In the wake of dismal sales and a $170 million inventory charge, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) has gone on the defensive with its Fire Phone. That includes making numerous comparisons to the company's original Kindle, as there was no shortage of skeptics when Amazon debuted the $399 device, including right here on Fool.com.
Of course, the Kindle proceeded to become one of Amazon's greatest successes, and utterly dominates the e-reader market today. However, Amazon should stop comparing the Fire Phone to the original Kindle.
Stop me if you've heard this one before
At the Fire Phone's unveiling, Bezos specifically called out The Motley Fool for doubting the original Kindle. It wasn't the first time either, as Bezos did likewise at the Kindle Fire introduction in 2011. Come on, Bezos, fellow Fool Rick Munarriz has already said he's sorry for doubting you.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Amazon's vice president of devices in Europe, Jorrit Van der Meulen echoes the analogy:
Hot Transportation Stocks For 2015: Marten Transport Ltd (MRTN)
Marten Transport, Ltd. is a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier. The Company specializes in transporting and distributing food and other consumer packaged goods that require a temperature-controlled or insulated environment. It operates throughout the United States and in parts of Canada and Mexico. The Company operates in two segments: Truckload and Logistics. During the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 81% of its truckload revenue resulted from hauling temperature-sensitive products and 19% from hauling dry freight. Its long-haul traffic lanes are between the Midwest and the West Coast, Southwest, Southeast, and the East Coast, as well as from California to the Pacific Northwest. It provides regional truckload carrier services in the Southeast, West Coast, Midwest, South Central and Northeast regions.
The Company derives truckload revenue from fuel surcharges, loading and unloading activities, equipment detention and other ancillary services. Its operating revenue also includes revenue reported within its Logistics segment, which consists of revenue from its internal brokerage and intermodal operations, and through its 45% interest in MW Logistics, LLC (MWL), a third-party provider of logistics services to the transportation industry. Brokerage services involve arranging for another company to transport freight for the Company�� customers, while it retains the billing, collection and customer management responsibilities. Intermodal services involve the transport of its trailers on railroad flatcars for a portion of a trip, with the balance of the trip using its tractors or, to a lesser extent, contracted carriers. It focuses on large food and consumer-packaged goods companies whose products require temperature-sensitive services and who ship multiple truckloads per week. As of December 31, 2011, its customers were General Mills and Kraft.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated a fleet of 2,281 tractors, including 2,233 company owned tractors and 48 t! ractors supplied by independent contractors. The average age of its company owned tractor fleet at December 31, 2011 was approximately 2.6 years. As of December 31, 2011, it operated a fleet of 4,124 trailers. Most of its trailers are equipped with Thermo-King refrigeration units, air ride suspensions and anti-lock brakes. The average age of its trailer fleet as of December 31, 2011 was approximately 2.4 years.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Marten Transport (Nasdaq: MRTN ) reported earnings on July 16. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Marten Transport missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share. - [By Monica Gerson]
Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.23 per share on revenue of $168.28 million.
CSX (NYSE: CSX) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.43 per share on revenue of $2.95 billion.
5 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc.(ARCI)
Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, sells new household appliances through a chain of its factory outlet stores under the name ApplianceSmart. Its stores offer new special-buy appliances, including prior-year models, close-outs, factory overruns, and scratch-and-dent units, as well as byproduct materials, such as metals of recycled appliances. As of April 2, 2011, the company operated 19 factory outlet stores in Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. The company also provides turnkey appliance recycling and replacement services for electric utilities and other sponsors of energy efficiency programs. It operated 10 processing and recycling centers in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington; and Ontario, Canada. In addition, the company has a joint venture agreement with ARCA Advanced Processing, LLC, which recycles appliances in the northeastern United States for General Ele ctric Company. The company was founded in 1976 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Appliances: This industry fell 1.07% by 10:35 am ET. Appliance Recycling Centers of America (NASDAQ: ARCI) shares dropped 1.3% in today's trading. Appliance Recycling Centers of America's trailing-twelve-month profit margin is 3.11%.
5 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Network Exploration Ltd (NET)
Network Exploration Ltd. is an exploration and development-stage company. The Company�� principal business activities include the exploration of minerals in its mineral properties. It focuses on base and precious metal properties in North and South America. Its activities include the process of exploring its mineral properties, reviewing and subsequently acquiring mineral properties and conducting exploration programs to determine whether these properties contain ore reserves that are recoverable. The Picha copper-silver project is located within the Tertiary Volcanic Arc of Southern Peru. The Pistala project is located east of the NW-SE trending Incapquio fault system in the Department of Tacna, Southern Peru. The Company is in the business of mineral exploration in Canada, Chile and Peru. Network Exploration Chile Limitada is its wholly owned subsidiary. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jason Rivera]
Assets:Book Value:Reproduction Value:Current AssetsCash And Cash Equivalents506506Accounts Receivable (Net)3,6193,076Inventories10,0006,000Deferred Income Taxes919460Prepaid Expenses799400Total Current Assets15,8439,986PP&E Net2,4151,449Equity and Other Investments4,5763,432Intangible Assets3,1391,570Deferred Income Taxes991496Total Assets26,96417,387
Number of shares is 7,383. - [By Holly LaFon]
MSCI All Country World Index (Net) is an unmanaged index comprised of 44 country indices comprising 23 developed and 21 emerging market country indices and is calculated with dividends reinvested after de duction of withholding tax. The Index is a trademark of Morgan Stanley Capital International and is not available for direct investment.
- [By Holly LaFon]
The IVA Worldwide Fund Class A, at net asset value, returned 8.00% over the one year period ending September 30, 2014 compared to the MSCI All Country World Index (Net)* (the ��ndex�� return of 11.32% over the same period.
5 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Players Network (PNTV)
Players Network (PNTV), incorporated on March 16, 1993, is a global media and entertainment company engaged in the development of Digital Networks. The Company distributes broadband video and other social media content over a range of Internet enabled devices and cable television channels. The Company�� platform is designed to deliver video content and develop digital social communities, including Vegas On Demand TV. The Company operates a video on demand (VOD) television channel, also named Vegas On Demand, which consists of original programming that is distributed over its own VOD channels to approximately 24,000,000 homes over the Internet with distribution partners, which include, Comcast, Hulu, Blinkx, Google, and YouTube Video, for DVD home video, and various mobile platforms. Vegas On Demand TV offers its audience the ability to connect to Vegas Insiders through programming, which captures sex appeal, entertainment, and the non-stop adrenaline rush of the Las Vegas gaming lifestyle. Players Network�� content goes beyond poker, casino action, sports betting, and racing, to lifestyle programs about entertainment and fine living.
PNTV�� Media Network operates across all distribution platforms from television screens to mobile devices, gaming consoles, computers and tablets. The Company�� platform has two main membership categories: the Consumer/User who visits its digital communities and partakes in viewing ad-supported and pay-per-view premium videos, purchases products and connects with Insiders, who are its Premium Members. Players Network�� Programming Brands include Vegas On Demand focuses on Gaming lifestyle and produces programming about Horse Racing, Sports Betting, Casino Games and Poker; Vegas On Demand, which is about Las Vegas lifestyle and covers celebrity, night clubs, poolside experiences and entertainment, and Sexy Sin City TV covers the adult and sexy side of Las Vegas after dark. The Company�� productions include gaming instruction, gaming news, instruct! ion on sports and racing wagering, gaming entertainment, tournaments, events and travel. The Company has a library of 1,550 gambling and gaming lifestyle videos, including several series of both long and short form content. Some of these series include Players Network originals; Hidden Vegas, Tattoo Tails, which include 30 originally produced hours of programming from the World Series of Poker, which Players Network had the rights to produce and air live. Players Network produced over 50 videos at the Hooters Hotel and Casino, 28 new gaming instructional videos aimed at slots and video poker players, a series of 23 videos on magic entitled Hocus Pocus, The Best of Vegas series and Neon Buzz, an entertainment report which covered red carpet events.
The Company competes with ESPN, the Travel Channel, E! and the Food Network.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap entertainment or gaming stocks Soul and Vibe Interactive Inc (OTCBB: SOUL), Elray Resources Inc (OTCMKTS: ELRA) and Players Network (OTCMKTS: PNTV) focus on entertaining consumers. However, its important to remember that consumers can be very fickle when it comes to entertainment or games. So should you be entertaining any of these small caps? Here is a closer look and a reality check:
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