Best International Companies To Own In Right Now

Detroit’s ballooning deficits and large pension shortfall in December made it the largest U.S. city so far to become legally eligible for Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

It was emblematic of the growing crisis facing state and municipal pensions systems across the country. States have posted funding shortfalls of more than $1 trillion.

A new analysis by The Geneva Association, an international insurance economics think tank, suggests that nonpayment of annual required contributions and excessive reliance on single sources of funding in pension planning are among the biggest challenges to overcome.

The report references a 2010 report by the Pew Center on the States, which found that the huge shortfall facing state and local retirement systems was due to policy choices and a lack of fiscal discipline, namely, failure to make annual payments for pensions systems at actuarially recommended levels and expanding benefits without considering their long-term costs.

Thirty-four states had a funding level below 80%, Pew reported.

Hot Valued Companies To Own In Right Now: Renishaw PLC (RSW)

Renishaw plc is a metrology company. The Company is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of advanced precision metrology and inspection equipment together with products for the healthcare sector, including Raman spectroscopy systems, dental systems, molecular diagnostic equipment and neurosurgical products. The Company operates in two segments: metrology and healthcare products. The Company�� metrology segment product include Machine Tool Probe Systems, Co-ordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) products, large scale metrology, fixtures, materials research, styli for probe systems, performance testing products, gauging and position encoders. Its healthcare products include Dental Scanners, Raman Microscopes, Dental CAD Software, Neurosurgical robot, Structural and Chemical Analyser, In situ monitors and Neurosurgical Implantables. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Renishaw Plc (RSW) tumbled 5.7 percent to 1,580 pence, its lowest price since Aug. 7. The maker of precision tools said revenue for the quarter ended in September fell to 79 million pounds from 95.9 million pounds in the year-ago period.

Best International Companies To Own In Right Now: Dividend and Income Fund (DNI)

Dividend and Income Fund (the Fund) is a closed end management investment company. The Fund focuses to invest, at least 50% of its total assets in equity securities, including dividend paying common stocks, convertible securities, preferred stocks, securities of registered and unregistered investment companies (including, but not limited to, closed end and open end management investment companies, and business development companies) (collectively, investment companies), exchange traded funds organized as investment companies or otherwise, real estate investment trusts, depositary receipts, and other equity related securities (collectively, Income Generating Equity Securities). The Fund may invest in fixed income securities, including bonds issued by domestic and foreign corporate entities and U.S. government securities. Bexil Advisers LLC acts as the Investment Manager of the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  According to a Gabelli Funds report, managed distribution policies offer several advantages, including:1. Lower difference between the fund�� market price and its NAV per share.2. Provides support during periods when the stock market is in a decline.3. Provides a measurable performance target for the investment adviser.Below are several high-yield funds from CEFA that have a managed distribution policy (yields as of December 16):Aberdeen Australia Eqty (IAF)- Distribution Yield: 10.4%- Income Yield: 3.46%Bexil Advisers LLC� (DNI)- Distribution Yield: 11.1%- Income Yield: 3.56%BlackRock En Capital&Inc (CII)- Distribution Yield: 8.78%- Income Yield: 2.34%Cornerstone Strat Value (CLM)- Distribution Yield: 18.77%- Income Yield: 1.83%Cornerstone Total Return (CRF)- Distribution Yield: 19.10%- Income Yield: 0.85%Delaware Inv Div & Inc (DDF)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 5.26%Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB)- Distribution Yield: 7.58%- Income Yield: 1.54%Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT)- Distribution Yield: 9.45%- Income Yield: 2.84%MFS Special Value Trust (MFV)- Distribution Yield: 9.60%- Income Yield: 5.73%Nuveen Tx-Adv TR Strat (JTA)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 3.12%TCW Strategic Income (TSI)- Distribution Yield: 10.54%- Income Yield: 7.88%Zweig Total Return (ZTR)- Distribution Yield: 7.27%- Income Yield: 1.95%As noted in the Gabelli report, a managed distribution policy may create confusion regarding the true current yield since the reported yield includes the return of capital portion. You can see the disparity above between the income yield and the distribution (reported) yield.If you are looking for a sustainable and growing dividend, you may want to consider some blue-chip dividend stocks such as these with a Free Cash Flow Payout less than 50%, 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases and a 2%+ yield:3M Co. (MMM) is a diversified global company provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer

Best International Companies To Own In Right Now: Avalon Rare Metals Inc (AVL)

Avalon Rare Metals Inc. (Avalon) is a Canada-based mineral exploration and development company. The Company�� primary focus is on rare metals and minerals, including tin, lithium, tantalum, niobium, cesium, indium, gallium, zirconium and calcium feldspar. It is in the process of exploring or developing three of its six mineral resource properties. The Company�� active projects (Thor Lake Rare Metals Project (Thor Lake), Separation Rapids and East Kemptville) are rare minerals or rare metals properties that are at an advanced stage with identified mineral resources. Thor Lake is the Company�� leading project. The Thor Lake is located in the Mackenzie Mining District of the Northwest Territories, approximately five kilometers north of the Hearne Channel of Great Slave Lake and approximately 100 kilometers southeast of the city of Yellowknife. It comprises five contiguous mining leases totalling 10,449 acres (4,249 hectares) and three claims totalling 4,597 acres (1,869 hectares). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 rare earth metals player that's trending very close to triggering a major breakout trade is Avalon Rare Metals (AVL), which is a Canadian mineral exploration and development stage company with its focus on the rare metals and minerals. This stock has been hit hard by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off by 40%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Avalon Rare Metals, you'll notice that this stock recently pulled back after a monster run to the upside, with shares selling off from its high of 90 cents to its low of 71 cents per share. Shares of AVL are now starting to bounce off that low and trend back above its 50-day moving average at 74 cents per share. That move is quickly pushing this stock within range of triggering a major breakout trade above a key descending trendline and above some near-term overhead resistance levels.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AVL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at 82 to 90 cents per share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 447,084 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then AVL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.14 to $1.22 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put its next major overhead resistance levels at 41.34 to $1.64 within range for shares of AVL.

  Traders can look to buy AVL off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at 71 cents to 65 cents per share. One can also buy AVL off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Not the time to bet on rare-earth materials
  There's no question that the rare-earth mineral space has peaked, and that it has a lot of questions to surmount. Despite Wall Street's euphoria over the stock, I'd be cautious about Molycorp and would definitely stay away from speculative rare-earth plays Rare Element Resources (NYSEMKT: REE  ) and Avalon Rare Metals (NYSEMKT: AVL  ) , who don't even have the revenue Molycorp is generating.

Best International Companies To Own In Right Now: Roche Holding AG (RHHBY)

Roche Holding AG is a Switzerland-based pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company. The Company belongs to the Roche Group that operates through numerous subsidiaries and associated companies located around the world. The Company�� products and services cover every stage of the healthcare process, from identifying disease susceptibilities and testing for disease in at-risk populations to prevention, diagnosis, therapy and treatment monitoring. Roche operates through two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Within the Pharmaceuticals Division there are three sub-divisions: Roche Pharmaceuticals, Genentech and Chugai. The Company�� Diagnostics Division includes five sub-divisions: Applied Science, Diabetes Care, Molecular Diagnostics, Tissue Diagnosis and Professional Diagnostics. Its activities are structured into six geographical segments: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan. In March 2009, the Company completed the acquisition of Genentech, Inc. In March 2010, the Company acquired assets from BioMicro Systems for all products associated with the Roche NimbleGen microarray workflow.

During the year ended December 31, 2008, the Company Pharmaceuticals Division marketing gained approvals for its rheumatoid arthritis medicine Actemra/RoActemra in Japan, Switzerland and the European Union. In 2008, the division initiated 12 new phase III projects in, including clinical trials of the compounds pertuzumab, for breast cancer; taspoglutide, for type two diabetes, and dalcetrapib, for cardiovascular risk reduction. As of December 31, 2008, the Pharmaceuticals Division filed 11 major new marketing applications and gained 13 major regulatory approvals. At the beginning of 2009, the division�� research and development pipeline comprised 120 clinical projects, including 62 new molecular entities (NMEs) and 58 additional indications. Forty NMEs are in phase I, 16 in phase II and six in phase III or f! iled for regulatory review.

In 2008, Roche Pharmaceuticals signed a total of 57 new agreements including seven product transactions and 43 research and technology collaborations. In May 2008, Roche acquired Piramed Limited, a UK company with therapeutic research programmes targeting the PI3-kinase pathway in oncology and inflammatory disease. In June 2008, signed licensing agreement with ThromboGenics and BioInvent for their jointly developed anticancer agent TB-403 (R7334). In September, 2008, the Company acquired Mirus Bio Corporation active in the field of ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) delivery and completed the acquisition of ARIUS Research Inc., which has a antibody platform that identifies and selects antibodies based on their functional ability to affect disease. S Research Inc. In January 2009, Roche acquired Memory Pharmaceuticals, which develops drug candidates for the treatment of debilitating central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer�� disease and schizophrenia.

Pharmaceuticals

Within Pharmaceuticals division, the Company is engaged in the provision of drugs the areas of oncology, anemia, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system, infectious diseases, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, transplantation and virology. The products offered by Roche�� Pharmaceuticals division include MabThera/Rituxan, Herceptin, Avastin, Tamiflu, CellCept, NeoRecormon, Epogin, Pegasys, Tarceva, Xeloda, Bonviva, Boniva, Lucentis, Tamiflu, Xolair, Valcyte, Cymevene, Xenical, Pulmozyme, Nutropin, Neutrogin, Rocephin, Activase, TNKase and Madopar. The products offered by the Pharmaceuticals division are sold in seven geographic regions: North America; Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Latin America; Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMAI), and Japan.

Diagnostics

Roche�� Diagnostics Division is a supplier of in vitro diagnostics (IVDs). Its products are used to test body fluids a! nd tissue! samples to obtain information for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing, treating and monitoring disease. The Company has business areas five within the diagnostics division: Professional Diagnostics, Diabetes Care, Tissue Diagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Science. Roche�� Diagnostics division provides IVD services, including centralized laboratory testing and point-of-care diagnostics to molecular diagnostics and diabetes self management. In addition, it supplies research tools to life scientists.

Roche Professional Diagnostics supplies instrument systems, tests, software and services. It provides point-of-care testing products to support clinical decision-making close to the patient, in doctors��offices, emergency rooms and other primary and specialty care settings. Twelve Serum Work Area assays were rolled out during the year ended December 31, 2008, across Europe and in other markets. New assays included the Elecsys anti-TSH receptor antibody assay for the diagnosis of Graves��disease the Elecsys anti-CCP antibody assay, a test to aid the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, and the Roche Cystatin C clinical chemistry test for early detection of impaired kidney function, among others. Roche Diabetes Care�� products portfolio covers the entire diabetes self-management spectrum, from glucose monitoring to insulin delivery, as well as monitoring systems with integrated lancets and test strips software for storing and analyzing data. Roche Tissue Diagnostics develops and manufactures medical diagnostic instruments and reagent systems that provide automation technology for use in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer and infectious disease. In 2008 Roche Tissue Diagnostics launched ofhe Bench- Mark Ultra, a system that performs immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation testing simultaneously on a single continuous and random access platform. Roche Molecular Diagnostics develops and commercializes diagnostic and blood screening platforms and tests based on Roche�� ! real-time! polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. Applied Science business area supplies a specific reagents and test kits for use in life sciences encompassing biology, biotechnology ,medical research, as well as disease areas like cancer and virology. Applied Science�� business area product portfolio includes such sequencing systems as LightCycler 480, LightCycler 480 II, GS FLX Titanium. In addition, Applied Science offers xCELLigence cell analyzer.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Robinson]

  In December, Prothena signed a deal with drug giant Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) to develop and commercialize Parkinson's treatments that could be worth up to $600 million.

• [By George Budwell]

  Will BioMarin be the next orphan drugmaker to be bought out?
  Over the last decade, BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: BMRN  ) has become one of the top orphan drug specialists, making it a frequent visitor to the buyout rumor mill. Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) was previously named as an interested party, but the company's CEO squashed that rumor, saying BioMarin was too expensive.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN  ) posted a much better week for investors, as the orphan disease-treating company's shares jumped 18.5% over the past five days. In the biotech world, buyout rumors are hype-worthy events -- and Alexion's right in the center of one, as Big Pharma's Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) is reportedly looking into adding the company to its ranks, according to sources listed by Reuters.

• [By Kanak Kanti, De]

  Last week, Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals' (NYSE: TEVA  ) generic product portfolio received a major boost after the Food and Drug Administration approved the company's generic version of Xeloda, a cancer drug. Roche's (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) Xeloda is an orally administered chemotherapy treatment for colorectal and breast cancers that have metastasized. Given the fact that Xeloda generated $1.6 billion in sales for Roche in 2012, Teva's generic version has significant potential.

Best International Companies To Own In Right Now: priceline.com Incorporated(PCLN)

priceline.com Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an online travel company. The company provides price-disclosed hotel reservation services on a worldwide basis primarily under the Booking.com, priceline.com, and Agoda brand names; and price-disclosed rental car reservation services in approximately 80 countries through TravelJigsaw brand name. It also offers its customers the ability to purchase other travel services, including retail airline tickets; rental car days; vacations packages consisting of airfare, hotel, and rental car components; cruise trips; and destination services, including parking, event tickets, ground transfers, and tours through its ?Name Your Own Price? demand-collection system in the United States. In addition, the company offers an optional travel insurance package that provides coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, medical expenses, and emergency evacuation, as well as for loss of baggage, property, and travel d ocuments for air, hotel, and vacation package customers; and collision damage waiver insurance for rental car customers in the United States. The company?s other brands include Lowestfare.com, rentalcars.com, Breezenet.com, MyTravelGuide.com, Travelweb, hotelroom.com, and Car Hire 3000. priceline.com Incorporated was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
  Stocks ended a mini-losing streak on Friday, led by upbeat news from Intel (INTC). The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) rose 41 points, after sliding more than 200 over the previous two days. The Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) gained 13 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) added 6 points. Those modest gains did little to trim the loss for the week. The major averages posted their biggest weekly declines in more than two months. Intel is a component of all three big indexes, and it jumped 7 percent after raising its revenue guidance for the current quarter. The company sees stronger business demand for PCs than it previously expected. Intel shares are up 23 percent over the past six months. The Intel news had a ripple effect. Computer maker Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) rose more than 5 percent and Microsoft (MSFT) gained 1½ percent. Part of the increased demand Intel points to is tied to corporate buyers who need to replace their Windows XP machines, because Microsoft has stopped providing technical support for that platform. But Apple (AAPL) lost more than 1 percent. The stock is down since its 7-for-1 stock split took effect on Monday. There were two other big stories that had some legs beyond the companies directly involved. Open Table (OPEN) agreed to be acquired by Priceline (PCLN) for $2.6 billion. Open Table, which provides restaurant reservations, jumped 48 percent. Other online service providers rode the coattails of that deal. Yelp (YELP) gained 14 percent and Groupon (GRPN) gained 4 percent. In the retail arena, Express (EXPR) jumped 21 percent after a private equity firm took a 9.9 percent stake in the teen retailer and indicated it may make a buyout offer. That gave a boost to Aeropostale (ARO) and American Eagle (AEO), which both rose more than 2 percent. Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) gained 1½. Elsewhere, International Game Technology (IGT) gained 10½ percent on a Reuters report that a bidding war could erupt for
• [By David Milstead]

  In the case of both, Google (GOOG) and Priceline (PCLN), which are featured in this story, the market expects each of these companies to produce about $50 in earnings for each share of stock that's on the market.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  They've jumped through the last of the procedural hoops so priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN  ) and Kayak (NASDAQ: KYAK  ) have set the date for their merger. The online travel agent and the travel metasearch engine have scheduled the closing date for May 21 with Kayak shareholders needing to submit how they want to receive their consideration by 5 p.m. Eastern time on May 14.

• [By EquityOptionsGuru]

  This industry has been undergoing consolidation which has resulted in significant takeover activity at high valuations.� For investors of re-commerce companies, this can mean seeing significant stock returns overnight.� One example of this takeover activity occurred late last year when Priceline (NASDAQ: PCLN) acquired Kayak Software Corporation for $1.8 billion.� Kayak investors saw their holdings increase by almost 30% immediately after the deal announcement.� Priceline was most attracted to Kayak�� technology platform and high gross margins.� As investors will soon see, both of those criteria apply to uSell.com as well.� Besides increased takeovers, the industry has seen significant earnings and revenue growth which, can be seen by looking at the industry�� dominant player, eBay.

Best International Companies To Own In Right Now: MEDIWARE Information Systems Inc.(MEDW)

Mediware Information Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and marketing of software solutions targeting specific processes within healthcare institutions. The company offers software systems consisting of company's proprietary application software, and third-party licensed software and hardware. It licenses, implements, and supports clinical and performance management, blood donor, and blood and biologic management products in the United States; and medication management solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. The company?s blood and biologics management solutions include HCLL Transfusion and HCLL Donor, which address blood donor recruitment, blood processing, and transfusion activities for hospitals and medical centers; BloodSafe suite of hardware and software that enable healthcare facilities to store, monitor, distribute, and track blood products; LifeTrak software for blood centers; a nd BiologiCare, a bone, tissue, and cellular product tracking software. Its medication management products comprise WORx, a pharmacy information system to manage inpatient and outpatient pharmacy operations; MediCOE, a physician order entry module; MediMAR, a nurse point-of-care administration and bedside documentation module; MediREC, which assists in achieving compliance with a Joint Commission mandate; and pharmacy management and electronic prescribing systems. The company?s performance management products include InSight software that tracks performance metrics to assist healthcare managers to manage performance. It also provides software installation and maintenance services, as well as billing and collection services to home infusion and home/durable medical equipment markets. The company markets its products primarily through its direct sales force. Mediware Information Systems, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDW) plans to acquire the assets of Indianapolis-based Strategic Healthcare Group LLC (SHG), a leading provider of blood management consulting, education and informatics solutions.