Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015

NEW YORK (MarketWatch)-- Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its rating on New Jersey's general obligation debt to A+ from AA- Wednesday afternoon. It also lowered its rating on the state's appropriation-backed debt to A from A+ and its rating on the state's moral obligation debt to BBB+ from A-, while maintaining a stable outlook on the state's ratings. S&P analysts said in a note that the downgrade reflects a "sizeable structural imbalance" related to the state's attempts to balance its budget, which the firm believes will lead to "future budgetary pressures." The analysts acknowledged the state's economic environment is generally improving, but won't be enough to offset potential unfunded pension liabilities. "By using bullish assumptions about revenue growth and one-time measures to close budget gaps, the state defers making long-term structural changes to better align revenues and expenditures, defers budgetary pressures to future years' budgets and increases its exposure to an eventual economic downturn," analysts said in the report.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Dow Treasuries(DV)

DeVry Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides educational services worldwide. The company operates various institutions, including Advanced Academics, American University of the Caribbean, Becker Professional Education, Carrington College and Carrington College California, Chamberlain College of Nursing, DeVry Brasil, DeVry University, and Ross University. These institutions offer an array of programs in business, healthcare, and technology, as well as serve students in middle school through postsecondary education, and accounting and finance professionals. It offers career-oriented associate, bachelor?s, and master?s degree programs in technology, science, business, arts, and nursing; medical and veterinary medical education; and undergraduate and graduate programs focused in business management, nursing, law, and engineering, as well as online learning solutions for middle and high school education. The company also prepares students for careers in healthcare th rough certificate, associate, and bachelor?s degree programs; and candidates for the certified public accountant examination, chartered financial analyst professional certification examinations, and the project management professional certification examination, as well as provides continuing professional education programs and seminars in accounting and finance. DeVry Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  So what: ITT Educational Services (NYSE: ESI  ) reported earnings earlier this morning, shooting up 30%, and earlier this week,�Capella Education (NASDAQ: CPLA  ) jumped 15% after reporting, and is now approaching a new 52-week high. The education sector has gotten hammered over the last couple of years, but investors seem to be getting the feeling that enrollment numbers are bottoming. One exception was DeVry (NYSE: DV  ) , which fell sharply after reporting earnings earlier this week, but still managed to gain 5.8% today.

• [By Bill Smith]

  Competition
  ESI competes with many other for-profit ventures, including:
  Other for-profit educators, such as: Strayer (STRA), Apollo (APOL), DeVry (DV), Capella (CPLA), Corinthian Colleges (COCO), and Career Education Corporation (CECO)Traditional colleges/universitiesCommunity colleges
  Sales, EBITDA and Earnings
  ESI has steadily increased revenue and earnings. In the last decade they've grown revenue at 20.8%; EBITDA at 34.4%; FCF at 22.5%, and Book Value at 8.5%.
  

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The filing, however, hasn’t had much of an impact. Shares of ITT Educational Services have dropped just 3.4% this week but have gained 95% so far in 2013. Corinthian Colleges (COCO), on the other hand, has dropped 27% this year, while DeVry Education (DV) has gained 50% and Apollo Education (APOL) has advanced 30%.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Ishares Trust S & P500/Bar (IVW)

iShares S&P 500 Growth Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poor's 500/Citigroup Growth Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the large-capitalization growth sector of the United States equity market. It is a subset of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and consists of those companies exhibiting the strongest growth characteristics in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, representing approximately 49% of the market capitalization of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.

The Fund uses a representative sampling strategy in seeking to track the Index. Barclays Global Fund Advisors (BGFA) serves as an advisor to the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  3. U.S. equities record another good year despite enduring a 10% correction – Another 10% correction call, followed by a bull market resumption…. Doll expects that market gains will depend more on earnings growth rather than further multiple expansion. He also would use pullbacks as buying opportunities as most fundamentals continue to improve.

  ETF Recommendation: SPDR S&P 500 (NYSEArca: SPY) for broad market, or iShares S&P 500 Growth (NYSEArca: IVW) for a growth focus.

  4. Cyclical stocks outperform defensive stocks – This puts consumer discretionary, energy, financials, industrials, technology and materials all doing better than consumer staples, healthcare, telecom, and utilities. Doll also prefers a free cash flow yield to dividend yield and dividend growth over dividend yield.

5 Best Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Arch Capital Group Ltd.(ACGL)

Arch Capital Group Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. It operates in two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers casualty; construction; executive assurance; healthcare; collateral protection, debt cancellation, and service contract reimbursement products; national accounts casualty; professional liability; programs; property, energy, marine, and aviation; surety; and travel and accident insurance products. It also provides other insurance products, such as excess workers compensation and employers' liability insurance coverages for qualified self-insured groups, associations, and trusts; captive insurance programs; and accident, disability, and medical plan insurance coverages for employer groups, medical plan members, students, and other participant groups. This segment markets its products through a network of licensed independent retail and wholesale brokers. The Reinsurance segment rei nsures third party liability and worker?s compensation exposures; individual property risks that include personal lines and commercial property exposures; other specialty lines, including surety, accident and health, workers' compensation catastrophe, multi-peril crop, trade credit, and political risk; catastrophic perils, such as hurricane, earthquake, flood, tornado, hail, and fire; marine business, which includes coverage for hull, cargo, and transit and offshore oil and gas operations, as well as aviation business that comprises coverage for airline and general aviation risks; and non-traditional business to provide insurers with risk management solutions. This segment markets its reinsurance products through brokers, as well as directly with the ceding companies. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Arch Capital (ACGL)'s Dinos Iordanu recently described to our analysts how he met me in 2001. Before we invested in his business, we asked him all sorts of personal questions about how he came to America from Cyprus; whether or not his wife had a job; and how big was his house? He told our analysts that "Ron was trying to get a sense of me. He wanted to understand how I viewed risk. No one else asked us such questions. They were the right questions since you were investing in our business, which was assuming underwriting risk on your behalf. "We got it right with Dinos and have about quadrupled our money in the past twelve years, not exactly the most propitious time to invest in stocks! Of course, there can be no assurance that future investments will be as profitable��lthough you can be assured that we will continue to work hard to try to achieve similar results.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  For the past several years, Berkshire has contrasted its own cost-free float provided by profitable underwriting against the industry�� (unimpressive) tendency to lose money on underwriting while generating net returns from investment income. So far, so good. Less edifying, though, is the repeated contrast of Berkshire�� track record of profitability to State Farm��…even though, as a mutual company, State Farm�� profitability goals are inherently different from for-profit insurers like Berkshire. It�� true that through year-end 2013, Berkshire�� underwriters have ��ow operated at an underwriting profit for eleven consecutive years,��but so have ACE (ACE), American Financial (AFG),� AmTrust Financial (AFSI), Arch Capital (ACGL), Chubb (CB), HCC (HCC), Progressive (PGR), RLI (RLI), and W.R. Berkley (WRB), any or all of whom provide a more meaningful comparison than contrasting Berkshire�� results to a company that�� not out to produce a profit in the first place.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Inphi Corporation (IPHI)

Inphi Corporation provides high-speed analog and mixed signal semiconductor solutions for the communications, datacenter, and computing markets worldwide. Its analog and mixed signal semiconductor solutions offer high signal integrity at data speeds while reducing system power consumption. The company�s semiconductor solutions are designed to address bandwidth bottlenecks in networks, maximize throughput and minimize latency in computing environments, and enable the rollout of next generation communications, datacenter, and computing infrastructures. Its solutions provide a high-speed interface between analog signals and digital information in high-performance systems, such as telecommunications transport systems, enterprise networking equipment, datacenters and enterprise servers, storage platforms, test and measurement equipment, and military systems. The company also provides 40G and 100G high-speed analog semiconductor solutions for the communications market and high- speed memory interface solutions for the computing market. Its products include amplifiers and modulator drivers, clock and data recovery, isolation memory buffer, register, and SerDes products that perform a range of functions, such as amplifying, encoding, multiplexing, demultiplexing, retiming, and buffering data and clock signals at speeds up to 100 Gbps. Inphi Corporation sells its products directly through its sales force, as well as through a network of sales representatives and distributors to original equipment manufacturers. The company was formerly known as TCom Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Inphi Corporation in February 2001. Inphi Corporation was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Inphi (IPHI) provides high-speed analog and mixed signal semiconductor solutions for the communications, datacenter and computing markets. This stock closed up 4.7% at $13.25 in Monday's trading session.

  Monday's Volume: 838,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 202,080
  
  Volume % Change: 378%

  From a technical perspective, IPHI jumped higher here right above some near-term support at $12.44 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $8.62 to its intraday high of $13.85. During that uptrend, shares of IPHI have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move briefly pushed shares of IPHI into breakout territory, since the stock flirted with some near-term overhead resistance at $13.50.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IPHI as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $12.44 and then once it sustains a move or close above its new 52-week high at $13.85 with volume that hits near or above 202,080 shares. If we get that move soon, then IPHI will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are its next major overhead resistance levels at $14.79 to $16.94, or possibly even $18.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Nordson Corporation(NDSN)

Nordson Corporation manufactures equipment used for precision dispensing, testing and inspection, and surface preparation and curing. Its Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment manufactures equipment for applying adhesives, lotions, and liquids to disposable products; automated adhesive dispensing systems for the food and beverage, and packaged goods industries; hot melt and cold glue adhesive dispensing systems for the paper and paperboard converting industries; adhesive and sealant dispensing systems for bonding or sealing plastic, metal, and wood products; and laminating and coating systems to manufacture continuous-roll goods in the nonwovens, textile, paper, and flexible-packaging industries. The company?s Advanced Technology Systems segment comprises automated gas plasma treatment systems used to clean and condition surfaces for the semiconductor, medical, and printed circuit board industries; controlled manual and automated systems for applying materials in customer pr ocesses requiring precision and material conservation; ultraviolet equipment used in curing and drying operations for specialty coatings, semiconductor materials, and paints; and bond testing and automated optical and x-ray inspection systems used in the semiconductor and printed circuit board industries. Its Industrial Coating Systems segment provides automated and manual dispensing systems used for applying coatings, paint, finishes, sealants, and other materials. Nordson Corporation markets its products in the United States and internationally through a direct sales force, as well as through qualified distributors and sales representatives. It serves various markets, including the appliance, automotive, bookbinding, container, converting, electronics, food and beverage, furniture, life sciences and medical, metal finishing, non woven, packaging, and semiconductor industries. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Westlake, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of industrial product manufacturer Nordson (NASDAQ: NDSN  ) dropped as much as 10% today after the company reported fiscal second-quarter earnings.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Nordson Corp.'s(NDSN) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell 12% on weaker demand, though the maker of dispensing equipment noted improvement in recent order trends.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Norwood Financial Corp.(NWFL)

Norwood Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for the Wayne Bank, which provides various commercial banking products and services to individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities in Pennsylvania. The company?s various deposit products include interest-bearing and noninterest bearing transaction accounts, statement savings and money market accounts, and certificate of deposits. Its loan products comprise mortgage loans to finance principal residences, as well as second home dwellings; commercial loans, including lines of credit, revolving credit, term loans, mortgages, secured lending, and letter of credit facilities; construction loans for commercial construction and single-family residences; and indirect dealer financing of new and used automobiles, boats, and recreational vehicles. The company also offers various other services, such as cash management, direct deposit, remote deposit capture, automated clearing house activity, credit ser vices, trust, investment products, real estate settlement services, and Internet banking. It operates five offices in Wayne County, three offices in Pike County, and three offices in Monroe County, and also serves Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties. The company operates eleven automated teller machines in its branch locations. Norwood Financial Corp. was founded in 1870 and is headquartered in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Bank holding company Norwood Financial (NWFL) raised its quarterly dividend 7.1% to 30 cents per share, payable on Feb. 3 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 15.
  NWFL Dividend Yield: 4.39%

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Silver Wheaton Corp(SLW)

Silver Wheaton Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a silver streaming company worldwide. The company has 14 long-term silver purchase agreements and 2 long-term precious metal purchase agreements whereby it acquires silver and gold production from the counterparties located in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Greece, Sweden, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Portugal. Silver Wheaton Corp. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  The suspension necessitated that it renegotiate the contract it has with Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) , which was anticipating taking 25% of the silver streams from Pascua-Lama. Because Barrick was contractually required to have 75% of the construction completed by the end of 2015, something that obviously wasn't going to happen, the silver streamer could have demanded back the upfront payments it gave the miner, minus credits for silver already received from three South American mines where it had been getting 100% of their streams and which was scheduled to end this year. As of the end of September, the payback figure stood at $371 million.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  )
  My plan is actually to bring "beating the dead horse" to a whole new level. I'm fully aware that I've been pounding the table on Silver Wheaton for some time now, but there's very little denying the fact that it's one of the most strategically smart royalty interest companies in existence.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  During the past decade, Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) has taken advantage of soaring silver prices using its unique silver streaming business model. But in the following video, Fool contributor Dan Caplinger says there will be difficult times ahead for Silver Wheaton to navigate. One of the most obvious challenges is the recent decline in silver prices.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc.(LXRX)

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery and development of drug candidates for the treatment of various human diseases. The company utilizes gene knockout technologies and an integrated platform of medical technologies to systematically study the physiological and behavioral functions of approximately 5,000 genes in mice and assessed the utility of the proteins encoded by the corresponding human genes as drug targets. Its portfolio of orally-delivered small molecule compounds that have completed or are presently conducting phase 2 clinical trails includes LX4211 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; LX1031 for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders; LX1032 for the treatment of the symptoms associated with carcinoid syndrome; and LX2931 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. The company also develops LX1033, an orally-delivered small molecule compound that is in phase 1 clinical trails for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders. In addition, it develops three orally-delivered small molecule compounds in preclinical development stage that include LX7101 for treatment of glaucoma; LX5061 for the treatment of osteoporosis; and LX2311 for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Further, the company has small molecule compounds from various additional drug discovery programs in various stages of preclinical research. It has drug discovery and development collaborations with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Genentech, Inc.; N.V. Organon; and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. The company also has a series of agreements with Symphony Icon, Inc. for the financing of clinical development programs; and an alliance with Nuevolution A/S to access Nuevolution?s Chemetics chemistry technology. Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc.(LXRX) said a pilot study of a treatment for ulcerative colitis showed certain clinical benefits, but the results lacked other findings that would indicate a large enough impact to move ahead on developing the treatment for this particular use. Shares dropped.

Best Managed Healthcare Stocks For 2015: Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN)

Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (the Fund) is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund primarily invests in a diversified equity portfolio that seeks to substantially replicate price movements of either the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index or a weighted average of the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and the NASDAQ-100 Index and is designed to support the Funds' index option strategies. Nuveen Asset Management is the adviser of the Fund. The Adviser has engaged Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. (Gateway/Sub-Adviser) as Sub-Adviser to provide discretionary investment advisory services.

The initial target weighting of the Fund's equity portfolio in seeking to replicate the weighted average price movements of the market indexes will be 75% of the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and 25% of the NASDAQ-100 Index. Over time, these percentage weightings may vary as the result of relative changes in each index. The Fund intends to pursue its investment objectives by utilizing an index option strategy of selling index call options and buying index put options, each on the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index and the NASDAQ-100 Index.

The Fund's comparative benchmark performance is a blended return consisting of 75% of the return of the S&P 500 Index, and 25% of the return of the NASDAQ-100 Index, which includes 100 of the largest domestic and international non-financial companies listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market based on market capitalization. The NASDAQ-100 Index reflects companies across major industry groups, including computer hardware and software, telecommunications, retail/wholesale trade and biotechnology.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Hsu]

  Here are four to consider:

  PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite ETF (PBP), yielding 4.09%
  
  Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy (MCN), yielding 8.94%
  
  Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN), yielding 9.19%
  
  BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers (BDJ), yielding 7.39%
  
  

  The yield on these funds is very attractive. Even more attractive is the fact that many buy-write funds actually are selling at a discount to their net asset value.