to provide safe products.</p> <p>Mandates such as Rhode Island&#8217;s only further take away any incentive to bother with safety. There will be no accountability afterward. Parents who outsourced their responsibilities, however, will feel that accountability acutely should they find that their children&#8217;s health deteriorated after the gates are closed. This blatant removal of civil liberties cannot be accepted.</p> <p><a href="http://www.naturalblaze.com/search/label/Heather-Callaghan" type="external">Heather Callaghan</a> is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at&amp;#160; <a href="http://naturalblaze.com/" type="external">NaturalBlaze.com</a> and <a href="http://activistpost.com/" type="external">ActivistPost.com</a>. Like at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natural-Blaze/228076017338034" type="external">Facebook</a>.</p> <p>Courtesy of <a href="http://www.activistpost.com/2015/08/hpv-vaccine-mandated-for-all-rhode.html" type="external">Activist Post</a>.</p> <p /> <p />

boy girl public school private school rhode island child middleschool age mandatory receive human papillomavirus hpv vaccine jab would likely a160 gardasil shot made merck studied less two years 1200 children age 16 became licensed fasttracked fda coincidentally vaccine currently investigation european medicines agency apparently turning weak one proves sideeffects multitrillion dollar pharma companies bottomless salaries toward propagandists plus bloated lawmakers government agencies actually dangerous form insanity forced injections chemical cocktails proven deadly teenagers might recognized child endangerment past par course since passing californias sb 277 mandated vaccines students rhode island following suit precisely parents tried stop sb 277 vaccines mandated get thrown mix including couple hundred pipeline parents lose control decide child jabbed naturopath rosanne lindsay160recently wrote june california became first state mandate vaccination children attending public private schools similar mandates apply adults working daycare settings currently 58 bills 24 different states would limit rights comes vaccines lose job proposed federal law attempt jab entire nation associated press reported starting coming school year middle school students must receive jab unless medical religious exemptions difficult obtain tricia washburn chief office immunization rhode island department health said centers disease control found safety concerns vaccine bottom line hpv sexually transmitted disease us said interested protecting public health feel shouldnt treated differently vaccines recommended cdc actually vaccine particular treated differently vaccines different mean extra banned person secured freedom optout shown deadly injurious unnecessary given immune system overcome warts quick facts hpv summer 2009 fasttracked vaccine already caused 15000 thousand reports vaccine reactions including 3000 injuries 48 deaths updated info vaxtruthorg rhode island incorporates cdcrecommended vaccines states school immunization regulations department health directly creates lawsmandates virginia washington dc likewise joined mandating hpv shot parents keep saying knew hpv vaccine prevented cancer course would child know hpv fought human immune system wonder mandating vaccine boys mind losing option least postponing jab children reach late teens petition repeal regulation found facebook group called rhode islanders mandated hpv vaccinations rhode island hearing august answer concerns much said dangers hpv vaccine least one documentary devoted shining light damage abominable jab done ravage young womens lives rob bright futures mention reported mainstream news past spring gardasil vaccine cause infection higher risk hpv strain isnt akin giving someone cancer ridiculous homeopathy herbals cast crazy light safely effectively brought remission various types wart manifestations sounds like pipe dream consider study using human test subjects found achh160mushroom compound fully eradicated hpv women took supplement six months due immuneboosting action supported around 20 human trials one article march claimed disease didnt even show blood test time participants thats incredible given dormant nature viral warts monetary standpoint average 50 per bottle beats average 116 per hpv shot 3 shots required resulting sideeffects include seizures brain inflammation160 pots autoimmune conditions like lupus hundred dollars would much better spent safe effective option teenagers find situation either way parents would probably prefer information options open instead draconian measures expose child high risk order benefit corporations strive provide safe products mandates rhode islands take away incentive bother safety accountability afterward parents outsourced responsibilities however feel accountability acutely find childrens health deteriorated gates closed blatant removal civil liberties accepted heather callaghan natural health blogger food freedom activist see work at160 naturalblazecom activistpostcom like facebook courtesy activist post

<p /> <p>Growing up is tough enough without the worries of your financial future, so <a href="" type="internal">Money101 Opens a New Window.</a> &amp;#160;is here for you. <a href="http://mailto:FoxBusinessMoney101@gmail.com" type="external">E-mail us Opens a New Window.</a> your questions and let us take off some of the pressure.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>In an effort to close its $10 billion budget gap (down from $26 billion in the beginning of 2011), Californias famous two-tier public university system is taking a big hit.</p> <p>The state has opted to cut 20%, or $650 million, of funding each from both of the University of California and the California State University systems. For the first time this fall, the University of California school system will take in more revenue from students tuitions than from state funding.</p> <p>According to Nathan Brostrom, executive vice president for business operations at the <a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/welcome.html" type="external">University of California Opens a New Window.</a>, tuition has increased 18.3% since November 2010 to cover the states cuts and an additional $350 million in mandatory costs--more than half of which are from employee pension and retirement contributions. An increase in tuition makes up approximately a quarter of the billion-dollar shortfall.</p> <p>Theres a short-term crisis and a serious long-term problem that the institutions will face, says Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the division of government and public affairs of the <a href="http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home" type="external">American Council on Education Opens a New Window.</a>. The budget cuts were seeing in California are bad news for students, theyre bad news for the state and theyre a terrible blow to the institutions.</p> <p>What it Means for California Students</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Up until a couple years ago, Californias school systems predominantly accepted in-state students, a practice that many other state schools do as well. Now, state schools throughout the country are increasing their percentages of non-residential students for academic and fiscal diversity (schools charge higher tuition rates for out-of-state students).</p> <p>It was much harder to get into one of the top tier UCs from out of state--it didnt matter where you were, says Jon Reider, director of college counseling at San Francisco University High School and former admissions officer at Stanford University. One of the things theyve been doing for at least two years and what they will continue to do this year is to favor out of state students.</p> <p>Students at Californias state schools could be gearing up for some major frustrations: higher tuition, larger classes, fewer classes offered and reduced support services, warn the experts.</p> <p>It might take them another semester to get into the classes that they want, says Hartle. It will cost them more to get a degree, it will probably take them longer to get their degrees and they will have less help if they need it from the institutions.</p> <p>One area that Brostrom says the systems are determined to sustain is their ability to give students need-based aid.</p> <p>Weve maintained a robust commitment to financial aid by providing one third of the tuition towards financial aid and 50% of graduate [school] tuition towards financial aid, says Brostrom. This has helped us meet and actually expand our commitment to low income students.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the group who will take the brunt of the hit with the tuition increase is the middle-income kids who dont qualify for Pell grants or federal grants--but are still facing tough times, says Brostrom.</p> <p>As for student loans, more tuition hikes mean that students will have to dig deeper to foot the bill for school, especially considering federal support for student aid is likely to decrease for the 2012-2013 school year, says Hartle.</p> <p>I think what we will find is that students are paying more for their education, many of them will be borrowing more money for their education than would otherwise have been the case, and they will be probably borrowing from private sector lenders, who will not offer the same good term set conditions that you get with federal student loans, says Hartle.</p> <p>What it Means for Schools</p> <p>Taking more money out of students pockets will help cover some of the operating costs, but the University of California and California State University campuses will have to trim down some of their resources to stay afloat, according to the experts.</p> <p>There still is an awful lot that has to be done through cuts on the campuses that we hope are temporary and are not [compromising] quality; higher class sizes, replacing faculty with more non-tenured lecturers, deferred maintenance on our buildings, says Brostrom. There are a number of things that we have bridged over with temporary measures that we need restored.</p> <p>Hartle points out that the dynamics of the faculty may change, with more part-time faculty members than full-time.</p> <p>You will have fewer faculty members and administrators at campuses in both systems, says Hartle. You might see a fair number of the most senior, the most internationally-respected faculty leaving for greener pastures .</p> <p>Despite the financial difficulties, Brostrom stresses that the quality or the accessibility of the schools will not be sacrificed.</p> <p>That is something that we will not relinquish, but it imposes some real challenges on us financially, says Brostrom. We have to come up with a sustainable and solid financial plan.</p> <p>Although the University of California system may be risking its reputation as one of the best public university school systems in the world, Hartle says that the challenges both systems face may be worse for the California State University system.</p> <p>California State University campuses typically do not have the international reputation of the University of California campuses, says Hartle. They often serve a student body that has a lower income than the University of California campuses, and few of those institutions have had the time to develop the significant alumni network and charitable contribution giving patterns that we see at some of the universities in the University of California system.</p> <p>What it Means for California</p> <p>Budget cuts at both the University of California and California State University schools could lead to even more monetary problems down the line for the Golden State.</p> <p>A lot of Californias economic growth over the last two generations has come from the states enormous commitment to making high-quality, affordable, public <a href="" type="internal">higher education</a> available to all of its residents, says Hartle.</p> <p>Despite the hardships the state has faced, Brostrom remains optimistic about the potential growth that the University of California system provides.</p> <p>We really do fuel not only sustaining the current industries, but also respond to the new industries that will hopefully restore the California economy to what it once was, Brostrom says.</p> <p>California isnt alone in its struggle to fund public university systems. <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/Despite-Fiscal-Woes-Many/128173/" type="external">The Chronicle of Higher Education Opens a New Window.</a> reports that nearly half of states surveyed reported cut need-based aid due to money troubles.</p> <p>I think were seeing similar pressures on public higher education in many other states, says Hartle. But the fact is that nowhere are the pressures more severe and acute than in California.</p>

growing tough enough without worries financial future money101 opens new window 160is email us opens new window questions let us take pressure continue reading effort close 10 billion budget gap 26 billion beginning 2011 californias famous twotier public university system taking big hit state opted cut 20 650 million funding university california california state university systems first time fall university california school system take revenue students tuitions state funding according nathan brostrom executive vice president business operations university california opens new window tuition increased 183 since november 2010 cover states cuts additional 350 million mandatory costsmore half employee pension retirement contributions increase tuition makes approximately quarter billiondollar shortfall theres shortterm crisis serious longterm problem institutions face says terry hartle senior vice president division government public affairs american council education opens new window budget cuts seeing california bad news students theyre bad news state theyre terrible blow institutions means california students advertisement couple years ago californias school systems predominantly accepted instate students practice many state schools well state schools throughout country increasing percentages nonresidential students academic fiscal diversity schools charge higher tuition rates outofstate students much harder get one top tier ucs stateit didnt matter says jon reider director college counseling san francisco university high school former admissions officer stanford university one things theyve least two years continue year favor state students students californias state schools could gearing major frustrations higher tuition larger classes fewer classes offered reduced support services warn experts might take another semester get classes want says hartle cost get degree probably take longer get degrees less help need institutions one area brostrom says systems determined sustain ability give students needbased aid weve maintained robust commitment financial aid providing one third tuition towards financial aid 50 graduate school tuition towards financial aid says brostrom helped us meet actually expand commitment low income students unfortunately group take brunt hit tuition increase middleincome kids dont qualify pell grants federal grantsbut still facing tough times says brostrom student loans tuition hikes mean students dig deeper foot bill school especially considering federal support student aid likely decrease 20122013 school year says hartle think find students paying education many borrowing money education would otherwise case probably borrowing private sector lenders offer good term set conditions get federal student loans says hartle means schools taking money students pockets help cover operating costs university california california state university campuses trim resources stay afloat according experts still awful lot done cuts campuses hope temporary compromising quality higher class sizes replacing faculty nontenured lecturers deferred maintenance buildings says brostrom number things bridged temporary measures need restored hartle points dynamics faculty may change parttime faculty members fulltime fewer faculty members administrators campuses systems says hartle might see fair number senior internationallyrespected faculty leaving greener pastures despite financial difficulties brostrom stresses quality accessibility schools sacrificed something relinquish imposes real challenges us financially says brostrom come sustainable solid financial plan although university california system may risking reputation one best public university school systems world hartle says challenges systems face may worse california state university system california state university campuses typically international reputation university california campuses says hartle often serve student body lower income university california campuses institutions time develop significant alumni network charitable contribution giving patterns see universities university california system means california budget cuts university california california state university schools could lead even monetary problems line golden state lot californias economic growth last two generations come states enormous commitment making highquality affordable public higher education available residents says hartle despite hardships state faced brostrom remains optimistic potential growth university california system provides really fuel sustaining current industries also respond new industries hopefully restore california economy brostrom says california isnt alone struggle fund public university systems chronicle higher education opens new window reports nearly half states surveyed reported cut needbased aid due money troubles think seeing similar pressures public higher education many states says hartle fact nowhere pressures severe acute california

<p /> <p>Offshore work is drying up, and that's not changing with $40 oil. Image source: Oceaneering International.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>What: Oil prices are up again on March 11, and it's moving energy stocks along with it. Offshore oil and gas contractorsSeadrill Ltd. andOceaneering International are both up more than 13% at 1:15 p.m. ET, whileSM Energy Co.,WeatherfordInternational Plc,Cobalt International Energy,Carrizo Oil &amp;amp; Gas Inc.,Southwestern Energy Company, andDenbury Resources are all up in the double digits so far today as well.</p> <p>So what: This is a continuation of the recent trend with many oil and gas stocks. As you can see in this chart, almost all of these stocks are up since oil prices bottomed out in January:</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/SDRL" type="external">SDRL</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>More importantly than the short-term gains, nearly all of these stocks have moved very sharply up or down from one day to the next, often on little to no material news beyond oil prices moving on a given day. There's good news, though. Since Brent crude prices bottomed out below $28 on Jan. 20, it has moved above $40, a nearly 45% increase.</p> <p>Rising oil prices are a good thing for oil producers, which are starving for cash flows, but even after increasing by 45%, global oil prices are still only barely over $40 per barrel at best. The catch for the producers above is that most realize even lower crude prices than Brent. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. benchmark, trades for around $38.67 today, and many producers aren't even getting that, especially if they operate in an area without major pipelines and must rely on rail, increasing transportation costs and hurting their selling price.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Here's how disparate it can be from one producer to the next. Denbury Resources realized an average price of $40.41 per barrel in the fourth quarter, SM Energy realized $34.93, and Carrizo Oil &amp;amp; Gas realized $37.71 per barrel before hedges.</p> <p>Southwestern Energy is primarily a natural gas producer, and realized gas prices can be even more volatile than oil. In the fourth quarter, the gas producer realized $1.48/Mcf before hedges, well below the average Henry Hub spot price of around $2.10 in the quarter. Carrizo, which also produces a relatively large amount of gas, realized $1.44/Mcf in the quarter before hedges.</p> <p>While producers benefit immediately when oil and gas prices rise, Oceaneering International, Seadrill, and Weatherford International won't likely see an uptick in their businesses for potentially many months yet. To start, oil prices are still far below levels where producers will start ramping up capital spending on exploration and production. The reality is, both onshore and offshore producers have spent the past 18 months slashing expenses, with exploration and resource development budgets at essentially every producer cut to the bone.</p> <p>That means we will likely be well into the recovery before offshore producers start offering long-term contracts to these companies, and the reality is, $40 per barrel probably doesn't change that at all.</p> <p>Now what: As exciting as the run-up has been, and how the down days might feel like great opportunities to get "in" on the rally, oil prices have a long way to go before there's a true recovery. This is especially true for offshore drillers, but also a concern for independent producers, which by and large need higher prices.</p> <p>Investors need to be keenly aware of this one thing: Much of the recent optimism that has driven up oil prices is due to what people are saying, not what has actually happened yet. For instance, major global oil producers including Russia and several OPEC nations including Saudi Arabia and others have all said that they are willing to lock their production at January levels, but it's going to take several months before we find out if these statements were lip service or if oil outputs do start to hold steady. There's also the wild card that is Iran, which seems hell-bent on increasing its output after years of sanctions, and could dump a not-insignificant amount of oil into an already drowning market.</p> <p>Furthermore, global oil inventories, as well as those of refined products, remain at some of the highest levels ever, both in real terms and as a percentage of available storage capacity. If the positive words don't turn into positive action, the recent recovery could just as quickly turn into a sell-off. That's the nature of speculation-driven run-ups, and at this point, that's largely what is moving all of these stocks by such large amounts from one day to the next.</p> <p>But with that said, it's not alltalk.Oil production has fallen in the U.S., and with essentially every U.S. producer spending a fraction as much on drilling as in recent years, it's very likely production does fall for the full year.</p> <p>Bottom line: Don't invest with the assumption that oil prices will keep rising in the short term, because there's just not enough evidence that the fundamental problem -- too much oil being produced relative to consumption growth -- has completely reversed. Until there's more data to support that what major global producers are saying is what they are doing, it's still very, very early in the recovery, and it's going to be some time before these companies see any benefit or before they are out of the woods.</p> <p>In the interim, big swings up -- and down -- will happen often, but usually for no concrete reason. Get used to it.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/03/11/get-used-to-big-moves-these-offshore-contracting-a.aspx" type="external">Get Used to Big Moves: These Offshore Contracting and Oil Producer Stocks Are Up Over 10% Today on Oil Prices Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/elihpaudio/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Jason Hall Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Seadrill. The Motley Fool owns shares of Denbury Resources. The Motley Fool recommends Oceaneering International and Seadrill. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

offshore work drying thats changing 40 oil image source oceaneering international continue reading oil prices march 11 moving energy stocks along offshore oil gas contractorsseadrill ltd andoceaneering international 13 115 pm et whilesm energy coweatherfordinternational plccobalt international energycarrizo oil amp gas incsouthwestern energy company anddenbury resources double digits far today well continuation recent trend many oil gas stocks see chart almost stocks since oil prices bottomed january sdrl data ycharts opens new window importantly shortterm gains nearly stocks moved sharply one day next often little material news beyond oil prices moving given day theres good news though since brent crude prices bottomed 28 jan 20 moved 40 nearly 45 increase rising oil prices good thing oil producers starving cash flows even increasing 45 global oil prices still barely 40 per barrel best catch producers realize even lower crude prices brent west texas intermediate wti us benchmark trades around 3867 today many producers arent even getting especially operate area without major pipelines must rely rail increasing transportation costs hurting selling price advertisement heres disparate one producer next denbury resources realized average price 4041 per barrel fourth quarter sm energy realized 3493 carrizo oil amp gas realized 3771 per barrel hedges southwestern energy primarily natural gas producer realized gas prices even volatile oil fourth quarter gas producer realized 148mcf hedges well average henry hub spot price around 210 quarter carrizo also produces relatively large amount gas realized 144mcf quarter hedges producers benefit immediately oil gas prices rise oceaneering international seadrill weatherford international wont likely see uptick businesses potentially many months yet start oil prices still far levels producers start ramping capital spending exploration production reality onshore offshore producers spent past 18 months slashing expenses exploration resource development budgets essentially every producer cut bone means likely well recovery offshore producers start offering longterm contracts companies reality 40 per barrel probably doesnt change exciting runup days might feel like great opportunities get rally oil prices long way go theres true recovery especially true offshore drillers also concern independent producers large need higher prices investors need keenly aware one thing much recent optimism driven oil prices due people saying actually happened yet instance major global oil producers including russia several opec nations including saudi arabia others said willing lock production january levels going take several months find statements lip service oil outputs start hold steady theres also wild card iran seems hellbent increasing output years sanctions could dump notinsignificant amount oil already drowning market furthermore global oil inventories well refined products remain highest levels ever real terms percentage available storage capacity positive words dont turn positive action recent recovery could quickly turn selloff thats nature speculationdriven runups point thats largely moving stocks large amounts one day next said alltalkoil production fallen us essentially every us producer spending fraction much drilling recent years likely production fall full year bottom line dont invest assumption oil prices keep rising short term theres enough evidence fundamental problem much oil produced relative consumption growth completely reversed theres data support major global producers saying still early recovery going time companies see benefit woods interim big swings happen often usually concrete reason get used article get used big moves offshore contracting oil producer stocks 10 today oil prices opens new window originally appeared foolcom jason hall opens new window owns shares seadrill motley fool owns shares denbury resources motley fool recommends oceaneering international seadrill try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Negative consequences of the 2008 financial collapse continue to reverberate throughout the nation. There&#8217;s deep-rooted resentment and mistrust of those in the financial sector and politicians. As evidenced by the anti-establishment tidal waves thrashing both U.S. presidential party primaries, millions of people passionately seek retribution for what occurred&#8212;for the loss of jobs, loss of homes, the loss of retirement savings and pensions.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>While they have not yet discerned how best to channel the &#8220;rage against their own machine&#8221;, politicians are throwing responsive darts at the public&#8217;s generalized irk and ire at the financial sector.&amp;#160;Elect an "outsider". Put more people in the slammer. Break up the big banks. Slow down technology. And, the biggest tomato pie being hurled from the policymaking crowd: impose a financial transaction tax (FTT) on Wall Street (or LaSalle Street in Chicago). It is even being served up a la mode:&amp;#160;fund free college with the revenues. Like state lotteries, you know, you will love it! Not.</p> <p>Seemingly simple solutions are what I warned readers about in my consumer protection book about fraud. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Ditto with the FTT. The most troubling outcome could be that consumers, mom and pop investors, pensioners and end users (those actually using markets to hedge their legitimate business risk) wind up being victims of such a mindless&#8212;perhaps momentary lapse of reasoned&#8212;policy.</p> <p>More debates and discussions have taken place in the US in the last several months regarding a FTT than during the previous three decades. In its own lapse of reason, a major US newspaper editorial board endorsed a FTT, even as they brushed beneath the policy rug a horrible history of what has taken place when other nations imposed a FTT.</p> <p>Here's what has actually transpired. Nations, sovereign entities and geographies that have instituted a FTT have lost trading revenue and jobs as their markets migrate to FTT-free zones. With less trading, there are correspondingly less&#8212;you guessed it&#8212;revenues. There are no magic revenue beans which equates to no additional bucket-o-cash; ergo no free college. If that weren&#8217;t enough, jobs and economic activity related&amp;#160;to trading were lost to other jurisdictions. The third tragic lesson for those in search of seemingly &#8220;easy revenue&#8221;&amp;#160;hits: the trading won&#8217;t be coming back. Gone, gone, the damage done.</p> <p>The circumstances described aren&#8217;t pipe theory, but statements of fact. These are the lessons of&amp;#160; Sweden, Switzerland, Japan and Brazil. Even in the European Union (EU), where many of the 28 member states are experiencing severe budget shortfalls, the&amp;#160;FTT is failing badly. EU regulators, I know from many conversations I&#8217;ve had with them,&amp;#160;deplore and dread the idea of a FTT. They are highly uneasy and painfully aware that a EU FTT would drive trading and much needed revenue to the U.S. or Asia. We have the best markets in the world, so why would US-based politicians be eager to so complicity gift our exchanges&amp;#160;and trading to Asia</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Markets today are global and operate 24-7-365. It really doesn't matter to traders where the trading venues (the exchanges) are physically housed. They, the traders, just want to pay the least for their trades. As additional overhead, cost, and regulatory burden, a FTT promptly motivates them to trade someplace else.</p> <p>However, let's suspend reality for a moment. Assume exchanges decided to remain in the higher tax jurisdiction (despite their best interests) and the traders embrace paying more for transactions (despite their best interest). Then what happens?&amp;#160;Investor profits take the blows, repeatedly. Traders, banks and end users, average mom and pop investors, pension funds of firemen, police, teachers and union workers must buy and sell many times to eke out value from markets. They would get hit each and every time by the FTT.</p> <p>Ironically, the most vulnerable victims of the FTT include the frustrated and angry folks who believe they simply are punishing the financial sector as penance for previous deeds. They are, unfortunately, less clear about how markets and trading actually function and who stands to lose the most. A FTT would do much more harm to average folks than anyone else.</p> <p>All of this says nothing about the importance to all traders&#8212;large and small&#8212;of having deep, liquid markets where free and fair price discovery can take place. We should all want lots of trading because price discovery (fairer pricing) is better. That&#8217;s great for all investors and consumers alike.</p> <p>I&#8217;m not&amp;#160;amongst those believe unfettered free markets are the answer to the world&#8217;s woes.&amp;#160;But, I surely understand how good and bad public policies are made and how natural it is for well-intentioned policymakers to respond hastily to angry stadium and town hall meeting crowds.&amp;#160;Pols like to throw a little red meat out for the voters (in this case a FTT) lest they find themselves on the receiving end of tomatoes, or worse yet, on the election year dinner plate.</p> <p>Unfortunately, this appears to be what is occurring for many who support some form or version of an FTT, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump has yet to disclose a formal position. &amp;#160;Hasty appeasement and so-called &#8220;populist offsets&#8221; bear huge risk and long-term regret, as history reveals. A FTT is loaded with unintended consequences and should be resoundingly rejected.</p> <p>Bart Chilton is former CFTC Commissioner and is currently a Senior Policy Advisor at the global business law firm DLA Piper and the author of Ponzimonium: How Scam Artists Are Ripping Off America. He can be reached at <a href="http://mailto:bartchilton@bartchilton.com" type="external">bartchilton@bartchilton.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

negative consequences 2008 financial collapse continue reverberate throughout nation theres deeprooted resentment mistrust financial sector politicians evidenced antiestablishment tidal waves thrashing us presidential party primaries millions people passionately seek retribution occurredfor loss jobs loss homes loss retirement savings pensions continue reading yet discerned best channel rage machine politicians throwing responsive darts publics generalized irk ire financial sector160elect outsider put people slammer break big banks slow technology biggest tomato pie hurled policymaking crowd impose financial transaction tax ftt wall street lasalle street chicago even served la mode160fund free college revenues like state lotteries know love seemingly simple solutions warned readers consumer protection book fraud sounds good true probably ditto ftt troubling outcome could consumers mom pop investors pensioners end users actually using markets hedge legitimate business risk wind victims mindlessperhaps momentary lapse reasonedpolicy debates discussions taken place us last several months regarding ftt previous three decades lapse reason major us newspaper editorial board endorsed ftt even brushed beneath policy rug horrible history taken place nations imposed ftt heres actually transpired nations sovereign entities geographies instituted ftt lost trading revenue jobs markets migrate fttfree zones less trading correspondingly lessyou guessed itrevenues magic revenue beans equates additional bucketocash ergo free college werent enough jobs economic activity related160to trading lost jurisdictions third tragic lesson search seemingly easy revenue160hits trading wont coming back gone gone damage done circumstances described arent pipe theory statements fact lessons of160 sweden switzerland japan brazil even european union eu many 28 member states experiencing severe budget shortfalls the160ftt failing badly eu regulators know many conversations ive them160deplore dread idea ftt highly uneasy painfully aware eu ftt would drive trading much needed revenue us asia best markets world would usbased politicians eager complicity gift exchanges160and trading asia advertisement markets today global operate 247365 really doesnt matter traders trading venues exchanges physically housed traders want pay least trades additional overhead cost regulatory burden ftt promptly motivates trade someplace else however lets suspend reality moment assume exchanges decided remain higher tax jurisdiction despite best interests traders embrace paying transactions despite best interest happens160investor profits take blows repeatedly traders banks end users average mom pop investors pension funds firemen police teachers union workers must buy sell many times eke value markets would get hit every time ftt ironically vulnerable victims ftt include frustrated angry folks believe simply punishing financial sector penance previous deeds unfortunately less clear markets trading actually function stands lose ftt would much harm average folks anyone else says nothing importance traderslarge smallof deep liquid markets free fair price discovery take place want lots trading price discovery fairer pricing better thats great investors consumers alike im not160amongst believe unfettered free markets answer worlds woes160but surely understand good bad public policies made natural wellintentioned policymakers respond hastily angry stadium town hall meeting crowds160pols like throw little red meat voters case ftt lest find receiving end tomatoes worse yet election year dinner plate unfortunately appears occurring many support form version ftt including senator bernie sanders senator hillary clinton donald trump yet disclose formal position 160hasty appeasement socalled populist offsets bear huge risk longterm regret history reveals ftt loaded unintended consequences resoundingly rejected bart chilton former cftc commissioner currently senior policy advisor global business law firm dla piper author ponzimonium scam artists ripping america reached bartchiltonbartchiltoncom opens new window

<p>European air safety officials extended checks for <a href="" type="internal">Airbus A380</a> wing cracks to the entire superjumbo fleet on Wednesday and said the widespread defects could pose a safety risk if left unremedied.</p> <p>The move to inspect all 68 A380s in service came as Qantas Airways grounded one of its planes for up to a week following the discovery of 36 separate cracks in wing parts.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The new measures by the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) "reflect the results of a first round of checks, which found cracks in almost all of the planes inspected," spokesman Dominique Fouda said.</p> <p>"This condition, if not detected and corrected, may lead to a reduction of the structural integrity of the aeroplane," the EU agency said in its directive to airlines.</p> <p>By signalling that the flaws are thought to be structural and widespread, the fleet-wide inspection order will refocus attention on faults recently found in flagship jets from both of the world's dominant aircraft makers.</p> <p><a href="" type="internal">Boeing</a> and Airbus, a division of European Aeronautic Defence &amp;amp; Space Co., maintain that their newest planes are safe to fly after problems were caught at an early stage.</p> <p>Under the new directive, first reported by Reuters earlier on Wednesday, the seven airlines currently operating A380s must carry out Airbus-sanctioned checks and preliminary repairs on every plane before its 1,300th flight.</p> <p>The first round of inspections, which covered one third of the fleet, applied only to jets that had exceeded that number of flights. Aircraft already approaching or beyond the threshold must now be checked and repaired within weeks.</p> <p>The damaged L-shaped parts, which fix the wing skins to their underlying frame, are "not a primary load-bearing structure," Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said.</p> <p>Cracks have been discovered in a "handful" of the 4,000 such brackets on each aircraft, he added. "The safe operation of this aircraft is not at stake."</p> <p>Inspections had initially focused on 20 aircraft operated by <a href="" type="internal">Singapore Airlines</a>, Air France and Dubai's Emirates - which had logged the most A380 flights in the four years since the world's largest passenger plane entered service.</p> <p>They will now be also be carried out on superjumbos flown by Qantas, China Southern, Korean Air and <a href="" type="internal">Lufthansa</a>.</p> <p>Qantas grounded one of its 12 A380s after the discovery of two-centimetre (0.8 inch) cracks that were "traced back to a manufacturing issue", the Australian carrier said on Wednesday.</p> <p>It was during lengthy repairs to another Qantas plane that the A380 problems first surfaced, following a 2010 engine explosion that tore open one wing.</p> <p>Lufthansa's longest-serving A380 has made about 900 flights, company spokesman Michael Lamberty said. "That means we have room to manoeuvre to carry out checks one by one, as part of normal maintenance."</p> <p>GLITCHES</p> <p>Aircraft are designed with multiple safeguards to protect against the extreme stresses and temperature variations encountered during flight.</p> <p>But premature glitches have recently embarrassed both Airbus and Boeing, raising fears of a consumer backlash of the kind that crippled <a href="" type="internal">Toyota</a> when the Japanese car maker ordered millions of safety recalls in 2009-11.</p> <p>While airlines have yet to report any fall in bookings related to the A380 cracks, several have said they are keeping a close watch on ticket sales.</p> <p>"It's important to note that these cracks are very small and will be monitored by the airlines," said Philippa Oldham, a transport specialist at Britain's Institute of Mechanical Engineers. "They are unlikely to affect aircraft operation."</p> <p>Boeing this week reported a manufacturing flaw on its 787 Dreamliner, the world's first commercial jet built mostly from composites, nine weeks after entry into service. Engineers found some delamination, or separation of baked composite fibres, in parts of the rear fuselage.</p> <p>Jim Albaugh, the head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division, has said the problem would delay initial deliveries without undermining the company's full-year target.</p> <p>UNUSUALLY EARLY PROBLEMS</p> <p>Airbus has staked its future on the 12 billion euro ($16 billion) A380 programme and is anxious to prevent publicity about the cracks denting confidence in its aircraft. With a list price of $390 million, the 525-seater is popular with passengers but has not sold as well as its designers expected.</p> <p>"These are not critical parts affecting safety any time soon," said Jean-Pierre Casamayou, editor-in-chief of Air et Cosmos, a French aerospace publication.</p> <p>The Airbus and Boeing problems are nonetheless "worrying because it means neither manufacturer has been on top of everything," he said. "Both planes were two-to-three years late, and yet we're seeing these unusually early problems."</p> <p>The wing cracks have overshadowed efforts by France-based Airbus to stabilise Europe's largest industrial project, which is not expected to turn a profit before 2015 after running significantly over budget.</p> <p>The aircraft maker now faces an additional bill for wing checks and repairs, as well as compensation for customers' lost business.</p> <p>Airbus and Boeing invested heavily in their newest models, which reflect a divergence of strategy over the $100 billion jetliner market. Boeing bet on lighter planes to save fuel and open new long-haul routes, while Airbus initially put its faith in larger jets to meet steep traffic growth.</p> <p>Airbus later began developing the carbon-fibre A350 to compete with the hot-selling 787, while Boeing is also updating its 747 jumbo to challenge the A380. Airbus has said it aims to deliver 30 of the double-deckers this year.</p> <p>Advertisement</p>

european air safety officials extended checks airbus a380 wing cracks entire superjumbo fleet wednesday said widespread defects could pose safety risk left unremedied move inspect 68 a380s service came qantas airways grounded one planes week following discovery 36 separate cracks wing parts continue reading new measures european air safety agency easa reflect results first round checks found cracks almost planes inspected spokesman dominique fouda said condition detected corrected may lead reduction structural integrity aeroplane eu agency said directive airlines signalling flaws thought structural widespread fleetwide inspection order refocus attention faults recently found flagship jets worlds dominant aircraft makers boeing airbus division european aeronautic defence amp space co maintain newest planes safe fly problems caught early stage new directive first reported reuters earlier wednesday seven airlines currently operating a380s must carry airbussanctioned checks preliminary repairs every plane 1300th flight first round inspections covered one third fleet applied jets exceeded number flights aircraft already approaching beyond threshold must checked repaired within weeks damaged lshaped parts fix wing skins underlying frame primary loadbearing structure airbus spokesman stefan schaffrath said cracks discovered handful 4000 brackets aircraft added safe operation aircraft stake inspections initially focused 20 aircraft operated singapore airlines air france dubais emirates logged a380 flights four years since worlds largest passenger plane entered service also carried superjumbos flown qantas china southern korean air lufthansa qantas grounded one 12 a380s discovery twocentimetre 08 inch cracks traced back manufacturing issue australian carrier said wednesday lengthy repairs another qantas plane a380 problems first surfaced following 2010 engine explosion tore open one wing lufthansas longestserving a380 made 900 flights company spokesman michael lamberty said means room manoeuvre carry checks one one part normal maintenance glitches aircraft designed multiple safeguards protect extreme stresses temperature variations encountered flight premature glitches recently embarrassed airbus boeing raising fears consumer backlash kind crippled toyota japanese car maker ordered millions safety recalls 200911 airlines yet report fall bookings related a380 cracks several said keeping close watch ticket sales important note cracks small monitored airlines said philippa oldham transport specialist britains institute mechanical engineers unlikely affect aircraft operation boeing week reported manufacturing flaw 787 dreamliner worlds first commercial jet built mostly composites nine weeks entry service engineers found delamination separation baked composite fibres parts rear fuselage jim albaugh head boeings commercial aircraft division said problem would delay initial deliveries without undermining companys fullyear target unusually early problems airbus staked future 12 billion euro 16 billion a380 programme anxious prevent publicity cracks denting confidence aircraft list price 390 million 525seater popular passengers sold well designers expected critical parts affecting safety time soon said jeanpierre casamayou editorinchief air et cosmos french aerospace publication airbus boeing problems nonetheless worrying means neither manufacturer top everything said planes twotothree years late yet seeing unusually early problems wing cracks overshadowed efforts francebased airbus stabilise europes largest industrial project expected turn profit 2015 running significantly budget aircraft maker faces additional bill wing checks repairs well compensation customers lost business airbus boeing invested heavily newest models reflect divergence strategy 100 billion jetliner market boeing bet lighter planes save fuel open new longhaul routes airbus initially put faith larger jets meet steep traffic growth airbus later began developing carbonfibre a350 compete hotselling 787 boeing also updating 747 jumbo challenge a380 airbus said aims deliver 30 doubledeckers year advertisement

<p>Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA)Q3 2017 Earnings Conference CallNov. 30, 2017, 5:00 p.m. ET</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Greetings and welcome to the Ulta Beauty Third Quarter 2017 Earnings Results Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. A brief question-and-answer session will follow the formal presentation. If anyone should require operator assistance during the conference, please press *0 on your telephone keypad. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.</p> <p>It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Laurel Lefebvre, Vice President, Investor Relations. Please proceed.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Laurel Lefebvre -- Vice President, Investor Relations</p> <p>Thank you. Good afternoon and thank you for joining us for Ulta Beauty's third quarter 2017 conference call. Hosting our call are Mary Dillon, Chief Executive Officer, and Scott Settersten, Chief Financial Officer. Also joining us is Dave Kimbell, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer.</p> <p>Before we begin, I'd like to remind you of the Company's Safe Harbor language. Statements contained in this conference call which are not historical facts may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected in such statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties, all of which are described in the Company's filings with the SEC. During the Q&amp;amp;A session, we respectfully request that you ask one question only please, to allow us to have time to respond to as many of you as possible during the hour scheduled for this call. I'll now turn it over to Mary.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>Thank you, Laurel. Good afternoon, everyone. Our third quarter results clearly demonstrate the strength and distinct advantages of the Ulta Beauty business model. We delivered a double-digit comp in spite of a moderation in the growth rate of our largest category -- makeup, and meaningful disruption from hurricanes. We flexed our merchandising and marketing plan, leveraged our consumer insights and CRM platform, and worked with our brand partners to create compelling offers for our guests. We also benefited from the unmatched breadth of beauty categories and products and that we offer.</p> <p>These levers allowed us to drive significant share gain, continue to rapidly grow our base of loyalty members, and thrive in spite of shifting category trends within the beauty industry, and disruption in some of our largest markets. Before I share results, including the financial impact of the hurricanes, I'd like to take a moment to mention the fantastic job our teams did to prepare for the storms, support our field associates who were personally impacted, and get our stores back up and running following an incredibly challenging time for these regions. It was truly inspiring to see the collaboration and caring from all corners of our organization to manage through this period.</p> <p>To recap our third-quarter financial performance, we grew the top line 18.6% and delivered healthy 10.3% comps on top of 16.7% comps in the third quarter of 2016, an acceleration on a two-year stat compared to the second quarter. The disruption from the hurricanes in Florida and Texas negatively impacted our result by a little more than a point of comp. Comp sales were driven by balanced traffic and ticket growth and continued strength in e-commerce. In terms of category trends, our highest sales growth was in skincare and fragrance, while haircare also strengthened. Makeup, while still producing very healthy growth by any standards, was softer compared to last year, when it drove a disproportionate amount of our comp growth. GAAP-diluted earnings per share of $1.70 grew 21.4%.</p> <p>We delivered better than expected EPS growth, despite gross margins contracting a bit more than initially planned. Some of this margin pressure was expected, driven by new store and boutique activity in the quarter, and marketing and test-and-learn activities pushed back from the first quarter into the back half. In light of the hurricane disruption and the moderation in color cosmetics growth, we decided to boost our CRM and promotional activity. This allowed us to continue to drive strong market share gains and rapid membership growth in our Ultamate Rewards loyalty program.</p> <p>I'll turn now to a more detailed discussion of the strategies that drove our results in the third quarter, beginning with our strategic imperative to acquire new guests and deepen loyalty of existing guests. Our loyalty program continues to deliver significant benefits and well over 90% of our sales are captured through the program. At the end of October, our Ultamate Rewards program grew to 26.4 million active members, up 21% year-over-year. Retention rates, sales per member, frequency of purchase, and average member ticket are healthy and stable. To update you on our efforts to increase adoption of our credit card, which we launched last year, we rolled out in-store initiatives to drive awareness and are offering new incentives like a free gift with signup, in addition to savings on guest's first purchase with the card.</p> <p>We also launched the capability to apply online and buy, which drove significantly higher online applications. Credit card signups continue to grow, with new accounts and conversion above plan, and we continue to garner a much higher share of wallet of our customers who signed up for the credit card. We're also very pleased with the growth and third-party distribution of gift cards through our Blackhawk relationship. We rolled out our gift cards to 10 additional retail partners in the third quarter, bringing our reach to 13,000 stores. We plan to add another 500 stores with 3 additional grocery chains in the fourth quarter, with more retail partners in the pipeline. Aided by this expansion, gift card sales grew nearly 50% in the third quarter, with expectations for a strong fourth quarter performance.</p> <p>Now turning our to our marketing programs, we executed another successful 21 Days of Beauty event in September. Historically, this has been a promotion focused on color cosmetics, with the strategic intent of migrating customers from a primarily mass basket to a richer basket blending mass and prestige items. This year, we incorporated skincare items to take advantage of the current strong trend in skincare. We improved our overall offerings featuring highly sought-after brands and products like MAC lipstick, and increased influencer content across Ulta Beauty channels, digital partner platforms and influencers' own channels, which all drove excitement for the event.</p> <p>In October, we had strong results with our signature Gorgeous Hair event and focused on our partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. We built on the success of our Gorgeous Way to Give campaign, performing 42,000 services during our salon Cut for a Cause event, partnered once again with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, garnered more than 5 million views of our new social media campaign, featuring breast cancer survivors with an empowering and inspiring message, and executed a series of activities all month long in stores, distribution centers, and in corporate. We raised $4 million this year alone to fund research projects that support BCRF Quest for a Cure.</p> <p>We continue to partner with Refinery29 and the iHeartMusic Festival to drive brand awareness, and we launched a new partnership with Allure magazine to enhance our position as a beauty destination. This partnership included an Allure magazine curated mini-book called Shop Like a Beauty Editor. This book featured the favorite picks of Allure beauty editors available at Ulta Beauty. The program also highlighted visual content from Allure editors and their emails in the Mix section on ulta.com. We also became the exclusive and presenting sponsor of Demi Lovato's Simply Complicated, which is a full-length documentary on YouTube that gives an intimate look into the life of the popular star. The video has already been viewed more than 10 million times. The partnership includes 3 "get the look" videos featuring products sold at Ulta Beauty.</p> <p>These efforts are part of our multi-year strategy to increase awareness of the Ulta Beauty brand, which has led to all-time high results for this metric. Aided brand awareness now stands at 87%, up from 84% last year, while unaided brand awareness grew to 50% compared to 41% last year. Next, I'd like to provide an update on our merchandising initiative. The Ulta Beauty team did a fantastic job maximizing our brand partnerships, ensuring that must-have and often-exclusive product is on our shelves. We continue to drive rapid market share gains across the board, with particular strength in prestige beauty. According to third quarter data tracked by the MPD group, Ulta Beauty continued to rapidly grow our share of prestige makeup, accelerated our gains in prestige skincare and fragrance, and added 320 basis points of market share in prestige beauty overall.</p> <p>Year-to-date, Ulta Beauty grew the prestige segment by 28%, while all of the retail tracked by MPD only grew in the low single digits, netting to a total prestige beauty industry growth rate of 5%. Our broad and balanced portfolio of product categories and brands continues to be a lever in our ability to deliver healthy comp. Skincare in both mass and prestige, fragrance, professional hair care, sun care, accessories, and personal care appliances all delivered well above average growth. Similar to what we discussed last quarter, the industry overall appears to be experiencing a bit of a lull in innovation and color cosmetics, although not across all brands. Our prestige boutiques featuring Clinique, Lan&#244;me, MAC, and Benefit brands were very strong, as we continue to roll out 700 boutiques this year. These four high-growth brands contributed almost a third of our total comp growth during the quarter. We are delighted with our new partnership with MAC.</p> <p>At the end of the quarter, we had 107 stores rolled out, and will have approximately 120 boutiques by year-end. We also rolled out five of MAC's hero SKUs in our impulse pictures across the chain. Our assortment features several exclusive instant artistry kits available only at Ulta Beauty. MAC has quickly become the No. 1 brand in 80% of the stores where it is launched. It is a close second in the rest. Our consumer insights team has surveyed our MAC guests, with their findings demonstrating that we're helping to recruit a new consumer to the brand. With roughly 50% of the MAC buyers at Ulta either new to MAC or lapsed MAC users who hadn't purchased the brand in over a year.</p> <p>Beyond the prestige boutiques, we have seen the rest of our prestige color cosmetics category slowing compared to last year's exceptional pace of growth, but prestige makeup is still very healthy, comping in the high single digits. Many of our brands like Tarte and Two-Faced are delivering strong innovation and double-digit comps. Encouragingly, color cosmetics, both mass and prestige, were very strong during Black Friday weekend, which we believe bodes well for this category during the holiday season. We're also excited about developments on the mass side of the assortment in makeup, with Elle rolling out chainwide next year, and cult favorite, Morphe, a social media influencer brand, focused on eyeshadow palettes and brushes, added to 300 doors and at ulta.com.</p> <p>Another brand born on social media is Dose of Colors, which was available online only for the past several months. Following its success on ulta.com, we recently introduced two popular palettes to 400 stores and will be adding 21 lip and eyeshadow Dose of Color SKUs in time for the holiday. Fragrance was another highlight during the quarter, comping in the high teens, with success in the base business and several strong, new launches, including Chanel Gabrielle, Gucci Bloom, and Carolina Herrera Good Girl. We continue to launch exclusive fragrances like Ballet Rose from Philosophy, and an exclusive line of four fragrances from Kate Spade. Both prestige and mass skincare comps well above the house, with newness from No. 7, Yes To, Skinfood, and Memebox driving strength in mass skincare, and Mario Badescu, Dermologica, Peter Thomas Roth, and Juice Beauty driving exceptional growth on the prestige side of skincare.</p> <p>Our professional haircare category was bolstered by the rollout of Bumble + Bumble in more than 500 stores, new brands like Aquage, the chainwide rollout of Drybar, and newness driving strong double-digit comps in DevaCurl, Kenra, Matrix, and Pureology. As you can see, there's a lot going on in our assortment, as we have access to more and more brands that continue to elevate our product offerings. Looking ahead to the new year, we're excited about the new brand pipeline with additions in every major category, including makeup, skincare, and haircare, as well as a significant refill in our mass cosmetics area planned for the beginning of 2018, to make room for brand additions and expansions.</p> <p>Our positioning of all things beauty, all in one place, gives us multiple levers to drive growth and quickly adapt to trends and change in industry dynamics. Let me turn now to our services business. Salon sales grew 10.8% and comped 3.8% in the third quarter. While a moderation from our rapid growth earlier in the year, these increases show that we continue to gain share and far exceed growth rates for the services industry. We saw some regional variation in our growth rates, with slower growth in Florida and Texas, two of our biggest markets for services, reflecting disruption from the hurricane. The team managed labor and operating costs well, and increased the profit rate of the services business while investing in growth initiatives. We're in the early stages of testing our improved salon business model in two markets and we're encouraged by the early indicators.</p> <p>Initial surveys of our guests revealed significantly higher engagement and satisfaction with this new approach. As a reminder, the new guest-centric model features a simplified menu for hair and skin services, a more transparent pricing model to clearly and consistently communicate pricing to our guests, and increased training for stylists. We believe this innovative approach is the foundation for long-term growth and share gain. Earlier this year, we launched our pro team, a group of salon stylists from Redken, Matrix, L'anza, and Wella, who are charged with elevating the profile of the salon at Ulta Beauty, building trend collections, and leading education programs for our 7,000 stylists.</p> <p>The pro team is already making a big impact and getting a lot of attention in the salon world, with extensive coverage in industry publications like Modern Salon and Behind the Chair. This publicity is positioning us as a trendsetter and helping us to attract the best talent to our salon team. Now to update you on our new store program. We opened 48 stores in the third quarter, ending the quarter with 1,058 stores. We were able to open almost all of our 100 net new stores in our 2017 program before Black Friday weekend to take advantage of holiday traffic and sales. New stores continue to open up very strong, with the Class of 2017 stores exceeding its budget and IRR hurdles.</p> <p>Earlier this month, we opened our first Manhattan store in a great neighborhood location at 86 and 3rd. This store is off to an excellent start in its first few weeks. Similar to the Michigan Avenue store in Chicago, we're seeing great results in the salon after hiring a seasoned team of salon professionals. The Manhattan store offers extended hours to accommodate early morning blowouts in the salon before work or school. We're pleased to report that our newly opened high-profile stores in Chicago, the Mall of America, and Manhattan are all performing very well. Looking ahead to 2018, the majority of our 2018 real estate program has been approved and we're on track to open up another 100 stores next year.</p> <p>Now turning to our e-commerce business. Ulta.com's sales grew 62.9%, representing nearly 9% of total company revenue and continuing the rapid growth we've seen for the past several quarters, as we enhance our assortment, site experience, and delivery capabilities. E-commerce sales were driven by transaction growth. Total traffic growth was up 57% and mobile traffic grew 92%, driven by investments in digital marketing. We relaunched our mobile site during the quarter, improving the guest experience with the redesign of the shopping cart and checkout experiences.</p> <p>We also improved the credit card application experience, implementing the ability to apply and buy in one transaction, which has more than doubled the number of credit card account signups online. We also gave the Ulta Beauty app a mini-makeover, adding features like the ability to buy and email gift cards from our phone, easier use of features like checking Ultamate Rewards account and point balance, and improved versions of our try-on app, Glam Lab, a feature to enable push notifications to get alerts about the latest promotions and exclusive product launches, and the capability for guests to use voice search to find products. Mobile app traffic increased more than 300% during the quarter.</p> <p>We continue to build our ulta.com assortment with the addition of more online-only brands like Lime Crime, one of the first digitally native beauty brands, offering edgy makeup and hair color; Little Barn Apothecary bath products; the P&#233;rsona identity palette created by YouTube influencer, Simply Sona, and exclusive to Ulta Beauty; and Milani makeup and primers. Online-only brands accounted for a significant portion of our e-commerce growth during the quarter. Ulta.com also delivered excellent results with our signature promotions like 21 Days of Beauty, the Gorgeous hair event, as well as online-only promotions, including Platinum Perks, beauty sample bags with purchase, and limited-time beauty breaks. We launched shoppable Instagram in August and we're seeing growing interest and engagement in this platform.</p> <p>Turning to the development of our omnichannel capabilities, last quarter we mentioned our store-to-door test in 40 stores, which enabled guests to place ulta.com orders in-store and have products delivered to their home. We rolled out this capability chainwide at the end of the third quarter. While this initiative is still fairly small in terms of demand, it's proving quite useful and satisfying guests looking for hot brands that are not available in every store, such as MAC or Morphe.</p> <p>The number of omnichannel shoppers continues to steadily increase. Guests purchasing both in-store and online now represent 9.1% of our loyalty members, compared to 7.5% a year ago. She's spending 2.7 times more than a retail-only guest when she shops in both channels, including doubling her spend in our stores. Finally, to update you on our supply chain operations. We continue to develop capabilities and leverage economies of scale in our distribution network to deliver exceptional guest experiences while focusing on cost optimization. Our DC network is forecast to ship nearly 20% more units this year compared to 2016, with almost 10% of units supporting our e-commerce business. Our improved operational capabilities are supporting this growth while capturing significant savings.</p> <p>E-commerce costs per order are down 10% year-over-year, with a 4.4% reduction in retail replenishment costs over the same period. From a speed-to-guest perspective, the supply chain team has achieved a 20% reduction in retail replenishment lead times, with most of our e-commerce orders processed within 24 hours of an order being placed. We've also continued to implement technology to provide greater control and visibility, supporting ongoing efforts to improve service and reduce costs. Our DC network has continued to mature with the ramp of our new DC operating model in Greenwood and Dallas. These two facilities are expected to process nearly 85% of our e-commerce volume during the peak 2017 holiday season.</p> <p>As we prepare to go live with the Fresno DC next summer, we'll continue to see more e-commerce demand to fill out of our new DC operating model. Speaking of Fresno, construction of our new West Coast distribution center is nearly complete and hiring the new management team is well under way. We're on track to open next summer. The Fresno DC will add another 670,000 square feet of capacity that can service up to 400 stores, and 45,000 e-commerce orders per day. Fresno will also provide a platform to implement new technologies to increase productivity and significantly reduce transit time for our West Coast customers.</p> <p>From an inventory perspective, we've been building our DC and store inventory levels to prepare for the significant volume spikes that we anticipate during the holiday season. The team has done a great job maintaining high-end stock levels, and while they remain above goal, we've focused also on achieving our inventory term goals. Inventory per door grew by 6.5%, well below our total sales comp of 10.3% in the third quarter; a solid achievement in light of the additional safety stock we built in support of our fourth quarter sales projections. I'm also really proud of the partnership among the supply chain team, store operations and merchandising teams to ensure the seamless execution of our many new brand launches and category reflows. That completes my progress report on our strategic imperatives.</p> <p>Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we're looking forward to an exciting fourth quarter as our teams work together to inspire our 26 million loyal guests who treat themselves and their friends and families this holiday season. Our merchants have planned a great assortment of lots of newness and exclusives. Our marketing is executing a compelling 360-degree plan around our Bring the Beauty theme, including new created-for-television radio. Our store teams are ensuring strong execution of the planograms and events, and we're investing in labor hours to give great service, and our supply chain and assistant teams are supporting the stores and ulta.com with improved inventory planning leading to higher in-stock levels. We are ready. With that, I'll turn it over to Scott to discuss in more detail our third quarter financial results and our outlook for the current quarter.</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>Thanks, Mary. Good afternoon, everyone. Starting with the income statement. Sales for the third quarter rose 18.6% to $1.34 billion, driven by 10.3% comparable sales growth and strong new store productivity. Adjusting for roughly $14 million in lost sales due to the hurricanes in Texas and Florida, total sales would've been above the high end of our guidance. The total company comp of 10.3% was composed of 6% transaction growth and 4.3% average ticket growth. E-commerce sales growth remained very healthy, contributing 370 basis points to the total comp. We estimate that the hurricanes in September impacted our overall comp rate by about 100 basis points, so the adjusted comparable sales growth of 11.3% was above the high end of our guidance range of 9 to 11%.</p> <p>Our retail comp was 6.8%, split evenly between traffic and average ticket growth. Ticket was driven primarily by an increase in average selling price, while growth in units per transaction was up slightly. The salon business comped 3.8%, driven primarily by ticket growth. The retail and salon comps combined was 6.6%. Gross profit rate decreased 110 basis points, primarily due to deleverage and merchandise margins. Rent and occupancy leveraged slightly, despite more new stores opening versus last year, and more high-rent locations in the portfolio year-over-year. Supply chain expense was flat as a rate of sales year-over-year as we balanced investments in our DC network and systems with cost efficiencies resulting from the maturation of our Dallas and Greenwood DCs.</p> <p>Product margins declined as expected, reflecting the dynamics we've discussed for the past several quarters, relating to channel, category, and brand headwind. A higher mix of e-commerce sales and prestige brand boutique sales were the most significant drivers. Increased engagement in our loyalty program also pressured gross margins slightly. In addition, in light of the relative softness in our makeup category, exacerbated by the hurricanes coinciding with our signature event, 21 Days of Beauty, we elected to drive market share gains through a variety of compelling offers. These actions yielded the desired outcome of significant share gains during the quarter but weighed on gross margin rates more than we anticipated going into the third quarter.</p> <p>We also delivered 90 basis points of SG&amp;amp;A improvement, a strong performance in light of additional expenses related to the hurricanes. The improvement was driven by corporate overhead leverage and excellent control of variable store costs offset by investments and store labor related to our prestige boutique strategy and investments in store hours to execute brand rollouts and reflows, as well as to strengthen guest service overall. Advertising expense was flat as a percentage of sales. Advertising expense was flat as a percentage of sales. As you may recall in the first quarter, we benefited from shifting the timing of some of the planned advertising expenses into the third and fourth quarters.</p> <p>Turning to EPS, earnings per share grew 21.4% to $1.70. A few puts and takes to cover here. We had a $0.04 benefit in the third quarter related to a lower tax rate compared to the third quarter of last year, in part due to the new accounting standard that changes how companies report the tax effects of employee stock option exercises and investing of equity awards. Earnings per share were negatively impacted by about $0.08 from lost sales and one-time costs associated with the hurricanes in September. In terms of more permanent and strategic impacts, we continue to return excess cash to shareholders through our share repurchase program. Earnings per share in the third quarter benefited by about $0.03 due to the lower share count year-over-year.</p> <p>Moving on to the balance sheet. Inventories increased 6.5% on a per-store basis, well below the comp rate; a solid performance given the significant investment in new brands and boutiques. The ramping of the Dallas DC and inventory to support high in-stock levels for the robust comp growth anticipated this holiday season. Capital expenditures were $144 million for the quarter, driven by new stores, systems, and fixtures for brand expansion. We ended the quarter with $107 million in cash and short-term investments. In terms of share buy-backs, we continue to be more active with repurchase activity within our 10b5-1 plan in view of the pullback in our share price.</p> <p>During the third quarter, we repurchased approximately 591,000 shares of our stock at a cost of $131.7 million. As of October 28, 2017, approximately 136 million remained available under the 425 million share repurchase program announced in March 2017. Turning now to guidance for the fourth quarter in full-year 2017. For the fourth quarter, we expect sales to be in the range of $1.926 billion to $1.959 billion, versus $1.581 billion last year. We expect comparable sales to increase in the range of 8 to 10% versus 16.6% last year. E-commerce sales are expected to grow in the 40% range. We plan to open approximately 16 new stores in the fourth quarter compared to 25 last year.</p> <p>We're planning to open more stores in Q1 2018 compared to Q1 2017. Combining the timing impacts, Q4 pre-open expense is expected to be flattish as a rate of sales. Diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $2.73 to $2.78 versus $2.24 last year with modest operating margin deleverage expected. We expect gross profit to be flattish, as we are now forecasting less leverage on rent and occupancy costs on a more moderate retail comp expectation, compared to earlier in the year. Our current forecast also includes prudent assumptions for merchandise margin in light of current category dynamics. We anticipate that SG&amp;amp;A expense will deleverage, as we are planning higher labor costs driven by the full rollout of the prestige boutiques for the year. That puts additional pressure on the payroll line in the short-term, as well as slight deleverage of marketing expense related to the timing of advertising costs that were moved from Q1.</p> <p>These factors will be partly offset by leverage of corporate overhead expenses. The tax rate for Q4, excluding any impact of the new accounting standard for share-based payments, is expected to be 37.4%, and our fully diluted share count is estimated at 61.4 million. Rolling that up for the full-year guidance, we expect to end the year with 1,074 stores, and will complete 11 major remodels and 7 relocations. We expect to grow our e-commerce approximately 50 to 60%. We are maintaining our expectations for total company comps to be in the 10 to 11% range.</p> <p>CapEx is now expected to be approximately $450 million, compared to our previous yield of $460 million, which includes new stores, remodels, relocations, approximately 700 prestige brand expansions, and investments in systems. We are maintaining our guidance for earnings-per-share growth to be in the high 20s percentage range. This includes the impact of the 53rd week, which is estimated to represent about $100 million in sales and $14 million in pre-tax earnings. It also includes the impact of the third quarter hurricanes, assume share buy-backs in the 370 million range, and assumes a full-year tax rate of 35.6%.</p> <p>Operating margin is still expected to include modestly for the year, albeit a bit less than initially planned due to the actions we took in the third quarter to capture market share, and the elements of the Q4 P&amp;amp;L I just described. Updating our initial view of the 20 to 30 basis points of operating margin improvement, we now anticipate margin rates to be in the range of flat to up about 10 basis points. We remain confident in our long-term-range plan to deliver earnings-per-share growth in the low 20 percentage range. We continue to plan for margin rate improvement to build in 2018 and 2019 to reach our goal of 15% by the end of 2019.</p> <p>This margin expansion is expected to come primarily from rent and occupancy leverage, benefits of our supply chain investments, and more efficient distribution centers and systems, and corporate overhead savings as we gain efficiencies and lap over significant investments the last several years that have enabled us to execute our growth strategies and infrastructure initiatives. Now, I'll turn it over to the conference call host to moderate the Q&amp;amp;A session.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Thank you. At this time, we will be conducting the question-and-answer session. If you'd like to ask a question, please press *1 on your telephone keypad. A confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question queue. You may press *2 if you would like to remove your question from the queue. For participants using speaker equipment, it may be necessary to pick up your handset before pressing the * key.</p> <p>Our first question comes from Ike Boruchow of Wells Fargo. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Ike Boruchow -- Wells Fargo -- Analyst</p> <p>Good afternoon, everyone. Scott, I guess my question is for you on the gross margin line. I apologize if I missed this. For the gross margin decline in Q3, can you parse out how much of that was fixed cost, deleverage versus merchandise margin? Then, if you guided gross margin for Q4 flattish, could you also walk us through the puts and takes on merch margin versus fixed costs?</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>Sure, Ike. Well, I'm not going to parse out the basis points, but I'll give you a little bit more color on what we've described in our prepared remarks. As far as 3Q is concerned, again we are down 110 basis points actual for the quarter after the going-in assumption was kind of flattish, I would say, on the gross profit line. So, again, part of it was expected and part of it was unexpected. The expected part, I guess I would say prestige boutiques, those brands putting a little bit more pressure on gross profit. We've talked about that now for quite some time. Again, those brands performed extremely well during the quarter, were a bigger percentage of the pie overall, so created some downward pressure on rate.</p> <p>A similar story with e-commerce. Again, the going-in assumption was about a 50% growth rate and ended up being just over 60% year-over-year for the quarter. E-commerce with some of the promotional activity that we do, usually typically over-indexes there with the digital connectivity that we see there. Again, e-commerce creates a little headwind on the gross profit line, but on the EBIT line, we're almost agnostic on where that sale goes, whether it's to the retail fleet or to our e-commerce network. So, very happy there overall with the results.</p> <p>As far as the unexpected piece was concerned, again, color cosmetics continue to be a little softer than we were thinking back in late August when we put our forecast together. Then, of course, we had the hurricanes spring on us in a much more significant way than maybe you've seen with some other retailers. A lot of stores impacted; a lot of them very high-volume stores in key markets for us, at the peak of one of our signature events for the year. I think we had more than 1,000 stores impacted either full closures or partial closures. Again, tough to determine what the CNN effect on some of that stuff right? It was raining hard in a lot of parts in the U.S., not in just those two markets. So, that reacted to during the quarter. We saw some softness in the sales trends and we reacted appropriately. OPA, luckily, we've got a lot of leverage we can pull in, so we mobilized the internal forces here and we were able to recapture a lot of those sales, albeit at a somewhat lower margin.</p> <p>Fixed store cost, there was leverage there, although not as much as we thought going into the quarter because the retail comps were a little bit softer and, of course, thinking back the last year on the very healthy retail comps that we generated not consistent with the rates of leverage we saw last year. Supply chain did a little better overall. Again, we were thinking it would be kind of flattish, but they did a little better than we were expecting going in, so things are working well in the back of the house.</p> <p>Privity amounts [00:36:43] of 3Q and looking ahead at 4Q, gross profit we're thinking kind of flattish for the quarter overall. Again, merchandise margins we're thinking flattish to down modestly for the quarter. So, again, not the same kind of circumstances apparent in the fourth quarter. So, it's already a promotional period, so margin rates are already under pressure from just the nature of the overall environment there. We've referred to the credit card, which gives us a lot of tailwinds with basket build and things like that. So, we're doing a great job signing up people there. Gift cards are another thing we've got implemented with healthy growth rates there year-over-year. Of course, those are post-holiday redemptions by and large, where the margin rate environment I'd say is a little bit healthier than maybe pre-holiday. So, we're optimistic that we can hold margin rates flattish in the fourth quarter.</p> <p>Fixed store cost leverage, we expect to get some in the fourth quarter. Again, probably not as much as we saw last year in a healthier retail comp overall. Supply chain, we're going to get leverage there this year in the fourth quarter, which is quite a bit of a different story than what we've seen the last few years in the fourth quarter when we've been ramping up these new distribution centers. So, again, a great story. Those buildings are online, we're optimizing them, and they are driving efficiencies and leverage for us overall in gross profit margins.</p> <p>Ike Boruchow -- Wells Fargo -- Analyst</p> <p>Got it. Very helpful. Thanks, Scott.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Our next question comes from Omar Saad of Evercore ISI. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Omar Saad -- Evercore ISI -- Senior Managing Director</p> <p>Yes, thanks for taking my question. I was wondering if you could expand upon the category shift you're seeing a little bit in the marketplace. It sounds like skincare continues to strengthen as the makeup color business softens. How should we think about the skincare dynamic relative to makeup? Is it an online purchase? Is it a replenishment? Do you see a lot of innovation coming down on that side of the business as well? Help us think about that transition and what it might look like from our side. Thanks.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>First of all, I would say that one of the great things about the Ulta Beauty business model is that we participate -- the All Things Beauty All in One Place line is real -- so we participate in all the major beauty categories, which gives us a lot of ability to drive growth and share gains and flex with category cycles. I would say, first of all, we take a really macro, kind of long-term view of this. There are many categories within the big beauty category and there are cycles that happen. I'll come back to skincare in a minute. But one thing I'll say is that guests are just as engaged as ever in makeup. If you just look at what's happening on YouTube or Instagram, or our own followers across channels, if you look at the trends that we see in demographics, the beauty enthusiast segment of the future -- millennials, Latinas, teens, all over-index, particularly in makeup.</p> <p>We feel confident that the involvement and engagement in makeup and somewhat softer current performance is not a long-term trend. It's about innovation lapping over some really big kinds of innovation platforms in the last couple years. Makeup is great. We also saw not only strong growth, but really strong share gains continue for us in makeup. That's good. Now, as you said, what's kind of cool is that we've seen some acceleration in some other categories. So, in particular, fragrance and skincare both accelerated in terms of growth in our share gain, and we think that has long-term life to it as well.</p> <p>Skincare has really been driven by a lot of innovation. Dave can add more color to this. Some interesting innovation in what I'd call faster, more fun ways to do skincare like masks or more interesting efficacious ingredients from Korea. So, that's interesting. We think that has no reason to not be strong across prestige and mass. We see a lot of innovation coming down the pike. I'd say across all categories for us, as we look out into fourth quarter 2018.</p> <p>Omar Saad -- Evercore ISI -- Senior Managing Director</p> <p>That's really helpful. Thank you, Mary.</p> <p>Director</p> <p>Our next question comes from Joe Altobello of Raymond James. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Joe Altobello -- Raymond James -- Analyst</p> <p>Thanks, guys. Good afternoon. I want to talk about your store target of 1,400 to 1,700 doors over the next few years. I know in the past you've mentioned that some of that will be determined by how quickly your e-commerce business grows obviously. That's been outpacing I think both your and our expectations. So, how should we think about that ultimate number given the rapid pace of e-commerce growth? Would we expect to be toward the low end of that range in five years or so?</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>I would say, first of all, we love the fact that our e-commerce growth is picking up. As Scott said, I think very well, we're agnostic about it from a bottom line profit perspective, but we're actually really positive about it as it relates to customer engagement. So, the folks that are 9% of our loyalty members that are on the channel, multichannel right now, by far are our best guess in setting almost three times the amount of somebody who's only shopping in the store. But she's also shopping even more in the store than before. We've talked about this a lot. It's not a channel shift, it's actually an expansion of us getting more per share of wallet. So, that's all great.</p> <p>Now, of course, we're always thinking about our physical footprint and buildout. That's something that we're very rigorous and disciplined about. We have no reason to change that target right now. There's a range for a reason because it's a range. I don't think there's any one point in time. But to me, the best thing is that every year, our store fleet continues to perform better than the year before. So, 2017 store fleet is ahead of budget and our IRR target and we continue to see it strengthen. So, I guess the best way to think about is we actually know that we when we build stores, the e-commerce business also grows with it, so they actually are complementary, not stealing from each other. So, we have no reason to think that dynamic will change and we, of course, are very disciplined about our real estate decisions. But we would keep that target in the range it's in right now.</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>I would just remind folks, again, Ulta is a little bit different than a lot of typical retailers that are struggling these days. These stores are built in generally significant SLE, 20%+ at low to mid-single-digit comp kind of numbers on the top line. So, again, while we monitor store productivity very closely, there's nothing today that would suggest to us that there needs to be any kind of radical adjustment on our long-range target at this point.</p> <p>Joe Altobello -- Raymond James -- Analyst</p> <p>That's helpful. Just one last one. Are there any lingering impacts from the hurricanes in the fourth quarter?</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>No, it's a pretty sizable charge we had to absorb. There are insurance claims being prepared and we're working on trying to get as much of that back as we can in the fiscal year.</p> <p>Joe Altobello -- Raymond James -- Analyst</p> <p>Okay, great. Thank you, guys.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Our next question comes from Stephanie Wissink of Jefferies. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Stephanie Wissink -- Jefferies &amp;amp; Company, Inc. -- Analyst</p> <p>Hi, good afternoon, everyone. Mary, just a question on your comment around the pipeline into 2018 innovation, newness, and then some of your initiatives around recasting your MAC makeup business. Could you just talk about some more of that enthusiasm? Thank you.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>Yeah. Actually, you know what? I'll let Dave take this since he's the closest to it.</p> <p>Dave Kimbell -- Chief Merchandising &amp;amp; Marketing Officer</p> <p>We're excited about it. We're always looking to continue to innovate in every category that we have. Makeup is no exception, particularly given the importance in some of the things that we've seen this year. So, on both sides of the house -- in prestige and in mass -- we've got quite a wide variety of newness coming in. I'd classify that in three ways that do apply to both mass and prestige. One is continued innovation from some of our biggest brands, brands that have been successful this year like Tarte and Two Faced brands that have been important drivers for us in the past, like NYX and Urban and IT Cosmetics will continue to have strong pipelines that we're excited about. We're partnering with them to leverage our loyalty program and all the other assets we have to make them as big as possible. So, we feel very positive about what we're seeing as we look out through 2018.</p> <p>We'll also see expansion into more stores of existing brands. Brands like MAC, Mary mentioned ELF. A number of brands that are in limited doors today we'll continue to roll out through 2018. There are a number of new brands that will be launching in 2018 as well. Mary talked about a reset in mass and while we're not announcing all of the specifics yet, we see that as a growth driver of our business and an important element of our business to bring new guests in and allow them to ultimately shop the entire store. We've got some exciting new brands coming in on both sides of the store as well. So, it'll be a well-rounded set of innovations in makeup. The same applies to hair care, skincare, and across the whole store. We're optimistic and positive about what we're seeing.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>I'll just add too that we're also actively participating with -- there's a lot of social media influencer brands that are hot. We've talked about this a little bit, but Morphe, Dose of Color, Lime Crime. These are brands that were born more through social media, but also many of these brands also understand that the benefit of merging the digital and physical is important for their guests and for our guests, as well. So, we're seeing some nice growth with those brands too.</p> <p>Stephanie Wissink -- Jefferies &amp;amp; Company, Inc. -- Analyst</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Our next question comes from Adrienne Yih of Wolfe Research. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Adrienne Yih -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst</p> <p>Thank you very much. Mary, I guess my first question is for you. Can you discuss how you choose your strategic response to an increasingly promotional environment either maximizing profit or market share dollars? What are the competitive factors that sway your decision? For Scott, off margin has been down the past two consecutive quarters. When we look to 2018, should we think that Q1 and 2 still have that pressure and then we expand again in the back half of the year? Thank you very much.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>Thank you, Adrienne. I'll start with your first question. I guess stepping back, we really are playing the long game here and believe that Ulta Beauty has the most relevant proposition for the beauty enthusiast now and into the future. For us, it's really about long-term driving more guests and gaining more beauty enthusiasts into our loyalty programs, and also capture more of her share of wallet. Each quarter is a little bit different, but we're looking to drive not just long-term share gains, but really long-term engagement with our loyalty platform. This quarter was an example of we did not want to miss the opportunity to continue the momentum. We gained 1.8 million new loyalty members this quarter. I consider that a long-term play, not just a short-term price promotion play.</p> <p>We needed to drive some traffic because there was some disruption with the hurricanes and some softness in the category. But for us, that's how we think about it strategically long-term is how do we continue on the momentum that we have to drive and get an even bigger loyalty program, which really is the flywheel to drive our business for the long term.</p> <p>Adrienne Yih -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst</p> <p>That's very helpful.</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>Yeah, so looking ahead on operating margin, again, we know that's the hot button with our investor group. There were some unforeseen circumstances that happened. So, softness in the color cosmetics area, we're navigating our way through there as best we can. The hurricanes, we had to react to that. We thought that was the best course of action for us. The last couple quarters were not what we expected going into 2017, but the good news is we were able to respond and we delivered on our financial commitments to our investors. So, that's the good news.</p> <p>As far as the quarter sequencing goes next year, I'm not going to be able to give you probably the detail that you want on that. But we're prepared today just to give people a sense, like as we're thinking of 2018, here's a couple of data points that we can process on. So, again, Dave talked to newness for next year. So, Ulta Beauty, a great innovator, will continue to be next year. Our merchant teams have been working hard with the marketing folks figuring out what can we do next year to reenergize the color cosmetics space, both with our existing vendor partners and new folks that we can bring in to the assortment overall, with the thought being how do we mitigate some of the merchandise margin pressure that we've been facing here recently? So, that's No. 1.</p> <p>We think about other drivers for operating margin for the long-term. One thing is CapEx for next year. Right now, our preliminary view -- again, we're not guiding for next year -- but the preliminary view looks like CapEx will take a significant step down next year below $400 million, significantly below $400 million. Versus the $450 million, let's call it, that we had in 2017. Some of you have heard us talk about what's driving some of that. We cycle through the peak on the boutique rollouts, so there's been a lot of the accelerated depreciation flowing through the P&amp;amp;Ls the last couple years related to these remodel activities that we've taken across a large part of the fleet to keep our store fleet looking fresh. We're kind of past that now.</p> <p>I'd say we're taking a more moderate view of some of the back-of-the-house investments that we've made significant investments in the last couple years. Now we're shifting into more of an optimization kind of moment. Making sure we're getting the value out of those investments we've made the last few years. You've heard us talk about forecasting, replenishment, master data, and space planning and all those kinds of things. That's kind of what I'm referring to there.</p> <p>Fixed store cost leverage. So, again, it's not a straight line. This year we've had some higher rent, higher profile locations go on. They were the right real estate decisions for us at this point in time, but they put pressure on margin rate. There's no avoiding that. Next year as we're looking at our store rollout plan, it's going to be what I would call a more normalized kind of rent structure. More of the Ulta historical, vanilla, power center kind of locations. So, again, we'll get the benefit of cycling some headwinds in fixed store cost this year.</p> <p>Finally, cost optimization. Again, you've heard Mary and I talk about this over the last year or so. There's a more formal plan being put in place for 2018. That's going to go live with boots on the ground. We believe there are plenty of opportunities to leverage our scale and to reduce inefficiencies that built up over the years naturally as we've been primarily focused on growth. We think there's great opportunity there as well. We just want our investor base to understand that there are specific actions being taken to help us drive operating margin leverage in 2018 and beyond, and we'll share more details on all that when we talk with you on our fourth quarter call.</p> <p>Adrienne Yih -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst</p> <p>That's very helpful. Thank you and best of luck.</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Our next question comes from Rupesh Parikh of Oppenheimer &amp;amp; Company. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Erica Eiler -- Oppenheimer &amp;amp; Company -- Analyst</p> <p>Good afternoon. This is actually Erika Ilon for Rupesh. Thanks for taking our question. First, I just wanted to also touch on the promotional environment. Just curious how the holiday promotional environment has progressed this year versus perhaps recent years. Then as we move past the holiday, any thoughts you can share about how you're thinking about the promotional environment? Are you expecting that as some of that innovation starts to roll through that the potential need to be promotional should abate?</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>I'll start with the second part of your question and then maybe Dave, you can add on the holiday piece too? I'll say, not be redundant, but I'm really proud of the fact that we've got a business model that has a lot of levers and frankly, flexibility. We've worked really hard over the past few years to really reduce our reliance on more broad-based, broad scale, blunt instrument I call it, to a much more sophisticated lever marketing mix that's allowed us to do a couple things.</p> <p>One, allowed us to participate in things that are driving the kind of brand awareness that we have today. To have 50% unaided brand awareness right now is actually a really big deal. We've been able to pull back on broad-based discounting and still maintain a reasonable overall marketing spend by shifting into things that are driving awareness, allowing us to participate in the social channels where the journey is happening for people learning about beauty, and then do more demand creation in a more targeted fashion. So, the whole point of the loyalty program is to be as targeted as we can. That, in conjunction with exciting brands and assortment and events and all that, comes together in a great mix that allows us to be really smart and efficient.</p> <p>So, there are times that we have to flex levers more aggressively than others. It would be our intention to be less about price discounting and more about targeted promotions. Part of what we are investing in over time is the ability to get even more personalized in everything we do. That's the notion of at a time where we're using tools to get us into the loyalty program, that provides long-term benefits because we know that our ability to target them with really exciting, relevant offers that are not really in discounting but just exciting offers, will only increase over time. That's a long answer to your question, but that's the goal. To have leverage, have flexibility, but also continue to buy us toward more targeted personal innovation. Holiday, Dave?</p> <p>Dave Kimbell -- Chief Merchandising &amp;amp; Marketing Officer</p> <p>Yeah, as far as holiday, and I think as Scott said earlier, of course, the holiday is always a very promotional period. It has been in the past and we don't expect that to change this year. We're only about a week into the heaviest part of the holiday period, so it's hard to say exactly how it will shake out for the rest of the period, but so far we've only seen perhaps maybe modest changes to promotional strategy or intensity and we'll be watching carefully. Our plan is to continue to do all the things Mary said. Continue to drive promotion where it's necessary, as we have planned through the rest of the holiday period, but feel with great products, our loyalty program, advertising, marketing, in-store experience, and all those things to drive through the rest of this holiday period.</p> <p>Erica Eiler -- Oppenheimer &amp;amp; Company -- Analyst</p> <p>Okay, no, that's helpful. Then just quickly, can you share with us any potential plans on what you plan to do with the excess tax benefit if the proposed tax reform is passed? Just curious, should we expect that to flow through to the bottom line? Are you planning to reinvest it? Any thoughts you can share on that potential tax benefit would be helpful.</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>The question on everyone's mind, right? It seems it may be a little premature to speculate on what we would do with that, but I would tell you that it'd be subject to very comprehensive discussion with our brand about how to best deploy any potential cash tax savings here in the future. There are lots of things that we have on our roadmap that potentially we'd like to accelerate to drive the core business. There are other goal levels like international things we've been thinking about that perhaps we could get a little quicker start on. Then, of course, capital structure overall, just making sure we optimize that for the long term.</p> <p>Erica Eiler -- Oppenheimer &amp;amp; Company -- Analyst</p> <p>Wonderful. Thank you so much.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Our next question comes from Dana Telsey of Telsey Advisory. Please proceed with your question. Telsey, your line is live. Our next question comes from Steven Forbes of Guggenheim Securities. Please proceed with your question.</p> <p>Steven Forbes -- Guggenheim Securities -- Director</p> <p>Good afternoon. I wanted to focus on the product brand offering. Maybe if you can just discuss how you expect the Ulta Beauty collection to evolve over time as it relates to maybe number of SKUs, the category exposure, and really what you want that collection of SKUs to stand for as you think about how it fits into the overall customer value proposition? And then lastly, still on the same topic, can you touch on how that part of the assortment performed during the most recent quarter, maybe year-to-date?</p> <p>Dave Kimbell -- Chief Merchandising &amp;amp; Marketing Officer</p> <p>Yeah, our Ulta Beauty collection is a key part of our overall strategy. It's a part of our business that we're very proud of and have invested in pretty aggressively over the last year or so. We've revamped our packaging, the formulations, how we market it, how we communicate it. We're actually gearing up for even a larger presence of that in early 2018. We're very overall pleased with its result. It has a strong presence in makeup, of course, but also in skin, bath, and then the holiday season is a big time for our Ulta Beauty collection, with an expanded assortment that is designed just for the holidays. We're continuing to invest in all those things and drive that business and as I said, have positive and optimistic plans in 2018 to make that an even bigger part of our business.</p> <p>Having said that, it's still relatively small in the total store. So, it's not going to be the major part of our assortment, but it's one that can add a nice, obviously exclusive, higher-margin business, and one that we're going to continue to invest in and drive into the future.</p> <p>Steven Forbes -- Guggenheim Securities -- Director</p> <p>Just on that, any commentary on the performance of that selection of SKUs year-to-date or in the quarter?</p> <p>Dave Kimbell -- Chief Merchandising &amp;amp; Marketing Officer</p> <p>Yeah, we don't historically talk about any individual brand performance. But I'd say overall, again, we're proud and pleased with the history of that brand and optimistic about where it's going into the future.</p> <p>Steven Forbes -- Guggenheim Securities -- Director</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached the end of our question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the call back over to Mary Dillon for closing remarks.</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>Thank you. I'd just like to take our 36,000 associates for their incredible commitment to serving our guests and delivering operational excellence. It's a very busy time of the year. We thank you all for your interest in Ulta Beauty and look forward to speaking with all of you soon.</p> <p>Operator</p> <p>This concludes today's conference. You may disconnect your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation and have a wonderful day.</p> <p>Duration: 60 minutes</p> <p>Call participants:</p> <p>Mary Dillon -- Chief Executive Officer</p> <p>Scott Settersten -- Chief Financial Officer</p> <p>Dave Kimbell -- Chief Merchandising &amp;amp; Marketing Officer</p> <p>Ike Boruchow -- Wells Fargo -- Analyst</p> <p>Omar Saad -- Evercore ISI -- Senior Managing Director</p> <p>Joe Altobello -- Raymond James -- Analyst</p> <p>Stephanie Wissink -- Jefferies &amp;amp; Company, Inc. -- Analyst</p> <p>Adrienne Yih -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst</p> <p>Erica Eiler -- Oppenheimer &amp;amp; Company -- Analyst</p> <p>Steven Forbes -- Guggenheim Securities -- Director</p> <p><a href="https://www.fool.com/quote/ulta?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;referring_guid=11418e2a-d65d-11e7-81ec-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">More ULTA analysis Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>This article is a transcript of this conference call produced for The Motley Fool. 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ulta beauty inc nasdaq ultaq3 2017 earnings conference callnov 30 2017 500 pm et continue reading operator greetings welcome ulta beauty third quarter 2017 earnings results conference call time participants listenonly mode brief questionandanswer session follow formal presentation anyone require operator assistance conference please press 0 telephone keypad reminder conference recorded pleasure introduce host laurel lefebvre vice president investor relations please proceed advertisement laurel lefebvre vice president investor relations thank good afternoon thank joining us ulta beautys third quarter 2017 conference call hosting call mary dillon chief executive officer scott settersten chief financial officer also joining us dave kimbell chief merchandising marketing officer begin id like remind companys safe harbor language statements contained conference call historical facts may deemed constitute forwardlooking statements within meaning private securities litigation reform act 1995 actual future results may differ materially projected statements due number risks uncertainties described companys filings sec qampa session respectfully request ask one question please allow us time respond many possible hour scheduled call ill turn mary mary dillon chief executive officer thank laurel good afternoon everyone third quarter results clearly demonstrate strength distinct advantages ulta beauty business model delivered doubledigit comp spite moderation growth rate largest category makeup meaningful disruption hurricanes flexed merchandising marketing plan leveraged consumer insights crm platform worked brand partners create compelling offers guests also benefited unmatched breadth beauty categories products offer levers allowed us drive significant share gain continue rapidly grow base loyalty members thrive spite shifting category trends within beauty industry disruption largest markets share results including financial impact hurricanes id like take moment mention fantastic job teams prepare storms support field associates personally impacted get stores back running following incredibly challenging time regions truly inspiring see collaboration caring corners organization manage period recap thirdquarter financial performance grew top line 186 delivered healthy 103 comps top 167 comps third quarter 2016 acceleration twoyear stat compared second quarter disruption hurricanes florida texas negatively impacted result little point comp comp sales driven balanced traffic ticket growth continued strength ecommerce terms category trends highest sales growth skincare fragrance haircare also strengthened makeup still producing healthy growth standards softer compared last year drove disproportionate amount comp growth gaapdiluted earnings per share 170 grew 214 delivered better expected eps growth despite gross margins contracting bit initially planned margin pressure expected driven new store boutique activity quarter marketing testandlearn activities pushed back first quarter back half light hurricane disruption moderation color cosmetics growth decided boost crm promotional activity allowed us continue drive strong market share gains rapid membership growth ultamate rewards loyalty program ill turn detailed discussion strategies drove results third quarter beginning strategic imperative acquire new guests deepen loyalty existing guests loyalty program continues deliver significant benefits well 90 sales captured program end october ultamate rewards program grew 264 million active members 21 yearoveryear retention rates sales per member frequency purchase average member ticket healthy stable update efforts increase adoption credit card launched last year rolled instore initiatives drive awareness offering new incentives like free gift signup addition savings guests first purchase card also launched capability apply online buy drove significantly higher online applications credit card signups continue grow new accounts conversion plan continue garner much higher share wallet customers signed credit card also pleased growth thirdparty distribution gift cards blackhawk relationship rolled gift cards 10 additional retail partners third quarter bringing reach 13000 stores plan add another 500 stores 3 additional grocery chains fourth quarter retail partners pipeline aided expansion gift card sales grew nearly 50 third quarter expectations strong fourth quarter performance turning marketing programs executed another successful 21 days beauty event september historically promotion focused color cosmetics strategic intent migrating customers primarily mass basket richer basket blending mass prestige items year incorporated skincare items take advantage current strong trend skincare improved overall offerings featuring highly soughtafter brands products like mac lipstick increased influencer content across ulta beauty channels digital partner platforms influencers channels drove excitement event october strong results signature gorgeous hair event focused partnership breast cancer research foundation built success gorgeous way give campaign performing 42000 services salon cut cause event partnered ellen degeneres show garnered 5 million views new social media campaign featuring breast cancer survivors empowering inspiring message executed series activities month long stores distribution centers corporate raised 4 million year alone fund research projects support bcrf quest cure continue partner refinery29 iheartmusic festival drive brand awareness launched new partnership allure magazine enhance position beauty destination partnership included allure magazine curated minibook called shop like beauty editor book featured favorite picks allure beauty editors available ulta beauty program also highlighted visual content allure editors emails mix section ultacom also became exclusive presenting sponsor demi lovatos simply complicated fulllength documentary youtube gives intimate look life popular star video already viewed 10 million times partnership includes 3 get look videos featuring products sold ulta beauty efforts part multiyear strategy increase awareness ulta beauty brand led alltime high results metric aided brand awareness stands 87 84 last year unaided brand awareness grew 50 compared 41 last year next id like provide update merchandising initiative ulta beauty team fantastic job maximizing brand partnerships ensuring musthave oftenexclusive product shelves continue drive rapid market share gains across board particular strength prestige beauty according third quarter data tracked mpd group ulta beauty continued rapidly grow share prestige makeup accelerated gains prestige skincare fragrance added 320 basis points market share prestige beauty overall yeartodate ulta beauty grew prestige segment 28 retail tracked mpd grew low single digits netting total prestige beauty industry growth rate 5 broad balanced portfolio product categories brands continues lever ability deliver healthy comp skincare mass prestige fragrance professional hair care sun care accessories personal care appliances delivered well average growth similar discussed last quarter industry overall appears experiencing bit lull innovation color cosmetics although across brands prestige boutiques featuring clinique lanôme mac benefit brands strong continue roll 700 boutiques year four highgrowth brands contributed almost third total comp growth quarter delighted new partnership mac end quarter 107 stores rolled approximately 120 boutiques yearend also rolled five macs hero skus impulse pictures across chain assortment features several exclusive instant artistry kits available ulta beauty mac quickly become 1 brand 80 stores launched close second rest consumer insights team surveyed mac guests findings demonstrating helping recruit new consumer brand roughly 50 mac buyers ulta either new mac lapsed mac users hadnt purchased brand year beyond prestige boutiques seen rest prestige color cosmetics category slowing compared last years exceptional pace growth prestige makeup still healthy comping high single digits many brands like tarte twofaced delivering strong innovation doubledigit comps encouragingly color cosmetics mass prestige strong black friday weekend believe bodes well category holiday season also excited developments mass side assortment makeup elle rolling chainwide next year cult favorite morphe social media influencer brand focused eyeshadow palettes brushes added 300 doors ultacom another brand born social media dose colors available online past several months following success ultacom recently introduced two popular palettes 400 stores adding 21 lip eyeshadow dose color skus time holiday fragrance another highlight quarter comping high teens success base business several strong new launches including chanel gabrielle gucci bloom carolina herrera good girl continue launch exclusive fragrances like ballet rose philosophy exclusive line four fragrances kate spade prestige mass skincare comps well house newness 7 yes skinfood memebox driving strength mass skincare mario badescu dermologica peter thomas roth juice beauty driving exceptional growth prestige side skincare professional haircare category bolstered rollout bumble bumble 500 stores new brands like aquage chainwide rollout drybar newness driving strong doubledigit comps devacurl kenra matrix pureology see theres lot going assortment access brands continue elevate product offerings looking ahead new year excited new brand pipeline additions every major category including makeup skincare haircare well significant refill mass cosmetics area planned beginning 2018 make room brand additions expansions positioning things beauty one place gives us multiple levers drive growth quickly adapt trends change industry dynamics let turn services business salon sales grew 108 comped 38 third quarter moderation rapid growth earlier year increases show continue gain share far exceed growth rates services industry saw regional variation growth rates slower growth florida texas two biggest markets services reflecting disruption hurricane team managed labor operating costs well increased profit rate services business investing growth initiatives early stages testing improved salon business model two markets encouraged early indicators initial surveys guests revealed significantly higher engagement satisfaction new approach reminder new guestcentric model features simplified menu hair skin services transparent pricing model clearly consistently communicate pricing guests increased training stylists believe innovative approach foundation longterm growth share gain earlier year launched pro team group salon stylists redken matrix lanza wella charged elevating profile salon ulta beauty building trend collections leading education programs 7000 stylists pro team already making big impact getting lot attention salon world extensive coverage industry publications like modern salon behind chair publicity positioning us trendsetter helping us attract best talent salon team update new store program opened 48 stores third quarter ending quarter 1058 stores able open almost 100 net new stores 2017 program black friday weekend take advantage holiday traffic sales new stores continue open strong class 2017 stores exceeding budget irr hurdles earlier month opened first manhattan store great neighborhood location 86 3rd store excellent start first weeks similar michigan avenue store chicago seeing great results salon hiring seasoned team salon professionals manhattan store offers extended hours accommodate early morning blowouts salon work school pleased report newly opened highprofile stores chicago mall america manhattan performing well looking ahead 2018 majority 2018 real estate program approved track open another 100 stores next year turning ecommerce business ultacoms sales grew 629 representing nearly 9 total company revenue continuing rapid growth weve seen past several quarters enhance assortment site experience delivery capabilities ecommerce sales driven transaction growth total traffic growth 57 mobile traffic grew 92 driven investments digital marketing relaunched mobile site quarter improving guest experience redesign shopping cart checkout experiences also improved credit card application experience implementing ability apply buy one transaction doubled number credit card account signups online also gave ulta beauty app minimakeover adding features like ability buy email gift cards phone easier use features like checking ultamate rewards account point balance improved versions tryon app glam lab feature enable push notifications get alerts latest promotions exclusive product launches capability guests use voice search find products mobile app traffic increased 300 quarter continue build ultacom assortment addition onlineonly brands like lime crime one first digitally native beauty brands offering edgy makeup hair color little barn apothecary bath products pérsona identity palette created youtube influencer simply sona exclusive ulta beauty milani makeup primers onlineonly brands accounted significant portion ecommerce growth quarter ultacom also delivered excellent results signature promotions like 21 days beauty gorgeous hair event well onlineonly promotions including platinum perks beauty sample bags purchase limitedtime beauty breaks launched shoppable instagram august seeing growing interest engagement platform turning development omnichannel capabilities last quarter mentioned storetodoor test 40 stores enabled guests place ultacom orders instore products delivered home rolled capability chainwide end third quarter initiative still fairly small terms demand proving quite useful satisfying guests looking hot brands available every store mac morphe number omnichannel shoppers continues steadily increase guests purchasing instore online represent 91 loyalty members compared 75 year ago shes spending 27 times retailonly guest shops channels including doubling spend stores finally update supply chain operations continue develop capabilities leverage economies scale distribution network deliver exceptional guest experiences focusing cost optimization dc network forecast ship nearly 20 units year compared 2016 almost 10 units supporting ecommerce business improved operational capabilities supporting growth capturing significant savings ecommerce costs per order 10 yearoveryear 44 reduction retail replenishment costs period speedtoguest perspective supply chain team achieved 20 reduction retail replenishment lead times ecommerce orders processed within 24 hours order placed weve also continued implement technology provide greater control visibility supporting ongoing efforts improve service reduce costs dc network continued mature ramp new dc operating model greenwood dallas two facilities expected process nearly 85 ecommerce volume peak 2017 holiday season prepare go live fresno dc next summer well continue see ecommerce demand fill new dc operating model speaking fresno construction new west coast distribution center nearly complete hiring new management team well way track open next summer fresno dc add another 670000 square feet capacity service 400 stores 45000 ecommerce orders per day fresno also provide platform implement new technologies increase productivity significantly reduce transit time west coast customers inventory perspective weve building dc store inventory levels prepare significant volume spikes anticipate holiday season team done great job maintaining highend stock levels remain goal weve focused also achieving inventory term goals inventory per door grew 65 well total sales comp 103 third quarter solid achievement light additional safety stock built support fourth quarter sales projections im also really proud partnership among supply chain team store operations merchandising teams ensure seamless execution many new brand launches category reflows completes progress report strategic imperatives looking ahead rest year looking forward exciting fourth quarter teams work together inspire 26 million loyal guests treat friends families holiday season merchants planned great assortment lots newness exclusives marketing executing compelling 360degree plan around bring beauty theme including new createdfortelevision radio store teams ensuring strong execution planograms events investing labor hours give great service supply chain assistant teams supporting stores ultacom improved inventory planning leading higher instock levels ready ill turn scott discuss detail third quarter financial results outlook current quarter scott settersten chief financial officer thanks mary good afternoon everyone starting income statement sales third quarter rose 186 134 billion driven 103 comparable sales growth strong new store productivity adjusting roughly 14 million lost sales due hurricanes texas florida total sales wouldve high end guidance total company comp 103 composed 6 transaction growth 43 average ticket growth ecommerce sales growth remained healthy contributing 370 basis points total comp estimate hurricanes september impacted overall comp rate 100 basis points adjusted comparable sales growth 113 high end guidance range 9 11 retail comp 68 split evenly traffic average ticket growth ticket driven primarily increase average selling price growth units per transaction slightly salon business comped 38 driven primarily ticket growth retail salon comps combined 66 gross profit rate decreased 110 basis points primarily due deleverage merchandise margins rent occupancy leveraged slightly despite new stores opening versus last year highrent locations portfolio yearoveryear supply chain expense flat rate sales yearoveryear balanced investments dc network systems cost efficiencies resulting maturation dallas greenwood dcs product margins declined expected reflecting dynamics weve discussed past several quarters relating channel category brand headwind higher mix ecommerce sales prestige brand boutique sales significant drivers increased engagement loyalty program also pressured gross margins slightly addition light relative softness makeup category exacerbated hurricanes coinciding signature event 21 days beauty elected drive market share gains variety compelling offers actions yielded desired outcome significant share gains quarter weighed gross margin rates anticipated going third quarter also delivered 90 basis points sgampa improvement strong performance light additional expenses related hurricanes improvement driven corporate overhead leverage excellent control variable store costs offset investments store labor related prestige boutique strategy investments store hours execute brand rollouts reflows well strengthen guest service overall advertising expense flat percentage sales advertising expense flat percentage sales may recall first quarter benefited shifting timing planned advertising expenses third fourth quarters turning eps earnings per share grew 214 170 puts takes cover 004 benefit third quarter related lower tax rate compared third quarter last year part due new accounting standard changes companies report tax effects employee stock option exercises investing equity awards earnings per share negatively impacted 008 lost sales onetime costs associated hurricanes september terms permanent strategic impacts continue return excess cash shareholders share repurchase program earnings per share third quarter benefited 003 due lower share count yearoveryear moving balance sheet inventories increased 65 perstore basis well comp rate solid performance given significant investment new brands boutiques ramping dallas dc inventory support high instock levels robust comp growth anticipated holiday season capital expenditures 144 million quarter driven new stores systems fixtures brand expansion ended quarter 107 million cash shortterm investments terms share buybacks continue active repurchase activity within 10b51 plan view pullback share price third quarter repurchased approximately 591000 shares stock cost 1317 million october 28 2017 approximately 136 million remained available 425 million share repurchase program announced march 2017 turning guidance fourth quarter fullyear 2017 fourth quarter expect sales range 1926 billion 1959 billion versus 1581 billion last year expect comparable sales increase range 8 10 versus 166 last year ecommerce sales expected grow 40 range plan open approximately 16 new stores fourth quarter compared 25 last year planning open stores q1 2018 compared q1 2017 combining timing impacts q4 preopen expense expected flattish rate sales diluted earnings per share expected range 273 278 versus 224 last year modest operating margin deleverage expected expect gross profit flattish forecasting less leverage rent occupancy costs moderate retail comp expectation compared earlier year current forecast also includes prudent assumptions merchandise margin light current category dynamics anticipate sgampa expense deleverage planning higher labor costs driven full rollout prestige boutiques year puts additional pressure payroll line shortterm well slight deleverage marketing expense related timing advertising costs moved q1 factors partly offset leverage corporate overhead expenses tax rate q4 excluding impact new accounting standard sharebased payments expected 374 fully diluted share count estimated 614 million rolling fullyear guidance expect end year 1074 stores complete 11 major remodels 7 relocations expect grow ecommerce approximately 50 60 maintaining expectations total company comps 10 11 range capex expected approximately 450 million compared previous yield 460 million includes new stores remodels relocations approximately 700 prestige brand expansions investments systems maintaining guidance earningspershare growth high 20s percentage range includes impact 53rd week estimated represent 100 million sales 14 million pretax earnings also includes impact third quarter hurricanes assume share buybacks 370 million range assumes fullyear tax rate 356 operating margin still expected include modestly year albeit bit less initially planned due actions took third quarter capture market share elements q4 pampl described updating initial view 20 30 basis points operating margin improvement anticipate margin rates range flat 10 basis points remain confident longtermrange plan deliver earningspershare growth low 20 percentage range continue plan margin rate improvement build 2018 2019 reach goal 15 end 2019 margin expansion expected come primarily rent occupancy leverage benefits supply chain investments efficient distribution centers systems corporate overhead savings gain efficiencies lap significant investments last several years enabled us execute growth strategies infrastructure initiatives ill turn conference call host moderate qampa session operator thank time conducting questionandanswer session youd like ask question please press 1 telephone keypad confirmation tone indicate line question queue may press 2 would like remove question queue participants using speaker equipment may necessary pick handset pressing key first question comes ike boruchow wells fargo please proceed question ike boruchow wells fargo analyst good afternoon everyone scott guess question gross margin line apologize missed gross margin decline q3 parse much fixed cost deleverage versus merchandise margin guided gross margin q4 flattish could also walk us puts takes merch margin versus fixed costs scott settersten chief financial officer sure ike well im going parse basis points ill give little bit color weve described prepared remarks far 3q concerned 110 basis points actual quarter goingin assumption kind flattish would say gross profit line part expected part unexpected expected part guess would say prestige boutiques brands putting little bit pressure gross profit weve talked quite time brands performed extremely well quarter bigger percentage pie overall created downward pressure rate similar story ecommerce goingin assumption 50 growth rate ended 60 yearoveryear quarter ecommerce promotional activity usually typically overindexes digital connectivity see ecommerce creates little headwind gross profit line ebit line almost agnostic sale goes whether retail fleet ecommerce network happy overall results far unexpected piece concerned color cosmetics continue little softer thinking back late august put forecast together course hurricanes spring us much significant way maybe youve seen retailers lot stores impacted lot highvolume stores key markets us peak one signature events year think 1000 stores impacted either full closures partial closures tough determine cnn effect stuff right raining hard lot parts us two markets reacted quarter saw softness sales trends reacted appropriately opa luckily weve got lot leverage pull mobilized internal forces able recapture lot sales albeit somewhat lower margin fixed store cost leverage although much thought going quarter retail comps little bit softer course thinking back last year healthy retail comps generated consistent rates leverage saw last year supply chain little better overall thinking would kind flattish little better expecting going things working well back house privity amounts 003643 3q looking ahead 4q gross profit thinking kind flattish quarter overall merchandise margins thinking flattish modestly quarter kind circumstances apparent fourth quarter already promotional period margin rates already pressure nature overall environment weve referred credit card gives us lot tailwinds basket build things like great job signing people gift cards another thing weve got implemented healthy growth rates yearoveryear course postholiday redemptions large margin rate environment id say little bit healthier maybe preholiday optimistic hold margin rates flattish fourth quarter fixed store cost leverage expect get fourth quarter probably much saw last year healthier retail comp overall supply chain going get leverage year fourth quarter quite bit different story weve seen last years fourth quarter weve ramping new distribution centers great story buildings online optimizing driving efficiencies leverage us overall gross profit margins ike boruchow wells fargo analyst got helpful thanks scott operator next question comes omar saad evercore isi please proceed question omar saad evercore isi senior managing director yes thanks taking question wondering could expand upon category shift youre seeing little bit marketplace sounds like skincare continues strengthen makeup color business softens think skincare dynamic relative makeup online purchase replenishment see lot innovation coming side business well help us think transition might look like side thanks mary dillon chief executive officer first would say one great things ulta beauty business model participate things beauty one place line real participate major beauty categories gives us lot ability drive growth share gains flex category cycles would say first take really macro kind longterm view many categories within big beauty category cycles happen ill come back skincare minute one thing ill say guests engaged ever makeup look whats happening youtube instagram followers across channels look trends see demographics beauty enthusiast segment future millennials latinas teens overindex particularly makeup feel confident involvement engagement makeup somewhat softer current performance longterm trend innovation lapping really big kinds innovation platforms last couple years makeup great also saw strong growth really strong share gains continue us makeup thats good said whats kind cool weve seen acceleration categories particular fragrance skincare accelerated terms growth share gain think longterm life well skincare really driven lot innovation dave add color interesting innovation id call faster fun ways skincare like masks interesting efficacious ingredients korea thats interesting think reason strong across prestige mass see lot innovation coming pike id say across categories us look fourth quarter 2018 omar saad evercore isi senior managing director thats really helpful thank mary director next question comes joe altobello raymond james please proceed question joe altobello raymond james analyst thanks guys good afternoon want talk store target 1400 1700 doors next years know past youve mentioned determined quickly ecommerce business grows obviously thats outpacing think expectations think ultimate number given rapid pace ecommerce growth would expect toward low end range five years mary dillon chief executive officer would say first love fact ecommerce growth picking scott said think well agnostic bottom line profit perspective actually really positive relates customer engagement folks 9 loyalty members channel multichannel right far best guess setting almost three times amount somebody whos shopping store shes also shopping even store weve talked lot channel shift actually expansion us getting per share wallet thats great course always thinking physical footprint buildout thats something rigorous disciplined reason change target right theres range reason range dont think theres one point time best thing every year store fleet continues perform better year 2017 store fleet ahead budget irr target continue see strengthen guess best way think actually know build stores ecommerce business also grows actually complementary stealing reason think dynamic change course disciplined real estate decisions would keep target range right scott settersten chief financial officer would remind folks ulta little bit different lot typical retailers struggling days stores built generally significant sle 20 low midsingledigit comp kind numbers top line monitor store productivity closely theres nothing today would suggest us needs kind radical adjustment longrange target point joe altobello raymond james analyst thats helpful one last one lingering impacts hurricanes fourth quarter scott settersten chief financial officer pretty sizable charge absorb insurance claims prepared working trying get much back fiscal year joe altobello raymond james analyst okay great thank guys operator next question comes stephanie wissink jefferies please proceed question stephanie wissink jefferies amp company inc analyst hi good afternoon everyone mary question comment around pipeline 2018 innovation newness initiatives around recasting mac makeup business could talk enthusiasm thank mary dillon chief executive officer yeah actually know ill let dave take since hes closest dave kimbell chief merchandising amp marketing officer excited always looking continue innovate every category makeup exception particularly given importance things weve seen year sides house prestige mass weve got quite wide variety newness coming id classify three ways apply mass prestige one continued innovation biggest brands brands successful year like tarte two faced brands important drivers us past like nyx urban cosmetics continue strong pipelines excited partnering leverage loyalty program assets make big possible feel positive seeing look 2018 well also see expansion stores existing brands brands like mac mary mentioned elf number brands limited doors today well continue roll 2018 number new brands launching 2018 well mary talked reset mass announcing specifics yet see growth driver business important element business bring new guests allow ultimately shop entire store weve got exciting new brands coming sides store well itll wellrounded set innovations makeup applies hair care skincare across whole store optimistic positive seeing mary dillon chief executive officer ill add also actively participating theres lot social media influencer brands hot weve talked little bit morphe dose color lime crime brands born social media also many brands also understand benefit merging digital physical important guests guests well seeing nice growth brands stephanie wissink jefferies amp company inc analyst thank operator next question comes adrienne yih wolfe research please proceed question adrienne yih wolfe research analyst thank much mary guess first question discuss choose strategic response increasingly promotional environment either maximizing profit market share dollars competitive factors sway decision scott margin past two consecutive quarters look 2018 think q1 2 still pressure expand back half year thank much mary dillon chief executive officer thank adrienne ill start first question guess stepping back really playing long game believe ulta beauty relevant proposition beauty enthusiast future us really longterm driving guests gaining beauty enthusiasts loyalty programs also capture share wallet quarter little bit different looking drive longterm share gains really longterm engagement loyalty platform quarter example want miss opportunity continue momentum gained 18 million new loyalty members quarter consider longterm play shortterm price promotion play needed drive traffic disruption hurricanes softness category us thats think strategically longterm continue momentum drive get even bigger loyalty program really flywheel drive business long term adrienne yih wolfe research analyst thats helpful scott settersten chief financial officer yeah looking ahead operating margin know thats hot button investor group unforeseen circumstances happened softness color cosmetics area navigating way best hurricanes react thought best course action us last couple quarters expected going 2017 good news able respond delivered financial commitments investors thats good news far quarter sequencing goes next year im going able give probably detail want prepared today give people sense like thinking 2018 heres couple data points process dave talked newness next year ulta beauty great innovator continue next year merchant teams working hard marketing folks figuring next year reenergize color cosmetics space existing vendor partners new folks bring assortment overall thought mitigate merchandise margin pressure weve facing recently thats 1 think drivers operating margin longterm one thing capex next year right preliminary view guiding next year preliminary view looks like capex take significant step next year 400 million significantly 400 million versus 450 million lets call 2017 heard us talk whats driving cycle peak boutique rollouts theres lot accelerated depreciation flowing pampls last couple years related remodel activities weve taken across large part fleet keep store fleet looking fresh kind past id say taking moderate view backofthehouse investments weve made significant investments last couple years shifting optimization kind moment making sure getting value investments weve made last years youve heard us talk forecasting replenishment master data space planning kinds things thats kind im referring fixed store cost leverage straight line year weve higher rent higher profile locations go right real estate decisions us point time put pressure margin rate theres avoiding next year looking store rollout plan going would call normalized kind rent structure ulta historical vanilla power center kind locations well get benefit cycling headwinds fixed store cost year finally cost optimization youve heard mary talk last year theres formal plan put place 2018 thats going go live boots ground believe plenty opportunities leverage scale reduce inefficiencies built years naturally weve primarily focused growth think theres great opportunity well want investor base understand specific actions taken help us drive operating margin leverage 2018 beyond well share details talk fourth quarter call adrienne yih wolfe research analyst thats helpful thank best luck scott settersten chief financial officer thank operator next question comes rupesh parikh oppenheimer amp company please proceed question erica eiler oppenheimer amp company analyst good afternoon actually erika ilon rupesh thanks taking question first wanted also touch promotional environment curious holiday promotional environment progressed year versus perhaps recent years move past holiday thoughts share youre thinking promotional environment expecting innovation starts roll potential need promotional abate mary dillon chief executive officer ill start second part question maybe dave add holiday piece ill say redundant im really proud fact weve got business model lot levers frankly flexibility weve worked really hard past years really reduce reliance broadbased broad scale blunt instrument call much sophisticated lever marketing mix thats allowed us couple things one allowed us participate things driving kind brand awareness today 50 unaided brand awareness right actually really big deal weve able pull back broadbased discounting still maintain reasonable overall marketing spend shifting things driving awareness allowing us participate social channels journey happening people learning beauty demand creation targeted fashion whole point loyalty program targeted conjunction exciting brands assortment events comes together great mix allows us really smart efficient times flex levers aggressively others would intention less price discounting targeted promotions part investing time ability get even personalized everything thats notion time using tools get us loyalty program provides longterm benefits know ability target really exciting relevant offers really discounting exciting offers increase time thats long answer question thats goal leverage flexibility also continue buy us toward targeted personal innovation holiday dave dave kimbell chief merchandising amp marketing officer yeah far holiday think scott said earlier course holiday always promotional period past dont expect change year week heaviest part holiday period hard say exactly shake rest period far weve seen perhaps maybe modest changes promotional strategy intensity well watching carefully plan continue things mary said continue drive promotion necessary planned rest holiday period feel great products loyalty program advertising marketing instore experience things drive rest holiday period erica eiler oppenheimer amp company analyst okay thats helpful quickly share us potential plans plan excess tax benefit proposed tax reform passed curious expect flow bottom line planning reinvest thoughts share potential tax benefit would helpful scott settersten chief financial officer question everyones mind right seems may little premature speculate would would tell itd subject comprehensive discussion brand best deploy potential cash tax savings future lots things roadmap potentially wed like accelerate drive core business goal levels like international things weve thinking perhaps could get little quicker start course capital structure overall making sure optimize long term erica eiler oppenheimer amp company analyst wonderful thank much operator next question comes dana telsey telsey advisory please proceed question telsey line live next question comes steven forbes guggenheim securities please proceed question steven forbes guggenheim securities director good afternoon wanted focus product brand offering maybe discuss expect ulta beauty collection evolve time relates maybe number skus category exposure really want collection skus stand think fits overall customer value proposition lastly still topic touch part assortment performed recent quarter maybe yeartodate dave kimbell chief merchandising amp marketing officer yeah ulta beauty collection key part overall strategy part business proud invested pretty aggressively last year weve revamped packaging formulations market communicate actually gearing even larger presence early 2018 overall pleased result strong presence makeup course also skin bath holiday season big time ulta beauty collection expanded assortment designed holidays continuing invest things drive business said positive optimistic plans 2018 make even bigger part business said still relatively small total store going major part assortment one add nice obviously exclusive highermargin business one going continue invest drive future steven forbes guggenheim securities director commentary performance selection skus yeartodate quarter dave kimbell chief merchandising amp marketing officer yeah dont historically talk individual brand performance id say overall proud pleased history brand optimistic going future steven forbes guggenheim securities director thank operator ladies gentlemen weve reached end questionandanswer session would like turn call back mary dillon closing remarks mary dillon chief executive officer thank id like take 36000 associates incredible commitment serving guests delivering operational excellence busy time year thank interest ulta beauty look forward speaking soon operator concludes todays conference may disconnect lines time thank participation wonderful day duration 60 minutes call participants mary dillon chief executive officer scott settersten chief financial officer dave kimbell chief merchandising amp marketing officer ike boruchow wells fargo analyst omar saad evercore isi senior managing director joe altobello raymond james analyst stephanie wissink jefferies amp company inc analyst adrienne yih wolfe research analyst erica eiler oppenheimer amp company analyst steven forbes guggenheim securities director ulta analysis opens new window article transcript conference call produced motley fool strive foolish best may errors omissions inaccuracies transcript articles motley fool assume responsibility use content strongly encourage research including listening call reading companys sec filings please see terms conditions opens new window160for additional details including obligatory capitalized disclaimers liability 10 stocks like better ulta beautywhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right ulta beauty wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns november 6 2017 motley fool recommends ulta beauty motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>When it comes to high-growth industries, there's very little, if anything, that can top the marijuana industry. In just 21 years' time, more than half of the country has legalized access to medical cannabis, and over the past four-plus years, we've witnessed eight states (along with Washington, D.C.) legalize recreational pot.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>This expansion has led to some very large dollar figures being thrown around. In Colorado, sales of legal weed totaled more than $1.3 billion, representing a greater than 30% jump from the $996 million reported in 2015. Recreational marijuana sales accounted for $875 million, with medical cannabis totaling roughly half of what was sold on the recreational side of the equation in 2016. This led Colorado to collect nearly $200 million in tax and licensing revenue.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>An even more robust growth story is expected in California, which is one of the largest economies in the world. Once the state OK's the sale of recreational marijuana licenses in dispensaries, which is expected to happen in 2018, pundits expect it to collect about $1 billion (with a "b") in extra tax revenue each year.</p> <p>These incredible dollar figures are what lure in new businesses and investors, and they're what keep our eyes firmly locked on which states could be next to legalize recreational and/or medical marijuana.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>For the time being, with elections still quite far away, any chance for the passage of recreational or medical marijuana legalization is likely to come from a state's legislature. Out of all of the states that could be working a marijuana bill through their legislature at the moment, most people might be shocked to learn that Nebraska may be next on the list with a bill to legalize medical cannabis.</p> <p>The reason this is such a shock is that Nebraska and Oklahoma both sued Colorado in 2015 following the passage of its recreational marijuana law in 2012. The suit claimed that Colorado's recreational marijuana law would create a channel for illegal drugs to flow into its adjacent states, which include Nebraska and Oklahoma. For what it's worth, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, meaning Colorado's recreational pot industry is safe for the time being.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p><a href="http://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/bill-to-legalize-medical-marijuana-in-nebraska-will-head-to/article_668226e2-0b42-11e7-8b71-9b62d713b32a.html" type="external">According to Live Well Nebraska Opens a New Window.</a>, the state's Judiciary Committee last week advanced <a href="http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/105/PDF/Intro/LB622.pdf" type="external">Legislative Bill 622 Opens a New Window.</a>, which would legalize medical marijuana in Nebraska. If approved, the bill would allow medical cannabis to be prescribed for 19 different ailments, but it would not allow for patients to smoke cannabis or grow cannabis plants in their homes. Pills, oils, liquids, lotions, or inhalation through vaporizers would be the only acceptable delivery methods per L.B. 622.</p> <p>This bill could be an intriguing battleground for medical marijuana because it would pit the populous vote of the American public against one of just two groups of people who are still opposed to the expansion of marijuana (albeit in recreational terms).</p> <p>According to a recently released poll from Quinnipiac University, 93% of Americans want to see medical marijuana legalized nationally, compared to just 6% who opposed the idea. On the other hand, Republicans are just one of two groups of people (seniors being the other) who oppose the nationwide legalization of marijuana. Nebraska is decidedly a red state that regularly leans Republican. In other words, it could lean either way at this point.</p> <p>However, regardless of what happens in the coming weeks and months in Nebraska, the bigger-picture outlook for the cannabis industry is getting cloudier.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Last month, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told the media that the Trump administration wasn't going to be as lax as the Obama administration was when it comes to enforcing federal marijuana laws. Trump, an avid supporter of medical marijuana during his campaign, doesn't appear as if he'll use federal law to take medical cannabis away from states that have chosen to legalize it. But, it does appear that he may renege on his pot pledge to allow the states to dictate whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana.</p> <p>Admittedly, we're missing a lot of details at this point. Spicer has said that the Trump administration plans to get tougher with recreational marijuana enforcement, which isn't a surprise given that ardent marijuana opponent Jeff Sessions was appointed as the U.S. Attorney General. This enforcement could merely mean a step-up in state-level regulations, or it could be a full crackdown on recreational legalization. It's really anyone's guess at this point.</p> <p>Beyond Spicer's comments, medical marijuana approvals may also be plateauing. The plus side for medical patients is that 28 states have legalized medical cannabis. The downside is that quite a few of the remaining states (including Nebraska) have a Republican majority in charge, meaning they're less likely to consider approval.</p> <p>Despite legal marijuana's exceptionally strong growth potential (more than 23% per annum through 2026, according to Cowen &amp;amp; Co.), the aforementioned hurdles the cannabis industry is facing provide all the more impetus for investors to keep their distance from marijuana stocks. If the industry's expansion opportunities are limited, its rapid growth estimates may not be achievable.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Making matters worse, the Trump administration isn't expected to make things any easier on cannabis companies anytime soon.</p> <p>Marijuana's schedule 1 status at the federal level pretty much ensures that most pot-based companies aren't able to secure basic banking services, such as a checking account or line or credit, which forces them to deal solely in cash. This is a major security concern and an inhibitor of industry growth.</p> <p>Likewise, cannabis businesses are unable to take normal tax deductions. Tax code 280E disallows businesses that sell federally illegal substances from taking corporate tax deductions, meaning these businesses have to part with more of their profit than a "normal" business.</p> <p>Long story short, keep your eyes on Nebraska but your money safely on the sidelines.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better thanWal-MartWhen investing geniuses David and TomGardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter theyhave run for over a decade, the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tomjust revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/e-sa-bbn-eg?aid=8867&amp;amp;source=isaeditxt0000476&amp;amp;ftm_cam=sa-bbn-evergreen&amp;amp;ftm_pit=6627&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a>for investors to buy right now...and Wal-Mart wasn't one of them! That's right -- theythink these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/e-sa-bbn-eg?aid=8867&amp;amp;source=isaeditxt0000476&amp;amp;ftm_cam=sa-bbn-evergreen&amp;amp;ftm_pit=6627&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a>to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*StockAdvisor returns as of March 6, 2017.The author(s) may have a position in any stocks mentioned.</p> <p>The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

comes highgrowth industries theres little anything top marijuana industry 21 years time half country legalized access medical cannabis past fourplus years weve witnessed eight states along washington dc legalize recreational pot continue reading expansion led large dollar figures thrown around colorado sales legal weed totaled 13 billion representing greater 30 jump 996 million reported 2015 recreational marijuana sales accounted 875 million medical cannabis totaling roughly half sold recreational side equation 2016 led colorado collect nearly 200 million tax licensing revenue image source getty images even robust growth story expected california one largest economies world state oks sale recreational marijuana licenses dispensaries expected happen 2018 pundits expect collect 1 billion b extra tax revenue year incredible dollar figures lure new businesses investors theyre keep eyes firmly locked states could next legalize recreational andor medical marijuana advertisement time elections still quite far away chance passage recreational medical marijuana legalization likely come states legislature states could working marijuana bill legislature moment people might shocked learn nebraska may next list bill legalize medical cannabis reason shock nebraska oklahoma sued colorado 2015 following passage recreational marijuana law 2012 suit claimed colorados recreational marijuana law would create channel illegal drugs flow adjacent states include nebraska oklahoma worth supreme court declined hear case meaning colorados recreational pot industry safe time image source getty images according live well nebraska opens new window states judiciary committee last week advanced legislative bill 622 opens new window would legalize medical marijuana nebraska approved bill would allow medical cannabis prescribed 19 different ailments would allow patients smoke cannabis grow cannabis plants homes pills oils liquids lotions inhalation vaporizers would acceptable delivery methods per lb 622 bill could intriguing battleground medical marijuana would pit populous vote american public one two groups people still opposed expansion marijuana albeit recreational terms according recently released poll quinnipiac university 93 americans want see medical marijuana legalized nationally compared 6 opposed idea hand republicans one two groups people seniors oppose nationwide legalization marijuana nebraska decidedly red state regularly leans republican words could lean either way point however regardless happens coming weeks months nebraska biggerpicture outlook cannabis industry getting cloudier image source getty images last month white house press secretary sean spicer told media trump administration wasnt going lax obama administration comes enforcing federal marijuana laws trump avid supporter medical marijuana campaign doesnt appear hell use federal law take medical cannabis away states chosen legalize appear may renege pot pledge allow states dictate whether legalize recreational marijuana admittedly missing lot details point spicer said trump administration plans get tougher recreational marijuana enforcement isnt surprise given ardent marijuana opponent jeff sessions appointed us attorney general enforcement could merely mean stepup statelevel regulations could full crackdown recreational legalization really anyones guess point beyond spicers comments medical marijuana approvals may also plateauing plus side medical patients 28 states legalized medical cannabis downside quite remaining states including nebraska republican majority charge meaning theyre less likely consider approval despite legal marijuanas exceptionally strong growth potential 23 per annum 2026 according cowen amp co aforementioned hurdles cannabis industry facing provide impetus investors keep distance marijuana stocks industrys expansion opportunities limited rapid growth estimates may achievable image source getty images making matters worse trump administration isnt expected make things easier cannabis companies anytime soon marijuanas schedule 1 status federal level pretty much ensures potbased companies arent able secure basic banking services checking account line credit forces deal solely cash major security concern inhibitor industry growth likewise cannabis businesses unable take normal tax deductions tax code 280e disallows businesses sell federally illegal substances taking corporate tax deductions meaning businesses part profit normal business long story short keep eyes nebraska money safely sidelines 10 stocks like better thanwalmartwhen investing geniuses david tomgardner stock tip pay listen newsletter theyhave run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tomjust revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new windowfor investors buy right nowand walmart wasnt one thats right theythink 10 stocks even better buys click opens new windowto learn picks stockadvisor returns march 6 2017the authors may position stocks mentioned motley 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<p /> <p>Ever since GOP presidential hopeful <a href="" type="internal">Mitt Romney</a>&#8217;s &#8220;effective&#8221; tax rate of 13.9% was made public last month, the media has been busy tracking the philosophical arguments of whether or not the rich should be paying more in taxes and whether the &#8220;trickle-down effect&#8221; is valid.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>According to his tax returns, Romney basically paid the capital gains tax rate, which makes sense because most of his income was derived from dividends and capital gains. Romney donated a considerable sum to charity and in turn had deductions against his income. Still, this seems a small percentage compared to the income taxes paid by many working class Americans. And we&#8217;ve all heard this argument: billionaire investor Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.</p> <p>First let&#8217;s explore the term &#8220;effective&#8221; tax rate. Basically, everyone is in a certain tax bracket: 10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33% or 35%. However, because there are many possible adjustments, deductions, credits, as well as additional taxes that may apply ( <a href="" type="internal">alternative minimum tax</a>, self-employment tax, etc.) and additional tax rates (for example, the capital gains tax rate of 15%), a person&#8217;s effective tax rate is usually much different than his tax bracket. So after the income is added up, the adjustments to income subtracted, the itemized or standard deduction and exemptions subtracted, you arrive at taxable income which is on Line 43 of Form 1040. The tax is then calculated. But we&#8217;re still not done. Credits and other taxes are added and subtracted until you finally arrive at your total tax on Line 61. Your effective tax rate can be determined by dividing Line 62 total tax by Line 22 total income. Get out your tax return and try it.</p> <p>Now let&#8217;s talk about double taxation, which is the maxim that gave rise to a capital gains rate of 15%. Some lawmakers argue the 15% capital gains tax rate is logical and valid because the corporations are unable to deduct the dividends they pay to their shareholders. Here&#8217;s how this works: &amp;#160;Let&#8217;s say you buy stock in a publicly-traded corporation, you essentially become a minor owner in that corporation. The corporation rakes in taxable income from sales, and the money you paid in when you purchased stock is not taxable income to the corporation. Note that this maxim holds true not only for mega-corporations, but for all business entities. Monies coming into a business in the form of capital contributions from owners, partners, shareholders, or even bank or personal loans are not taxable income. By the same token, when monies are repaid to owners and bank or personal loans they are not deductible. Not includible in income when the money comes in, not deductible as an expense when it&#8217;s repaid.</p> <p>So the corporation logs in its sales then subtracts all of its business expenses. Again, this is what every business is allowed to do--whether it&#8217;s a home based sole proprietorship or a <a href="" type="internal">Wall Street</a> goliath. Let&#8217;s say there&#8217;s a tidy profit at year end, the company might decide to pay bonuses to the employees. When it does so, that expense can be deducted. The company does not pay tax on the part of the profit that is paid out in bonuses. However, the employees pay taxes on the bonuses they receive at their &#8220;effective&#8221; tax rate based on ordinary income tax rates (the five brackets mentioned previously). <a href="" type="internal">Social Security</a> and Medicare taxes are also withheld and paid on the employees&#8217; wages and bonuses.</p> <p>Then let&#8217;s say the corporation decides to pay a dividend to the shareholders. Unlike employee bonuses, the corporation cannot deduct the dividends they pay out. So what happens? The corporation pays taxes on its profit even though it was distributed in the form of dividends to the shareholders. And if the corporation is in the maximum tax bracket of 35%, it will pay out $.65 for every dollar to the shareholders. The shareholders must pay tax on what they receive.&amp;#160; Because this same dollar is taxed twice, a capital gain rate is assessed at the shareholder level to keep the cumulative tax total within reason. Given the corporation is in the 35% tax bracket and the shareholder rate is 15%, the combined tax amounts to 50%. That&#8217;s a tidy chunk.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>It appears that over all, corporations and individuals are paying their fair as the 35% tax at the corporate level and the 15% tax at the personal level is an example of double taxation. Is there then really a need for higher taxes? Those paying capital gains taxes should pay their fair share, and they already are according to the way it&#8217;s been set up in the tax code.</p> <p>So that&#8217;s the theory, but the question must be asked: Why in the world was it set up this way? Consider this: if I, as your average American, own stock in say, Boeing, I don&#8217;t much care what it does or how much tax it has to pay as long as it is profitable and my stock remains valuable and I get dividends, right? After all, it&#8217;s not my company. I might be a part owner, but I&#8217;m a non-voting part owner. I can&#8217;t walk in there and demand new products or give out raises.</p> <p>Most investors derive the bulk of their income from other means, like working for a living. So you&#8217;ll never hear the average American who owns stock say, &#8220;Ouch, that 35% corporate rate is killing me.&#8221; It doesn&#8217;t really affect us at all. We&#8217;re happy to pay our 15% cap gains rate with the tiny thrill of having escaped a bigger tax liability and get on with our lives. It&#8217;s when we see the extremely wealthy who, like Mitt Romney, derive the bulk of their wealth from low-taxed capital gains that we feel the rub.</p> <p>And why is that?</p> <p>Because theory and theoretical number crunching is one thing and reality is another. And the reality is that what we&#8217;ve been hearing is that many big corporations including Boeing and 29 others, according to Reuters, made a ton of money last year - huge gigantic profits &#8211; and that they have consistently paid dividends, but paid zero income taxes in the U.S. So where&#8217;s the double taxation? We&#8217;re looking at a cumulative tax rate of 15% for these enormous corporations and their recipients of dividends, not 50% as in my example. And I&#8217;m sure there are many more corporations who enjoy an &#8220;effective tax rate&#8221; considerably less than 35%.</p> <p>So my question is, why did Congress provide so much smoke and so many mirrors and so many clever ways to shuffle paper that what happens is that theory never matches reality?</p> <p>Bonnie Lee is an Enrolled Agent admitted to practice and representing taxpayers in all fifty states at all levels within the <a href="" type="internal">Internal Revenue Service</a>. She is the owner of Taxpertise in Sonoma, CA and the author of Entrepreneur Press book, &#8220;Taxpertise, The Complete Book of Dirty Little Secrets and Hidden Deductions for Small Business that the IRS Doesn't Want You to Know.&#8221; Follow Bonnie Lee on Twitter at BLTaxpertise and at Facebook.&amp;#160;</p>

ever since gop presidential hopeful mitt romneys effective tax rate 139 made public last month media busy tracking philosophical arguments whether rich paying taxes whether trickledown effect valid continue reading according tax returns romney basically paid capital gains tax rate makes sense income derived dividends capital gains romney donated considerable sum charity turn deductions income still seems small percentage compared income taxes paid many working class americans weve heard argument billionaire investor warren buffett pays lower tax rate secretary first lets explore term effective tax rate basically everyone certain tax bracket 10 15 25 28 33 35 however many possible adjustments deductions credits well additional taxes may apply alternative minimum tax selfemployment tax etc additional tax rates example capital gains tax rate 15 persons effective tax rate usually much different tax bracket income added adjustments income subtracted itemized standard deduction exemptions subtracted arrive taxable income line 43 form 1040 tax calculated still done credits taxes added subtracted finally arrive total tax line 61 effective tax rate determined dividing line 62 total tax line 22 total income get tax return try lets talk double taxation maxim gave rise capital gains rate 15 lawmakers argue 15 capital gains tax rate logical valid corporations unable deduct dividends pay shareholders heres works 160lets say buy stock publiclytraded corporation essentially become minor owner corporation corporation rakes taxable income sales money paid purchased stock taxable income corporation note maxim holds true megacorporations business entities monies coming business form capital contributions owners partners shareholders even bank personal loans taxable income token monies repaid owners bank personal loans deductible includible income money comes deductible expense repaid corporation logs sales subtracts business expenses every business allowed dowhether home based sole proprietorship wall street goliath lets say theres tidy profit year end company might decide pay bonuses employees expense deducted company pay tax part profit paid bonuses however employees pay taxes bonuses receive effective tax rate based ordinary income tax rates five brackets mentioned previously social security medicare taxes also withheld paid employees wages bonuses lets say corporation decides pay dividend shareholders unlike employee bonuses corporation deduct dividends pay happens corporation pays taxes profit even though distributed form dividends shareholders corporation maximum tax bracket 35 pay 65 every dollar shareholders shareholders must pay tax receive160 dollar taxed twice capital gain rate assessed shareholder level keep cumulative tax total within reason given corporation 35 tax bracket shareholder rate 15 combined tax amounts 50 thats tidy chunk advertisement appears corporations individuals paying fair 35 tax corporate level 15 tax personal level example double taxation really need higher taxes paying capital gains taxes pay fair share already according way set tax code thats theory question must asked world set way consider average american stock say boeing dont much care much tax pay long profitable stock remains valuable get dividends right company might part owner im nonvoting part owner cant walk demand new products give raises investors derive bulk income means like working living youll never hear average american owns stock say ouch 35 corporate rate killing doesnt really affect us happy pay 15 cap gains rate tiny thrill escaped bigger tax liability get lives see extremely wealthy like mitt romney derive bulk wealth lowtaxed capital gains feel rub theory theoretical number crunching one thing reality another reality weve hearing many big corporations including boeing 29 others according reuters made ton money last year huge gigantic profits consistently paid dividends paid zero income taxes us wheres double taxation looking cumulative tax rate 15 enormous corporations recipients dividends 50 example im sure many corporations enjoy effective tax rate considerably less 35 question congress provide much smoke many mirrors many clever ways shuffle paper happens theory never matches reality bonnie lee enrolled agent admitted practice representing taxpayers fifty states levels within internal revenue service owner taxpertise sonoma ca author entrepreneur press book taxpertise complete book dirty little secrets hidden deductions small business irs doesnt want know follow bonnie lee twitter bltaxpertise facebook160

<p /> <p>One of the most prevalent themes throughout the Wired Business Conference was diversity and inclusion in tech. At this point, the lack of gender and racial diversity in Silicon Valley is a regular topic of conversation, and one that every big tech company ( <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489534,00.asp" type="external">Apple Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2485227,00.asp" type="external">Google Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2493561,00.asp" type="external">Facebook Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474749,00.asp" type="external">Intel Opens a New Window.</a>, <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2469780,00.asp" type="external">Microsoft Opens a New Window.</a>, and <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497241,00.asp" type="external">Twitter Opens a New Window.</a>, to name a few) have attempted to tackle. But there are still mountains of work to go.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>As Erica Baker, Senior Engineer at <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2477507,00.asp" type="external">Slack Opens a New Window.</a>, put it during her conference keynote, inequality is everyone's problem. Before joining the red-hot <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2489110,00.asp" type="external">business collaboration Opens a New Window.</a> start-up, Baker was a longtime Google employee and the woman behind the famous secret <a href="http://qz.com/458615/theres-reportedly-a-big-secret-spreadsheet-where-google-employees-share-their-salaries/" type="external">salary spreadsheet Opens a New Window.</a> addressing pay inequality at the search giant.</p> <p>"I am not just a woman, I'm not just black person. The experiences I have are of black women, and that intersectionality is the theory that racism and sexism play against each other and with each other in ways that need to be addressed together," said Baker.</p> <p>Sr. Slack Engineer Erica Baker</p> <p>Diversity issues in tech, Baker explained, can be as subtle as a new Snapchat makeup filter not having an option for African-American complexions. Trace that back, she said, and you may find there wasn't a black person in the board room or on the engineering team when that design decision was made.</p> <p>Tech is still overwhelmingly white and male, and it's a topic that makes people uncomfortable because they don't know what they can do. The first step, Baker said, is to get comfortable being uncomfortable.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>"Right now, I can recommend increasing empathy. Empathy is the first step toward understanding how people are really feeling in your company," said Baker. "Put yourself in the shoes of the only black man or only Latina woman in the room being asked to represent their entire race or gender, and then you can begin to understand the pressure they're under. To make good progress in these discussions we need to recognize it's going to be uncomfortable for a while."</p> <p>Diversity in the Board Room One of the places diversity can make the biggest difference to a tech company's culture, decision-making, and bottom line is on the executive team and the board. A panel entitled "Boss Ladies" put <a href="https://theboardlist.com/" type="external">theboardlist Opens a New Window.</a> and <a href="https://www.joyus.com/" type="external">Joyus Opens a New Window.</a> founder Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, venture capital veteran and <a href="http://www.bbgventures.com/" type="external">BBG Ventures Opens a New Window.</a> President and Managing Partner Susan Lyne, and <a href="https://www.mindbodyonline.com/" type="external">Mindbody Opens a New Window.</a> CEO Rick Stollmeyer onstage to talk about the diversity challenges start-ups and established tech companies face, and where their respective companies and ventures have succeeded.</p> <p>Cassidy is an established, successful Silicon Valley executive who's worked at places like Amazon, Google, and VC firm Accel Partners. In <a href="https://medium.com/@sukhindersinghcassidy/introducing-the-boardlist-1d7bf3adcb05#.1lmdbfsg2" type="external">launching Opens a New Window.</a> theboardlist last year, she aimed to create a <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article/345220/6-amazing-things-microsoft-could-do-with-linkedin-like" type="external">LinkedIn Opens a New Window.</a> curated professional marketplace of vetted and recommended female executives and entrepreneurs. CEOs, executives, and VCs can browse theboardlist to find capable and experienced female board members to join new <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/startups" type="external">start-ups Opens a New Window.</a> receiving funding or apply to be an endorser.</p> <p>"We're trying to create a private, high-end, and highly vetted LinkedIn," said Cassidy. "If five people you know nominated this woman, all of a sudden she's in your network."</p> <p>From second on left: Cassidy, Lyne, and Stollmeyer</p> <p>Lyne approaches tech diversity with a similar mindset. After spending decades in media and commerce, Lyne's BBG Ventures only invests in tech start-ups with at least one female founder. Lyne said that when it comes to the start-up pitches she's sat through over the years, women pitch businesses, while men tend to pitch "unicorns."</p> <p>"A lot of CEOs and public companies are coming around to the fact that they need to put females on the board. All the research that's been done says the more diverse boards with more women on them end up with higher performing companies," said Lyne. "The results are better, the stock is higher, and it's logical. If you have a room full of people who think alike and have similar backgrounds, you may not wind up making the best decisions."</p> <p>Mindbody is one of theboardlist's biggest success stories. Through the platform, Stollmeyer was able to fill two of its board seats with experienced female executives: Katherine Blair Christie, former Cisco CMO, and Gail Goodman, former CEO of <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2453354,00.asp" type="external">email marketing Opens a New Window.</a> platform <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2474133,00.asp" type="external">Constant Contact Opens a New Window.</a>. The company's general counsel, corporate secretary, and compliance officer, Kimberly Lytikainen, has also served in legal positions at Pivotal Software and Nvidia.</p> <p>Stollmeyer said start-ups need to think about the variety and depth of skills they need on a board.</p> <p>"We focused on the qualities we needed, and with Sukhinder's help, we were able to find them," she said. "It wasn't that hard. It was just about making that commitment and daring to make that criteria. The best leaders are comfortable in their own skin, and it's being comfortable in who you are that produces the most effective leadership. Gender doesn't matter."</p> <p>For Lyne, the biggest change she's seen during her time in the tech industry is that diversity is now actually on the agenda.</p> <p>"It didn't make sense to me that companies were not trying to recruit great executives who knew the company and know the end-user well," said Lyne.</p> <p>A Woman In the Driver's Seat</p> <p>GM CEO Mary Barra</p> <p>For definitive proof of Lyne's sentiment, look no further than General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who appeared onstage earlier in the day. Barra is the first CEO of a major global automobile manufacturer, taking over the role in 2014, but Barra's been working for and around GM her entire life.</p> <p>Barra's father worked in manufacturing at Pontiac for almost 40 years. She started working for GM at age 18 in 1980, in various administrative and engineering positions at the company's Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant. Barra worked her way up over the next three and a half decades to roles including VP of global manufacturing engineering, VP of global human resources, and EVP of global product development.</p> <p>At Wired, Barra discussed GM's 200-mile-range <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497560,00.asp" type="external">2017 Chevy Bolt EV Opens a New Window.</a>, self-driving cars, and what GM's <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2497397,00.asp" type="external">$500 million investment in Lyft Opens a New Window.</a> says about its vision for autonomous vehicles.</p> <p>In talking about how GM's corporate culture has changed over the years and where the company is going, Barra inevitably touched on the decades-worth of experience and know-how she distills from the top down. She knows her company better than anyone.</p> <p>"When you look at a vehicle, we're integrating 30,000 parts into a supply base. I'm a second-generation lifer at GM, and I know we have great people in this company," said Barra. "To really get to know how to make a great vehicle, it takes a couple generations. We have that kind of expertise, and now we're partnering with people bringing in new skill sets and technology giving them the freedom to go do. Our culture welcomes the challenge."</p> <p>This article <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/news/345371/how-to-tackle-techs-diversity-problem" type="external">originally appeared Opens a New Window.</a> on <a href="http://www.pcmag.com" type="external">PCMag.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

one prevalent themes throughout wired business conference diversity inclusion tech point lack gender racial diversity silicon valley regular topic conversation one every big tech company apple opens new window google opens new window facebook opens new window intel opens new window microsoft opens new window twitter opens new window name attempted tackle still mountains work go continue reading erica baker senior engineer slack opens new window put conference keynote inequality everyones problem joining redhot business collaboration opens new window startup baker longtime google employee woman behind famous secret salary spreadsheet opens new window addressing pay inequality search giant woman im black person experiences black women intersectionality theory racism sexism play ways need addressed together said baker sr slack engineer erica baker diversity issues tech baker explained subtle new snapchat makeup filter option africanamerican complexions trace back said may find wasnt black person board room engineering team design decision made tech still overwhelmingly white male topic makes people uncomfortable dont know first step baker said get comfortable uncomfortable advertisement right recommend increasing empathy empathy first step toward understanding people really feeling company said baker put shoes black man latina woman room asked represent entire race gender begin understand pressure theyre make good progress discussions need recognize going uncomfortable diversity board room one places diversity make biggest difference tech companys culture decisionmaking bottom line executive team board panel entitled boss ladies put theboardlist opens new window joyus opens new window founder sukhinder singh cassidy venture capital veteran bbg ventures opens new window president managing partner susan lyne mindbody opens new window ceo rick stollmeyer onstage talk diversity challenges startups established tech companies face respective companies ventures succeeded cassidy established successful silicon valley executive whos worked places like amazon google vc firm accel partners launching opens new window theboardlist last year aimed create linkedin opens new window curated professional marketplace vetted recommended female executives entrepreneurs ceos executives vcs browse theboardlist find capable experienced female board members join new startups opens new window receiving funding apply endorser trying create private highend highly vetted linkedin said cassidy five people know nominated woman sudden shes network second left cassidy lyne stollmeyer lyne approaches tech diversity similar mindset spending decades media commerce lynes bbg ventures invests tech startups least one female founder lyne said comes startup pitches shes sat years women pitch businesses men tend pitch unicorns lot ceos public companies coming around fact need put females board research thats done says diverse boards women end higher performing companies said lyne results better stock higher logical room full people think alike similar backgrounds may wind making best decisions mindbody one theboardlists biggest success stories platform stollmeyer able fill two board seats experienced female executives katherine blair christie former cisco cmo gail goodman former ceo email marketing opens new window platform constant contact opens new window companys general counsel corporate secretary compliance officer kimberly lytikainen also served legal positions pivotal software nvidia stollmeyer said startups need think variety depth skills need board focused qualities needed sukhinders help able find said wasnt hard making commitment daring make criteria best leaders comfortable skin comfortable produces effective leadership gender doesnt matter lyne biggest change shes seen time tech industry diversity actually agenda didnt make sense companies trying recruit great executives knew company know enduser well said lyne woman drivers seat gm ceo mary barra definitive proof lynes sentiment look general motors ceo mary barra appeared onstage earlier day barra first ceo major global automobile manufacturer taking role 2014 barras working around gm entire life barras father worked manufacturing pontiac almost 40 years started working gm age 18 1980 various administrative engineering positions companys detroithamtramck assembly plant barra worked way next three half decades roles including vp global manufacturing engineering vp global human resources evp global product development wired barra discussed gms 200milerange 2017 chevy bolt ev opens new window selfdriving cars gms 500 million investment lyft opens new window says vision autonomous vehicles talking gms corporate culture changed years company going barra inevitably touched decadesworth experience knowhow distills top knows company better anyone look vehicle integrating 30000 parts supply base im secondgeneration lifer gm know great people company said barra really get know make great vehicle takes couple generations kind expertise partnering people bringing new skill sets technology giving freedom go culture welcomes challenge article originally appeared opens new window pcmagcom opens new window

<p>Finding a high-yielding dividend stock trading at a good value can be a great investment. That's especially true if you plan to start tapping those dividends for income in the near future.</p> <p>But investors with a longer time horizon may be better suited finding companies with low to average yields, but with above-average dividend growth rates. These companies have the potential to double their dividend payments within just a few years. And if you reinvest dividends along the way, you'll end up receiving an even better yield on your original investment.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Here are three great dividend stocks that could double their payments.</p> <p>I might be addicted to Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), but trust that my multiple weekly visits to Starbucks stores didn't sway my judgment in including the company on this list.</p> <p>The stock currently yields about 1.7%, but management has raised the dividend every year since it was instituted in 2010. Starbucks has averaged a 25% dividend growth rate since instituting quarterly payments, and it's not slowing down. Last November, it gave shareholders another 25% raise.</p> <p>Importantly, Starbucks still has room to keep raising its dividends. Its current payout ratio -- the percentage of earnings it pays out in dividends -- is just 48% of management's 2017 earnings outlook. Other restaurants have payout ratios in the 60% range.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Starbucks management expects to be able to grow earnings per share 15% to 20% over the next five years.&amp;#160; Wall Street analysts currently project EPS growth of 15.3% during the same period. So, even if Starbucks' payout ratio remains the same, it could still increase the dividend at least 15% per year over the next five years, which would double the current payment.</p> <p>Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is no longer the growth company it was when the iPhone first came out 10 years ago. It instituted a huge capital return program about five years ago. Apple keeps increasing its commitment to return capital to shareholders, most recently announcing plans to return $300 billion total to shareholders by 2019. It's returned $211 billion so far, but just $60 billion of that has been in the form of dividend payments.</p> <p>Nonetheless, Apple has increased its dividend about 10% every year. And management has publicly stated its commitment to continued <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/03/28/apple-inc-likely-to-announce-dividend-increase-nex.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">annual increases</a> for the foreseeable future. The dividend currently yields about 1.7%.</p> <p>But there's lot of room for that to grow. Apple's payout ratio is just 28% of the consensus estimate for Apple's 2017 earnings. Most of Apple's capital return program goes toward share repurchases, which supports earnings per share. Indeed, analysts expect EPS to climb more than 11% per year over the next five years, which should enable Apple to continue raising the dividend a steady 10% every year. That rate could climb higher if Apple decides to focus more on dividends versus share buybacks.</p> <p>Lowe's (NYSE: LOW) has increased its dividend for 54 consecutive years. That's a streak management doesn't want to break. But more importantly, the company has a renewed focus on growing its dividend, with plans to increase it rapidly over the next few years.</p> <p>At its analyst day in December, CFO Bob Hull said the company <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/22/a-close-look-at-lowes-dividend-potential.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">plans to increase the dividend</a> another 15% to 20% through 2019 as it targets a payout ratio of 35%. For 2017, the company is expected to pay out around 33% of earnings, so there's a bit of wiggle room to keep increasing the dividend as a percentage of earnings. If the company can grow earnings per share a reasonable 12% in each of the next two years, Lowe's should manage to meet both of its benchmarks.</p> <p>But there's no reason for the dividend growth to stop there. Analysts expect earnings per share to grow an average of 14.6% over the next five years, so even as Lowe's reaches the top end of its payout ratio target, it has room to grow the dividend. What's more, that payout ratio is an artificial ceiling on dividend payouts. Competitors pay out more than 50% of earnings as dividends, so Lowe's has plenty of room to keep growing the dividend, to which it's newly recommitted.</p> <p>Despite their relatively low yields today, all three of these stocks present an opportunity to produce more income for investors over the next 15 or 20 years compared to a high-yielding, low-growth dividend stock. All three should see their current dividends double in just a few years.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than StarbucksWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=f00eb1b4-b1dc-4be0-b7be-39517e701dde&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks</a> for investors to buy right now... and Starbucks wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=f00eb1b4-b1dc-4be0-b7be-39517e701dde&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of July 6, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/adamlevy/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Adam Levy</a> owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple and Starbucks. The Motley Fool recommends Lowe's. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f7b6a9f8-6ca9-11e7-9b82-0050569d4be0&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy</a>.</p>

finding highyielding dividend stock trading good value great investment thats especially true plan start tapping dividends income near future investors longer time horizon may better suited finding companies low average yields aboveaverage dividend growth rates companies potential double dividend payments within years reinvest dividends along way youll end receiving even better yield original investment continue reading three great dividend stocks could double payments might addicted starbucks nasdaq sbux trust multiple weekly visits starbucks stores didnt sway judgment including company list stock currently yields 17 management raised dividend every year since instituted 2010 starbucks averaged 25 dividend growth rate since instituting quarterly payments slowing last november gave shareholders another 25 raise importantly starbucks still room keep raising dividends current payout ratio percentage earnings pays dividends 48 managements 2017 earnings outlook restaurants payout ratios 60 range advertisement starbucks management expects able grow earnings per share 15 20 next five years160 wall street analysts currently project eps growth 153 period even starbucks payout ratio remains could still increase dividend least 15 per year next five years would double current payment apple nasdaq aapl longer growth company iphone first came 10 years ago instituted huge capital return program five years ago apple keeps increasing commitment return capital shareholders recently announcing plans return 300 billion total shareholders 2019 returned 211 billion far 60 billion form dividend payments nonetheless apple increased dividend 10 every year management publicly stated commitment continued annual increases foreseeable future dividend currently yields 17 theres lot room grow apples payout ratio 28 consensus estimate apples 2017 earnings apples capital return program goes toward share repurchases supports earnings per share indeed analysts expect eps climb 11 per year next five years enable apple continue raising dividend steady 10 every year rate could climb higher apple decides focus dividends versus share buybacks lowes nyse low increased dividend 54 consecutive years thats streak management doesnt want break importantly company renewed focus growing dividend plans increase rapidly next years analyst day december cfo bob hull said company plans increase dividend another 15 20 2019 targets payout ratio 35 2017 company expected pay around 33 earnings theres bit wiggle room keep increasing dividend percentage earnings company grow earnings per share reasonable 12 next two years lowes manage meet benchmarks theres reason dividend growth stop analysts expect earnings per share grow average 146 next five years even lowes reaches top end payout ratio target room grow dividend whats payout ratio artificial ceiling dividend payouts competitors pay 50 earnings dividends lowes plenty room keep growing dividend newly recommitted despite relatively low yields today three stocks present opportunity produce income investors next 15 20 years compared highyielding lowgrowth dividend stock three see current dividends double years 10 stocks like better starbuckswhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks investors buy right starbucks wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click learn picks stock advisor returns july 6 2017 adam levy owns shares apple motley fool owns shares recommends apple starbucks motley fool recommends lowes motley fool disclosure policy

<p /> <p>Welcome to Top 10, Recruiter.com's weekly rundown of the best&#65533;&#65533;of the best in recruiting! Every Friday, we release a list of some of our favorite people, things, and ideas dominating the industry. From awesome tech tools and cool companies to great books and powerful trends, no stone in the recruiting space will be left unturned.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>This Week:&#65533;&#65533;Top 10 Hiring Stories</p> <p>Man, the hiring process is weird.</p> <p>Is there anything more awkward than the strange rituals we go through as candidates and recruiters? The personas we carefully craft to seem "genuine"? The "passions" we cultivate to prove our "authenticity"? The scripted interviews that we all pretend aren't scripted at all?</p> <p>But look on the bright side: Because the hiring process is so odd, it occasionally produces some wonderfully strange, raucously funny, and oddly poignant moments. This week, we've decided to use our top 10 as a salute to the moments when the hiring process veers off course into unexpected territories. We reached out to our friends, colleagues, readers, and writers to gather their best hiring stories. Here are our ten favorites from the bunch:</p> <p>1. The Name-Dropper</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>I was handling the hiring of a new employee for our digital marketing agency. The prospective employee was talking a very big game about who he "knew." He mentioned some very big-time players in the industry and acted like he was best friends with them.</p> <p>Coincidentally, one of those people was in our office &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; so we brought him in. What happened afterwards was hysterical. The bull---t unravelled so quickly, and the employee walked himself out, looking at the ground out of shame.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Max Soni, Qumana</p> <p>2. Cleanliness Is Next to Jobliness</p> <p>I went into a construction trailer one day to look for a job. Right when I walked in, the superintendent threw a piece of trash and missed the can. I picked it up, placed it in the can, and asked for work. Come to find out that he gave my name to another owner who hired me just because of that piece of trash.</p> <p>I worked for him for ten years. Now, I have my own company.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Ken Beckstead, Cigarette Pollution Services</p> <p>3. A Little Too Personal</p> <p>The most unbelievable story we've ever lived was when we hiring for a software engineer. Our candidate, whose resume looked fantastic, was called in for an interview. It was a decision we'd live to regret.</p> <p>Like many interviews, this one was ho-hum. The candidate had the skills, but something about him felt off. He obfuscated his job history with unrelated stories, he seemed constantly distracted, and he was visibly irritated with our questions.</p> <p>Sensing we were not interested, he asked to review his portfolio with us before leaving. Before we could say no (or wonder why a software engineer had a paper portfolio), he pulled out a worn manila folder and walked us through his life &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; starting with his birth certificate!</p> <p>After proving that he was, in fact, born, he showed us his kindergarten graduation certificate, 1st-grade art awards, and every finger painting he had ever saved through 5th grade.</p> <p>Needless to say, we didn't hire him. And while he continued to try to connect with us on social media, we continued to decline his requests. He finally sent a LinkedIn death threat, at which point I blocked him for good.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Michael Mehlberg, Modern da Vinci</p> <p>4. Quite an Impression</p> <p>I was in Manhattan in 2007, and our parent company was bringing in a high-level candidate for a performance marketing position. I wasn't the person performing the first interview, but I was going to get a chance to speak to the candidate. As he was being led in to the particular office in which the interview was taking place, I happened to be standing in the area with a coworker.</p> <p>I was quickly introduced, and as the candidate was walking in, he didn't realize that the there was a window next to the door the same shape as the door. I'm guessing he thought it was a big doorway, and he walked directly into the glass. It was so bad that he put a giant face print on the glass.</p> <p>As you can imagine, the sweat came pouring out.</p> <p>He ended up getting hired, and was a huge asset to the team. That said, we circled the face print on the glass so the cleaning staff wouldn't wipe it off, and it lasted for a good six months.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Bill Fish, ReputationManagement.com</p> <p>5. Super Secret Advertising</p> <p>We once advertised a Web developer position exclusively within the source code of our website. Needless to say, we didn't receive many applicants &#65533;&#65533;&#65533;&#65533;&#65533;but we did receive a few. The best thing about advertising this way was that we only attracted those Web developers who already had curiosity &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; after all, they went so far as to open up the source code of the page. We actually got a hire through this method.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Joe Flanagan, VelvetJobs</p> <p>6. It Wasn't My Fault</p> <p>This is one of our best hiring stories as of late. We've removed all the identifying data from this actual email we received:</p> <p>"Hi - I last contacted you on 2/20/2014 seeking work. Normally, someone of my experience and skill set would be employed immediately. I would like to disclose the reason I am still on the market to prevent wasting anybody's time. I am a convicted felon in California, Georgia, and in Federal Courts. I am the victim in each case. My non-violent felony pseudo-crimes include escape, tax evasion, and resisting an executive officer. My actions in each case were justified by failures of individuals who represent the justice system. In each case, I did the right thing and was maliciously prosecuted.</p> <p>Let my recent and past work speak for itself."</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Marilyn Weinstein, Vivo</p> <p>7. You Can't Take It With You</p> <p>The strangest interview I can remember happened a number of years ago in Santa Barbara. I was discussing a job opening with a possible candidate, and she'd only eaten about half of her spaghetti while going on a great length about the shortcomings of her current employer.</p> <p>Once the food was cold, she asked the waiter for a doggy bag, and he brought a styrofoam takeout container and a good-sized paper bag. While we waited for the check and continued talking, she emptied the spaghetti into the container. Then she took a half-eaten piece of bread off her bread plate and put it in on top.</p> <p>She pointed to the three pieces of bread remaining in the bread basket and asked, "Are you going to eat any of that?" When I said no, one more piece of bread went into the container. She closed the container, slide it into the paper bag, and then tossed in the other two pieces of bread.</p> <p>As the check came and I gave the waiter my credit card, she was fingering one of the sealed bags of tea in the selection of little packets that had come with the tea she'd ordered. She shrugged, then picked it up and put it into the bag.</p> <p>"Oh, what the heck," she said and dumped the whole basket of teas into the bag. She grabbed a few packets of sweetener and put them in. As the conversation continued, a few more went in, then a few more, until all the sweeteners were gone.</p> <p>The waiter returned with the credit card slip. I signed it, and as I usually do, left the tip in cash, and the woman and I got up to leave.</p> <p>After a few steps, she said, "Oh, just a minute," and went back to the table.</p> <p>Her back was to me, so I couldn't see what she was doing. But when she moved back toward me, I have to say I examined the table pretty closely. I really thought she might have picked up the tip. She hadn't &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; but, unbelievably, both the salt and pepper shakers were gone. The only condiment left on the table was a half-filled bottle of olive oil, which probably only survived because it had an open spout rather than a cap.</p> <p>I didn't offer her the job.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Barry Maher, Barry Maher "&amp;gt;</p> <p>8. Google Me</p> <p>As a job seeker looking to move into a larger agency role in pay-per-click advertising, I created a Google AdWords campaign to demonstrate my skill set. With a small amount of research, I was able to geofence each agency office that I was interested in working at. Then I placed search ads on any searches originating from the agencies' offices during business hours, which included bids on the agency names, C-level employees, and the hiring manager's name when it was available.</p> <p>When clicked, each ad led to a landing page targeted to the agency designed to emulate a true lead-generation page with a value proposition, supporting copy, testimonials, and a lead form allowing the agency to schedule an interview with me. In less than one week, I had caught the attention of the agency I'm now happily employed with.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Dallas McLaughlin, The James Agency</p> <p>9. Autocorrect Is Not Your Friend</p> <p>An applicant came in for an interview, and the interview was pretty typical. After she left, she sent a message: "Thank you for meeting with me today. As mentioned in the interview, I have strong people skills. In my previous job, I copulated with many staff members on a daily basis to take the company to the next level."</p> <p>Yeah, she meant to say "cooperated."</p> <p>As soon as she sent the message, she called and explained the situation. We hired her because we felt she was qualified, and a mishap like this should not affect her chances.</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Jesse Harrison, Zeus Legal Funding</p> <p>10. Meet Your New Tech Chef</p> <p>During the peak of the dot-com boom, I was looking for a key member of my team who needed to have a strong background in customer service. I got literally hundreds of resumes. I picked my top 10 to bring in for interviews. My boss agreed with nine of them, who all had traditional customer service/tech/startup backgrounds, but he could not understand why the 10th one was even being interviewed &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; because she worked as a chef and did tech-type work on the side.</p> <p>I explained to him that working in successful restaurants (and she had worked at all the best ones) required a tremendous sense of customer service and she clearly had the tech skills, too. Plus, she studied in Italy in college and spoke Italian (I did too), so I thought she would be cool and fun to work with. I just had a feeling she was going to be the best, and after talking to her, I knew I had struck gold.</p> <p>I asked my boss to chat with her before she left that day, and he agreed she was perfect for the job. She was the anchor of my team, and my boss marveled at my ability to pick her out of the pile &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; truly a needle in the haystack. She is still one of my closest friends today, more than a decade later.</p> <p>Just goes to show that some of that stuff on the bottom of your resume really matters!</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533; Paige Arnof-Fenn, Mavens "&amp;gt;</p> <p>Contribute your expertise to our next Top 10!</p> <p>* indicates required</p> <p>Email Address *</p>

welcome top 10 recruitercoms weekly rundown bestof best recruiting every friday release list favorite people things ideas dominating industry awesome tech tools cool companies great books powerful trends stone recruiting space left unturned continue reading weektop 10 hiring stories man hiring process weird anything awkward strange rituals go candidates recruiters personas carefully craft seem genuine passions cultivate prove authenticity scripted interviews pretend arent scripted look bright side hiring process odd occasionally produces wonderfully strange raucously funny oddly poignant moments week weve decided use top 10 salute moments hiring process veers course unexpected territories reached friends colleagues readers writers gather best hiring stories ten favorites bunch 1 namedropper advertisement handling hiring new employee digital marketing agency prospective employee talking big game knew mentioned bigtime players industry acted like best friends coincidentally one people office brought happened afterwards hysterical bullt unravelled quickly employee walked looking ground shame max soni qumana 2 cleanliness next jobliness went construction trailer one day look job right walked superintendent threw piece trash missed picked placed asked work come find gave name another owner hired piece trash worked ten years company ken beckstead cigarette pollution services 3 little personal unbelievable story weve ever lived hiring software engineer candidate whose resume looked fantastic called interview decision wed live regret like many interviews one hohum candidate skills something felt obfuscated job history unrelated stories seemed constantly distracted visibly irritated questions sensing interested asked review portfolio us leaving could say wonder software engineer paper portfolio pulled worn manila folder walked us life starting birth certificate proving fact born showed us kindergarten graduation certificate 1stgrade art awards every finger painting ever saved 5th grade needless say didnt hire continued try connect us social media continued decline requests finally sent linkedin death threat point blocked good michael mehlberg modern da vinci 4 quite impression manhattan 2007 parent company bringing highlevel candidate performance marketing position wasnt person performing first interview going get chance speak candidate led particular office interview taking place happened standing area coworker quickly introduced candidate walking didnt realize window next door shape door im guessing thought big doorway walked directly glass bad put giant face print glass imagine sweat came pouring ended getting hired huge asset team said circled face print glass cleaning staff wouldnt wipe lasted good six months bill fish reputationmanagementcom 5 super secret advertising advertised web developer position exclusively within source code website needless say didnt receive many applicants receive best thing advertising way attracted web developers already curiosity went far open source code page actually got hire method joe flanagan velvetjobs 6 wasnt fault one best hiring stories late weve removed identifying data actual email received hi last contacted 2202014 seeking work normally someone experience skill set would employed immediately would like disclose reason still market prevent wasting anybodys time convicted felon california georgia federal courts victim case nonviolent felony pseudocrimes include escape tax evasion resisting executive officer actions case justified failures individuals represent justice system case right thing maliciously prosecuted let recent past work speak marilyn weinstein vivo 7 cant take strangest interview remember happened number years ago santa barbara discussing job opening possible candidate shed eaten half spaghetti going great length shortcomings current employer food cold asked waiter doggy bag brought styrofoam takeout container goodsized paper bag waited check continued talking emptied spaghetti container took halfeaten piece bread bread plate put top pointed three pieces bread remaining bread basket asked going eat said one piece bread went container closed container slide paper bag tossed two pieces bread check came gave waiter credit card fingering one sealed bags tea selection little packets come tea shed ordered shrugged picked put bag oh heck said dumped whole basket teas bag grabbed packets sweetener put conversation continued went sweeteners gone waiter returned credit card slip signed usually left tip cash woman got leave steps said oh minute went back table back couldnt see moved back toward say examined table pretty closely really thought might picked tip hadnt unbelievably salt pepper shakers gone condiment left table halffilled bottle olive oil probably survived open spout rather cap didnt offer job barry maher barry maher gt 8 google job seeker looking move larger agency role payperclick advertising created google adwords campaign demonstrate skill set small amount research able geofence agency office interested working placed search ads searches originating agencies offices business hours included bids agency names clevel employees hiring managers name available clicked ad led landing page targeted agency designed emulate true leadgeneration page value proposition supporting copy testimonials lead form allowing agency schedule interview less one week caught attention agency im happily employed dallas mclaughlin james agency 9 autocorrect friend applicant came interview interview pretty typical left sent message thank meeting today mentioned interview strong people skills previous job copulated many staff members daily basis take company next level yeah meant say cooperated soon sent message called explained situation hired felt qualified mishap like affect chances jesse harrison zeus legal funding 10 meet new tech chef peak dotcom boom looking key member team needed strong background customer service got literally hundreds resumes picked top 10 bring interviews boss agreed nine traditional customer servicetechstartup backgrounds could understand 10th one even interviewed worked chef techtype work side explained working successful restaurants worked best ones required tremendous sense customer service clearly tech skills plus studied italy college spoke italian thought would cool fun work feeling going best talking knew struck gold asked boss chat left day agreed perfect job anchor team boss marveled ability pick pile truly needle haystack still one closest friends today decade later goes show stuff bottom resume really matters paige arnoffenn mavens gt contribute expertise next top 10 indicates required email address

<p>The North Atlantic Treaty Organization&#8217;s (NATO) Article 5 mutual defense pact, stating that an attack on one is attack on all, lies at the heart of the alliance&#8217;s deterrence power against enemies hostile to the West, namely Russia. On Thursday, President Trump left the question of America&#8217;s long-standing commitment to Article 5 open to speculation and doubt. In a speech delivered at a so-called ceremony of &#8220;remembrance&#8221; and &#8220;resolve,&#8221; Trump refused to explicitly reassert the U.S. commitment to the mutual defense of NATO partners. As The Washington Post's Karen Attiah <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2017/05/25/trumps-behavior-at-nato-is-a-national-embarrassment/?tid=ss_tw&amp;amp;utm_term=.c5ea70f51c87" type="external">points out</a>, such an omission is unprecedented. "But alas, Trump could not even bring himself to utter explicitly that the U.S. supports Article 5 in his remarks at Brussels, which every single U.S. president has done since Harry Truman in 1949," notes Attiah.</p> <p>Instead of strengthening the alliance in the age of jihad and Russian aggression, Trump lectured European allies about their failure to pay the targeted two percent of GDP to fund the alliance.</p> <p>Watch as Trump uses his international platform to demand years of back payment:</p> <p>Time and time again, Trump fails to recognize that the boardroom of a businessman is a world away from the pulpit of a diplomat.</p> <p>While pushing European partners to honor their two percent of state GDP targets is a commendable goal, Trump, as the American head of state, can negotiate the nitty-gritty of financing behind closed doors, in private.</p> <p>By publicly calling out NATO allies over money, Trump effectively undermines the alliance as a whole, particularly its deterrent capabilities against Russian imperialism. Financial disputes at internationally televised meetings with allies sends all the wrong signals to Moscow. Make no mistake, the Kremlin monitors every NATO meeting meticulously, hoping for rifts, cracks, and indications of weakness within the alliance. On Thursday, the Kremlin&#8217;s dream came true.</p> <p>Without a firm, unequivocal, and explicitly-stated commitment to mutual defense, Russia is given an opening that it will undoubtedly exploit.</p> <p>Last July, The Daily Wire&#8217;s Ben Shapiro <a href="" type="internal">explained</a> the perils of a quid-pro-quo military partnership:</p> <p>The whole purpose of NATO is deterrence: if you attack one of us, you attack all of us. Even if Trump were to consider whether to defend Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania &#8212; or, for that matter, Poland or Czech Republic &#8212; on a case-by-case basis, you don&#8217;t say that out loud, unless you&#8217;re either stupid or unworried about signaling to Russia that they can invade sovereign nations with impunity. Ed Morrissey of HotAir, who is not prone to exaggeration, wrote, &#8220;This kind of talk from prospective Commanders-in-Chief is no mere academic or political exercise; it&#8217;s actively dangerous.&#8221;</p> <p>This isn&#8217;t speculation or wishful thinking. Russia has already shown its willingness to carry out its imperial ambitions. From colonizing sovereign Ukrainian territory in Crimea to turning embattled Syria into his own personal playground of indiscriminate slaughter, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears keen on resurrecting the Soviet empire and displacing the United States as a superpower. Putin&#8217;s unchecked tsarist impulses will further undermine U.S. interests abroad and national security at home. We&#8217;ve already seen what an emboldened Russia is willing to do in terms of cyberwar fare. From harboring Edward Snowden and exploiting the compromising documents he released pertaining to U.S. national security to attempting to interfere to the U.S. electoral process by hacking into American persons and institutions, Russia, in the long term, is the biggest existential threat to America.</p> <p>If Trump continues along this trajectory, he &#8220;would almost certainly continue to cede ground to Vladimir Putin not only in Ukraine but also in Moldova and Georgia,&#8221; as Shapiro presciently <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/435816/what-would-president-trump-do" type="external">stated</a> last year in an article for National Review. &#8220;Trump would pressure NATO allies to pick up more of the defense burden (he has already vowed to do this). NATO allies would decline to do so. Putin would then begin threatening Estonia and Latvia in an attempt to break NATO once and for all; Trump would do almost nothing in response.&#8221;</p> <p>To be clear, NATO&#8217;s overall value cannot be quantified with dollars and cents. It&#8217;s worth noting that the only time Article 5 has ever been triggered was when Islamist terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on 9/11. Without hesitation or apprehension, NATO allies lined up to join the U.S. in the war on terror, dispatching troops to Afghanistan in an effort to root out Al-Qaeda safe havens.</p> <p>Thanks to NATO, the U.S. enjoys an active intelligence-sharing platform with European allies; the invaluable information gathered from these joint programs has helped U.S. intelligence and counter-terrorism services track down terrorists looking to do harm to the American homeland and/or U.S. embassies in the Mideast, Europe, and elsewhere.</p> <p>Moreover, security cooperation with NATO has allowed the United States to maintain a robust presence in Eastern Europe. The value of such an arrangement cannot be quantified. It&#8217;s priceless. By stationing military assets, weapons, and resources along Eastern Europe&#8217;s border with Russia, the United States is able to respond quickly and effectively to any threats that may emerge from Moscow. If at any point, Russia decides to deploy missiles or launch bombs against the U.S., it&#8217;s the U.S. personnel planted in Eastern Europe that would be activated to react instantly. While the threat of nuclear war with the Russians may seem remote, it&#8217;s still a possibility. It was a only a couple of decades ago when Americans feared nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Russians. The Cold War may be over, but Russia&#8217;s Cold War mentality never died. To this day, Russia still enjoys one of the largest nuclear stockpiles in the world. As 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stated during a debate with denialist President Obama, Russia is still America&#8217;s number one &#8220;geopolitical foe.&#8221;</p> <p>In the near-term, Russia poses a threat to NATO partners in Eastern Europe. In other words, Russia may be a threat to U.S. military assets stationed in Eastern European countries. In response to Russia&#8217;s growing ambitions and desire to reassert control over former Soviet satellite states, the U.S. is doubling down on defensive technology in Eastern Europe.</p> <p>Over the last year, the U.S. has poured millions into an <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/05/18/478414178/u-s-enlarges-its-military-footprint-in-eastern-europe-to-mixed-reviews" type="external">SM-3 Block IIA missile delivery system in Romania</a> as a deterrent against any possible incoming Russian missiles.</p> <p>In January, the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-russia-idUSKBN14Q1VC" type="external">U.S. deployed thousands of tanks, artillery vehicles, and troops to Poland</a> as part of ongoing training exercises with NATO allies, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic States.</p> <p>U.S. military brass takes the Russian threat seriously. So does NATO. But Trump hasn&#8217;t inspired much confidence in his commitment to the vital military alliance, especially given his disturbing remarks during the campaign trail about NATO being &#8220;obsolete.&#8221;</p> <p>In April, Trump <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/international/330245-trump-didnt-know-much-about-nato-when-he-called-it-obsolete-report" type="external">cited ignorance</a> as a justification for deriding NATO&#8217;s necessity in the modern, post-Cold War era, seemingly walking back his remarks on the campaign trail.</p> <p>&#8220;They had a quote from me that NATO's obsolete. But they didn't say why it was obsolete. I was on Wolf Blitzer, very fair interview, the first time I was ever asked about NATO, because I wasn't in government. People don't go around asking about NATO if I'm building a building in Manhattan, right?&#8221; Trump <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/international/330245-trump-didnt-know-much-about-nato-when-he-called-it-obsolete-report" type="external">told</a> the Associated Press, adding:</p> <p>So they asked me, Wolf ... asked me about NATO, and I said two things. "NATO's obsolete" &#8212; not knowing much about NATO, now I know a lot about NATO &#8212; NATO is obsolete, and I said, "And the reason it's obsolete is because of the fact they don't focus on terrorism." You know, back when they did NATO, there was no such thing as terrorism.</p> <p>Earlier that month, Trump stood alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and self-corrected his misconception about the alliance not fighting against terrorism.</p> <p>&#8220;I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change and now they do fight terrorism,&#8221; said the president. &#8220;I said it was obsolete&#8230; It is not longer obsolete.&#8221;</p> <p>These words were music to the ears of NATO partners eager to hear something positive about the alliance. But on Thursday, Trump&#8217;s decision not to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the mutual defense pact essentially negated his supposed walk-back of NATO being &#8220;obsolete.&#8221; By not saying anything at all, he might have well have said once again that NATO was &#8220;obsolete.&#8221; Better yet, he might as well have sent an open invitation for Moscow to attack Eastern Europe.</p>

north atlantic treaty organizations nato article 5 mutual defense pact stating attack one attack lies heart alliances deterrence power enemies hostile west namely russia thursday president trump left question americas longstanding commitment article 5 open speculation doubt speech delivered socalled ceremony remembrance resolve trump refused explicitly reassert us commitment mutual defense nato partners washington posts karen attiah points omission unprecedented alas trump could even bring utter explicitly us supports article 5 remarks brussels every single us president done since harry truman 1949 notes attiah instead strengthening alliance age jihad russian aggression trump lectured european allies failure pay targeted two percent gdp fund alliance watch trump uses international platform demand years back payment time time trump fails recognize boardroom businessman world away pulpit diplomat pushing european partners honor two percent state gdp targets commendable goal trump american head state negotiate nittygritty financing behind closed doors private publicly calling nato allies money trump effectively undermines alliance whole particularly deterrent capabilities russian imperialism financial disputes internationally televised meetings allies sends wrong signals moscow make mistake kremlin monitors every nato meeting meticulously hoping rifts cracks indications weakness within alliance thursday kremlins dream came true without firm unequivocal explicitlystated commitment mutual defense russia given opening undoubtedly exploit last july daily wires ben shapiro explained perils quidproquo military partnership whole purpose nato deterrence attack one us attack us even trump consider whether defend estonia latvia lithuania matter poland czech republic casebycase basis dont say loud unless youre either stupid unworried signaling russia invade sovereign nations impunity ed morrissey hotair prone exaggeration wrote kind talk prospective commandersinchief mere academic political exercise actively dangerous isnt speculation wishful thinking russia already shown willingness carry imperial ambitions colonizing sovereign ukrainian territory crimea turning embattled syria personal playground indiscriminate slaughter russian president vladimir putin appears keen resurrecting soviet empire displacing united states superpower putins unchecked tsarist impulses undermine us interests abroad national security home weve already seen emboldened russia willing terms cyberwar fare harboring edward snowden exploiting compromising documents released pertaining us national security attempting interfere us electoral process hacking american persons institutions russia long term biggest existential threat america trump continues along trajectory would almost certainly continue cede ground vladimir putin ukraine also moldova georgia shapiro presciently stated last year article national review trump would pressure nato allies pick defense burden already vowed nato allies would decline putin would begin threatening estonia latvia attempt break nato trump would almost nothing response clear natos overall value quantified dollars cents worth noting time article 5 ever triggered islamist terrorists attacked world trade center 911 without hesitation apprehension nato allies lined join us war terror dispatching troops afghanistan effort root alqaeda safe havens thanks nato us enjoys active intelligencesharing platform european allies invaluable information gathered joint programs helped us intelligence counterterrorism services track terrorists looking harm american homeland andor us embassies mideast europe elsewhere moreover security cooperation nato allowed united states maintain robust presence eastern europe value arrangement quantified priceless stationing military assets weapons resources along eastern europes border russia united states able respond quickly effectively threats may emerge moscow point russia decides deploy missiles launch bombs us us personnel planted eastern europe would activated react instantly threat nuclear war russians may seem remote still possibility couple decades ago americans feared nuclear annihilation hands russians cold war may russias cold war mentality never died day russia still enjoys one largest nuclear stockpiles world 2012 republican presidential candidate mitt romney stated debate denialist president obama russia still americas number one geopolitical foe nearterm russia poses threat nato partners eastern europe words russia may threat us military assets stationed eastern european countries response russias growing ambitions desire reassert control former soviet satellite states us doubling defensive technology eastern europe last year us poured millions sm3 block iia missile delivery system romania deterrent possible incoming russian missiles january us deployed thousands tanks artillery vehicles troops poland part ongoing training exercises nato allies germany bulgaria romania baltic states us military brass takes russian threat seriously nato trump hasnt inspired much confidence commitment vital military alliance especially given disturbing remarks campaign trail nato obsolete april trump cited ignorance justification deriding natos necessity modern postcold war era seemingly walking back remarks campaign trail quote natos obsolete didnt say obsolete wolf blitzer fair interview first time ever asked nato wasnt government people dont go around asking nato im building building manhattan right trump told associated press adding asked wolf asked nato said two things natos obsolete knowing much nato know lot nato nato obsolete said reason obsolete fact dont focus terrorism know back nato thing terrorism earlier month trump stood alongside nato secretarygeneral jens stoltenberg selfcorrected misconception alliance fighting terrorism complained long time ago made change fight terrorism said president said obsolete longer obsolete words music ears nato partners eager hear something positive alliance thursday trumps decision reaffirm us commitment mutual defense pact essentially negated supposed walkback nato obsolete saying anything might well said nato obsolete better yet might well sent open invitation moscow attack eastern europe

<p /> <p>"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" The Pretribulation Rapture. NTEB has started a series making the historical and biblical case for the existience of the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church. We believe it is stated time and time again in the bible, in no uncertain terms, and we are proud to take a stand to defend this exciting End Times Bible prophecy. Does the bible teach a Pretribulation Rapture? Yes, we believe it does, and present evidence for proof of a Pretribulation Rapture. It Is Written "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&amp;amp;c=3" type="external">Revelation 3:10</a></p> <p>Scriptural Evidence for the Pretribulation Rapture This section is used by permission from <a href="http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pretribulation-rapture.html" type="external">RaptureReady.com</a> The Unknown Hour When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4). This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation (Dan 9:27).</p> <p>Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation. In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later. The Pretribulation Rapture: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb In Luke 12:36, the Word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Revelation 19:7-8, we read about the marriage itself. The marriage supper takes place before the marriage. According to Jewish custom, the marriage contract, which often includes a dowry, is drawn up first. The contract parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our Savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When it's time for the wedding, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced. She comes out to meet him, and then he takes her to his father's house. This precisely correlates with the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus, the Groom, comes down from heaven and calls up the Church, His Bride. After meeting in the air, He and His Bride return to His Father's house, heaven. The marriage supper itself will take place there, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation will be playing out. After the marriage supper of Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This corresponds to the time when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev 19:14). The Pretribulation Rapture: What They Didn't Teach You in History Class Many groups try to discredit the pre-trib rapture by saying most of the end-time events in the Bible have already taken place. A group of people called preterists claims that the Book of Revelation was mostly fulfilled by 70 AD. If the events described in the Book of Revelation took place in the past, I'm at a loss to explain some of the current situations I see around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100-pound hailstones fell from the sky, and the sea turned into blood (Rev 8:7-8, 16:21). I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre-trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred. The Pretribulation Rapture: The Time of Jacob's Trouble In several passages, the Bible refers to the tribulation as a time of trouble for the Jews. The phrase "Jacob's trouble" pertains to the descendants of Jacob. Jeremiah 30:7 says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people. The final week of Daniel's 70th week is yet to take place. An angel told Daniel that, "70 weeks are determined unto thy people" (Dan 9:24). Scripture never mentions that the tribulation is meant to be a time of testing for Christians. However, some post-tribbers try to claim that they are the ones being tested during the tribulation. To make this so, they need to spiritualize the 144,000 Jewish believers in Revelation 7:2-8 who receive God's protective seal. Placing the Church dispensation into the same time frame as the seven-year Jewish dispensation, as the post-tribbers do, raises one good question: Can two dispensations transpire at the same time? In the past, God has only dealt with one at a time. Having both present during the tribulation would have to be an exception. The Pretribulation Rapture: God Hath Not Appointed Us to Wrath In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. This wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers interpret this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning that God will protect Christians during the tribulation and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Revelation 13:7, in which the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of being protected from the guns and swords of that day. Today, when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's impossible to expect that same kind of protection. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during World War II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic church. Everyone who was in the center of the explosion died--both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath is by viewing 1 Thessalonians 5:9 as the bodily removal of the Church from this world. The Pretribulation Rapture: Noah and Lot as Examples The tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus in Luke 17:28. Most people argue over whether the time frame Jesus was talking about in that passage was pre-trib or post-trib. In doing so, they miss an important point. The two circumstances that the Noah and Lot situations have in common are the removal of the righteous and the judgment of the unbelievers. From these two accounts, we see that God prefers to remove His own when danger is involved. <a href="javascript:;" type="external">source - Rapture Ready</a></p> <p>The Pretribulation Rapture: The Unknown Hour</p> <p>When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4). This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation (Dan 9:27). Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation.</p> <p>In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later.</p> It Is Written click here

things begin come pass look lift heads redemption draweth nigh pretribulation rapture nteb started series making historical biblical case existience pretribulation rapture church believe stated time time bible uncertain terms proud take stand defend exciting end times bible prophecy bible teach pretribulation rapture yes believe present evidence proof pretribulation rapture written thou hast kept word patience also keep thee hour temptation shall come upon world try dwell upon earth revelation 310 scriptural evidence pretribulation rapture section used permission rapturereadycom unknown hour search scriptures read passages describing lord jesus return find verses tell us wont know day hour event matthew 2513 says jesus return unknown time revelation 126 indicates jews wait lord 1260 days starting antichrist stands temple god declares god 2 thes 24 event take place midpoint sevenyear tribulation dan 927 note people see threeandahalfyear tribulation way correct first half tribulation relatively peaceful compared second half nonetheless peaceful still remains sevenyear period called tribulation jews flee wilderness know wait 1260 days mat 2416 way apply phrase neither day hour situation way two viewpoints true separate two distinct events transpiring 1 rapture church comes tribulation 2 return jesus earth takes place roughly seven years later pretribulation rapture marriage supper lamb luke 1236 word states christ returns returning wedding revelation 1978 read marriage marriage supper takes place marriage according jewish custom marriage contract often includes dowry drawn first contract parallels act faith use trust jesus savior dowry life used purchase us time wedding groom goes brides house unannounced comes meet takes fathers house precisely correlates events according pretrib scenario jesus groom comes heaven calls church bride meeting air bride return fathers house heaven marriage supper take place earth final events tribulation playing marriage supper jewish tradition bride groom presented world man wife corresponds time jesus returns earth accompanied army clothed fine linen white clean rev 1914 pretribulation rapture didnt teach history class many groups try discredit pretrib rapture saying endtime events bible already taken place group people called preterists claims book revelation mostly fulfilled 70 ad events described book revelation took place past im loss explain current situations see around us rebirth israel reunification europe number global wars occurred development nuclear weapons history class must slept part teacher talked time third trees burned 100pound hailstones fell sky sea turned blood rev 878 1621 think several people would question opposition pretrib rapture doctrine knew evidence provided based understanding tribulation prophecies already occurred pretribulation rapture time jacobs trouble several passages bible refers tribulation time trouble jews phrase jacobs trouble pertains descendants jacob jeremiah 307 says time trouble come lord returns save people final week daniels 70th week yet take place angel told daniel 70 weeks determined unto thy people dan 924 scripture never mentions tribulation meant time testing christians however posttribbers try claim ones tested tribulation make need spiritualize 144000 jewish believers revelation 728 receive gods protective seal placing church dispensation time frame sevenyear jewish dispensation posttribbers raises one good question two dispensations transpire time past god dealt one time present tribulation would exception pretribulation rapture god hath appointed us wrath 1 thessalonians 59 paul assures us god appointed people wrath wrath plainly gods anger poured tribulation pretrib believers interpret meaning christians removed earth posttrib believers tell different story describe meaning god protect christians tribulation pour wrath unbelievers idea runs statement made revelation 137 antichrist given power make war saints overcome posttrib view would make gods promise protection wrath lie years past possible think protected guns swords day today major war would involve nuclear chemical weapons impossible expect kind protection nagasaki japan bombed world war ii bomb exploded catholic church everyone center explosion diedboth christians nonchristians way validly interpret gods promise protection wrath viewing 1 thessalonians 59 bodily removal church world pretribulation rapture noah lot examples tribulation period compared times noah lot jesus luke 1728 people argue whether time frame jesus talking passage pretrib posttrib miss important point two circumstances noah lot situations common removal righteous judgment unbelievers two accounts see god prefers remove danger involved source rapture ready pretribulation rapture unknown hour search scriptures read passages describing lord jesus return find verses tell us wont know day hour event matthew 2513 says jesus return unknown time revelation 126 indicates jews wait lord 1260 days starting antichrist stands temple god declares god 2 thes 24 event take place midpoint sevenyear tribulation dan 927 note people see threeandahalfyear tribulation way correct first half tribulation relatively peaceful compared second half nonetheless peaceful still remains sevenyear period called tribulation jews flee wilderness know wait 1260 days mat 2416 way apply phrase neither day hour situation way two viewpoints true separate two distinct events transpiring 1 rapture church comes tribulation 2 return jesus earth takes place roughly seven years later written click

<p>The entire oil industry has been punished by the stock market over the past few years, and oil and gas producers such as&amp;#160;ConocoPhillips&amp;#160;(NYSE: COP) have been hit even harder than integrated majors like&amp;#160;ExxonMobil&amp;#160;(NYSE: XOM).</p> <p>But ConocoPhillips has been working overtime to right the ship, and its stock has been trending higher. Here are three charts to show where the company stands today.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>In late March, Conoco announced it had sold <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/27/3-things-you-didnt-know-about-conocophillips.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">many of its low-margin Canadian assets Opens a New Window.</a> to Canadian oil and gas company&amp;#160;Cenovus&amp;#160;for $13.3 billion. It planned to use the proceeds to reduce its overall debt load to $20 billion and to double its share-repurchase authorization to $6 billion.</p> <p>Conoco followed up its Cenovus sale with the sale of its San Juan Basin assets for an additional $3 billion in mid-April. The two sales together favorably altered the company's overall assets:</p> <p>The transactions, naturally, lowered the company's overall production from about 1.5 million barrels of oil equivalents per day to around 1.1 million to 1.2 million boe/d. It also lowers the amount of the company's reserves. But it's giving the company a more favorable product mix, as the company reduces the percentage of its bitumen production and ups its percentage of oil.</p> <p>Critically, though, the asset sales also allow the company to lower its adjusted operating costs from $6 billion to $5.3 billion. Lowering operating costs is crucial to being able to turn a profit in this era of low oil prices, but until Q2 2017, Conoco <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/05/03/conocophillips-stock-drops-on-adjusted-q1-2017-los.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">hadn't reported positive quarterly earnings Opens a New Window.</a> since 2015. We can hope these changes mean that the positive quarterly earnings will continue and not be a one-time occurrence.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>ConocoPhillips' stock has performed comparatively well over the past year, but that's primarily due to the big asset sale in March. The debt and operating cost reductions from the transactions are significant, not to mention the flexibility it allows the company in buying back shares.</p> <p>So let's look at a chart of Conoco's return on capital employed. This tells us how well Conoco's management is doing at deploying the company's (and its investors') cash effectively:</p> <p>Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Both Conoco's and Exxon's returns on capital employed have taken a big hit since oil prices peaked in 2014. However, Exxon has at least managed to keep its returns positive since then. Of course, Exxon has profitable downstream operations to fall back on while Conoco does not. Conoco struggled to do so in 2016 but seems to be on an uptrend. Still, its returns on capital on a trailing-12-month basis are negative, which should make investors wary.</p> <p>An oil company's returns, though, are a function of oil price and production costs. Conoco claims its average cost of supply is now $35/barrel. You'd think that would yield spectacular returns, even with oil hovering around $50/barrel. But unfortunately, it doesn't give the whole picture; this chart does:</p> <p>So there's a lot going on in this chart; let's break it down. The average cost of production is indeed $35/barrel (the brightly colored lines in the left-hand graph), but you need to add a $5-$15 burden -- cost adjustments including overhead (the dim lines in the left-hand graph) -- to get to the true cost of supply, which can be as high as about $50/barrel.</p> <p>The company estimates it will earn a 30% return with oil prices at $50/barrel, and at $60/barrel or even $65/barrel, the returns would be even higher (although the costs will increase correspondingly as shown in the right-hand graph).</p> <p>What the graph conveniently ignores, however, is the possibility that oil prices will drop. In June and July, for example, the average price of Brent Crude was below $50/barrel -- even hitting $45/barrel at one point. If oil were to drop to, say, $40/barrel, the company might be able to cut some costs a bit further, but like the limbo, there's a limit to how low one can go.</p> <p>Conoco has made some big strides in improving its operations. Notably, it finally posted positive quarterly earnings in Q2 2017. But it has struggled to earn a decent return on its capital for investors and still has a substantial debt load.&amp;#160;And while its cost cutting moves have placed it in a much better financial position if oil prices increase, it's unclear how well the company will be able to manage itself if they don't.</p> <p>In short, things are looking up for ConocoPhillips, and investors convinced of an impending oil recovery may want to take this opportunity to buy the stock and take advantage of potential share buybacks. However, before declaring it a definite buy, I'd like to see at least a few consecutive quarters of positive net income to prove Q2 2017 isn't just a fluke.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than ConocoPhillipsWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=b8fbe131-8f94-45c2-8cad-6bc153aadc3d&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and ConocoPhillips wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=b8fbe131-8f94-45c2-8cad-6bc153aadc3d&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of July 6, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTruth2Power/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">John Bromels Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=32effee8-7231-11e7-8a54-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

entire oil industry punished stock market past years oil gas producers as160conocophillips160nyse cop hit even harder integrated majors like160exxonmobil160nyse xom conocophillips working overtime right ship stock trending higher three charts show company stands today continue reading late march conoco announced sold many lowmargin canadian assets opens new window canadian oil gas company160cenovus160for 133 billion planned use proceeds reduce overall debt load 20 billion double sharerepurchase authorization 6 billion conoco followed cenovus sale sale san juan basin assets additional 3 billion midapril two sales together favorably altered companys overall assets transactions naturally lowered companys overall production 15 million barrels oil equivalents per day around 11 million 12 million boed also lowers amount companys reserves giving company favorable product mix company reduces percentage bitumen production ups percentage oil critically though asset sales also allow company lower adjusted operating costs 6 billion 53 billion lowering operating costs crucial able turn profit era low oil prices q2 2017 conoco hadnt reported positive quarterly earnings opens new window since 2015 hope changes mean positive quarterly earnings continue onetime occurrence advertisement conocophillips stock performed comparatively well past year thats primarily due big asset sale march debt operating cost reductions transactions significant mention flexibility allows company buying back shares lets look chart conocos return capital employed tells us well conocos management deploying companys investors cash effectively oh mighty fallen conocos exxons returns capital employed taken big hit since oil prices peaked 2014 however exxon least managed keep returns positive since course exxon profitable downstream operations fall back conoco conoco struggled 2016 seems uptrend still returns capital trailing12month basis negative make investors wary oil companys returns though function oil price production costs conoco claims average cost supply 35barrel youd think would yield spectacular returns even oil hovering around 50barrel unfortunately doesnt give whole picture chart theres lot going chart lets break average cost production indeed 35barrel brightly colored lines lefthand graph need add 515 burden cost adjustments including overhead dim lines lefthand graph get true cost supply high 50barrel company estimates earn 30 return oil prices 50barrel 60barrel even 65barrel returns would even higher although costs increase correspondingly shown righthand graph graph conveniently ignores however possibility oil prices drop june july example average price brent crude 50barrel even hitting 45barrel one point oil drop say 40barrel company might able cut costs bit like limbo theres limit low one go conoco made big strides improving operations notably finally posted positive quarterly earnings q2 2017 struggled earn decent return capital investors still substantial debt load160and cost cutting moves placed much better financial position oil prices increase unclear well company able manage dont short things looking conocophillips investors convinced impending oil recovery may want take opportunity buy stock take advantage potential share buybacks however declaring definite buy id like see least consecutive quarters positive net income prove q2 2017 isnt fluke 10 stocks like better conocophillipswhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right conocophillips wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns july 6 2017 john bromels opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares exxonmobil motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>When you're ready to invest, you'll need to <a href="http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/broker/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">open a brokerage account Opens a New Window.</a> to place orders to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Two popular choices, Fidelity and Merrill Edge, offer a number of features that long-term investors can use to make investments inexpensively.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Fidelity and Merrill Edge both offer competitive trading commissions that enable their investors to buy and sell investments at low prices. Here's how their commission prices compare.</p> <p>Source: Company websites.</p> <p>As you can see, the differences in standard commission rates amount to just one dollar for stocks, options, and ETFs. Fidelity and Merrill Edge's rates differ markedly in mutual funds, but they both offer a wide selection of funds that do not carry any transaction fees, which narrows the gap between them.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Fidelity and Merrill Edge both maintain a list of funds that are no-transaction-fee (NTF), meaning that the brokerage does not charge a fee to buy or sell.</p> <p>Source: Company websites.</p> <p>NTF funds can substantially reduce the cost of trading for investors who use a lot of ETFs and mutual funds as part of their portfolio. Although Merrill Edge does not have any commission-free ETFs, it does offer 30 free trades to investors who maintain a minimum balance with the company. See Fool.com's comparison of <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/ira/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">special offers for IRAs Opens a New Window.</a> and <a href="http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/broker/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">ordinary brokerage accounts Opens a New Window.</a> to see if you qualify for bonuses and incentives.</p> <p>Fidelity requires a minimum account balance of $2,500 to open a new account. On the other hand, Merrill Edge offers no-minimum accounts, which may be advantageous for investors who want to start small. In either case, minimum initial deposits should not be particularly burdensome to individuals who are serious about investing.</p> <p>In either case, investors will need to have enough money to buy at least one share of a stock, ETF, or mutual fund to make a trade. Therefore, there are some practical limitations to "no-minimum" accounts.</p> <p>Much can be said about the trading platform offered by online discount brokers, but we don't have a particularly strong opinion either way. As a long-term investor, The Motley Fool prefers to invest for the long haul in mind, and thus the charting and other features of a trading platform are mostly irrelevant to us.</p> <p>Fidelity and Merrill Edge both offer trading platforms that can suit the needs of long-term investors. Frankly, it's mostly personal preference, anyway, so we'll let you be the judge on whether the look and feel of a trading platform is important to your process.</p> <p>As long-term investors, The Motley Fool practices and preaches the virtues of buy-and-hold investing. To us, trading platforms are just a means to an end. Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Fidelity's clients can trade on international markets in 25 different countries and in 16 currencies. Its customers can also trade <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/26/what-is-an-adr-you-need-to-know-before-buying-fore.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) Opens a New Window.</a>, which are effectively shares of a foreign stock that trade on American markets. The only downside is that international trading costs more at Fidelity; investors will pay a commission that varies based on the stock market.</p> <p>Merrill Edge customers can trade ADRs, but it does not allow for trading directly on a foreign stock exchange. Depending on whether or not you want to trade on international markets, this may be more or less important to you.</p> <p>As a general rule of thumb, investors benefit from having access to a wealth of research tools and opinions. Both Fidelity and Merrill Edge give their clients access to third-party research in addition to proprietary research and tools to make better investments. Fidelity offers a complete line of stock and fund screeners, in addition to third-party research from Thomson Reuters and S&amp;amp;P Capital IQ. Merrill Edge customers have similar access to screening tools, in addition to proprietary research from BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research.</p> <p>Fidelity and Merrill Edge's customers think highly of their mobile apps. Here's how each brokers' users and clients rated their mobile capabilities on iOS and Android (as of 12/05/2016).</p> <p>Source: Relevant app stores.</p> <p>Whether you invest in funds or individual stocks, you can find plenty to like about Fidelity and Merrill Edge's low-cost commissions, access to research, and highly rated mobile apps. Truly, long-term investors will find that either broker can meet their most basic needs, and then some.</p> <p>But to be clear: The Motley Fool does not endorse any particular broker. Visit <a href="http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/broker/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Fool.com's Broker Center Opens a New Window.</a> to quickly compare and contrast brokerages by key features like minimum account sizes and commission costs. The Broker Center is frequently updated with special offers from the leading discount brokers, including cash bonuses and commission-free trades for <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/ira/index.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">new or transferred IRA accounts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! 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youre ready invest youll need open brokerage account opens new window place orders buy sell stocks etfs mutual funds two popular choices fidelity merrill edge offer number features longterm investors use make investments inexpensively continue reading fidelity merrill edge offer competitive trading commissions enable investors buy sell investments low prices heres commission prices compare source company websites see differences standard commission rates amount one dollar stocks options etfs fidelity merrill edges rates differ markedly mutual funds offer wide selection funds carry transaction fees narrows gap advertisement fidelity merrill edge maintain list funds notransactionfee ntf meaning brokerage charge fee buy sell source company websites ntf funds substantially reduce cost trading investors use lot etfs mutual funds part portfolio although merrill edge commissionfree etfs offer 30 free trades investors maintain minimum balance company see foolcoms comparison special offers iras opens new window ordinary brokerage accounts opens new window see qualify bonuses incentives fidelity requires minimum account balance 2500 open new account hand merrill edge offers nominimum accounts may advantageous investors want start small either case minimum initial deposits particularly burdensome individuals serious investing either case investors need enough money buy least one share stock etf mutual fund make trade therefore practical limitations nominimum accounts much said trading platform offered online discount brokers dont particularly strong opinion either way longterm investor motley fool prefers invest long haul mind thus charting features trading platform mostly irrelevant us fidelity merrill edge offer trading platforms suit needs longterm investors frankly mostly personal preference anyway well let judge whether look feel trading platform important process longterm investors motley fool practices preaches virtues buyandhold investing us trading platforms means end image source getty images fidelitys clients trade international markets 25 different countries 16 currencies customers also trade american depositary receipts adrs opens new window effectively shares foreign stock trade american markets downside international trading costs fidelity investors pay commission varies based stock market merrill edge customers trade adrs allow trading directly foreign stock exchange depending whether want trade international markets may less important general rule thumb investors benefit access wealth research tools opinions fidelity merrill edge give clients access thirdparty research addition proprietary research tools make better investments fidelity offers complete line stock fund screeners addition thirdparty research thomson reuters sampp capital iq merrill edge customers similar access screening tools addition proprietary research bofa merrill lynch global research fidelity merrill edges customers think highly mobile apps heres brokers users clients rated mobile capabilities ios android 12052016 source relevant app stores whether invest funds individual stocks find plenty like fidelity merrill edges lowcost commissions access research highly rated mobile apps truly longterm investors find either broker meet basic needs clear motley fool endorse particular broker visit foolcoms broker center opens new window quickly compare contrast brokerages key features like minimum account sizes commission costs broker center frequently updated special offers leading discount brokers including cash bonuses commissionfree trades new transferred ira accounts opens new window secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window

<p>Hannity had a two word answer today to those asking why the security guard didn&#8217;t show up: &#8220;he canceled&#8221;</p> <p>Law enforcement is all over the place with the timelines of the incident. The FBI has kept the entire case under wraps and the corporate media has been completely uninterested in getting to the bottom of the case.</p> <p>Frustrating things further, law enforcement still has yet to show what the motive was behind this mass shooting, nearly two weeks later. <a href="" type="internal">Stephen Paddock is now the most invisible mass murderer ever.</a></p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p><a href="" type="internal">&amp;lt;img class="aligncenter wp-image-148018 size-full" src="https://cdn.spartareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stephen-Paddock-wife-Marilou-Danley_picture.jpg" alt="Stephen Paddock's Girlfriend" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://cdn.spartareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stephen-Paddock-wife-Marilou-Danley_picture.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.spartareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stephen-Paddock-wife-Marilou-Danley_picture-357x201.jpg 357w, https://cdn.spartareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stephen-Paddock-wife-Marilou-Danley_picture-540x305.jpg 540w, https://cdn.spartareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stephen-Paddock-wife-Marilou-Danley_picture-757x425.jpg 757w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"&amp;gt;</a></p> <p>There have been rumors that <a href="" type="internal">Stephen Paddock&amp;#160;was radicalized by his Filipino girlfriend</a>, with ISIS claiming that he had converted to Islam a little over six months ago. They have been credible enough in their claims over these attacks that even <a href="" type="internal">a New York Times reporter detailed on Twitter why law enforcement and Washington DC</a> should take the claims made by ISIS seriously.</p> <p>The timeline has changed several times, in some instances quite drastically, from the early reports of the case.</p> <p>PolAgnostic has written several thought provoking pieces out over the last few days on the Las Vegas Shooting and <a href="" type="internal">the repeated changing of the story by law enforcement as more information leaked out</a>.</p> <p>Now the case has taken yet another turn, the security guard who was allegedly shot by Stephen Paddock, Jesus Campos, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/13/las-vegas-security-guard-jesus-campos-disappears-moments-before-tv-interviews.html" type="external">is now missing</a>.</p> <p>This disappearance happens after he scheduled five interviews to &#8220;tell his story&#8221; to the media.</p> <p>&#8220;We were in a room and we came out and he was gone,&#8221; Campos&#8217; union president told reporters, according to ABC News&#8217; Stephanie Wash.</p> <p>Campos is represented by the International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, which did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News earlier this week.</p> <p>Fox News&#8217; Sean Hannity tweeted out that Campos, who was scheduled to appear on &#8220;Hannity&#8221; Thursday night, &#8220;cancelled&#8221; his appearance.</p> <p>Little is known about Campos, with few pictures to emerge of the security guard and no apparent online footprint surfacing to provide details about one of the central figures in the mass shooting.</p> <p>SPFPA President David L. Hickey told reporters new information about the timeline of the attack &#8212; for which Las Vegas Police and MGM Resorts have given conflicting accounts &#8211; doesn&#8217;t dispute Campos is still a hero for saving a maintenance worker and possibly stopping additional shots, Wash reported.</p> <p>Mandalay Bay&#8217;s owners, MGM Resorts, issued a statement on Thursday in order to &#8220;correct some of the misinformation that has been reported:</p> <p>&#8220;We know that shots were being fired at the festival lot at the same time as, or within 40 seconds after, the time Jesus Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Metro officers were together with armed Mandalay Bay security officers in the building when Campos first reported that shots were fired over the radio. These Metro officers and armed Mandalay Bay security officers immediately responded to the 32nd floor.&#8221;</p> <p>In the most recent police timeline, provided Monday, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said Paddock fired about 200 bullets from his room at the resort starting at 9:59 p.m. on Oct. 1 &#8212; the volley in which Campos was hit &#8212; and then began opening fire on the music festival crowd six minutes later.</p> <p>Police had earlier said the opposite &#8211; that Campos was struck after Paddock started firing out the window.</p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>He began working for Mandalay Bay on June 30th, 2017:</p> <p /> <p><a href="" type="internal">Breaking: Las Vegas Police Captain Disappears Update: Possible Mandalay Bay link?&#8230;</a></p> <p>Several journalists say that the family and security guard are being silenced under a gag order from law enforcement:</p> <p /> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>A commenter noted the new remarks:</p> <p>The latest version has Campos responding at 9:59 to an open fire door alarm on the stairwell fire door on floor 32 (the shooters room was on one end of the 32nd floor hallway immediately adjacent to the stairwell and fire door).</p> <p>Campos apparently arrived on 32 via that stairwell, and was unable to enter the 32nd floor due to the suspect having physically barricaded the door (there have been reports he drilled the door and bolted / screwed it shut in order to lessen his vulnerability to approach by LE).</p> <p>Campos then had to go up or down at least one floor and make his way to the 32nd floor hallway by returning on the elevator or the stairwell at the opposite end of the hall.</p> <p>This supposedly explains what Campos was doing between 9:59 and his arrival back on 32 at approximately 10:04, when he was allegedly shot by Paddock, who then allegedly began the mass shooting at 10:05.</p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>&amp;#160;</p> <p>According to the union president for Jesus Campos, David Hickey, Campos himself requested the interviews with the media to &#8220;tell his story.&#8221;</p> <p>After Jesus Campos vanished right before he was to go on the air with his first interview, David Hickey claimed to the press that he didn&#8217;t know where the worker he represented was, stating &#8220;Right now I&#8217;m just concerned where my member is, and what his condition is. It&#8217;s highly unusual. I&#8217;m hoping everything is OK with him and I&#8217;m sure MGM or the union will let (media) know when we hear something.&#8221;</p> <p>Later that evening, he received a text message, saying <a href="http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/36587912/representative-for-security-guard-jesus-campos-speaks-out" type="external">Campos had checked into a &#8220;quick clinic.&#8221;</a></p> <p>Except that Fox News followed up with the Quick Care Clinic management and <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/16/las-vegas-guard-jesus-campos-vanished-after-visiting-urgent-care-clinic-union-leader-says.html" type="external">found that the security guard never checked in</a>:</p> <p>A spokesperson at the UMC Quick Care, which has eight locations throughout the Las Vegas area, told Fox News on Monday that they had &#8220;heard nothing&#8221; about Campos visiting them.</p> <p>The security guard for Mandalay Bay, Jesus Campos, is still missing with his whereabouts still shrouded in mystery.</p> <p>Update: the photo used for the article has been corrected</p>

hannity two word answer today asking security guard didnt show canceled law enforcement place timelines incident fbi kept entire case wraps corporate media completely uninterested getting bottom case frustrating things law enforcement still yet show motive behind mass shooting nearly two weeks later stephen paddock invisible mass murderer ever 160 ltimg classaligncenter wpimage148018 sizefull srchttpscdnspartareportcomwpcontentuploads201710stephenpaddockwifemariloudanley_picturejpg altstephen paddocks girlfriend width1024 height576 srcsethttpscdnspartareportcomwpcontentuploads201710stephenpaddockwifemariloudanley_picturejpg 1024w httpscdnspartareportcomwpcontentuploads201710stephenpaddockwifemariloudanley_picture357x201jpg 357w httpscdnspartareportcomwpcontentuploads201710stephenpaddockwifemariloudanley_picture540x305jpg 540w httpscdnspartareportcomwpcontentuploads201710stephenpaddockwifemariloudanley_picture757x425jpg 757w sizesmaxwidth 1024px 100vw 1024pxgt rumors stephen paddock160was radicalized filipino girlfriend isis claiming converted islam little six months ago credible enough claims attacks even new york times reporter detailed twitter law enforcement washington dc take claims made isis seriously timeline changed several times instances quite drastically early reports case polagnostic written several thought provoking pieces last days las vegas shooting repeated changing story law enforcement information leaked case taken yet another turn security guard allegedly shot stephen paddock jesus campos missing disappearance happens scheduled five interviews tell story media room came gone campos union president told reporters according abc news stephanie wash campos represented international union security police fire professionals america respond requests comment fox news earlier week fox news sean hannity tweeted campos scheduled appear hannity thursday night cancelled appearance little known campos pictures emerge security guard apparent online footprint surfacing provide details one central figures mass shooting spfpa president david l hickey told reporters new information timeline attack las vegas police mgm resorts given conflicting accounts doesnt dispute campos still hero saving maintenance worker possibly stopping additional shots wash reported mandalay bays owners mgm resorts issued statement thursday order correct misinformation reported know shots fired festival lot time within 40 seconds time jesus campos first reported shots fired radio statement said metro officers together armed mandalay bay security officers building campos first reported shots fired radio metro officers armed mandalay bay security officers immediately responded 32nd floor recent police timeline provided monday clark county sheriff joe lombardo said paddock fired 200 bullets room resort starting 959 pm oct 1 volley campos hit began opening fire music festival crowd six minutes later police earlier said opposite campos struck paddock started firing window 160 160 began working mandalay bay june 30th 2017 breaking las vegas police captain disappears update possible mandalay bay link several journalists say family security guard silenced gag order law enforcement 160 160 commenter noted new remarks latest version campos responding 959 open fire door alarm stairwell fire door floor 32 shooters room one end 32nd floor hallway immediately adjacent stairwell fire door campos apparently arrived 32 via stairwell unable enter 32nd floor due suspect physically barricaded door reports drilled door bolted screwed shut order lessen vulnerability approach le campos go least one floor make way 32nd floor hallway returning elevator stairwell opposite end hall supposedly explains campos 959 arrival back 32 approximately 1004 allegedly shot paddock allegedly began mass shooting 1005 160 160 according union president jesus campos david hickey campos requested interviews media tell story jesus campos vanished right go air first interview david hickey claimed press didnt know worker represented stating right im concerned member condition highly unusual im hoping everything ok im sure mgm union let media know hear something later evening received text message saying campos checked quick clinic except fox news followed quick care clinic management found security guard never checked spokesperson umc quick care eight locations throughout las vegas area told fox news monday heard nothing campos visiting security guard mandalay bay jesus campos still missing whereabouts still shrouded mystery update photo used article corrected

<p>If you're one of the millions of Americans diagnosed with diabetes,&amp;#160;large pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX) has good news for you. There's something you can do that will make you healthier. It could even make you wealthier, too.</p> <p>Sound too good to be true? It's not. In fact, following this one simple step can do wonders for your health and your pocketbook. What is this amazing thing? Take your diabetes meds as prescribed. Here's what Express Scripts' research revealed about the benefits of simply taking your prescription drugs when you should.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>If you have diabetes, you're at increased risk for several other conditions and complications. These other complications and conditions can include&amp;#160;high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blindness, diabetic foot pain, nerve pain, and chronic kidney disease.</p> <p>Diabetes and other related issues can make you more likely to go to the emergency room and be admitted to a hospital. Express Scripts found that diabetes patients are three times more likely to be admitted to a hospital and 1.6 times more likely to visit an ER.</p> <p>There have been previous studies that showed non-adherence to diabetes medications increased the number of inpatient admissions and ER visits. Express Scripts' study reinforced this prior research. On average, diabetes patients who didn't take their medications had 1.5 times higher ER visit costs than those who were adherent to their prescriptions. Inpatient costs were 1.6 times higher for non-adherent diabetes patients.</p> <p>Nearly 85% of diabetic patients are prescribed oral medications, with almost seven in 10 diabetic patients taking only these oral drugs. Most people (close to four in five) are prescribed metformin. A smaller percentage of patients take newer diabetes drugs such as Merck's (NYSE: MRK) Januvia and Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson's (NYSE: JNJ) Invokana. The problem is that too many patients are prescribed these drugs but don't take them like they should.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Express Scripts reported that only 63% of all commercially insured adults 20 years or older who were prescribed oral diabetes medications were adherent to their drug regimen. Yep, nearly four out of 10 diabetes patients didn't take their meds, even though taking the drugs should keep them healthier and out of the hospital.</p> <p>Two groups of diabetes patients were particularly less likely to take their meds as they should: younger adults and women. Express Scripts found that less than half of individuals between the ages of 20 and 44 remained adherent to their prescriptions. Around two-thirds of diabetes patients ages 45 to 64 and nearly three-quarters of those aged 65 and over were adherent. For all age groups, women were less likely than men to take their diabetes meds as prescribed.</p> <p>Since diabetes medications are intended to control the effects of the disease, it only makes sense that taking them as directed should keep patients healthier. But what about wealthier?</p> <p>It's true that many diabetes drugs are costly, both to payers and to patients. Valeant Pharmaceuticals' (NYSE: VRX) metformin product Glumetza can cost upwards of $5,000 for 100 tablets at the 500 mg dosage. Merck's Januvia can cost around $1,200 for 90 pills at the 100 mg dosage. J&amp;amp;J's Invokana can run more than $350 per month.</p> <p>However, if you have prescription drug coverage, whether through a private insurer or Medicare Part D or Medicaid, you won't have to pick up the tab all on your own. Also, much cheaper generic versions of metformin are available. Express Scripts even booted Valeant's Glumetza from its formulary in 2016 because of the high price tag in favor of generic alternatives.</p> <p>The important thing to know, though, is that taking your diabetes drugs can be less expensive overall than not taking them. Express Scripts found that non-adherent diabetes patients paid nearly $493 on average per person last year in out-of-pocket costs than those who took their meds as prescribed. Why? The costs to patients for those ER visits and in-patient hospital stays add up.</p> <p>Of course, Express Scripts, Merck, Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson, and other payers and diabetes drugmakers stand to become wealthier as well if adherence increases. Express Scripts gets paid more for increased prescription volume, while the big pharmaceutical companies would boost their product revenue.</p> <p>There were a couple of findings in the Express Scripts study that point to ways diabetes patients can be more adherent to their medication regimens. One is to get 90-day supplies of diabetes drugs. A much higher proportion of patients receiving 90-day supplies remained adherent than did those with 30-day supplies.</p> <p>The other group of patients that claimed higher adherence rates were those that used home-delivery pharmacy services. This makes sense: If you don't have to go out of your way to get your meds, you're probably more likely to take them.</p> <p>If you're currently on diabetes meds and are receiving 30-day supplies and/or going to a retail pharmacy to fill your prescriptions, changing to 90-day supplies and a home-delivery pharmacy could help you stay on course with taking your meds. There's one other thing you can do as well: Remember how taking those prescription drugs can make you healthier and wealthier. That should be pretty good motivation.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Express ScriptsWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=37f266a5-68a4-4d3a-bf84-4b34313fe6f2&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=b5c04732-8c27-11e7-ace6-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Express Scripts wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=37f266a5-68a4-4d3a-bf84-4b34313fe6f2&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=b5c04732-8c27-11e7-ace6-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of August 1, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=b5c04732-8c27-11e7-ace6-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Express Scripts. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson and Valeant Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool owns shares of Express Scripts. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=b5c04732-8c27-11e7-ace6-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

youre one millions americans diagnosed diabetes160large pharmacy benefits manager pbm express scripts nasdaq esrx good news theres something make healthier could even make wealthier sound good true fact following one simple step wonders health pocketbook amazing thing take diabetes meds prescribed heres express scripts research revealed benefits simply taking prescription drugs continue reading diabetes youre increased risk several conditions complications complications conditions include160high blood pressure high cholesterol blindness diabetic foot pain nerve pain chronic kidney disease diabetes related issues make likely go emergency room admitted hospital express scripts found diabetes patients three times likely admitted hospital 16 times likely visit er previous studies showed nonadherence diabetes medications increased number inpatient admissions er visits express scripts study reinforced prior research average diabetes patients didnt take medications 15 times higher er visit costs adherent prescriptions inpatient costs 16 times higher nonadherent diabetes patients nearly 85 diabetic patients prescribed oral medications almost seven 10 diabetic patients taking oral drugs people close four five prescribed metformin smaller percentage patients take newer diabetes drugs mercks nyse mrk januvia johnson amp johnsons nyse jnj invokana problem many patients prescribed drugs dont take like advertisement express scripts reported 63 commercially insured adults 20 years older prescribed oral diabetes medications adherent drug regimen yep nearly four 10 diabetes patients didnt take meds even though taking drugs keep healthier hospital two groups diabetes patients particularly less likely take meds younger adults women express scripts found less half individuals ages 20 44 remained adherent prescriptions around twothirds diabetes patients ages 45 64 nearly threequarters aged 65 adherent age groups women less likely men take diabetes meds prescribed since diabetes medications intended control effects disease makes sense taking directed keep patients healthier wealthier true many diabetes drugs costly payers patients valeant pharmaceuticals nyse vrx metformin product glumetza cost upwards 5000 100 tablets 500 mg dosage mercks januvia cost around 1200 90 pills 100 mg dosage jampjs invokana run 350 per month however prescription drug coverage whether private insurer medicare part medicaid wont pick tab also much cheaper generic versions metformin available express scripts even booted valeants glumetza formulary 2016 high price tag favor generic alternatives important thing know though taking diabetes drugs less expensive overall taking express scripts found nonadherent diabetes patients paid nearly 493 average per person last year outofpocket costs took meds prescribed costs patients er visits inpatient hospital stays add course express scripts merck johnson amp johnson payers diabetes drugmakers stand become wealthier well adherence increases express scripts gets paid increased prescription volume big pharmaceutical companies would boost product revenue couple findings express scripts study point ways diabetes patients adherent medication regimens one get 90day supplies diabetes drugs much higher proportion patients receiving 90day supplies remained adherent 30day supplies group patients claimed higher adherence rates used homedelivery pharmacy services makes sense dont go way get meds youre probably likely take youre currently diabetes meds receiving 30day supplies andor going retail pharmacy fill prescriptions changing 90day supplies homedelivery pharmacy could help stay course taking meds theres one thing well remember taking prescription drugs make healthier wealthier pretty good motivation 10 stocks like better express scriptswhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right express scripts wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns august 1 2017 keith speights opens new window owns shares express scripts motley fool owns shares recommends johnson amp johnson valeant pharmaceuticals motley fool owns shares express scripts motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>There's almost always a good reason behind the declines of any given stock, with some of the most common ranging from competitive pressures to industry headwinds, operational inefficiencies, and badly executed product launches.But not all declines are permanent, and sometimes betting on an underdog stock can mean reaping enormous profits.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>We asked three top Motley Fool contributors to each pick an underdog stock they're watching closely. Read on to see why they chose GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO), GameStop (NYSE: GME), and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD).</p> <p>IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx" type="external">Steve Symington Opens a New Window.</a> (GoPro): I last singled out GoProas an underdog stock <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/12/13/7-underdog-stocks-were-watching-closely.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">I was watching closely</a>three months ago, wondering at the time whether strong holiday-season sales would mark a turning point for the action-camera specialist.Unfortunately, GoPro solidified its underdog status last month, plunging more than 13% after announcing <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/02/02/gopro-drops-on-a-mixed-holiday-quarter-disappointi.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">mixed fourth-quarter 2016 results Opens a New Window.</a> and disappointing forward guidance.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Quarterly revenue climbed a solid 23.8% year over year, to $540.6 million, which was well below Wall Street's models for $574.5 million. But that also translated to adjusted net income of $42.4 million, or $0.29 per share, above analysts' consensus estimates for $0.22 per share.</p> <p>According to founder and CEO Nick Woodman, the reason for GoPro's top-line shortfall was previously disclosed production issues, which held back the initial launch of the company's new HERO5 Black camera last quarter. More specifically, Woodman said the initial scarcity of the product "had a knock-on effect, resulting in retailers canceling marketing support for the HERO5 Black Launch."</p> <p>Of course, it didn't help that this happened during the crucial holiday season. But GoPro has finally <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/01/05/gopro-is-ready-to-re-launch-its-karma-drone.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">re-launched its Karma drone Opens a New Window.</a> in limited quantities in the U.S. and told investors it anticipates expanding Karma's availability to international markets this spring.</p> <p>In addition, GoPro's recent restructuring efforts -- which included eliminating its entertainment division and cutting 15% of its staff -- should help the company reduce operating costs substantially in the coming year. So with GoPro stock currently trading near an all-time low, I'm still watching closely for any signs of a sustainable turnaround that might mark a bottom for this widely panned underdog stock.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/tmfditty/info.aspx?source=iapsitlnk0000002" type="external">Rich Smith Opens a New Window.</a>(GameStop): One underdog stock that I'm personally watching very closely is GameStop.I'm watching because I own it -- and no, I'm not happy about that.</p> <p>Once the biggest name in "gamer" retailing, GameStop stock has taken it on the chin these past couple of years, falling from a high of $47 a share to barely half that today. Why? Mainly because investors have worried that GameStop's entire business model -- of selling games on physical discs, and more importantly, of buying and reselling those same discs at huge margins -- will be made irrelevant as the gaming industry shifts to a model of direct sales of downloadable games from manufacturer to consumer.</p> <p>Manufacturer to consumer. You see who's left out of that equation? The middle man. GameStop.</p> <p>At one time, I thought these fears were overblown. Game manufacturers need GameStop to help hawk their wares, I thought, and consumers would be crazy to download a game for the same price as it cost to buy a physical disc -- especially when that disc could later be resold and money earned back, but the download couldn't be. And yet, GameStop's business does seem to be sagging under the digital threat, with sales down 3% last quarter, and earnings down 9%.</p> <p>Then late last month, Microsoftannounced a plan to begin renting games that appeared likely to cut GameStop out of the loop once and for all -- a development that initially <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/02/28/why-shares-of-gamestop-dropped-today.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">cratered GameStop stock Opens a New Window.</a> before it turned out that Microsoft was actually partnering with GameStop on the "Xbox Game Pass" initiative.</p> <p>All of this goes to show you why, even with GameStop stock selling for what seems a cheap price -- less than seven times earnings -- and paying a great dividend yield -- 6.2% -- I feel it's essential to keep on watching this stock closely. If there's a set it-and-forget it stock out there on the market today, GameStop, for certain, is not it.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx?source=iapsitlnk0000002" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a>(Gilead Sciences): It might seem strange to label a company with annual revenue of over $30 billion and earnings of $13.5 billion as an underdog, but that's exactly what I think ofGilead Sciences. The big biotech is perhaps the equivalent of a Great Dane kind of underdog.</p> <p>Gilead faces an unusual challenge: The company's incredible success has created problems. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs Sovaldi and Harvoni changed the landscape for the once-lifelong disease. So many patients were cured by Gilead's drugs that there aren't nearly as many sick patients left. As a result, the biotech's revenue and earnings are falling.</p> <p>It will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Gilead to make up for the declining profits from its HCV drugs with its existing products and pipeline. The biotech still has an enormously successful HIV drug franchise. Gilead also has a fast-growing new HCV drug with Epclusa, and is awaiting approval for another promising HCV treatment. And it has a pipeline with eight late-stage candidates. But all that isn't enough.</p> <p>Gilead needs to make one or more significant acquisitions. The good news is that the company's management knows it needs to do so. Even better news is that Gilead has ample cash to make deals happen.</p> <p>I'm watching the biotech closely with the expectation that at least one major buyout will be on the table this year. This underdog still has plenty of bark left in it.</p> <p>Find out why Gilead Sciences is one of the 10 best stocks to buy now</p> <p>Motley Fool co-founders Tom and David Gardner have spent more than a decade beating the market. (In fact, the newsletter they run, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market!*)</p> <p>Tom and David just revealed their ten top stock picks for investors to buy right now. Gilead Sciences <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0000450%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6313%26ftm_veh%3Darticle_pitch&amp;amp;impression=60d53f3a-5896-4ff9-9bff-acdbeefd0060&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">is on the list Opens a New Window.</a> -- but there are nine others you may be overlooking.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0000450%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6313%26ftm_veh%3Darticle_pitch&amp;amp;impression=60d53f3a-5896-4ff9-9bff-acdbeefd0060&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here to get access to the full list! Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017</p> <p>Teresa Kersten is an employee of LinkedIn and is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFFishBiz/info.aspx" type="external">Keith Speights Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Gilead Sciences. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDitty/info.aspx" type="external">Rich Smith Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of GameStop. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSymington/info.aspx" type="external">Steve Symington</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Gilead Sciences and GoPro. The Motley Fool has the following options: short April 2017 $28 puts on GameStop, short January 2019 $12 calls on GoPro, and long January 2019 $12 puts on GoPro. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

theres almost always good reason behind declines given stock common ranging competitive pressures industry headwinds operational inefficiencies badly executed product launchesbut declines permanent sometimes betting underdog stock mean reaping enormous profits continue reading asked three top motley fool contributors pick underdog stock theyre watching closely read see chose gopro nasdaq gpro gamestop nyse gme gilead sciences nasdaq gild image source getty images steve symington opens new window gopro last singled goproas underdog stock watching closelythree months ago wondering time whether strong holidayseason sales would mark turning point actioncamera specialistunfortunately gopro solidified underdog status last month plunging 13 announcing mixed fourthquarter 2016 results opens new window disappointing forward guidance advertisement quarterly revenue climbed solid 238 year year 5406 million well wall streets models 5745 million also translated adjusted net income 424 million 029 per share analysts consensus estimates 022 per share according founder ceo nick woodman reason gopros topline shortfall previously disclosed production issues held back initial launch companys new hero5 black camera last quarter specifically woodman said initial scarcity product knockon effect resulting retailers canceling marketing support hero5 black launch course didnt help happened crucial holiday season gopro finally relaunched karma drone opens new window limited quantities us told investors anticipates expanding karmas availability international markets spring addition gopros recent restructuring efforts included eliminating entertainment division cutting 15 staff help company reduce operating costs substantially coming year gopro stock currently trading near alltime low im still watching closely signs sustainable turnaround might mark bottom widely panned underdog stock rich smith opens new windowgamestop one underdog stock im personally watching closely gamestopim watching im happy biggest name gamer retailing gamestop stock taken chin past couple years falling high 47 share barely half today mainly investors worried gamestops entire business model selling games physical discs importantly buying reselling discs huge margins made irrelevant gaming industry shifts model direct sales downloadable games manufacturer consumer manufacturer consumer see whos left equation middle man gamestop one time thought fears overblown game manufacturers need gamestop help hawk wares thought consumers would crazy download game price cost buy physical disc especially disc could later resold money earned back download couldnt yet gamestops business seem sagging digital threat sales 3 last quarter earnings 9 late last month microsoftannounced plan begin renting games appeared likely cut gamestop loop development initially cratered gamestop stock opens new window turned microsoft actually partnering gamestop xbox game pass initiative goes show even gamestop stock selling seems cheap price less seven times earnings paying great dividend yield 62 feel essential keep watching stock closely theres set itandforget stock market today gamestop certain keith speights opens new windowgilead sciences might seem strange label company annual revenue 30 billion earnings 135 billion underdog thats exactly think ofgilead sciences big biotech perhaps equivalent great dane kind underdog gilead faces unusual challenge companys incredible success created problems hepatitis c virus hcv drugs sovaldi harvoni changed landscape oncelifelong disease many patients cured gileads drugs arent nearly many sick patients left result biotechs revenue earnings falling extremely difficult impossible gilead make declining profits hcv drugs existing products pipeline biotech still enormously successful hiv drug franchise gilead also fastgrowing new hcv drug epclusa awaiting approval another promising hcv treatment pipeline eight latestage candidates isnt enough gilead needs make one significant acquisitions good news companys management knows needs even better news gilead ample cash make deals happen im watching biotech closely expectation least one major buyout table year underdog still plenty bark left find gilead sciences one 10 best stocks buy motley fool cofounders tom david gardner spent decade beating market fact newsletter run motley fool stock advisor tripled market tom david revealed ten top stock picks investors buy right gilead sciences list opens new window nine others may overlooking click get access full list opens new window stock advisor returns february 6 2017 teresa kersten employee linkedin member motley fools board directors linkedin owned microsoft keith speights opens new window owns shares gilead sciences rich smith opens new window owns shares gamestop steve symington position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares recommends gilead sciences gopro motley fool following options short april 2017 28 puts gamestop short january 2019 12 calls gopro long january 2019 12 puts gopro motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Commonwealth Bank of Australia stands&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/03/commonwealth-bank-accused-of-money-laundering-and-terrorism-financing-breaches" type="external">accused</a>&amp;#160;by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) of a stupefying 53,700 violations of money laundering and counter-terrorism-financing laws, in which the financial institution failed to notify in a timely fashion &#8212; and, sometimes, not at all &#8212; transactions topping a mountainous A$77 million.</p> <p>As the case unfolds, it should be noted, each breach of the act carries a jaw-dropping potential penalty of A$18 million &#8212; meaning Commonwealth Bank could be slapped with an astonishing level of fines.</p> <p>Alleging &#8216;serious and systemic non-compliance&#8217; with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (AML/CTF Act), the regulator&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/08/03/commonwealth-bank-accused-of-staggering-money-laundering-breach_a_23062460/?ncid=fcbklnkauhpmg00000001" type="external">commenced</a>&amp;#160;civil penalties proceedings against CommBank on Thursday, after the tentative conclusion of an investigation &#8212; the heft of which focused on the bank&#8217;s use of intelligent deposit machines (IDMs) &#8212; revealed rampant&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/austrac-alleges-cba-in-serious-breach-of-money-laundering-act-20170803-gxoirw.html" type="external">breaches</a>&amp;#160;of the act, according to acting CEO Peter Clark.</p> <p>&#8220;The effect of CommBank&#8217;s conduct in this matter has exposed the Australian community to serious and ongoing financial crime,&#8221;&amp;#160;asserted AUSTRAC in a&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.austrac.gov.au/media/media-releases/austrac-seeks-civil-penalty-orders-against-cba" type="external">statement</a>.</p> <p>&#8220;Non-reporting of and late reporting both delays and hinders law enforcement efforts. Delays in this case have resulted in lost intelligence and evidence (including CCTV footage), further money laundering and lost proceeds of crime.&#8221;</p> <p /> <p>Bloomberg&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-03/commonwealth-bank-sued-over-alleged-money-laundering-breaches" type="external">notes</a>&amp;#160;of IDMs,&amp;#160;&#8220;Commonwealth Bank&#8217;s automated cash deposit machines, which allow anonymous deposits to recipient accounts that can then be funneled offshore or to other domestic accounts, Austrac said in documents lodged with the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday. The cash deposit machines were used by drug rings to move the proceeds of crime, the agency said [&#8230;]</p> <p>&#8220;The automated machines were introduced in May 2012, and the amount of cash flowing though them grew exponentially, the court documents say. In the six months to November 2012 about A$89.1 million was deposited. By May and June 2016 this had risen to more than A$1 billion per month. About A$8.9 billion in cash was put through the system before the bank conducted any assessment of the money laundering risk, Austrac said.&#8221;</p> <p>In this post-9/11 world, Western governments take seriously the tracking of larger banking transactions, under the premise that watching the money by moved terrorists and other high-level criminals through such institutions could stem the spread of violence. But machines like those at the center of the controversy make apparent avenues for significant anonymous banking indeed still exist &#8212; if skirting the lines of legality &#8212; or, at least, did until recently.</p> <p>Five money laundering syndicates opportuned CommBank&#8217;s IDMs, AUSTRAC claims, with just one drug case totaling A$21 million distributed across eleven separate accounts. Even an alert from the Australian Federal Police to the bank about multiple accounts used for illicit purposes failed to provoke a substantial response &#8212; with several tacitly permitted to continue operating afterward.</p> <p>Suspect accounts attempted to divert suspicion by keeping deposits small and inconspicuous, as well as by moving funds into offshore accounts.</p> <p>&#8220;CommBank permitted several of the accounts to remain open even after this time and further transactions occurred. Eight individuals have been charged with dealing in proceeds of crime, with 6 of these individuals already having been convicted,&#8221;&amp;#160;the&amp;#160;Guardian&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/03/commonwealth-bank-accused-of-money-laundering-and-terrorism-financing-breaches" type="external">reports</a>.</p> <p>&#8220;In another case,&#8221;&amp;#160;Bloomberg&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-03/commonwealth-bank-sued-over-alleged-money-laundering-breaches" type="external">continues</a>, the agency&amp;#160;&#8220;alleges A$20.6 million was deposited into 30 accounts, 29 of which were in fake names, which shortly after was transferred abroad. After the bank identified &#8216;repeated, suspicions and connected&#8217; patterns of cash deposits, it permitted a further approximately A$9.1 million to be transferred from these accounts to Hong Kong, Austrac said.&#8221;</p> <p>By&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/austrac-alleges-cba-in-serious-breach-of-money-laundering-act-20170803-gxoirw.html" type="external">statement</a>, cited by the&amp;#160;Sydney Morning Herald, CommBank contends,&amp;#160;&#8220;On an annual basis, we report over 4 million transactions to Austrac in an effort to identify and combat any suspicious activity as quickly and efficiently as we can.&#8221;</p> <p>Furthermore, Commonwealth Bank states,&amp;#160;&#8220;We have been in discussions with Austrac for an extended period and have cooperated fully with their requests. Over the same period we have worked to continuously improve our compliance and have kept Austrac abreast of those efforts, which will continue.&#8221;</p> <p>In this nascent stage, the outcome of this court proceeding would be impossible to foretell &#8212; but it wouldn&#8217;t be the only time recently the Australian regulator swiftly penalized such breaches: Gaming behemoth Tabcorp&amp;#160; <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/tabcorp-settles-money-laundering-case-for-45-million-20170215-gue3j1.html" type="external">settled</a>&amp;#160;with AUSTRAC for A$45 million over laundered funds in February.</p> <p>While the sheer breadth, scope, and sum totals surrounding this case are arguably unprecedented, that a major bank faces likely legal and financial fallout over allegations having little to do with ordinary customers &#8212; indeed, that the institution may be penalized for acts related to illicit substances and untaxed monies, rather than untenable fees and other wrongs &#8212; perhaps strips a layer of gilding from the staggering announcement.</p> <p>Precious few methods exist outside the black market wherein anonymous transactions aren&#8217;t a shady affair worthy of the State&#8217;s meticulous red flags &#8212; in fact, the proceedings against Commonwealth Bank make plain even Big Banks can&#8217;t escape the suffocating umbrella of Big Government.</p> <p>Courtesy of <a href="http://thefreethoughtproject.com/bank-laundering-money-drug-cartels/" type="external">The Free Thought Project</a></p> <p>Claire Bernish began writing as an independent, investigative journalist in 2015, with works published and republished around the world. Not one to hold back, Claire&#8217;s particular areas of interest include U.S. foreign policy, analysis of international affairs, and everything pertaining to transparency and thwarting censorship. To keep up with the latest uncensored news, follow her on&amp;#160; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/claire.s.bernish" type="external">Facebook</a>&amp;#160;or Twitter:&amp;#160; <a href="https://twitter.com/Subversive_Pen" type="external">@Subversive_Pen</a>.</p> <p /> <p />

commonwealth bank australia stands160 accused160by australian transaction reports analysis centre austrac stupefying 53700 violations money laundering counterterrorismfinancing laws financial institution failed notify timely fashion sometimes transactions topping mountainous a77 million case unfolds noted breach act carries jawdropping potential penalty a18 million meaning commonwealth bank could slapped astonishing level fines alleging serious systemic noncompliance antimoney laundering counterterrorism financing act 2006 amlctf act regulator160 commenced160civil penalties proceedings commbank thursday tentative conclusion investigation heft focused banks use intelligent deposit machines idms revealed rampant160 breaches160of act according acting ceo peter clark effect commbanks conduct matter exposed australian community serious ongoing financial crime160asserted austrac a160 statement nonreporting late reporting delays hinders law enforcement efforts delays case resulted lost intelligence evidence including cctv footage money laundering lost proceeds crime bloomberg160 notes160of idms160commonwealth banks automated cash deposit machines allow anonymous deposits recipient accounts funneled offshore domestic accounts austrac said documents lodged federal court sydney thursday cash deposit machines used drug rings move proceeds crime agency said automated machines introduced may 2012 amount cash flowing though grew exponentially court documents say six months november 2012 a891 million deposited may june 2016 risen a1 billion per month a89 billion cash put system bank conducted assessment money laundering risk austrac said post911 world western governments take seriously tracking larger banking transactions premise watching money moved terrorists highlevel criminals institutions could stem spread violence machines like center controversy make apparent avenues significant anonymous banking indeed still exist skirting lines legality least recently five money laundering syndicates opportuned commbanks idms austrac claims one drug case totaling a21 million distributed across eleven separate accounts even alert australian federal police bank multiple accounts used illicit purposes failed provoke substantial response several tacitly permitted continue operating afterward suspect accounts attempted divert suspicion keeping deposits small inconspicuous well moving funds offshore accounts commbank permitted several accounts remain open even time transactions occurred eight individuals charged dealing proceeds crime 6 individuals already convicted160the160guardian160 reports another case160bloomberg160 continues agency160alleges a206 million deposited 30 accounts 29 fake names shortly transferred abroad bank identified repeated suspicions connected patterns cash deposits permitted approximately a91 million transferred accounts hong kong austrac said by160 statement cited the160sydney morning herald commbank contends160on annual basis report 4 million transactions austrac effort identify combat suspicious activity quickly efficiently furthermore commonwealth bank states160we discussions austrac extended period cooperated fully requests period worked continuously improve compliance kept austrac abreast efforts continue nascent stage outcome court proceeding would impossible foretell wouldnt time recently australian regulator swiftly penalized breaches gaming behemoth tabcorp160 settled160with austrac a45 million laundered funds february sheer breadth scope sum totals surrounding case arguably unprecedented major bank faces likely legal financial fallout allegations little ordinary customers indeed institution may penalized acts related illicit substances untaxed monies rather untenable fees wrongs perhaps strips layer gilding staggering announcement precious methods exist outside black market wherein anonymous transactions arent shady affair worthy states meticulous red flags fact proceedings commonwealth bank make plain even big banks cant escape suffocating umbrella big government courtesy free thought project claire bernish began writing independent investigative journalist 2015 works published republished around world one hold back claires particular areas interest include us foreign policy analysis international affairs everything pertaining transparency thwarting censorship keep latest uncensored news follow on160 facebook160or twitter160 subversive_pen

<p /> <p>When people refer to "the stock market" being up or down, odds are they have merely heard that the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the S&amp;amp;P 500(SNPINDEX: ^GSPC)is up or down. If you want to be a successful investor, it's important to understand what such indexes really are and how they can help you invest better. Let's take a closer look at the S&amp;amp;P 500.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>The S&amp;amp;P 500 was launched in March of 1957, the year that West Side Story openedon Broadway and Paul McCartney metJohn Lennon. It originallyheld mostly industrial companies as well as some utilities and railroads. Financial companies were only added in the 1970s.</p> <p>Image source: Pixabay.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The S&amp;amp;P 500 has 500 component companies. As there are several thousand companies that are publicly traded in the U.S. market, 500 may not seem quite that significant. But get this -- they are 500 of the biggest companies in America and together, they make up about 80%of the overall market's value! Thus, as Standard &amp;amp; Poor's itself says, "The S&amp;amp;P 500 is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities." The top 10 holdings recently were Apple, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, Johnson &amp;amp; Johnson, Amazon.com, Facebook, Berkshire Hathaway, General Electric, JPMorgan Chase, and Google parent Alphabet.</p> <p>The S&amp;amp;P 500 index is the first U.S. market-cap-weighted index. The much older Dow Jones Industrial Average (which comprises just 30 companies), by contrast, is price-weighted. With a price-weighted index, the stocks with the highest prices will have the most influence, no matter how big or small the underlying company is. For example, Microsoft recently sported a share price near $60 and a market capitalization near $460 billion, while UnitedHealth Grouphad a share price near $150 and a market cap of $144 billion. Clearly, Microsoft is a much bigger company -- yet in a price-weighted system, UnitedHealth's stock moves would have more than twice the effect on the index as Microsoft's. The S&amp;amp;P 500, though, being market-cap-weighted, gives much more influence to Microsoft than UnitedHealth.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>You might assume that stock mutual funds managed by financial professionals who study stocks closely, deciding which to buy and sell, would perform better than simple index funds like those based on the S&amp;amp;P 500, which merely hold the same stocks as the index, with little decision-making required. You'd be wrong, though. Index funds tend to outperform actively managed funds. Indeed, accordingto Standard &amp;amp; Poor's, as of the end of June 2016, fully 87% of all domestic stock mutual funds underperformed the S&amp;amp;P 1500 Composite Index over the past 10 years. And 85% of large-cap stock funds underperformed the S&amp;amp;P 500.</p> <p>Given that so many managed stock funds can't beat the S&amp;amp;P 500, it's quite sensible to just invest in an S&amp;amp;P 500 index fund. None other than superinvestor Warren Buffett endorses that idea: He says that in his will, he offers these instructions for the money left for his wife: "Put 10% of the cash in short-term government bonds and 90% in a very low-cost S&amp;amp;P500 index fund. (I suggest Vanguard's.)" You can do so through many index funds from many fund companies -- just be sure to choose one with low fees, as there are very low fees to be found. One great choice is the theSPDR S&amp;amp;P 500 ETF Trust(NYSEMKT: SPY). It's an exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the S&amp;amp;P 500 that works much like a stock, letting you buy as many or as few shares as you want throughout the trading day. It recently traded for about $218 per share, sported a dividend yield of about 2%, and chargedjust 0.1% in annual fees.</p> <p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Longtime Fool specialist <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSelena/info.aspx" type="external">Selena Maranjian Opens a New Window.</a>, whom you can <a href="http://twitter.com/SelenaMaranjian" type="external">follow on Twitter Opens a New Window.</a>, ownsshares of Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), Facebook, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway (B shares), and Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil, General Electric, and Microsoft and has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson and Johnson and UnitedHealth Group. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

people refer stock market odds merely heard dow jones industrial average sampp 500snpindex gspcis want successful investor important understand indexes really help invest better lets take closer look sampp 500 continue reading image source getty images sampp 500 launched march 1957 year west side story openedon broadway paul mccartney metjohn lennon originallyheld mostly industrial companies well utilities railroads financial companies added 1970s image source pixabay advertisement sampp 500 500 component companies several thousand companies publicly traded us market 500 may seem quite significant get 500 biggest companies america together make 80of overall markets value thus standard amp poors says sampp 500 widely regarded best single gauge largecap us equities top 10 holdings recently apple microsoft exxonmobil johnson amp johnson amazoncom facebook berkshire hathaway general electric jpmorgan chase google parent alphabet sampp 500 index first us marketcapweighted index much older dow jones industrial average comprises 30 companies contrast priceweighted priceweighted index stocks highest prices influence matter big small underlying company example microsoft recently sported share price near 60 market capitalization near 460 billion unitedhealth grouphad share price near 150 market cap 144 billion clearly microsoft much bigger company yet priceweighted system unitedhealths stock moves would twice effect index microsofts sampp 500 though marketcapweighted gives much influence microsoft unitedhealth image source getty images might assume stock mutual funds managed financial professionals study stocks closely deciding buy sell would perform better simple index funds like based sampp 500 merely hold stocks index little decisionmaking required youd wrong though index funds tend outperform actively managed funds indeed accordingto standard amp poors end june 2016 fully 87 domestic stock mutual funds underperformed sampp 1500 composite index past 10 years 85 largecap stock funds underperformed sampp 500 given many managed stock funds cant beat sampp 500 quite sensible invest sampp 500 index fund none superinvestor warren buffett endorses idea says offers instructions money left wife put 10 cash shortterm government bonds 90 lowcost sampp500 index fund suggest vanguards many index funds many fund companies sure choose one low fees low fees found one great choice thespdr sampp 500 etf trustnysemkt spy exchangetraded fund etf based sampp 500 works much like stock letting buy many shares want throughout trading day recently traded 218 per share sported dividend yield 2 chargedjust 01 annual fees 15834 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 15834 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind simply click discover learn strategies opens new window suzanne frey executive alphabet member motley fools board directors longtime fool specialist selena maranjian opens new window follow twitter opens new window ownsshares alphabet shares alphabet c shares amazoncom apple berkshire hathaway b shares facebook general electric johnson johnson jpmorgan chase microsoft motley fool owns shares recommends alphabet shares alphabet c shares amazoncom apple berkshire hathaway b shares facebook motley fool owns shares exxonmobil general electric microsoft following options long january 2018 90 calls apple short january 2018 95 calls apple motley fool recommends johnson johnson unitedhealth group try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Virgin America (NASDAQ: VA) may be nearing the end of its run as an independent company, assuming Alaska Air (NYSE: ALK) can satisfy antitrust regulators that combining the two carriers would not harm competition. If so, it's going out with a bang.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Alaska Air and Virgin America hope to complete their merger soon. Image source: Alaska Airlines.</p> <p>On Wednesday afternoon, Virgin America reported strong earnings growth for Q3, driven by a sharp reduction in its unit costs. This is good news for Alaska Air, validating its decision to pay a hefty sum for Virgin America.</p> <p>Virgin America was one of the few U.S. airlines to grow its net income and operating margin last quarter. Earnings per share reached $1.19, excluding $0.04 of merger-related costs, blowing by the average analyst estimate of $1.01. Virgin America's adjusted operating margin increased to 20.7%, up from 18.2% in Q3 2015.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Virgin America's unit revenue trajectory didn't improve last quarter. Revenue per available seat mile fell 7.2% year over year, roughly in line with its Q2 result. However, non-fuel unit costs (excluding special items and profit sharing) decreased 5.6% year over year in Q3, compared to a 2.5% increase in the first half of the year.</p> <p>Following the earnings release, I had the opportunity to speak with Virgin America CEO David Cush and CFO Peter Hunt.</p> <p>Hunt noted that Virgin America recently expanded its fleet from 53 planes in mid-2015 to 63 planes by mid-2016. During that transition period, the company incurred some extra costs related to putting these new aircraft into service and training new crews.</p> <p>Virgin America has expanded its fleet significantly since mid-2015. Image source: Virgin America.</p> <p>In Q3, the company finally started to realize the benefits of growth, which generally drives unit costs lower -- largely by spreading fixed costs across more seats. Virgin America increased its capacity 16.7% year over year last quarter, while nearly every expense category rose at a slower rate.</p> <p>As Virgin America's fleet ages and as its growth rate moderates over the next few quarters (and years), it will probably face greater cost pressure. That said, the company also has a meaningful opportunity to further reduce its unit costs as it adds larger, more efficient A321neos to its fleet over the next two years.</p> <p>Virgin America's 7.2% unit revenue decline in Q3 was among the worst in the industry. Some of the decline was driven by the carrier's rapid capacity growth. For example, Virgin America has started four new routes to Hawaii in the past year -- and while they are performing well, unit revenue there is likely to improve further in 2017.</p> <p>Lower fares on transcontinental routes have been the biggest source of unit revenue pressure for Virgin America, according to Cush. Most notably, the supply of premium seats on flights from New York to San Francisco and Los Angeles has surged since JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) introduced its Mint premium product in 2014.</p> <p>Cush pointed out that JetBlue has a greater than 20% share of the premium seats from New York to San Francisco and Los Angeles today, up from zero at the beginning of 2014. JetBlue has also offered lots of Mint lie-flat seats for as little as $799 one way. The combination of higher supply and pricing pressure is driving down the average fare for Virgin America's first class seats.</p> <p>Virgin America has had to reduce its first class fares on some routes. Image source: Virgin America.</p> <p>On the bright side, Virgin America's unit revenue at Dallas Love Field has finally started to improve after <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/04/has-virgin-america-finally-figured-out-love-field.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">plunging in late 2014 and 2015 Opens a New Window.</a>. The Dallas focus city still isn't living up to expectations for Virgin America, but at least it is moving in the right direction.</p> <p>Virgin America's weak unit revenue trend is somewhat concerning, but there is a good chance that it will improve as growth slows over the next few quarters. The wild card is predicting how much JetBlue's ongoing <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/31/jetblue-plans-to-steal-rivals-customers-west-coast.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">expansion of Mint premium service Opens a New Window.</a> to Boston and Fort Lauderdale will impact Virgin America's first class fares on its routes to those cities.</p> <p>However, Virgin America showed last quarter that it can absorb some unit revenue declines by reducing its cost structure as it grows. Indeed, its Q3 profit margin was in the upper half of the U.S. airline industry.</p> <p>Virgin America's strong Q3 results won't have much of an impact on its stock, as the company has already agreed to sell itself to Alaska Air for $57 per share.</p> <p>Alaska Air shareholders should be pleased, though. In recent months, many analysts have suggested that Alaska may be overpaying for Virgin America, in light of the latter's unit revenue struggles and rising unit costs. Virgin America's strong Q3 results should put a damper on that kind of speculation. Alaska may not be getting a bargain, but it is acquiring a valuable asset in Virgin America for a fair price.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2691&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGemHunter/info.aspx" type="external">Adam Levine-Weinberg Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Alaska Air Group and JetBlue Airways and is long January 2017 $17 calls on JetBlue Airways. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

virgin america nasdaq va may nearing end run independent company assuming alaska air nyse alk satisfy antitrust regulators combining two carriers would harm competition going bang continue reading alaska air virgin america hope complete merger soon image source alaska airlines wednesday afternoon virgin america reported strong earnings growth q3 driven sharp reduction unit costs good news alaska air validating decision pay hefty sum virgin america virgin america one us airlines grow net income operating margin last quarter earnings per share reached 119 excluding 004 mergerrelated costs blowing average analyst estimate 101 virgin americas adjusted operating margin increased 207 182 q3 2015 advertisement virgin americas unit revenue trajectory didnt improve last quarter revenue per available seat mile fell 72 year year roughly line q2 result however nonfuel unit costs excluding special items profit sharing decreased 56 year year q3 compared 25 increase first half year following earnings release opportunity speak virgin america ceo david cush cfo peter hunt hunt noted virgin america recently expanded fleet 53 planes mid2015 63 planes mid2016 transition period company incurred extra costs related putting new aircraft service training new crews virgin america expanded fleet significantly since mid2015 image source virgin america q3 company finally started realize benefits growth generally drives unit costs lower largely spreading fixed costs across seats virgin america increased capacity 167 year year last quarter nearly every expense category rose slower rate virgin americas fleet ages growth rate moderates next quarters years probably face greater cost pressure said company also meaningful opportunity reduce unit costs adds larger efficient a321neos fleet next two years virgin americas 72 unit revenue decline q3 among worst industry decline driven carriers rapid capacity growth example virgin america started four new routes hawaii past year performing well unit revenue likely improve 2017 lower fares transcontinental routes biggest source unit revenue pressure virgin america according cush notably supply premium seats flights new york san francisco los angeles surged since jetblue nasdaq jblu introduced mint premium product 2014 cush pointed jetblue greater 20 share premium seats new york san francisco los angeles today zero beginning 2014 jetblue also offered lots mint lieflat seats little 799 one way combination higher supply pricing pressure driving average fare virgin americas first class seats virgin america reduce first class fares routes image source virgin america bright side virgin americas unit revenue dallas love field finally started improve plunging late 2014 2015 opens new window dallas focus city still isnt living expectations virgin america least moving right direction virgin americas weak unit revenue trend somewhat concerning good chance improve growth slows next quarters wild card predicting much jetblues ongoing expansion mint premium service opens new window boston fort lauderdale impact virgin americas first class fares routes cities however virgin america showed last quarter absorb unit revenue declines reducing cost structure grows indeed q3 profit margin upper half us airline industry virgin americas strong q3 results wont much impact stock company already agreed sell alaska air 57 per share alaska air shareholders pleased though recent months many analysts suggested alaska may overpaying virgin america light latters unit revenue struggles rising unit costs virgin americas strong q3 results put damper kind speculation alaska may getting bargain acquiring valuable asset virgin america fair price secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window adam levineweinberg opens new window owns shares alaska air group jetblue airways long january 2017 17 calls jetblue airways motley fool position stocks mentioned try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>On Friday, NBC's Today tried to cast President Obama's Thursday press conference about the ObamaCare disaster in the most sympathetic light possible, with co-host Savannah leading off the show by proclaiming: "The humble president....President Obama does damage control on the botched health care rollout with his legacy hanging in the balance." [Listen to <a href="http://newsbusters.org/sites/default/files/2013/2013-11-15-NBC-TDAY-HumbleObama.mp3" type="external">the audio</a>] Introducing the segment moments later, Guthrie claimed the President was "falling on the sword over this health care rollout disaster." In the report that followed, White House correspondent Peter Alexander emphasized Obama's supposedly humility: "The President the first to admit that he has a lot of work ahead of him to regain the confidence of the American people....[he] was strikingly contrite."</p> <p /> <p>After Alexander's report, fill-in co-host Willie Geist observed: "It was a remarkable press conference yesterday, talking about, 'This is on me,' he was humbled, he said, 'I'm not a perfect man.' I don't think we've seen this President Obama." Guthrie agreed: "You know what? Even friends and admirers of the President don't usually use the word 'humble' in association with him, but I think that's the apt description this morning." Geist fully accepted the President claims of being unaware of the non-functioning HealthCare.gov website before its launch: "And one of the most remarkable things that really struck me yesterday was he said, 'I didn't know beforehand that the website wasn't going to work.' So his staff allowed him to go out time and again and say, 'We're going to be fine, we're going to be ready on October the 1st,' knowing full well that there were problems in the pipeline." Guthrie chimed in: "...he said it was actually a week into the rollout, after the website was open, before they even grasped how serious these problems were." Wrapping up the exchange, Geist noted: "And how quickly things change. It was less than a month ago today, the shutdown was here, some people writing the obituaries of the Republican Party, that story has changed a lot this morning." One of those "people" was NBC's chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd, who labeled the shutdown an <a href="http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2013/10/11/after-weeks-bashing-republicans-nbc-declares-shutdown-unmitigated-poli" type="external">"unmitigated political disaster"</a> for the GOP. It's unclear when Todd will make the same pronouncement for the Democratic Party and ObamaCare.</p> <p>Here is a full transcript of the November 15 segment:</p> <p>7:00AM ET TEASE:</p> <p /> <p>SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: The humble president. BARACK OBAMA: We fumbled...Ultimately, I'm the head of this team...That's on me...I'm trying to fix it. GUTHRIE: President Obama does damage control on the botched health care roll out with his legacy hanging in the balance. 7:02AM ET SEGMENT: GUTHRIE: We're going to begin this morning with Today's Top Story, President Obama falling on the sword over this health care rollout disaster. NBC's Peter Alexander is at the White House this morning with the latest. Peter, good morning. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Tough Pill to Swallow; President Admits to "Fumbled" Rollout] PETER ALEXANDER: Savannah, good morning to you. The President the first to admit that he has a lot of work ahead of him to regain the confidence of the American people. Today is critical,&amp;#160; we're gonna see whether his idea for a temporary fix to ObamaCare is really enough to satisfy anxious Democrats, with the House voting on proposed legislative changes to the law. BARACK OBAMA: We fumbled the rollout on this health care law. ALEXANDER: In the wake of the President's suggested fix, the insurance industry is now fuming. OBAMA: I'm offering an idea that will help do it. ALEXANDER: The President's idea, ask insurers to hold off dropping as many as 5 million insurance policies that have been cancelled because they don't cover everything mandated under ObamaCare. Required coverage like emergency room visits, maternity care, and mental health. ROBERT LASZEWSKI [HEALTH POLICY CONSULTANT]: Any insurance company that can accomplish this should get the information technology hall of fame award. It's just one hell of a mess. ALEXANDER: Insurers, who insist they were not consulted about the President's request, say Mr. Obama is simply passing his problem like a hot potato on to them. Industry leaders warn the fixes could result in higher premiums for consumers. OBAMA: This fix won't solve every problem for every person, but it's gonna help a lot of people. Doing more will require work with Congress. ALEXANDER: But today, dissatisfied House Republicans vote on their own way forward, a plan to let Americans who got cancellation letters keep current policies. Insurers would also be allowed to sell new plans that don't comply with the Affordable Care Act. REP. ERIC CANTOR [R-VA]: This bill will hopefully begin to ease some of the pain that working families are feeling. ALEXANDER: The President was strikingly contrite. OBAMA: I did not have enough awareness about the problems in the website...And again, that's on us which is why &#8211; that's on me. And that's why I'm trying to fix it. ALEXANDER: Determination, even as President Obama's leadership comes under question. OBAMA: I'm up to the challenge. SUSAN PAGE [USA TODAY]: It's not just the future of the health care law at stake, it is really the future of his second term and his presidency. ALEXANDER: And one House Democrat told NBC News, quote, "Someone's head ought to roll because of all this." For the first time, the President actually indicated there will be an intense evaluation, Savannah and Willie, a post-mortem of sorts when everything's said and done to see how we got to this place. GUTHRIE: Yeah, a top advisor this morning in the paper saying they're taking it deathly seriously. Peter Alexander, thank you.</p> <p /> <p>WILLIE GEIST: Savannah, you covered this White House for two and a half years, I cover it every morning across the street on Morning Joe. It was a remarkable press conference yesterday, talking about, "This is on me," he was humbled, he said, "I'm not a perfect man." I don't think we've seen this President Obama. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Political Pressure; President's Healthcare Mea Culpa] GUTHRIE: You know what? Even friends and admirers of the President don't usually use the word "humble" in association with him, but I think that's the apt description this morning. I mean, you have to think about, this really goes to the core, not just of his agenda, that health care was the big part of his initiative when he came into office, but also the core of his political argument. He wanted to convince people that government can work to help people, government can be competent, and this undermines that very argument. GEIST: And one of the most remarkable things that really struck me yesterday was he said, "I didn't know beforehand that the website wasn't going to work." So his staff allowed him to go out time and again and say, "We're going to be fine, we're going to be ready on October the 1st," knowing full well that there were problems in the pipeline. GUTHRIE: You'd love to hear the conversations that are going on behind closed doors. And don't miss something else in that news conference yesterday, he said it was actually a week into the rollout, after the website was open, before they even grasped how serious these problems were. GEIST: And how quickly things change. It was less than a month ago today, the shutdown was here, some people writing the obituaries of the Republican Party, that story has changed a lot this morning. GUTHRIE: Very volatile politics we have.</p>

friday nbcs today tried cast president obamas thursday press conference obamacare disaster sympathetic light possible cohost savannah leading show proclaiming humble presidentpresident obama damage control botched health care rollout legacy hanging balance listen audio introducing segment moments later guthrie claimed president falling sword health care rollout disaster report followed white house correspondent peter alexander emphasized obamas supposedly humility president first admit lot work ahead regain confidence american peoplehe strikingly contrite alexanders report fillin cohost willie geist observed remarkable press conference yesterday talking humbled said im perfect man dont think weve seen president obama guthrie agreed know even friends admirers president dont usually use word humble association think thats apt description morning geist fully accepted president claims unaware nonfunctioning healthcaregov website launch one remarkable things really struck yesterday said didnt know beforehand website wasnt going work staff allowed go time say going fine going ready october 1st knowing full well problems pipeline guthrie chimed said actually week rollout website open even grasped serious problems wrapping exchange geist noted quickly things change less month ago today shutdown people writing obituaries republican party story changed lot morning one people nbcs chief white house correspondent chuck todd labeled shutdown unmitigated political disaster gop unclear todd make pronouncement democratic party obamacare full transcript november 15 segment 700am et tease savannah guthrie humble president barack obama fumbledultimately im head teamthats meim trying fix guthrie president obama damage control botched health care roll legacy hanging balance 702am et segment guthrie going begin morning todays top story president obama falling sword health care rollout disaster nbcs peter alexander white house morning latest peter good morning onscreen headline tough pill swallow president admits fumbled rollout peter alexander savannah good morning president first admit lot work ahead regain confidence american people today critical160 gon na see whether idea temporary fix obamacare really enough satisfy anxious democrats house voting proposed legislative changes law barack obama fumbled rollout health care law alexander wake presidents suggested fix insurance industry fuming obama im offering idea help alexander presidents idea ask insurers hold dropping many 5 million insurance policies cancelled dont cover everything mandated obamacare required coverage like emergency room visits maternity care mental health robert laszewski health policy consultant insurance company accomplish get information technology hall fame award one hell mess alexander insurers insist consulted presidents request say mr obama simply passing problem like hot potato industry leaders warn fixes could result higher premiums consumers obama fix wont solve every problem every person gon na help lot people require work congress alexander today dissatisfied house republicans vote way forward plan let americans got cancellation letters keep current policies insurers would also allowed sell new plans dont comply affordable care act rep eric cantor rva bill hopefully begin ease pain working families feeling alexander president strikingly contrite obama enough awareness problems websiteand thats us thats thats im trying fix alexander determination even president obamas leadership comes question obama im challenge susan page usa today future health care law stake really future second term presidency alexander one house democrat told nbc news quote someones head ought roll first time president actually indicated intense evaluation savannah willie postmortem sorts everythings said done see got place guthrie yeah top advisor morning paper saying theyre taking deathly seriously peter alexander thank willie geist savannah covered white house two half years cover every morning across street morning joe remarkable press conference yesterday talking humbled said im perfect man dont think weve seen president obama onscreen headline political pressure presidents healthcare mea culpa guthrie know even friends admirers president dont usually use word humble association think thats apt description morning mean think really goes core agenda health care big part initiative came office also core political argument wanted convince people government work help people government competent undermines argument geist one remarkable things really struck yesterday said didnt know beforehand website wasnt going work staff allowed go time say going fine going ready october 1st knowing full well problems pipeline guthrie youd love hear conversations going behind closed doors dont miss something else news conference yesterday said actually week rollout website open even grasped serious problems geist quickly things change less month ago today shutdown people writing obituaries republican party story changed lot morning guthrie volatile politics

<p /> <p>Being a successful entrepreneur means you have to wear a lot of hats, especially when your company is just starting out and you don&#8217;t have enough employees to cover all the areas you need.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Learning the new skills necessary to start a new business can be expensive, but fortunately the initiative for free, high-quality, educational resources online has only continued to grow in the past few years. Below are some of the resources available to learn more about marketing, entrepreneurship, business management and more.</p> <p>1. CodeAcademy</p> <p>This <a href="http://www.codecademy.com/" type="external">great resource Opens a New Window.</a> offers free interactive programming sessions to help you learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS, Javascript and PHP. You can save your progress as you go with a free account. Learning to code can help entrepreneurs fix bugs if they don&#8217;t have a developer, or even go down the road of building their own website or products (such as apps).</p> <p>2. HubSpot Academy</p> <p>The <a href="http://academy.hubspot.com/" type="external">free certification program Opens a New Window.</a> offers courses on inbound marketing, including website optimization, landing pages and lead nurturing. These skills are a must for business owners as they try to grow their business and online presence.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236355" type="external">Related: 21 Resources to Make You a Better Entrepreneur Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>3. Moz</p> <p>If you want to learn search-engine optimization to make sure your website is as visible as possible, check out this treasure trove of resources from SEO leader, <a href="http://moz.com/learn/seo" type="external">Moz Opens a New Window.</a>. Besides having the free Moz Academy, there are also webinars (live and recorded), and beginner&#8217;s guides to SEO, social media and link building.</p> <p>4. LearnVest</p> <p>The most successful entrepreneurs know how to manage their money both on a business and personal side. In addition to having extremely affordable finance classes, <a href="http://www.learnvest.com/classes/" type="external">LearnVest Opens a New Window.</a> also offers some of its classes for free, such as &#8220;Building Better Money Habits&#8221; and &#8220;How to Budget.&#8221;</p> <p>5. Niche consultant courses</p> <p>The Internet has made for a coaching boom, which is extremely helpful to entrepreneurs who want to learn how to start or better a business in a specific niche. Some great coaches and organizations that routinely have free courses and ebooks on building a business include <a href="http://www.shetakesontheworld.com/" type="external">Natalie MacNeil Opens a New Window.</a> and <a href="http://www.myownbusiness.org/" type="external">MyOwnBusiness Opens a New Window.</a>. Try searching &#8220;niche keyword&#8221; + &#8220;business course&#8221; to find one most applicable to you.</p> <p>6. edX</p> <p><a href="http://www.edx.org/" type="external">This free site Opens a New Window.</a> currently has over 300 courses on a variety of topics, including &#8220;Financial Analysis and Decision Making&#8221; and &#8220;Entrepreneurship 101: Who is your customer?&#8221; These courses not only cover business in general, but can also you help learn more skills that are applicable to your industry, such as big data or environmental conservation.</p> <p>7. Khan Academy</p> <p><a href="http://www.khanacademy.org/" type="external">This free learning resource Opens a New Window.</a> was created to give everyone access to education in math, science, art, technology and more. There are over 100,000 interactive exercises to put your education to practical use. Even though many of the courses are geared toward high school students, there are several courses that would be good for anyone to have a refresher on, such as taxes and accounting.</p> <p>8. MIT Open Courseware</p> <p><a href="http://ocw.mit.edu/" type="external">These are actual courses Opens a New Window.</a>taught at MIT and offered for free on the site for viewing and reading at your discretion. The school put together an entrepreneurship page that lists available courses that are beneficial to new business owners. Courses include &#8220;Early State Capital&#8221; and &#8220;The Software Business.&#8221;</p> <p>9. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania</p> <p>This university has almost <a href="http://www.kutztownsbdc.org/course_listing.asp?course=3" type="external">100 free on-demand college courses Opens a New Window.</a> that are extremely applicable to entrepreneurs, including ones that cover business planning, operations and management and small-business tax.</p> <p><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237966" type="external">Related: Listen and Learn From These 9 Emerging Entrepreneurial Podcasters Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>10. Coursera</p> <p>Much like MIT&#8217;s Open Courseware, this site has 114 educational partners that provide free courses to almost 10 million users. One benefit to <a href="http://www.coursera.org/" type="external">Coursera Opens a New Window.</a> is that there are very specific courses that fit perfectly into particular niches, such as &#8220;Data Management for Clinical Research&#8221; from Vanderbilt University and &#8220;Innovation for Entrepreneurs: From Idea to Marketplace&#8221; from the University of Maryland. Its wide network of partners allows for a greater selection.</p> <p>11. OpenCulture</p> <p>This site isn&#8217;t an educational platform on its own, but rather collects and shares free resources from around the web. Its list of <a href="http://www.openculture.com/business_free_courses" type="external">150 free online business courses Opens a New Window.</a>is a great resource because it offers classes from iTunes U and other lessons on video and audio. The site also has lists of free audiobooks, certificate courses and other online courses.</p> <p>12. YouTube</p> <p>It&#8217;s probably unsurprising to most users that <a href="http://youtube.com/" type="external">YouTube Opens a New Window.</a> is one of the world&#8217;s largest search engines, as there are literally videos on just about anything you can imagine. From TED talks to recorded presentations on building a business, it&#8217;s a great free resource on just about any topic.</p> <p>13. Alison</p> <p><a href="http://alison.com/" type="external">This platform Opens a New Window.</a>offers free online courses from some of the most well-known names on the internet today, including Google, Microsoft, and Macmillan. With over 4 million users and over 600 courses already, it covers topics such as economic literacy, personal development and business/enterprise skills.</p> <p>14. Saylor</p> <p><a href="http://www.saylor.org/" type="external">The Saylor Foundation Opens a New Window.</a> offers tuition-free courses and also works with accredited colleges and universities to offer affordable credentials. Its course offerings are similar to what you&#8217;d see when working toward a bachelor&#8217;s degree.</p> <p>15. Podcasts</p> <p>Even though it&#8217;s not an official course, podcasts are an amazing (and easily digestible) way to become a better entrepreneur. Podcasts can be listened to via streaming on your computer (if that certain podcast offers it) or via iTunes for iOS and apps such as Podcast Republic for Android. Podcasts such as <a href="http://www.entrepreneuronfire.com/podcasts/" type="external">Entrepreneur of Fire Opens a New Window.</a> already garner thousands of listeners every episode and are a great way to learn the most up-to-date information and strategies possible. Another good list of entrepreneur podcasts include <a href="http://www.thinkentrepreneurship.com/top-16-entrepreneur-podcasts-for-2013/" type="external">Think Entrepreneurship's. Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Whether you learn best by audio, video or text, this list of 15 learning resources for entrepreneurs can help you learn more about building a business, accounting and getting customers.</p> <p>Do you have a favorite resource not listed here? Let us know in the comments section below.</p> <p><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/237657" type="external">Related: 14 Classic Business Books You Can Download For Less Than $5 Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>This article originally appeared at <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/238908" type="external">Entrepreneur Opens a New Window.</a>. Copyright 2014.&amp;#160;</p>

successful entrepreneur means wear lot hats especially company starting dont enough employees cover areas need continue reading learning new skills necessary start new business expensive fortunately initiative free highquality educational resources online continued grow past years resources available learn marketing entrepreneurship business management 1 codeacademy great resource opens new window offers free interactive programming sessions help learn programming languages html css javascript php save progress go free account learning code help entrepreneurs fix bugs dont developer even go road building website products apps 2 hubspot academy free certification program opens new window offers courses inbound marketing including website optimization landing pages lead nurturing skills must business owners try grow business online presence advertisement related 21 resources make better entrepreneur opens new window 3 moz want learn searchengine optimization make sure website visible possible check treasure trove resources seo leader moz opens new window besides free moz academy also webinars live recorded beginners guides seo social media link building 4 learnvest successful entrepreneurs know manage money business personal side addition extremely affordable finance classes learnvest opens new window also offers classes free building better money habits budget 5 niche consultant courses internet made coaching boom extremely helpful entrepreneurs want learn start better business specific niche great coaches organizations routinely free courses ebooks building business include natalie macneil opens new window myownbusiness opens new window try searching niche keyword business course find one applicable 6 edx free site opens new window currently 300 courses variety topics including financial analysis decision making entrepreneurship 101 customer courses cover business general also help learn skills applicable industry big data environmental conservation 7 khan academy free learning resource opens new window created give everyone access education math science art technology 100000 interactive exercises put education practical use even though many courses geared toward high school students several courses would good anyone refresher taxes accounting 8 mit open courseware actual courses opens new windowtaught mit offered free site viewing reading discretion school put together entrepreneurship page lists available courses beneficial new business owners courses include early state capital software business 9 kutztown university pennsylvania university almost 100 free ondemand college courses opens new window extremely applicable entrepreneurs including ones cover business planning operations management smallbusiness tax related listen learn 9 emerging entrepreneurial podcasters opens new window 10 coursera much like mits open courseware site 114 educational partners provide free courses almost 10 million users one benefit coursera opens new window specific courses fit perfectly particular niches data management clinical research vanderbilt university innovation entrepreneurs idea marketplace university maryland wide network partners allows greater selection 11 openculture site isnt educational platform rather collects shares free resources around web list 150 free online business courses opens new windowis great resource offers classes itunes u lessons video audio site also lists free audiobooks certificate courses online courses 12 youtube probably unsurprising users youtube opens new window one worlds largest search engines literally videos anything imagine ted talks recorded presentations building business great free resource topic 13 alison platform opens new windowoffers free online courses wellknown names internet today including google microsoft macmillan 4 million users 600 courses already covers topics economic literacy personal development businessenterprise skills 14 saylor saylor foundation opens new window offers tuitionfree courses also works accredited colleges universities offer affordable credentials course offerings similar youd see working toward bachelors degree 15 podcasts even though official course podcasts amazing easily digestible way become better entrepreneur podcasts listened via streaming computer certain podcast offers via itunes ios apps podcast republic android podcasts entrepreneur fire opens new window already garner thousands listeners every episode great way learn uptodate information strategies possible another good list entrepreneur podcasts include think entrepreneurships opens new window whether learn best audio video text list 15 learning resources entrepreneurs help learn building business accounting getting customers favorite resource listed let us know comments section related 14 classic business books download less 5 opens new window article originally appeared entrepreneur opens new window copyright 2014160

<p>Today, the FBI announced that violent crime dropped 4% in 2011, compared to a 5.5% drop in 2010. Nationally, the murder rate fell 1.9% from 2010, and robbery, forcible rape and assault fell 4% each. However, among the cities with the highest violent crimes rates, the trend is not entirely positive.</p> <p>A 24/7 Wall St. review of 2011 FBI crime data shows that violent crime rose in more than half of the cities that have among the highest rates in the country. In seven of the 10 cities, murder rates increased. In eight of the 10, burglary went up.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2012/06/11/the-most-dangerous-cities-in-america-2/" type="external">This content was originally published on 24/7 Wall St. Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Strained budgets are forcing police layoffs that many cities cannot afford to make. More than half of local police departments that responded to a national survey reported cuts in the 2011 fiscal year, according to the Police Executive Research Forum, an organization of police executives from across the country. Many are cutting police forces through planned layoffs and attrition.</p> <p>More than half of the cities with the highest violent crime rates are cutting law enforcement budgets and police forces as well. However, unlike the national picture, the situation is worse for these cities, which depend on tax bases that are shrinking faster than most.</p> <p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2012/06/14/the-10-best-countries-for-entrepreneurs/" type="external">Read: The 10 Best Countries for Entrepreneurs Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>The cities with the highest crime rates tend to have particularly high poverty rates, high unemployment and low median income. Two of the worst-off cities, Flint and Detroit, Mich., both have had well-publicized budget woes. Flint was taken over by an emergency city manager after failing to pay its bills in 2011. Detroit is facing similar budget problems and recently came to a temporary oversight agreement with the state.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>While PERF notes that budget cuts appear to be slowing in police departments in the United States, most departments are still cutting. According to the group&#8217;s April report on local police budgets, this includes many of the cities on this list.</p> <p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2012/06/13/states-with-the-longest-prison-terms/" type="external">Read: States with the Longest Prison Terms Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Oakland, Calif., cut its budget by 7% in the current fiscal year, with an additional 5% cut on the way, according to PERF. In the past two years, the city lost 80 police officers to layoffs and another 108 to attrition. This occurred despite increases in both violent and property crime in 2011.</p> <p>Similarly, while the Detroit Police Department reported no cuts for fiscal year 2012, the city is planning a 15% cut next year. Detroit also has one of the highest crime rates in the country.</p> <p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2012/06/11/banks-hiding-the-most-and-least-fees/" type="external">Read: Banks Hiding the Most (and Least) Fees Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>On its website, the FBI cautions against using crime data to compare city violence because rankings tend to be simplistic and ignore factors that influence crime, as well as the different ways crimes are measured and reported. &#8220;Data users should not rank locales because there are many factors that cause the nature and type of crime to vary from place to place,&#8221; the FBI warns.</p> <p>Congressional Quarterly, which publishes and analyzes FBI crime statistics each year, referred to crime rate in terms of the &#8220;safest&#8221; and &#8220;most dangerous&#8221; cities. However, the publication recently dropped the terms &#8220;safe&#8221; and &#8220;dangerous&#8221; due to the concerns of criminologists, Dr. Rachel Boba Santos told 24/7 Wall St.</p> <p><a href="http://247wallst.com/2012/06/08/the-states-with-the-fastest-growing-economies/" type="external">Read: The States With The Fastest Growing Economies Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Despite these objections, Dr. Boba Santos said the data is useful to get a feel for the needs of a particular community and to look at a specific city&#8217;s trends on a year-over-year basis. She said the data also is used at the federal level to determine funding resources for different communities, comparing crime rates.</p> <p>Based on the FBI&#8217;s Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 U.S. cities with populations of 100,000 or more with the highest rates of violent crime per 1,000 residents. Using the estimated populations and crime incidents from UCR, which measures incidents of eight types of violent and nonviolent crime for 2011, 24/7 Wall St. calculated the incidence of the four types of violent crime per 1,000 persons for that year: murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. In addition to crime data, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed median income and poverty rates for these cities from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2010, the most recent available year. We also included average 2011 unemployment rates for these cities, provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.</p> <p>These are the 10 cities with the highest rates of violent crime.</p> <p>10. Stockton, Calif. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.1 &amp;gt; Population: 295,136 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 58 &amp;gt; Median income: $45,606 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 20.2%</p> <p>In 2010, Stockton had an unemployment rate of 18.4%, among the worst in the nation for large cities. In 2011, the labor market worsened and unemployment rose to 20.2%, well more than double the national average of 8.9% and the highest of any of the cities on this list. Violent crime rates also have worsened, increasing from 13.8 crimes per 1,000 people in 2010. Though Stockton has long had high crime rates, the 58 murders recorded in Stockton last year were an all-time record for the city. This month, to curb the increasing crime rates in the city, police decided to prioritize violent crime and to no longer respond to property crimes in the city unless certain criminal conditions were met.</p> <p>9. Baltimore, Md. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.2 &amp;gt; Population: 626,848 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 196 &amp;gt; Median income: $38,346 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 10.5%</p> <p>Baltimore managed to decrease its violent crime rate slightly from 14.6 per 1,000 in 2010 to 14.2 last year. This coincides with a 12% decrease in murders. However, Baltimore still has the sixth-highest homicide rate of any U.S. city with a population above 100,000. Baltimore&#8217;s murder rate has been dropping steadily, but with 341 forcible rape cases in 2011 and the 11th-highest aggravated assault rate in the country, many residents are victims. In 2010, Baltimore made plans to layoff 193 police due to budget cuts.</p> <p>8. Atlanta, Ga. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.3 &amp;gt; Population: 425,533 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 88 &amp;gt; Median income: $41,631 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate:12.1%</p> <p>Compared to most American cities, Atlanta has extremely high incidences of both violent and property crimes. The city&#8217;s 8.27 aggravated assaults per 1,000 people is one of the 10 highest rates among the country&#8217;s largest cities, as is the city&#8217;s 70.84 property crimes per 1,000 people. Atlanta also has one of the nation&#8217;s highest rates of motor vehicle theft, with a total of 5,371 incidents in the city last year. Vehicle theft likely will remain an issue throughout 2012 as well; in March almost 100 individuals were arrested as part of a single auto theft operation.</p> <p>7. Birmingham, Ala. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.8 &amp;gt; Population: 213,258 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 54 &amp;gt; Median income: $30,212 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 10.9%</p> <p>New on the list this year is Birmingham, which ranks among the top five cities in the U.S. for forcible rape and property crime rates. The city also has among the highest rates of burglary and larceny-theft. Like many other high crime cities, Birmingham has one of the highest poverty rates in the country, at 25.1%. Despite the rampant crime, officials announced last year that they planned to lay off 148 employees of the sheriff&#8217;s department in an effort to reduce the budget by $12.3 million.</p> <p>6. Little Rock, Ark. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 14.9 &amp;gt; Population: 194,988 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 37 &amp;gt; Median income: $44,415 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 7.2%</p> <p>Though Little Rock&#8217;s 2011 violent crime rate is down from 2010, when there were 15.2 violent crimes for every 1,000 people, in many ways the city&#8217;s crime rate has not truly improved. Although in 2010 there were only 25 murders in the city, in 2011 there were 37. Additionally, incidents of forcible rape increased from 149 to 161, while the number of property crime incidents increased by 708, or almost 5%. According to the Little Rock Police Department&#8217;s COMPSTAT reports, the total number of violent, property and arson crimes has experienced a net increase since 2001, although with slight declines in more recent years.</p> <p>5. Memphis, Tenn. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 15.8 &amp;gt; Population: 652,725 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 117 &amp;gt; Median income: $37,045 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 11.1%</p> <p>In 2011, Memphis defied the national trend of declining crime rates in major U.S. cities. The rate of violent crimes per 1,000 people increased, from 15.4 to 15.8. This was the product of increases in murders, which rose from 89 to 117 cases, and aggravated assault incidents, which rose by 100 cases. A rising unemployment rate, which grew 1.2% to 11.1% in 2011, likely has not helped to reduce criminal behavior. With a current budget deficit of $45 million, Mayor Wharton says he may need to consider &#8220;taking boots off the street,&#8221; by laying off members of the police force in the near future.</p> <p>4. Oakland, Calif. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 16.8 &amp;gt; Population: 395,317 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 104 &amp;gt; Median income: $49,190 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 15.6%</p> <p>Oakland historically has been among the most crime-ridden cities in California, with a violent crime rate this year of 16.8 per 1,000 people. There were 14 more murders in 2011 than in 2010, causing Oakland to maintain the ninth-highest murder rate in the country two years in a row. Oakland is the number one city for both robbery and motor vehicle theft rates in the country. Oakland city councilmember Desley Brooks, who wants to allocate $11 million in revenue to the police force, acknowledges the increased violent crime, saying, &#8220;we cannot ignore that we have had an increase in violent crime, and so we cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect that it&#8217;s going to be a different result.&#8221;</p> <p>3. St. Louis, Mo. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 18.6 &amp;gt; Population: 320,454 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 113 &amp;gt; Median income: $32,688 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 11.7%</p> <p>Although the total number of murders in the city has decreased by 31 since 2010, crime in St. Louis did not improve overall last year. Violent crime rates in St. Louis have risen dramatically, from 17.5 to 18.6 cases per 1,000 people. And the city&#8217;s murder rate is still the fourth highest in the nation, its robbery rate is the fifth highest in the nation and its aggravated assault rate is third highest in the nation. Despite these troubling facts, the St. Louis Police Department recently faced potentially drastic budget cuts, that may require the elimination of 100 street-patrolling officer positions through attrition.</p> <p>2. Detroit, Mich. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 21.4 &amp;gt; Population: 713,239 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 344 &amp;gt; Median income: $25,787 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 19.9%</p> <p>Long regarded as one of the poorest cities in the U.S., with a 32.3% poverty rate and nearly 20% unemployment in 2010, Detroit has the second-highest violent crime rate in the country. Homicide increased by 11% in 2011, while robbery and aggravated assault are fourth and second highest in the country, respectively. Nonviolent crime is also an issue, with burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson rates in the top 10 rankings in the country. &amp;#160;In response to an 18% decrease in the Detroit police budget, which will result in the elimination of 380 positions through attrition and early retirement, the city has begun taking steps to decrease police funding by introducing &#8220;Virtual Precincts.&#8221; The plan, which closes police stations between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m, requires citizens to report non-emergency crime to a call center, and frees up more patrol officers to respond to 911 emergency calls.</p> <p>Also Read: America&#8217;s Most Peaceful States</p> <p>1. Flint, Mich. &amp;gt; Violent crimes per 1,000: 23.4 &amp;gt; Population: 102,357 &amp;gt; 2011 murders: 52 &amp;gt; Median income: $22,672 &amp;gt; Unemployment rate: 18.9%</p> <p>According to the FBI examined, no city with more than 100,000 residents had a higher violent crime rate than Flint. In 2011, there were 2,392 incidents of violent crime in Flint, which has a population just above 100,000. That same year, there were just 1,246 violent crimes in all 10 of the safest cities in America &#8212; which have 13 times as many residents as Flint among them. Flint has the second-highest murder rate and the highest rates of aggravated assault, burglary and arson in the nation. According to Flint Mayor Dayne Walling: &#8220;there are too many guns on the street and it&#8217;s easy for individuals with evil motives to take another human being&#8217;s life.&#8221; Though the violent crime has long been a problem in Flint, in 2010 the city laid off 20 of its 140 police officers, a decision that diminished both the police&#8217;s street presence and response times to crime.</p>

today fbi announced violent crime dropped 4 2011 compared 55 drop 2010 nationally murder rate fell 19 2010 robbery forcible rape assault fell 4 however among cities highest violent crimes rates trend entirely positive 247 wall st review 2011 fbi crime data shows violent crime rose half cities among highest rates country seven 10 cities murder rates increased eight 10 burglary went continue reading content originally published 247 wall st opens new window strained budgets forcing police layoffs many cities afford make half local police departments responded national survey reported cuts 2011 fiscal year according police executive research forum organization police executives across country many cutting police forces planned layoffs attrition half cities highest violent crime rates cutting law enforcement budgets police forces well however unlike national picture situation worse cities depend tax bases shrinking faster read 10 best countries entrepreneurs opens new window cities highest crime rates tend particularly high poverty rates high unemployment low median income two worstoff cities flint detroit mich wellpublicized budget woes flint taken emergency city manager failing pay bills 2011 detroit facing similar budget problems recently came temporary oversight agreement state advertisement perf notes budget cuts appear slowing police departments united states departments still cutting according groups april report local police budgets includes many cities list read states longest prison terms opens new window oakland calif cut budget 7 current fiscal year additional 5 cut way according perf past two years city lost 80 police officers layoffs another 108 attrition occurred despite increases violent property crime 2011 similarly detroit police department reported cuts fiscal year 2012 city planning 15 cut next year detroit also one highest crime rates country read banks hiding least fees opens new window website fbi cautions using crime data compare city violence rankings tend simplistic ignore factors influence crime well different ways crimes measured reported data users rank locales many factors cause nature type crime vary place place fbi warns congressional quarterly publishes analyzes fbi crime statistics year referred crime rate terms safest dangerous cities however publication recently dropped terms safe dangerous due concerns criminologists dr rachel boba santos told 247 wall st read states fastest growing economies opens new window despite objections dr boba santos said data useful get feel needs particular community look specific citys trends yearoveryear basis said data also used federal level determine funding resources different communities comparing crime rates based fbis uniform crime report 247 wall st identified 10 us cities populations 100000 highest rates violent crime per 1000 residents using estimated populations crime incidents ucr measures incidents eight types violent nonviolent crime 2011 247 wall st calculated incidence four types violent crime per 1000 persons year murder forcible rape robbery aggravated assault addition crime data 247 wall st reviewed median income poverty rates cities us census bureau 2010 recent available year also included average 2011 unemployment rates cities provided bureau labor statistics 10 cities highest rates violent crime 10 stockton calif gt violent crimes per 1000 141 gt population 295136 gt 2011 murders 58 gt median income 45606 gt unemployment rate 202 2010 stockton unemployment rate 184 among worst nation large cities 2011 labor market worsened unemployment rose 202 well double national average 89 highest cities list violent crime rates also worsened increasing 138 crimes per 1000 people 2010 though stockton long high crime rates 58 murders recorded stockton last year alltime record city month curb increasing crime rates city police decided prioritize violent crime longer respond property crimes city unless certain criminal conditions met 9 baltimore md gt violent crimes per 1000 142 gt population 626848 gt 2011 murders 196 gt median income 38346 gt unemployment rate 105 baltimore managed decrease violent crime rate slightly 146 per 1000 2010 142 last year coincides 12 decrease murders however baltimore still sixthhighest homicide rate us city population 100000 baltimores murder rate dropping steadily 341 forcible rape cases 2011 11thhighest aggravated assault rate country many residents victims 2010 baltimore made plans layoff 193 police due budget cuts 8 atlanta ga gt violent crimes per 1000 143 gt population 425533 gt 2011 murders 88 gt median income 41631 gt unemployment rate121 compared american cities atlanta extremely high incidences violent property crimes citys 827 aggravated assaults per 1000 people one 10 highest rates among countrys largest cities citys 7084 property crimes per 1000 people atlanta also one nations highest rates motor vehicle theft total 5371 incidents city last year vehicle theft likely remain issue throughout 2012 well march almost 100 individuals arrested part single auto theft operation 7 birmingham ala gt violent crimes per 1000 148 gt population 213258 gt 2011 murders 54 gt median income 30212 gt unemployment rate 109 new list year birmingham ranks among top five cities us forcible rape property crime rates city also among highest rates burglary larcenytheft like many high crime cities birmingham one highest poverty rates country 251 despite rampant crime officials announced last year planned lay 148 employees sheriffs department effort reduce budget 123 million 6 little rock ark gt violent crimes per 1000 149 gt population 194988 gt 2011 murders 37 gt median income 44415 gt unemployment rate 72 though little rocks 2011 violent crime rate 2010 152 violent crimes every 1000 people many ways citys crime rate truly improved although 2010 25 murders city 2011 37 additionally incidents forcible rape increased 149 161 number property crime incidents increased 708 almost 5 according little rock police departments compstat reports total number violent property arson crimes experienced net increase since 2001 although slight declines recent years 5 memphis tenn gt violent crimes per 1000 158 gt population 652725 gt 2011 murders 117 gt median income 37045 gt unemployment rate 111 2011 memphis defied national trend declining crime rates major us cities rate violent crimes per 1000 people increased 154 158 product increases murders rose 89 117 cases aggravated assault incidents rose 100 cases rising unemployment rate grew 12 111 2011 likely helped reduce criminal behavior current budget deficit 45 million mayor wharton says may need consider taking boots street laying members police force near future 4 oakland calif gt violent crimes per 1000 168 gt population 395317 gt 2011 murders 104 gt median income 49190 gt unemployment rate 156 oakland historically among crimeridden cities california violent crime rate year 168 per 1000 people 14 murders 2011 2010 causing oakland maintain ninthhighest murder rate country two years row oakland number one city robbery motor vehicle theft rates country oakland city councilmember desley brooks wants allocate 11 million revenue police force acknowledges increased violent crime saying ignore increase violent crime continue thing way expect going different result 3 st louis mo gt violent crimes per 1000 186 gt population 320454 gt 2011 murders 113 gt median income 32688 gt unemployment rate 117 although total number murders city decreased 31 since 2010 crime st louis improve overall last year violent crime rates st louis risen dramatically 175 186 cases per 1000 people citys murder rate still fourth highest nation robbery rate fifth highest nation aggravated assault rate third highest nation despite troubling facts st louis police department recently faced potentially drastic budget cuts may require elimination 100 streetpatrolling officer positions attrition 2 detroit mich gt violent crimes per 1000 214 gt population 713239 gt 2011 murders 344 gt median income 25787 gt unemployment rate 199 long regarded one poorest cities us 323 poverty rate nearly 20 unemployment 2010 detroit secondhighest violent crime rate country homicide increased 11 2011 robbery aggravated assault fourth second highest country respectively nonviolent crime also issue burglary motor vehicle theft arson rates top 10 rankings country 160in response 18 decrease detroit police budget result elimination 380 positions attrition early retirement city begun taking steps decrease police funding introducing virtual precincts plan closes police stations 4 pm 8 requires citizens report nonemergency crime call center frees patrol officers respond 911 emergency calls also read americas peaceful states 1 flint mich gt violent crimes per 1000 234 gt population 102357 gt 2011 murders 52 gt median income 22672 gt unemployment rate 189 according fbi examined city 100000 residents higher violent crime rate flint 2011 2392 incidents violent crime flint population 100000 year 1246 violent crimes 10 safest cities america 13 times many residents flint among flint secondhighest murder rate highest rates aggravated assault burglary arson nation according flint mayor dayne walling many guns street easy individuals evil motives take another human beings life though violent crime long problem flint 2010 city laid 20 140 police officers decision diminished polices street presence response times crime

<p /> <p>Here's something that might surprise you: The average monthly Social Security retirement benefit was recentlyabout $1,355, or $16,260 for the year, and the maximum monthly benefit for those retiring at their full retirement age was recently$2,639, or about $32,000 annually. If that seems skimpy to you, here are a bunch of ways to boost your retirement income.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>This suggestion won't surprise you, but you might be taken aback by just how much of a difference saving more can make. If you're socking away $1,000 per month for retirement, could you possibly sock away $1,200 instead? Even if you only have a decade left until retirement, it can make a big difference. Saving $12,000 per year for 10 years in an account that grows by 8% annually will yield about $188,000. If you can sock away $15,000 annually, you'll end up with far more -- close to $235,000. That's about $47,000 in additional savings. How, exactly, might you save more? Well, skipping a pricey fancy coffee drink each day isn't a new idea, but it's powerful -- saving you perhaps $3,000 annually. Cut the cable cord and just stream your video entertainment and you might save $50 per month or $600 per year. If you're not using the gym much but are paying $40 monthly for it, that's another $500 or so in annual savings. Make a few phone calls to car and home insurance companies and you may find better deals than you have now, netting hundreds of dollars in savings annually. Start selling things from your basement or attic that never get used and you might net hundreds of dollars -- or take an easier route and donate clothes and household items to charity, reaping tax deductions. If you smoke, you can probably save thousands annually by quitting.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>You can generate income in retirement by selling off shares of stock from your stock portfolio over time -- but with <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/08/dividend-income-its-more-powerful-than-you-think.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">dividend-paying stocks Opens a New Window.</a>, you can collect income without having to sell any shares! A $300,000 portfolio, for example, that sports an overall average yield of 4% will generate about $12,000 per year -- a solid $1,000 per month. Dividend income isn't guaranteed, but if you spread your money across a bunch of healthy and growing companies, you're likely to receive regular -- and growing -- payments. A dividend-focused exchange-traded fund (ETF) such as can be a fine option, too. The iShares Select Dividend ETF, for example, recently yielded about 3%. Preferred stock is another way to go. The iShares U.S. Preferred Stock ETFrecently yielded close to 6%.</p> <p>If you're willing and able to work a little while you're retired, at least in the first few years, you can generate some welcome income. Working just 12 hours per week at $10 per hour will generate about $500 per month. If you can work a few more hours or can earn a higher wage, you'll collect even more. But wait -- there's more! A part-time job can also give your days more structure and regular opportunities for socializing -- things that many people find they really miss when retired. So this can boost your income, and it can also offer benefits such as some structure to your suddenly free days and opportunities for socializing. Many retirees find themselves restless and a bit lonely in retirement, and a low-stress job on the side can be quite helpful.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>If you don't have a pension, you can, in a way, buy one for yourself via a <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/01/09/the-pros-and-cons-of-annuities.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">fixed annuity Opens a New Window.</a>. With a $200,000 investment, for example, a 70-year-old couple might be able to secure about $1,000per month for as long as at least one of them is alive. That can provide much peace of mind, removing stock market moves and the economy's current condition from your worries. A deferred annuity can also be helpful. It's a fixed annuity that starts paying you at a predetermined point in the future instead of immediately. A 70-year-old man, for example, might spend $50,000 for an annuity that will start paying him $800per month for the rest of his life beginning at age 80. That can ease any worries that your money will run out before you die.</p> <p>You might also consider a <a href="http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/04/08/reverse-mortgage-pros-and-cons.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">reverse mortgage Opens a New Window.</a>, where a lender provides (often tax-free) income during your retirement with the loan not needing to be paid back until you no longer live in your home. It has some drawbacks, such as requiring your heirs to sell your home unless they can afford to pay off the loan, but if you're really pinched for funds and no one is counting on inheriting your home, it can be a solid solution. Learn a lot more about them before getting one.</p> <p>If you have a life insurance policy that no one is depending on -- such as if the children you meant to protect with it are now grown and independent -- you might consider borrowingagainst it. This can work if you've bought "permanent" insurance such as whole life or universal life, and not term life insurance, that generally only lasts as long as you're paying for it. You'll be reducing or wiping out the value of the policy with your withdrawal(s), but if no one really needs the ultimate payout, it can make sense. Plus, the income is typically tax-free.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>This suggestion may make you wince, but it can be quite effective. If you can work two or three more years than you originally planned to, you'll be able to add two or three more years' worth of savings into your retirement accounts, and you won't be tapping them in those years, either. If your employer offers health insurance, you can enjoy the continuation of that coverage for several more years.</p> <p>Finally, learn more about Social Security strategies you might employ in order to collect more from the program. For example, for every year beyond your full retirement age that you delay starting to collect benefits, they will grow by about 8%. Delay from age 67 to 70 and you'll boost your benefits by 24%. It's not quite as powerful as it seems, though, because while your checks will be bigger, you'll be collecting a lot fewer of them. When you start collecting won't actually make much difference if you live an average-length life, but if you stand a decent chance of living a long time, bigger checks can be quite welcome. Read up on spousal strategies, too, as coordinating when you and your other half start collecting can benefit you both.</p> <p>Spend a little time thinking about how you spend money and how you might save or earn more and you'll likely come up with some additional ways to boost your future income. If you smoke, for example, you can probably save several thousand dollars annually by quitting. If you live in a pricey house or region, a strategic move could shrink your living expenses.</p> <p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Longtime Fool specialist <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSelena/info.aspx" type="external">Selena Maranjian Opens a New Window.</a>, whom you can <a href="http://twitter.com/SelenaMaranjian" type="external">follow on Twitter Opens a New Window.</a>, owns no shares of any company mentioned in this article.The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

heres something might surprise average monthly social security retirement benefit recentlyabout 1355 16260 year maximum monthly benefit retiring full retirement age recently2639 32000 annually seems skimpy bunch ways boost retirement income continue reading image source getty images suggestion wont surprise might taken aback much difference saving make youre socking away 1000 per month retirement could possibly sock away 1200 instead even decade left retirement make big difference saving 12000 per year 10 years account grows 8 annually yield 188000 sock away 15000 annually youll end far close 235000 thats 47000 additional savings exactly might save well skipping pricey fancy coffee drink day isnt new idea powerful saving perhaps 3000 annually cut cable cord stream video entertainment might save 50 per month 600 per year youre using gym much paying 40 monthly thats another 500 annual savings make phone calls car home insurance companies may find better deals netting hundreds dollars savings annually start selling things basement attic never get used might net hundreds dollars take easier route donate clothes household items charity reaping tax deductions smoke probably save thousands annually quitting image source getty images advertisement generate income retirement selling shares stock stock portfolio time dividendpaying stocks opens new window collect income without sell shares 300000 portfolio example sports overall average yield 4 generate 12000 per year solid 1000 per month dividend income isnt guaranteed spread money across bunch healthy growing companies youre likely receive regular growing payments dividendfocused exchangetraded fund etf fine option ishares select dividend etf example recently yielded 3 preferred stock another way go ishares us preferred stock etfrecently yielded close 6 youre willing able work little youre retired least first years generate welcome income working 12 hours per week 10 per hour generate 500 per month work hours earn higher wage youll collect even wait theres parttime job also give days structure regular opportunities socializing things many people find really miss retired boost income also offer benefits structure suddenly free days opportunities socializing many retirees find restless bit lonely retirement lowstress job side quite helpful image source getty images dont pension way buy one via fixed annuity opens new window 200000 investment example 70yearold couple might able secure 1000per month long least one alive provide much peace mind removing stock market moves economys current condition worries deferred annuity also helpful fixed annuity starts paying predetermined point future instead immediately 70yearold man example might spend 50000 annuity start paying 800per month rest life beginning age 80 ease worries money run die might also consider reverse mortgage opens new window lender provides often taxfree income retirement loan needing paid back longer live home drawbacks requiring heirs sell home unless afford pay loan youre really pinched funds one counting inheriting home solid solution learn lot getting one life insurance policy one depending children meant protect grown independent might consider borrowingagainst work youve bought permanent insurance whole life universal life term life insurance generally lasts long youre paying youll reducing wiping value policy withdrawals one really needs ultimate payout make sense plus income typically taxfree image source getty images suggestion may make wince quite effective work two three years originally planned youll able add two three years worth savings retirement accounts wont tapping years either employer offers health insurance enjoy continuation coverage several years finally learn social security strategies might employ order collect program example every year beyond full retirement age delay starting collect benefits grow 8 delay age 67 70 youll boost benefits 24 quite powerful seems though checks bigger youll collecting lot fewer start collecting wont actually make much difference live averagelength life stand decent chance living long time bigger checks quite welcome read spousal strategies coordinating half start collecting benefit spend little time thinking spend money might save earn youll likely come additional ways boost future income smoke example probably save several thousand dollars annually quitting live pricey house region strategic move could shrink living expenses 15834 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 15834 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind simply click discover learn strategies opens new window longtime fool specialist selena maranjian opens new window follow twitter opens new window owns shares company mentioned articlethe 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<p>The words "healthcare" and "value" don't seem to go together in the stock market right now as the sector has been hot in 2017, but that's only if you look at traditional valuation metrics and not the long-term potential.</p> <p>While you can still find a few stocks that offer up an attractive price right now, foresighted investors looking for value in healthcare have to have a different mindset and look beyond the obvious. Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD), Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI), and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) provide investors with a combination of good value and good potential.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p><a href="https://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> (Gilead Sciences): The strength of Gilead Sciences' HIV and hepatitis portfolio once made it a favorite growth play for biotech investors. Unfortunately, Gilead's heyday passed as key HIV patents expired and major competitors entered the hepatitis C market.</p> <p>Instead of spending its cash on big acquisitions to expand its pipeline and reach new markets, Gilead repurchased a lot of stock ($2.5 billion over the past 12 months) and paid out dividends ($2.6 billion during the same period) to appease nervous shareholders.</p> <p>It eventually <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/01/3-reasons-gilead-sciences-bought-kite-pharma.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">agreed to buy Opens a New Window.</a> Kite Pharma (NASDAQ: KITE), a maker of adoptive cell therapies, for $11.9 billion. Kite's CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapies) treatment could generate nearly $7.9 billion in sales by 2022 -- which could offset Gilead's ongoing declines in HIV and hepatitis drug revenues.</p> <p>Analysts still expect Gilead's revenue and earnings to respectively fall by the double-digits over the next two years. Those forecasts look bleak, but they don't fully include <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/19/gilead-sciences-kite-pharma-deal-has-already-pai-2.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">the projected impact Opens a New Window.</a> of the Kite acquisition, which was announced in mid-September.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Barclays analyst Geoff Meacham recently claimed that Kite's CAR-T treatments could be the beginning of a "third act"&amp;#160;that follows up the blockbuster success of its HIV and HCV franchises. Gilead's stock also looks very cheap at 9 times earnings, compared to the industry average of 71 for biotech companies, and its forward yield of 2.6% is supported by a low payout ratio of 22%. Those factors should limit its downside potential, even as its near-term future looks blurry.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFLifeIsGood/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Danny Vena Opens a New Window.</a> (Masimo):&amp;#160;Masimo may not be a household name, but the company is the undisputed leader in noninvasive patient monitoring technologies, with a focus on pulse oximetry. That sounds pretty complicated, but it's really quite simple. A pulse oximeter is a small device that clips to your finger to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood -- which you probably saw at the doctor's office the last time you went for a checkup.</p> <p>This device and others like it provide vitally important information to healthcare providers, and Masimo has more than 1.5 million of the devices at work with medical professionals around the globe.</p> <p>As the settlement of a recent patent infringement lawsuit, medical device company Koninklijke Philips NV (NYSE: PHG) paid Masimo $300 million, and the two companies have now entered a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/07/10/heres-why-the-best-is-yet-to-come-for-masimo-corpo.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">multiyear partnership Opens a New Window.</a> to license Masimo's technology and jointly develop products. This move could significantly boost Masimo's revenue since the Dutch company controls more than 50% of the high-acuity monitoring market, and other industry players could soon follow its lead.</p> <p>In its <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/08/03/masimo-corporation-raises-full-year-guidance-after.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">most recent quarter Opens a New Window.</a>, Masimo produced revenue of $193 million, a 12% increase over the prior-year quarter. Discounting one-time items, net income grew a sizable 27% as expenses grew by only 4% year over year. The company recently increased its long-term growth projections by a full percent to 8% as the result of this collaboration, while increasing its earnings per share forecast by an additional 6% to $2.80.</p> <p>All of this while trading at a mere 14 times trailing earnings.</p> <p><a href="http://www.fool.com/about/staff/RichDuprey/author.htm?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Rich Duprey Opens a New Window.</a> (AbbVie): A stock that's regularly hitting new 52-week highs might not look like your typical value stock, but drug manufacturer AbbVie still fits the bill. Its shares go for 23 times trailing earnings and 14 times estimates, putting it on par with the broad market indexes, but with analysts expecting it to enjoy 14% annual earnings growth over the next five years, it's clear there's lots of room for further expansion.</p> <p>While much focus is rightly placed on AbbVie's Humira, from which the company derives about two-thirds of its $25.6 billion in annual revenue, it's the pipeline of therapies the drugmaker has in its portfolio that really argues in favor of its stock being discounted now.</p> <p>Imbruvica is AbbVie's second biggest-selling drug with annual sales of over $1.8 billion. It estimates the hematologic oncology drug will achieve $5 billion in sales by 2020 and some $7 billion in peak sales over its lifecycle. It's also investigating dozens of other molecules for treatment of various disorders and illnesses, some with significant potential for success, including Rova-T, an experimental cancer drug, that could reach $5 billion in <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/11/abbvies-rova-t-update-at-asco-good-or-bad.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">peak annual sales Opens a New Window.</a> if approved, and Upadacitinib, a <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/06/23/abbvies-eagerly-anticipated-followup-to-humira-is.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">rheumatoid arthritis treatment Opens a New Window.</a>&amp;#160;with expected peak annual sales of $3.5 billion.</p> <p>Obviously, biotechs carry risks, and AbbVie has paid a lot of money to acquire some of the therapies that ultimately may not pay off for it. Assuming it continues to steward their passage through clinical trial and onto the market, AbbVie's stock price today could look very discounted when looking back on it in the future.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than MasimoWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=ebae9a5a-4b30-485f-a60b-ab8dd49e25e4&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Masimo wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-static%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=ebae9a5a-4b30-485f-a60b-ab8dd49e25e4&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of October 9, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFLifeIsGood/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Danny Vena Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Gilead Sciences. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFSunLion/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Leo Sun Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFCop/info.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Rich Duprey Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Gilead Sciences and Masimo. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;uuid=f51a4270-b652-11e7-91b9-0050569d32b9&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

words healthcare value dont seem go together stock market right sector hot 2017 thats look traditional valuation metrics longterm potential still find stocks offer attractive price right foresighted investors looking value healthcare different mindset look beyond obvious gilead sciences nasdaq gild masimo nasdaq masi abbvie nyse abbv provide investors combination good value good potential continue reading leo sun opens new window gilead sciences strength gilead sciences hiv hepatitis portfolio made favorite growth play biotech investors unfortunately gileads heyday passed key hiv patents expired major competitors entered hepatitis c market instead spending cash big acquisitions expand pipeline reach new markets gilead repurchased lot stock 25 billion past 12 months paid dividends 26 billion period appease nervous shareholders eventually agreed buy opens new window kite pharma nasdaq kite maker adoptive cell therapies 119 billion kites cart chimeric antigen receptor tcell therapies treatment could generate nearly 79 billion sales 2022 could offset gileads ongoing declines hiv hepatitis drug revenues analysts still expect gileads revenue earnings respectively fall doubledigits next two years forecasts look bleak dont fully include projected impact opens new window kite acquisition announced midseptember advertisement barclays analyst geoff meacham recently claimed kites cart treatments could beginning third act160that follows blockbuster success hiv hcv franchises gileads stock also looks cheap 9 times earnings compared industry average 71 biotech companies forward yield 26 supported low payout ratio 22 factors limit downside potential even nearterm future looks blurry danny vena opens new window masimo160masimo may household name company undisputed leader noninvasive patient monitoring technologies focus pulse oximetry sounds pretty complicated really quite simple pulse oximeter small device clips finger measure amount oxygen blood probably saw doctors office last time went checkup device others like provide vitally important information healthcare providers masimo 15 million devices work medical professionals around globe settlement recent patent infringement lawsuit medical device company koninklijke philips nv nyse phg paid masimo 300 million two companies entered multiyear partnership opens new window license masimos technology jointly develop products move could significantly boost masimos revenue since dutch company controls 50 highacuity monitoring market industry players could soon follow lead recent quarter opens new window masimo produced revenue 193 million 12 increase prioryear quarter discounting onetime items net income grew sizable 27 expenses grew 4 year year company recently increased longterm growth projections full percent 8 result collaboration increasing earnings per share forecast additional 6 280 trading mere 14 times trailing earnings rich duprey opens new window abbvie stock thats regularly hitting new 52week highs might look like typical value stock drug manufacturer abbvie still fits bill shares go 23 times trailing earnings 14 times estimates putting par broad market indexes analysts expecting enjoy 14 annual earnings growth next five years clear theres lots room expansion much focus rightly placed abbvies humira company derives twothirds 256 billion annual revenue pipeline therapies drugmaker portfolio really argues favor stock discounted imbruvica abbvies second biggestselling drug annual sales 18 billion estimates hematologic oncology drug achieve 5 billion sales 2020 7 billion peak sales lifecycle also investigating dozens molecules treatment various disorders illnesses significant potential success including rovat experimental cancer drug could reach 5 billion peak annual sales opens new window approved upadacitinib rheumatoid arthritis treatment opens new window160with expected peak annual sales 35 billion obviously biotechs carry risks abbvie paid lot money acquire therapies ultimately may pay assuming continues steward passage clinical trial onto market abbvies stock price today could look discounted looking back future 10 stocks like better masimowhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right masimo wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns october 9 2017 danny vena opens new window owns shares gilead sciences leo sun opens new window position stocks mentioned rich duprey opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares recommends gilead sciences masimo motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Boeing's KC-46 leads the way -- all the way to Japan. Image source: Boeing.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>America's defense contractors have a lot of customers, and in a lot of different countries. One of <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/12/22/will-japans-240-billion-defense-budget-spark-a-gol.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">the most important of these is Japan Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>I know that in theory, Japan's "military" is "only" a self-defense force, but it's a big one. With an annual defense budget measured in the tens of billions, Japan has ranked as the world's 16th-largest weapons importer over the past 15 years. What's more, last year, <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/12/11/japan-begins-building-up-a-drone-air-force.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Japan "reinterpreted" Article 9 Opens a New Window.</a> of its Constitution to permit various forms of cooperation with military allies -- and in ways formerly verboten to the Self-Defense Forces.</p> <p>Already, the effects of that reinterpretation are making themselves felt. And pretty soon, they should become visible on Boeing's (NYSE: BA) bottom line.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Last month, in one of its regular "notifications" to Congress, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the Government of Japan has requested permission to buy four KC-46A "Pegasus" aerial refueling aircraft from Boeing.</p> <p>According to DSCA, selling these tankers to Japan will not "affect the basic military balance in the region." It will, however, improve "Japan's capability to participate in Pacific region security operations," improve "Japan's national security posture," and "provide Japan a needed capability to a close ally and support U.S. security interests in the region" -- as is now permitted by the reinterpretation of Japan's Constitution Article 9.</p> <p>Including electronics equipment from Raytheon, missile defense accoutrements from Northrop Grumman, and engines from United Technologies, the total value of the contract is expected to be $1.9 billion -- with Boeing acting as prime contractor.</p> <p>DATA SOURCE: <a href="https://www.capitaliq.com/" type="external">S&amp;amp;P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>So what does this mean for Boeing and its shareholders? The size of the proposed Japan contract is impressive in and of itself. But perhaps even more important than the dollar value is the vote of confidence Japan has given Boeing.</p> <p>Remember, the U.S. Air Force itself only OK'd the KC-46 <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/08/18/boeings-kc-46-finally-ready-for-war.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">for low-rate initial production (LRIP) Opens a New Window.</a> a couple of months ago. And just weeks after that happened, Japan placed an order to buy some. Clearly, Japan is champing at the bit to buy this plane -- and where Japan leads, the hope is that other buyers will follow.</p> <p>This is a rare bit of good news for Boeing's KC-46A program, which has been kind of a disaster up until now. Boeing <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/03/08/boeing-knows-how-to-win.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">bid low to win Opens a New Window.</a> a contract to build it for the Air Force, then was forced to eat <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/07/23/boeings-kc-46-pegasus-problems-are-already-fading.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">more than $1 billion in cost overruns Opens a New Window.</a> on the airplane's development. At this point, for Boeing to have even a chance of breaking even, it needs to sell more Pegasi than the Air Force is prepared to buy -- so as to spread out development costs among as many plane sales as possible.</p> <p>Japan's purchase suggests this may be a viable path forward for Boeing.</p> <p>It's not, however, a good reason to buy Boeing stock in and of itself. Remember, Boeing's entire military aircraft business accounts for just 14% of the company's total sales -- the company's civilian operations are much more significant -- and KC-46 is just one small sliver of Boeing's total military aircraft business.</p> <p>Before buying Boeing stock, you'll want to take a closer look at the company as a whole. So let's do that:</p> <p>DATA SOURCES: YAHOO! FINANCE, <a href="http://capitaliq.com/" type="external">S&amp;amp;P GLOBAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>How does a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/value/value-investing.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">value investor Opens a New Window.</a>use numbers like these to determine if a stock like Boeing is worth buying? Start by adding the company's projected growth rate to its dividend yield. These two numbers combined give you the "total return" you're expecting on an investment in Boeing: 15.8%.</p> <p>Ideally, you want to buy the stock when its price-to-earnings or its price-to-free cash flow ratio (or even better, both) are equal to or less than that total return number. Currently, Boeing's P/E ratio fails this test. But its price-to-free cash flow ratio -- actually, the valuation metric that I prefer -- passes with flying colors.</p> <p>Moreover, I can't help noticing that Boeing's <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/09/05/foolish-fundamentals-the-price-to-sales-ratio.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">price-to-sales ratio Opens a New Window.</a>, which I've found especially useful for finding bargain stocks in the <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/08/12/aerospace-and-defense-industry-investing-essential.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">aerospace and defense industry Opens a New Window.</a>, is currently clocking in well below the 1.0-times-sales rule of thumbfor fair value.</p> <p>In my book, I'm scoring Boeing at "two out of three ain't bad" on these valuation metrics. Boeing's GAAP-derived P/E ratio looks a bit high -- due, in part, to all the writedowns that Boeing has been forced to take on the KC-46 project. But its low P/FCF and P/S ratios, combined with a respectable growth rate and strong dividend yield, tell me that investors are underestimating the value in Boeing stock today.</p> <p>I think the stock's a buy. In fact, after crunching all these numbers, I think <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/01/13/how-much-is-boeing-worth.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">I just might pick up a few shares Opens a New Window.</a> myself.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2691&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDitty/info.aspx" type="external">Rich Smith Opens a New Window.</a>does not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him on <a href="http://caps.fool.com/" type="external">Motley Fool CAPS Opens a New Window.</a>, publicly pontificating under the handle <a href="http://caps.fool.com/ViewPlayer.aspx?t=01002844399633209838" type="external">TMFDitty Opens a New Window.</a>, where he's currently ranked No. 282 out of more than 75,000 rated members.</p> <p>The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

boeings kc46 leads way way japan image source boeing continue reading americas defense contractors lot customers lot different countries one important japan opens new window know theory japans military selfdefense force big one annual defense budget measured tens billions japan ranked worlds 16thlargest weapons importer past 15 years whats last year japan reinterpreted article 9 opens new window constitution permit various forms cooperation military allies ways formerly verboten selfdefense forces already effects reinterpretation making felt pretty soon become visible boeings nyse ba bottom line advertisement last month one regular notifications congress us defense security cooperation agency dsca announced government japan requested permission buy four kc46a pegasus aerial refueling aircraft boeing according dsca selling tankers japan affect basic military balance region however improve japans capability participate pacific region security operations improve japans national security posture provide japan needed capability close ally support us security interests region permitted reinterpretation japans constitution article 9 including electronics equipment raytheon missile defense accoutrements northrop grumman engines united technologies total value contract expected 19 billion boeing acting prime contractor data source sampp global market intelligence opens new window mean boeing shareholders size proposed japan contract impressive perhaps even important dollar value vote confidence japan given boeing remember us air force okd kc46 lowrate initial production lrip opens new window couple months ago weeks happened japan placed order buy clearly japan champing bit buy plane japan leads hope buyers follow rare bit good news boeings kc46a program kind disaster boeing bid low win opens new window contract build air force forced eat 1 billion cost overruns opens new window airplanes development point boeing even chance breaking even needs sell pegasi air force prepared buy spread development costs among many plane sales possible japans purchase suggests may viable path forward boeing however good reason buy boeing stock remember boeings entire military aircraft business accounts 14 companys total sales companys civilian operations much significant kc46 one small sliver boeings total military aircraft business buying boeing stock youll want take closer look company whole lets data sources yahoo finance sampp global market intelligence opens new window value investor opens new windowuse numbers like determine stock like boeing worth buying start adding companys projected growth rate dividend yield two numbers combined give total return youre expecting investment boeing 158 ideally want buy stock pricetoearnings pricetofree cash flow ratio even better equal less total return number currently boeings pe ratio fails test pricetofree cash flow ratio actually valuation metric prefer passes flying colors moreover cant help noticing boeings pricetosales ratio opens new window ive found especially useful finding bargain stocks aerospace defense industry opens new window currently clocking well 10timessales rule thumbfor fair value book im scoring boeing two three aint bad valuation metrics boeings gaapderived pe ratio looks bit high due part writedowns boeing forced take kc46 project low pfcf ps ratios combined respectable growth rate strong dividend yield tell investors underestimating value boeing stock today think stocks buy fact crunching numbers think might pick shares opens new window secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window rich smith opens new windowdoes shares short company named find motley fool caps opens new window publicly pontificating handle tmfditty opens new window hes currently ranked 282 75000 rated members motley fool position stocks mentioned try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>French billionaire Bernard Arnault on Tuesday announced a plan to take full control of Christian Dior SE, saying his family is proposing to pay EUR12 billion ($13.04 billion) for the stake in the fashion company it doesn't already own.</p> <p>The plan will allow the French luxury conglomerate LVMH Mo&#235;t Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE to take control of Christian Dior Couture, Christian Dior's operating subsidiary. The Arnault family controls LVMH, the world's largest luxury company, and Mr. Arnault is its founder and chief executive.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Christian Dior Couture is currently considered an independent affiliate of LVMH despite having the same controlling shareholder.</p> <p>The proposed transaction would be the 68-year-old Mr. Arnault's biggest acquisition in years, giving LVMH one of the most storied brands in fashion. It also marks the culmination of Mr. Arnault's decadeslong turnaround of Dior, which he purchased in the 1980s and used to build his empire of luxury brands.</p> <p>Though LVMH and Dior have routinely cooperated with each other, LVMH executives said the companies can't share marketing, finance and administrative resources because of their differing shareholders. That should change once the deal is complete, they said.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault said the plan would simplify the structure of the businesses, which had "long been requested by the market," as well as strengthen LVMH's fashion and leather-goods division with the addition of Christian Dior Couture.</p> <p>Shares in Christian Dior soared 12% on the news in afternoon trading in Paris, while LVMH was up about 4%.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>The deal reshuffles LVMH's complex corporate relationship with Christian Dior and the Arnault family. The family owns 74.1% of Christian Dior, which in turn owns a controlling stake in LVMH. Under the deal, the Arnault family is offering to buy the 25.9% of Christian Dior it doesn't own for EUR260 a share, valuing that stake at EUR12 billion. The price is a 14.7% premium to where Christian Dior's shares closed on Monday.</p> <p>"The price we're paying is perhaps a little expensive, but in 30 years we'll be happy we did it," Mr. Arnault said at a press conference.</p> <p>The transaction will also see Mr. Arnault reduce his holdings of Herm&#232;s International SCA. Mr. Arnault had accumulated an 8.5% stake in the French luxury house during an aborted attempt several years ago to take over the company.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault is proposing to buy Dior's shares in a mix of cash and his Herm&#232;s shares. News that Mr. Arnault's shares would be hitting the market pushed Herm&#232;s shares down by more than 4% in afternoon trading.</p> <p>In an internal transaction, LVMH will then buy Christian Dior Couture, the fashion subsidiary of Christian Dior, in a deal that values the unit at EUR6 billion.</p> <p>Dior's results have surged in recent years, with the company reporting a profit of EUR252 million on sales of EUR1.9 billion last year, compared with EUR85 million on sales of EUR1 billion in 2011.</p> <p>The brand has long been at the core of Mr. Arnault's luxury empire, said Concetta Lanciaux, a former LVMH executive who worked with Mr. Arnault for 25 years.</p> <p>"Dior was the first one," Ms. Lanciaux said. "Your first one is always the best."</p> <p>Write to Matthew Dalton at Matthew.Dalton@wsj.com</p> <p>PARIS -- French billionaire Bernard Arnault is proposing to pay EUR12 billion ($13.04 billion) to unite his storied fashion house Christian Dior with his luxury conglomerate LVMH.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault used Dior as the basis of his empire starting in the 1980s, building what is now LVMH Mo&#235;t Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE into the world's largest luxury company with a complex web of ownership: The Arnault family owns 74.1% of Christian Dior SE, which in turn has a controlling 41% stake in LVMH and owns all of Christian Dior Couture, the fashion label.</p> <p>That has meant LVMH's minority shareholders have missed out on direct exposure to Dior's rapid growth in recent years, as the label has been considered an independent affiliate of LVMH despite having the same controlling shareholder. Mr. Arnault moved to fix that on Tuesday.</p> <p>The Arnault family said it would pay EUR260 a share, or EUR12 billion, for the 25.9% of Christian Dior SE it doesn't own. Then LVMH will acquire all of Christian Dior Couture in an internal transaction valuing the label at EUR6 billion.</p> <p>The EUR12 billion price tag on the Dior SE stake is a 14.7% premium to where Dior's shares closed on Monday.</p> <p>"The price we're paying is perhaps a little expensive, but in 30 years we'll be happy we did it," Mr. Arnault said at a press conference.</p> <p>Though LVMH and Dior have routinely cooperated with each other, LVMH executives said the companies can't fully share marketing, finance and administrative resources because of their differing shareholders. That should change once the deal is complete, they said.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault said the plan would simplify the structure of the businesses, which had "long been requested by the market," as well as strengthen LVMH's fashion and leather-goods division with the addition of Christian Dior Couture.</p> <p>Shares in Christian Dior soared 11% on the news in Paris trading, while LVMH rose about 4%.</p> <p>LVMH's sales have proved resilient to recent weakness in the global luxury market. Revenue rose 5% last year, despite terror attacks in Europe and new rules passed by Beijing aimed at pushing globe-trotting Chinese shoppers to spend more at home. Sales in the first quarter of the year surged 15%, easily beating expectations.</p> <p>The proposed transaction would be the 68-year-old Mr. Arnault's biggest acquisition in years, giving LVMH one of the most elite brands in fashion. It also marks the culmination of Mr. Arnault's decadeslong turnaround of Dior.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault took control of Dior in 1985, after a group of investors he led purchased its parent company, a lumbering French industrial conglomerate that was near collapse. Mr. Arnault sold off unprofitable businesses and closed factories but kept Dior, his first foray into the fashion business.</p> <p>"Dior was the first one," said Concetta Lanciaux, an LVMH executive who worked with Mr. Arnault for decades. "Your first one is always the best."</p> <p>To revive the business, he canceled many licensing deals signed by the French fashion house that he felt had damaged the brand. It is a playbook he used repeatedly as LVMH bought dozens of luxury brands over the next 30 years, Ms. Lanciaux said.</p> <p>"When you give licenses for your product, it's not as good as if you're making it," she said. "That was where he first developed the strategy: doing your own manufacturing, no outsourcing."</p> <p>The transaction will also reduce Mr. Arnault's holdings of Herm&#232;s International SCA. Mr. Arnault had accumulated an 8.5% stake in the French luxury house during an aborted attempt several years ago to take over the company. Herm&#232;s shares have rallied recently, giving Mr. Arnault a stronger currency with which to buy his stake in Dior.</p> <p>"He's swapping more LVMH and more Dior shares for less Herm&#232;s exposure," said Luca Solca, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas.</p> <p>Mr. Arnault is proposing to buy Dior's shares using a mix of cash and his Herm&#232;s shares. News that Mr. Arnault's shares would be hitting the market pushed Herm&#232;s shares down 4.5% in Paris trading.</p> <p>Dior's results have surged in recent years, with the company reporting a profit of EUR252 million on sales of EUR1.9 billion last year, compared with EUR85 million on sales of EUR1 billion in 2011.</p> <p>Write to Matthew Dalton at Matthew.Dalton@wsj.com</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>April 25, 2017 13:48 ET (17:48 GMT)</p>

french billionaire bernard arnault tuesday announced plan take full control christian dior se saying family proposing pay eur12 billion 1304 billion stake fashion company doesnt already plan allow french luxury conglomerate lvmh moët hennessy louis vuitton se take control christian dior couture christian diors operating subsidiary arnault family controls lvmh worlds largest luxury company mr arnault founder chief executive continue reading christian dior couture currently considered independent affiliate lvmh despite controlling shareholder proposed transaction would 68yearold mr arnaults biggest acquisition years giving lvmh one storied brands fashion also marks culmination mr arnaults decadeslong turnaround dior purchased 1980s used build empire luxury brands though lvmh dior routinely cooperated lvmh executives said companies cant share marketing finance administrative resources differing shareholders change deal complete said mr arnault said plan would simplify structure businesses long requested market well strengthen lvmhs fashion leathergoods division addition christian dior couture shares christian dior soared 12 news afternoon trading paris lvmh 4 advertisement deal reshuffles lvmhs complex corporate relationship christian dior arnault family family owns 741 christian dior turn owns controlling stake lvmh deal arnault family offering buy 259 christian dior doesnt eur260 share valuing stake eur12 billion price 147 premium christian diors shares closed monday price paying perhaps little expensive 30 years well happy mr arnault said press conference transaction also see mr arnault reduce holdings hermès international sca mr arnault accumulated 85 stake french luxury house aborted attempt several years ago take company mr arnault proposing buy diors shares mix cash hermès shares news mr arnaults shares would hitting market pushed hermès shares 4 afternoon trading internal transaction lvmh buy christian dior couture fashion subsidiary christian dior deal values unit eur6 billion diors results surged recent years company reporting profit eur252 million sales eur19 billion last year compared eur85 million sales eur1 billion 2011 brand long core mr arnaults luxury empire said concetta lanciaux former lvmh executive worked mr arnault 25 years dior first one ms lanciaux said first one always best write matthew dalton matthewdaltonwsjcom paris french billionaire bernard arnault proposing pay eur12 billion 1304 billion unite storied fashion house christian dior luxury conglomerate lvmh mr arnault used dior basis empire starting 1980s building lvmh moët hennessy louis vuitton se worlds largest luxury company complex web ownership arnault family owns 741 christian dior se turn controlling 41 stake lvmh owns christian dior couture fashion label meant lvmhs minority shareholders missed direct exposure diors rapid growth recent years label considered independent affiliate lvmh despite controlling shareholder mr arnault moved fix tuesday arnault family said would pay eur260 share eur12 billion 259 christian dior se doesnt lvmh acquire christian dior couture internal transaction valuing label eur6 billion eur12 billion price tag dior se stake 147 premium diors shares closed monday price paying perhaps little expensive 30 years well happy mr arnault said press conference though lvmh dior routinely cooperated lvmh executives said companies cant fully share marketing finance administrative resources differing shareholders change deal complete said mr arnault said plan would simplify structure businesses long requested market well strengthen lvmhs fashion leathergoods division addition christian dior couture shares christian dior soared 11 news paris trading lvmh rose 4 lvmhs sales proved resilient recent weakness global luxury market revenue rose 5 last year despite terror attacks europe new rules passed beijing aimed pushing globetrotting chinese shoppers spend home sales first quarter year surged 15 easily beating expectations proposed transaction would 68yearold mr arnaults biggest acquisition years giving lvmh one elite brands fashion also marks culmination mr arnaults decadeslong turnaround dior mr arnault took control dior 1985 group investors led purchased parent company lumbering french industrial conglomerate near collapse mr arnault sold unprofitable businesses closed factories kept dior first foray fashion business dior first one said concetta lanciaux lvmh executive worked mr arnault decades first one always best revive business canceled many licensing deals signed french fashion house felt damaged brand playbook used repeatedly lvmh bought dozens luxury brands next 30 years ms lanciaux said give licenses product good youre making said first developed strategy manufacturing outsourcing transaction also reduce mr arnaults holdings hermès international sca mr arnault accumulated 85 stake french luxury house aborted attempt several years ago take company hermès shares rallied recently giving mr arnault stronger currency buy stake dior hes swapping lvmh dior shares less hermès exposure said luca solca analyst exane bnp paribas mr arnault proposing buy diors shares using mix cash hermès shares news mr arnaults shares would hitting market pushed hermès shares 45 paris trading diors results surged recent years company reporting profit eur252 million sales eur19 billion last year compared eur85 million sales eur1 billion 2011 write matthew dalton matthewdaltonwsjcom end dow jones newswires april 25 2017 1348 et 1748 gmt

<p>With Democrats set to blow up the budget in order to shut down funding for President Trump&#8217;s border wall and maintain funding for Planned Parenthood, Republicans including Trump are running for the hills. This means that, as Daniel Horowitz points out at Conservative Review, virtually every top Republican priority outside of the nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch has stalled utterly, from Obamacare repeal to the repeal of Obama&#8217;s executive amnesty, from the dispatching of the Iran deal to the pullout from the Paris climate accords, from tax reform to defunding of Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, Republicans <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/articles/run-over-by-a-parked-car-trump-and-republicans-cave-on-budget" type="external">continue to cave to Democratic budget maneuvers</a>:</p> <p>This degree of capitulation, with control of all three branches, is impressing even me &#8230; and I had low expectations of this president and this party. They have managed to get run over by a parked car. It&#8217;s truly breathtaking to contrast the performance of Democrats in the spring of 2009 with what Republicans have done today with all three branches. At this time in 2009, Democrats passed the bailouts, the stimulus, the first round of financial regulations, an equal pay bill, SCHIP expansion, and laid the groundwork for other, bigger proposals, such as cap and trade and Obamacare. Then they got everything they wanted in the March 2009 omnibus bill, and a number of GOP senators voted for it. We, on the other hand, are left with nothing.</p> <p>So, what&#8217;s the problem here? Why did the Trump administration surrender to Democratic budget priorities in order to keep the government funded?</p> <p>Because the Republican Party is a party of big government. It&#8217;s that simple.</p> <p>President Trump has spent the last several weeks explaining there would be no government shutdown. This follows on years of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell explaining that government shutdowns were political poison for Republicans. And that followed on years of the media explaining that a government shutdown that didn&#8217;t hurt Republicans electorally in 2014 or 2016 obviously devastated the Republican Party in some unspecified way.</p> <p>Today, we&#8217;re told that if Trump told the Democrats to get on board or the government would shut down, Trump would pay the political price. But that wasn&#8217;t the case when Barack Obama was the president, apparently. When Republicans in the House refused to fund Obamacare in 2013, here&#8217;s how Obama responded:</p> <p>This Republican shut down did not have to happen, but I want every American to understand why it did happen. Republicans in the House of Representatives refused to fund the government unless we defunded or dismantled the Affordable Care Act. They've shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health insurance to millions of Americans. In other words, they demanded ransom just for doing their job.</p> <p>Obama used the bully pulpit to bully. He succeeded; Republicans backed down.</p> <p>Yet now, we&#8217;re told that if President Trump were to use the same tactic &#8211; if he were to tell the American people and the press that Democrats have shut down the government in order to prevent the building of a wall that would protect Americans from the risks of unvetted immigration &#8211; he&#8217;d pay the political price.</p> <p>That&#8217;s sheer nonsense. Democrats would be seen as obstructionists, along with their moderate Republican allies. That&#8217;s appropriate. Trump campaigned on certain promises, and he has an obligation to fulfill them.</p> <p>But he has no intention of fulfilling them &#8211; and neither do McConnell or Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Not when they can defer to Democrats and then claim their hands were tied. Why? Because Republicans are afraid of their own supposed philosophy.</p> <p>Imagine an actual party of small government. Let&#8217;s call it the SGP. Imagine that party of small government were threatened by Democrats thusly: &#8220;Hey, SGPers. If you don&#8217;t give us the spending we want, we&#8217;ll shut down the government &#8211; and the government will stop operating such that essential services continue to function, but all the others slow down or close.&#8221; Would the SGPers resist? Hell no! They&#8217;d laugh! They&#8217;d say, &#8220;Yes, Democrats, go ahead and pull the trigger. We like small government. You know what will happen if you shut down the government? Not much! The American people will see that the zombie apocalypse isn&#8217;t being prevented by your big government routine.&#8221;</p> <p>In fact, for a moment in time, that&#8217;s what Republicans did in 2013. And they were right. The government shutdown impacted so few people that the Obama administration was relegated to generating nasty headlines by forcibly shutting down open air national monuments. Obama wouldn&#8217;t have had to participate in such tomfoolery if the wages of a government shutdown were so dire &#8211; he could have just pointed at The Purge taking place on Pennsylvania Ave., and Republicans would have caved. But there was no purge. Nothing markedly bad happened. So Obama had to craft a bad narrative out of whole cloth, then use his media lackeys to promulgate it.</p> <p>Now Trump is president. He holds all the cards. A government shutdown won&#8217;t end the world and Democrats are to blame! Instead, he&#8217;s decided to back down. That&#8217;s because in his heart, Trump &#8211; just like McConnell and Ryan &#8211; has no confidence in small government. They believe that government ought to be big, it just ought to be run by them. But here&#8217;s the problem: so long as Republicans believe that government ought to be big, it will always be run by Democrats, even when Republicans are in the majority in the House and Senate and occupy the White House &#8211; because Democrats will always be able to blackmail Republicans with the threat of shutdown.</p> <p>This latest fiasco just demonstrates what conservatives have known all along: top Republicans aren&#8217;t interested in smaller government overall. But it confirms one additional point: it isn&#8217;t just establishment Republicans who are the problem. Anti-establishment big government Republicans are more closely allied with establishment Republicans than with small government conservatives. And that means Democrats win. Again.</p>

democrats set blow budget order shut funding president trumps border wall maintain funding planned parenthood republicans including trump running hills means daniel horowitz points conservative review virtually every top republican priority outside nomination justice neil gorsuch stalled utterly obamacare repeal repeal obamas executive amnesty dispatching iran deal pullout paris climate accords tax reform defunding planned parenthood meanwhile republicans continue cave democratic budget maneuvers degree capitulation control three branches impressing even low expectations president party managed get run parked car truly breathtaking contrast performance democrats spring 2009 republicans done today three branches time 2009 democrats passed bailouts stimulus first round financial regulations equal pay bill schip expansion laid groundwork bigger proposals cap trade obamacare got everything wanted march 2009 omnibus bill number gop senators voted hand left nothing whats problem trump administration surrender democratic budget priorities order keep government funded republican party party big government simple president trump spent last several weeks explaining would government shutdown follows years senate majority leader mitch mcconnell explaining government shutdowns political poison republicans followed years media explaining government shutdown didnt hurt republicans electorally 2014 2016 obviously devastated republican party unspecified way today told trump told democrats get board government would shut trump would pay political price wasnt case barack obama president apparently republicans house refused fund obamacare 2013 heres obama responded republican shut happen want every american understand happen republicans house representatives refused fund government unless defunded dismantled affordable care act theyve shut government ideological crusade deny affordable health insurance millions americans words demanded ransom job obama used bully pulpit bully succeeded republicans backed yet told president trump use tactic tell american people press democrats shut government order prevent building wall would protect americans risks unvetted immigration hed pay political price thats sheer nonsense democrats would seen obstructionists along moderate republican allies thats appropriate trump campaigned certain promises obligation fulfill intention fulfilling neither mcconnell speaker house paul ryan defer democrats claim hands tied republicans afraid supposed philosophy imagine actual party small government lets call sgp imagine party small government threatened democrats thusly hey sgpers dont give us spending want well shut government government stop operating essential services continue function others slow close would sgpers resist hell theyd laugh theyd say yes democrats go ahead pull trigger like small government know happen shut government much american people see zombie apocalypse isnt prevented big government routine fact moment time thats republicans 2013 right government shutdown impacted people obama administration relegated generating nasty headlines forcibly shutting open air national monuments obama wouldnt participate tomfoolery wages government shutdown dire could pointed purge taking place pennsylvania ave republicans would caved purge nothing markedly bad happened obama craft bad narrative whole cloth use media lackeys promulgate trump president holds cards government shutdown wont end world democrats blame instead hes decided back thats heart trump like mcconnell ryan confidence small government believe government ought big ought run heres problem long republicans believe government ought big always run democrats even republicans majority house senate occupy white house democrats always able blackmail republicans threat shutdown latest fiasco demonstrates conservatives known along top republicans arent interested smaller government overall confirms one additional point isnt establishment republicans problem antiestablishment big government republicans closely allied establishment republicans small government conservatives means democrats win

<p /> <p>"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" The Pretribulation Rapture. NTEB has started a series making the historical and biblical case for the existience of the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church. We believe it is stated time and time again in the bible, in no uncertain terms, and we are proud to take a stand to defend this exciting End Times Bible prophecy. Does the bible teach a Pretribulation Rapture? Yes, we believe it does, and present evidence for proof of a Pretribulation Rapture. It Is Written "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&amp;amp;c=3" type="external">Revelation 3:10</a></p> <p>Scriptural Evidence for the Pretribulation Rapture This section is used by permission from <a href="http://www.raptureready.com/rr-pretribulation-rapture.html" type="external">RaptureReady.com</a> The Unknown Hour When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4). This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation (Dan 9:27).</p> <p>Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation. In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later. The Pretribulation Rapture: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb In Luke 12:36, the Word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Revelation 19:7-8, we read about the marriage itself. The marriage supper takes place before the marriage. According to Jewish custom, the marriage contract, which often includes a dowry, is drawn up first. The contract parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our Savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When it's time for the wedding, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced. She comes out to meet him, and then he takes her to his father's house. This precisely correlates with the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus, the Groom, comes down from heaven and calls up the Church, His Bride. After meeting in the air, He and His Bride return to His Father's house, heaven. The marriage supper itself will take place there, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation will be playing out. After the marriage supper of Jewish tradition, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This corresponds to the time when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rev 19:14). The Pretribulation Rapture: What They Didn't Teach You in History Class Many groups try to discredit the pre-trib rapture by saying most of the end-time events in the Bible have already taken place. A group of people called preterists claims that the Book of Revelation was mostly fulfilled by 70 AD. If the events described in the Book of Revelation took place in the past, I'm at a loss to explain some of the current situations I see around us: the rebirth of Israel, the reunification of Europe, the number of global wars that have occurred, and the development of nuclear weapons. During history class, I must have slept through the part where the teacher talked about the time when a third of the trees were burned up, 100-pound hailstones fell from the sky, and the sea turned into blood (Rev 8:7-8, 16:21). I think several people would have to question their opposition to the pre-trib rapture doctrine if they knew that the evidence provided to them was based on the understanding that most tribulation prophecies have already occurred. The Pretribulation Rapture: The Time of Jacob's Trouble In several passages, the Bible refers to the tribulation as a time of trouble for the Jews. The phrase "Jacob's trouble" pertains to the descendants of Jacob. Jeremiah 30:7 says that this time of trouble will come just before the Lord returns to save His people. The final week of Daniel's 70th week is yet to take place. An angel told Daniel that, "70 weeks are determined unto thy people" (Dan 9:24). Scripture never mentions that the tribulation is meant to be a time of testing for Christians. However, some post-tribbers try to claim that they are the ones being tested during the tribulation. To make this so, they need to spiritualize the 144,000 Jewish believers in Revelation 7:2-8 who receive God's protective seal. Placing the Church dispensation into the same time frame as the seven-year Jewish dispensation, as the post-tribbers do, raises one good question: Can two dispensations transpire at the same time? In the past, God has only dealt with one at a time. Having both present during the tribulation would have to be an exception. The Pretribulation Rapture: God Hath Not Appointed Us to Wrath In 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. This wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers interpret this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning that God will protect Christians during the tribulation and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Revelation 13:7, in which the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of being protected from the guns and swords of that day. Today, when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's impossible to expect that same kind of protection. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during World War II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic church. Everyone who was in the center of the explosion died--both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath is by viewing 1 Thessalonians 5:9 as the bodily removal of the Church from this world. The Pretribulation Rapture: Noah and Lot as Examples The tribulation period is compared to the times of Noah and Lot by Jesus in Luke 17:28. Most people argue over whether the time frame Jesus was talking about in that passage was pre-trib or post-trib. In doing so, they miss an important point. The two circumstances that the Noah and Lot situations have in common are the removal of the righteous and the judgment of the unbelievers. From these two accounts, we see that God prefers to remove His own when danger is involved. <a href="javascript:;" type="external">source - Rapture Ready</a></p> <p>The Pretribulation Rapture: The Unknown Hour</p> <p>When we search the Scriptures and read the passages describing the Lord Jesus' return, we find verses that tell us we won't know the day and hour of that event. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 indicates that the Jews will have to wait on the Lord 1,260 days, starting when the Antichrist stands in the Temple of God and declares himself to be God (2 Thes 2:4). This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven-year tribulation (Dan 9:27). Note that some people only see a three-and-a-half-year tribulation.</p> <p>In a way, they are correct because the first half of the tribulation will be relatively peaceful compared to the second half. Nonetheless, peaceful or not, there still remains a seven-year period called the tribulation. When the Jews flee into the wilderness, they know that all they have to do is wait out those 1,260 days (Mat 24:16). There is no way to apply the phrase "neither the day nor the hour" to this situation. The only way for these two viewpoints to be true is to separate the two distinct events transpiring here: 1) the rapture of the Church, which comes before the tribulation; and 2) the return of Jesus to the earth, which takes place roughly seven years later.</p> It Is Written click here

things begin come pass look lift heads redemption draweth nigh pretribulation rapture nteb started series making historical biblical case existience pretribulation rapture church believe stated time time bible uncertain terms proud take stand defend exciting end times bible prophecy bible teach pretribulation rapture yes believe present evidence proof pretribulation rapture written thou hast kept word patience also keep thee hour temptation shall come upon world try dwell upon earth revelation 310 scriptural evidence pretribulation rapture section used permission rapturereadycom unknown hour search scriptures read passages describing lord jesus return find verses tell us wont know day hour event matthew 2513 says jesus return unknown time revelation 126 indicates jews wait lord 1260 days starting antichrist stands temple god declares god 2 thes 24 event take place midpoint sevenyear tribulation dan 927 note people see threeandahalfyear tribulation way correct first half tribulation relatively peaceful compared second half nonetheless peaceful still remains sevenyear period called tribulation jews flee wilderness know wait 1260 days mat 2416 way apply phrase neither day hour situation way two viewpoints true separate two distinct events transpiring 1 rapture church comes tribulation 2 return jesus earth takes place roughly seven years later pretribulation rapture marriage supper lamb luke 1236 word states christ returns returning wedding revelation 1978 read marriage marriage supper takes place marriage according jewish custom marriage contract often includes dowry drawn first contract parallels act faith use trust jesus savior dowry life used purchase us time wedding groom goes brides house unannounced comes meet takes fathers house precisely correlates events according pretrib scenario jesus groom comes heaven calls church bride meeting air bride return fathers house heaven marriage supper take place earth final events tribulation playing marriage supper jewish tradition bride groom presented world man wife corresponds time jesus returns earth accompanied army clothed fine linen white clean rev 1914 pretribulation rapture didnt teach history class many groups try discredit pretrib rapture saying endtime events bible already taken place group people called preterists claims book revelation mostly fulfilled 70 ad events described book revelation took place past im loss explain current situations see around us rebirth israel reunification europe number global wars occurred development nuclear weapons history class must slept part teacher talked time third trees burned 100pound hailstones fell sky sea turned blood rev 878 1621 think several people would question opposition pretrib rapture doctrine knew evidence provided based understanding tribulation prophecies already occurred pretribulation rapture time jacobs trouble several passages bible refers tribulation time trouble jews phrase jacobs trouble pertains descendants jacob jeremiah 307 says time trouble come lord returns save people final week daniels 70th week yet take place angel told daniel 70 weeks determined unto thy people dan 924 scripture never mentions tribulation meant time testing christians however posttribbers try claim ones tested tribulation make need spiritualize 144000 jewish believers revelation 728 receive gods protective seal placing church dispensation time frame sevenyear jewish dispensation posttribbers raises one good question two dispensations transpire time past god dealt one time present tribulation would exception pretribulation rapture god hath appointed us wrath 1 thessalonians 59 paul assures us god appointed people wrath wrath plainly gods anger poured tribulation pretrib believers interpret meaning christians removed earth posttrib believers tell different story describe meaning god protect christians tribulation pour wrath unbelievers idea runs statement made revelation 137 antichrist given power make war saints overcome posttrib view would make gods promise protection wrath lie years past possible think protected guns swords day today major war would involve nuclear chemical weapons impossible expect kind protection nagasaki japan bombed world war ii bomb exploded catholic church everyone center explosion diedboth christians nonchristians way validly interpret gods promise protection wrath viewing 1 thessalonians 59 bodily removal church world pretribulation rapture noah lot examples tribulation period compared times noah lot jesus luke 1728 people argue whether time frame jesus talking passage pretrib posttrib miss important point two circumstances noah lot situations common removal righteous judgment unbelievers two accounts see god prefers remove danger involved source rapture ready pretribulation rapture unknown hour search scriptures read passages describing lord jesus return find verses tell us wont know day hour event matthew 2513 says jesus return unknown time revelation 126 indicates jews wait lord 1260 days starting antichrist stands temple god declares god 2 thes 24 event take place midpoint sevenyear tribulation dan 927 note people see threeandahalfyear tribulation way correct first half tribulation relatively peaceful compared second half nonetheless peaceful still remains sevenyear period called tribulation jews flee wilderness know wait 1260 days mat 2416 way apply phrase neither day hour situation way two viewpoints true separate two distinct events transpiring 1 rapture church comes tribulation 2 return jesus earth takes place roughly seven years later written click

<p><a href="//videos/37/64549" type="external" /></p> <p>RUSH: I love the Staples story. Staples announces that because of Obamacare they&#8217;re having to make some changes in the structure of their employees, and Obama does not like it and he takes out after them. &#8220;Obama Slams Staples for Reducing Hours to Avoid Obamacare,&#8221; and Staples responded.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH: &#8220;President Obama lashed out against CEO&#194;&#8217;s and business leaders who have cut hours in response to costly Affordable Care Act mandates which would force them to provide insurance for employees working more than 30 hours a week.&#8221; Now, I know that that aspect of Obamacare is not news to you because you are regular listeners here, but for those of you who may be new and may have come to us from what we call the low-information crowd, the aspect of Obamacare that this story&#8217;s about is this. Obamacare, national health care, requires businesses to provide health insurance for employees who work more than 30 hours a week.</p> <p>So what&#8217;s happening is that employers, because they can&#8217;t afford this&#8230; I mean, health insurance is getting more expensive for everybody, including bulk buyers, including people that buy a lot of policies for a lot of people, a big group. Health insurance costs are skyrocketing because Obamacare doesn&#8217;t do one thing to lower their cost because there&#8217;s nothing in Obamacare that establishes an economic relationship between the consumer and the provider. And until that happens, there&#8217;s never gonna be any cost control in health care.</p> <p>In virtually everything else you buy, be it a car, be it a house, renting an apartment, television set, hotel rooms, those prices, those commodities, those units are priced at various price points so that anybody can afford one. You may not be able to afford a 100-thousand-dollar car, but you might be able to afford a 40-thousand-dollar car. The market takes care of providing you both your needs and wants, usually at a price point that&#8217;s within your ability to afford it. Hotel rooms. You can stay at a five-star Ritz or you can stay at the local 12-room motel down at the end of town. Whatever you want to spend, whatever you can afford to spend, there&#8217;s a hotel room priced for you.</p> <p>But in health care, no such thing exists. The patient&#8217;s ability to pay is not a factor whatsoever in the cost of medical care. And as long as that remains true there is no way the costs of health care are going to come down. If you can&#8217;t afford it and you can still have it, how does that work, economically? If you can&#8217;t afford the medical care that you&#8217;re at present getting, but yet you&#8217;re getting it, it means somebody else is paying for it. You may not know who, you may not know the pathway, but you do know it&#8217;s being paid for. It&#8217;s just not being paid for by you because you probably can&#8217;t afford it. And the reason that you can&#8217;t afford it is precisely because you don&#8217;t have to pay for it.</p> <p>If the providers of health care&#8217;s only source of revenue was what people could afford, what do you think would happen to prices? They&#8217;d come down. It&#8217;s called supply, demand, and market forces, and for the most part, markets work. But going back to the, oh, you could even say fifties, but let&#8217;s peg it to the sixties and the advent of Medicare and Medicaid, maybe even World War II with employee-provided health care. Back then they needed employees and it was a benefit, a perk. That established that somebody else is gonna pay for it for you. Except that you were. You just didn&#8217;t know it.</p> <p>If you have health care as a benefit at work, and whether you pay nothing or whether you have to pay part of a copay, whether you have to pay deductible or whatever, let&#8217;s say that you earn $80,000 a year, and you&#8217;ve got dental and health care and whatever other benefits, sick pay, time to visit the vet day, whatever, it probably is costing the employer, including Social Security, probably costing the employer &#8212; I&#8217;ll just make up a number &#8212; it&#8217;s gonna be close to a hundred thousand dollars to pay you 80. You are getting the hundred thousand dollars; you just don&#8217;t see $20,000 of it. It&#8217;s in the form of your health care benefit or whatever benefit that you have, but that&#8217;s the cost of employing you. And as those benefits, particularly health care, continues to skyrocket in cost, the employer simply can&#8217;t afford it.</p> <p>Then along came Obamacare mandating that the employer provide health insurance for everybody working full-time, which they define as working 30 hours a week, and the idiots that designed it did not dynamically factor human behavior. They just sat there and said, stupid idiot CEOs will just pay the increased price. And what the CEOs did, they said, &#8220;Wait a minute, wait a minute, we can avoid this if we just convert some full-time people to part-time?&#8221; Yep, that&#8217;s what the law says. And so that&#8217;s what&#8217;s happened.</p> <p>If your job is one, if you used to be full time 40 hours, wherever you work, and sometime in the last 12 months you&#8217;ve been cut back to 30 or fewer, the answer is Obamacare. The president of the United States is costing you work, costing you money, costing you income. Now, you&#8217;re blaming it on your boss, but your boss or your company is only acting as responsible CEOs would. Spend as little as you can in the process of making a profit off whatever you do, service or product. So a lot of people that used to work full time are now working part time. They don&#8217;t have to be provided health care. It&#8217;s right there in Obamacare.</p> <p>Well, Staples pointed this out. The CEO at Staples explained that the reason there are so many new people at his company working 30 hours is because of Obamacare. They cut the number of hours, many employers, so that they would not have to provide health insurance for as many people who work for them. The CEO at Staples spoke up, and Obama was not happy. You do not expose the Dear Leader like this. This is called embarrassing. This is called sticking up. This is insolence. You are not to expose the Dear Leader this way. You&#8217;re supposed to sit there and take it.</p> <p>&#8220;More than 300 major businesses have made cutbacks in response to such mandates. While more than 5.6 million small businesses have incurred additional costs due to the ACA.&#8221; So when Staples spoke up and explained to everybody why so many of their employees cut back to 30 hours, Obama spoke up, singled &#8217;em out. He said, &#8220;I haven&#194;&#8217;t looked at Staples stock lately or what the compensation of the CEO is, but I suspect that they could well afford to treat their workers favorably and give them some basic financial security and if they can&#194;&#8217;t, then they should be willing to allow those workers to get the Affordable Care Act without cutting wages.&#8221;</p> <p>Well, normally when this happens, most CEOs in this day and age would cower in fear, head to the corner and shut up and send the PR guy out to make an apologetic statement of some kind. That is not what happened here. Staples has fired back at our Dear Leader. A Staples spokesman, Kirk Saville, said, &#8220;The initial story,&#8221; which came from BuzzFeed, which can be dubious &#8212; &#8220;The initial story was misleading as our policy regarding hours for part-time employees is more than a decade old. It&#194;&#8217;s unfortunate that the president is attacking a company that provides more than 85,000 jobs and is a major taxpayer.&#8221;</p> <p>So what Obama did was go out and accuse Staples of acting stupidly. So now it&#8217;s not just white cops that act stupidly. Now it&#8217;s Staples CEO. It&#8217;s not just Republicans who act stupidly. It&#8217;s not just Israel who&#8217;s stupid, and it&#8217;s not just doctors who are greedy and doing unnecessary amputations to get the extra bucks. It&#8217;s anyone on any given day. Could be me, could be Fox News, could be white cops. Today it&#8217;s Staples CEO is stupid. Attack, divide, smear, denigrate.</p> <p>I&#8217;m sorry for speaking factually about Jon Stewart&#8217;s favorite politician, President Obama, but it is what it is. And remember guys like David Brooks and all these, Obama was predicted to be a great president due to his temperament. Yes, he was not prone, he was not given to wild emotional displays and fluctuations. And he&#8217;s as petulant as a six-year-old who doesn&#8217;t get his way. Anyway, the Staples people are not taking it. They pay through the nose on taxes, they have 85,000 employees, and here comes Obama saying (imitating Obama), &#8220;Well, you know what? They ought to be willing to allow those workers &#8211;&#8221; Workers? It&#8217;s not workers. That&#8217;s what you call communist employees. They&#8217;re not workers. They&#8217;re employees. They&#8217;re business associates.</p> <p>&#8220;Ought to be able to allow those workers to get affordable health care without cutting wages.&#8221; Sorry, it doesn&#8217;t work that way, Mr. President. You don&#8217;t even know your own law if you think that. Cutting wages, they&#8217;re cutting hours. They&#8217;re trying to escape the albatross that you&#8217;ve put around everybody&#8217;s neck, and it&#8217;s built into the law, how to escape it. Dynamic scoring. Anyway, back to the central point. The central point, folks, is none of this is gonna get fixed until there is an economic relationship between patient and provider, be it a doctor, hospital, clinic, whatever it is.</p> <p>If you&#8217;re able to get medical care that you can&#8217;t afford, the system &#8212; you may not like hearing this &#8212; the system is broken. That&#8217;s not how things work. Because if you&#8217;re not paying for it, somebody else is. Have you seen the national debt? Have you seen the annual deficit? They are skyrocketing. We don&#8217;t have the money for all of this stuff that we&#8217;re providing for people.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH: Here is Obama. This was on the BuzzFeed website, editor-in-chief there is a guy named Ben Smith. He used to be at Politico and started his own website called BuzzFeed, and he&#8217;s talking to Obama &#8212; and, you know, by the way, this is a little side observation. You know, Obama goes out and talks to his little buddies at Vox. This former Washington Post guy, Ezra Klein, sets it up. And it really is a bunch of kids, ultra-extremist left-wing kids, young Millennials. I mean, they are the young leftist idealists, and they&#8217;re talking to Obama, and Obama thinks he&#8217;s at home in the family room, which he is.</p> <p><a href="" type="internal" />The last thing that&#8217;s gonna happen when he talks, either BuzzFeed or Vox or pretty much any of them, but, I mean, this is hero worship time. And when he was talking to Vox, that interview at Vox is what&#8217;s gotten him into all this trouble with ISIS. A bunch of different guys conducted the interview at Vox. I think is was Matt Yglesias. No relationship to Enrique. Who, by the way, did you see the Grammys? Enrique Iglesias showed up and was not wearing the stocking cap. First time in I&#8217;ve never seen him not wearing a stocking cap. The guy wears a stocking cap in the clubs. He wears it on stage. Probably wears it in bed with Anna Kournikova, whatever her name is. He actually has hair. Anyway, not related to him.</p> <p>It was Yglesias who asked him about ISIS and Obama thinks he&#8217;s totally at home and he&#8217;s relaxed and that&#8217;s when he came out with all the (paraphrasing), &#8220;You know, they&#8217;re not really terrorists. They&#8217;re just a bunch of folks out there that are backyard criminals and side street criminals,&#8221; and so forth. It was an interview with a friendly place that blew up. And of course the guys at Vox, they&#8217;re happy as they can be that it caused Obama a little trouble &#8217;cause this is attention for them, but they got the answer they wanted.</p> <p>The point is these are ultra-left-wing little idealists, and Obama gave them what they wanted to hear on a number of issues, about Republicans, about conservatives, and about ISIS and about Islam. No big deal. They&#8217;re not really that big a threat. Global warming&#8217;s a bigger threat. It was that interview where he said this. And these guys think they&#8217;ve hit a home run here because Obama articulated exactly what they believe, but in the process Obama actually stepped in some quicksand in a friendly interview. I find that delicious.</p> <p>And the same here with BuzzFeed. They&#8217;re not quite the devotees that the little guys at Vox are, but nevertheless it was at BuzzFeed where Obama decided to take out after the Staples CEO. BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith said, &#8220;We reported yesterday the office supply store Staples is telling its workers it&#8217;s gonna fire them if they work more than 25 hours a week. A manager has told a worker that we talked to that Obama is responsible for this policy. I wonder what you say to the CEO of Staples about their policy there.&#8221;</p> <p>OBAMA: I haven&#194;&#8217;t looked at Staples stock lately or what the compensation of the CEO is &#8212;</p> <p>RUSH: Stop the tape. What does that have to do with anything? What&#8217;s the stock price got to do &#8212; he&#8217;s trying to run it down here. What&#8217;s the CEO&#8217;s pay have to do with anything? I mean, in terms of Obamacare, nothing. Anyway, here&#8217;s the rest of it.</p> <p>OBAMA: &#8212; but I suspect that they could well afford to treat their workers favorably and give them some basic financial security, and if they can&#194;&#8217;t, then they should be willing to allow those workers to get the Affordable Care Act without cutting wages. &#8230; When I hear large corporations that make billions of dollars in profits trying to blame our interest in providing health insurance as an excuse for cutting back workers&#194;&#8217; wages, shame on them.</p> <p>RUSH: Where&#8217;s this billions of dollars in profit, A? Where is that, Staples billions of dollars in profit? What is this, &#8220;Should be able to afford to treat their workers favorably and give them some basic financial security.&#8221; That&#8217;s not what the purpose of a business is. The worker &#8212; and I know this is gonna sound harsh. I&#8217;m sorry. This is old school harsh. It&#8217;s up to the worker to provide his financial security. Do you think that&#8217;s too harsh? (interruption) Do you think I&#8217;m in trouble saying that? (interruption) Mr. Snerdley thinks that the 20-something Millennials may be profoundly offended by what I said and that I need to explain what I mean by it&#8217;s up to the worker &#8212; a word I detest, by the way.</p> <p>It&#8217;s up to the employee, it&#8217;s up to the individual to earn his financial security. Is that the responsibility of the company you work for, to provide you financial security? And how do you define that? What is financial security? Never having to work another day in your life? Never having to worry about paying the bills? What is financial security? Whatever it is, it&#8217;s an individual thing and it&#8217;s up to you to earn it. Anyway, Obama thinks pass a law, Obamacare, everybody gets free health care, businesses pay for it and everything&#8217;s fine, and they think that&#8217;s how the world works. The private sector&#8217;s a bottomless pit of endless money, too much money, and they just don&#8217;t get it at all.</p> <p>BREAK TRANSCRIPT</p> <p>RUSH: I just went and looked at some interesting facts, financial facts about Staples. You want to hear them? Staples earns billions and billions of dollars in profits, right? Obama just throws that out there, and of course the low-information crowd dutifully believes that businesses are just awash in money, that they&#8217;re not spending. Oh, yeah. These businesses are hoarding money. It&#8217;s either in the back room, it&#8217;s in the closet, it&#8217;s in the safe, it&#8217;s in the bank, it&#8217;s somewhere.</p> <p>And all of these businesses are run by rich Republicans, selfish and greedy. And they&#8217;re firing people. They&#8217;re not letting them go to the vet with their sick pet, and they&#8217;re holding all that money for themselves, and they own five cars and three houses and so forth, while the people that work for them starve. They got billions and billions of dollars, and now the same evil, greedy businesspeople are trying to deny people health care. That&#8217;s a low-information voters&#8217;s belief of Big Business, as instructed to them over the many decades by the Democrat Party and the media.</p> <p>But in truth, here&#8217;s Staples. Staples earns &#8212; are you ready? &#8212; for every $100 in sales, Staples earns $2.70 in profit. So Staples has to sell a hundred bucks worth of anything before they make $2.70 in profit. However, the take from state and local government taxes on the hundred dollars that Staples sells is $7. So state and local taxes alone equals $7 out of every $100 Staples sells. They have to sell a hundred bucks worth of stuff for a $2.70 profit, and the taxes on that same $100 are $7.</p> <p>Now, you tell me that Staples is out there getting rich off people. What&#8217;s my source on this? It&#8217;s Yahoo Finance. And who would dispute that? Yahoo News is a favored site of the low-information voters. That&#8217;s where I went to get this. Yahoo Finance. It&#8217;s their income statement. State and local government get more in tax dollars from Staples than Staples gets in profits. Before Obamacare. That&#8217;s just state and local taxes. We&#8217;re not even talking about fed taxes and Obamacare taxes and all that.</p> <p>By the way, I saw a story in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/sunday-review/insured-but-not-covered.html?_r=0" type="external">New York Times</a>recently. It was this week. I don&#8217;t read the New York Times. People who do send me things that they think I would be interested in. I can&#8217;t. I just can&#8217;t. (interruption) Well, no, no, I could. It&#8217;s one of these things I choose not to subject myself to. The New York Times has a story about the difference in having health care insurance and health care coverage, how that does not equal health care. There&#8217;s a couple of huge sob stories here of people who just bought into everything Obama said about everything, including Obamacare. They bought it hook, line, and sinker, and it&#8217;s costing them more than they ever paid for it before, and more than they ever believed. And no matter what damage it caused them, they are still as loyal to Obama as they ever were, because it&#8217;s a cult.</p> <p>But in each case there was a tipping point. There was a breaking point when these people finally got fed up and could no longer blindly support Obamacare. The best way to sum it up is when they found out despite the fact they were covered, despite the fact they had health insurance, they didn&#8217;t always get treatment. They didn&#8217;t get care. Has this happened to you? You have a health insurance policy, you go to the doctor, &#8220;Uh, uh, that procedure is not covered, or that required treatment you need, that&#8217;s not covered.&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;But, but, but, but, I have insurance!&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;Yes, you do. But not for that.&#8221;</p> <p>Now, if you&#8217;re willing to pay out of pocket or if you&#8217;re willing to pay an even higher premium and upgrade your policy, then that that you need could be covered. You check into Motel 6, and then you find out that despite you&#8217;re paying whatever you pay for the room, the ice in the machine is extra. The fact that you&#8217;ve paid for the room doesn&#8217;t get you the ice. Same thing here.</p> <p>Of all places, the New York Times <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/sunday-review/insured-but-not-covered.html?_r=0" type="external" />has found a couple of just total loyal Obama toadies. I&#8217;ll share one of the stories with you. You have mixed emotions when you read these things. But it is an interesting point nevertheless. You got insurance, but you may not be covered. You&#8217;ve got insurance, but you may not get treated. The New York Times is worried about it because they&#8217;ve been out there sponsoring it and promoting it. And people who have signed up, gone to HealthCare.gov believing everything they&#8217;ve been told about it, there are still those people, and despite following every rule and being loyal supporters of Obama, the Democrat Party, they find out they&#8217;ve got health insurance, but it doesn&#8217;t cover what they need. It&#8217;s a huge awakening for a lot of people.</p>

rush love staples story staples announces obamacare theyre make changes structure employees obama like takes obama slams staples reducing hours avoid obamacare staples responded break transcript rush president obama lashed ceoÂs business leaders cut hours response costly affordable care act mandates would force provide insurance employees working 30 hours week know aspect obamacare news regular listeners may new may come us call lowinformation crowd aspect obamacare storys obamacare national health care requires businesses provide health insurance employees work 30 hours week whats happening employers cant afford mean health insurance getting expensive everybody including bulk buyers including people buy lot policies lot people big group health insurance costs skyrocketing obamacare doesnt one thing lower cost theres nothing obamacare establishes economic relationship consumer provider happens theres never gon na cost control health care virtually everything else buy car house renting apartment television set hotel rooms prices commodities units priced various price points anybody afford one may able afford 100thousanddollar car might able afford 40thousanddollar car market takes care providing needs wants usually price point thats within ability afford hotel rooms stay fivestar ritz stay local 12room motel end town whatever want spend whatever afford spend theres hotel room priced health care thing exists patients ability pay factor whatsoever cost medical care long remains true way costs health care going come cant afford still work economically cant afford medical care youre present getting yet youre getting means somebody else paying may know may know pathway know paid paid probably cant afford reason cant afford precisely dont pay providers health cares source revenue people could afford think would happen prices theyd come called supply demand market forces part markets work going back oh could even say fifties lets peg sixties advent medicare medicaid maybe even world war ii employeeprovided health care back needed employees benefit perk established somebody else gon na pay except didnt know health care benefit work whether pay nothing whether pay part copay whether pay deductible whatever lets say earn 80000 year youve got dental health care whatever benefits sick pay time visit vet day whatever probably costing employer including social security probably costing employer ill make number gon na close hundred thousand dollars pay 80 getting hundred thousand dollars dont see 20000 form health care benefit whatever benefit thats cost employing benefits particularly health care continues skyrocket cost employer simply cant afford along came obamacare mandating employer provide health insurance everybody working fulltime define working 30 hours week idiots designed dynamically factor human behavior sat said stupid idiot ceos pay increased price ceos said wait minute wait minute avoid convert fulltime people parttime yep thats law says thats whats happened job one used full time 40 hours wherever work sometime last 12 months youve cut back 30 fewer answer obamacare president united states costing work costing money costing income youre blaming boss boss company acting responsible ceos would spend little process making profit whatever service product lot people used work full time working part time dont provided health care right obamacare well staples pointed ceo staples explained reason many new people company working 30 hours obamacare cut number hours many employers would provide health insurance many people work ceo staples spoke obama happy expose dear leader like called embarrassing called sticking insolence expose dear leader way youre supposed sit take 300 major businesses made cutbacks response mandates 56 million small businesses incurred additional costs due aca staples spoke explained everybody many employees cut back 30 hours obama spoke singled em said havenÂt looked staples stock lately compensation ceo suspect could well afford treat workers favorably give basic financial security canÂt willing allow workers get affordable care act without cutting wages well normally happens ceos day age would cower fear head corner shut send pr guy make apologetic statement kind happened staples fired back dear leader staples spokesman kirk saville said initial story came buzzfeed dubious initial story misleading policy regarding hours parttime employees decade old itÂs unfortunate president attacking company provides 85000 jobs major taxpayer obama go accuse staples acting stupidly white cops act stupidly staples ceo republicans act stupidly israel whos stupid doctors greedy unnecessary amputations get extra bucks anyone given day could could fox news could white cops today staples ceo stupid attack divide smear denigrate im sorry speaking factually jon stewarts favorite politician president obama remember guys like david brooks obama predicted great president due temperament yes prone given wild emotional displays fluctuations hes petulant sixyearold doesnt get way anyway staples people taking pay nose taxes 85000 employees comes obama saying imitating obama well know ought willing allow workers workers workers thats call communist employees theyre workers theyre employees theyre business associates ought able allow workers get affordable health care without cutting wages sorry doesnt work way mr president dont even know law think cutting wages theyre cutting hours theyre trying escape albatross youve put around everybodys neck built law escape dynamic scoring anyway back central point central point folks none gon na get fixed economic relationship patient provider doctor hospital clinic whatever youre able get medical care cant afford system may like hearing system broken thats things work youre paying somebody else seen national debt seen annual deficit skyrocketing dont money stuff providing people break transcript rush obama buzzfeed website editorinchief guy named ben smith used politico started website called buzzfeed hes talking obama know way little side observation know obama goes talks little buddies vox former washington post guy ezra klein sets really bunch kids ultraextremist leftwing kids young millennials mean young leftist idealists theyre talking obama obama thinks hes home family room last thing thats gon na happen talks either buzzfeed vox pretty much mean hero worship time talking vox interview vox whats gotten trouble isis bunch different guys conducted interview vox think matt yglesias relationship enrique way see grammys enrique iglesias showed wearing stocking cap first time ive never seen wearing stocking cap guy wears stocking cap clubs wears stage probably wears bed anna kournikova whatever name actually hair anyway related yglesias asked isis obama thinks hes totally home hes relaxed thats came paraphrasing know theyre really terrorists theyre bunch folks backyard criminals side street criminals forth interview friendly place blew course guys vox theyre happy caused obama little trouble cause attention got answer wanted point ultraleftwing little idealists obama gave wanted hear number issues republicans conservatives isis islam big deal theyre really big threat global warmings bigger threat interview said guys think theyve hit home run obama articulated exactly believe process obama actually stepped quicksand friendly interview find delicious buzzfeed theyre quite devotees little guys vox nevertheless buzzfeed obama decided take staples ceo buzzfeed editor ben smith said reported yesterday office supply store staples telling workers gon na fire work 25 hours week manager told worker talked obama responsible policy wonder say ceo staples policy obama havenÂt looked staples stock lately compensation ceo rush stop tape anything whats stock price got hes trying run whats ceos pay anything mean terms obamacare nothing anyway heres rest obama suspect could well afford treat workers favorably give basic financial security canÂt willing allow workers get affordable care act without cutting wages hear large corporations make billions dollars profits trying blame interest providing health insurance excuse cutting back workers wages shame rush wheres billions dollars profit staples billions dollars profit able afford treat workers favorably give basic financial security thats purpose business worker know gon na sound harsh im sorry old school harsh worker provide financial security think thats harsh interruption think im trouble saying interruption mr snerdley thinks 20something millennials may profoundly offended said need explain mean worker word detest way employee individual earn financial security responsibility company work provide financial security define financial security never work another day life never worry paying bills financial security whatever individual thing earn anyway obama thinks pass law obamacare everybody gets free health care businesses pay everythings fine think thats world works private sectors bottomless pit endless money much money dont get break transcript rush went looked interesting facts financial facts staples want hear staples earns billions billions dollars profits right obama throws course lowinformation crowd dutifully believes businesses awash money theyre spending oh yeah businesses hoarding money either back room closet safe bank somewhere businesses run rich republicans selfish greedy theyre firing people theyre letting go vet sick pet theyre holding money five cars three houses forth people work starve got billions billions dollars evil greedy businesspeople trying deny people health care thats lowinformation voterss belief big business instructed many decades democrat party media truth heres staples staples earns ready every 100 sales staples earns 270 profit staples sell hundred bucks worth anything make 270 profit however take state local government taxes hundred dollars staples sells 7 state local taxes alone equals 7 every 100 staples sells sell hundred bucks worth stuff 270 profit taxes 100 7 tell staples getting rich people whats source yahoo finance would dispute yahoo news favored site lowinformation voters thats went get yahoo finance income statement state local government get tax dollars staples staples gets profits obamacare thats state local taxes even talking fed taxes obamacare taxes way saw story new york timesrecently week dont read new york times people send things think would interested cant cant interruption well could one things choose subject new york times story difference health care insurance health care coverage equal health care theres couple huge sob stories people bought everything obama said everything including obamacare bought hook line sinker costing ever paid ever believed matter damage caused still loyal obama ever cult case tipping point breaking point people finally got fed could longer blindly support obamacare best way sum found despite fact covered despite fact health insurance didnt always get treatment didnt get care happened health insurance policy go doctor uh uh procedure covered required treatment need thats covered insurance yes youre willing pay pocket youre willing pay even higher premium upgrade policy need could covered check motel 6 find despite youre paying whatever pay room ice machine extra fact youve paid room doesnt get ice thing places new york times found couple total loyal obama toadies ill share one stories mixed emotions read things interesting point nevertheless got insurance may covered youve got insurance may get treated new york times worried theyve sponsoring promoting people signed gone healthcaregov believing everything theyve told still people despite following every rule loyal supporters obama democrat party find theyve got health insurance doesnt cover need huge awakening lot people

<p /> <p>Image source: Disney-ABC Television Group via Flickr.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>This wildest presidential election possibly ever is now in the books. Donald Trump, a man who has never held political office and has no military background, stands ready to head to the Oval Office in roughly two months to become the 45th president of the United States.</p> <p>But what's most notable about this election is that the Republican Party also held on to the majority of both houses of Congress. This essentially means that we have a government unified under a single party, which could allow for new laws to be passed with greater ease compared with the Washington gridlock we've witnessed for many years.</p> <p>According to President-elect Trump, who released his 100-day plan once he's in office shortly after his victory, repealing and replacing Obamacare (officially known as the Affordable Care Act), the flagship healthcare law of Barack Obama's presidency, sits near the top of his list. With a Congressional majority that has also shared an unfavorable view of Obamacare behind him, a repeal and replace seems quite possible.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>What might "Trumpcare," as we'll affably call it, look like next to Obamacare? Let's take a closer look by examining Trump's seven-point plan.</p> <p>The first point, which needs no comparison, involves repealing and replacing Obamacare in its entirety. Chances are that any sort of repeal and replace wouldn't involve a sudden loss of insurance for the millions of Americans currently insured through Obamacare. More than likely we'd see a one- or two-year transition away from Obamacare and toward Trumpcare.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Trumpcare: Under Trump's proposal, consumers would be allowed to shop for health insurance beyond just the boundaries of their state. The idea is that if more health insurers were competing for members, then premiums are less likely to head higher.</p> <p>Obamacare: Under Obamacare, and the status quo that preceded the Affordable Care Act, insurers tailored their health insurance plans to each individual state (and sometimes even counties and towns). The reason health insurance is sold within a state's borders has to do with demographics and medical access for people within each state.</p> <p>For example, people living in Wyoming, a state with a sparse population and relatively few specialized medical-care facilities, are expected to pay higher premiums than highly populous states, such as California, where there are more hospitals and plenty of specialized medical equipment. Insurers operating in Wyoming have to take into account the added costs of potentially getting people who live far away from hospitals and other specialized care facilities to the care they need.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Trumpcare: According to Trump's proposal, one of the primary incentives of purchasing health insurance would be the ability to write off the full amount of your premiums come tax time. Admittedly, this also means wealthier individuals who can afford costlier, but more encompassing, health coverage would get a bigger tax break than lower-income adults who could presumably only afford a lower-cost plan.</p> <p>Obamacare: Under Obamacare, medical expenses have to exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income before you can claim them as a deduction. Taxpayers need to fill out a Schedule A should they claim this exemption.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Trumpcare: Another component of Trump's healthcare plan involves emphasizing the use of Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs. To be crystal clear, HSAs already exist, so what Trump is proposing is something most Americans already have access to. An HSA is a tax-deferred plan open to individuals and families enrolled in high-deductible health plans. The allure of these plans is that withdrawals can be made at any age for qualifying medical expenses on a tax-free, penalty-free basis.</p> <p>Obamacare: HSAs are also available right now for Obamacare enrollees, so there's nothing essentially different from what Trump has proposed and what's currently available under Obamacare.</p> <p>Trumpcare: Trump's proposal also vaguely calls for increased pricing transparency from health insurers so that consumers can make more educated purchasing decisions. No specific mention is made as to what aspects of the health insurance buying process would need to be more transparent.</p> <p>Obamacare: Obamacare does the exact same thing through its online marketplace exchanges. In other words, Obamacare and Trumpcare are identical in calling for better price transparency. It should be noted, though, that having better transparency doesn't mean consumers are using the data afforded to them very well. Well over a million people automatically enrolled in Obamacare last year, possibly signifying that they didn't take the time to shop around for the best deal.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Trumpcare: One of Trump's unique healthcare proposals involves block-granting Medicaid to the states. Trump believes that state and local governments have a far better idea of what their needs are than the federal government, meaning block-granting federal money should result in less waste.</p> <p>Obamacare: Under Obamacare, states have the right to decide whether they want to accept federal aid to expand their Medicaid programs -- 31 states have chosen to do so. This Medicaid expansion covers people earning less than 138% of the federal poverty level. By 2020, the federal government is expected to phase down its contribution to 90%, putting the onus of the remaining 10% of revenue generation on the participating states.</p> <p>Trumpcare: Finally, Trump's healthcare plan involves breaking down the barriers to entry for overseas drugmakers. It's no secret that pharmaceutical companies rely on high branded-drug pricing in the U.S. to subsidize their ventures in less profitable countries. If Americans were able to look outside the U.S. to, say, Canada, for their pharmaceutical purchases, they may be able to save money.</p> <p>Obamacare: Obamacare has no specific provision designed to reduce prescription-drug prices. However, its transparent marketplace platform, and the introduction of the risk corridor -- a type of risk-pooling fund that collected money from profitable insurers and redistributed it to money-losing insurers that priced their premiums too low -- were aimed at keeping premium inflation to a minimum.</p> <p>Beyond Trump's seven-point healthcare plan, there are three other, potentially major, differences between Obamacare and Trumpcare.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>First, Obamacare's individual mandate, which is the actionable component of the health law of the land, requires consumers to purchase health insurance or face a penalty come tax time. This penalty, known as the Shared Responsibility Payment, works out to the greater of $695, or 2.5% of your modified adjusted gross income in 2016. If Obamacare is repealed, there would presumably no longer be a penalty imposed for not purchasing health insurance.</p> <p>Secondly, Obamacare requires insurers to accept all applicants, even if they have pre-existing medical conditions. Repealing Obamacare would, in theory, mean that insurers would be allowed to once again pick and choose whom they insure. It's possible Trumpcare could add in a similar provision, but Trump hasn't suggested that one would be in his health plan.</p> <p>Finally, Obamacare ensures that Americans earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level (about $47,500) have access to the Advanced Premium Tax Credit (APTC), and that those earning less than 250% of the federal poverty level receive cost-sharing reductions (CSR) if they purchase a silver level plan. The APTC is the subsidy that lowers what low- and middle-income individuals and families pay for their premium, while CSRs help cover the cost of receiving medical care (i.e., deductibles, copays, and coinsurance).</p> <p>Trump has signaled via his Medicaid block grant proposal that lower-income folks would still be taken care of, but anyone earning between 138% and 400% of the federal poverty level could (note the emphasis) lose the financial assistance they've become accustomed to with Obamacare.</p> <p>Again, it's important to point out that Trump's proposals could change between now and his first 100 days in office. Even members of Trump's own party in Congress have been critical of his healthcare plan, so some degree of compromise may be in order. But, it's pretty clear that Trumpcare is headed down a markedly different path from where President Obama took healthcare over the past few years.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! 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image source disneyabc television group via flickr continue reading wildest presidential election possibly ever books donald trump man never held political office military background stands ready head oval office roughly two months become 45th president united states whats notable election republican party also held majority houses congress essentially means government unified single party could allow new laws passed greater ease compared washington gridlock weve witnessed many years according presidentelect trump released 100day plan hes office shortly victory repealing replacing obamacare officially known affordable care act flagship healthcare law barack obamas presidency sits near top list congressional majority also shared unfavorable view obamacare behind repeal replace seems quite possible advertisement might trumpcare well affably call look like next obamacare lets take closer look examining trumps sevenpoint plan first point needs comparison involves repealing replacing obamacare entirety chances sort repeal replace wouldnt involve sudden loss insurance millions americans currently insured obamacare likely wed see one twoyear transition away obamacare toward trumpcare image source getty images trumpcare trumps proposal consumers would allowed shop health insurance beyond boundaries state idea health insurers competing members premiums less likely head higher obamacare obamacare status quo preceded affordable care act insurers tailored health insurance plans individual state sometimes even counties towns reason health insurance sold within states borders demographics medical access people within state example people living wyoming state sparse population relatively specialized medicalcare facilities expected pay higher premiums highly populous states california hospitals plenty specialized medical equipment insurers operating wyoming take account added costs potentially getting people live far away hospitals specialized care facilities care need image source getty images trumpcare according trumps proposal one primary incentives purchasing health insurance would ability write full amount premiums come tax time admittedly also means wealthier individuals afford costlier encompassing health coverage would get bigger tax break lowerincome adults could presumably afford lowercost plan obamacare obamacare medical expenses exceed 10 adjusted gross income claim deduction taxpayers need fill schedule claim exemption image source getty images trumpcare another component trumps healthcare plan involves emphasizing use health savings accounts hsas crystal clear hsas already exist trump proposing something americans already access hsa taxdeferred plan open individuals families enrolled highdeductible health plans allure plans withdrawals made age qualifying medical expenses taxfree penaltyfree basis obamacare hsas also available right obamacare enrollees theres nothing essentially different trump proposed whats currently available obamacare trumpcare trumps proposal also vaguely calls increased pricing transparency health insurers consumers make educated purchasing decisions specific mention made aspects health insurance buying process would need transparent obamacare obamacare exact thing online marketplace exchanges words obamacare trumpcare identical calling better price transparency noted though better transparency doesnt mean consumers using data afforded well well million people automatically enrolled obamacare last year possibly signifying didnt take time shop around best deal image source getty images trumpcare one trumps unique healthcare proposals involves blockgranting medicaid states trump believes state local governments far better idea needs federal government meaning blockgranting federal money result less waste obamacare obamacare states right decide whether want accept federal aid expand medicaid programs 31 states chosen medicaid expansion covers people earning less 138 federal poverty level 2020 federal government expected phase contribution 90 putting onus remaining 10 revenue generation participating states trumpcare finally trumps healthcare plan involves breaking barriers entry overseas drugmakers secret pharmaceutical companies rely high brandeddrug pricing us subsidize ventures less profitable countries americans able look outside us say canada pharmaceutical purchases may able save money obamacare obamacare specific provision designed reduce prescriptiondrug prices however transparent marketplace platform introduction risk corridor type riskpooling fund collected money profitable insurers redistributed moneylosing insurers priced premiums low aimed keeping premium inflation minimum beyond trumps sevenpoint healthcare plan three potentially major differences obamacare trumpcare image source getty images first obamacares individual mandate actionable component health law land requires consumers purchase health insurance face penalty come tax time penalty known shared responsibility payment works greater 695 25 modified adjusted gross income 2016 obamacare repealed would presumably longer penalty imposed purchasing health insurance secondly obamacare requires insurers accept applicants even preexisting medical conditions repealing obamacare would theory mean insurers would allowed pick choose insure possible trumpcare could add similar provision trump hasnt suggested one would health plan finally obamacare ensures americans earning less 400 federal poverty level 47500 access advanced premium tax credit aptc earning less 250 federal poverty level receive costsharing reductions csr purchase silver level plan aptc subsidy lowers low middleincome individuals families pay premium csrs help cover cost receiving medical care ie deductibles copays coinsurance trump signaled via medicaid block grant proposal lowerincome folks would still taken care anyone earning 138 400 federal poverty level could note emphasis lose financial assistance theyve become accustomed obamacare important point trumps proposals could change first 100 days office even members trumps party congress critical healthcare plan degree compromise may order pretty clear trumpcare headed markedly different path president obama took healthcare past years secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window sean williams opens new windowhas material interest companies mentioned article follow caps screen name tmfultralong opens new window check twitter goes handle tmfultralong opens new window motley fool position stocks mentioned try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new windowmakes us better investors motley fool 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<p /> <p>When it comes to adopting technology, the education sector has been slow to the game.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>For many educational institutions, financials have limited them in bringing technology into classrooms, but some argue the formality and rigidity of these places have created an uphill battle to integrate new technology.</p> <p>A handful of education technology startups are looking to change this, and rather than migrating to <a href="" type="internal">Silicon Valley</a> like so many of their counterparts, they have opted to call New York City home.</p> <p><a href="http://2tor.com/" type="external">2tor, Inc.&amp;#160; Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>2tor, Inc. Founder John Katzman said the worlds of K-12 education and <a href="" type="internal">higher education</a> have been through a back-to-basics movement over the past 25 years and have been relying on tried-and-true methods rather than adapting the rapidly-evolving orbit of technology operating around them.</p> <p>"They are sending schools back to 1955, rather than bringing them forward to use technology to be transformative," Katzman said.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Armed with $65 million in venture capital funding, Katzman launched his company in 2008 to convert education systems and show them that technology can save them money.</p> <p>2tor has created a mobile learning management system, and partnered with Georgetown University, University of North Carolina and University of Southern California to offer virtual master's programs to thousands of students.</p> <p>Katzman's idea is simple: investing in technology, content and people to make his master's programs the best in the field&#8212;not just the best on the web.</p> <p>"The crisis in funding education has really brought home the idea that not only do we need to dramatically improve and lower costs, but also that technology can be tremendously effective.&#8221;</p> <p>Jeremy Johnson, 2tor&#8217;s chief marketing officer, said each program is expensive to launch, and requires a deep partnership with the school. The company has grown to 320 employees in three years, and has served close to 3,000 students with its virtual post-grad programs.</p> <p>Katzman said he expects to raise another $100-$200 million in funding over the next few years, and launch two new programs in 2012.</p> <p><a href="http://voxy.com/" type="external">Voxy Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Paul Gollash, founder of Voxy, a language learning program that is based on real-life daily activities, said the education technology scene is starting to heat up as its potential to reach a wider audience becomes more palpable.</p> <p>"This is an area that has historically really not had a lot of top-tier technology deployed and has been underserved by a lot of technology," he said.</p> <p>Voxy was launched in September 2010, and has since raised $4.2 million in three rounds of venture capital funding. The <a href="" type="internal">iPhone</a> app works by giving users a news feed of articles that are compressed into shorter items of about 100 words. Users can then add links that translate phrases for them. Users can catch up on current events and learn words and vocabulary phrases and save them to review later.</p> <p>The app draws from users&#8217; locations to pull up a list of words and phrases that will match whatever they are doing.&amp;#160; Gollash said the app has more than 750,000 users, with 50% being active in the past month. Each spends an average of&amp;#160; 10 minutes a day with the app.</p> <p>"We are also catching the rising tide of smartphone adaptation," he said. "Ninety percent of users are in <a href="" type="internal">emerging markets</a> like Brazil and Argentina."</p> <p>The startup now has 19 employees and plans to roll out a tablet app later this year.</p> <p>Gollash said he chose to launch the company in New York City because of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's support of education technology.</p> <p><a href="http://www.unigo.com/" type="external">Unigo Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p>Unigo Founder Jordan Goldman created his company in 2008 in an effort to help high school students learn about and choose the right college or university to fir their needs..</p> <p>At 25, Goldman said he felt poised to fill a need in the education technology space that wasn't being met.</p> <p>"Young entrepreneurs, we have gone through the education system and have a good idea of what can be done better," he said. "Today it takes less capital [to start a business]. When public and private sectors haven't been particularly nimble, you will see a lot of young companies run by young kids that can be potentially game changing."</p> <p>At 18, Goldman created a student's guide to college that was picked up by Penguin Books. From there, he started Unigo, and has partnered with <a href="" type="internal">USA Today</a>, McGraw Hill and U.S. News and World Report to provide college rankings, guides and even curriculum that is now being taught in millions of classrooms across the country.</p> <p>Unigo is now the largest college review site on the web, with more than 250,000 reviews and more than 1 million unique visitors per month. All content is based on student ratings and reviews.</p> <p>Goldman attributed many of Unigo&#8217;s partnerships to its location in New York City. Being headquartered in downtown Manhattan allows him to rub elbows with other startups and well-established education technology companies that Goldman hopes to one day mirror.</p> <p>"We're in the Flatiron District, and there's about 200 startups all around us. There are great assets from the media, publishing and banking worlds. You see some of the top VP's in the company sitting down and eating a hamburger here."</p> <p>The startup has 15 full-time workers and raised $1.5 million in capital from McGraw Hill, according to Goldman.</p>

comes adopting technology education sector slow game continue reading many educational institutions financials limited bringing technology classrooms argue formality rigidity places created uphill battle integrate new technology handful education technology startups looking change rather migrating silicon valley like many counterparts opted call new york city home 2tor inc160 opens new window 2tor inc founder john katzman said worlds k12 education higher education backtobasics movement past 25 years relying triedandtrue methods rather adapting rapidlyevolving orbit technology operating around sending schools back 1955 rather bringing forward use technology transformative katzman said advertisement armed 65 million venture capital funding katzman launched company 2008 convert education systems show technology save money 2tor created mobile learning management system partnered georgetown university university north carolina university southern california offer virtual masters programs thousands students katzmans idea simple investing technology content people make masters programs best fieldnot best web crisis funding education really brought home idea need dramatically improve lower costs also technology tremendously effective jeremy johnson 2tors chief marketing officer said program expensive launch requires deep partnership school company grown 320 employees three years served close 3000 students virtual postgrad programs katzman said expects raise another 100200 million funding next years launch two new programs 2012 voxy opens new window paul gollash founder voxy language learning program based reallife daily activities said education technology scene starting heat potential reach wider audience becomes palpable area historically really lot toptier technology deployed underserved lot technology said voxy launched september 2010 since raised 42 million three rounds venture capital funding iphone app works giving users news feed articles compressed shorter items 100 words users add links translate phrases users catch current events learn words vocabulary phrases save review later app draws users locations pull list words phrases match whatever doing160 gollash said app 750000 users 50 active past month spends average of160 10 minutes day app also catching rising tide smartphone adaptation said ninety percent users emerging markets like brazil argentina startup 19 employees plans roll tablet app later year gollash said chose launch company new york city mayor michael bloombergs support education technology unigo opens new window unigo founder jordan goldman created company 2008 effort help high school students learn choose right college university fir needs 25 goldman said felt poised fill need education technology space wasnt met young entrepreneurs gone education system good idea done better said today takes less capital start business public private sectors havent particularly nimble see lot young companies run young kids potentially game changing 18 goldman created students guide college picked penguin books started unigo partnered usa today mcgraw hill us news world report provide college rankings guides even curriculum taught millions classrooms across country unigo largest college review site web 250000 reviews 1 million unique visitors per month content based student ratings reviews goldman attributed many unigos partnerships location new york city headquartered downtown manhattan allows rub elbows startups wellestablished education technology companies goldman hopes one day mirror flatiron district theres 200 startups around us great assets media publishing banking worlds see top vps company sitting eating hamburger startup 15 fulltime workers raised 15 million capital mcgraw hill according goldman

<p /> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The United States may have the highest GDP of any country on the planet, and Americans may enjoy an above-average standard of living, but that doesn't mean we have the best financial habits.</p> <p>According to St. Louis Federal Reserve, the U.S. personal household savings rate in August was just 5.7%. This is well below most developed countries, about half the rate of what Americans were saving 50 years ago, and markedly lower than the 10% to 15% figure that financial advisors recommend consumers save. Per GoBankingRates' latest survey, 62% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings.</p> <p>Yet here's the irony of these figures: Americans have a bounty of tax-advantaged retirement options at their fingertips practically begging to be used. Three of the most common of these tools are the Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, and employer-sponsored 401(k).</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Of the three, the Roth IRA has probably witnessed the strongest growth this decade. Beginning in 2010, lawmakers altered the Roth IRA conversion rules. This allowed people who had previously been unable to contribute to a Roth because they earned too much to make the switch. Though a Roth IRA doesn't provide an upfront tax benefit, it does allow a persons' money to grow completely tax-free for life, so long as no unqualified withdrawals are made prior to age 59 1/2. It's this potential for tax-free income during retirement, as well as the financial flexibility afforded by the Roth IRA -- contributions (not to be confused with investment gains) can be withdrawn at any time, and for any reason, without tax or penalty -- that's made it such a popular retirement option.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>But, no retirement plan has more active accounts than a 401(k), and the number of Traditional IRA accounts still outnumbers Roth IRAs. Both the Traditional IRA, which allows for a maximum contribution of $5,500 annual for people aged 49 and under and $6,500 for seniors aged 50 and up, and 401(k), which allows for contributions of up to $18,000 and $24,000, respectively, among those same age ranges as the Traditional IRA, are tax-deferred investment tools. This means that they can help reduce your taxable income in the current tax year, and that your investments can grow on a tax-deferred basis. However, once you retire, you'll be required to pay ordinary income tax on the money you withdraw from a Traditional IRA and/or 401(k).</p> <p>There's another factor retirees should probably acquaint themselves with if they plan on utilizing a 401(k) plan or Traditional IRA during retirement: both plans have required minimum distributions, or RMDs. In plain terms, there's a formula that determines how much money you'll be required to withdraw from these retirement plans every year. Failing to do so could result in hefty tax penalties of up to 50% on the amount you should have withdrawn.</p> <p>How do you calculate your RMD? Let's take a closer look.</p> <p>In order to calculate your RMD, you'll need to know three figures:</p> <p>In order to locate your applicable age-dependent divisor, use the following table:</p> <p>Image source: Internal Revenue Service. Distribution period = applicable divisor.</p> <p>As you can see, the applicable divisor decreases over time, requiring you to make larger distributions as you age.</p> <p>As an example, a Government Accountability Office study in 2015 found that persons aged 65 to 74 had an average of $148,000 in retirement savings. Assuming you'll turn age 70 in 2016, the divisor you'd use is 27.4 based on the table above. In order to determine your RMD in a given year you'll divide your current account balance into the divisor (i.e., $148,000/27.4). In this instance your RMD in 2016 would be $5,401. Failing to withdraw this amount from your 401(k) or Traditional IRA could lead to a 50% penalty.</p> <p>However, there's an oft-overlooked point about RMDs: continued investment in a 401(k) or Traditional IRA could still lead to portfolio growth and/or RMD replacement well after your 70th birthday. Below is a table detailing the required rate of return you'd need in your 401(k) or Traditional IRA to maintain your account balance following your withdrawal. These calculations are provided by the <a href="http://apps.finra.org/Calcs/1/RMD" type="external">Financial Industry Regulation Authority Opens a New Window.</a>, and they assume beginning-of-the-year distributions.</p> <p>Table by author. Data source: Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA).</p> <p>What you'll note is that in the 14 years between ages 70 and 84 the required rate of return to maintain your account balance from one year to the next is lower than 7%. The reason this figure is of such importance is that historically the stock market has returned 7% per year, inclusive of dividend reinvestment.</p> <p>It's impossible to predict what the stock market will do in the short-term, but over the long run the stock market tends to head higher, as the data clearly shows. What this implies is that if retirees continue to invest for their future, they may be able to hold off on seeing any real depletion in their retirement accounts until their mid-80s. Again, this makes some very broad assumptions that the stock market continues to perform as it has in the past; but the data is suggesting that continuing to invest could be of great benefit to seniors and their tax-advantaged retirement accounts.</p> <p>The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-social-security?aid=8727&amp;amp;source=irreditxt0000002&amp;amp;ftm_cam=ryr-ss-intro-report&amp;amp;ftm_pit=3186&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Opens a New Window.</a></p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFUltraLong/info.aspx" type="external">Sean Williams Opens a New Window.</a>has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name <a href="http://caps.fool.com/player/tmfultralong.aspx" type="external">TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/TMFUltraLong" type="external">@TMFUltraLong Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a>makes us better investors. 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image source getty images continue reading united states may highest gdp country planet americans may enjoy aboveaverage standard living doesnt mean best financial habits according st louis federal reserve us personal household savings rate august 57 well developed countries half rate americans saving 50 years ago markedly lower 10 15 figure financial advisors recommend consumers save per gobankingrates latest survey 62 americans less 1000 savings yet heres irony figures americans bounty taxadvantaged retirement options fingertips practically begging used three common tools traditional ira roth ira employersponsored 401k advertisement three roth ira probably witnessed strongest growth decade beginning 2010 lawmakers altered roth ira conversion rules allowed people previously unable contribute roth earned much make switch though roth ira doesnt provide upfront tax benefit allow persons money grow completely taxfree life long unqualified withdrawals made prior age 59 12 potential taxfree income retirement well financial flexibility afforded roth ira contributions confused investment gains withdrawn time reason without tax penalty thats made popular retirement option image source getty images retirement plan active accounts 401k number traditional ira accounts still outnumbers roth iras traditional ira allows maximum contribution 5500 annual people aged 49 6500 seniors aged 50 401k allows contributions 18000 24000 respectively among age ranges traditional ira taxdeferred investment tools means help reduce taxable income current tax year investments grow taxdeferred basis however retire youll required pay ordinary income tax money withdraw traditional ira andor 401k theres another factor retirees probably acquaint plan utilizing 401k plan traditional ira retirement plans required minimum distributions rmds plain terms theres formula determines much money youll required withdraw retirement plans every year failing could result hefty tax penalties 50 amount withdrawn calculate rmd lets take closer look order calculate rmd youll need know three figures order locate applicable agedependent divisor use following table image source internal revenue service distribution period applicable divisor see applicable divisor decreases time requiring make larger distributions age example government accountability office study 2015 found persons aged 65 74 average 148000 retirement savings assuming youll turn age 70 2016 divisor youd use 274 based table order determine rmd given year youll divide current account balance divisor ie 148000274 instance rmd 2016 would 5401 failing withdraw amount 401k traditional ira could lead 50 penalty however theres oftoverlooked point rmds continued investment 401k traditional ira could still lead portfolio growth andor rmd replacement well 70th birthday table detailing required rate return youd need 401k traditional ira maintain account balance following withdrawal calculations provided financial industry regulation authority opens new window assume beginningoftheyear distributions table author data source financial industry regulation authority finra youll note 14 years ages 70 84 required rate return maintain account balance one year next lower 7 reason figure importance historically stock market returned 7 per year inclusive dividend reinvestment impossible predict stock market shortterm long run stock market tends head higher data clearly shows implies retirees continue invest future may able hold seeing real depletion retirement accounts mid80s makes broad assumptions stock market continues perform past data suggesting continuing invest could great benefit seniors taxadvantaged retirement accounts 15834 social security bonus retirees completely overlook youre like americans youre years behind retirement savings handful littleknown social security secrets could help ensure boost retirement income example one easy trick could pay much 15834 year learn maximize social security benefits think could retire confidently peace mind simply click discover learn strategies opens new window sean williams opens new windowhas material interest companies mentioned article follow caps screen name tmfultralong opens new window check twitter goes handle tmfultralong opens new window motley fool position stocks mentioned try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new windowmakes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Thanks to rising oil prices and a sense that the industry is on the mend, shares of energy stocks have been on a tear as of late. The energy industry was one of the best-performing asset classes in 2016. Three companies that have done particularly well over the past year are coal miner Cloud Peak Energy (NYSE: CLD), oil and gas transportation and logistics provider Energy Transfer Equity (NYSE: ETE), and industrial sand supplier U.S. Silica Holdings (NYSE: SLCA). Over the past year, all three of these stocks were up more than 100%.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>After such a spectacular run, it's worth asking whether these stocks are now overvalued or if they are at the start of something big in the future. Let's take a quick look at each business and why its stock has gained so much recently, as well as whether there is any juice left to squeeze out of shares in these respective companies.</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p>You do have to give credit where it's due: The management team at Cloud Peak Energy has done quite a bit to make the company a more worthwhile investment lately. Thanks to a modest jump in coal prices in 2016, it was able to turn a profit for the year, put some free cash flow toward paying down debt, and secure an export contract in Asia for 1.9 million tons in the first half of 2017. Those three were some of the driving factors that led to a 152% rise in its stock over the past year.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Whether Cloud Peak is a buy today largely depends on your investment time horizon. If you are looking for that multidecade investment that you don't have to think about, then this isn't the stock to watch. That said, there are some reasons to think Could Peak could do modestly well over the next couple of years.</p> <p>Coal is undoubtedly on the decline in the U.S. Even coal producers -- who paint the rosiest picture possible in investor presentations -- estimate that an additional 50 GW of coal plants will retire between now and 2021, with no new coal plants coming on line. Even with these reductions in demand, though, coal use at power plants will still represents a decent chunk of power production in the U.S. Offsetting those domestic declines is growing demand from places such as India and Southeast Asia. If Cloud Peak and other U.S. producers can capitalize on exporting to these new demand centers, then it has the potential to maintain decent production and generate a return for investors.</p> <p><a href="http://ycharts.com/companies/CLD" type="external">CLD</a> data by <a href="http://ycharts.com" type="external">YCharts Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>That return will likely be muted, though, as the company recently announced it was issuing 13.5 million shares to pay down some debts. That's a 22% increase in total share count and will significantly reduce per-share returns for investors.</p> <p>Cloud Peak is slowly clawing its way back from a tough few years, and it could have a couple of good years ahead of it. For investors, however, there are other investments with higher rates of return out there with better prospects for a long-term future.</p> <p>It's not that often that a $20 billion energy company doubles its market cap in less than a year, especially one in the humdrum oil transportation business. Yet here we have shares of Energy Transfer Equity up 121% over the past year.</p> <p>There are two primary reasons Energy Transfer Equity's stock was able to post such a significant gain. The first is that the company's stock was suffering mightily up until about a year ago from its proposed merger with Williams Companies. Investors were souring on the proposed deal as it was looking to be a massive overpay for the natural gas transportation and logistics provider. Also, the large debt loads at both entities made creditors nervous. So much so that Williams' credit rating was downgraded to junk status and Energy Transfer was at risk of a similar fate. Fortunately, Energy Transfer was able to walk away from the deal mostly unscathed.</p> <p>The second reason for this investor optimism is that it has orchestrated several restructuring moves at its subsidiary master limited partnerships to ensure its longer-term health. Last November, subsidiary Sunoco Logistics Partners (NYSE: SXL) announced it would buy its sister company Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP) in an all-stock deal. The restructuring not only simplifies the complex web of subsidiaries Energy Transfer Equity owns, but it will also help improve its credit rating as Energy Transfer Partners can unload its onerous debt load onto Sunoco Logistics' balance sheet.</p> <p>The largest beneficiary of these deals is Energy Transfer Equity. Energy Transfer Partners' shareholders will see a payout cut when converted to Sunoco Logistics shares, and Sunoco Logistics will have to saddle the burden of Energy Transfer Partners. Energy Transfer Equity, on the other hand, will ensure that payments to it are more secure over the longer term.</p> <p>Energy Transfer Equity looks like it is on more stable ground today thanks to this move, but investors looking at owning stocks for extended periods of time have to question all of the corporate reshufflings in which Energy Transfer Equity and its subsidiaries engage. Until we can see that these most recent moves are paying off for the entire Energy Transfer universe, this may be a stay-away stock.</p> <p>Of the three companies in this group, U.S. Silica Holdings seems to have the most going for it right now. Just about every company that provides frack sand to the oil and gas industry was hit hard when prices started to crash, but U.S. Silica fared better than most others because it was in a better financial position. In fact, the company was able to use its financial strength during the downturn to make two acquisitions: a sand mine in Texas that will better serve the Permian Basin and a frack sand logistics specialist that reduces loading and unloading times. These two deals should better position U.S. Silica to provide for the increasingly important West Texas market and provide last-mile logistics that few of its peers can replicate.</p> <p>What is also encouraging about the sand business today is that there have been some changes to drilling techniques that favor sand producers. The amount of sand used per fracked well in every shale basin across the country has more than doubled and, in some cases, more than tripled.</p> <p>Image source: Emerge Energy Services investor presentation.</p> <p>With so much additional sand injected into a single well, it will take much less overall drilling activity for total sand proppant demand to get back to pre-crash levels or even more. U.S. Silica has already said it has been spending a little extra to get its formerly idle mines back up and running, so the coming quarters we could see a strong rebound.</p> <p>Supplying sand to the oil and gas business will be a cyclical one, but U.S. Silica has shown to be a better operator than most of its peers and should be able to handle the ups and downs well. Today's stock price still represents a hefty discount to pre-cash days, the industry has a strong tailwind, and U.S. Silica is probably an investor's best bet for the future of this industry. That makes U.S. Silica's stock the most interesting of the bunch today.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Energy Transfer EquityWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=4688c029-f974-4d84-a350-8f2208bae71a&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now... and Energy Transfer Equity wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=4688c029-f974-4d84-a350-8f2208bae71a&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of April 3, 2017</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDirtyBird/info.aspx" type="external">Tyler Crowe Opens a New Window.</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

thanks rising oil prices sense industry mend shares energy stocks tear late energy industry one bestperforming asset classes 2016 three companies done particularly well past year coal miner cloud peak energy nyse cld oil gas transportation logistics provider energy transfer equity nyse ete industrial sand supplier us silica holdings nyse slca past year three stocks 100 continue reading spectacular run worth asking whether stocks overvalued start something big future lets take quick look business stock gained much recently well whether juice left squeeze shares respective companies image source getty images give credit due management team cloud peak energy done quite bit make company worthwhile investment lately thanks modest jump coal prices 2016 able turn profit year put free cash flow toward paying debt secure export contract asia 19 million tons first half 2017 three driving factors led 152 rise stock past year advertisement whether cloud peak buy today largely depends investment time horizon looking multidecade investment dont think isnt stock watch said reasons think could peak could modestly well next couple years coal undoubtedly decline us even coal producers paint rosiest picture possible investor presentations estimate additional 50 gw coal plants retire 2021 new coal plants coming line even reductions demand though coal use power plants still represents decent chunk power production us offsetting domestic declines growing demand places india southeast asia cloud peak us producers capitalize exporting new demand centers potential maintain decent production generate return investors cld data ycharts opens new window return likely muted though company recently announced issuing 135 million shares pay debts thats 22 increase total share count significantly reduce pershare returns investors cloud peak slowly clawing way back tough years could couple good years ahead investors however investments higher rates return better prospects longterm future often 20 billion energy company doubles market cap less year especially one humdrum oil transportation business yet shares energy transfer equity 121 past year two primary reasons energy transfer equitys stock able post significant gain first companys stock suffering mightily year ago proposed merger williams companies investors souring proposed deal looking massive overpay natural gas transportation logistics provider also large debt loads entities made creditors nervous much williams credit rating downgraded junk status energy transfer risk similar fate fortunately energy transfer able walk away deal mostly unscathed second reason investor optimism orchestrated several restructuring moves subsidiary master limited partnerships ensure longerterm health last november subsidiary sunoco logistics partners nyse sxl announced would buy sister company energy transfer partners nyse etp allstock deal restructuring simplifies complex web subsidiaries energy transfer equity owns also help improve credit rating energy transfer partners unload onerous debt load onto sunoco logistics balance sheet largest beneficiary deals energy transfer equity energy transfer partners shareholders see payout cut converted sunoco logistics shares sunoco logistics saddle burden energy transfer partners energy transfer equity hand ensure payments secure longer term energy transfer equity looks like stable ground today thanks move investors looking owning stocks extended periods time question corporate reshufflings energy transfer equity subsidiaries engage see recent moves paying entire energy transfer universe may stayaway stock three companies group us silica holdings seems going right every company provides frack sand oil gas industry hit hard prices started crash us silica fared better others better financial position fact company able use financial strength downturn make two acquisitions sand mine texas better serve permian basin frack sand logistics specialist reduces loading unloading times two deals better position us silica provide increasingly important west texas market provide lastmile logistics peers replicate also encouraging sand business today changes drilling techniques favor sand producers amount sand used per fracked well every shale basin across country doubled cases tripled image source emerge energy services investor presentation much additional sand injected single well take much less overall drilling activity total sand proppant demand get back precrash levels even us silica already said spending little extra get formerly idle mines back running coming quarters could see strong rebound supplying sand oil gas business cyclical one us silica shown better operator peers able handle ups downs well todays stock price still represents hefty discount precash days industry strong tailwind us silica probably investors best bet future industry makes us silicas stock interesting bunch today 10 stocks like better energy transfer equitywhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right energy transfer equity wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns april 3 2017 tyler crowe opens new window position stocks mentioned motley fool position stocks mentioned motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>The SkillCheck company arrive on the scene 25 years ago in 1991. A short while later, in 1999, SkillCheck debuted its online testing platform. It was one of the first of its kind, offering employers a way to dive deeper than candidates' resumes allowed and get accurate pictures of how their potential hires might perform on the job.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>At this point, you may be a bit confused. "SkillCheck? Didn't the folks at Findly launch that solution in 2012?"</p> <p>You'd be forgiven for thinking that, but the truth is that SkillCheck has been a major player in the assessment space for years now. Since its inception in the '90s, it has helped thousands of employers make better hires.</p> <p>In 2006, SkillCheck went underground &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; sort of. It never strayed from its mission of giving employers the tools they need to predict which candidates would make the best employees, but it did pass through a few name changes along the way before taking up the SkillCheck mantle again in 2014.</p> <p>To clear up some of the haze surrounding SkillCheck, we called up Director of Product Management Chris Cella, who has been a critical member of SkillCheck's team for seven years and counting. He gave us an inside look at this brand that everyone in the hiring and recruiting world should know about.</p> <p>1991-2016: The Evolution of SkillCheck</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>When SkillCheck first came into existence in the '90s, organizations were just starting to accept online testing as a legitimate method for identifying top talent and narrowing their talent pools to reveal the most relevant candidates. Between these early days and 2006, SkillCheck focused mainly on skills testing and knowledge-based testing, according to Cella.</p> <p>"Typing tests, data entry tests, Microsoft Office simulations, accounting knowledge, medical knowledge &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; that sort of thing," he explains.</p> <p>In 2006, background screening company First Advantage purchased SkillCheck. One of the first decisions First Advantage made after the purchase was to retire the SkillCheck name.</p> <p>"First Advantage's idea at the time was to use their own brand as the major driver," Cella says.</p> <p>Another major development occurred in 2009, when the SkillCheck team (still operating under the First Advantage name) decided to expand its library of skills- and knowledge-based testing to include behavioral testing as well. To do this, SkillCheck brought a team of Ph.D.-level industrial and organizational (IO) psychologists on board. This team created valid, effective behavioral tests and began consulting with clients on how to make the best use of these behavioral assessments for their organizations. This development stuck, and to this day, SkillCheck provides employers with behavioral assessments, as well as IO psychologists who can help clients use those assessments to drive business outcomes.</p> <p>In 2012, First Advantage split several of its business units out into the newly formed startup, Findly. At this time, SkillCheck was rebranded once again as Maize.</p> <p>Findly focuses on helping employers build talent pipelines. As a result, SkillCheck's next big move was to develop pre-selection assessments (called "credentials") that would help employers target the right members of their talent communities during the sourcing process. That way, employers could use Findly to build massive talent pipelines without worrying that their job-specific messages would fall on unqualified ears.</p> <p>"The idea is that you can put 30 million people in the talent community, and then give them the tools to self-identify their knowledge and capabilities &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; not in the context of selection, but in the context of targeting," Cella explains.</p> <p>When you're operating with a large talent community, finding the right candidates with the right skills at the right time can be a huge hassle &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack. SkillCheck's credentials, however, allow recruiters to zero in on relevant candidates with the right skills right away.</p> <p>For example, members of the talent community might be invited to take a typing test. Then, when the employer needs to hire for a job that requires typing skills, it can simply filter the population according to the members' scores on the typing assessment and only send messages about the job to those people who are likely to have the necessary typing skills.</p> <p>"You should start your search with people who can type," Cella says. "So, we provide these tools to the candidates in the Findly talent community at no charge to the client."</p> <p>It's also important to note that these targeting assessments are an entirely separate suite of tests. When it comes time for the selection assessments, candidates take even more in-depth tests that help employers narrow their pipelines even further.</p> <p>In 2014, Findly brought the SkillCheck name back after its long hibernation &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; which is exactly why we expected some readers to be a little bemused by our introductory paragraph.</p> <p>Why You Should Know the Story of SkillCheck</p> <p>It is precisely because of SkillCheck's long history that the platform is so valuable to employers today. SkillCheck has been through many phases, and its lengthy evolution has only allowed it to grow more effective in its mission.</p> <p>1. Find the Right Tests</p> <p>A lot of assessment providers trumpet their vast libraries of tests &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; but more often than not, most of those tests are outdated or irrelevant to a given employer's needs. What good is a library of more than 10,000 assessments when only a few are actually useful for a customer?</p> <p>While SkillCheck does have a library of more than 500 tests, the organization is not focused on numbers. What matters more to this particular platform is relevance.</p> <p>"We try to make it easier to work with us by focusing on developing and maintaining products that people actually use to great effect," Cella says.</p> <p>When working with clients, SkillCheck takes an active role in helping them identify the assessments that actually matter for their targeting and selection efforts.</p> <p>SkillCheck's behavioral and cognitive assessments are similarly streamlined. Rather than investing time and money in assessing every candidate according to a wide range of possibly relevant traits, customers at SkillCheck have the ability to only focus on the traits that actually matter for their roles.</p> <p>"We've gotten enough data over the years that we can say, for example, 'Okay, this is the health care services profile. The goal we're trying to accomplish is XYZ, and the traits we need to measure are A, B, and C because our research has shown that those traits actually matter to this segment,'" Cella says. "That way, we don't have to hit you with a barrage of tools. We can show you which tools will work for you, and we can fine-tune those tools to fit your organization's needs."</p> <p>Furthermore, SkillCheck's biggest vertical has, historically, been staffing organizations. This has allowed the platform to develop a broad array of assessments. For employers, this means that no matter the industry or role, chances are SkillCheck has a relevant assessment available.</p> <p>"[Working with staffing organizations] has provided us with the widest view you can get in terms of the types of roles you are hiring for," Cella says. "That's how we developed our library."</p> <p>2. Assessments for Both the Targeting Stage and the Selection Stage</p> <p>SkillCheck's position under the Findly umbrella has allowed the platform to bring a wealth of new information to its clients' fingertips.</p> <p>"If the client uses talent communities along with our assessments, we can give them a very well-constructed, step-by-step process that allows them to target and assess candidates with content that is congruent," Cella explains.</p> <p>Targeting assessments not only allow employers to fine-tune their sourcing efforts, but they also give employers valuable insights into their talent communities.</p> <p>"It's not a replacement for selection testing, but it will make sure that you get a higher percentage of quality candidates in the pipeline in the first place," Cella says.</p> <p>3. The Value of Good Technology</p> <p>SkillCheck puts a lot of stock in the actual technology that powers its platform. This technology is paid close attention to and consistently invested in. The goal on SkillCheck's end is to keep content relevant and develop new content while keeping costs down and providing more flexibility to customers. That's no easy feat, but SkillCheck is dedicated to this mission. In fact, in an interview for our site last year, Findly CEO Richard Campione made sure to highlight the importance of using technology to improve the candidate experience.</p> <p>For example, Cella says that one of SkillCheck's major priorities is making sure that the platform is as compatible as possible across all devices, including laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones.</p> <p>"We want to provide a consistent, high-quality experience that has high fidelity to the testing you are trying to carry out, no matter what device you or your candidates are on," Cella says.</p> <p>SkillCheck also pays close attention to the unique workflows of its clients.</p> <p>"If you have a unique workflow that your organization uses &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; for example, you have different applicant tracking systems or certain people need to see certain reports &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; we want to help you maintain that workflow without soaking you in extra fees," Cella says. "We want to be flexible, and we want to make sure our clients can afford to work with us."</p> <p>Another key component of SkillCheck's technology is the user experience &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; something that many assessment providers gloss over. The general thought is that collecting data matters more than making the process easy for candidates. That kind of thinking is actually highly detrimental to employers: There's no better way to lose candidates than to hit them with a cumbersome and unfriendly selection process.</p> <p>"Findly really helped us change our focus," Cella says. "Now, when we're developing, we ask about the end-user and candidate experience."</p> <p>The result is more streamlined assessments that candidates can access from any of their devices. This, Cella says, has greatly cut down on the number of problems that users have when working with the platform.</p> <p>"Millions of people a year take these tests, and we've gotten to a point where very few people &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; if anyone &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; ever have an issue that they need to ask you about when taking the test," Cella says. "Thanks to the new interface, we have dropped the percentage of people who call in with issues or submit cases by two-thirds."</p> <p>&#65533;&#65533;&#65533;</p> <p>SkillCheck's dedication to clients is perhaps best represented by its approach to contract management. While the platform does offer plenty of DIY options for online contract management, that doesn't mean that just anyone can sign up. SkillCheck wants to ensure that it only takes on customers to which it can deliver true value.</p> <p>"When it comes down to what kind of contract you are going to have and how you will pay for it, you can do that online," Cella says. "But you still have to talk to us first. We don't want just anyone with a credit card buying our stuff."</p> <p>It's funny to hear a service provider talk like that. Profit is profit, right?</p> <p>Not in SkillCheck's eyes. For this particular platform, the name of the game is "value," not "dollars." The people behind this solution take great pains to make sure that everyone who uses it &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; from employers to candidates &#65533;&#65533;&#65533; can truly benefit from it. That kind of thinking is exactly what allowed SkillCheck to thrive all these years, no matter what its name was at the time. SkillCheck will always be SkillCheck.</p>

skillcheck company arrive scene 25 years ago 1991 short later 1999 skillcheck debuted online testing platform one first kind offering employers way dive deeper candidates resumes allowed get accurate pictures potential hires might perform job continue reading point may bit confused skillcheck didnt folks findly launch solution 2012 youd forgiven thinking truth skillcheck major player assessment space years since inception 90s helped thousands employers make better hires 2006 skillcheck went underground sort never strayed mission giving employers tools need predict candidates would make best employees pass name changes along way taking skillcheck mantle 2014 clear haze surrounding skillcheck called director product management chris cella critical member skillchecks team seven years counting gave us inside look brand everyone hiring recruiting world know 19912016 evolution skillcheck advertisement skillcheck first came existence 90s organizations starting accept online testing legitimate method identifying top talent narrowing talent pools reveal relevant candidates early days 2006 skillcheck focused mainly skills testing knowledgebased testing according cella typing tests data entry tests microsoft office simulations accounting knowledge medical knowledge sort thing explains 2006 background screening company first advantage purchased skillcheck one first decisions first advantage made purchase retire skillcheck name first advantages idea time use brand major driver cella says another major development occurred 2009 skillcheck team still operating first advantage name decided expand library skills knowledgebased testing include behavioral testing well skillcheck brought team phdlevel industrial organizational io psychologists board team created valid effective behavioral tests began consulting clients make best use behavioral assessments organizations development stuck day skillcheck provides employers behavioral assessments well io psychologists help clients use assessments drive business outcomes 2012 first advantage split several business units newly formed startup findly time skillcheck rebranded maize findly focuses helping employers build talent pipelines result skillchecks next big move develop preselection assessments called credentials would help employers target right members talent communities sourcing process way employers could use findly build massive talent pipelines without worrying jobspecific messages would fall unqualified ears idea put 30 million people talent community give tools selfidentify knowledge capabilities context selection context targeting cella explains youre operating large talent community finding right candidates right skills right time huge hassle equivalent finding needle haystack skillchecks credentials however allow recruiters zero relevant candidates right skills right away example members talent community might invited take typing test employer needs hire job requires typing skills simply filter population according members scores typing assessment send messages job people likely necessary typing skills start search people type cella says provide tools candidates findly talent community charge client also important note targeting assessments entirely separate suite tests comes time selection assessments candidates take even indepth tests help employers narrow pipelines even 2014 findly brought skillcheck name back long hibernation exactly expected readers little bemused introductory paragraph know story skillcheck precisely skillchecks long history platform valuable employers today skillcheck many phases lengthy evolution allowed grow effective mission 1 find right tests lot assessment providers trumpet vast libraries tests often tests outdated irrelevant given employers needs good library 10000 assessments actually useful customer skillcheck library 500 tests organization focused numbers matters particular platform relevance try make easier work us focusing developing maintaining products people actually use great effect cella says working clients skillcheck takes active role helping identify assessments actually matter targeting selection efforts skillchecks behavioral cognitive assessments similarly streamlined rather investing time money assessing every candidate according wide range possibly relevant traits customers skillcheck ability focus traits actually matter roles weve gotten enough data years say example okay health care services profile goal trying accomplish xyz traits need measure b c research shown traits actually matter segment cella says way dont hit barrage tools show tools work finetune tools fit organizations needs furthermore skillchecks biggest vertical historically staffing organizations allowed platform develop broad array assessments employers means matter industry role chances skillcheck relevant assessment available working staffing organizations provided us widest view get terms types roles hiring cella says thats developed library 2 assessments targeting stage selection stage skillchecks position findly umbrella allowed platform bring wealth new information clients fingertips client uses talent communities along assessments give wellconstructed stepbystep process allows target assess candidates content congruent cella explains targeting assessments allow employers finetune sourcing efforts also give employers valuable insights talent communities replacement selection testing make sure get higher percentage quality candidates pipeline first place cella says 3 value good technology skillcheck puts lot stock actual technology powers platform technology paid close attention consistently invested goal skillchecks end keep content relevant develop new content keeping costs providing flexibility customers thats easy feat skillcheck dedicated mission fact interview site last year findly ceo richard campione made sure highlight importance using technology improve candidate experience example cella says one skillchecks major priorities making sure platform compatible possible across devices including laptops desktops tablets smartphones want provide consistent highquality experience high fidelity testing trying carry matter device candidates cella says skillcheck also pays close attention unique workflows clients unique workflow organization uses example different applicant tracking systems certain people need see certain reports want help maintain workflow without soaking extra fees cella says want flexible want make sure clients afford work us another key component skillchecks technology user experience something many assessment providers gloss general thought collecting data matters making process easy candidates kind thinking actually highly detrimental employers theres better way lose candidates hit cumbersome unfriendly selection process findly really helped us change focus cella says developing ask enduser candidate experience result streamlined assessments candidates access devices cella says greatly cut number problems users working platform millions people year take tests weve gotten point people anyone ever issue need ask taking test cella says thanks new interface dropped percentage people call issues submit cases twothirds skillchecks dedication clients perhaps best represented approach contract management platform offer plenty diy options online contract management doesnt mean anyone sign skillcheck wants ensure takes customers deliver true value comes kind contract going pay online cella says still talk us first dont want anyone credit card buying stuff funny hear service provider talk like profit profit right skillchecks eyes particular platform name game value dollars people behind solution take great pains make sure everyone uses employers candidates truly benefit kind thinking exactly allowed skillcheck thrive years matter name time skillcheck always skillcheck

<p /> <p>While there is certainly satisfaction to be derived from writing a check to a global or national non-profit when we&#8217;re feeling generous, sometimes it is eminently more satisfying to direct our funds to a specific individual or family.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>People giving to people as opposed to people giving to organizations.</p> <p>For Ethan Austin, COO and co-founder of <a href="http://www.giveforward.com/" type="external">GiveForward Opens a New Window.</a>, this realization has been a life changer. Before crowd funding was all the rage, Austin and GiveForward CEO and co-founder Desiree Vargas Wrigley began collaborating on a website that would be a destination for that kind of giving.</p> <p>&#8220;My original idea was, let&#8217;s help people raise money for their favorite non-profits,&#8221; Austin tells me in our recent interview. &#8220;Desiree&#8217;s was different, as in, let&#8217;s help people raise money for anything -- a scholarship fund, a honeymoon, a volunteer travel trip.&#8221;</p> <p>They launched the site in 2008, but about a year in, it became clear that it was a primary destination for people trying to help other people with exorbitant medical expenses. It is now, according to its press materials, &#8220;the world&#8217;s leading medical fundraising platform, providing families with the No. 1 answer to the question, when a loved one is sick, what can I do to help?&#8221; Early this year, the giving tally surpassed the $10 million mark and the success stories are heartwarming and heartwrenching.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>What intrigues the life coach in me, though, is the path that brought Austin here. And, more specifically, how his a-ha moments always seemed to be accompanied by a banana costume. Yes, you read that right. This is a guy who knows how to get mileage out of a Halloween getup. Shortly after GiveForward launched from its home base in Chicago, Austin was in his native California preparing for a run in Santa Monica.</p> <p>&#8220;The website had just started and was going nowhere,&#8221; he says. &#8220;We had zero traction. I was running to raise money for a scholarship fund for a buddy&#8217;s daughter whose mom had passed away from cancer. I was in this banana costume, passing out flyers and someone came up and said, &#8216;you made my day.&#8217; I smiled and kept going &#8230; later I came back and checked my fundraising page and that guy had donated $500, which at the time was the biggest donation we had ever seen at the site.</p> <p>&#8220;That&#8217;s when it hit me. Maybe it&#8217;s not about non-profits, but about people giving to people. He doesn&#8217;t know who my friend is, but there&#8217;s something about that situation he connected with.&#8221;</p> <p>Austin had had another epiphany a few years earlier while in law school in Washington, D.C., also while clad in the banana costume. He had been training for a marathon and decided it was a good opportunity to run for a cause. Since his father died of colon cancer when Ethan was just 13, he had been passionate about raising money for cancer, so he picked St. Jude&#8217;s Children&#8217;s Research Hospital and set up a page they provided. He reached $1,000 pretty quickly and decided to set a goal for $5,000. About halfway there he hit a wall and got an idea &#8211; the banana costume. He passed out flyers, started getting $10 and $20 donations and eventually surpassed his goal.</p> <p>&#8220;I was just blown away by how one goofball in a banana costume could raise this much money,&#8221; he says. &#8220;That&#8217;s a lot of money for one person, especially with such small donations.&#8221;</p> <p>Now he sees that strategy work over and over again at GiveForward. Plus, having seen the value in the fundraising page as a tool but also realizing the possibilities for expanding it was a major spark for his bigger vision.</p> <p>&#8220;What if your cause is battered women shelters or environmental or kids in Darfur?&#8221; he says. &#8220;Everyone should have the opportunity to raise money for a cause that they care about.&#8221;</p> <p>Here&#8217;s why they do now. Austin returned to the West Coast after law school and pursued &#8211; what else? &#8211; jobs at prestigious law firms. Despite &#8220;more second-round interviews than anyone I know for these big law firm jobs,&#8221; he didn&#8217;t get one.</p> <p>&#8220;It feels like a blessing in disguise now,&#8221; Austin says.</p> <p>That&#8217;s because in the meantime his ex-girlfriend from college had run into Vargas Wrigley at a Super Bowl party and noted that she&#8217;d had a similar vision for a fundraising site. She encouraged Austin to reach out to her, which he eventually did. Their first conversation was hours-long and both had the feeling that someone else finally &#8220;gets&#8221; what they wanted to do. Austin moved to Chicago in May of 2008 and GiveForward was launched in August of that year, in no small part because Vargas Wrigley had this posted on her refrigerator &#8211; Leap and the net will appear.</p> <p>&#8220;My Dad passed away at an early age, so I had an early lesson that you should be doing something that you love because you never know how long you&#8217;re going to have,&#8221; Austin says. &#8220;I think more and more people are doing that, wanting to find meaning in their work. The hard part is taking a leap and actually doing it. I knew that all along since my Dad passed away &#8230; and I still didn&#8217;t do it. I went to law school and that was a safe route. It took me that one lesson to say I&#8217;m not going to do this again. I don&#8217;t want to have regrets.&#8221;</p> <p>It&#8217;s not like his will wasn&#8217;t tested even then. The first year the site didn&#8217;t make enough to support one salary, let alone two. In January of 2009 there was a day when it had one visitor. But back then Vargas Wrigley &#8211; Yale degree and all &#8211; waited tables and Austin, a board-certified lawyer in the state of California, took a crack at freelance writing while also dipping into his savings so they could stay the course.</p> <p>&#8220;The hardest thing about a startup is committing to it,&#8221; Austin says.</p> <p>And he means for the long haul. Not just during the early phase when there is so much bubbling excitement about the idea it carries you, but later when you&#8217;re working seemingly non-stop and the rewards are not clear.</p> <p>&#8220;One of the last things I learned from my father was, if you&#8217;re going to work and do something, work your butt off and do it right,&#8221; he says.</p> <p>Now Austin oozes job satisfaction and in fact, tells me unabashedly that he would do it for free.</p> <p>&#8220;I kind of did for two years,&#8221; he says with a laugh. &#8220;The fact that we get paid is the cherry on top.&#8221;</p> <p>That might sound sappy unless you know a little more. Like the fact that GiveForward helped skier Sarah Burke&#8217;s family raise money to offset her medical expenses when she had a tragic accident and died in January. Or that one father wrote to say his 6-year-old daughter so loved Burke that she pledged years worth of her birthday money to the fund and he matched it. Or that it brought more than 14,000 visitors to GiveForward&#8217;s site in one hour, providing a place for so many to go during a difficult time.</p> <p>Austin tells me a &#8220;really incredible&#8221; story of a father with stage four renal cancer and a fundraising page for him that reached its goal of $10,000. But through some exploration Austin learned that his treatments uncovered by insurance would exceed $100,000, so he coached the friends and family on ways they could raise more using social media.</p> <p>&#8220;They ended up raising close to $90,000,&#8221; Austin says. &#8220;They had a <a href="" type="internal">Facebook</a> page where hundreds of people from around the world were donating. It was a remarkable feeling for them to have such great success, but the most remarkable thing for me was realizing the power of social media. They had zero traditional media attention.&#8221;</p> <p>Austin cites that around the same time there was a &#8220;truly heroic story&#8221; of a skydiving accident that left a man a quadriplegic that received coverage on the major networks and within a few weeks they raised $50,000. Yet, with only social media, the aforementioned fund for the father with cancer was almost double that.</p> <p>&#8220;I think [with the <a href="" type="internal">Arab spring</a>] everyone recognizes that [social media] is powerful now, but at the time it wasn&#8217;t universally recognized that it&#8217;s useful beyond just wasting time,&#8221; Austin says.</p> <p>Bringing that together with not forgetting where it all started has been key to GiveForward&#8217;s success. Employees are required to &#8220;hug one user&#8221; a day, meaning they pick a fundraiser on the site that speaks to them and reach out so users know &#8220;there are humans here, not just robots behind a website.&#8221; Austin admits in the beginning they did that because the site was less than stellar and they wanted to make up for it with &#8220;awesome&#8221; customer service. But now it just feels right for a company whose core values are &#8211; cultivate through compassion, take fun seriously, and authenticity is king. Not to mention the big mantra painted on the office wall &#8211; Create unexpected joy.</p> <p>GiveForward got some of that in November when it was honored at the <a href="" type="internal">White House</a> as part of the 2011 Empact100, which recognizes top companies run by entrepreneurs age 30 or under who &#8220;impact our economy and inspire others to join the movement to revitalize it by starting a business of their own.&#8221;</p> <p>&#8220;We were very proud in that moment and humbled,&#8221; Austin says. &#8220;We never thought when we started we&#8217;d end up at the White House &#8230; The reason we got there was because we helped thousands and thousands of people get through difficult times. That made it sweet for us. It was surreal.&#8221;</p> <p>And while he wasn&#8217;t wearing a banana costume at the time, he was sporting what he dubbed a &#8220;lame-o&#8221; mustache to raise money for LiveStrong and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.</p> <p>And the beat goes on.</p> <p>Nancy Colasurdo is a practicing life coach and freelance writer. Her Web site is <a href="http://www.nancola.com/" type="external">www.nancola.com Opens a New Window.</a> and you can follow her on <a href="" type="internal">Twitter</a> @nancola. Please direct all questions/comments to <a href="http://mailto:FOXGamePlan@gmail.com" type="external">FOXGamePlan@gmail.com Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

certainly satisfaction derived writing check global national nonprofit feeling generous sometimes eminently satisfying direct funds specific individual family continue reading people giving people opposed people giving organizations ethan austin coo cofounder giveforward opens new window realization life changer crowd funding rage austin giveforward ceo cofounder desiree vargas wrigley began collaborating website would destination kind giving original idea lets help people raise money favorite nonprofits austin tells recent interview desirees different lets help people raise money anything scholarship fund honeymoon volunteer travel trip launched site 2008 year became clear primary destination people trying help people exorbitant medical expenses according press materials worlds leading medical fundraising platform providing families 1 answer question loved one sick help early year giving tally surpassed 10 million mark success stories heartwarming heartwrenching advertisement intrigues life coach though path brought austin specifically aha moments always seemed accompanied banana costume yes read right guy knows get mileage halloween getup shortly giveforward launched home base chicago austin native california preparing run santa monica website started going nowhere says zero traction running raise money scholarship fund buddys daughter whose mom passed away cancer banana costume passing flyers someone came said made day smiled kept going later came back checked fundraising page guy donated 500 time biggest donation ever seen site thats hit maybe nonprofits people giving people doesnt know friend theres something situation connected austin another epiphany years earlier law school washington dc also clad banana costume training marathon decided good opportunity run cause since father died colon cancer ethan 13 passionate raising money cancer picked st judes childrens research hospital set page provided reached 1000 pretty quickly decided set goal 5000 halfway hit wall got idea banana costume passed flyers started getting 10 20 donations eventually surpassed goal blown away one goofball banana costume could raise much money says thats lot money one person especially small donations sees strategy work giveforward plus seen value fundraising page tool also realizing possibilities expanding major spark bigger vision cause battered women shelters environmental kids darfur says everyone opportunity raise money cause care heres austin returned west coast law school pursued else jobs prestigious law firms despite secondround interviews anyone know big law firm jobs didnt get one feels like blessing disguise austin says thats meantime exgirlfriend college run vargas wrigley super bowl party noted shed similar vision fundraising site encouraged austin reach eventually first conversation hourslong feeling someone else finally gets wanted austin moved chicago may 2008 giveforward launched august year small part vargas wrigley posted refrigerator leap net appear dad passed away early age early lesson something love never know long youre going austin says think people wanting find meaning work hard part taking leap actually knew along since dad passed away still didnt went law school safe route took one lesson say im going dont want regrets like wasnt tested even first year site didnt make enough support one salary let alone two january 2009 day one visitor back vargas wrigley yale degree waited tables austin boardcertified lawyer state california took crack freelance writing also dipping savings could stay course hardest thing startup committing austin says means long haul early phase much bubbling excitement idea carries later youre working seemingly nonstop rewards clear one last things learned father youre going work something work butt right says austin oozes job satisfaction fact tells unabashedly would free kind two years says laugh fact get paid cherry top might sound sappy unless know little like fact giveforward helped skier sarah burkes family raise money offset medical expenses tragic accident died january one father wrote say 6yearold daughter loved burke pledged years worth birthday money fund matched brought 14000 visitors giveforwards site one hour providing place many go difficult time austin tells really incredible story father stage four renal cancer fundraising page reached goal 10000 exploration austin learned treatments uncovered insurance would exceed 100000 coached friends family ways could raise using social media ended raising close 90000 austin says facebook page hundreds people around world donating remarkable feeling great success remarkable thing realizing power social media zero traditional media attention austin cites around time truly heroic story skydiving accident left man quadriplegic received coverage major networks within weeks raised 50000 yet social media aforementioned fund father cancer almost double think arab spring everyone recognizes social media powerful time wasnt universally recognized useful beyond wasting time austin says bringing together forgetting started key giveforwards success employees required hug one user day meaning pick fundraiser site speaks reach users know humans robots behind website austin admits beginning site less stellar wanted make awesome customer service feels right company whose core values cultivate compassion take fun seriously authenticity king mention big mantra painted office wall create unexpected joy giveforward got november honored white house part 2011 empact100 recognizes top companies run entrepreneurs age 30 impact economy inspire others join movement revitalize starting business proud moment humbled austin says never thought started wed end white house reason got helped thousands thousands people get difficult times made sweet us surreal wasnt wearing banana costume time sporting dubbed lameo mustache raise money livestrong prostate cancer foundation beat goes nancy colasurdo practicing life coach freelance writer web site wwwnancolacom opens new window follow twitter nancola please direct questionscomments foxgameplangmailcom opens new window

<p /> <p>RadioShack has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time, with the company's owner immediately closing 200 stores, and considering its options for the remaining 1,300 it owns. At roughly the same time, Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), another electronics retailer, has turned the corner in its battle for survival. Its earnings per share (EPS) rose dramatically, climbing from $2.30 in fiscal 2016 to $3.74 in the chain's fiscal 2017. In addition, its stock, which is currently trading around $45, has more than tripled since bottoming out in late 2012.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>That was enough for Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly to literally declare the company's turnaround efforts over.</p> <p>"Since the introduction of Renew Blue in November 2012, we have improved the operating performance of the business dramatically," he said in the Q4 earnings release in early March. "We now feel it is time to call Renew Blue officially over and launch our strategy for the next phase of our journey: Best Buy 2020: Building the New Blue."</p> <p>Those comments were released a week before RadioShack once again sought bankruptcy protection, raising the question as to why one electronics chain has succeeded while the other has failed. It's not a simple answer, as you will see below that both chains made many of the same moves.</p> <p>Best Buy has come back from the brink. Image source: Best Buy.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Launched in 2012, Renew Blue was a road map to help Best Buy turn around its fortunes. At the time the plan was introduced, Best Buy was, like RadioShack, on the list of companies many expected to not survive, largely due to the internet and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) specifically. Its turnaround began because the company systematically attacked its weaknesses while building on its strengths.</p> <p>One key weakness was the fact that consumers did not see Best Buy as offering attractive prices. In a report the company shared in its Renew Blue <a href="https://corporate.bestbuy.com/wp-content/uploads/bestbuy_web_final.pdf" type="external">presentation deck Opens a New Window.</a> [opens in PDF], only 23% of consumers perceived Best Buy as having lower prices than its rivals while 56% of Amazon customers saw the online retailer that way and 71% ofWal-Mart(NYSE: WMT) customers believed it had the lowest prices.</p> <p>Best Buy aggressively addressed that by offering a price match program that let people pay the same price they would at top online competitors and "local retailers," a category that includes Wal-Mart. That one move immediately removed the incentive for showrooming, that is, the practice of doing your research on a product at Best Buy but buying online or from another retailer.</p> <p>In addition to that major move, Best Buy did a number of things:</p> <p>Taken on its own, any one of these moves would probably have not been enough, but made together they left Best Buy with price-competitive stores that consumers had more reason to visit and a robust, easy-to-use digital presence.</p> <p>As a private company it's hard to see exactly what the second iteration of RadioShack did differently than the previous publicly traded version. The company did partner with Sprint (NYSE: S) on some locations, but the wireless carrier (which also has a presence at Best Buy) may not have been the customer draw that Best Buy's store-within-a-store partners proved to be. In fact, in its bankruptcy filing, RadioShack cited "the surprisingly poor performance of mobility sales," i.e. Sprint, as a reason for it having to file, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2017/03/09/radioshack-files-bankruptcy-second-time/98943636/" type="external">USA Today Opens a New Window.</a> reported.</p> <p>The company did not price match and its website, while it got some attention, was not made a priority in the way Best Buy's was. RadioShack also failed to articulate any clear reason for people to visit its stores aside from its long-standing function as a nearby option when you're missing cables or batteries and having them now trumps price in your mind.</p> <p>However, CEO Dene Rogers did share some info in the company's press release on the bankruptcy that shed some light on the steps it did take.</p> <p>"In 2016, we reduced operating expenses by 23%, while at the same time saw gross profit dollars increase 8%," he said. "Over the same time, we integrated FedEx pickup/drop-off into 140 RadioShack locations, delivered to customers over 700,000 Hulu login pins and sold more than a million RadioShack private brand headphones and speakers delivering high quality, value-based audio products to consumers across the country."</p> <p>RadioShack management made some of the same moves that Best Buy did, yet it still failed. Some of that may be because it bet too heavily on Sprint as a partner. In addition, doing nothing to address consumer expectations on pricing certainly sent some business to Amazon, Wal-Mart, and even Best Buy.</p> <p>In the end, though, RadioShack may have been doomed by the fact that small, limited-selection stores are not the draw they once were now that people can simply go online and get nearly anything they need with two-day delivery. With the average RadioShack being roughly 2,400 square feet, it simply can't compete with destination chains like Best Buy that are 10 to 15 times larger on average.</p> <p>In its heyday, RadioShack succeeded because its many locations made it convenient for customers and it sold products that were interesting to look at, with many not being offered elsewhere. Add in being a source for things like blank cassettes, VHS tapes, and other accessories, the company filled a niche that does not exist any more.</p> <p>RadioShack has failed while Best Buy lives on to continue battling Amazon, because it may have outlived its usefulness without finding a new reason for being. Perhaps there was a pivot that could have saved the retailer (and maybe Blockbuster would still exist if it had become a chain of liquor store/vape shops) but non-extreme measures were always likely to end in this result.</p> <p>10 stocks we like better than Best BuyWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*</p> <p>David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the <a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=313545f7-0e2c-4aa7-9ad7-dec5f3d661f1&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">10 best stocks Opens a New Window.</a> for investors to buy right now and Best Buy wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.</p> <p><a href="http://infotron.fool.com/infotrack/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fool.com%2Fmms%2Fmark%2Fe-foolcom-sa-bbn-dyn%3Faid%3D8867%26source%3Disaeditxt0010449%26ftm_cam%3Dsa-bbn-evergreen%26ftm_pit%3D6312%26ftm_veh%3Dbbn_article_pitch&amp;amp;impression=313545f7-0e2c-4aa7-9ad7-dec5f3d661f1&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">Click here Opens a New Window.</a> to learn about these picks!</p> <p>*Stock Advisor returns as of February 6, 2017</p> <p>Teresa Kersten is an employee of LinkedIn and is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/Dankline/info.aspx" type="external">Daniel Kline Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of AAPL and MSFT. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends AMZN and AAPL. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on AAPL and short January 2018 $95 calls on AAPL. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

radioshack filed bankruptcy protection second time companys owner immediately closing 200 stores considering options remaining 1300 owns roughly time best buy nyse bby another electronics retailer turned corner battle survival earnings per share eps rose dramatically climbing 230 fiscal 2016 374 chains fiscal 2017 addition stock currently trading around 45 tripled since bottoming late 2012 continue reading enough best buy ceo hubert joly literally declare companys turnaround efforts since introduction renew blue november 2012 improved operating performance business dramatically said q4 earnings release early march feel time call renew blue officially launch strategy next phase journey best buy 2020 building new blue comments released week radioshack sought bankruptcy protection raising question one electronics chain succeeded failed simple answer see chains made many moves best buy come back brink image source best buy advertisement launched 2012 renew blue road map help best buy turn around fortunes time plan introduced best buy like radioshack list companies many expected survive largely due internet amazon nasdaq amzn specifically turnaround began company systematically attacked weaknesses building strengths one key weakness fact consumers see best buy offering attractive prices report company shared renew blue presentation deck opens new window opens pdf 23 consumers perceived best buy lower prices rivals 56 amazon customers saw online retailer way 71 ofwalmartnyse wmt customers believed lowest prices best buy aggressively addressed offering price match program let people pay price would top online competitors local retailers category includes walmart one move immediately removed incentive showrooming practice research product best buy buying online another retailer addition major move best buy number things taken one moves would probably enough made together left best buy pricecompetitive stores consumers reason visit robust easytouse digital presence private company hard see exactly second iteration radioshack differently previous publicly traded version company partner sprint nyse locations wireless carrier also presence best buy may customer draw best buys storewithinastore partners proved fact bankruptcy filing radioshack cited surprisingly poor performance mobility sales ie sprint reason file usa today opens new window reported company price match website got attention made priority way best buys radioshack also failed articulate clear reason people visit stores aside longstanding function nearby option youre missing cables batteries trumps price mind however ceo dene rogers share info companys press release bankruptcy shed light steps take 2016 reduced operating expenses 23 time saw gross profit dollars increase 8 said time integrated fedex pickupdropoff 140 radioshack locations delivered customers 700000 hulu login pins sold million radioshack private brand headphones speakers delivering high quality valuebased audio products consumers across country radioshack management made moves best buy yet still failed may bet heavily sprint partner addition nothing address consumer expectations pricing certainly sent business amazon walmart even best buy end though radioshack may doomed fact small limitedselection stores draw people simply go online get nearly anything need twoday delivery average radioshack roughly 2400 square feet simply cant compete destination chains like best buy 10 15 times larger average heyday radioshack succeeded many locations made convenient customers sold products interesting look many offered elsewhere add source things like blank cassettes vhs tapes accessories company filled niche exist radioshack failed best buy lives continue battling amazon may outlived usefulness without finding new reason perhaps pivot could saved retailer maybe blockbuster would still exist become chain liquor storevape shops nonextreme measures always likely end result 10 stocks like better best buywhen investing geniuses david tom gardner stock tip pay listen newsletter run decade motley fool stock advisor tripled market david tom revealed believe 10 best stocks opens new window investors buy right best buy wasnt one thats right think 10 stocks even better buys click opens new window learn picks stock advisor returns february 6 2017 teresa kersten employee linkedin member motley fools board directors linkedin owned microsoft daniel kline opens new window owns shares aapl msft motley fool owns shares recommends amzn aapl motley fool following options long january 2018 90 calls aapl short january 2018 95 calls aapl motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p /> <p>Most investors have diversified portfolios with many different stock holdings. Yet if you have new money to invest, you want to make the most of it, and that can often mean making a concentrated play on a promising stock. With that in mind, below you'll find several picks vying for the status of the single best stock to own today. Take a look and see which argument makes the most sense to you for your portfolio.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Image source: Getty Images.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDirtyBird/info.aspx" type="external">Tyler Crowe Opens a New Window.</a>:The best stock for someone to own has a lot more to do with their investing objectives than one single stock being the panacea for all their needs. With this in mind, let me preface this by saying this approach is for someone looking for a stable dividend investment to supplement income or a great addition to a retirement account where you can defer the taxes on those dividends for decades. If that is the objective, then it's hard to argue against shares of Anheuser Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD).</p> <p>For a few years now, the big attention-grabbing headlines in the U.S. have centered around the growth of craft been and how it's taking market share from InBev's flagship products. To understand why this company is poised for long-term growth that will support its dividend for years to come, you need to look to the global market. Thanks to its merger with SAB Miller, the combined entity <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/06/30/1-stock-to-own-for-the-next-century.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">will own about 28% of the global beer market Opens a New Window.</a> and will have pretty strong footholds in some of the fastest-growing economies around the world. It's a market where branding goes a long way, and AB InBev is holding a lot of cards.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Unless we find <a href="https://youtu.be/v9lwVbaVpYs?t=1s" type="external">an experimental new way Opens a New Window.</a> to consumer alcohol, Anheuser Busch's competitive advantages should ensure decades of pricing power and profitability that the company will be able to translate to returns for investors. With a dividend yield of 3.1% and a bright future ahead, AB InBev looks like one stock you need to own if you want stable growth and a strong dividend.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger Opens a New Window.</a>: One smart way to look for promising stocks internationally is to look at business models that have been successful for investors in the U.S. and find companies seeking to replicate or improve on those business models elsewhere. Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) is an excellent example, with the search engine giant having used a similar business model to the No. 1 U.S. search engine leader and having seen similarly positive results.</p> <p>Like its U.S. counterpart, Baidu hasn't been satisfied with its strong position in online search. The company has made efforts to diversify itself, including making forays into the driverless auto market and looking to help its users take information they get online and lead them toward offline service providers that can follow through on their needs. Yet Baidu's biggest opportunity is China itself, especially given the fact that the company has done well even as the Chinese economy has hit a rough patch.</p> <p>Going forward, Baidu has potential for growth in mobile payments, internet-based services, and a host of other areas that it hasn't even thought to pursue yet. With the market giving Baidu only a fraction of the value that its U.S. counterpart enjoys, the Chinese search giant could give shareholders a lot more gains if the company can make the most of all the opportunities it has.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTypeoh/info.aspx" type="external">Brian Feroldi Opens a New Window.</a>:One company that I think is a great stock to buy today isPayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL). Despite its size, this company continues to grow at impressive rates, which is a trend that I think will continue for years to come as consumers worldwide shift their spending habits toward digital channels.</p> <p>PayPal's most recent quarterly results showed that the bull thesis for this stock is on track. Customer accounts grew by 11%, processed transactions rose by 25%, and total payment volume jumped by 29% on a currency-neutral basis.All of that led to a 19% growth on the top line (if you adjust for currency movements), which is solid growth for a company valued at nearly $50 billion.</p> <p>Those numbers all looked great, but Wall Street appears to be laser-focused on the company's declining margin profile. The reason for the margin pressure is that the company's take rate on each transaction is going down, which is a trend that will likely continue now that it has signed partnerships agreements with both Visa and MasterCard.</p> <p>I'll admit that those agreements might be a near-term headwind for margins, but I'm bullish on the long-term potential of these deals. The reason is that theagreements will make it easier for consumers to use PayPal to make in-store transactions on both Visa's and MasterCard's networks, which should help to accelerate the growth of PayPal's payment volume.</p> <p>In short, I think that PayPal has positioned itself well to grow at double-digit rates for years to come. With shares trading for less than 23 times next year's earnings estimates, I think this is a great buy-and-hold candidate.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx" type="external">Matt DiLallo Opens a New Window.</a>: Two years of underinvestment is causing a significant decline in worldwide oil production. In the U.S. alone, production is expected to decline by 10.1% while global production is on pace to slip 3.3%. Meanwhile, demand for oil continues to grow, which should create a much tighter oil market by the end of this year. That forecast suggests that oil prices and drilling activity could rebound sharply over the next year, which plays right into the hands of shale leader EOG Resources (NYSE: EOG).</p> <p>Unlike most of its peers, EOG Resources is not focused just on growing production in the impending recovery; it wants to drill wells that deliver the highest rate of return. Through a combination of innovation and technology, the company pushed well costs down and hydrocarbon recoveries up across a vast swath of its drilling inventory. As a result, it is currently sitting on roughly 6,000 premium well locations, which are those that can generate a 30% after-tax rate of return at $40 oil. That is enough inventory to grow production for more than a decade.</p> <p>In fact, EOG Resources' current plan is to increase its oil production by double digits through 2020. At $50 oil, it can deliver 10% compound annual crude oil production growth, with that rate accelerating to 20% if crude averages $60 a barrel. Given its strategy that prioritizes returns, this will not be growth for the sake of growth but instead will deliver robust economic returns for investors.</p> <p>While many oil companies intend to go back to growth mode once oil prices improve, EOG Resources is the only one focusing on growing returns. That makes it the single best oil stock for investors looking to profit from the looming recovery in the oil market.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFBargainBin/info.aspx" type="external">Tim Green Opens a New Window.</a>: The technology sector is tough for investors, because any company, no matter how dominant, can be disrupted by unforeseen developments. But networking hardware giant Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) has so far done a good job of staying one step ahead of the competition. Its dominance in its core markets and its ongoing shift toward software and services make Cisco one of my favorite stocks.</p> <p>Cisco still derives the bulk of its revenue from hardware, namely switches and routers, but the company is aiming to become a seller of integrated solutions involving hardware, software, and services. Cisco has done very well selling proprietary hardware in the past, but the future will require the company to meet the increasingly complex networking needs of its clients. Cisco's growth going forward will <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2015/07/16/ciscos-growth-depends-on-software-and-services.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">depend on software and services Opens a New Window.</a>, a path similar to the one forged by IBM many years ago.</p> <p>The other thing I like about Cisco is its valuation. Backing out the $37 billion of net cash on its balance sheet, Cisco trades for less than 10 times its free cash flow. This low price means that the company's ongoing share buyback program is good use of cash, knocking down the share count and boosting per-share numbers. Cisco is no longer the growth stock it once was, but the stock still looks like one of the best.</p> <p>A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, <a href="http://www.fool.com/mms/mark/ecap-foolcom-apple-wearable?aid=6965&amp;amp;source=irbeditxt0000017&amp;amp;ftm_cam=rb-wearable-d&amp;amp;ftm_pit=2668&amp;amp;ftm_veh=article_pitch&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">just click here Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFTypeoh/info.aspx" type="external">Brian Feroldi</a> owns shares of Baidu. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFGalagan/info.aspx" type="external">Dan Caplinger</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFmd19/info.aspx" type="external">Matt DiLallo</a> owns shares of Baidu. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFBargainBin/info.aspx" type="external">Timothy Green</a> owns shares of Cisco Systems. <a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/TMFDirtyBird/info.aspx" type="external">Tyler Crowe</a> has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Baidu and PayPal Holdings. The Motley Fool owns shares of EOG Resources. The Motley Fool recommends Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and Cisco Systems. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=isiedilnk018048&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/motley.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?&amp;amp;utm_campaign=article&amp;amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;amp;utm_source=foxbusiness" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

investors diversified portfolios many different stock holdings yet new money invest want make often mean making concentrated play promising stock mind youll find several picks vying status single best stock today take look see argument makes sense portfolio continue reading image source getty images tyler crowe opens new windowthe best stock someone lot investing objectives one single stock panacea needs mind let preface saying approach someone looking stable dividend investment supplement income great addition retirement account defer taxes dividends decades objective hard argue shares anheuser busch inbev nyse bud years big attentiongrabbing headlines us centered around growth craft taking market share inbevs flagship products understand company poised longterm growth support dividend years come need look global market thanks merger sab miller combined entity 28 global beer market opens new window pretty strong footholds fastestgrowing economies around world market branding goes long way ab inbev holding lot cards advertisement unless find experimental new way opens new window consumer alcohol anheuser buschs competitive advantages ensure decades pricing power profitability company able translate returns investors dividend yield 31 bright future ahead ab inbev looks like one stock need want stable growth strong dividend dan caplinger opens new window one smart way look promising stocks internationally look business models successful investors us find companies seeking replicate improve business models elsewhere baidu nasdaq bidu excellent example search engine giant used similar business model 1 us search engine leader seen similarly positive results like us counterpart baidu hasnt satisfied strong position online search company made efforts diversify including making forays driverless auto market looking help users take information get online lead toward offline service providers follow needs yet baidus biggest opportunity china especially given fact company done well even chinese economy hit rough patch going forward baidu potential growth mobile payments internetbased services host areas hasnt even thought pursue yet market giving baidu fraction value us counterpart enjoys chinese search giant could give shareholders lot gains company make opportunities brian feroldi opens new windowone company think great stock buy today ispaypal nasdaq pypl despite size company continues grow impressive rates trend think continue years come consumers worldwide shift spending habits toward digital channels paypals recent quarterly results showed bull thesis stock track customer accounts grew 11 processed transactions rose 25 total payment volume jumped 29 currencyneutral basisall led 19 growth top line adjust currency movements solid growth company valued nearly 50 billion numbers looked great wall street appears laserfocused companys declining margin profile reason margin pressure companys take rate transaction going trend likely continue signed partnerships agreements visa mastercard ill admit agreements might nearterm headwind margins im bullish longterm potential deals reason theagreements make easier consumers use paypal make instore transactions visas mastercards networks help accelerate growth paypals payment volume short think paypal positioned well grow doubledigit rates years come shares trading less 23 times next years earnings estimates think great buyandhold candidate matt dilallo opens new window two years underinvestment causing significant decline worldwide oil production us alone production expected decline 101 global production pace slip 33 meanwhile demand oil continues grow create much tighter oil market end year forecast suggests oil prices drilling activity could rebound sharply next year plays right hands shale leader eog resources nyse eog unlike peers eog resources focused growing production impending recovery wants drill wells deliver highest rate return combination innovation technology company pushed well costs hydrocarbon recoveries across vast swath drilling inventory result currently sitting roughly 6000 premium well locations generate 30 aftertax rate return 40 oil enough inventory grow production decade fact eog resources current plan increase oil production double digits 2020 50 oil deliver 10 compound annual crude oil production growth rate accelerating 20 crude averages 60 barrel given strategy prioritizes returns growth sake growth instead deliver robust economic returns investors many oil companies intend go back growth mode oil prices improve eog resources one focusing growing returns makes single best oil stock investors looking profit looming recovery oil market tim green opens new window technology sector tough investors company matter dominant disrupted unforeseen developments networking hardware giant cisco systems nasdaq csco far done good job staying one step ahead competition dominance core markets ongoing shift toward software services make cisco one favorite stocks cisco still derives bulk revenue hardware namely switches routers company aiming become seller integrated solutions involving hardware software services cisco done well selling proprietary hardware past future require company meet increasingly complex networking needs clients ciscos growth going forward depend software services opens new window path similar one forged ibm many years ago thing like cisco valuation backing 37 billion net cash balance sheet cisco trades less 10 times free cash flow low price means companys ongoing share buyback program good use cash knocking share count boosting pershare numbers cisco longer growth stock stock still looks like one best secret billiondollar stock opportunity worlds biggest tech company forgot show something wall street analysts fool didnt miss beat theres small company thats powering brandnew gadgets coming revolution technology think stock price nearly unlimited room run early intheknow investors one click opens new window brian feroldi owns shares baidu dan caplinger position stocks mentioned matt dilallo owns shares baidu timothy green owns shares cisco systems tyler crowe position stocks mentioned motley fool owns shares recommends baidu paypal holdings motley fool owns shares eog resources motley fool recommends anheuserbusch inbev nv cisco systems try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Aerospace parts specialist Arconic Inc. named former General Electric Co. executive Chip Blankenship as its new chief executive, seeking to bring an end to a year of management turmoil that included a bitter fight with an activist investor and the sudden resignation of its former chief.</p> <p>Mr. Blankenship, the former head of GE's appliance business, will become Arconic's CEO on Jan. 15., the company said Monday. Interim CEO David Hess, who has run the company since April, will stay as a director.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The appointment came as Arconic missed quarterly earnings expectations because of rising aluminum prices and higher-than-expected costs supplying parts for new jet engines built by units of GE and United Technologies Corp., sending its shares down around 10%.</p> <p>"Arconic needs improvement in performance across the board," Mr. Hess told analysts Monday.</p> <p>Mr. Blankenship, 51 years old, steps into the top job in the aftermath of a dispute with activist investor Elliott Management Corp. and as the company deals with the fallout from its connection to a fatal June fire at Grenfell Tower in London.</p> <p>Analysts said Monday's selloff reflects investors' anxiety about whether a new CEO will be able to deliver on the ambitious profit and margin-expansion targets established by his predecessor. "It's the lack of visibility on jet engine [parts] and the costs associated with them," said Josh Sullivan, an analyst for Seaport Global Securities.</p> <p>Arconic, which separated from aluminum producer Alcoa a year ago, has been beset by operating problems that have kept the company from producing the high margins envisioned by the breakup. Amid shareholder concerns about the future direction and how to fix those issues, the process to hire a leader proved slow. Mr. Blankenship will be expected install better cost controls and improve persistent efficiency and technical problems weighing on production, particularly in businesses acquired in recent years to expand Arconic's presence in high-value forgings and metals besides aluminum.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>"It's important to get Chip in the seat in January and driving the execution at critical time," said Adam Karr of Orbis Investment Management LTD, Arconic's fourth-biggest holder and one who had previously called for change.</p> <p>Arconic's disappointing performance led to activist investor Elliott Management initiating a campaign earlier this year to replace CEO Executive Klaus Kleinfeld. The ensuing mudslinging, which involved fights over competing slates of board candidates, culminated in April when Mr. Kleinfeld abruptly left the company after he sent a letter to the hedge fund that Elliott perceived as "a threat to intimidate or extort" the firm.</p> <p>Arconic said Mr. Kleinfeld showed bad judgment, and they mutually decided he would step down. Arconic granted Elliott three more board seats in May.</p> <p>Mr. Blankenship's hire was called "an excellent selection" by David Miller, Elliott's senior portfolio manager, in a statement issued Monday.</p> <p>Elliott had pledged to install veteran aerospace executive Larry Lawson as CEO if it managed to gain control of the board. As part of Elliott's May settlement, it had a role in the selection process and talked with Mr. Blankenship and other candidates, ultimately deciding Mr. Blankenship was the best for the job, said some people familiar with the process.</p> <p>Mr. Blankenship, whose training is in metallurgy and material science engineering, joined GE in 1992, and cycled through several jobs with GE's aircraft engine business. He holds seven patents related to jet engine technology, according to Arconic. He headed GE's appliance business from 2011 until June, following its sale to China's Haier last year. Mr. Blankenship's technical know-how with metals and experience in the aviation industry were key attributes for board members and large shareholders alike.</p> <p>On Monday, Arconic said that board member John Plant will become board chairman, effective immediately, succeeding interim Chair Pat Russo.</p> <p>Mr. Plant joined the board in 2016 as an Elliott appointee under an agreement between Mr. Kleinfeld and the hedge fund. He is a former CEO of TRW Automotive.</p> <p>Arconic continues to face multiple lawsuits and a U.K. inquiry in connection with the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed at least 80 people. Aluminum panels with combustible polyethylene cores produced by Arconic were cited by investors as a factor in the spread of the fire over the building's exterior. Arconic has said that it wasn't involved in the design or installation of the exterior cladding system used at the tower, which included insulation that also burned.</p> <p>The company reported $7 million in legal and advisory costs in its latest quarter in connection with the fire. Mr. Hess warned of a long inquiry into the fire. "It's not unusual for these things to take a number of years to resolve," he said.</p> <p>Arconic also on Monday reported a third-quarter profit of $119 million, down roughly 28% from a year ago and shy of analysts' expectations. Revenue rose 3% to $3.2 billion, but the company missed analysts' per-share profit expectation.</p> <p>The company increased its revenue guidance for the year to $12.6 billion to $12.8 billion, compared with its prior forecast of $12.3 billion to $12.7 billion.</p> <p>--David Benoit and Allison Prang contributed to this article.</p> <p>Write to Bob Tita at robert.tita@wsj.com</p> <p>(END) Dow Jones Newswires</p> <p>October 23, 2017 16:33 ET (20:33 GMT)</p>

aerospace parts specialist arconic inc named former general electric co executive chip blankenship new chief executive seeking bring end year management turmoil included bitter fight activist investor sudden resignation former chief mr blankenship former head ges appliance business become arconics ceo jan 15 company said monday interim ceo david hess run company since april stay director continue reading appointment came arconic missed quarterly earnings expectations rising aluminum prices higherthanexpected costs supplying parts new jet engines built units ge united technologies corp sending shares around 10 arconic needs improvement performance across board mr hess told analysts monday mr blankenship 51 years old steps top job aftermath dispute activist investor elliott management corp company deals fallout connection fatal june fire grenfell tower london analysts said mondays selloff reflects investors anxiety whether new ceo able deliver ambitious profit marginexpansion targets established predecessor lack visibility jet engine parts costs associated said josh sullivan analyst seaport global securities arconic separated aluminum producer alcoa year ago beset operating problems kept company producing high margins envisioned breakup amid shareholder concerns future direction fix issues process hire leader proved slow mr blankenship expected install better cost controls improve persistent efficiency technical problems weighing production particularly businesses acquired recent years expand arconics presence highvalue forgings metals besides aluminum advertisement important get chip seat january driving execution critical time said adam karr orbis investment management ltd arconics fourthbiggest holder one previously called change arconics disappointing performance led activist investor elliott management initiating campaign earlier year replace ceo executive klaus kleinfeld ensuing mudslinging involved fights competing slates board candidates culminated april mr kleinfeld abruptly left company sent letter hedge fund elliott perceived threat intimidate extort firm arconic said mr kleinfeld showed bad judgment mutually decided would step arconic granted elliott three board seats may mr blankenships hire called excellent selection david miller elliotts senior portfolio manager statement issued monday elliott pledged install veteran aerospace executive larry lawson ceo managed gain control board part elliotts may settlement role selection process talked mr blankenship candidates ultimately deciding mr blankenship best job said people familiar process mr blankenship whose training metallurgy material science engineering joined ge 1992 cycled several jobs ges aircraft engine business holds seven patents related jet engine technology according arconic headed ges appliance business 2011 june following sale chinas haier last year mr blankenships technical knowhow metals experience aviation industry key attributes board members large shareholders alike monday arconic said board member john plant become board chairman effective immediately succeeding interim chair pat russo mr plant joined board 2016 elliott appointee agreement mr kleinfeld hedge fund former ceo trw automotive arconic continues face multiple lawsuits uk inquiry connection grenfell tower fire killed least 80 people aluminum panels combustible polyethylene cores produced arconic cited investors factor spread fire buildings exterior arconic said wasnt involved design installation exterior cladding system used tower included insulation also burned company reported 7 million legal advisory costs latest quarter connection fire mr hess warned long inquiry fire unusual things take number years resolve said arconic also monday reported thirdquarter profit 119 million roughly 28 year ago shy analysts expectations revenue rose 3 32 billion company missed analysts pershare profit expectation company increased revenue guidance year 126 billion 128 billion compared prior forecast 123 billion 127 billion david benoit allison prang contributed article write bob tita roberttitawsjcom end dow jones newswires october 23 2017 1633 et 2033 gmt

<p /> <p>In one of his recent letters to shareholders, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett shared the stories of two small investments he made.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>The first took place in 1986, when Buffett purchased a 400-acre farm from the FDIC for $280,000, even though he had absolutely no idea how to operate a farm. However, Buffett's son loved farming, and put together some projections of the farm's production and expenses. From this, Buffett calculated the farm would produce a normalized return of about 10%, which he estimated would improve over time.</p> <p>Then, in 1993, a commercial real estate bubble burst, and Buffett acquired a New York retail property adjacent to the NYU campus. Obviously, the location was great, and Buffett again calculated a 10% return on investment. Plus, he also realized that the property had been poorly managed, and the buildings largest tenant was paying 93% less than market rent, and their lease would expire in nine years -- which meant amazing future potential to grow revenue. Buffett still hasn't seen the property.</p> <p>The six lessons to learnWhy did Buffett share these stories with Berkshire's shareholders? It's certainly not because he's trying to convince them to buy farms and retail buildings. Rather, he knows that Berkshire shareholders are investors, and these two stories illustrate some of the most important lessons investors can ever learn.</p> <p>Here are the six fundamentals of investing Buffett shared, and how they apply to individual investors choosing stocks to buy.</p> <p>Buffett didn't understand the farming business, but it is a simple enough business that he understood how a profit is made and what could lead to growth over time. Similarly, when you look at some of Berkshire's subsidiaries and stock holdings, the same logic applies. For example, I doubt Buffett was an expert in the candy-making business before he acquired See's Candies. However, it was a simple enough business and the numbers made sense.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>In contrast, Buffett doesn't understand most technology-related businesses, so he's not going to buy one. You can apply this to your own portfolio -- stick to what you understand best. You don't need to know everything about the business, but you should have a firm grasp on the business model.</p> <p>For your purposes, don't worry about the stock price -- buy businesses and assets because you feel strongly about their future profitability and growth. This is why Buffett likes businesses that pass the "50-year rule." If you look at Berkshire's asset portfolio, you'll see a bunch of timeless businesses. In 50 years, people will still need food, insurance for their possessions, homes, and safe places to keep their money. Will they still need iPads? Maybe, but maybe not.</p> <p>There is nothing wrong with speculating from time to time, as long as you don't confuse it with an investment. For example, during the recent commodities crash, I bought shares of copper miner Freeport McMoran at fire-sale prices. The stock could double, or it could have easily fell to nearly zero if things didn't work out -- but the point is that I knew this going in, and only invested a small amount. Buffett went on to give one of my favorite quotes on speculation: "Half of all coin-flippers will win their first toss; none of those winners has an expectation of profit if he continues to play the game."</p> <p>If you focus on the daily prices of your stocks, not only is this unproductive, but it tends to cause investors to make reckless decisions. When the market is panicking, investors who watch their portfolio constantly tend to panic as well and sell their stocks at rock-bottom prices. And, when investors see trendy stocks going up and up, they see everyone else is making money and get greedy, buying shares while they're expensive. The basic point of investing is to buy low and sell high, but price-watching encourages the opposite.</p> <p>As Buffett said, "If you can enjoy Saturdays and Sundays without looking at stock prices, give it a try on weekdays."</p> <p>As I write this, there is a headline on one of the major financial news websites that implies the past few days' rally in the markets is going to continue for months and that the correction is all but over. Just a few headlines down, on the same page, there is another article that says the weakness in the market will last for years. Obviously, both of these can't be accurate.</p> <p>Nobody has a crystal ball that can predict all of the market-changing variables that can occur. It's entirely possible that we'll get lots of great news that will catapult the Dow Jones back to 18,000 by year's end. Or, we're just a few bad news items away from another leg down or even a full-blown crash. It's anyone's guess. Don't worry about predictions and invest for the long run.</p> <p>This sums it up nicely. If you buy great companies at fair prices, you shouldn't care what the market or individual stock price does over the next year, or even the next several years. Over time, you'll make money. Consider that if you had purchased shares of Berkshire Hathaway on January 1, 2008, your shares would have lost 50% of their value before the market finally bottomed in early 2009. Today, you would be up 43%. The same logic can apply to any stock you purchase.</p> <p>The article <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/02/21/6-warren-buffett-lessons-you-can-apply-to-any-inve.aspx" type="external">6 Warren Buffett Lessons You Can Apply To Any Investment Opens a New Window.</a> originally appeared on Fool.com.</p> <p><a href="http://my.fool.com/profile/KWMatt82/info.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">Matthew Frankel Opens a New Window.</a> owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool owns shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper &amp;amp; Gold, as does Matthew Frankel. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services <a href="http://www.fool.com/shop/newsletters/index.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">free for 30 days Opens a New Window.</a>. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that <a href="http://wiki.fool.com/Motley?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">considering a diverse range of insights Opens a New Window.</a> makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/Legal/fool-disclosure-policy.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p> <p>Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a <a href="http://www.fool.com/help/index.htm?display=about02" type="external">disclosure policy Opens a New Window.</a>.</p>

one recent letters shareholders berkshire hathaway ceo warren buffett shared stories two small investments made continue reading first took place 1986 buffett purchased 400acre farm fdic 280000 even though absolutely idea operate farm however buffetts son loved farming put together projections farms production expenses buffett calculated farm would produce normalized return 10 estimated would improve time 1993 commercial real estate bubble burst buffett acquired new york retail property adjacent nyu campus obviously location great buffett calculated 10 return investment plus also realized property poorly managed buildings largest tenant paying 93 less market rent lease would expire nine years meant amazing future potential grow revenue buffett still hasnt seen property six lessons learnwhy buffett share stories berkshires shareholders certainly hes trying convince buy farms retail buildings rather knows berkshire shareholders investors two stories illustrate important lessons investors ever learn six fundamentals investing buffett shared apply individual investors choosing stocks buy buffett didnt understand farming business simple enough business understood profit made could lead growth time similarly look berkshires subsidiaries stock holdings logic applies example doubt buffett expert candymaking business acquired sees candies however simple enough business numbers made sense advertisement contrast buffett doesnt understand technologyrelated businesses hes going buy one apply portfolio stick understand best dont need know everything business firm grasp business model purposes dont worry stock price buy businesses assets feel strongly future profitability growth buffett likes businesses pass 50year rule look berkshires asset portfolio youll see bunch timeless businesses 50 years people still need food insurance possessions homes safe places keep money still need ipads maybe maybe nothing wrong speculating time time long dont confuse investment example recent commodities crash bought shares copper miner freeport mcmoran firesale prices stock could double could easily fell nearly zero things didnt work point knew going invested small amount buffett went give one favorite quotes speculation half coinflippers win first toss none winners expectation profit continues play game focus daily prices stocks unproductive tends cause investors make reckless decisions market panicking investors watch portfolio constantly tend panic well sell stocks rockbottom prices investors see trendy stocks going see everyone else making money get greedy buying shares theyre expensive basic point investing buy low sell high pricewatching encourages opposite buffett said enjoy saturdays sundays without looking stock prices give try weekdays write headline one major financial news websites implies past days rally markets going continue months correction headlines page another article says weakness market last years obviously cant accurate nobody crystal ball predict marketchanging variables occur entirely possible well get lots great news catapult dow jones back 18000 years end bad news items away another leg even fullblown crash anyones guess dont worry predictions invest long run sums nicely buy great companies fair prices shouldnt care market individual stock price next year even next several years time youll make money consider purchased shares berkshire hathaway january 1 2008 shares would lost 50 value market finally bottomed early 2009 today would 43 logic apply stock purchase article 6 warren buffett lessons apply investment opens new window originally appeared foolcom matthew frankel opens new window owns shares berkshire hathaway motley fool owns shares recommends berkshire hathaway motley fool owns shares freeportmcmoran copper amp gold matthew frankel try foolish newsletter services free 30 days opens new window fools may hold opinions believe considering diverse range insights opens new window makes us better investors motley fool disclosure policy opens new window copyright 1995 2016 motley fool llc rights reserved motley fool disclosure policy opens new window

<p>Finding a way into India's vast but vexing market has long frustrated foreign retailers. Now, overseas investors are pouring billions of dollars into e-commerce ventures that are circumventing the barriers holding back retail powers such as Wal-Mart and Ikea.</p> <p>Some investors see India as the world's next big e-commerce opportunity, with the upcoming mammoth public stock offering of Chinese online giant Alibaba hinting at the potential.</p> <p>Continue Reading Below</p> <p>Online shopping is still in its infancy in India at $2.3 billion of an overall $421 billion retail market in 2013, according to research firm Crisil. But it is growing fast and the potential of reaching a mostly untapped market of 1.2 billion people has sparked a funding-and-expansion arms race.</p> <p>Flipkart, a Bangalore-based company founded in 2007 by two former Amazon employees, last month announced it had raised $1 billion in mostly foreign capital after building its registered users to 22 million.</p> <p>A day later, Amazon raised the stakes with founder Jeff Bezos saying the company would pour $2 billion into developing its India business.</p> <p>Snapdeal.com, another Indian e-commerce contender, has raised at least $234 million in the past year, and recently local media have reported that Rajan Tata of India's Tata Group conglomerate is considering a personal investment in the company.</p> <p>The flood of overseas capital comes even though foreign investment in online retailing is not permitted in India, which would seem an even more stringent barrier than the local product sourcing requirements that caused Wal-Mart and IKEA pull back on plans to build megastores. However, e-commerce businesses that are partly or wholly foreign owned have found a way to work around the rules to offer books, clothes and electronics on their sites.</p> <p>Advertisement</p> <p>Neither Flipkart nor Amazon technically engage in online retailing. Instead, to get around the foreign investment ban, both companies serve as Internet-based hosts for thousands of third-party sellers, taking commissions in exchange for marketing and, often, arranging shipping of the products.</p> <p>Even Amazon's Kindle e-reader is not sold directly by the company. On the Amazon.in site, the latest Kindle reader is sold by Infinity Retail Ltd., a subsidiary of Tata Group, which purchases the device from Amazon. Customers get the device but pay more for the extra layer of reselling: the Kindle that sells for $119 on the U.S. online store goes for 9,999 rupees ($167) on the Indian website.</p> <p>India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley mentioned liberalizing e-commerce in his July budget speech, but so far the government has not taken any steps to change the foreign investment restrictions.</p> <p>It may be a while before the big investment outlays translate into profits. Most of the billions raised by e-commerce businesses will be plowed back into building up the companies, from acquiring warehouses to developing shipping networks and also offering deep discounts to squeeze smaller players out of the market, said Ajay Srinivasan, director of Crisil Research , which is majority funded by Standard &amp;amp; Poor's.</p> <p>"Financial muscle ensures you are able to withstand the initial few years when you are not going to be making money and you'll be burning cash," Srinivasan said. "It also allows you to offer better deals to customers to build market share."</p> <p>The battle is playing out on TV and in newspapers.</p> <p>Amazon.com India is running front-page spreads touting its next-day delivery service and easy return policy. Snapdeal has a television ad with a put-upon housemaid unpacking all the purchases a happy middle class family has made online and complaining that with all the money they are saving, she should get a raise.</p> <p>India's e-commerce revenue has grown explosively over the past three years despite only 11 percent of Indians having access to the Internet, according to a report by KPMG and the Internet &amp;amp; Mobile Association of India.</p> <p>Online sales are growing at more than 50 percent annually and are on track to reach $8.3 billion by 2016, Crisil estimates. KPMG estimates that e-commerce could contribute 4 percent of India's GDP by 2020, compared to a projected 10 percent for the country's IT and call-center outsourcing industry.</p> <p>Such big potential for online retail is made possible in part by India's continued restrictions on big box retailers that have Indians starved for choice.</p> <p>India is one of the last major markets to mostly keep multinational retailers from setting up shop. Despite approving 51 percent foreign investment in retail businesses in 2012, India has set stringent regulations intended to protect small manufacturers and mom-and-pop shops that still make up 93 percent of the country's retail sales.</p> <p>As a result, big players such as Wal-Mart and IKEA have put opening their own retail stores on hold. India has a few large retail chains, Tata Group's Croma for electronics and department store chain Big Bazaar, but they are mostly limited to major cities.</p> <p>Still, India's e-commerce businesses face several other challenges.</p> <p>Fewer than 12 percent of Indians have credit or debit cards, meaning that to expand, Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal have had to accommodate cumbersome cash payments.</p> <p>"Cash-on-delivery is very important. It's a very Indian concept," said Ashwin Vellody, an information technology expert at KPMG. "But that is inefficient and expensive for companies."</p> <p>The companies must also develop logistics and distribution systems in a country notorious for creaking infrastructure and inefficient transport.</p> <p>The biggest challenge, though, will likely be price wars in the fierce fight for market share, said Srinivasan, the Crisil director.</p> <p>"From a consumer perspective, it means better days to come," he said. "I think the bargains they will be able to get online will only get better."</p>

finding way indias vast vexing market long frustrated foreign retailers overseas investors pouring billions dollars ecommerce ventures circumventing barriers holding back retail powers walmart ikea investors see india worlds next big ecommerce opportunity upcoming mammoth public stock offering chinese online giant alibaba hinting potential continue reading online shopping still infancy india 23 billion overall 421 billion retail market 2013 according research firm crisil growing fast potential reaching mostly untapped market 12 billion people sparked fundingandexpansion arms race flipkart bangalorebased company founded 2007 two former amazon employees last month announced raised 1 billion mostly foreign capital building registered users 22 million day later amazon raised stakes founder jeff bezos saying company would pour 2 billion developing india business snapdealcom another indian ecommerce contender raised least 234 million past year recently local media reported rajan tata indias tata group conglomerate considering personal investment company flood overseas capital comes even though foreign investment online retailing permitted india would seem even stringent barrier local product sourcing requirements caused walmart ikea pull back plans build megastores however ecommerce businesses partly wholly foreign owned found way work around rules offer books clothes electronics sites advertisement neither flipkart amazon technically engage online retailing instead get around foreign investment ban companies serve internetbased hosts thousands thirdparty sellers taking commissions exchange marketing often arranging shipping products even amazons kindle ereader sold directly company amazonin site latest kindle reader sold infinity retail ltd subsidiary tata group purchases device amazon customers get device pay extra layer reselling kindle sells 119 us online store goes 9999 rupees 167 indian website indias finance minister arun jaitley mentioned liberalizing ecommerce july budget speech far government taken steps change foreign investment restrictions may big investment outlays translate profits billions raised ecommerce businesses plowed back building companies acquiring warehouses developing shipping networks also offering deep discounts squeeze smaller players market said ajay srinivasan director crisil research majority funded standard amp poors financial muscle ensures able withstand initial years going making money youll burning cash srinivasan said also allows offer better deals customers build market share battle playing tv newspapers amazoncom india running frontpage spreads touting nextday delivery service easy return policy snapdeal television ad putupon housemaid unpacking purchases happy middle class family made online complaining money saving get raise indias ecommerce revenue grown explosively past three years despite 11 percent indians access internet according report kpmg internet amp mobile association india online sales growing 50 percent annually track reach 83 billion 2016 crisil estimates kpmg estimates ecommerce could contribute 4 percent indias gdp 2020 compared projected 10 percent countrys callcenter outsourcing industry big potential online retail made possible part indias continued restrictions big box retailers indians starved choice india one last major markets mostly keep multinational retailers setting shop despite approving 51 percent foreign investment retail businesses 2012 india set stringent regulations intended protect small manufacturers momandpop shops still make 93 percent countrys retail sales result big players walmart ikea put opening retail stores hold india large retail chains tata groups croma electronics department store chain big bazaar mostly limited major cities still indias ecommerce businesses face several challenges fewer 12 percent indians credit debit cards meaning expand amazon flipkart snapdeal accommodate cumbersome cash payments cashondelivery important indian concept said ashwin vellody information technology expert kpmg inefficient expensive companies companies must also develop logistics distribution systems country notorious creaking infrastructure inefficient transport biggest challenge though likely price wars fierce fight market share said srinivasan crisil director consumer perspective means better days come said think bargains able get online get better