Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now

The Financial Services Institute started 10 years ago “because of need … our members needed a voice” in Washington, Dale Brown, president and CEO of FSI, told reporters at an early Tuesday morning briefing at the OneVoice2014 conference in Washington.

FSI “filled that void and our members saw the potential that we were going to survive and be credible,” Brown said. Since launching a decade ago, advisor and broker-dealer members “have gotten on board in a big way.” Indeed, this year’s OneVoice, FSI’s conference for its broker-dealer members, drew nearly 800 attendees.

Brown credits FSI’s success in growing its membership — which now includes 37,000 advisors and more than 100 BD firms — to its laser-focused mission. “From day one” FSI has had a “clear focus of advocacy,” Brown said. “We aren’t trying to compete with other organizations” in the advisor and BD space. “Our core focus is advocacy — that clarity of mission has been critical.”

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: Xoom Corp (XOOM)

Xoom Corporation (Xoom), incorporated on October 10, 2012, is engaged in online international money transfer service. Its customers use Xoom to send money to family and friends in 30 countries. The Company generates revenue from transaction fees charged to customers and from foreign exchange spreads on transactions where the payout currency is other than United States dollars. In February 2014, Xoom Corp acquired BlueKite, LTD, a technology company that develops solutions and applications.

The Company�� solutions are designed to offer customers a convenient, fast and cost-effective way to send money to family and friends at any time, from any Internet-enabled location. The Company�� solutions include Origination, Funding, Disbursement and Transaction Processing.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Zacks Investment Research]

  Xoom (XOOM) is also a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock that IPO'ed this year. The stock zoomed higher by a healthy 60% on its first day of trading. The online international money transfer service has been public since February 15 and had an offering price of $16 per share.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alliance One International Inc (AOI)

Alliance One International, Inc., incorporated on October 19, 1994, is a leaf tobacco merchant. The Company is engaged in purchasing, processing, packing, storing and shipping tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products globally. The Company deals primarily in flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos that is used in international brand cigarettes. The Company�� revenues are primarily comprised of sales of processed tobacco and fees charged for processing and related services to these manufacturers of tobacco products. The Company does not manufacture cigarettes or other consumer tobacco products.

Tobacco is primarily purchased directly from suppliers with small quantities still sold at auction. In non-auction markets, the Company purchases tobacco directly from suppliers and the Company assumes the risk of matching the quantities and grades required by its customers to the entire crop it must purchase under contract. The Company purchases tobacco in more than 35 countries. During the year ended March 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), approximately 30% of the Company�� purchases of tobacco were from the South America operating segment, approximately 5% were from the Value Added Services operating segment and approximately 65% from the Other Regions operating segment.

The Company processes tobacco to meet each customer's specifications as to quality, yield, chemistry, particle size, moisture content and other characteristics. Unprocessed tobacco is a semi-perishable commodity that generally must be processed within a relatively short period of time to prevent fermentation or deterioration in quality. The Company processes tobacco in more than 35 owned and third-party facilities around the world including Argentina, Brazil, China, Zimbabwe, Jordan, Guatemala, India, Tanzania, the United States, Malawi, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. These facilities encompass all export locations of flue-cured, burley and oriental tobaccos! . In addition, the Company has entered into contracts, joint ventures and other arrangements for the purchase of tobacco grown in substantially all other countries that produce export-quality flue-cured and burley tobacco. The Company also sells a small amount of processed but unthreshed flue-cured and burley tobacco in loose-leaf and bundle form to certain customers. In 2013, Alliance One delivered approximately 41% of its tobacco sales to customers in Europe and approximately 19% to customers in the United States. In 2013, these Belgium sales accounted for 20% of sales to customers in Europe. The Company ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products located in approximately 90 countries around the world as designated by these manufacturers.

The Company competes with Japan Tobacco, Inc. (JTI), Philip Morris International, Inc. (PMI), and Imperial Tobacco Group PLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  Camtek was an automated optical inspection (AOI) company that designed and manufactured inspection systems for printed circuit boards (PCB). Further, they were in the process of designing systems to inspect semiconductors as well. The logic for investing in AOI companies was simple: Many circuit boards still employed visual inspection and circuits were getting smaller every year.

• [By John Emerson]

  As noted previously, I rode the elevator up and then back down on Camtek (CAMT), a tiny Israeli automated optical inspection (AOI) company. By late 2008 the company had fallen to below $1 per share. Both of Camtek�� larger rivals, RTEC and ORBK, had dropped to absurdly low levels by November 2008. I used the opportunity to switch out of CAMT and some of my other losing propositions in favor of these superior companies. In the process, I created a large amount of tax loss carry-forwards which would allow me to minimize my future taxation when I decided to sell these cyclical entities.

• [By Sally Jones] ng>Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

  Down 12% over 12 months, Alliance One International Inc. has a market cap of $251.53 million; its shares were traded at around $2.86, which is 2.4% above its 52-week low. The P/E ratio is 65.10, and the P/B ratio is 0.80.

  Alliance One is a tobacco leaf supplier serving the world's largest cigarette manufacturers. The company purchases, processes, packs, stores and ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products throughout the world. Alliance One deals mainly in tobacco types used in international brand cigarettes. As a tobacco leaf merchant, Alliance One purchases tobacco grown in over 45 countries and serves cigarette manufacturers in over 90 countries.

  The company reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, with a net loss of $36.9 million, down further from a net loss in the same quarter last year of 30.7 million. The net loss translates to $(0.42) per basic share for the reporting quarter.

  Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:

  [ Enlarge Image ]

  Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Seth Klarman holds 7,669,969 shares, valued at $29.14 million, and weighting his portfolio at 0.72%. In the second quarter, he sold 461,625 shares at an average price of $3.74 for a loss of 23.5%.

  In six quarters of double-digit losses, Klarman has averaged a loss of 31% on 5,800,000 shares bought at an average price of $4.17 per share. He has averaged a loss of 38% on 1,798,473 shares sold at an average price of $4.59 per share.

  Seth Klarman is one of six gurus holding AOI as of June 30, 2013, and there is recent insider trading.

  Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC)

  Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

  Down 54% over 12 months, Kinross Gold Corporation has a market cap of $5.32 billion; its shares were traded at around $4.66, 2.8% above its 52-week low. The P/B ratio is 0.80. The dividend yield is 3.44%.

  Kinross Gold Corporati

Best Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now: j2 Global Inc (JCOM)

j2 Global, Inc., incorporated on December 14, 1995, is a provider of services delivered through the Internet. The Company provides cloud services to businesses of all sizes, from individuals to enterprises. The Company operates in two segments: Business Cloud Services and Digital Media. The Company's Digital Media business segment consists of the Web properties and business operations of Ziff Davis, Inc. (Ziff Davis). The Company�� cloud services and solutions include fax, voice and unified communications, email and customer relationship management, online backup, global network and operations, and customer support services. In February 2013, it acquired IGN Entertainment, Inc. On November 9, 2012, the Company acquired Ziff Davis. Effective March 18, 2013, it acquired MetroFax Inc. In April 2013, the Company acquired Backup Connect BV.

Business Cloud Services

The Company's eFax and MyFax online fax services enable users to receive faxes into their email inboxes and to send faxes via the Internet. eVoice and Onebox provides the Company's customers a virtual phone system with various available enhancements. The Company's FuseMail service provides the Company's customers email, archival and perimeter protection solutions, while Campaigner provides its customers email marketing solutions. KeepItSafe enables the Company's customers to securely backup their data and dispose of tape or other physical systems. The Company's CampaignerCRM business provides customer relationship management solutions designed to increase the Company's customers' sales and increase efficiency. The Company also generates Business Cloud Services revenues from patent licensing and sales and advertising. The Company�� Business Cloud Services and solutions are of two types: direct inward-dial number (DID) -based, which are services provided in whole or in part through a telephone number and non-DID-based, which are its other cloud services for business. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had DIDs issued! to approximately 2.1 million paying subscribers.

The Company's services allow individuals to receive and send faxes as email attachments. In addition to eFax , the Company offers online fax services under a variety of alternative brands, including MyFax , eFax Plus , eFax Pro, eFax Corporate and eFax Developer . eVoice is a virtual phone system that provides small and medium-sized businesses on-demand voice communications services, featuring a toll-free or local company DID, auto-attendant and menu tree. With these services, a subscriber can assign departmental and individual extensions that can connect to multiple United States or Canadian DIDs, including land-line and mobile phones and Internet protocol (IP) networks. These services also include advanced integrated voicemail for each extension, unifying mobile, office and other separate voicemail services and improving efficiency by delivering voicemails in both native audio format and as transcribed text. Onebox is a unified communications suite. It combines the features of many of the Company's other branded services, plus added functionality, to provide a virtual office. Onebox includes a virtual phone system, hosted email, online fax, audio conferencing and Web conferencing.

FuseMail offers hosted email, email encryption and email archival services to businesses. These solutions are hosted offsite and seamlessly integrated into a customer's existing email system. The services include hosted email, VirusSMART virus scanning, CypherSMART encryption services, SpamSMART SPAM filtering and VaultSMART / PolicySMART archiving, which delivers a secure, scalable email archiving and customizable compliance tool to correspond with a company's retention policy. Campaigner is an email marketing service that enables businesses to easily create and send personalized one-to-one email communications to subscribers and customers to build better relationships. Campaigner also helps businesses increase the size of their mailing lists, compl! y with em! ail regulations like CAN-SPAM and get more emails to more inboxes. CampaignerCRM is a cloud-based CRM solution specifically designed to help small/medium-sized businesses close more deals, reduce the sales cycle and sell larger deals. CampaignerCRM has a sales checklist capability that gives sales representatives a step-by-step plan to closing a deal. With CampaignerCRM's Social CRM capabilities, companies can seamlessly integrate a customer's latest information from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook directly into their Contact profile. KeepItSafe provides managed and monitored online backup solutions for businesses, using its ISO-certified platform.

The Company's Business Cloud Services business operates multiple physical Points of Presence (POPs) worldwide, a central data center in Los Angeles and several remote disaster recovery facilities. The Company connects its POPs to its central data centers through redundant, and often times diverse, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) using the Internet. The Company's network is designed to deliver value-added user applications, customer support and billing services for the Company's customers anywhere in the world and a local presence for its DID-based service customers from thousands of cities in 49 countries on six continents. The Company offers DIDs covering all major metropolitan areas in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and such other major cities as Berlin, Hong Kong, Madrid, Manila, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, Rome, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo and Zurich. The Company has customers located throughout the world.

The Company's Business Cloud Services customer service organization supports the Company's cloud services customers through a combination of online self-help, email communications, interactive chat sessions and telephone calls. The Company's Internet-based online self-help tools enable customers to resolve simple issues on their own, eliminating the need to speak or write to the Company's customer service re! presentat! ives. The Company's Business Cloud Services segment customer service organization provides email support seven days per week, 24 hours per day to all subscribers. Paying subscribers have access to live-operator telephone support seven days per week, 24 hours per day. Dedicated telephone support is provided for corporate customers 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Live sales and customer support services are available in nine languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French and Cantonese.

Digital Media

The Ziff Davis portfolio of Web properties, including PCMag.com, ExtremeTech.com, Geek.com, ComputerShopper.com, LogicBuy.com and Toolbox.com features reviews of technology products, technology-oriented news and commentary, professional networking tools for IT professionals and online deals and discounts for consumers. The Company generates Digital Media revenues from the sale of display advertising targeted to in-market technology buyers and from the sale of customer leads to online merchants and business-to-business leads to IT vendors. During the year ended December 31, 2012, Digital Media Web properties attracted 345 million visits and 1.1 billion page views.

PCMag is a trusted online resource for laboratory-based product reviews, technology news and buying guides. Toolbox.com is a network of online communities that allows experienced technology professionals to share collective knowledge and collaborate to resolve problems more efficiently. Toolbox.com includes professional networking tools, blogs, collaboration tools and reference guides. Geek.com is an online technology resource and community for technology enthusiasts and professionals. Its gaming site includes IGN.com and men's lifestyle site includes AskMen.com.

The Company competes with Google AdSense, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, AOL's Ad.com and Microsoft Media Network.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is cloud services player J2 Global (JCOM), which is set to release its numbers on Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect J2 Global to report revenue $130.43 million on earnings of 71cents per share.

  The current short interest as a percentage of the float for J2 Global is extremely high at 20.6%. That means that out of the 43.70 million shares in the tradable float, 9.01 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of JCOM could easily explode higher post-earnings.

  From a technical perspective, JCOM is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $38.07 to its recent high of $56.24 a share. During that uptrend, shares of JCOM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of JCOM within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

  If you're in the bull camp on JCOM, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $56.42 a share (or Tuesday's intraday high if higher) on high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 292,457 shares. If that breakout hits, then JCOM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $65 to $75 a share.

  I would simply avoid JCOM or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops below some key near-term support levels at $54 to $53 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then JCOM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its ne

• [By Rich Smith]

  j2 Global (NASDAQ: JCOM  ) just keeps on growing -- by acquisition.

  In its third corporate purchase in the past three months, j2 announced this morning that it has acquired Netherlands-based Backup Connect BV, a provider of online data backup services.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: Auxilio Inc (AUXO)

Auxilio, Inc. (Auxilio), incorporated on August 29, 1995, is engaged in the business of providing fully outsourced print management services to the healthcare industry. The Company is engaged in the business of providing fully-outsourced managed print services to the healthcare industry, working exclusively with hospitals throughout the United States. It provides solutions, a program and savings. It helps hospitals and health systems reduce expenses and create manageable, dependable document image management programs by managing their back-office processes. The process is initiated through a detailed assessment. The assessment is a strategic, operational and financial analysis that is performed at the customer�� premises using a combination of processes and technology for data collection and report generation. The Company�� customers include hospitals and integrated health delivery networks (IDN). Its subsidiaries include Auxilio Solutions, Inc. and e-Perception Technologies, Inc.

The Company helps hospitals and health systems to create image management programs by managing their back-office processes. The process is initiated through a detailed Image Management Assessment (IMA). The IMA is a strategic, operational and financial analysis that is performed at the customer�� premises using a combination of processes and Web-based technology for data collection and report generation. After the assessment and upon engagement, it charged the customer on a per print basis.

The Company competes with Xerox, Canon, Konica Minolta, Ricoh and Sharp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, AUXO surged (+3.26%) up +0.030 at $.950 with�200 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 9:30AM EDT August 23, 2013).

  AUXILIO, Inc. previously reported financial results for its quarter ended June 30, 2013.

  For the three months ended June 30, 2013, AUXILIO reported that recurring service revenues increased by $1.4 million from new contracts closed between May 2012 and April 2013; however revenues were $9.8 million, a decrease of 8% when compared to revenues of $10.7 million in the same period of 2012, due to a drop in equipment revenue. Equipment sales were $800,000 as compared to $3.1 million for the same period in 2012. Cost of revenues were $8.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013, as compared to $9.3 million for the same period in 2012. This drop was due to the drop in equipment sales offset by additional staffing and service costs from the higher recurring service revenue. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2013 was $1.6 million, or 17% of sales, compared to $1.4 million, or 13% of sales, for the same period of 2012. This improvement is a direct result of the large growth in new facilities that we added in 2012 coupled with the reduction in costs as AUXILIO�� program matures within these new accounts.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: WidePoint Corp (WYY)

WidePoint Corporation (WidePoint), incorporated on May 30, 1997, is a provider of customized technology-based products and solutions to both the government sector and commercial markets. The Company operates in three segments: Communications Management, Cybersecurity Solutions, and Consulting Services and Products. WidePoint, through its wholly owned subsidiaries iSYS LLC (iSYS) and WidePoint Solutions Corp. (WSC), utilizes its experience working with government and commercial enterprises to develop solutions that take the pain out of managing wireless and wireline telecommunications (telecom) expenses and devices. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries Operational Research Consultants (ORC), Protexx Technology Corporation (PROTEXX), and Advanced Response Concepts Corporation (ARCC), delivers compliant identity management solutions. The Company offers a range of information technology (IT) consulting services and products to support its clients��IT needs.

Communications Management

The Company offers a Bands of Minutes approach that takes advantage of bulk savings for its clients by utilizing all available voice, data and message plans offered by the carriers. It provides a variety of reports that provide data for ongoing periodic reviews and strategic decision-making. It also provides secured solutions for its clients��telecom assets.

Cybersecurity Solutions

WidePoint�� wholly owned subsidiary, ORC, is certified by the federal government to facilitate public access to the services offered by government agencies, including on-line access to computers for purposes of reviewing, retrieving, providing, and exchanging information. Its digital certificate credentials are authorized to provide trusted individual or business identity information for use by the Department of Defense (DoD), FirstGov, General Services Administration (GSA) and participating federal government agencies. Its digital certificate credential services include the DoD External Cer! tificate Authority, Access Certificates for Electronic Services, and the General Services Administration Shared Service Provider. It also provide an analysis of an organization�� business and technical policies across application and data resources for the implementation of various devices, such as smart cards, security tokens, cell phones and personal computers, and implementing these capabilities by incorporating higher levels of automated infrastructure.

Consulting Services and Products

The Company offers IT architecture and planning services to ensure that it clients get the most from their IT investments. Its system integration services team provides its clients with the creative and technical expertise needed to execute projects of any size. The Company specializes in the areas of Infrastructure management, Applications management and IT strategic planning. iSYS provides a range of IA support services to help its customers to protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring confidentiality, integrity, authentication, availability, and non-repudiation. In addition, its IA services include strategic risk analysis and management support that includes physical security, reliability, continuity of operations planning, and support for other enterprise governance issues, such as privacy, compliance, audits and disaster recovery. Its IA services include Certification and Accreditation; Security Architecture Design; System Security Planning; Security Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning; Vulnerability Testing and Remediation; Customizable IA plans and processes to correspond to customer needs, and Continuity of Operations Planning. Its support services address on-going enhancements to existing IT systems along with developing new IT systems that incorporate the evolution of long-term advanced hardware and software technologies.

The Company competes with Avalon Global Solutions, Inc., Profitline, Rivermine, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop G! rumman Co! rporation, EDS, Unisys, Computer Services Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation and Manpower.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If you're a fan of, or investor in, WidePoint Corporation (NYSEMKT:WYY), then be warned now that what you're about to read regarding WYY is likely to irritate you. Nothing personal; it's just a reality check. Here goes - WidePoint shares are very likely to be at the onset of a sizeable pullback. [Insert boos and hisses here.]

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If you're reading this, then odds are you already know that small caps WidePoint Corporation (NYSEMKT:WYY), CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ:CYTR), and Elephant Talk Communications Corp. (NYSEMKT:ETAK) are among the recent big winners from the small cap stock realm. ETAK is up 100% since the end of October, largely spurred by encouraging numbers in its third-quarter results. CYTR shares have rallied more than 150% in just the past three days on the heels of an announcement that a cancer drug the biotech company is developing has shown wonderful Phase 2 results. And, WYY has advanced 93% over the past month or so, thanks to Q3's earnings announcement, though the trading public - and then the media - certainly took the ball and ran with it.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: ValueClick Inc.(VCLK)

ValueClick, Inc. provides various products and services that enable marketers to advertise and sell their products through online marketing channels primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company?s Affiliate Marketing segment provides technology platforms, advertising network, and customer services, which enable advertisers to create their own commissioned online sales force comprising third-party Website publishers. This segment offers its services under the Commission Junction brand. Its Media segment provides digital marketing services and tailored programs under ValueClick Media brand name that enable marketers to create and increase awareness for their products and brands; attract visitors; and generate leads and sales through the Internet and mobile applications. The company?s Owned & Operated Websites segment offers its services through various Websites comprising Pricerunner and Smarter.com Websites, which enable consumers to research and comp are products from online and/or offline merchants; Couponmountain.com Website that enables consumers to locate coupons and deals related to products and services; and Investopedia.com Website, which provides information on various financial and investment topics, including a proprietary dictionary of financial terms. This segment also operates vertical content Websites that offer consumers information and reference material in various topics in healthcare, finance, travel, home and garden, education, and business services. Its Technology segment operates as an application service provider and offers technology infrastructure tools and consultative services that enable marketers to implement and manage their online display advertising, search engine marketing, and email campaigns. The company serves direct marketers, advertisers, advertising agencies, and traffic distribution partners. ValueClick, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California.< /p> Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  ValueClick got toggled off
  Google's�mini-rival in the market for online ads, ValueClick (NASDAQ: VCLK  ) , beat earnings by a couple of cents in yesterday's earnings report. Unfortunately, this good news isn't translating into good grades on Wall Street, as a whole series of analysts cut their ratings on the stock to various flavors of "hold." Stephens and Cantor Fitzgerald, Craig-Hallum and Raymond James -- one and all, the analysts are downgrading ValueClick today -- but why?

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of digital marketing company ValueClick (NASDAQ: VCLK  ) plummeted 17% today after its quarterly results and outlook disappointed Wall Street.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: Technip (TKPPY)

Technip SA (Technip), incorporated on April 21, 1958, is a holding company. Technip is engaged in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry, and holds a portfolio of solutions and technologies. The Company operates in two segments: Subsea, and Onshore/Offshore. Its main markets include onshore plants, offshore platforms and subsea construction. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was present in 48 countries, and had industrial assets on continents and operates a fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. As of February 29, 2012, its production facilities (for flexible pipes and umbilicals), manufacturing yards and spoolbases were located in Angola, Brazil, France, the United States, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway and the United Kingdom. As of December 31, 2011, its fleet consisted of 34 vessels in subsea rigid and flexible pipelines, subsea construction and diving support, four of which were under construction. Technip operates in seven regions, which include Middle East, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa. On August 31, 2012, the Company announced the completion of the Stone & Webster process technologies and associated oil and gas engineering capabilities acquisition from The Shaw Group Inc.

On December 1, 2011, Technip acquired 100% of the shares of Global Industries, Ltd (Global Industries). On November 14, 2011, Technip acquired 45.70% of Cybernetix S.A. On July 28, 2011, Technip acquired 100% of AETech. On February 28, 2011, Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants Ltd, a subsidiary of the Company, acquired EPD. On January 26, 2011, Technip acquired all of the assets of the Subocean group, a United Kingdom-based subsea cable-installation company engaged in marine renewable energies. On January 24, 2011, Technip acquired Front End Re, a reinsurance company.

Technip provides integrated design, engineering, manufacturing and installation services for infrastructures and subsea pipe systems! used in oil and gas production and transportation. With respect to hydrocarbon field development, Technip�� subsea operations include the design, manufacture and installation of rigid and flexible subsea pipelines, as well as umbilicals. The Company offers a range of subsea pipe technologies and solutions, and holds industrial and operational assets. As of December 31, 2011, Technip had three flexible pipe manufacturing plants, four umbilical production units, four reeled rigid pipe spoolbases and a evolving fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. The Company�� services include the turnkey delivery of these subsea systems, particularly, offshore work (pipelay and subsea construction) and the manufacture of critical equipment, such as umbilicals and flexible pipes.

Technip also handles the supply of other subsea equipment and the procurement of rigid pipes that the Company acquires from third parties on an international bid. In addition, to the engineering and installation of systems, Subsea activities also include the maintenance and repair of existing subsea infrastructures and the replacement or removal of subsea equipment. Technip performs the engineering and manufacturing of the flexible pipes. Its flexible pipes engineering centers are in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Oslo, Aberdeen, Kuala Lumpur, Perth and Houston. It has manufacturing units in Vitoria (Brazil), in Le Trait (France) and it has Asiaflex Products center in Johor Bahru (Malaysia). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Technip initiated the fabrication of a second flexible plant in Brazil, within the Porto do Acu development.

The Company is engaged in engineering and construction for the range of onshore facilities for the oil and gas industry, including refining, hydrogen, gas treatment and liquefaction, ethylene and petrochemicals, onshore pipelines, as well as non-oil facilities, including mining and metallurgical projects, biofuels, wind offshore and renewable energy. Techni! p holds s! everal technologies and it designs and constructs of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas treatment plants. The Company also designs and builds infrastructures related to hydrogen production units, electricity units and sulfur recovery units, as well as storage units. It designs and builds types of facilities for the development of onshore oil and gas fields, from wellheads to processing facilities and product export systems. In addition to participating in the development of onshore fields, Technip also renovates existing facilities. Technip builds pipeline systems chiefly for natural gas, crude oil and oil products, water and liquid sulfur.

Technip offers a range of services to clients who wish to produce, process, fractionate and market the products of natural gas. The majority of business conducted pertains to the liquefaction of methane. Services provided by Technip to its customers range from feasibility studies to construction of entire industrial complexes. The Company manages aspects of projects from the preparation of feasibility studies to the design, construction and start-up of complex refineries or single refinery units. In 2011, Technip had been engaged in developing its footprint in the fast growing renewable energies market. Technip also offers its engineering and construction services to industries other than oil and gas, principally to mining and metal companies. As of February 29, 2012, its clients included oil companies, such as BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell, Statoil and Total, and number of national companies, such as ADNOC, PDVSA, Petrobras, Petronas, Qatar Petroleum, Saudi Aramco and Sonatrach, as well as independent companies, such as Anadarko.

Technip designs, manufactures and installs fixed and floating platforms that support surface facilities for the drilling, production and processing of oil and gas reserves located in offshore shallow water fields, as well as deep water fields. Technip is also builds complex facilities, including ! the float! ing production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units and floating LNG (FLNG). Fixed platforms include topsides supported by conventional jackets, gravity base structure (GBSs) and the TPG 500 (a jack-up production platform). Floating platforms include topsides supported by Spars, tension leg platforms (TLPs), semi-submersibles, as well as solutions, such as the extendable draft platform (EDP). In addition, Technip owns technologies for installing topsides using the floatover method for fixed and floating platforms. During 2011, in the North Sea area, Technip started engineering on Statoil�� Valemon project in the Norwegian sector.

The Company competes with Subsea 7, Aker Solutions, Allseas, Heerema, Helix, McDermott, Saipem, Sapura-Clough, NKT-Flexibles, Prysmian, Nexans, Oceaneering, Wellstream, Bechtel, CB&I, Fluor, Foster Wheeler, Jacobs, KBR, Chiyoda, JGC, Toyo, Petrofac, Saipem, Tecnicas Reunidas, GS, Samsung Engineering, SK, Aker Solutions, Hyundai, Daewoo, Samsung Heavy Industry, SBM and Modec.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Rooney]

  Political risks lurk: The big risk for Europe's recovery remains an escalation in the dispute with Russia over Ukraine. EU officials are due to present options for much tougher sanctions Thursday, including measures that could restrict Russia's access to European financial markets, as well as arms and energy technology. France's Technip (TKPPY) said sanctions may hurt its profit margins this year.

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG)

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG), incorporated on May 21, 2004, is a global hotel company, operating seven brands internationally. IHG is the holding company. The principal activities of the Company are in hotels and resorts, with franchising, management, ownership and leasehold interests in over 4,400 establishments, with more than 658,000 guest rooms in over 100 countries and territories worldwide. IHG�� hotels brands include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites and Priority Club Rewards. It has four geographical segments: Americas, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), and Greater China. As of December 31, 2011, the pipeline totalled 1,144 hotels (180,484 rooms). In March 2012, the Company announced the launch of HUALUXE Hotels and Resorts in China. During the year ended 31 December 2011, it sold four hotels, three in the Americas region and one in the AMEA region. IHG also manages the hotel loyalty program, Priority Club Rewards. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has 3,832 hotels operate under franchise agreements; managed 637 hotels worldwide and owned 11 hotels. During 2011, the Company opened 241hotels (44,265rooms) and removed 98 hotels (33,078 rooms). IHG is focused on the three segments that together generate over 90% of branded hotel revenues: midscale (broadly 3-star hotels), upscale (4-star), and luxury (5-star). InterContinental Hotels & Resorts InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is IHG�� 5-star brand located in cities and resort destinations across more than 60 countries worldwide. Hotels under InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand are principally managed by the Company. As of December 31, 2011, there were 169 hotels and 57,598 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 51 hotels in development pipeline. Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is the IHG�� upscale 4-star segment, specializes in offering modern business and meeting facilities with a service style to provide productive and energising experiences to guests. The majority of hotels under Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand are principally operated under franchise agreements in the United States and Europe, and are managed by the Company. As of December 31, 2011, there were 387 hotels and 105,104 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 108 hotels in development pipeline. Hotel Indigo Hotel Indigo provides guests with the refreshing design and service experience with a boutique hotel. The Hotels Indigo brand is principally operated under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 39 hotels and 4,564 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 59 hotels in development pipeline Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations The Holiday Inn brand family consists of Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Holiday Inn Club Vacations. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Club Vacations is the midscale hotel brand. Focused on creating an atmosphere where guests can relax, the brand is designed to support both business and leisure travellers. The brand family operates under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 1,240 hotels and 228,256 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 267 hotels in development pipeline. Holiday Inn Express Holiday Inn Express offers convenience and comfort. As of December 31, 2011, there were 2,114 hotels and 196,666 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 470 hotels in development pipeline. Staybridge Suites Staybridge Suites is the Company�� upscale extended stay brand for guests on longer trips, offering studios and suites complete with full kitchens and separate sleeping and work areas in a sociable, family-like atmosphere. Properties under Staybridge Suites brand are operated under a mixture of franchise and management agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 179 hotels and 19,567 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 95 hotels in development pipeline. Candlewood Suites Candlewood Suites is the Company�� midscale extended stay brand that gives its guests all the essentials they need for a home-like stay. Properties under Candlewood Suites brand are principally operated under franchise agreements. As of December 31, 2011, there were 285 hotels and 27,500 rooms. As of December 31, 2011, it had 94 hotels in development pipeline. The Company competes with Accor, Choice Hotels International, Inc., Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt, Marriott, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuters]
  ATLANTA -- A credit card data breach has been detected that exposed guests at certain Marriott, Holiday Inn, Sheraton and other hotel properties to theft, hotel management firm White Lodging Services said Monday. The breach occurred at food and beverage outlets at 14 hotels, including some operated under the Westin, Renaissance and Radisson names, between March 20 and Dec. 16 last year, White Lodging said in a statement. The company said information subject to potential theft by cybercriminals included names and numbers on consumers' debit or credit cards, security codes and card expiration dates. Customers who used their cards at the affected outlets should review all statements from the time in question and consider placing fraud alerts on their credit files, White Lodging said. White Lodging wouldn't estimate how many card numbers might have been taken. Krebs on Security, the cybersecurity blog that first reported the breach Friday, said thousands of accounts had been compromised. The latest data breach comes after the FBI warned retailers last month to prepare for more cyber attacks after discovering about 20 hacking cases in the past year involving the same kind of malicious software used against Target (TGT) over the holiday shopping season. The incident involving Target, the No. 3 U.S. retailer, was one of the biggest retail cyber attacks in history. In a confidential, three-page report to retail companies the FBI described the risks posed by "memory-parsing" malware that infects point-of-sale systems, which include cash registers and credit-card swiping machines in checkout aisles. Restaurants and lounges affected by the White Lodging breach were at hotels in Chicago; Austin, Texas; Richmond, Va.; Plantation, Fla.; Denver; Boulder and Broomfield, Colo.; Louisville, Ky.; Erie, Pa.; Indianapolis; and Merrillville, Ind., the company said. White Lodging, which manages 169 hotels that include brands of Marriott International (MAR), Starwood

Best Services Stocks To Watch Right Now: Pactera Technology International Ltd (PACT)

Pactera Technology International Ltd. (Pactera), formerly HiSoft Technology International Limited, incorporated on May 27, 2004, provides global consulting and technology services. The Company provides business/information technology (IT) consulting, solutions, and outsourcing services to a range of multinational firms through a globally integrated network of onsite and offsite delivery locations in China, the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. In January 2014, Pactera Technology International Ltd announced the acquisition of Innoveo Solutions AG.

The Company�� services include business and technology advisory, enterprise application services, business intelligence, application development and maintenance, mobility, cloud computing, infrastructure management, software product engineering and globalization, and business process outsourcing. The Company�� clients include 3M, ABB, Cathay Pacific, China Merchants Bank, Citibank, EMC, Expedia, GE, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, NEC and TIBCO.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Pactera Technology International (Nasdaq: PACT  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Pactera Technology International (Nasdaq: PACT  ) reported earnings on May 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Pactera Technology International missed estimates on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.