Stanbank Nm Share Discussion Threads

[banjomick] 28/2/2009 22:24

Sector-Healthcare (general)

"With an ageing population and an increase in 'lifestyle' conditions, demand for healthcare has never been greater. What are the biggest health challenges and how can medical technology help to address them? On Target reports."

[brando69] 28/2/2009 21:11

interesting article waldon, thank you....

like the sound of some of these... good starting point for further research. cheers.

[waldron] 28/2/2009 18:51

2/28/2009 9:48:00 AM


Barron's: The Smart Way To Play The Green Revolution
On Main Street, Green is the new Black. On Wall Street, however, most green investments generated a sea of red ink last year. When the wheels came off stock markets around the globe in the fourth quarter of 2008, alternative-energy and clean-technology shares were among the hardest hit.

The 88-stock WilderHill New Energy Global Innovation index, a popular green-industry benchmark, ended the year down 61%, versus a 38.5% slide in the Standard & Poor's 500. This year, the NEX -- a mix of mostly small- to mid-capitalization wind, solar, biofuel and energy-conservation leaders from 21 countries -- is off about 22%, lagging the S&P's 17% decline.

Other clean-tech indexes, exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, including the vaunted Winslow Green Growth Fund (ticker: WGGFX), haven't fared much better, and in some cases have done worse, while venture-stage green companies have been starved of capital or blocked on their way to the public markets.

Brian Fan, senior director of research for the Cleantech Group, cites 80 green companies in the latter boat, burning through a collective $2 billion of venture-capital money with little prospect of going public any time soon. "The companies we talk to are trying to stay solvent," says Fan. Indeed, the same might be said of their financial backers, and other green-oriented investors.

A global recession and bear market deserve much of the blame for the carnage in green-tinged shares, as does a $100-a-barrel plunge in oil prices, which suddenly made the drive for sustainable-energy alternatives seem less pressing. Moreover, many clean-tech companies are small and speculative in nature, and serve end markets that depend on government subsidies -- not a particularly attractive investment attribute. Former solar-energy highfliers such as First Solar (FSLR) and LDK Solar (LDK) faced additional challenges last year from sharply escalating prices for polysilicon, the raw material used in solar cells.

In toting up the losses, it is tempting to wonder whether green-themed investing was just a sustainable version of sock puppets -- that is, another Wall Street fad. But such musings couldn't be more misguided. In the U.S., President Barack Obama has just pledged to spend billions on environmentally friendly technologies, while Congress is planning to put more money and muscle behind the search for energy alternatives and pollution controls (see page 28).

Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently told Barron's sister publication, The Wall Street Journal, that his agency intends to fast-track billions of dollars in loans for alternative-energy projects already "in the pipeline," and that he will try to get roughly half the $37 billion already set aside for clean-tech capital projects distributed within the year. That is just a down payment on much more ambitious economic initiatives, and is mirrored by similar endeavors abroad.

Greater government funding bodes well for some pure plays in the solar, wind, ethanol and biomass industries. But it bodes even better, near term, for well-established, diversified and financially healthy companies like Switzerland's ABB (ABB), Florida utility FPL Group (FPL), Waste Management (WMI), Jacobs Engineering (JEC) and electrical-products supplier Eaton (ETN). All are visible and increasingly powerful players in areas given spending priority: energy conservation, infrastructure renewal and the build-out of a "smarter" power grid.

To be sure, more public and private spending will benefit alternative-energy giants like General Electric (GE), the biggest U.S. supplier of wind turbines, and United Technologies (UTX), a leader in making buildings more energy-efficient. Johnson Controls (JCI), Honeywell (HON), AES (AES) and others that make sensors and systems needed to optimize HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) also belong on any list of likely green winners.

So do a handful of midsized players in the fast-growing wind-energy-generation supply chain, such as Kaydon (KDN), a maker of ball bearings critical to wind-turbine efficiency; Woodward Governor (WGOV) a specialist in energy-generation and transmission components; MasTec (MTZ), a builder of generation and transmission facilities, and Valmont (VMI), which makes transition towers and other utility structures. "All are profitable, old-line industrials projecting double-digit growth in 2009 and trying to reinvent themselves," says Ed Mitby, an analyst at Van Eck Associates.

But we consider ABB, Waste Management, FPL, Jacobs and Eaton a sort of green dream team, for all the reasons, and then some, explained below. They probably aren't the first names that come to mind when you think "green," but they have the products, technologies and, not least, the financial strength to deliver for investors. Even better, their stocks are bargains.

A provider of power and automation systems, ABB tops most shortlists of companies likely to benefit from large-scale energy projects and conservation initiatives. Among other things, the 125-year-old industrial giant is one of the world's biggest builders of electricity grids.

With credit frozen and demand constrained, ABB faces the same challenges as other industrial outfits. But the company, profiled favorably in Barron's last spring ("The GE of Europe is a Major Power Player," May 19, 2008), is better positioned to benefit from more government and industry spending on infrastructure upgrades around the world, says Van Eck's Mitby.

Headquartered in Zurich, ABB sells large-scale electrical circuitry, robotics and energy-monitoring and automation systems. It seems to land one multimillion-dollar infrastructure contract after another, including a recent $63 million deal to upgrade a power station in Saudi Arabia. Renewable-energy projects will need ABB's products and services, and its technology, including power-management sensors and load-balancing systems, has kept it ahead of most competitors, says Morningstar analyst Daniel Holland.

ABB's shares have been cut by almost two-thirds, to 12, from their high last May, and now trade for nine times 2009 estimated earnings of $1.32 a share, a discount to the S&P 500's price/earnings multiple. Granted, last year's earnings were higher, at $1.74 a share, slightly exceeding expectations. Morningstar puts the company's fair value at 19 a share, some 62% above last week's close. Investors can collect a 46-cent annual dividend (for a current yield of 3.8%) while waiting for the global economy to jump-start.

ABB recently shed some poorly performing assets in an efficiency drive of its own. The company boasts a strong balance sheet, and net cash (cash minus debt) of $5.4 billion, or $2.40 a share, Holland notes. It has used excess cash to boost its payout and buy in shares. Twelve-month return on equity of 28.39% is more than three times that of its peer group, which includes industrial outfits such as Emerson Electric (EMR) and Danaher (DHR).

"We are in the sweet spot of energy efficiency and of climate change," chief financial officer Michel Demare told Barron's last spring. For ABB, it is about to get sweeter.

As the nation's leading producer of energy from wind and solar power, FPL Group is at the forefront of commercialization of these technologies. The Juno Beach, Fla.-based company also is the largest power generator in one of the nation's most populated states. Its regulated utility arm, Florida Power & Light, serves 4.5 million customers and contributes just over half of revenue, which totaled $16 billion last year.

A slightly smaller, but faster-growing revenue stream flows from FPL's recently re-christened NextEra Energy Resources subsidiary. This unregulated clean-energy producer sells power throughout the U.S., using a diverse set of low-cost generation assets strategically situated around the country to balance the load. Last year, 38% of Next- Era's capacity came from wind power, which has benefited from the recent extension of production tax credits. NextEra's net income roughly tripled in 2008.

The credit crisis and weakening consumer demand have led NextEra to slow the pace of expansion in its wind-power operations, but the company "already controls a fourth of this nation's installed wind-energy capacity," notes Morningstar analyst Ryan McLean. "Nationwide, total capacity is somewhere around 25,000MW [megawatts], and NextEra has 6,375MW and growing."

Wind is a relatively low-cost and profitable revenue stream for the company, which expects total profit to grow by double-digits through 2010. FPL reported adjusted earnings of $3.84 a share last year, of which Next- Era contributed $2.04. The company could $4.07 this year, and $4.54 in 2010.

Although its regulated utility has experienced reduced demand, FPL is better-positioned than most. Moreover, Florida's relatively favorable regulatory environment encourages additional investments in capacity that could boost the utility's earnings.

FPL emits less carbon than most other utilities, and will benefit from a "greenhouse gas-constrained regulatory environment," says Ken Stern, a San Diego money manager. But the company stands to profit most from national initiatives to expand wind-energy generation and bolster transmission facilities. "Transmission development had double-digit growth prospects before the credit crunch, and now, favorable legislation is coming in terms of taxes and the fast-tracking of capex [capital-spending] opportunities," says Van Eck's Mitby. The company recently launched a new venture: hybrid hydraulic/electric alternatives for fleet-vehicle propulsion, including one system built with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Designs vary, but basically capture energy from braking and other subsystems to augment or replace the traditional diesel engine. Particularly promising for city buses, delivery trucks and other vehicles that start and stop frequently, the EPA estimates such powertrains could produce fuel savings of 20% to 40%, and cut carbon emissions by as much as 40%.

So far, those vehicles are limited to pilot programs, but the "pilots" include big customers like United Parcel Service, Federal Express and Wal-Mart, as well as school buses used as far away Melbourne, Australia and Guangzhou, China. Eaton has many competitors, but unlike others that dream of replacing the combustion engine, it has been an automotive-technology leader since 1911.

With 2008 sales of $15.4 billion, the Cleveland-based company has the design, manufacturing and financing in place to scale its ideas. Its truck group alone sells $2.3 billion of transmission and hybrid-power and exhaust systems for trucks, buses and agricultural equipment. Eaton knows its customers, and the costs and challenges of operating in 150 different countries. But its strengths also raise concerns.

"I like Eaton, but I'm worried about its earnings [expectations] earnings being overly optimistic due to its heavy exposure to the auto industry," says Ken Stern, the San Diego investment manager.

Morningstar analyst John Kearney is more upbeat, noting an aggressive acquisition strategy has diversified the company's revenue and profits. Draconian cost-cutting measures also have helped. Eaton earned $6.83 a share in 2008. This year, management is guiding profit expectations downward to between $4.20 and $5.20 a share; the wide range reflects economic uncertainties.

Eaton has paid a dividend for 85 years, and yields 5.41%. Its current payout, $2 a share, must have been of some comfort to investors, whose shares have lost about half their value in the past year, and now trade around 36. At least one savvy holder used the opportunity to snap up more stock: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) upped its stake in Eaton in the fourth quarter to 3.2 million shares, from 2.9 million.

Like Buffett, we don't know where Eaton will trade in a month or a year, only that the products, services and ingenuity of Eaton and companies like it are making the world greener and cleaner. When the smoke -- or is it carbon? -- clears, they and their shareholders are likely to rewarded.

[waldron] 28/2/2009 18:21

H&T "buy"

Friday, October 05, 2007 4:43:18 AM ET
Seymour Pierce

LONDON, October 5 (newratings.com) - Analyst Andrew Wade of Seymour Pierce maintains his "buy" rating on H&T Group (ticker: HAT).

In a research note published this morning, the analyst mentions that the company has announced the acquisition of two businesses, an independent pawnbroker and a cheque cashing firm. The acquired businesses are profitable and would continue to operate from their current locations, the analyst says. Both the businesses would be rebranded to H&T pawnbrokers after about 6 months, Seymour Pierce adds.

[brando69] 28/2/2009 15:56

Waldon, aside from Albermarle, do you know of any listed pawnbrokers?

I think stateside, healthcare companies could start to do well. Obama will be pumping a lot of money into this sector.

[waldron] 28/2/2009 15:42

MARKET SNAPSHOT: Stocks Look To New Lows As March Begins (Citigroup)





By Nick Godt

With the market slumping to fresh 12-year lows in the last stretch of February, stocks will kick off the month of March on an increasingly uncertain footing while investors try to determine where the bottom lies for the economy and the bear market alike.

"The path to least resistance remains down," said Alec Young, market strategist at Standard & Poor's. "We need some real capitulation, and for people to stop buying the dips and let it crash. Then, we could get a new low."

Data on U.S. employment and nonfarm payrolls, due next Friday, might get the ball rolling.

"Everyone knows it's going to be bad," Young said. "But we need even the most bullish people to give up and [the jobs report] might be the catalyst."

February sees more record losses

Friday closed the chapter on the worst February since 1933, with the broad Standard & Poor 500 index (SPX) down 10.9% for the month. The S&P thus stands down 18.6% in the year to date, making for the worst first two months of a year on record.

On Friday, the S&P finished at 735, its worst level since December 1996, after U.S. gross domestic product in the fourth quarter was revised sharply down to negative 6.2%.

The market also failed to react well to news of the government boosting its stake in Citigroup Inc. (C), shares of which plunged nearly 40% to trade at $1.50.

But much further weakness should be expected, according to S&P's Young, who thinks the S&P 500 benchmark might need to slump at least another 18% -- to 600 -- to find a real low.

"Once we enter the capitulation phases, the market starts to fall very quickly," he said.

As for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), it slumped 11.7% in February. The blue-chip barometer has now fallen for six straight months, for a loss of 38%, its biggest six-month decline since the six months through June 1932, when it fell 41%. The Dow's longest streak of consecutive monthly losses was the nine months through April 1942.

For the year to date, the Dow is down 19.5%. The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) is off 12.% on the same interval.

No spring in store for market

The market will start the first week of March with what's expected to remain dismal economic reports.

Monday will bring personal income and spending data and construction spending for January, followed by the February national manufacturing report from the Institute for Supply Management.

On Tuesday, there will be data on pending home sales in January and U.S. auto sales for February.

On Wednesday, investors will key in on the private-sector ADP monthly jobs survey for February. This will be followed by the ISM's service-sector survey of the economy and the latest Federal Reserve's Beige Book of economic conditions.

On Thursday, it will be weekly jobless claims, productivity data and unit labor costs for the fourth quarter, along with January factory orders.

And on Friday, the Labor Department is expected to report the economy shed another 630,000 jobs in February, lifting the unemployment rate to 7.9%.

"It's going to take at least several years to recover," said Doug Roberts, chief investment strategist for Channel Capital Research. "And that's what people are starting to get, now that they're looking past the original euphoria that the new administration was going to arrive and fix everything quickly."

Stocks may well seem relatively inexpensive at current levels, but while the outlook for the economy -- along with earnings and dividends -- continues to deteriorate, the market will be unable to find a solid low, he said.

Many economists don't expect the impact of the billions of dollars in stimulus measures from the Obama administration to start boosting the economy until the end of this year, at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the overwhelming concern for the market remains the health of the financial system, and the toxic assets that still plague banks balance sheet.

Last week, the government provided more details on its rescue plan for the nation's major banks, in which it the government will conduct "stress tests" on 19 large banks over the next two months to determine which of the big banks would fail should the recession worsen beyond current expectations.

But "until the banks are repaired, these fundamental economic problems won't be resolved," Channel Capital's Roberts said.

[waldron] 28/2/2009 15:38

brando69

good luck with your thread.

pawnbrokers seem to be a good bet.

certain infrastructure plays also might be worth considering

[brando69] 28/2/2009 14:43

As this recession seems likely to be part of our world for some time to come, I am keen to explore what sectors and shares might actually benefit from these credit-crunched times. I am not talking about the standard: invest in defensive stocks stuff. Rather, I want to try and identify sectors which will actually buck the trend, and do better than before as a result of the turndown and the emergence of a new world order.

So I thought I'd start a thread to see if others out there have the same interest, and want to share ideas, research and opinions.

Thoughts that spring to mind at this stage are: discount retailers of food and consumer goods, pawnbrokers, confectioners....

If anyone has any thoughts on these, or other sectors, and of course, specific company recommendations that fit the profile, please feel free to post them.

Would be nice to keep the discussion serious, friendly and ramp-free.


Possible sectors worth investigating in this category suggested so far include:

Discount retailers of food and consumer goods - beneficiaries of household budget cutting

Pawnbrokers - beneficiaries of people selling assets to make ends meet

Alternative energy sector - beneficiaries of search for cheaper, more sustainable energy supplies

Confectioners - in hard times, people still need their comforts

Healthcare - ageing population and an increase in 'lifestyle' conditions, demand for healthcare has never been greater.

Any companies in these or other sectors that look worthy of exploring further - flag them up here!

[rcktmn] 02/1/2009 10:12

For what it's worth....(& it's not much)
Below is my current small cap portfolio (put together over the last 5yrs or so) ... all bombed out and not worth selling as not worth much!

I'll continue to hold as for most of them the reasons i bought in the first place still hold and at least half of them i hope will mature... good luck all

EDD
GIP
IVE
MDC
MDM
NPE
PXS
REDT
RIFT
SCO
STP
TAN
VOG
VYKE

[timanglin] 28/12/2008 14:39

the online gaming sector.

[osirisra] 28/12/2008 04:46

AFREN.
Quietly consolidating and growing. Excellent partnerships and local contacts. bopd continue to grow. Self capitalised.
All oil stocks will be depressed until the price increases and that isn't going to be until the world economy looks likely to have turned a corner. When the bulls call the turn in the world economy you watch the price of oil rocket. At that point AFREN will look ludicrously cheap.

[detroit red] 27/12/2008 22:21

WLW, BB. and NRK.

Mature into manure that is.

[igoe104] 27/12/2008 15:08

IGP, INTERCEDE. LOOKS ONE FOR YOUR 2009 WATCH-LIST.

ID CARD SOFTWARE COMPANY, is working on 14 projects, alot more project contracts are expected to be won, id/smart/health/retail/on-line cards are becoming global, and igp has the rights for the software for all these secure projects to work.



ps they have just won usa government, and 2 north africa id cards projects.

[tricky1992000] 27/12/2008 15:04

centamin egypt (aim:cey)

Plans to start production on it's huge Sukari Hill gold deposit in the 2nd quarter 2009.

[tricky1992000] 27/12/2008 14:57

This thread is to promote any companies that any poster will think will mature in 2009

examples;

a drug coming onto the market, that will create a good cashflow for it's company

an oil field that is just coming online

or a mine working that has just been opened.

etc

any companies listed on this thread are only references for further research only and not a tip to buy any shares in any company.