Friday, February 26, 2010

The Smart Grid's Two-Fold Profits

The smart grid is delivering two-fold profits. I know this because I've personally reaped dividends from both folds.

First, from what I call the non-sexy side of smart grid: efficiency.  And secondly from the very sexy side of smart grid: investing.

Here's an account of each. . .

Smart Grid Savings

We've barely reached the first rung on the ladder of smart grid deployment, and it's benefits are already apparent.

When it comes to wealth, protecting it can be just as important as growing it.  Limiting how much goes out is one way to protect it.  And the smart grid can help you do that.

This past winter, months before air conditioning was on anyone's mind, I made a call to my local utility, Baltimore Gas  & Electric (BGE).  Through their Smart Energy Savers Program, they offer something called Peak Rewards.

In a small nutshell, Peak Rewards offers a discount electricity bill to anyone who signs up.  I got a $36 credit last month.  My bill was $130, so I had to pay $95-a 27% savings.  I, and several thousand other customers, will enjoy that same discount throughout the summer.

Peak Rewards is a fancy way of saying the smart grid has arrived.  Upon signing up, an appointment was made for a switch to be installed on my outside air conditioning unit.  On days when electricity demand is excessively high, a radio frequency will be sent to my switch telling it to cycle my unit.

Cycling means my fan continues to run, but the unit doesn't cool the air, saving electricity that can then be used where needed.  During a cycling event, which don't happen that often, the temperature in my home can be affected by a degree or so.  And they usually happen during peak hours, when I'm at work anyway.

So the smart grid is already paying me $35 a month.  But this is only the beginning.  The very beginning.

Because over the next 20 years, over $2 trillion will be spent on revolutionizing our electricity infrastructure.  When complete, my switch will seem archaic.

That's because the grid will finally be in the 21st century, instead of lumbering around like Edison was still here.  You'll monitor your home's electricity use from a webpage, charging your car and turning off lights with a click of the mouse from your laptop.  I'm serious.

You may even be able to choose which wind farm you want power from.

It'll help consumers save billions of dollars (and kilowatt-hours) by engaging them in electricity use, rather than alienating them from it with a complex monthly statement.  But it's also a mega investment opportunity.

Smart Grid Investments

Somewhere down the line BGE partnered with a smart switch provider.  A contract undoubtedly worth millions.  In this case, Honeywell is the name stamped on the switch.

This process is being, and will be, repeated hundreds of times as utilities across the world adopt smart grid practices.  As I said earlier, the total will top $2 trillion.

But it's not just switches.

It's smart meters.  Software.  Batteries.  Transmission wire.  LEDs. Substations.  And more.

Hundreds of multi-million dollar contracts will drive related top stocks to buy higher.  It's the second fold of smart grid profits. . . and they directly affect your portfolio.

So while you're knocking a third off your utility bill on the front side, you can be reaping double and triple digit winners on the back end.  It's going on right now:

Smart Grid Stocks

If you're not on board yet, don't worry.  This is a decades-long process, and the benefits will only grow.

Call your local utility and see what kinds of new programs they're offering.  Encourage them to adopt an efficiency or related rebate program if they don't have one already.

And by all means, start investing in the companies making the smart grid a reality.  But don't do it on a whim.  

It explains how the smart grid will come to be, what technologies it will encompass and, most importantly.

Stocks Market's Report: Oil's Violent Rally

If you haven't noticed it yet, you will.

Oil prices are "mysteriously" catching fire.

In fact, within the past month, while everyone continued ripping their hair out over the Dow, oil jumped 26%.

And this rally's just getting started.

In fact, I recently uncovered shocking evidence that virtually guarantees prices will, very shortly, surge back into the $100 plus range.

It's an imminent jump that's sure to catch most Americans off guard -- but it could make you 500% richer as it happens.

In the free report below, attached for your convenience, I spill the beans on every last detail... what I found... how it started... and, most importantly, how you can take advantage of it and start collecting massive profits -- today.

In a market this gut-wrenching, you can't afford to pass up this virtually-guaranteed money-making opportunity.

It could be the easiest moneymaking opportunity of the year. And we found it burried inside the International Energy Agency's (IEA) World Energy Outlook report...

... The annual, 578-page document blueprints exactly where our future energy sources will come from and when - for leaders and elite investors around the world.

And they read it for good reason...

Since its inception, the findings within the pages have been so accurate that the annual report reigns as "the authority of energy analysis and projections."

In fact, many people today trust their report without question.

I recently finished pouring through my copy.

It was handed to me after a fellow geologist, with first-hand experience in the Canadian oil sands, pointed out a shocking error - one that guarantees an imminent spike in the price of oil.

In short, the report claims that:

"Thanks to ever-dwindling supplies in the Middle East, the world will rely on Canada as the largest oil producing country by 2010."

It's been their same projection since 2006.

But there's just one problem.

The World Energy Outlook forgot the other half of the story...

You see, what this acclaimed report omits are the blatant details surrounding an imminent supply and demand bottleneck - one that's guaranteed to launch the price of oil violently back to the $100 plus range.

And that's a conservative estimate.

The good news is that we also, very recently, uncovered a secret investment - which most Americans know nothing about - that could hand you 500% gains as this spike hits.

And the best part is that it's not related to risky exploration or production companies, either. Instead, it's directly - dollar for dollar - related to the price of oil. Only this gem pays you DOUBLE the gains!

In fact, investors using this blockbuster already pocketed 35% gains - in the last seven days as oil popped 17%!

I've written this letter to give you every last detail on exactly how it works and how it will happen. But time to catch the most profits is rapidly running out. So let me quickly share with you what it's all about.

Cashing In On A Much Needed Break

If you're like most of us, as oil continued to plummet from July's high of $147 down to $33 in December, you were sighing in relief.

After all, just imagine the shape we'd be in if everyone still had to shell out $4+ a gallon at your local Exxon during these times.

The fact is, that massive fallout in prices was just the break we needed.

But...

On the other hand, as oil started becoming "affordable" again - in the $30 range -  it triggered an unstoppable chain of events that is guaranteed to drive the price of oil through the ceiling... and make investors like you filthy rich on the way.

You see, thanks to prices becoming too low, many of Canada's oil companies - resources that would supply crucially needed oil for the U.S. and rest of the world in a few months - couldn't stay in business.

And we need that oil, like a junkie needs his fix.

In fact, the U.S. depends on AND imports more oil from Canada than from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, and Iraq - combined.

But one by one, we started finding major oil projects temporarily closing up shop. Drilling and refining stopped. Exploration and testing lost all capital. And their share prices ultimately plummeted.

Just to name a few examples:

StatoilHydro recently yanked the rug from under a $12 billion project in Canada's Peace River.

Both Nexen Inc and Opti Canada Inc were forced to halt advancement on major projects in Alberta.

Suncor, Canada's oldest oil sands operator, was forced to cut its spending by 33%, thanks to lack of profitablility with the current extremely low prices.

Oil giant Dutch Royal Shell's stopped work on several of their Canadian projects until prices regain strength.

The major partners in the proposed $24 billion Fort Hills oil-sands project in northern Alberta - Petro-Canada, Teck Cominco and UTS Energy - announced they may defer a decision to build an upgrading refinery northeast of Edmonton.

The list goes on.

As I mentioned earlier, within months, precious deposits of oil - even locations that were set to come online within weeks - are now months behind.

Some are trading now for a 90% discount.

But ironically, these outfits just created a powerful, self-fulfilling prophecy... an unstoppable bottleneck guaranteed to launch oil prices - very soon - through the roof.

And it's already started.

The Easy Way To Ride One Of The Most Profitable Bull Markets In History

Don't let oil's current low price fool you this time.

Thanks to an already guaranteed shortage -- just around the corner -- these low prices won't be around for long.

Here are just a few more of the critical points from their latest report:

Global oil demand is projected to expand 2.2% a year, on average, reaching 95.8 million barrels a day by 2012, up from 86.13 million barrels a day this year. The forecast is based on global economic growth of about 4.5% annually. Oil demand is expected to increase most rapidly in Asia and the Middle East.

OPEC, which supplies more than 40% of the world's daily oil needs, will have little spare capacity left by 2012.

Increases from non-OPEC oil producers and biofuel producers should start flagging after 2009.

Natural gas markets will also be tight because of inadequate supply increases, limiting the ability of consumers to switch between oil and natural gas.

And very soon, when word of the shortage hits, the exact same scenario that the hurricanes caused will already have started unfolding... only this time, the gains will hit much, much faster.

The smart money's already placing their bets.

They're already preparing to collect a fortune!

And if you're prepared, as I'll show you, step by step, in just one moment, you'll soon find that many of the very same companies that surged before will rapidly once again start compounding your wealth.

And here's the kicker:

This time, they won't need nearly as much capital to get started! Most of their infrastructure is already ready to go - and they're trading for just pennies on the dollar.

And if you think that's a juicy opportunity, let me show you how you could...

Collect Twice The Gains Of NYMEX Oil Traders... with One Simple, Yet Little-known Play

Listen...

We know oil prices are about to skyrocket. We know they're just around the corner. And we know that those slick traders playing NYMEX futures - guys who need hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get started - somehow always come out ahead.

But here's what you might not know...

Very recently, we've uncovered a rare investment that could pay you gains just as astonishing as any jackpot oil resource company out there - but without the risk!

Here's how it works.

You see, this special investment, which most investors know absolutely nothing about, doesn't even follow oil producers or risky exploration companies... it strictly follows the physical oil market.

And get this:

Thanks to the unique nature of this investment, you can actually get paid double the gains that oil makes!

In other words, a 10% gain pays you 20%... 20% gain pays you 40%... 100% rise in oil prices pays you 200%

That means, if oil shoots 50% this year, which is our gross-underestimate, you double your money!

If oil shoots up to the $70 range... every $5,000 invested suddenly turns into a $10,000 payday!

With oil trading in the upper $40-range, this unique opportunity doesn't get any easier.

Just imagine how much money you'll be sitting on when oil prices plow through the $100 a barrel mark!

I'm not talking about several years down the line either. We could realistically find ourselves staring right down the throat of $100 before January... $140 by next April... even $200 a barrel by the end of 2010!

Every last detail is spelled out for you in our latest report. It's called, Hotter Gains Than NYMEX Traders Could Ever Make. And I want you to have it for FREE.

All you have to do is test out our top-performing trading advisory, The Pure Energy Trader.

But before I divulge all the details about how to get started collecting a fortune in this Bottleneck Bull-Market, let me introduce myself and my team...

Introducing... The Pure Energy Trader

My name is Brian Hicks.

I'm the president of the investment research company Angel Publishing Investment Research. I've spent my entire investment career, going on two decades now, uncovering the market's best moneymaking trends and showing investors like you how to profit from the most undervalued opportunities in the world.

I've taken investment junkets all over the world... to historic oil boomtowns like Desdemona, Texas, to the Powder River Basin in Wyoming to Kiev, Ukraine. We've been to the heart of the oil sands industry, Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. I've been blown away by a wind park in Palm Springs, California. And I've seen first-hand the natural gas boom in the Barnett Shale.

My investment insights and ideas have landed me frequent spots on financial shows like CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox, CNN, Fox Business, and, most recently, C-SPAN... where I spoke on the energy markets and the U.S. dollar.

I'm not telling you this to be a showboat. But I want you to understand that it's this dedication and never-ending persistence that has allowed me to develop friendships and contacts with some of the best financial minds and industry insiders around the world.

And recently, it's allowed me to acquire a man who could easily be considered, with well over 1,153 successful trades under his belt, one of the best traders on the planet today.

His name is Ian Cooper.

And to get a better handle on why I cherry-picked Ian over any other research analyst out there, look no further than his track record...

120% on Royal Caribbean 

194.12% on QQQ

269.52% on On2 Technologies

270% on ONT

268% on CYD

206.33% on VTSS

246% on IPIX

233% on TLTCJ

515.38% on MQJSB

225% on ETGP

302.15% on ASTM

And that's just to name a few. Had I shown you all of his winning trades just for the past 2 years, it would be five pages long.

His off-the-charts accuracy for reliably reading the markets, matched with his winner-after-winner track record, have plastered his sought-after advice on the pages of numerous publications. He's filled columns from Investor's Business Daily all the way to Forbes.

He's also frequently appeared on investment shows such as Money Matters with Barry Armstrong and On the Money with Mike Stein.

In other words, Ian is the real deal.

In the past few months, I'm willing to bet that you've gained valuable wisdom just from Ian's dead-on articles in Wealth Daily or Energy and Capital.

He's spotted scores of blockbuster buy and hold opportunities. But it's his knack for finding rapid, explosive trades - just like the one that could pay you double the gains oil makes - that brought him to the Pure Energy Trader team. After all, he's constantly...

Picking The Best Trades... Trade After Trade

Since starting our hottest trading advisory, The Pure Energy Trader we've already initiated and closed 91 trades.

85% of them closed for massive gains! In fact, each trade - winners and losers - is averaging +24%.

In other words, you're more than doubling your money every four trades!

Even more amazing is that his tight-knit group of investors (of which I'll show you how to become a part of) only holds each one of these trades for about 24 days.

Sometimes it's a matter of hours.

That means, on average, you're doubling your money every four months!

I can't think of a single other investment opportunity on the planet that could deliver those gains... especially in today's unpredictable market.

And according to Ian, with energy prices about to launch sky-high, he's lining up more and more knock-em down winners that he's already set to alert you to the moment the time's right.

Now, I could go on all day detailing the fast-moving trades Ian has been making and the ones he can't wait to share with you soon. But here's what I want you to walk away with...

All of our winners have a couple of very important things in common...

They're all energy top  stocks for 2011 with enormous potential...

And they're all companies that our team of researchers closely follows on a daily basis.

And with a track record like that, even in today's market, investors are begging for more recommendations. Problem is for some investors, these recommendations, unlike the ones in many of our other services, aren't buy and holds, which may take up to three years to reach full value.

We're after the fast money. And with Ian following and executing the trades, the fast money is turning into the easy money.

And just to be clear...

No one is complaining at all about the track record for any of our buy and hold services. Nothing will ever change the fact that investors can make good, solid returns by maintaining a portfolio filled with top stocks to buy we like for the long term.

But... the reality is you could make a lot more.

In some cases, over 300% more!

By not having a pure trading service - where we can get in and out quickly with 25 to 50 percent profits in just a few days - we're missing out on some easy money.

Just take a look at this scenario:

How Loosely Following Ian's Trading Research Turned $5,000 Into $58,913.14... In 6 Months

This is why you also need to be trading stocks instead of strictly investing in "buy and holds." You see, with the right trades...

You don't need to start with a lot of money to make a fortune in the market... You don't need to have all your savings tied up in multiple investments for several years, either... You don't even need to find dozens of trades every year.

In fact, all you needed to make more than 10-times your initial investment was to loosely follow seven of them.

Take the following scenario, for example:

On November 30th, 2007, Ian alerted his investors to an amazing situation in the solar market. A leading company, LDK Solar, announced the ground-breaking of their latest polysilicon plant - news of which, he knew would soon cause the share price to surge.

Because of his timely alert, his traders secured an entry price of $29.55.

And just five days later, on December 5th, he recommended they sell half of their position for a 49% gain. Two days later, the other half sold for a 41% gain - turning an initial stake of $5,000 into $7,250.

Then, just 12 days later, on December 19th, he showed them another explosive opportunity: An options call on China Sunergy, after news of an amazing deal struck with a German manufacturing company. 

Much like with LDK, readers took gains of 204% on the first half of their shares within six trading days. The second half claimed 141% after six more.

Suddenly, their $7,250 compounded into $19,756. It didn't end there, either.

On February 19th, 2008, he struck gold again. He alerted readers to what Ian called a "no brainer" with U.S. Natural Gas.

Like clockwork, two weeks later, his readers were sitting on an easy 80% gain as the first half sold... 140% gains on the second half, just a week later.

Within three weeks, your $19,759 turned into $41,488.13.

And then, on April 22nd, they were alerted to one of the many tiny oil and gas companies flocking to the riches within the Bakken oil formation.

Three weeks later, on May 15th, these hit-and-run traders sold their shares for an incredible 42% gain.

Today, that initial $5,000 investment - using just those seven alerts and reinvesting profits - is now worth $58,913.14! $10,000 would be $117,826.30 - all within six months!

That's the rapid-fire power trading offers you.

And I haven't even accounted for taking gains from the multiple other trades that Ian issued to his readers during that time... gains like 33% from Hoku Scientific in five days... 119% from Cree Inc. in six days... 118% from PetroQuest in 15 days... to name a few

Just imagine how quickly you can compound your wealth with gains that large - gains that fast - again and again.

That's the sort of hit-and-run excitement you should expect by joining Pure Energy Trader. You can make a fortune from several rapid trades.

You see, when you sign onto Pure Energy Trader, you're enrolling into...

An Exclusive Trader's Club Unlike Any Other

Unfortunately, the number of investors who can sign up for our Pure Energy Trader is strictly limited.

In order to make sure every one of our subscribers has the ability to get maximum value out of each recommendation, membership will be strictly limited to 2,000 seats.

... most of which are already spoken for.

The first time we opened this window, nearly half of those seats were gobbled up by our premium, profit-hungry readers in the span of a weekend.

So it's important that you act quickly if you'd like to get in.

You see, we don't want 5,000... 10,000 people buying the same top stock for 2011. If we allowed an unlimited number to join, we could easily push the stock up several hundred percent. That would be a disaster.

But if getting rich doesn't bother you, and you're ready to follow Ian as he shows you the secrets to landing dead-on hit and run trades in this market, I urge you to join right now.

http://www.angelnexus.com/o/op/11278

Get Ready

Another point I want to discuss is how the trades will be delivered to you. The trades will be sent via e-mail. No Faxes. That's because we want everybody to receive the trade at approximately the same time.

And just so that you don't have to recheck your email 10 times a day, we're also offering Pure Energy Trader updated VIA live RSS feeds - so you can get the alerts the split second they're available!

If you're comfortable with what I've said so far, I urge you to consider joining.

Again, I know this style of trading isn't for everybody. But by signing up for the Pure Energy Trader, you're elevating yourself into the top tier of the trading community. If you have second thoughts on the price or the frequency of recommendations, stop reading now... the service isn't for you.

If you're interested, welcome aboard. Let's get to work.

Now Listen Carefully

When you fill out the membership form (assuming there are remaining slots), you'll immediately receive a confirmation and a welcome letter, as well as a link to the Pure Energy Trader site where you'll be able to access every single one of the trades Ian issues 24 hours a day. We'll give you full instructions.

And that's not all!

You'll also learn about a secret investment that actually pays double the gains of any oil futures trader. All those details are in your free report, Hotter Gains Than NYMEX Traders Could Ever Make - just for trying us out. 

Plus, by signing on today, I'll also rush you a free copy of my latest book, titled Profit From the Peak.

In short, Profit from the Peak is a roadmap that shows you how to profit from the rise of oil prices.

In the book, my colleague, Chris Nelder, and I go into full detail on tackling the world's energy problems... and how investors can maintain financial security in the process. I can say with confidence that Chris and I know a little more about today's energy markets than your average "oil expert."

You see, Chris is a well-regarded energy expert who has designed and built dozens of solar energy projects. This is a guy who understands the energy market inside and out... from energy's worst problems to its brightest solutions. And for the last decade, Chris and I have preached that investing is key to solving the world's energy challenges... Investments in a multitude of energy practices and technologies that will wean us away from our dependence on oil.

But we're also quick to point out that this blueprint for success also includes the economic harvesting of remaining and unconventional oil sources.

And again, in addition to full access to our web site, along with your free copy of Profit From the Peak, the moment a new trade is bought or sold you'll immediately be sent an email and, if you elect it, the RSS feed (We'll show you how to quickly and painlessly set up your RSS feed). The reason we're doing this is - we want everybody to be on equal footing. Our trades could arrive any time of the day, from 9am to 8pm.

So it's imperative you follow the instructions. This way you'll get the trade... and you'll have ample time to execute it.

By now, I'm sure you're wondering...

How Much Does Pure Energy Trader Cost?

Truth is, this level of service is highly specialized. And the countless hours it takes Ian to find, study, and recommend just one of the trades he uncovers - as you can imagine - takes a lot of time, expertise, and resources.

He doesn't draw stocks from a hat. He's not paid by other companies to recommend one over the other. His secret is that he's an insomniac, sleeping just three hours a night.

The rest of the time, when other traders and researchers rest, spend time with their family, and take vacations, he's intently focusing on the latest news, studying the markets, and developing high-ranking contacts.

That is, however, precisely what it takes in order to hold a track record as clean as Ian's... a portfolio that scores investors like you the greatest energy trades the market has to offer.

Now, I've seen other "experts" billing themselves out for several thousand dollars a day - and their trading advice can't tread water next to the winners Ian shows you on a weekly basis.

That being said, I wouldn't feel the least big guilty for charging as high as $5,000 a year for a membership to his advisory.

But I'm not going to go anywhere near that.

In fact, the normal membership price is $1,500 a year.

Pure Energy Trader's Bottleneck Bull-Market Special Pricing

If you sign on to the Pure Energy Trader today, you can save a full 33%, and join for just $999 this year.

I know for many of you $999 is a big lump of money to take down, even considering that many of you have made hundreds of thousands of dollars following our advice.

So here's the deal. We're also offering a quarterly bill program. If you choose that method, you'll be charged $275 every three months.

It's as easy as we can make it to get you on board.

Please keep in mind - we're capping Pure Energy Trader at 2,000 investors.

In addition, we want to make sure you're 100% satisfied. So, if for any reason you're unhappy with Pure Energy Trader, you can get a full refund at any time before the end of the first month of your membership.

After that, the refund is prorated.

But you have to act now. We fully expect every last seat to be taken in the next few days!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Top 10 Stocks For 2010

Looking for a shopping list of new top 10 stock ideas for 2010? Each year for 27 years, TheStockAdvisors.com has turned to the nation's most respected and well-known newsletter advisors and asked them for their single favorite stock or fund ideas for the coming 12 months.
 
With 10 advisors participating in this year's survey, there's something for every type of investor, from high quality blue chips to speculative home runs. 
 
While past performance is never a guarantee of future results, we would note that the stocks chosen by the 75 advisors participating in last year's report outperformed the general market by nearly 80%. 
 
Specifically, the 75 stocks and funds selected for our 2009 Top Picks report recorded an average year-to-date gain of 34%, versus a 19% gain by the broad market over the same period.
 
Gainer's Today tracks stock picks and ranks the accuracy of 120 investment research firms. As of 12/23/09, our 2009 Top Picks report was ranked #1 for the past year. Kudos to all the participating advisors.
 
The stocks and funds chosen for this report are the best ideas of the nation's top advisors at this current time. However, company fundamentals and market conditions change, and a stock that is considered a strong buy today can become a sell based on future events.
 
As always, we caution all investors to only use these ideas as a starting place for your own research and only buy top stocks that meet you personal investing criteria, risk parameters, and investment time horizon.
 
To keep updated on the ongoing favorite stocks of the leading advisors, please visit us daily at thestockadvisors.com, a free website that brings you the very best investment ideas of the nation's very best financial experts. You can also sign up for our Daily Digest and have each day's new stock ideas sent directly to your email.
 
We wish you the best of success for your investing in 2010!
 
 
AECOM (ACM): Geo?rey Seiler's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
"Our top pick for 2010 is engineering and construction (E&C) firm AECOM Technology (NYSE:ACM)," says Geo?rey Seiler.
 
In his BullMarket.com the advisor explains, "AECOM, unlike some better-known E&C names, o?ers a relatively low-risk business model. It performs no construction work at all and thus has none of the lump-sum, fixed-rate contracts that other companies might sign.
 
"The Los Angeles-based company focuses on a broad range of services that includes planning, design, environmental impact studies, project management, logistics and other jobs in the facilities, transportation, environmental, and energy and power segments.
 
"Transportation is the company's largest end market, representing 28% of the business, followed by environmental at 25%, facilities work at 24%, and Management Support Services (MSS), which delivered 17% of its revenues in fiscal 2009.
 
"Energy and power is the company's smallest segment, representing about 6% of its total revenues, but the company does view it as a growth opportunity. It is particularly strong in hydroelectric projects.  
 
"The MSS business is 100% dedicated to working directly for the U.S. government, but government spending of all types -- either from federal state and local governments and foreign governments -- accounts for 70% of the company's revenue. The remainder comes from the private sector.
 
"AECOM has been under some pressure toward the end of the year, despite initially rallying following a strong fiscal Q4 earnings report in November. The culprit was some weak reports from fellow E&C firms and the Dubai debt debacle.
 
"However, AECOM isn't subject to the same type of energy sector cancellations that some other E&C companies experienced, and its exposure to Dubai is negligible.
 
"Impressively, AECOM is one of the few E&C firms to grow its backlog sequentially last quarter. Total backlog stood at a record $9.5 billion on September 30th, a 10% increase year over year and a 3% increase quarter over quarter.
 
"Meanwhile, AECOM is well positioned to be a beneficiary of increased government stimulus spending in 2010, as well as the possible passage of a substantial highway bill late next year.
 
"AECOM guided for fiscal year 2010 EPS to be in the range of $1.90 to $2.00. The midpoint of this range reflects 15% growth in earnings per share. We think the guidance is relatively conservative.
 
"In summary, we like AECOM's position in the marketplace, its consistent growth, and sound low-risk strategy. With a pristine balance sheet, trading at under 14x the midpoint of conservative guidance, and an over 15% expected 5-year growth rate, AECOM is undervalued and our top pick for 2010."
 
AOL (AOL): Bernie Schae?er's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
 "AOL (NYSE: AOL), formerly  America Online, is one of the most storied – and bloodied – names in the Internet sector," says Bernie Schae?er.
 
 Referring to skepticism surround its early December spin-o? from Time Warner, the editor ofSchae?er's Research chooses AOL as his top pick for 2010, noting,  "From a contrarian perspective,  the current pessimism could have positive implications.
 
"AOL's merger with Time Warner in 2001 was hailed (by some) at the time as an innovative marriage of old and new media. But AOL's dial-up Internet access model was already under pressure by the time of the merger, and the AOL and Time Warner cultures never meshed. 
 
"The merger is now regarded as one of the most disastrous in U.S. corporate history, losing more than $100 billion in market value. Steve Case, the deal's architect , resigned the chairmanship  of the combined company two years later and left the board in 2005.
 
"Time Warner has been looking to rid itself of AOL ever since. So it was no surprise that Time Warner's spin-o? of AOL in early December 2009 was met with a heaping armful of skepticism. 
 
"We have seen multiple media outlets weigh in negatively on AOL, perhaps an indication of how Wall Street is currently viewing the best stock to buy. In fact, the shares were initiated at 'underperform' by a major brokerage house in December.
 
"Moreover, Zacks reports that the stock has earned one 'strong buy' rating, one 'hold,'
and two 'strong sells.'   Therefore, we view the upgrade potential on AOL favorably.
 
"But AOL, with a market cap of only $2.5 billion, argues that it remains a strong brand. Its 80-plus Web sites attract 100 million unique visitors each month. It still generates cash through its Internet access business.
 
AOL has a new management team led by former Google exec Tim Armstrong. Armstrong wants AOL to di?erentiate itself from competitors by creating original content.  Yahoo,  Google  and others are largely aggregators of others' content ; AOL generates 80% of its own content.
 
"Although we emphasize that we are no in way comparing AOL to Google, the skepticism greeting the spin-o? is eerily reminiscent of what we saw around Google just prior to its initial public o?ering in 2004. hen the shares of GOOG quickly outperformed their low expectations, the bears quickly jumped on the stock's bandwagon, pushing it even higher.
 
"OL's shares so far are bucking the widespread pessimism as they hover above short-term support at the 23 level.  From a contrarian  perspective, this pessimism could have positive implications if skeptics succumb to better  price action."
 
ETF (NYSE: BRF). The ETF remains our top stocks pick for 2010
 
"Brazil, as its place on the cover of Economist magazine recently confirmed, was the flavor of the month in emerging markets. Brazil had recently won the right to host the Olympics in 2016, raising its profile much like the Beijing Olympics did for China. Investors were pouring in.
 
"Its currency, the real, gained 50% against the U.S. dollar since the prior December, with the economy firing on all cylinders, posting an 8%-10% growth in Q3. My forecast has been that, overall, Brazil's economy will grow by 5% in 2010.
 
"In December, the Inter-American Development Bank approved a $3-billion conditional credit line with Brazilian small and mid-sized businesses on Thursday.
 
Around 75% of the new jobs created in Brazil this year were created by small and mid- sized businesses.
 
"With the market already up 76.9% in local currency terms at the time, betting on Brazil was clearly a momentum play. That's also why I recommended a small cap ETF, which had outperformed its large cap ETF counterpart this year.
 
"Looking ahead, Brazil's biggest enemy is likely to be its own hubris -- getting too cocky for its own good. But before it does, I'm betting the market has further to go. After all, it went up almost 6-fold in dollar terms during its last bull run starting in 2003.
 
"This is the reasoning behind my recommendation for Market Vectors Brazil Small- Cap ETF. For a potentially bigger upside, I recommended the April $45 call options. For full disclosure, this is a position that I hold on behalf of my clients at Global Guru Capital."
 
 
 
ChemTrade Logistics (CGIFF): Roger Conrad's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
Roger Conrad, editor of The Canadian Edge, is a leading specialist in the niche investment area of high-income Canada-based trusts.
 
For his top investment idea for the company year, he turns to chemical company, ChemTrade Logistics (TSX: CHE-U, OTC: CGIFF). 
 
"ChemTrade Logistics is a major producer of specialty chemicals, particularly sulphuric acid. It's also a Canadian income trust yielding over 12% with most of its operations overseas. That adds up to a unique triple play for investors in 2010.
 
"First, is the high yield, paid monthly. Even with the market for specialty chemicals chronically weak in 2009, Chemtrade was able to generate cash flow to cover its distribution by a healthy margin.
 
":Second, cash flow is set to surge as demand from industry rebounds for sulphuric acid. Second half results already show improvement and that trend is set to continue into the new year.
 
"Third, Chemtrade management expects to pay the same level of distribution in 2011, when Canada's trust tax kicks in. If it succeeds, investors will receive a windfall capital gain, since a big cut is already priced in.
 
"At a recent conference call, CEO Mark Davis stated 'the e?ect of the new tax would not be significant' since 'Chemtrade receives a large portion of its earnings from non- Canadian sources.
 
"Accordingly, in 2011 we believe that the new SIFT tax will apply to less than one-third of the Fund's income, resulting in an e?ective tax rate of less than 10 percent.'  Buy ChemTrade up to $11."
 
 
 
China Adv. Construction: (CADC): Keith Fitz-Gerald's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
 "China is spending $200 billion over the next few years to upgrade its rail system; and those new projects will be literally laying on a bed of cement,' says Asia expert Keith Fitz-Gerald.
 
The editor of The New China Trader adds, "This could lead to enormous growth potential for any cement company that Beijing involves in the
process -- such as China Advanced Construction Systems (NASDAQ: CADC).
 
"CADC produces and supplies specialized ready mixed concrete for use in all kinds of infrastructure projects including railways, roads, airports, bridges, tunnels, and dams. The company has already benefitted from over 9 new railway contracts from Beijing this year alone, totaling over $19.7 million.
 
"That may not sound like much, but realize that CADC is a small cap stock ($49.28 million market cap) so $19.7 million of new railway orders represents 39.9% of the company's total market cap. That means we could see CADC's earnings explode in 2010.
 
"In fact, if Beijing continues to pile money into railways, CADC could truly undergo some transformational events that lead to a double or more in 2010 – and more in the next few years.
 
"Meanwhile, China's massive $586 stimulus package has rocketed the Chinese economy back on track – and the result can be seen across the board from government sponsored infrastructure projects to consumer spending.
 
"By the end of 2009, the China is expected to have used 1.54 billion tons of cement on transportation infrastructure and logistics and warehousing projects, according to the country's top economic planning agency.
 
"In the transportation, logistics, and warehousing sectors alone, China is expected to have increased 2009 cement demand by 27% from the previous year, according to Guo Wenlong, a researcher with the Institute of Integrated Transportation, a?liated with the National Development and Reform Commission.
 
"China is literally building what amounts to an entire new country's worth of infrastructure and commercial projects.
 
"Economists are forecasting that China will use 40% of the entire global supply of cement in 2010. That basically makes China the world's largest construction site –something I see every time I am there.
 
"While concrete isn't sexy or glamorous, the industry's growth is far from boring. China's concrete market has maintained an average growth rate of 25% over last ten years.
 
"That adds up to a 931% compounded growth over the last 10 years. Compared to most investments, that sounds pretty glamorous to me.
 
As for its rail expansion, China plans on laying more track in the next five years than the rest of the world combined. That makes China's current railway plans the largest railway expansion in the last 100 years.
 
"The buttresses on which China's railway projects will be built are forecasted to require as much as 117 million tons of concrete alone – and that doesn't even begin to account for cement demand tied to China's other infrastructure projects.
 
"Basically all of China's growth, whether it's railways, roads, bridges, power-plants, dams, or commercial and residential real estate projects sit on a foundation of cement – and that means dynamic small-cap companies like CADC have plenty of room to grow and enormous profit potential moving into 2010 and beyond."
 
Dollar Tree (DLTR): Michael Vodicka's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
"Discount retailers are in high fashion right now, and 2010 could be a good time to capitalize on the macro-level trend toward value-driven consumption as consumers battle too much debt and a weak labor market," says Michael Vodicka.
 
To benefit from this trend, the momentum stock strategist for Zacks.com looks to Dollar Tree(NASDAQ: DLTR) as his top pick for the coming year.
 
"2009 was a year of surprises. Stocks ended up logging a monumental rally that kicked o? in March, most of the major domestic banks have freed themselves from TARP restrictions and the housing market has shown signs of stability.
 
"But in spite of all these incredible gains, consumers are still struggling with too much debt and high unemployment. This is the ideal consumer environment for an extreme discounter like Dollar Tree.
 
"Dollar Tree isn't a new name, the company's been around since 1986, has a market cap of $4.26 billion and operates more than 3,600 stores in 48 states.
 
"It carries a wide range of consumer and household products like paper towels, cleaning goods and beauty supplies, all for less than $1.
 
"The company's strategic advantage was on full display in 2009, beating the consensus estimate in each quarter by an average of 11%. Its Q4 results from late November, heading into the holiday season included sales growth of 12% from last year.
 
"The top line growth goes well with gross and operational margin expansion, both on the upswing due to lower commodity costs and process evaluation.  
 
"Dollar Tree bought back 3.5 million shares in 2009, with $300 million remaining from a $500 million Board approval. The company has been committed to taking advantage of the value-driven consumer environment, opening 94 new stores this year and expanding or relocating another 74.
 
"But in spite of these moves, Dollar Tree balance sheet still looks strong, with cash and equivalents totaling $342 million against a debt load of $267.5 million, with just $17.6 million current.
"Looking forward, analysts are optimistic about the company's prospects in 2010, targeting full-year earnings of $3.84 per share. With shares trading at $48, this stock has a forward P/E of just 12.5, a nice discount to the overall market."
 
 
 
Electronics Arts (ERTS): Karim Rahemtulla's top 10 stocks for 2010
 
"I've been tracking the companies I feel are best positioned to sustain the market's upward momentum into next year," says Karim Rahemtulla.
 
The options expert with Investment U suggests, "One such company is Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) – a major player in the video game industry. ERTS is one of the largest creators and sellers of multi-platform content in the industry and it finally o?ered some guidance for the year ahead. 
 
"Expectations for earnings for 2010 are 87 cents per share with revenues of $4.26 billion. EA came out and said that revenues should fall between 4.2 and $4.4 billion with earnings ranging from $0.70 to $1. 
 
"That type of wide range never sits well with Wall Street, which likes much narrower ranges and more specific guidance. 
 
"There are three reasons to buy EA now: 
 
"First, share prices do not usually wait for numbers to come through before they move higher. They move higher in anticipation of better earnings ahead. This should happen after the company reports numbers for the first and second quarter of next year.
 
Second, if this economy and market are really recovering, one of the prime beneficiaries will be a company like EA, which is solidly in the consumer discretionary space. 
 
"Third, EA has been the subject of many takeover rumors, specifically by the likes of Microsoft. Currently the shares are trading at $16.50 per share, down from highs of more than $50 just over a year ago. It is flush with cash, very little debt and a dominant market position. 
 
"While a takeover would be the least likely outcome, there still is that chance and in the current climate of mergers and acquisitions, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bid made for EA. 
 
"While shares themselves look to be a good buy, I prefer to play this one using the Electronic Arts January 2012 $20 LEAPs."
 
Vivo Participacoes: Bill Wilton's top 10  stocks for 2010
 
"Vivo Participacoes (NYSE: VIV), a Brazilian telecommunication company that provides cellular services, is my top investment pick for 2010," says Bill Wilton.
 
 The growth stock strategist for Zacks.com, explains, "Analysts continue to raise full-year estimates for the company." Here's his bullish review.
 
"The company operates through a number of subsidiaries and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In November, VIVO reported third-quarter results that included over 2,000 more customers, up 16% year-over-year. Overall the company's market share is now just under 30%.  
 
"Service revenues increased 4% since last year to R$3.8 billion. Higher revenues translated to a 154% increase in net profits, to R$636 million.
 
"There is not a regular flow of quarterly estimates for the company, but VIVO has received several upward revisions for full-year 2009 and 2010.
 
"Forecasts for this year are up 19 cents over the past 2 months, to $1.14. Next year's Zacks Consensus Estimate is now $2.11, up from $1.59, an 85% growth rate.
 
"VIVO is trading at attractive valuations, especially given the popularity of emerging markets. The forward P/E is about 17 times earnings with a PEG ratio of just over 0.5. Its price-to-sales ratio is above 1.3 times."
 
 
 
Vodafone (VOD): Amy Calistri's top s10 tocks for 2010
 
"Even in these di?cult economic times, people are upgrading their cell phones," says Amy Calistri, who selects Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) as her top pick for 2010.
 
The editor of Stock of the Month, adds, "Smartphone sales have been robust throughout the recession, as people want to access the latest technologies and features.
 
"Every one of those latest generation cell phones taps into a wireless service provider. And as essential as we consider it here in the U.S., cell phone service means everything to emerging and developing countries where landline infrastructure barely exists. 
 
"Africa is actually the fastest growing wireless market in the world.  With little landline infrastructure and an average population that is still some distance from computer ownership, cell phones have become Africa's link to the world.
 
"So where can you find a company that has the loyalty of the stable U.S. wireless market but also has inroads into the fast-growing African subscriber base?
 
""Vodafone is the largest wireless communications company in the world, with operations in Europe, the U.S., the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Its owns a 45% stake in the largest U.S. wireless communications operator, Verizon Wireless.
 
"Along with its stable Verizon U.S. subscriber base, VOD also owns an interest in the growing base of African subscribers. Vodafone has a 65% stake in South Africa's Vodacom. Vodacom currently has 41.6 million subscribers, but that is expected to grow. 
 
""I especially like dividend-paying stocks in challenging markets. After all, capital gains can ebb and flow, but cash in hand is yours to keep forever.
 
"Vodafone's dividend yield is approximately 6% at current prices. While other companies are throwing their dividends under the bus, VOD management seems committed to keep the income flowing.
 
"Vodafone has instituted a 'progressive' dividend policy that boosts the dividend based on rising free cash flows, even if earnings fall.
 
"And of course because the dividends are first determined in British pounds and then converted to U.S. dollars, a continuation of the U.S. dollar's declining value will boost the payout to U.S. investors."
 
Powershares US Dollar Bullish (UUP): Alex Green's top ETF for 2010
 
 "When extreme valuations are accompanied by unbridled optimism or abject pessimism, it virtually always marks a turning point – and an opportunity; and this is no exception," says Alex Green, referring to the US dollar.
 
Here, the senior investment advisor to The Oxford Club and InvestmentU looks to  PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish ETF (NYSE: UUP) as a favorite idea for the coming year.
 
"We all know the dollar is in the cellar right now and  also know why it is expected to continue right through the basement floor:
 
1) Massive budget and trade deficits
 
2) Ultra-low interest rates. (Zero on the short end.)
 
3) $59 trillion in unfunded liabilities for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
 
4) Bernanke conjuring extra trillions out of thin air to buy Treasuries and mortgage- back securities and patch various holes in the U.S. economy.
 
"There is no reason to believe any of these problems will vanish in the months ahead.
 
Yet the dollar will soar in 2010. Why? Two reasons:  
 
"First, all of the problems mentioned above are already well recognized and priced into the greenback. Second, dollar psychology is overwhelmingly bearish.
 
"Just as 10 years ago investors couldn't imagine internet top stocks for 2010 doing anything but soaring higher and five years ago they couldn't imagine real estate doing anything but barreling down the same one-way street, record lows for the dollar are coinciding with enormous confidence that the dollar has nowhere to go but down.
 
"Commentators seem to forget that all currency values are contingent. You can't just look at fundamentals here. You have to look at them abroad, too. And there isn't much out there right now that's terribly positive.   
 
"In the third quarter, for example, the 16-nation euro-zone grew at a 1.5% annual rate. The U.S economy, by comparison, grew at 3.5%. 
 
"European consumers and most business sectors are still feeling the pain from the deepest recession since the 1930s. The continent is likely to be the weakest region for global expansion next year, according to Julian Callow, chief European economist at Barclays Capital in London.
 
"The U.K. is no bastion of strength, either. Europe's biggest economy outside the euro zone is still in recession due to overly indebted British households and tight credit. British GDP contracted at an annualized 1.6% in the third quarter. 
 
"How about Japan? It has its own problems. At 172% of gross domestic product, Japan's government debt is by far the largest among rich nations.
 
"The ratio is expected to reach 200% next year – and hit 300% within a decade. Rising social security costs and the weak economy are the primary culprits. 
 
"The new government there is trying to prevent a double-dip recession by spending even more. But with government debt soaring to records, talk of new stimulus measures is already pushing up long-term rates and threatening to curtail the impact of fresh spending. 
 
"Recognize that Europe and Japan are hardly experiencing heady economic growth and great fiscal probity. Most are bogged down economically and running fiscal deficits as bad as ours.
 
 
"And, personally, when the whole world is in this big a mess, I'll take the greenback over the euro, the pound or the yen. My bet is in 2010 so will most world currency investors.   
 
"Virtually no one is expecting it, but the dollar is likely to climb 20% against the euro and the pound next year and 15% against the yen.
 
"Given that, shares of the PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish ETF will appreciate in price, accordingly.
 
"Hedging is fine, of course, too. But if you have too much exposure to foreign-currency denominated bonds, CDs or bank accounts, rein it in."

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Cleantech: How China Sizzles and U.S. Diddles

The United States is rarely referred to as a silver-medal nation. But that's exactly what we're becoming with respect to the race for clean energy.

There's been progress on domestic soil to be sure. Installed wind capacity has grown over 900% since 2000. Solar installations have kept similar pace.

But there's an unexpected place where clean technology is being deployed at a more rapid rate. A place often condemned for its perverse pollution; a country often decried as the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs): China.

Enter the Dragon

As the U.S. continues its polarized debate around cleantech policy — diddling with implementing some type of carbon pricing, a federal renewable energy standard (RES), and a way to streamline large projects — the Chinese have quickly lept to a leadership position in the industry.

In 2006, they passed an RES calling for renewables to comprise 15% of the energy mix by 2020. But Shang Xiaoqiang, vice chairman of the country's National Development and Reform Commission (NRDC), recently said capacity could grow to 20% by that time.

Studies also show that by 2020, China could actually install three times its 30 gigawatt (GW) wind target. And they'll meet their 2020 solar target of 1.8 GW next year.

The U.S. hasn't even set national targets, so meeting or beating them is a moot point.

And when it comes to government investment, the Chinese have long pulled away. Our Recovery Act called for $80 billion to be invested in the sector. China has announced $217 billion for the next five years, and could invest upward of $650 billion in the next decade.

One recent report claimed they're spending $12 million per hour ensuring they emerge on top.

For the U.S., 'losing' could quickly turn into 'lost.' Fortunately for investors, stock exchanges are border agnostic.

The Cleantech Arms Race

In a very real way, democracy is hindering the States' deployment of cleantech assets. The infamous Cape Wind project has been stymied because it'll "ruin the view." Massive utility-scale solar installations in southwestern states have been delayed on behalf of reptiles.

And that's without mentioning the see-sawing in Congress as lobbyists on both sides of the issue wield their well-funded swords. A recent Reuters report succinctly noted:

Beijing's top leaders have made clear their intention to have their nation dominate this new industry, up and down the value ladder. And in their quest for the prize, they are not burdened by concerns facing their Western counterparts — such as the impact of wind turbines on landscapes, higher energy prices for consumers, or investor returns.

Our leaders' inaction has not only delayed development of what could be a trillion-dollar domestic market — not to mention energy independence — but they've forced companies within that market to tread water by providing inconsistent incentives and policy guidance.

The evidence of this is abundant. But the issue really came to the fore when a Chinese company, A-Power Generation (NASDAQ: APWR), was selected to provide turbine parts for a $1.5 billion U.S. stimulus-funded wind farm in Texas.

Politicians on both sides cried foul before A-Power announced it would build a manufacturing facility in the U.S. that will employ 1,000 workers while cranking out parts for wind turbines.

So it's not only difficult for U.S. cleantech companies to get ahead, it's increasingly easier for China-based companies to row their boats ashore.

Made by China

China's laser-like focus on cleantech has thrust them squarely into a global leadership position.

Last year, Chinese companies produced about 50% of the world's solar cells. And that's likely to rise to 70% in the next few years, as costs continue to fall more quickly there than in Europe or the U.S. In fact, firms based in Germany — the cradle of the modern solar industry — have been finding it's cheaper to buy from the Chinese than it is to make their own solar cells.

And they're not just ramping up production; solar installations are also on the upswing. China will meet its 2020 target of 1.8 GW next year, and Greentech Media is forecasting installed solar capacity could actually hit 10 GW in the next decade, implying a 450% expansion.

Wind energy is witnessing a similar scenario. The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has reported that China "doubled its entire installed capacity each year since 2005." Last year, they became the largest wind market in the world, installing 13 GW compared to 10.5 GW in Europe and 9.9 GW in the U.S.

That growth is largely due to a booming Chinese wind manufacturing market. Producers like Sinovel and Goldwind are already top ten globally, and could soon threaten companies like GE and Suzlon that currently inhabit the top five.

The Chinese cleantech production model is so robust that it's now being exported around the globe, in much the same way that other Asian countries have taken automobile manufacturing abroad.

A-Power — the company awarded part of a U.S. stimulus-induced wind project — is already setting up manufacturing on U.S. soil. Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE) has announced plans to build a solar manufacturing facility on U.S. Turf; so has Suntech Power (NYSE: STP).

And, in the most revelatory example of all, the Wall Street Journal has reported that "Duke Energy Corp.(NYSE: DUK) is in talks with State Grid Corp., China's biggest electricity distributor, over a joint venture that may involve cooperating on power transmission lines in the U.S."

While we were distracted by health care, Tea Parties, and executive pay, China quickly pounced on what is proving to be the most vital and valuable industry of the 21st century. They've mastered the production side and, as the Duke example highlights, they're moving on transmission as well.

Our energy assets of tomorrow may not be made in China, but it looks like they'll made by China. And, as you can imagine, Chinese cleantech success is also apparent in public markets.

Rated to Outperform

Here in the States, First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) is by far the most recognizable solar name. The company still boasts one of the lowest costs per watt and highest efficiencies for thin film solar. But First Solar, too, is losing ground as Chinese firms continue making inroads. The best stock to buy is down nearly $200 from its 2008 high over $300.

The same holds true for Germany's Q-Cells, one of the largest solar cell producers in the world. The growing Chinese advantage in both cost and scale have led to a huge discrepancy in prices for top stocks that share the same peer group, as companies like Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) have pulled investors away from traditional solar stocks.

China Solar Stocks 2010

That trend is being mirrored in the wind industry, where protectionism has forced billion-dollar development costs to remain on the balance sheets of Chinese companies. Though industry stalwarts like Vestas (COP: VWS) and Gamesa (MCE: GAM) are knocking hard on the door, failure to penetrate the Chinese market has caused investors to look elsewhere for wind-blown returns.

Chinese Wind Stocks 2010

Most analysts and industry insiders — myself included — don't see this trend abating anytime soon. Feed-in tariff (FiT) cuts for cleantech in Europe, though a sign of industry maturation, are driving sales higher in China as installers race to buy turbines and panels at the lowest cost before subsidies are cut later this year.

And the lack of long-term policy guidance in the U.S. is forcing cleantech companies here into a holding pattern, hesitant to invest in new manufacturing capacity or asset deployment with uncertainties still rampant with respect to the tax code and incentives. With price parity still not reached, renewable energy developers sometimes don't even know if there will be an end buyer for their electricity.

China, on the other hand, passed a law last year requiring grid operators to buy all the electricity produced by renewable resources. What's more, the Chinese cost advantage is leading to rebranding, wherein a company like GE buys solar panels from a second-tier Chinese company and sells them as their own.

This is paving the way for many companies you've never heard of to emerge as global players. Yingli, JA Solar (NASDAQ: JASO), Renesola (NYSE: SOL) and others are already becoming household names. Yingli is even sponsoring this year's FIFA World Cup.

The initial public offering (IPO) market is also flooded with Chinese entrants. Blade maker HT Blade, polysilicon producer Daqo, and wafer maker JinkoSolar have all already filed.

Indeed, it looks like the global cleantech game will be dominated by Chinese players for the foreseeable future. And that's a vast departure from standard practice, where China has typically trailed European and U.S. companies in entering nascent industries.

In a recent talk at an industry conference in Washington D.C., President of GCL Solar Energy Hunter Jiang didn't mince words about his country's position. His company is now the third largest producer of polysilicon in the world. After ruminating on China's laggard position throughout modern history's industrial revolutions and commenting on how automobiles and computers were cradled elsewhere, he said, "Today we are the leader."

Gates' Next Billion-Dollar Power Play

The rich get richer.

That phrase has entered our common diction for a reason: by and large, it holds true.

You see, the rich aren't just good at staying rich — hoarding assets, beating the tax code — but they're also good at creative financial thinking. If financial planning were a chess game, the rich would always be thinking several moves ahead.

Case in point: Bill Gates.

Even in his younger days, Gates knew how turn a dollar. In eighth grade, he used proceeds from a yard sale to buy a precursor to the modern computer: an 8-bit ASR-33 made by Teletype. You know the rest of the story...

But here's the thing about the rich: their frame of mind never changes. It's always about the next big thing — identifying the next mega market trend before anyone else.

Right now, Gates is at it again. And you might be surprised to learn the market he's after.

Gates' Stealth Company

Of course, you know about Microsoft's success because of its immense public presence. But the rich are good at hiding things — be it lumps of cash in offshore havens or big ideas in the works.

So I'm guessing you've never heard of Intellectual Ventures, which BusinessWeek calls Gates' "innovation/invention incubation outfit."

This time, Gates is working on what he refers to as an energy miracle, incubating a company called Terrapower. The company's website boasts that "a wave of fission moving slowly through a fuel core could generate a billion watts of electricity continuously for well over 50 to 100 years without refueling."

Put simply, Gates is looking to build a nuclear plant that uses natural or depleted uranium.

Can it happen? That's yet to be seen. By its own admission, Terrapower says any such plant wouldn't come online until the "early 2020s." Still, I pass this tidbit along not for its energy implications, but for the investment philosophy behind it.

Ahead of the Nuclear Curve

Gates is clearly able to assess the long-term writing on the wall.

He was funding Terrapower long before nuclear energy made its way back into the limelight. He knew nuclear energy had to make a resurgence if we're ever to truly enjoy energy independence and reduce our emissions.

He was thinking several chess moves ahead.

And look what's happening now...

Obama just called for a "new generation" of nuclear power plants to be built in the United States and has requested $54 billion in his budget to get them started.

Just this week, the Wall Street Journal reported, "The Department of Energy (DoE) is awarding the first conditional loan guarantee for a new nuclear power plant in the U.S. to Southern Co.'s Vogtle plant in Georgia."

Think Like the Rich Form Top Stocks

So here's your opportunity to think like a rich investor, because it's unlikely you're able to fund a nuclear start-up like Gates can.

For starters, you'll want to look at the next companies in line for nuclear loan guarantees... like the one just awarded to Southern Co. (NYSE: SO).

According to DoE filings, Scana Corp. (NYSE: SCG), Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG), and NRG Energy (NYSE: NGR) are next on the list.

But there's an even better way to think like a billionaire investor — by capitalizing on the one thing every new and existing nuclear power plant needs, regardless of who builds them: fuel.

By investing in nuclear fuel, you gain exposure to the entire industry and all of its coming growth.

Now, the standard names are already out there. Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) is the obvious choice. But to truly think like the rich, you have to think outside the box.

And there's a company doing just that. It's making a nuclear fuel additive that allows 25% more energy to be extracted from existing nuclear fuel. Even better, it absorbs much more heat, preventing meltdowns from happening ever again.

It's truly a few steps ahead. This company is already lining up massive sales contracts. It'll be common knowledge soon — but right now, it's still being "incubated," as Gates would say.

The company is public and you can buy shares now.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Top Stocks For 2011

Looking for a shopping list of new top stock ideas for 2011? Each year for 27 years, TheStockAdvisors.com has turned to the nation's most respected and well-known newsletter advisors and asked them for their single favorite stock or fund ideas for the coming 12 months.
 
With 80 advisors participating in this year's survey, there's something for every type of investor, from high quality blue chips to speculative home runs. 
 
While past performance is never a guarantee of future results, we would note that the stocks chosen by the 75 advisors participating in last year's report outperformed the general market by nearly 80%. 
 
Specifically, the 75 stocks and funds selected for our 2009 Top Picks report recorded an average year-to-date gain of 34%, versus a 19% gain by the broad market over the same period.
 
Gainer's Today tracks stock picks and ranks the accuracy of 120 investment research firms. As of 12/23/09, our 2009 Top Picks report was ranked #1 for the past year. Kudos to all the participating advisors.
 
The stocks and funds chosen for this report are the best ideas of the nation's top advisors at this current time. However, company fundamentals and market conditions change, and a stock that is considered a strong buy today can become a sell based on future events.
 
As always, we caution all investors to only use these ideas as a starting place for your own research and only buy stocks that meet you personal investing criteria, risk parameters, and investment time horizon.
 
To keep updated on the ongoing favorite stocks of the leading advisors, please visit us daily at thestockadvisors.com, a free website that brings you the very best investment ideas of the nation's very best financial experts. You can also sign up for our Daily Digest and have each day's new stock ideas sent directly to your email.
 
We wish you the best of success for your investing in 2011!
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.1 From Kelley Wright : (Altria )

"My definition of safe is to avoid cyclical companies that can be derailed by unexpected economic events or a sudden change in Fed policy," says dividend expert Kelley Wright. 
 
In Investment Quality Trends, he suggests, "Additional requirements are a long history of increased earnings and dividends, broad institutional sponsorship, and ample outstanding shares for trading liquidity. One such company that fits that bill is Altria Group (NYSE: MO), my top pick for 2011.
 
"As attention turns toward 2011, the annual dilemma of 'what do I do now' moves front and center. With the Fed ostensibly sticking to its 'for an extended perio'" mantra, the conventional wisdom is that the recession is behind us and all will remain well as long as interest rates remain low and liquidity plentiful.
 
"While the recession may indeed be over, under the technical definition anyway, and it is investment suicide to try and fight the Fed, the ever-ubiquitous Wall of Worry is steep enough to approach the new investment year with caution. In that vein, my instincts and experience are to play it safe.
 
"My definition of safe is to avoid cyclical companies that can be derailed by unexpected economic events or a sudden change in Fed policy.
 
"Altria Group is a holding company whose operating companies include Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, John Middleton and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. The company's brand portfolio consists of successful and well-known brand names such as Marlboro, Copenhagen, and Skoal.
 
"Trailing twelve months earnings for MO are $1.53 per share, and, based on the recent price of $19.15 per share, the P/E is in the mid-12 range. The cash dividend of $1.36 per share provides an outstanding dividend-yield of 7.10%.
 
"With a payout ratio of about 88% ($1.36 of the $1.58 ttm earnings are paid out in dividends), some investors who have seen some dividends slashed or eliminated over the past year may balk at such a high dividend-yield.
 
"The key to a healthy dividend though is free cash flow and a high return-on-equity (ROE). Altria Group converts about 16% of its revenue into free cash and its ROE is well above average.
 
"The IQ Trends Profile of Value for Altria Group is dividend-yield extremes of 7.0% and 4.0% respectively. Accordingly, whenever the dividend-yield for Altria Group is within 10% of 7.0%, the stock represents good historic value and is appropriate to purchase.
 
"When the dividend-yield declines to 4.0% ($34 based on the current dividend), the top stock has reached its historically repetitive area of overvalue and profits should be harvested."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.2 From: Melvin Pasternak : Amdocs (NYSE: DOX)

"Fundamentally, Amdocs (NYSE: DOX) has a bargain basement valuation based on its price to growth," says Melvin Pasternak, in selected the stock as his top pick for 2011.
 
In his Trade of the Week, he adds, "Technically, on a two year weekly chart the stock has broken out to the upside. Amdocs is the talk of the town -- and well it should be. Amdocs keeps phone companies and their customers talking to each other in more than 60 countries around the world.
 
"Its software helps telecom giants like AT&T Mobility and Sprint-Nextel with customer relationship management (CRM), billing, and sales.
 
"A couple of months ago, DOX broke out of a major downtrend line drawn from mid-2007 at the $40 dollar level. When combined with an uptrend line constructed from the 2009 bottom near $15, it can be seen that DOX has broken out of a large ascending triangle.
 
"The upleg of the ascending triangle is the uptrend line drawn from the January 2009 low.  DOX is now in a strong uptrend, well above the 30-week moving average which is sloping steadily higher. 
 
"Even during the recent consolidation the shares have stayed mainly above the 10 week moving average, another sign of technical strength.  The consolidation has also relieved the stock's short-term overbought condition in RSI.
 
"According to the 'measuring principle,' DOX should have a minimum price target of $33 -- more than 20% above current trading levels.  Often top stocks in strong uptrends exceed their minimum targets.
 
"In 2009, DOX earned $1.57 a share.  In 2011, the 15 analysts who follow the stock project eps. Of $2.20 a share, a 40% increase.
 
"The current trailing P/E of the stock is 17.  The PEG ratio takes the Price Earnings Ratio and divides it by the earnings growth rate. 
 
"If you calculate a one-year 'PEG' ratio, the shares are a great value--the PEG ratio is .425 (17/40).  Anything below one typically represents good value and DOX is trading at less half that amount.
 
"Analysts who follow the stock have caught on. In December 4, Standpoint Research raised their price target from $30 to $34. A number of other analysts think DOX can trade back to the $40's by 2011. In the New Year, I believe DOX has a good chance to break above $28 resistance and move toward $34. My target is $33.95."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.3 From J. Royden Ward: Amedysis (AMED)

J. Royden Ward is the editor of Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter, a newsletter that -- as its name suggests -- focuses on stocks that meet the criteria of legendary value investor Ben Graham.
 
For his top pick for 2011, he the advisor looks to Amedisys (NASDAQ: AMED), a provider of home health care and hospice services.
 
"Despite government e?orts, health care costs continue to rise to unacceptable levels in the U.S. But there are alternatives that o?er dependable care at substantially less cost to patients and to taxpayers, and I believe one option, home health care, will become an important alternative to lengthy hospital and nursing home stays. 
 
"My top stock for 2011 is the largest company in the home health care sector whose impeccable reputation for delivering reliable care is providing the company with exciting new opportunities for exceptional growth.
 
"Amedisys is a leading provider of home health care and hospice services. The company typically provides skilled nurses or nurse assistants who coordinate health care with the patient's family and physician.
 
"The company operates more than 500 Medicare-certified home health agencies and 50 hospice agencies in 37 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. "The company's home health care services provide assistance to patients recovering improving patients' quality of life through physical, speech or other therapy.
 
"For example, the company educates patients on how to avoid falls in the home, which are the leading causes of patients re-entering hospitals. Approximately 87% of Amedisys' home health care services are covered by Medicare. 
 
"Amedisys also o?ers hospice home care services for terminally ill patients. Hospice services are designed to provide basic care and comfort to patients and support to family members.
 
"Compared to hospitals and nursing homes, Amedisys can save patients, families and the health care system huge amounts of money. Health care delivered in patients' homes is far less expensive than health services delivered in hospitals and nursing homes.
 
"The home health care industry is fragmented with 9,200 home health care agencies and 3,000 hospice agencies operating in the U.S. Amedisys is actively acquiring smaller home health care agencies that fit the company's acquisition plans, as well as opening their own new agencies at a rapid pace. 
 
"The growth opportunities in the home health care industry are obvious. The growing numbers of elderly, and the need for less expensive health care including home health care, will likely create industry growth of 15 to 20% during the next several years and decades. 
 
"Revenues climbed 39% and EPS soared 57% during the 12 months ended 9/30/09. Analysts are forecasting 14% sales growth and 11% EPS growth for the next 12 months, but we believe Amedisys will produce sales and earnings growth exceeding 20%.
 
"We base our growth projections on the company's aggressive acquisition program along with its ability to open new agencies e?ciently and profitably. AMED shares are clearly undervalued at 8.3 times our EPS estimate for the next 12-month period."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.4 From Vivian Lewis: BCE (BCE)

Given her concerns about overall market valuaton, global expert Vivian Lewis is selecting her top pick from among stocks she calls "dividend payers and fallen angels".
 
In her Global Investing newsletter, she explains, "I consider BCE (NYSE: BCE), with its 6% yield, a great buy." Here's her review of the Canada-based telecom company.
 
"I'm worried about the speculative coloration of the rise in stock prices globally since the bottom in March 2009. I do not think the markets will continue rising as they have since then, in a straight line to the upper right-hand corner of the page.
 
"I expect a serious correction because the global economy is still mired in di?culty. There will be more bad news taking share prices down in the coming year.
 
"To find stocks with ballast for the sell-o? I expect in 2011, I am focusing on dividend payers and fallen angels. Fallen angels have risen less sharply than companies without damaged reputations, and pay out more.
 
"A year after crash of BCE, the Canada telco supposed to have been taken private by Ontario Teachers Pension Plan and US partners, who pulled out, the former Bell Canada is a good buy.
 
"The deal collapsed in the financial crisis. BCE CEO George Cope valiantly then cut 2500 jobs; did a wireless deal with Telus and bought out the remaining half of Virgin Mobile Canada; bought electronics store chain The Source; and boosted BCE dividends.
 
"BCE stock has risen 30% this year in loonies (C$s) and nearly 50% in US dollars. (It trades as BCE both in Toronto and on the NYSE.) But it is still a third cheaper than the former deal price target. That reflects investors' bad memories. Most analysts rate it neutral despite their expecting it to rise to $29.50.
 
"Further hurting BCE was the decision on Dec. 11 by Canadian regulators to allow Globalive to o?er cellular phone service throughout Canada, reversing an earlier bar on the company part-owned by Orascom of Egypt.
 
"While the 2009 Xmas telephone market will not see many o?ers from Globalive, next year there will be cellphone price cuts. This could hurt BCE's gross margins, which are at an astonishing 74%.
 
"However, other telcos without BCE's land-line and multiple cellular options will be hurt more. I consider the stock a great buy yielding 6% with a probability the dividend will be raised."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.5 From Leo Fasciocco: Blue Coat (BCSI)

"My pick for 2011 is Blue Coat Systems (NASDAQ: BCSI), a company that provides web security," says Leo Fasciocco, a leading technical analyst known for his focus on stocks that are breaking out of basing patterns.
 
In his The Ticker Tape Digest, he explains, "We consider the stock an excellent intermediate-term play because of its strong profit outlook. Blue Coat, based in Sunnyvale, Ca., provides software and services for networking, with annual sales of $444 million. 
 
"Its products enable its end user customers to secure their Internet gateways and remote computer systems by providing protection from malicious code, or malware and objectionable content.
 
""The company is benefiting from an expansion of its products. In 2008, BCSI acquired Packeteer, a provider of WAN tra?c prioritization technologies. It most recently came out with an expansion of its Webpulse cloud service for Arabic web content.
 
"Looking out to fiscal 2011 ending in April, the Street projects a 44% jump  in net to $1.30 cents a share from the 90 cents anticipated for fiscal 2011.
 
"The top stock has been trending higher the past few months recovering from the bear market. The  long-term chart for BCSI shows the stock with a cyclical tendency. It is now in the up trend part of its cycle. We see that as favorable for bulls at this time with the stock now trending higher.
 
"In our view, BCSI is an outstanding stock poised to breakout. It is holding in its base and poised to show massive earnings gains.We are targeting BCSI for a move to 36 after a breakout. A protective stop can be placed near 24 after a breakout."
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.6 From Dow Theory: BMC Software (BMC)

 Dow Theory Forecasts is one of the most respected and venerable players in the financial newsletter community; the service has been published continuously for well over 5 decades.
 
Editor Richard Moroney looks to BMC Software (NYSE: BMC) as his top pick for 2011. He explains, "BMC develops products that run corporate data centers, which house critical computer systems.
 
"BMC's long-term contracts sustained stable profits during the downturn. Over the next 12 months, results should benefit as clients resume spending on technology. "Consensus estimates project per-share profits will advance 15% in fiscal 2011 ending March - and grow 14% annually over the next five years.
 
"Recent acquisitions have bolstered BMC's promising segment for automating datacenter activities. Fortune 500 companies comprise more than 85% of BMC's client list, and such companies are unlikely to abandon cost-cutting initiatives once the environment improves.
 
"Reflecting this optimism and better-than-expected results for the September quarter, BMC in October raised profit guidance for fiscal 2011. With a trailing price/earnings ratio of 15, BMC trades at a discount to its three-year average P/E of 22 and five-year average of 27.
 
"If the P/E returned to the three-year average and BMC matched consensus profit estimates, the top stock would trade at $58 next year.
 
"While that target seems a stretch, BMC seems fully capable of reaching $45 to $50. BMC is a Focus List Buy and a Long-Term Buy."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.7 From Nicholas Vardy: Brazil Small Cap (BRF)

"The global bull market is back in Brazil," says international investing expert Nicholas Vardy.
 
In The Global Bull Market Alert, he explains, "Global markets recovered in the beginning of November; at that time, we looked to one of the hottest markets on the planet, Brazil, through the Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (NYSE: BRF). The ETF remains our top pick for 2011. 
 
"Brazil, as its place on the cover of Economist magazine recently confirmed, was the flavor of the month in emerging markets. Brazil had recently won the right to host the Olympics in 2016, raising its profile much like the Beijing Olympics did for China. Investors were pouring in.
 
"Its currency, the real, gained 50% against the U.S. dollar since the prior December, with the economy firing on all cylinders, posting an 8%-10% growth in Q3. My forecast has been that, overall, Brazil's economy will grow by 5% in 2011.
 
"In December, the Inter-American Development Bank approved a $3-billion conditional credit line with Brazilian small and mid-sized businesses on Thursday.
 
Around 75% of the new jobs created in Brazil this year were created by small and mid- sized businesses.
 
"With the market already up 76.9% in local currency terms at the time, betting on Brazil was clearly a momentum play. That's also why I recommended a small cap ETF, which had outperformed its large cap ETF counterpart this year.
 
"Looking ahead, Brazil's biggest enemy is likely to be its own hubris -- getting too cocky for its own good. But before it does, I'm betting the market has further to go. After all, it went up almost 6-fold in dollar terms during its last bull run starting in 2003.
 
"This is the reasoning behind my recommendation for Market Vectors Brazil Small- Cap ETF. For a potentially bigger upside, I recommended the April $45 call options. For full disclosure, this is a position that I hold on behalf of my clients at Global Guru Capital."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.8 From Karim Rahemtulla: Electronics Arts (ERTS)

"I've been tracking the companies I feel are best positioned to sustain the market's upward momentum into next year," says Karim Rahemtulla.
 
The options expert with Investment U suggests, "One such company is Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS) – a major player in the video game industry. ERTS is one of the largest creators and sellers of multi-platform content in the industry and it finally o?ered some guidance for the year ahead. 
 
"Expectations for earnings for 2011 are 87 cents per share with revenues of $4.26 billion. EA came out and said that revenues should fall between 4.2 and $4.4 billion with earnings ranging from $0.70 to $1. 
 
"That type of wide range never sits well with Wall Street, which likes much narrower ranges and more specific guidance. 
 
"There are three reasons to buy EA now: 
 
"First, share prices do not usually wait for numbers to come through before they move higher. They move higher in anticipation of better earnings ahead. This should happen after the company reports numbers for the first and second quarter of next year.
 
Second, if this economy and market are really recovering, one of the prime beneficiaries will be a company like EA, which is solidly in the consumer discretionary space. 
 
"Third, EA has been the subject of many takeover rumors, specifically by the likes of Microsoft. Currently the shares are trading at $16.50 per share, down from highs of more than $50 just over a year ago. It is flush with cash, very little debt and a dominant market position. 
 
"While a takeover would be the least likely outcome, there still is that chance and in the current climate of mergers and acquisitions, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bid made for EA. 
 
"While shares themselves look to be a good buy, I prefer to play this one using the Electronic Arts January 2012 $20 LEAPs."
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.9 From Martin Hutchinson: Eldorado Gold (EGO)

"While my primary focus is on the international financial markets, it's the glint of gold that has caught my eye for 2011," says Martin Hutchison.
 
 The contributing editor to both Money Map Report and Money Morning, explains, "Gold – or mining companies like Eldorado Gold (NYSE: EGO) – an especially compelling investment for 2011.
 
"There hasn't really been a commodity bubble like the current one since the late 1970s. It will end, as these things always do – but only when the world's central banks decisively tighten monetary policy and turn o? the spigots flooding the system with cash.
 
"That's unlikely to happen until consumer inflation has shown itself rising sharply. In relative terms, gold's price is still far below its all-time highs – the 1980 top at $875 per ounce is equivalent to $2,400 today, roughly double the current price.
 
"Supply is also becoming an ever-larger factor – the total global supply of new gold in 2009 was valued at under $90 billion, with another $35 billion or so available from recycling.
 
"That first number is unlikely to change as mining output has been declining by about 1% per annum in volume terms, in spite of the recent surge in gold's price.
 
"This means that if the big boys – such as the hedge funds (global assets of $1.9 trillion) or China (o?cial reserves of $2.3 trillion) – get involved, demand is likely to quickly exceed supply by a huge margin.
 
"Even though all the gold ever mined is still with us, it has a value of only about $5 trillion – a lot of money, but not huge in light of global investment flows.
 
"So, if the money really pours into gold, the price could again take o?. After all, $2,400 an ounce is still some distance away, and there's a lot more speculative capital around today than there was in 1980.
 
"There's no money tightening in the works currently. The Fed has kept monetary policy extremely loose for a year now, and has said it has no intention of raising rates in the near term.
 
"The European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have also indicated they do not intend to tighten, while China's M2 money supply has risen by 29% in the past year. 
 
"Given all this money supply sloshing around, it's not surprising that gold prices have zoomed upwards – and will continue doing so as long as the Fed and its central bank brothers maintain a loose-money policy.
 
Rather than gold itself, I'd recommend gold mining shares – first choice, Eldorado Gold – for two reasons: 
 
  1    * First, there's the leverage. A gold mining company with extraction costs of $600 per ounce doubles its profits when gold goes from $900 to $1200.
 
  2    * Second, commodity speculation pushes up share valuations, so chances are you'll make even more money. After all, the earnings growth rate becomes pretty spectacular, which can make a very simple company look like a Google!
 
"As a bonus, Eldorado is not just in gold, it's in Chinese gold – both internally and through a takeover it recently executed.
 
"That means it benefits not only from any rise in gold prices, but directly from increases in Chinese wealth. Chinese investors, when they buy gold, will naturally turn first to domestic output.
 
"Eldorado plans to double current production by 2013 (even without its recent acquisition) – no decline here. What's more, it's reasonably valued – actually quite cheap – considering its earnings potential.
 
"The company was founded in 1992, and has come a long way in a relatively short time, building to a recent market capitalization of $5.15 billion. 
 
"It owns the Kisladeg gold mine in Turkey, which produced 58,000 ounces of gold in the third quarter of 2009, and the Tanjanishan gold mine in western China, which produced 31,000 ounces.
 
"In addition, its Efemcukuru project, with projected reserves of 1.7 million ounces of gold in Turkey, is expected to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2011.
 
"Eldorado also has gold-development projects in Greece and Brazil and an iron-ore project in Brazil. Its current gold reserves, proved and probable, total 7.6 million ounces.
 
"In September 2009, Eldorado made an agreed-share-exchange o?er for Sino Gold, the largest international gold mine in China. The o?er values Sino Gold at approximately $2.2 billion and will give Sino shareholders approximately 25% of the combined group. 
 
"Sino has two operating mines in China – Jinfeng, the country's second-largest mine with production of 151,000 ounces, and the White Mountain Gold Mine, which began production in January 2009. The Eastern Dragon project in Heilongjiang province will become Sino's third mine.
 
"The combined companies will have gold reserves of 12.7 million ounces, with annual production expected to reach 850,000 ounces in 2011. In the third quarter, Eldorado earned $30.2 million, or 8 cents a share – up from 5 cents a share in the third quarter of 2008.
 
"That's at an average gold price received of $957 per ounce, compared with a total production cost, including overhead, of $430 per ounce. Based on third-quarter earnings, EGO has a P/E ratio of about 35 times – steep, but not excessive given the growth potential.
 
"That should become obvious in the year-end figures, which will show the rise in gold prices we saw in recent months dropping straight to Eldorado's bottom line. 
 
"Just estimating, if the gold price for the fourth quarter averages $1,100 an ounce, that will send an extra $150 per ounce or so in profits to shareholders, adding about 35% to EPS and reducing the P/E correspondingly.
 
"Yes, labor and energy costs could rise a bit, but not much – Eldorado's costs were only $402 per ounce in the third quarter of 2008, when oil was at $147 a barrel.
 
"Bottom line: Increasing gold production – check. Contained costs – check. In the middle of the world's fast-growing Chinese gold market – check.  Decent balance sheet and profitability – check. What's not to like?"
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.10 From Bill Matthews: Emerson Radio (MSN)

"Emerson Radio (NYSE: MSN) is an atttractive, low-priced stock," says Bill Matthews, a specialist in lower-priced issues.
 
 The advisor, who has been publishing The Cheap Investor for nearly 3 decades, suggests, "The top stock has the potential for significant appreciation in 2011."
 
"In this market, we wanted to recommend a quality low priced stock that is relatively safe, has good increasing revenues and outstanding earnings. We are also looking for a stock that is selling at an attractive low price, and has the potential for significant growth and top stock appreciation in 2011. Emerson Radio fits these criteria.
 
"Emerson Radio is a household name. Together with its subsidiaries, it engages in designing, marketing, selling, and licensing various consumer appliance, electronic and house ware products.
 
"It products are sold in the United States and internationally. Emerson Radio Corp. markets its products under the Emerson and HH Scott brands.
 
"The company distributes its products primarily through mass merchandisers, discount retailers, toy retailers, and distributors and specialty catalogers in the United States.
 
"Emerson has an excellent balance sheet with $29 million or $1.06 per share in cash, a book value of $2.25 per share and less than $6 million in debt. Insiders own 65% of the 27 million total shares outstanding and 22 institutions own 17% of the float. 
 
"Emerson has excellent financials for the six-month period ended September 30. Revenues are $107 million up from $97 million a year ago. Net income is $4.3 million or $0.16 a share up from a loss of ($242,000) or (.01) a share verses a year ago.
 
"If you look at Emerson's top stock chart between June 2002 and June 2003, you'll see that the price soared from $1.50 to $7.50 because of excellent revenue and earnings increases.  We believe, that if Emerson continues its earnings growth, the price could skyrocket again."
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.11 From Stephen Quickel: Equinix (EQIX)

"Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX), the global data center operator, is one of the most tempting growth stock opportunities on the 2011 horizon," says Stephen Quickel.
 
The editor of US Investment Report explains, "Big banks, market data providers, telecoms and other technology-driven clients use the firm's data center platforms to reduce their own capital expenditures and operating costs.
 
"The Silicon Valley-based company, barely ten years from startup, has moved quickly to open 45 data full-service centers serving clients in 18 key regions of the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific areas.
 
"These centers provide data management services to global enterprises of all sorts, including content and financial companies and network service providers,. "With demand rising rapidly, Equinix, has been able to lift revenues from $118 million in 2003 to $705 million in 2008, and to an estimated $880 million in recessionary 2009. Analysts project $1.17 billion in 2011—a two-year rise of 67%.
 
"As for earnings, the rapidly expanding company showed deficits for its first eight years, but reduced them in all but one year. Now firmly in the black and established as a sector leader, its gains could be large over the next few years.
 
"Rapid expansion of its IBX centers (short for International Business Exchanges) has required considerable debt. The latest available debt/equity ratio is an elevated 1.27.
 
"But capital spending is leveling o?, and Smith and his managers have kept of tight rein on operating costs.
 
"Earnings have risen 26 quarters in a row. After tax margins are reportedly at a four-year high. Third quarter 2009 earnings jumped 213% year-over-year, beating analyst estimates by 57%.
 
"Zacks reports consensus five-year earnings growth projection of 18.4% a year going forward. First Call shows earnings up 26% in 2011 and more than 40% in 2012.
 
"Those eye-catching numbers have not gone unnoticed. EQIX is not cheap by conventional measures. At 105 in late December (up from 40 in March), it traded at 51 times FC's 2011 earnings projection and 34 times its 2011 estimate.
 
"But the top stock has impressive support. Among 26 brokers—a large following for a young $4-billion market cap stock—15 rated it a Strong Buy in December, 3 a Buy and 8 a Hold, with no Sells.
 
"Goldman Sachs, altogether, owns 12.5% of the outstanding shares, with Wellington Management and Shumway Capital Partners each holding 8%-plus. Wells Fargo, Barclays, Morgan Stanley and Vanguard also have large positions.
 
"Of course, the Big Boys bought in at lower levels and have added shares along the way—and will doubtless continue to do so.
 
"With its high debt and P/E, it's not the kind of play-it-safe stock that attracted investors in late 2009. But as we head into 2011, few mid-caps have emerged with more fascinating near- and long-term growth possibilities."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.12 From Paul McWillams: EZchip (EZCH)

"EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH), a fabless semiconductor company that specializes in network processors," is my top pick for the coming year," says technology sector guru Paul McWilliams.
 
 In his Next Inning newsletter, designed for sophisticated tech investors, he suggests, "I think the upside potential here in 2011 and beyond is significant.
 
"Its initial market target has been what's termed as CESR (Carrier Network Switching and Routing).  EZCH has since expanded its focus to include products that are broadly grouped into what's called the 'Access' market.  
 
"Between organic demand growth in the CESR market and EZCH's expansion into the Access markets, it is estimated the company will be addressing a total available market potential of about $1.5B by 2012.
 
"That implies substantial upside revenue potential for a company that will report somewhat less than $40M in revenue for calendar 2009.
 
"In 2011, EZCH will be shipping NP2 and NP3 / NP3C network processors in volume to its CESR customer base. In addition to this, we'll also see the initial revenue generated from its next generation CESR solution, the NP4 and its debut Access product, the NPAx.  
 
"Notable production ramps for the NPA and NP4, which sells for roughly twice the price of a NP3, will begin in 2011.  Revenue from its NP2 will likely peak in late 2011 or 2012 as Juniper winds down its demand and replaces the NP2 with an internally designed ASIC.
 
"However, I believe this will be much more than o?set with the ramp of the NP3 and NP3C, the latter of which is designed into various platforms at Cisco including its new ASR series edge router.
 
"I believe EZCH's lack of participation in the 2009 tech rally is attributable to two factors. The first is what I think will prove to be a misunderstanding as to when its business at Juniper will peak and the sharpness of the decline following the peak.
 
"In my view, this peak won't happen until late in 2011 at the earliest and by then it will be much more than o?set by growing business at Cisco; not to mention design wins at other leading networking companies that will ramp in 2011 and beyond.
 
"The second factor has been the selling of shares by some of EZCH's early venture capitalists (VC's). Due to the fact EZCH initiated a secondary o?ering to liquidate these VC shares in one fell swoop as well as complete the purchase of its a?liated EZchip Technologies operating unit, this selling pressure will soon be eliminated. In my view, with this gone and EZCH poised to post impressive growth in 2011."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.13 From Tracey Ryniec: Jinpan Int'l (JST)

"Jinpan International Limited (NYSE: JST), a manufacturer of transformers, is the top pick for 2011 from Tracey Ryniec.
 
The value stock strategist for Zacks.com explains, "The company is positioned to benefit from the trillions of dollars of government stimulus around the world, as much of it is going into infrastructure.
 
"China has been an investing hotspot for several years. Even the great recession of 2008 and 2009 did little to slow down investor interest as the Chinese government injected massive stimulus into its economy which has propelled growth.
 
"In 2009, the Shanghai Composite Index surged over 70%, far outperforming the stock markets of the United States and most of Europe.
 
"Questions abound about whether China is too hot to handle and is a bubble waiting to burst. But I believe investors should look at each company individually, whether it is in China or not.
 
"While macroeconomic and political issues shouldn't be ignored, some companies will be better suited to ride out any rough patches. One of those companies is Jinpan International, one of only two UL certified cast resin transformer manufacturers in the world.
 
"While it has its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in China and generates a majority of its business in China, Jinpan is actually an American company held by a British Virgin Islands holding company. It is also not a newbie on the Chinese stage. Jinpan has been in business since 1993.
 
"The company manufactures medium voltage transformers (10-25 kV.) That doesn't sound too glamorous, but the transformers are used in large infrastructure projects like factories and real estate developments as well as in municipal transportation projects like airports and subway systems.
 
"Jinpan is positioned to benefit from the trillions of dollars of government stimulus around the world, as much of it is going into infrastructure. International sales have been growing. In the third quarter, sales outside of China rose 40% to $8.1 million and accounted for 18.5% of net sales, up from 13% a year ago.  
 
"International customers were ordering cast resin transformers for wind power applications, along with the more traditional orders for use in airports, subways, and data centers.
 
"Orders for wind applications were 18% of net sales in the third quarter. The company's recently opened Shanghai manufacturing facility now handles the growing wind energy products business.  
 
"In October 2009, Jinpan expanded in the U.S. opening a New Jersey o?ce and warehouse. Clearly, international sales are key to Jinpan's growth in 2011 and beyond.  
 
"Despite a big jump in the top stock in 2010 (what didn't rally in 2009?), Jinpan has attractive valuations. The company is trading at about 13 times forward earnings. It has a low PEG ratio of just 0.64. Analysts polled by Zacks project earnings growth of 42% in 2009 and, so far, just 3.19% in 2011.
 
"But the company has had two big earnings surprises in the second and third quarters of 2009 so there is reason to think that growth will be much hotter than current projections. Analysts are bullish on the long term outlook, expecting earnings growth to average 20% over the next 5 years.
 
"Jinpan has an excellent 1-year return on equity of 24.75%. The company also shows its support to shareholders by paying a dividend, unusual for a Chinese-based company, which is yielding about 0.50%."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.14 From Brien Lundin: Keegan Resources (KGN)

 "Gold will be the primary beneficiary of the massive bailout and stimulus plans enacted by not only the United States, but every industrialized nation across the globe," forecasts Brien Lundin.
 
The mining stock specialist and editor of The Gold Newsletter looks to a small gold exploration and development company as his top pick for 2011:  Keegan Resources (ASE: KGN).
 
"Because of the deflationary influences of higher productivity, moribund economic growth and cheap labor in developing nations, we won't see the kind of price inflation that characterized the 1970s. 
 
"But we will see galloping monetary inflation — or much more currency in circulation — and the result will be higher prices for assets such as commodities and equities.
 
"So if gold is going to lead the pack, what's the best gold investment? In my opinion, smaller gold exploration and development companies will o?er valuable leverage to gold, and one of the best is Keegan Resources.
 
"Keegan controls the Esaase gold project, a major mine-in-the-making located in the investor-friendly nation of Ghana, in west Africa. 
 
"The company has made quick work of the project, going from field exploration to drilling to resource definition and pre-feasibility studies in a span of just three years. 
 
"Now, Keegan finds itself sitting on top of a near-surface, open-pittable deposit that contains 3.47 million ounces of gold according to the most recent resource estimate.
 
"As impressive as that total is, it has the potential to grow significantly larger. The outlined resource remains open both along trend and at depth, and it lies within a country that hosts some of the world's largest gold deposits.
 
"Whether Keegan can unearth a resource of similar size at Esaase remains to be seen, but most analysts feel the next resource estimate will show the total gold holdings to have increased to at least five million ounces. 
 
"And with the company tying up new ground along trend, there's literally no telling how large this find could grow.
 
"Frankly, I don't expect Keegan to develop Esaase into a mine — that job will likely devolve to the major mining company that buys Esaase, or Keegan itself. 
 
"The company's management team knows this as well, and they are guaranteeing the best price by advancing steadily toward production.
 
"Keegan was among the highest of the high flyers during gold's fall rally. Although the share price has therefore come back fairly hard during the subsequent correction, the closing of a recent financing essentially opened a door to potential take-out o?ers for the company. 
 
"While I know of no indications that any o?ers are forthcoming, there is the possibility that a bid, or a bidding war, could emerge at any time. In light of this, and considering the dip in its share price, Keegan is one of my top gold stock recommendations."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.15 From Daily Paycheck: Kinder Morgan (KMP)

For her top pick for 2011, income specialist Amy Calistri looks to Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: KMP).
 
The editor of The Daily Paycheck explains, "I always look for the gift that keeps on giving; that's how I view this master limited partnership, which produces a steady stream of income each and every quarter.
 
"Kinder Morgan Energy Partners is one of the largest owners and operators of energy- product pipelines and storage facilities in the United States. 
 
"Formed in 1992, KMP is structured as a publicly-traded master limited partnership (MLP). MLPs are an important asset class for income investors because they are legally required to distribute most of their taxable income and cash flow to shareholders (known as 'unitholders'). 
 
"KMP's extensive pipeline systems carry products such as gasoline and heating oil from the Gulf Coast to the East and West Coasts.
 
"KMP also owns and operates a network of carbon-dioxide (CO2) pipelines, which are used in a process known as enhanced oil recovery. These pipes carry CO2 to old oil fields where it is injected into the fields to increase productivity. These enhanced recovery techniques become more popular as oil prices rise.
 
"And KMP is continuing to grow its pipeline revenues through expansion. This past November , the Rockies Express Pipeline became fully operational.
 
"KMP owns a 50% stake in the 1,679-mile project, which carries natural gas from the Rocky Mountains to the Pennsylvania/Ohio border.
 
"Although KMP is an energy-related company, its revenues are relatively insensitive to energy prices. The partnership earns fees based on the amount -- not the price -- of gas, oil or refined products it processes and transports.
 
"Many of its interstate pipelines charge rates that are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. These regulated rates are set to allow Kinder Morgan a steady, reliable return on invested capital.
 
"Further, the partnership has already locked in guaranteed capacity from a few shippers on its pipes. KMP appears to be on track to not only deliver, but also continue to grow, its distributions.
 
"And when it comes to distributions, KMP has a stellar track record, having made quarterly payments like clockwork since October 1992.
 
"KMP also has a very consistent record of dividend growth, boosting distributions nearly every year since its inception. The partnership has increased its distributions at an annualized rate of +7.5% in the last five years alone.
 
"KMP currently pays a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per unit, equivalent to $4.20 per year for a yield of approximately 7% at current prices. It should be noted that MLPs are best held in taxable accounts as most of their distributions are classified as 'return of capital'."
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.16 From Mark Leibovit: Legend International (LGDI)

Mark Leibovit uses a proprietary technical trading system known as volume reversal analyst; over time his buy and sell signals for the market has led to one of the top rankings among market timers -- including being ranked timer of the year in 2006 by Timer Digest.
 
He also uses this system to highlight trades among individual top stocks to buy -- such as his top pick for 2011: Legend International Holdings (Other OTC: LGDI). Here's the latest from his VRTrader.
 
"Legend International Holdings, Inc. engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties. It principally focuses on the development of its phosphate deposits located in the Mt. Isa district, along the margin of the Georgina Basin of Queensland, Australia. 
 
"The company also owns interests in diamond and base metal projects located in Northern Territory. Its exploration licenses cover 40,525 acres in Queensland and 4.7 million acres in the Northern Territory, Australia. 
 
"Legend International Holdings has a strategic alliance agreement with Wengfu Group Co. Ltd. The company was formerly known as Sundew International, Inc. and changed its name to Legend International Holdings, Inc. in March 2003. Legend International Holdings was founded in 2001 and is based in Melbourne, Australia.  "Our technical target for the shares is a move to $2.25-$2.50."
 
 
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.17 From Gene Inger: Level 3 Communications (LVLT)

"Our bias has again shifted temporarily to the bearish side, which makes me cautious about picking stocks in early 2011," says Gene Inger. With that caveat in mind, the editor of The Inger Letter looks to the Level 3 Communications(NASDAQ: LVLT), s speculative, low-priced issue.
 
 "We owned this top stock years ago and when Level 3 bought Broadwing we got stock and cash; thus solid profits years ago or zero-cost basis on Level 3 shares.  "After pundits hyped it (at triple current prices)  the top stock has dropped to an area of attractiveness. One caution: from sub-$1 levels during our forecast market panic a year ago, the shares have doubled; thus it's not impossible that 'capital gains taking' could suppress the top stock somewhat early-on in the new year.
 
"Thus our buy-zone will be particularly wide; such as between 90 cents and $1.30 or so. One may elect to pay more and scale-in; though we'd prefer to buy in on pullbacks.
 
"Meanwhile, we note that their ability to service their debt should not be an issue presently; so we are interested to see what they do over the next year or two; not past 2012. 
 
"Our original interest in Broadwing -- now absorbed by Level 3 -- was the all-digital-optical as well as transcontinental (now to Europe as well) fiber system.
 
"This system has no latency as still is common with satellite and many other systems (including most fiber networks). 
 
"On top of that mobile carriers are increasingly looking to 'backhaul alternatives' to meet their increasing bandwidth needs, which should increasingly result in o?oading to fiber backhaul systems.
 
"The low latency is a reason why most sports and news networks are using Level 3 (two-way conversation reveals latency, whereas one-way conventional transmission doesn't) for their HDTV broadcasts, and we believe that will increase in importance as 3D arrives eventually.
 
"Additional pluses in the fullness of time include bandwidth requirements in the Cloud Computing area; digitized medical record keeping; military uses (they have certain key Federal accounts) and certainly the growth of telecommunications in-lieu of physical travel.
 
"In the sense that reduced physical, and increased optical transport, is e?cient; that's actually a bit of a green' story as well."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.18 From Jim Stack: PepsiCo (PEP)

"PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), my top pick for 2011, remains underrated by the  market," says Jim Stack. 
 
The money manager and editor of InvesTech Market Analyst suggests,  "All too often,  it's viewed as a stodgy soft drink company, fully reliant on its namesake soda line. That's a misconception." Here, the sets the record straight.
 
"In reality, PepsiCo owns some of the most sought after brands in the world, including Gatorade, Tropicana, Frito-Lay, and Doritos.  It does business in more than 200 countries worldwide, including key emerging market economies like China and India.
 
"Perhaps most important of all, it's a growth company with analysts expecting long-term future earnings growth of 10-12% per year.
 
"In recent months, PepsiCo has taken another major step forward with the pending acquisition of its two primary bottlers – Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas. 
 
"The acquisition provides the potential to eliminate an estimated $500 million to $1 billion in redundant costs.  If those cost savings are transferred directly to the bottom line, shareholders could see a significant increase in net income of 10% to 20%. 
 
"Of perhaps even greater benefit, the purchase brings 80% of North American beverage distribution 'in-house.' This move will bring management one step closer to its final customers – injecting a level of flexibility into operations not often seen with a company of PepsiCo's size. 
 
"The acquisition further ties together the Pepsi story – a well run company with market leading growth positions and an attractive valuation. 
 
"The executive suite neatly combines the beverage 'megabrands' such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana, and Mountain Dew with the world's largest snack food company, Frito-Lay. 
 
"Management then leverages these brands into international growth markets such as Latin America and Asia where sales volume increased more than 20% in 2008, and despite the most challenging world economy in decades, has seen high single-digit growth so far in 2009.
 
" On top of all this, Pepsi is currently trading at valuation levels not seen in 15 years.  And although it's a growth company, Pepsi still o?ers the dividend yield (3.0%) of a stalwart. 
 
"Bottom line, Pepsi remains underrated by the market in general, and the bottler acquisition only enhances the company's outlook."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.19 From Alex Kolb: Perfect World (PWRD)

 "Perfect World Company Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD), an online game  developer and operator, is my top investment idea for 2011," says Alex Kolb.
 
The growth & income analyst for Zacks.com explains, "Chinese stocks have been on fire lately and Perfect World Co., Ltd. is no exception. And the company's fundamentals point to even stronger momentum in 2011.
 
"The company develops online games based on its game engines and game development platforms. Perfect World's games include massively multiplayer online role playing games ('MMORPGs') such asPerfect World, Legend of Martial Arts, Perfect World II, Battle of the Immortals and Fantasy Zhu Xian to name a few.
 
"Perfect World says that a substantial portion of the revenues are generated in China. However, its games have been licensed to leading game operators in a number of countries and regions in Asia, Europe and South America.
 
"The company also generates revenues from game operation in North America and plans to continue to explore new and innovative business models.
 
"Competitors like Shanda are also performing extremely well, an indicator that online role playing games are very popular and should continue attracting more players in 2011.
 
"PWRD shares have soared by more than 120% so far in 2009, surpassing the major averages by more than 100%. Despite the significant surge, the top stock is attractively price with a forward P/E of 14. 
 
"Perfect World's fundamentals point to even stronger momentum in 2011. Analysts polled by Zacks currently have 2011 earnings pegged at $3.66 per share. The forecast is up from $3.45 over the past 2 months and compares favorably to the current 2009 Zacks Consensus estimate of $2.90.
 
"If history is any indication, earnings will exceed forecasts. Since 2007, Perfect World has consistently topped earnings expectations. Earnings surpassed estimates by an average of 31% over the past 4 consecutive quarters.
 
"The company is expected to see 33% earnings growth over the next 3 – 5 years, well above the industry's expectation of 18% growth. Other strong industry comparisons include Perfect World's return on equity (ROE) of 55.5%, versus the industry average of 2.5%.
 
"The company boasts a net profit margin of 47%, while the industry average is in the negative. It is also worth noting that Perfect World sports a solid balance sheet, showing no debt.
 
"The company saw robust results in the third quarter. Earnings per share of 81 cents came in 8% ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Total revenues jumped 13% year-over-year.
 
"Management mentioned that third-quarter results exceeded the company's expectations, adding that Perfect World continues to strengthen its competitive advantages in the industry by strategically crafting a highly diversified portfolio of truly di?erentiated games.
 
"Recently, the company introduced a new 3D fantasy MMORPG, Forsaken World. Management explained that this game breaks new ground in terms of overall planning, programming and graphical designs."
 

Top Stocks For 2011 No.20 From Marcie Wilmot: PMC Sierra (PMCS)

 "PMC Sierra (NASDAQ: PMCS), my top pick for 2011, was a high-flying star during the telecom boom of 1999-2000, but crashed as the bubble of demand burst in 2001," notes Marcie Wilmot.
 
The contributing editor to Next Inning, a tech-savvy newsletter, suggests, "While it was rough sailing for PMCS after this crash, the company recast its business and operating models and is now successfully focusing on high-growth markets where it could leverage its core di?erentiation.
 
"The net result has been very impressive revenue growth and strategic penetration into markets such as FTTx, Wireless back-haul, Networking, Storage and High-end Printing.
 
"While PMCS fell 6% short of reporting a post-crash revenue record for calendar Q3, it set a new post-crash non-GAAP operating profit margin record at 27.3%. This tells us that during the last year PMCS has taken steps to notably improve the leverage provided by its operating model.
 
"I believe it also supports my contention that PMCS is well poised to continue topping the earnings consensus of the covering analysts as it has during each of the last three quarters.
 
"In looking to 2011, I believe we'll continue to see strong growth from the market sectors noted above with very notable upsides generated by both PMCS' RISC processor business with Hewlett-Packard (high-end printers) as well as from its storage business where it sells products to virtually all the major tier one players.
 
"Based on this view, even in my most conservative model, this leads me to believe PMCS will report non-GAAP earnings in 2011 of $0.60, slightly above the current $0.57 consensus and aligned with the highest estimate provided by the 10 analysts covering the top stock.
 
"In my estimation, when coupled with the net cash value listed on PMCS' balance sheet of $0.94 per fully diluted share, this justifies a current fair value price in the range of $10.62 to $11.42.
 
"While that is only a modest upside from its current price in the mid-$8 range, a year from now when we're looking at what I believe will be a notably higher estimate for PMCS forward earnings in 2011, I think PMCS will merit a fair value price that is somewhere in the mid-teens."