Marian Kessler, manager of the Becker Value Equity Fund, looks for high quality, out-of-favor stocks trading at undervalued prices; here, she discusses her investment strategy along with three of the fund's top holdings.
Steve Halpern: Joining us today is Marian Kessler, co-portfolio Manager of the 4-star Becker Value Equity Fund. How are you doing today Marian?
Marian Kessler: Doing very well, thank you very much.
Steve Halpern: First, before we begin, let me let listeners know that the symbol for your fund if they want information is (US:BVEFX). As a large-cap value fund, you use bottom-up fundamental analysis to search for undervalued stocks. Could you explain a little about your strategy and what metrics, in particular, you favor to determine whether or not a stock is undervalued?
Marian Kessler: Yes, we use, in our philosophy and process, four primary criteria for potential inclusion of a stock in our fund, and those four criteria are: a stock must be out of favor, as measured by sentiment and trading range, but it must be a high-quality company, so we're not a speculative or a distressed investor.
Hot Heal Care Companies To Invest In 2015: Star Bulk Carriers Corp.(SBLK)
Star Bulk Carriers Corp. operates as a shipping company providing seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector worldwide. Its vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, coal, and grain; and minor bulks, such as bauxite, fertilizers, and steel products. The company has an operating fleet of 15 dry bulk carriers consisting of 7 Capesize and 8 Supramax dry bulk vessels with a combined cargo carrying capacity of 1,625,945 deadweight tons. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Athens, Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Igor Greenwald]
Last month, Oaktree Capital (OAK), managed by another distressed investing icon, Howard Marks, disclosed a huge 21.9% stake in Star Bulk Carriers (SBLK).
Best Quality Companies To Invest In Right Now: OXiGENE Inc.(OXGN)
OXiGENE, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops novel therapeutics to treat cancer and eye diseases in the United States. It primarily focuses on the development of vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) that disable and destroy abnormal blood vessels, which provide solid tumors a means of growth and survival, as well as associate with visual impairment in various ophthalmological diseases and conditions. The company?s products include ZYBRESTAT, which is in fosbretabulin in anaplastic cancer of the thyroid (FACT) trial?Phase 2/3 study for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer; in fosbretabulin in advanced lung oncology (FALCON) trial?Phase 2 randomized and controlled study to treat non-small cell lung cancer; in Phase 2 Simon two-stage design study for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer; and in Phase 2 randomized controlled study to treat platinum-relapsed but platinum sensitive ovarian cancer. Its products also comprise OXi4503 that is in Phase 1 dose-escalation study for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes; Phase 1b dose-ranging study to treat solid tumors with hepatic tumor burden; and Phase 1 dose-escalation study for the treatment of refractory solid tumors. In addition, the company?s products consist of ZYBRESTAT, which is in Phase 2 randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, single-dose study for proof-of-mechanism study in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. OXiGENE has a strategic collaboration agreement with Symphony Capital Partners, L.P. to support the advancement of ZYBRESTAT for oncology and ophthalmology, and OXi4503. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Shares of Oxigene Inc. (OXGN) �more than doubled on very heavy volume after the microcap biotech said a mid-stage study of its drug Zybrestat, when used with Roche�� Avastin, showed increased survival in ovarian cancer patients. Oxigene shares rallied 129% to $5.55 , and were one of the most heavily traded issues after hours with more than 4.2 million shares exchanging hands.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
If you missed the recent surges from Neurometrix Inc. (NASDAQ:NURO) and/or OXiGENE Inc. (NASDAQ:OXGN), and decided to skip an entry on either or both because they were too frothy at the time, then here's some good news.... you're getting a second chance. Both NURO and OXGN are getting their proverbial second wind, and they're doing so at a price much lower than the price you would have had to pay for either just a few days ago. There's just one catch - you may want to hurry of you want in. This second wind is unfurling as rapidly as the first surges did.
Best Quality Companies To Invest In Right Now: Collectors Universe Inc. (CLCT)
Collectors Universe, Inc. provides authentication and grading services to dealers and collectors of high-value coins, trading cards, event tickets, autographs, memorabilia, and stamps in the United States. It offers authentication and grading services for coins under the Professional Coin Grading Service brand name; sports and trading cards under the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) brand name; vintage autographs and memorabilia under the PSA/DNA authentication services brand name; and stamps under the Professional Stamp Experts brand name. The company also publishes authoritative price guides, rarity reports, and other collectibles data to provide collectors with information. In addition, it operates the Certified Coin Exchange business-to-business Website, certifiedcoinexchange.com, where dealers can sell and purchase certified coins and other certified collectibles; and Collectors Corner Business-to-Consumer Website, collectorscorner.com, a business-to-consumer W ebsite where consumers can visit, identify, search, sort over, and select for purchase coins, trading cards, and items of currency that are certified by the company, as well as Collectors Clubs for coin, currency, and trading card collectors; and manages and operates collectibles trade shows and conventions. The company provides its services to dealers, collectors, and retail buyers and sellers of collectibles. Collectors Universe, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jeff Hwang]
Such multiple expansion may be a natural product of time (i.e., older cards naturally carry larger premiums over time), or more likely a combination of time and the card removal effect. That is, over time, the best examples of a given card get graded by Beckett Grading Services or Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), a division of Collectors Universe (NASDAQ: CLCT ) , and are thus removed from the pool of ungraded cards; as a consequence, the value of ungraded cards declines in relation to the value of graded cards (or the value of graded cards rises in relation to ungraded cards), resulting in multiple expansion.
Best Quality Companies To Invest In Right Now: International Game Technology (IGT)
International Game Technology (IGT) designs, manufactures, and markets electronic gaming equipment and systems worldwide. The company offers casino-style slot machines that determine the game play outcome at the machine; wide area progressive jackpot systems with linked machines across various casinos; central determination system machines connected to a central server that determines the game outcome, encompassing video lottery terminals used primarily in government-sponsored applications and electronic or video bingo machines; and amusement with prize games. Its systems products include applications for casino management, customer relationship marketing (CRM), and server-based games and player management. IGT?s casino management solutions comprise integrated modules for machine accounting, patron management, cage and table accounting, ticket-in/ticket-out, bonusing (jackpots and promotions), and table game automation. The company?s CRM solutions feature integrated market ing and business intelligence modules that provide analytical, predictive, and management tools for maximizing casino operational effectiveness; and server-based solutions enable game delivery to slot machines, computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other networked devices. Its gaming markets comprise the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico and South/Central America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
The S&P 500 fell , while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped and the small-cap Russell 2000, which hadn’t been joining the new-high party recently, dipped . Big losers included International Gaming Technology (IGT), which fell 5.6% to $16.84, Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD), which dropped 4.4% to $186.04 as oil fell, Safeway (SWY), which declined 4.3% to $33.04 after it was started at Neutral by Goldman Sachs, and Consol Energy (CNX) which finished off 4% at $34.56 after Citigroup cut it to Neutral from Buy. J.C. Penney (JCP), which reports earnings on Wednesday,� managed to turn a 3% gain into a 3.5% loss.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Casino gaming specialist�International Game Technology� (NYSE: IGT ) �announced this morning�its second-quarter dividend of $0.09 per share, a 13% increase from the payout it made last quarter and a 50% hike over the one made a year ago.
- [By Lisa Levin]
International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) shares fell 8.96% to reach a new 52-week low of $12.81 after the company reported Q1 earnings of $0.20 per share on revenue of $512.80 million.
Best Quality Companies To Invest In Right Now: Ambassadors Group Inc. (EPAX)
Ambassadors Group, Inc. provides educational travel experiences and online education research materials worldwide. Its Ambassador Programs and Other segment offers educational travel services to students and professionals. The company�s BookRags segment provides online research in the form of book summaries, critical essays, study guides, lesson plans, film summaries, biographies, literary criticisms, and references to encyclopedia articles. It offers People to People Ambassador Programs for the development and conducting of programs to grade school and high school students; and for the development, marketing, and operation of programs for professionals, college students, and athletes. The company also provides People to People Student Ambassador Programs, which offer educational opportunities for grade school, middle school, and high school students to visit foreign destinations to learn about the history, government, economy, and culture of such countries, as well as pr ovides educational and entertaining travel experience. In addition, it offers People to People Sports Ambassador Programs; and People to People Leadership Summit and World Leadership Forum Programs that provide domestic travel experiences for grade school, middle school, and high school students emphasizing leadership, community involvement, and government education. The company also offers People to People Citizen Ambassador Programs, which provide professionals to travel abroad to meet and exchange ideas with foreign citizens. In addition, it offers Discovery Student Adventures, a teacher recruited student travel program that provides opportunities for grade school, middle school, and high school students to visit destinations emphasizing adventure and scientific exploration. Further, the company operates bookrags.com, an educational Website. Ambassadors Group, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Spokane, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Ambassadors Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:EPAX), a leading provider of educational travel experiences, reported that its board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share, which will be paid on June 7, 2012 to all common shareholders of record on May 24, 2012.
Best Quality Companies To Invest In Right Now: Alumina Ltd (AWC)
Alumina Limited, through its 40% equity interest in Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals, engages in the bauxite mining, alumina refining, and aluminum smelting businesses. It has interests in eight alumina refineries and eight bauxite mines, as well as operates two aluminum smelters in Victoria, Australia. The company also owns interests in a network of mines, refineries, and smelters in the United States, Guinea, Suriname, Jamaica, Brazil, and Spain. In addition, it owns and operates a shipping operation that transports alumina, aluminum, and raw materials worldwide. The company, formerly known as WMC Limited, was founded in 1970 and is based in Southbank, Australia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Krauth]
Prospects are strong, as AA continues to push productivity gains and further penetrate sectors like aerospace and automotive. As automobiles look to improve fuel consumption, the average U.S. car will likely go from about 14 lbs. to 55 lbs. of aluminum in just the next three years. Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld thinks cars will contain 135 lbs. of aluminum within twelve years.
The Even Better-Looking Sister Is... Another way to play aluminum might be through Alumina Ltd. (ADR) (NYSE: AWC).Alumina owns 40% of the world's largest alumina business, Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC), with Alcoa owning and managing the other 60%.
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