Lot78's Juice Bar Innovating Electric Car Charging Stations In The U.S.
Over the past several years, an increasing number of vehicle buyers have made the jump to electric vehicles, and the advantages are quickly outpacing combustion engine alternatives. Battery life has improved, in some cases to upwards of 300+ miles on a single charge, emissions have been reduced to nearly zero, and prices have plummeted as new vehicle manufacturers look to capitalize on the rapidly expanding market for EV and hybrid vehicles.
With signficiant new advances in technology, electric cars sold in the United States has witnessed increased sales at a rate of 59% annually. In 2016 alone, over 130,000 plug-in or battery powered cars were sold nationwide. Since 2008, there have been 570,000 sales in the U.S., making it the third biggest selling country behind Europe and China.
Market reporting agency Seeking Alpha predicts by the end of 2017, there will be 6 companies selling long range ( >150 mile) all-electric EVs for under $37,500.
With electric vehicles selling more than 800,000 worldwide annually and closing in on 1% of the market, there's plenty of reason to be excited about the future of EV-focused technology firms.
Over the past several years, an increasing number of vehicle buyers have made the jump to electric vehicles, and the advantages are quickly outpacing combustion engine alternatives. Battery life has improved, in some cases to upwards of 300+ miles on a single charge, emissions have been reduced to nearly zero, and prices have plummeted as new vehicle manufacturers look to capitalize on the rapidly expanding market for EV and hybrid vehicles.
With signficiant new advances in technology, electric cars sold in the United States has witnessed increased sales at a rate of 59% annually. In 2016 alone, over 130,000 plug-in or battery powered cars were sold nationwide. Since 2008, there have been 570,000 sales in the U.S., making it the third biggest selling country behind Europe and China.
Market reporting agency Seeking Alpha predicts by the end of 2017, there will be 6 companies selling long range ( >150 mile) all-electric EVs for under $37,500.With electric vehicles selling more than 800,000 worldwide annually and closing in on 1% of the market, there's plenty of reason to be excited about the future of EV-focused technology firms.
An Increasing Market For High-Tech Charging Stations
Based out of Tolland, Connecticut, business development company Lot78, Inc. (LOTE) decided to focus on a key-element of the EV business: electric charging stations. The company's first product to make a splash is the Juice Bar, which first debuted in 2009 and has continued to innovate ever since.
The Juice Bar Electric Vehicle Charging Station has taken direct aim at helping electric car owners charge their vehicles while on the go. The stations have found their way into stadiums (Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California), hotels (Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts), airports (Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii), and hospitals (Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, New York).
Lot78 has done an impressive job of gaining traction in a crowded electric battery space. The company has been featured in Building Magazine and Electrical Contractor, and earned a spot on CNN after the company donated $100 for every charging station sold to the non-profit organization Khusi Hona.
Based out of Tolland, Connecticut, business development company Lot78, Inc. (LOTE) decided to focus on a key-element of the EV business: electric charging stations. The company's first product to make a splash is the Juice Bar, which first debuted in 2009 and has continued to innovate ever since.
The Juice Bar Electric Vehicle Charging Station has taken direct aim at helping electric car owners charge their vehicles while on the go. The stations have found their way into stadiums (Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California), hotels (Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts), airports (Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii), and hospitals (Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, New York).
Lot78 has done an impressive job of gaining traction in a crowded electric battery space. The company has been featured in Building Magazine and Electrical Contractor, and earned a spot on CNN after the company donated $100 for every charging station sold to the non-profit organization Khusi Hona.
The Juice Bar Electric Vehicle Charging Station has taken direct aim at helping electric car owners charge their vehicles while on the go. The stations have found their way into stadiums (Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California), hotels (Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts), airports (Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii), and hospitals (Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, New York).
Lot78 has done an impressive job of gaining traction in a crowded electric battery space. The company has been featured in Building Magazine and Electrical Contractor, and earned a spot on CNN after the company donated $100 for every charging station sold to the non-profit organization Khusi Hona.
A Better Kind Of Charging Station Tech?
There are currently four main types of Juice Bar charging stations available to the general public: the mini bar, power bar, mini bar double, which won the 2015 NECA Showstopper Showcase, and the energy bar.
All four stations deliver industry-leading service, while the power bar brings some nice additions to the table. This special charger features both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo connectors so that all kinds of cars can receive substantial service improvements.
With the company's level 3 charger, cars gain a 30-80% charge in just 15 minutes. For comparison, level 1 chargers will fully charge a car's battery in eight to 16 hours, and level 2 chargers will normally take four to six hours. Each charging station can be upgraded with the SAE J1772 "Tough" connector, which is impact and crush resistant for any rough situation.
Juice Bar charging station customers also have the option to offer a cloud based software management system. This technology includes having the ability to add flex pricing, assign user groups, or allow QR codes instead of the typical radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards. Businesses can also allow free usage of Lot87's charging stations — a great value-add for customers.
The company has also decided to spruce up the Juice Bar charging station. Juice Bar accessories include a windshield washing station, murals, column wraps, recycling bins, and race deck flooring.
It's not just about visuals; the stations also offer an additional tire calibration inflation station, including a built-in heater and 30-inch coil hose and chuck. Business owners can also purchase a commercial vacuum.
Advertising on the charging station is also simple. Businesses can allow others to advertise their product for some added revenue. They can also team up with a sponsor to help bring the station into a new facility.
There are currently four main types of Juice Bar charging stations available to the general public: the mini bar, power bar, mini bar double, which won the 2015 NECA Showstopper Showcase, and the energy bar.
All four stations deliver industry-leading service, while the power bar brings some nice additions to the table. This special charger features both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo connectors so that all kinds of cars can receive substantial service improvements.
With the company's level 3 charger, cars gain a 30-80% charge in just 15 minutes. For comparison, level 1 chargers will fully charge a car's battery in eight to 16 hours, and level 2 chargers will normally take four to six hours. Each charging station can be upgraded with the SAE J1772 "Tough" connector, which is impact and crush resistant for any rough situation.
Juice Bar charging station customers also have the option to offer a cloud based software management system. This technology includes having the ability to add flex pricing, assign user groups, or allow QR codes instead of the typical radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards. Businesses can also allow free usage of Lot87's charging stations — a great value-add for customers.
The company has also decided to spruce up the Juice Bar charging station. Juice Bar accessories include a windshield washing station, murals, column wraps, recycling bins, and race deck flooring.
It's not just about visuals; the stations also offer an additional tire calibration inflation station, including a built-in heater and 30-inch coil hose and chuck. Business owners can also purchase a commercial vacuum.
Advertising on the charging station is also simple. Businesses can allow others to advertise their product for some added revenue. They can also team up with a sponsor to help bring the station into a new facility.
All four stations deliver industry-leading service, while the power bar brings some nice additions to the table. This special charger features both CHAdeMO and SAE Combo connectors so that all kinds of cars can receive substantial service improvements.
With the company's level 3 charger, cars gain a 30-80% charge in just 15 minutes. For comparison, level 1 chargers will fully charge a car's battery in eight to 16 hours, and level 2 chargers will normally take four to six hours. Each charging station can be upgraded with the SAE J1772 "Tough" connector, which is impact and crush resistant for any rough situation.
Juice Bar charging station customers also have the option to offer a cloud based software management system. This technology includes having the ability to add flex pricing, assign user groups, or allow QR codes instead of the typical radio-frequency identification (RFID) cards. Businesses can also allow free usage of Lot87's charging stations — a great value-add for customers.
The company has also decided to spruce up the Juice Bar charging station. Juice Bar accessories include a windshield washing station, murals, column wraps, recycling bins, and race deck flooring.
It's not just about visuals; the stations also offer an additional tire calibration inflation station, including a built-in heater and 30-inch coil hose and chuck. Business owners can also purchase a commercial vacuum.
Advertising on the charging station is also simple. Businesses can allow others to advertise their product for some added revenue. They can also team up with a sponsor to help bring the station into a new facility.
What Else Do You Need To Know About The Juice Bar?
Every Juice Bar is installed by a licensed electrician, and the company recommends installing the stations by a main entrance to a business, thus increasing customer retention.
Just like any hardware and software solution, maintainance is required. Lot87 has made this process as seamless as possible by setting up one, two, and three year included maintenance terms.
The company offers an equipment monitoring program, weekly remote monitoring, customer service, and technician dispatching.
A Gold Maintenance Plan includes inspections of the communications and metre board output and voltage levels at the EV connections and power source. An additional Platinum Maintenance Plan includes everything featured in the Silver and Gold Plans including two five-point inspections per year.
The maintenance program helps business owners avoid the headaches associated with maintaining technology while adding a nice recurring revenue model to Lot87's bottom line.
Every Juice Bar is installed by a licensed electrician, and the company recommends installing the stations by a main entrance to a business, thus increasing customer retention.
Just like any hardware and software solution, maintainance is required. Lot87 has made this process as seamless as possible by setting up one, two, and three year included maintenance terms.
The company offers an equipment monitoring program, weekly remote monitoring, customer service, and technician dispatching.
A Gold Maintenance Plan includes inspections of the communications and metre board output and voltage levels at the EV connections and power source. An additional Platinum Maintenance Plan includes everything featured in the Silver and Gold Plans including two five-point inspections per year.
The maintenance program helps business owners avoid the headaches associated with maintaining technology while adding a nice recurring revenue model to Lot87's bottom line.
Just like any hardware and software solution, maintainance is required. Lot87 has made this process as seamless as possible by setting up one, two, and three year included maintenance terms.
The company offers an equipment monitoring program, weekly remote monitoring, customer service, and technician dispatching.
A Gold Maintenance Plan includes inspections of the communications and metre board output and voltage levels at the EV connections and power source. An additional Platinum Maintenance Plan includes everything featured in the Silver and Gold Plans including two five-point inspections per year.
The maintenance program helps business owners avoid the headaches associated with maintaining technology while adding a nice recurring revenue model to Lot87's bottom line.
Removing The Barrier To Entry
Lot87 offers the Juice Bar with a very afforable leasing option that starts at just $69 per month. Every lease is offered through financial provider Macquarie Equipment Finance, which has over 20 years of experience in financing. The two companies joined forces in May 2014, and have maintained a strong relationship.
Lot87 offers the Juice Bar with a very afforable leasing option that starts at just $69 per month. Every lease is offered through financial provider Macquarie Equipment Finance, which has over 20 years of experience in financing. The two companies joined forces in May 2014, and have maintained a strong relationship.
The Juice Bar Revolution Is About More Than Beverages
Juice Bar Electric Vehicle Charging Station orders have been increasing rapidly, and new locations will be popping up all over the country in the next several months, marking an incredible period of growth at Lot78, Inc.
By 2024, it is calculated that 740,000 electric vehicles will be sold annually in the United States, and in 2040, EV's will make up 35% of new car sales. With more electric vehicles on the road, more charging stations need to be implemented across the nation, and Lot78, Inc. is leading the pack with new innovations and value-added additions.
The growth in the EV industry will also provide a unique sales opportunity for companies in the charging station space. As more customers park and charge, the opportunities to upsell past clients to additional stations will become increasingly apparent.
Driving Lot87's Juice Bar vision is David Schmid, a stock market analyst and guru with years of experience in marketing capitalization and business development. Schmid took control of the LOTE Shell in mid-2016. Schmid is the CEO of Lot87 and the managing partner at Parking Acquisition Ventures, a $500 million joint venture focused on the Parking Real Estate asset class. Schmid has been involved in the parking industry for more than 25 years with a focus on real estate and
After a forgettable year for biotech and healthcare stocks, 2017 has dawned with new hopes. Although the Democratic threat on a clamp down on price gouging hit the space for much of 2016 amid the presidential election campaign, the election of Republican Donald Trump initially generated some optimism. However, Trump has since sent out a veiled threat of being uncomfortable with higher drug prices.
Juice Bar Electric Vehicle Charging Station orders have been increasing rapidly, and new locations will be popping up all over the country in the next several months, marking an incredible period of growth at Lot78, Inc.
By 2024, it is calculated that 740,000 electric vehicles will be sold annually in the United States, and in 2040, EV's will make up 35% of new car sales. With more electric vehicles on the road, more charging stations need to be implemented across the nation, and Lot78, Inc. is leading the pack with new innovations and value-added additions.
The growth in the EV industry will also provide a unique sales opportunity for companies in the charging station space. As more customers park and charge, the opportunities to upsell past clients to additional stations will become increasingly apparent.
Driving Lot87's Juice Bar vision is David Schmid, a stock market analyst and guru with years of experience in marketing capitalization and business development. Schmid took control of the LOTE Shell in mid-2016. Schmid is the CEO of Lot87 and the managing partner at Parking Acquisition Ventures, a $500 million joint venture focused on the Parking Real Estate asset class. Schmid has been involved in the parking industry for more than 25 years with a focus on real estate and
By 2024, it is calculated that 740,000 electric vehicles will be sold annually in the United States, and in 2040, EV's will make up 35% of new car sales. With more electric vehicles on the road, more charging stations need to be implemented across the nation, and Lot78, Inc. is leading the pack with new innovations and value-added additions.
The growth in the EV industry will also provide a unique sales opportunity for companies in the charging station space. As more customers park and charge, the opportunities to upsell past clients to additional stations will become increasingly apparent.
Driving Lot87's Juice Bar vision is David Schmid, a stock market analyst and guru with years of experience in marketing capitalization and business development. Schmid took control of the LOTE Shell in mid-2016. Schmid is the CEO of Lot87 and the managing partner at Parking Acquisition Ventures, a $500 million joint venture focused on the Parking Real Estate asset class. Schmid has been involved in the parking industry for more than 25 years with a focus on real estate and
After a forgettable year for biotech and healthcare stocks, 2017 has dawned with new hopes. Although the Democratic threat on a clamp down on price gouging hit the space for much of 2016 amid the presidential election campaign, the election of Republican Donald Trump initially generated some optimism. However, Trump has since sent out a veiled threat of being uncomfortable with higher drug prices.
7 In Focus
Against this backdrop, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage of the following biotech and healthcare stocks at Overweight, making these its top picks in the space for 2017:
- athenahealth, Inc ATHN 1.67%: price target of $135 (18 percent upside from current levels).
- Cerner Corporation CERN 0.21%: price target of $66 (34 percent upside from current levels).
- eHealth, Inc. EHTH 5.01%: price target of $15 (48 percent upside from current levels).
- Evolent Health Inc EVH 5.3%: price target of $26 (74 percent upside from current levels).
- NantHealth Inc NH 2.82%: price target of $17 (73 percent upside from current levels).
- Omnicell, Inc. OMCL 1.36%: price target of $40 (21 percent upside from current levels).
- Teladoc Inc TDOC 0.91%: price target of $25 (over 50 percent upside from current levels).
Against this backdrop, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage of the following biotech and healthcare stocks at Overweight, making these its top picks in the space for 2017:
- athenahealth, Inc ATHN 1.67%: price target of $135 (18 percent upside from current levels).
- Cerner Corporation CERN 0.21%: price target of $66 (34 percent upside from current levels).
- eHealth, Inc. EHTH 5.01%: price target of $15 (48 percent upside from current levels).
- Evolent Health Inc EVH 5.3%: price target of $26 (74 percent upside from current levels).
- NantHealth Inc NH 2.82%: price target of $17 (73 percent upside from current levels).
- Omnicell, Inc. OMCL 1.36%: price target of $40 (21 percent upside from current levels).
- Teladoc Inc TDOC 0.91%: price target of $25 (over 50 percent upside from current levels).
Athenahealth's Traditional Market Disrupting Cloud-based Offering
Cantor analyst Steven Harper noted that athenahealth has demonstrated its ability to disrupt the traditional market for physician practice management and clinical information systems with its cloud-based offering. The analyst also highlighted the company's 2017 guidance for 18.5 percent top line growth, with indications that it could hit operating income growth of 34 percent, as it realizes operating leverage. The firm feels the shares are attractive.
Cantor analyst Steven Harper noted that athenahealth has demonstrated its ability to disrupt the traditional market for physician practice management and clinical information systems with its cloud-based offering. The analyst also highlighted the company's 2017 guidance for 18.5 percent top line growth, with indications that it could hit operating income growth of 34 percent, as it realizes operating leverage. The firm feels the shares are attractive.
Cerner: Bellwether Among Publicly Traded Healthcare IT Companies
Cantor said Cerner remains the bellwether among publicly traded healthcare IT companies. Notwithstanding the recent disappointing performance, the firm said it does not share investor concerns about the company's future growth prospects. Harper feels the shares of Cerner are considerably undervalued at this juncture. The $66 price target represents 36 percent upside from current levels.
Cantor said Cerner remains the bellwether among publicly traded healthcare IT companies. Notwithstanding the recent disappointing performance, the firm said it does not share investor concerns about the company's future growth prospects. Harper feels the shares of Cerner are considerably undervalued at this juncture. The $66 price target represents 36 percent upside from current levels.
EHealth: Well Suited To Weather The Storm
Cantor feels eHealth may benefit if the incoming Trump administration dismantles the Affordable Healthcare Act, beginning in 2018. The ACA negatively impacted eHealth, as many individuals now buy insurance on an exchange, bringing down the company's individual and family plan membership by 25 percent year-over-year. Analysts Harper said it remains to be seen if the company's new strategy outlined in its third quarter results will pay dividends. Accordingly, the firm believes the company is well suited to weather the storm.
Cantor feels eHealth may benefit if the incoming Trump administration dismantles the Affordable Healthcare Act, beginning in 2018. The ACA negatively impacted eHealth, as many individuals now buy insurance on an exchange, bringing down the company's individual and family plan membership by 25 percent year-over-year. Analysts Harper said it remains to be seen if the company's new strategy outlined in its third quarter results will pay dividends. Accordingly, the firm believes the company is well suited to weather the storm.
Evolent Health: Well Positioned To Grow Rapidly
Harper believes Evolent Health, a technology-enabled cloud-based service provider, is well positioned to grow rapidly from the ongoing shift to value-based reimbursement, due to the large addressable market. The company's population health management tools allow healthcare organizations to transition to value-based reimbursement, with captive health insurance plans of large integrated delivery networks being its primary customers. The analyst believes market forces will continue to drive the shift to value-based reimbursement in many large population markets.
Harper believes Evolent Health, a technology-enabled cloud-based service provider, is well positioned to grow rapidly from the ongoing shift to value-based reimbursement, due to the large addressable market. The company's population health management tools allow healthcare organizations to transition to value-based reimbursement, with captive health insurance plans of large integrated delivery networks being its primary customers. The analyst believes market forces will continue to drive the shift to value-based reimbursement in many large population markets.
NantHealth's Unique Cancer Screening Test A Game changer
Cantor believes NantHealth's unique cancer screening test, called GPS Cancer, is poised to change cancer care. The slower than expected ramp of the strategy does not diminish the firm's enthusiasm.
Cantor believes NantHealth's unique cancer screening test, called GPS Cancer, is poised to change cancer care. The slower than expected ramp of the strategy does not diminish the firm's enthusiasm.
Omnicell To Continue To Gain Share
Cantor is of the view that Omnicell will continue to gain market share from industry leader Pyris, a subsidiary of Becton Dickinson and Co BDX 1.87%, given its product differentiation and lower cost of ownership. The firm noted that over the years, the company has broadened its product set to improve hospital pharmacy efficiencies beyond dispensing. Cantor views the acquisition of Aesynt, a provider of robotic technology hospitals and a growing IV automation solution, to be transformative.
Cantor is of the view that Omnicell will continue to gain market share from industry leader Pyris, a subsidiary of Becton Dickinson and Co BDX 1.87%, given its product differentiation and lower cost of ownership. The firm noted that over the years, the company has broadened its product set to improve hospital pharmacy efficiencies beyond dispensing. Cantor views the acquisition of Aesynt, a provider of robotic technology hospitals and a growing IV automation solution, to be transformative.
Teladoc: Poised To See Strong Industry Growth
Harper believes Teladoc, a provider if telehealth services to health plans and employers, is poised to see strong industry growth over the next several years. Explaining the prospects, the analyst highlighted the CDC data that showed 1.25 billion ambulatory visits occur each year. The company believes about at least one-third of these visits could be treated with telehealth, the analyst noted.
Harper believes Teladoc, a provider if telehealth services to health plans and employers, is poised to see strong industry growth over the next several years. Explaining the prospects, the analyst highlighted the CDC data that showed 1.25 billion ambulatory visits occur each year. The company believes about at least one-third of these visits could be treated with telehealth, the analyst noted.
Nasdaq Cannabis Stocks Spike in Volume Ahead of Election for Recreational and Medical Use
The volume of cannabis stocks listed on the Nasdaq have spiked ahead of the election with some stocks rising as much as 12% on Monday as voters decide tomorrow whether five states will allow recreational use of marijuana while four other states could approve medical use.
Interest in cannabis-related stocks has risen from micro cap to Nasdaq-listed equities, said Jason Spatafora, co-founder of Marijuanastocks.com and a Miami-based trader and investor known as @WolfofWeedST on Twitter. The market is predicting that voters in California and Nevada will approve legislation for recreational use and anticipates that Florida will legalize medical use.
"Should more states adopt laws to legalize either recreational or medicine use of marijuana, we can see a continued run going into the new year," he said.
Some of the stocks have been undervalued as investors were skittish and the use of drugs produced by major cannabis-focused biopharmaceutical companies have not been widely adopted. The current options for mainstream investors in this budding sector are limited to a handful of companies listed on the Nasdaq, including GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH) , a U.K.-based biotech company with a cannabis-based epilepsy drug; Insys Therapeutics (INSY) , a Phoenix company known for its cancer pain management drug but is developing a cannabis-based drug for the treatment of epilepsy; Cara Therapeutics (CARA) , a Shelton, Conn.-based clinical state biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes pain relief drugs; and Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (ZYNE) , a Devon, Pa.-based company focused on developing and commercializing synthetic cannabinoid therapeutics.
This run in stock prices is also boosted by the massive gains that Canadian licensed producers are showing investors, Spatafora said. Canada is also expecting several IPOs such as Emblem Cannabis (TSX: EMC) which is expected to which will go public end of November.
"The Canadian run can prop up the U.S. market well into the spring when their national cannabis law takes effect," he said. "So long as investors are taking profit along the way rather than let greed dominate their accounts, the bubble will not burst."
An approval in Florida means the state's economy would benefit, because "cannabis has a drastic impact on real estate since entrepreneurs need legal means other than cash vaults to store their earnings due to banking restrictions," Spatafora said. "This could inevitably be a residual benefit of cannabis passage that most people are missing."
Recreational passage in California will have a smaller effect on them market since it is already a medical state which currently consists of about 75% of the total U.S. cannabis market, he said. The other states seeking approval are Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine.
"Passage in California will only expand those numbers, but the more interesting state is Florida," Spatafora said.
Colorado's passage of both recreational and medical use in 2014 proved to be a groundbreaking test case for entrepreneurs and legislators and has generated hundreds of millions of revenue in taxes.
"The state was a crash test dummy of the industry and for all the doomsayers who said crime would increase as well as drug abuse," he said. "Colorado was a wild success with opioid addiction and overdoses dropping. Two or three states after legalization have shown states that the paradigm shift for legal cannabis has already reached a tipping point and their economies need it."
The economic impact for these states is immense - California is estimated to increase to $10 billion market by 2020, while Florida's medical market should be a $1 billion industry by 2020, said Michael Berger, a former Raymond James energy analyst and founder of Technical420, a Miami-based company that conducts research on cannabis stocks. California's recreational market is not likely to start until 2018 since Colorado voters passed the usage in 2012 and the program did not start until January 1, 2014.
"I expect the cannabis industry to be a $75 billion dollar industry by 2020," he said. "Although many people's estimates are below this, I take into account more than just the sale legal cannabis because the ancillary business will benefit significantly."
The medical marijuana initiatives are being voted on Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota while Montana is voting on an initiative to "fix the medical marijuana program after it was gutted by the legislature several years ago," said Morgan Fox, communications manager for the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based marijuana policy reform organization.
In California alone, the state and local revenues are expected to generate over $1 billion annually, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office, said the Marijuana Policy Project of California. State and local governments could save $100 million annually from lower costs been allocated for enforcing marijuana-related offenses such as legal and incarceration costs.
Future State Legislation
Ballot initiatives are not likely to occur in 2017, since it is an off-cycle election year, but movement could occur in Rhode Island, Vermont and New Jersey at the statehouse level next year, said Robert Hunt, president of Teewinot Life Sciences, a Tampa, Fla.-based cannabinoid biosynthesis company, and a partner at Tuatara Capital, a New York-based private equity fund dedicated to the legal cannabis industry.
State legislatures who chose to expand a program do not need voter approval and it is likely more legislators will choose this strategy in 2017 and 2018, said Brett Roper, COO of Medicine Man Technologies (OTCQB: MDCL), a Denver-based cannabis consulting services company.
"I predict that in 2017 and 2018 instead of straight ballot initiatives, we will see the first states pass adult use legalization through legislatures," he said. "Vermont and Rhode Island have long been a favorite picks of observers for being the first to legalize through a legislative process and there has been some movement in New Jersey that has also been encouraging."
Well-regulated medical cannabis or adult use state markets can usually generate at least 10% of total sales, Hunt said.
"The total economic impact when accounting for direct and ancillary job creation is often in the billions of dollars in states with a decent sized population," he said. "We are already seeing this in the earliest adopting states with robust markets."
By Ellen Chang
Source: https://www.thestreet.com/story/13883955/1/nasdaq-cannabis-stocks-spike-in-volume-ahead-of-election-for-recreational-and-medical-use.html
The volume of cannabis stocks listed on the Nasdaq have spiked ahead of the election with some stocks rising as much as 12% on Monday as voters decide tomorrow whether five states will allow recreational use of marijuana while four other states could approve medical use.
Interest in cannabis-related stocks has risen from micro cap to Nasdaq-listed equities, said Jason Spatafora, co-founder of Marijuanastocks.com and a Miami-based trader and investor known as @WolfofWeedST on Twitter. The market is predicting that voters in California and Nevada will approve legislation for recreational use and anticipates that Florida will legalize medical use.
"Should more states adopt laws to legalize either recreational or medicine use of marijuana, we can see a continued run going into the new year," he said.
This run in stock prices is also boosted by the massive gains that Canadian licensed producers are showing investors, Spatafora said. Canada is also expecting several IPOs such as Emblem Cannabis (TSX: EMC) which is expected to which will go public end of November.
"The Canadian run can prop up the U.S. market well into the spring when their national cannabis law takes effect," he said. "So long as investors are taking profit along the way rather than let greed dominate their accounts, the bubble will not burst."
An approval in Florida means the state's economy would benefit, because "cannabis has a drastic impact on real estate since entrepreneurs need legal means other than cash vaults to store their earnings due to banking restrictions," Spatafora said. "This could inevitably be a residual benefit of cannabis passage that most people are missing."
Recreational passage in California will have a smaller effect on them market since it is already a medical state which currently consists of about 75% of the total U.S. cannabis market, he said. The other states seeking approval are Arizona, Nevada, Massachusetts and Maine.
"Passage in California will only expand those numbers, but the more interesting state is Florida," Spatafora said.
Colorado's passage of both recreational and medical use in 2014 proved to be a groundbreaking test case for entrepreneurs and legislators and has generated hundreds of millions of revenue in taxes.
"The state was a crash test dummy of the industry and for all the doomsayers who said crime would increase as well as drug abuse," he said. "Colorado was a wild success with opioid addiction and overdoses dropping. Two or three states after legalization have shown states that the paradigm shift for legal cannabis has already reached a tipping point and their economies need it."
The economic impact for these states is immense - California is estimated to increase to $10 billion market by 2020, while Florida's medical market should be a $1 billion industry by 2020, said Michael Berger, a former Raymond James energy analyst and founder of Technical420, a Miami-based company that conducts research on cannabis stocks. California's recreational market is not likely to start until 2018 since Colorado voters passed the usage in 2012 and the program did not start until January 1, 2014.
"I expect the cannabis industry to be a $75 billion dollar industry by 2020," he said. "Although many people's estimates are below this, I take into account more than just the sale legal cannabis because the ancillary business will benefit significantly."
The medical marijuana initiatives are being voted on Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota while Montana is voting on an initiative to "fix the medical marijuana program after it was gutted by the legislature several years ago," said Morgan Fox, communications manager for the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based marijuana policy reform organization.
In California alone, the state and local revenues are expected to generate over $1 billion annually, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office, said the Marijuana Policy Project of California. State and local governments could save $100 million annually from lower costs been allocated for enforcing marijuana-related offenses such as legal and incarceration costs.
Future State Legislation
Ballot initiatives are not likely to occur in 2017, since it is an off-cycle election year, but movement could occur in Rhode Island, Vermont and New Jersey at the statehouse level next year, said Robert Hunt, president of Teewinot Life Sciences, a Tampa, Fla.-based cannabinoid biosynthesis company, and a partner at Tuatara Capital, a New York-based private equity fund dedicated to the legal cannabis industry.
State legislatures who chose to expand a program do not need voter approval and it is likely more legislators will choose this strategy in 2017 and 2018, said Brett Roper, COO of Medicine Man Technologies (OTCQB: MDCL), a Denver-based cannabis consulting services company.
"I predict that in 2017 and 2018 instead of straight ballot initiatives, we will see the first states pass adult use legalization through legislatures," he said. "Vermont and Rhode Island have long been a favorite picks of observers for being the first to legalize through a legislative process and there has been some movement in New Jersey that has also been encouraging."
Well-regulated medical cannabis or adult use state markets can usually generate at least 10% of total sales, Hunt said.
"The total economic impact when accounting for direct and ancillary job creation is often in the billions of dollars in states with a decent sized population," he said. "We are already seeing this in the earliest adopting states with robust markets."
Source: https://www.thestreet.com/story/13883955/1/nasdaq-cannabis-stocks-spike-in-volume-ahead-of-election-for-recreational-and-medical-use.html
“Learn Why Vuzix (NASDAQ: VUZI)May Be The Next Big Thing Within The $80 Billion Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality Marketplace”
Goldman Sachs research revealed that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have the potential to become the next big computing platform and that AR/VR will become an $80 billion industry by 2025.
Forrester research estimates that enterprise customers will adopt 400,000 smart glasses in 2016 alone.
In 2015, the industry witnessed smart glass pilot programs across specific production lines, but over the second half of 2016, commercial rollouts could expand and encompass entire factories.
Google revolutionized the industry in 2014 with the introduction of Google Glass, but one company’s smart glasses have outperformed Google Glass time and time again in the enterprise field where it matters most.
Goldman Sachs research revealed that augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have the potential to become the next big computing platform and that AR/VR will become an $80 billion industry by 2025.
Forrester research estimates that enterprise customers will adopt 400,000 smart glasses in 2016 alone.
In 2015, the industry witnessed smart glass pilot programs across specific production lines, but over the second half of 2016, commercial rollouts could expand and encompass entire factories.
Google revolutionized the industry in 2014 with the introduction of Google Glass, but one company’s smart glasses have outperformed Google Glass time and time again in the enterprise field where it matters most.
Enterprise Augmented Reality Smart Glasses
The company making the biggest waves in the industry right now, outperforming Google Glass in the enterprise field with its first generation augmented reality smart glasses, is Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI).
VUZI has sold thousands of smart glasses to enterprise customers over the past few years, and the company is planning a commercial rollout of its next generation smart glasses this summer.
VUZI’s second generation smart glasses (M300) were developed based on the feedback from thousands of users.
The M300 smart glasses will continue to expand the performance gap between VUZI’s smart glasses and the competition within the enterprise marketplace.
The company making the biggest waves in the industry right now, outperforming Google Glass in the enterprise field with its first generation augmented reality smart glasses, is Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI).
VUZI has sold thousands of smart glasses to enterprise customers over the past few years, and the company is planning a commercial rollout of its next generation smart glasses this summer.
VUZI’s second generation smart glasses (M300) were developed based on the feedback from thousands of users.
The M300 smart glasses will continue to expand the performance gap between VUZI’s smart glasses and the competition within the enterprise marketplace.
Enterprise Adoption of Augmented Reality Smart Glasses Has Potential to Be Massive
“Over 14 million US workers will use smart glasses by 2025.”
Forrester
“8% of all US workers will use smart glasses in their jobs by 2025.”
Forrester
“Augmented reality is expected to generate $80 billion in revenue (excluding hardware) by 2020 and become the backbone of immersive journalism where readers can experience a story and be part of it.”
Manatt Digital Media
“Enterprises will spend over $30 billion on smart glasses hardware through 2025.”
Forrester
“You’ll start seeing them (smart glasses) used on a much larger scale than they were in 2015: Moving from one line to the whole factory, or from one factory to the whole bullpen of factories that support a process.”
APX Labs via Washington Post
Source: Forrester
Forrester estimates that enterprise customers will adopt 400,000 smart glasses in 2016,with the total adoption of smart glasses expected to reach 14.4 million by 2025.
The 2025 estimate assumes that 8% of US workers will wear smart glasses as part of their jobs.
New smart glass device unit sales are expected to make up a majority of unit sales through 2021 until sales of replacement units eclipse new units.
Forrester identified 264 jobs in the US that are most likely to benefit from smart glassesincluding jobs such as technician, repairer, operator and nurses.
Source: Forrester
Other jobs that are less common that made the list include museum curators and surgeons.
GE’s aviation engineers use APX Labs’ skylight software and smart glasses to power real-time, first person collaboration.
General maintenance and repair workers are expected to adopt a large number of smart glasses.
Forrester interviewed 13 vendor and user companies to compile its most recent report on enterprise smart glasses.
VUZI works closely with more than half of the companies referenced in Forrester’s industry report including Intel, Boeing, General Electric, APX Labs, Atheer, Kopin and Salesforce.
“Over 14 million US workers will use smart glasses by 2025.”
Forrester“8% of all US workers will use smart glasses in their jobs by 2025.”
Forrester“Augmented reality is expected to generate $80 billion in revenue (excluding hardware) by 2020 and become the backbone of immersive journalism where readers can experience a story and be part of it.”
Manatt Digital Media“Enterprises will spend over $30 billion on smart glasses hardware through 2025.”
Forrester“You’ll start seeing them (smart glasses) used on a much larger scale than they were in 2015: Moving from one line to the whole factory, or from one factory to the whole bullpen of factories that support a process.”
APX Labs via Washington Post
Source: Forrester
Forrester estimates that enterprise customers will adopt 400,000 smart glasses in 2016,with the total adoption of smart glasses expected to reach 14.4 million by 2025.
The 2025 estimate assumes that 8% of US workers will wear smart glasses as part of their jobs.
New smart glass device unit sales are expected to make up a majority of unit sales through 2021 until sales of replacement units eclipse new units.
Forrester identified 264 jobs in the US that are most likely to benefit from smart glassesincluding jobs such as technician, repairer, operator and nurses.
Source: Forrester
Other jobs that are less common that made the list include museum curators and surgeons.
GE’s aviation engineers use APX Labs’ skylight software and smart glasses to power real-time, first person collaboration.
General maintenance and repair workers are expected to adopt a large number of smart glasses.
Forrester interviewed 13 vendor and user companies to compile its most recent report on enterprise smart glasses.
VUZI works closely with more than half of the companies referenced in Forrester’s industry report including Intel, Boeing, General Electric, APX Labs, Atheer, Kopin and Salesforce.
The Future Is Here: Vuzix Augmented Reality Technology
Augmented reality is often referred to as mixed reality, superimposed information or images on top of the real world through glass or a display of a device.
Virtual reality on the other hand provides a view of computer-generated scenes and is totally immersive.
Augmented reality allows users to see what’s going on around them, whereas virtual reality users are restricted to a small area.
This is one of the prime reasons why augmented reality will have a more immediate practical application for business according to a BBC News interview with industry leaders published earlier this year.
The Google Glass project brought an incredible amount of media attention to the smart glass industry and augmented reality.
However, Google learned quickly its smart glass design was ill-suited for consumers so the company decided to market the product to enterprise customers.
Unfortunately for Google, their experiment to serve enterprise customers with a consumer-designed product didn’t work out.
To fix the situation and keep their enterprise customers happy, Google reached out to Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), a company founded in 1997 in Rochester, NY that had been producing leading edge optics and wearable displays for nearly 20 years.
Augmented reality is often referred to as mixed reality, superimposed information or images on top of the real world through glass or a display of a device.
Virtual reality on the other hand provides a view of computer-generated scenes and is totally immersive.
Augmented reality allows users to see what’s going on around them, whereas virtual reality users are restricted to a small area.
This is one of the prime reasons why augmented reality will have a more immediate practical application for business according to a BBC News interview with industry leaders published earlier this year.
The Google Glass project brought an incredible amount of media attention to the smart glass industry and augmented reality.
However, Google learned quickly its smart glass design was ill-suited for consumers so the company decided to market the product to enterprise customers.
Unfortunately for Google, their experiment to serve enterprise customers with a consumer-designed product didn’t work out.
To fix the situation and keep their enterprise customers happy, Google reached out to Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), a company founded in 1997 in Rochester, NY that had been producing leading edge optics and wearable displays for nearly 20 years.
Watch VUZI CEO’s Interview on Fox Business News Opening Bell with Maria Bartiromo
Vuzix Enterprise Users Include Boeing, Airbus, General Electric And Many Others
Boeing, Airbus and General Electric were early users of smart glasses and have active smart glass pilot programs with VUZI.
VUZI partners with key software developers including APX Labs, Atheer and Salesforce, which are developing software to support the deployment of enterprise smart glasses.
These key relationships are yet another confirmation why VUZI is a leader amongst leaders in the augmented marketplace.
In addition to the companies named in the Forrester report, VUZI has partnerships with SAP,Lenovo, XOeye, Pristine Labs, AMA, NTT Data, HP, IBM, Augmate, Sony, AirWatch as well as several others around the globe.
VUZI is also working closely with key smart glass integration partners including Accenture, who specializes in effective implementation of large-scale mobile technology deployments for clients such as Airbus.
Boeing, Airbus and General Electric were early users of smart glasses and have active smart glass pilot programs with VUZI.
VUZI partners with key software developers including APX Labs, Atheer and Salesforce, which are developing software to support the deployment of enterprise smart glasses.
These key relationships are yet another confirmation why VUZI is a leader amongst leaders in the augmented marketplace.
In addition to the companies named in the Forrester report, VUZI has partnerships with SAP,Lenovo, XOeye, Pristine Labs, AMA, NTT Data, HP, IBM, Augmate, Sony, AirWatch as well as several others around the globe.
VUZI is also working closely with key smart glass integration partners including Accenture, who specializes in effective implementation of large-scale mobile technology deployments for clients such as Airbus.
Vuzix Company Overview
Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI) is an award winning, leading developer and supplier of smart glasses and video eyewear products in the consumer, enterprise and industrial markets.
The company has won 20 Consumer Electronics Show Innovations awards and holds over 40 patents and 23 additional patents pending along with numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field.
The major shareholders of VUZI are the founding management team and Intel Corporation, which collectively own approximately 40% of Vuzix Corporation.
Intel Corporation invested $24.8 million in Vuzix in January 2015 and owns 24% of the company.
Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a NASDAQ listed company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in Rochester, NY, Oxford, UK and Tokyo, Japan.
Vuzix Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI) is an award winning, leading developer and supplier of smart glasses and video eyewear products in the consumer, enterprise and industrial markets.
The company has won 20 Consumer Electronics Show Innovations awards and holds over 40 patents and 23 additional patents pending along with numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field.
The major shareholders of VUZI are the founding management team and Intel Corporation, which collectively own approximately 40% of Vuzix Corporation.
Intel Corporation invested $24.8 million in Vuzix in January 2015 and owns 24% of the company.
Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a NASDAQ listed company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in Rochester, NY, Oxford, UK and Tokyo, Japan.
A Closer Look Into Vuzix’s Current Cutting Edge Products and Pipeline
M100 Smart Glasses
VUZI introduced the M100 Smart Glasses in 2013, which were dubbed as the “first true competitor to Google Glass” by the Examiner.
Enterprise customers learned just a few years later that Vuzix’s M100 smart glasses were not simply a competitor to Google Glass, but the augmented reality hardware device that Google itself would recommend to its customers.
VUZI has sold thousands of M100 smart glasses across a variety of industries including warehousing, logistics, biopharma, oil & gas as well as telemedicine industries since 2013.
VUZI has worked with hundreds of companies that have evaluated the company’s smart glasses and provided critical feedback and user experiences.
VUZI listened to the feedback provided by the company’s vast and diverse customer base, which led to the design of the M300 smart glasses.
VUZI introduced the M100 Smart Glasses in 2013, which were dubbed as the “first true competitor to Google Glass” by the Examiner.
Enterprise customers learned just a few years later that Vuzix’s M100 smart glasses were not simply a competitor to Google Glass, but the augmented reality hardware device that Google itself would recommend to its customers.
VUZI has sold thousands of M100 smart glasses across a variety of industries including warehousing, logistics, biopharma, oil & gas as well as telemedicine industries since 2013.
VUZI has worked with hundreds of companies that have evaluated the company’s smart glasses and provided critical feedback and user experiences.
VUZI listened to the feedback provided by the company’s vast and diverse customer base, which led to the design of the M300 smart glasses.
M300 Smart Glasses
Vuzix’s M300 Smart Glasses will address critical and necessary feedback from customers that will increase the value proposition for enterprise customers.
The ergonomic design of the M300 results in a sturdier, tougher and lighter device versus the first generation M100 smart glasses.
The M300 will feature a hot swappable battery that allows users to swap out an existing battery with a fully charged battery without skipping a beat.
The M300 will be waterproof, which is critical for the HVAC and other industries that may encounter wet environments.
VUZI partnered with a leading US based Tier-1 contract manufacturer (Jabil Circuit) to produce the M300 smart glasses.
The M300 will list for $1,499 or an increase of $500 over its predecessor the M100.
The M300 is set for commercial launch over the summer and industry researchers are expecting enterprise smart glass demand to hit full stride over the second half of 2016.
Vuzix’s known customer list includes DHL, General Electric, Airbus, Boeing, Tesla, Daimler, Volkswagen, Bosch, Bechtle and many more.
In total, VUZI has well over 100 customers including over 40 of the Fortune 100 companies.
Vuzix M100 smart glasses for enterprise customers will soon be replaced by the M300, which is an all-around more impressive device in terms of design, functionality, features and component upgrades.
The “M” in front of Vuzix products stands for monocular and any product that begins with a “B” is a binocular based product.
The M300 could be the hit of the year for Vuzix beginning this summer, but the company’s current product offerings and pipeline does not end there.
Vuzix’s M300 Smart Glasses will address critical and necessary feedback from customers that will increase the value proposition for enterprise customers.
The ergonomic design of the M300 results in a sturdier, tougher and lighter device versus the first generation M100 smart glasses.
The M300 will feature a hot swappable battery that allows users to swap out an existing battery with a fully charged battery without skipping a beat.
The M300 will be waterproof, which is critical for the HVAC and other industries that may encounter wet environments.
VUZI partnered with a leading US based Tier-1 contract manufacturer (Jabil Circuit) to produce the M300 smart glasses.
The M300 will list for $1,499 or an increase of $500 over its predecessor the M100.
The M300 is set for commercial launch over the summer and industry researchers are expecting enterprise smart glass demand to hit full stride over the second half of 2016.
Vuzix’s known customer list includes DHL, General Electric, Airbus, Boeing, Tesla, Daimler, Volkswagen, Bosch, Bechtle and many more.
In total, VUZI has well over 100 customers including over 40 of the Fortune 100 companies.
Vuzix M100 smart glasses for enterprise customers will soon be replaced by the M300, which is an all-around more impressive device in terms of design, functionality, features and component upgrades.
The “M” in front of Vuzix products stands for monocular and any product that begins with a “B” is a binocular based product.
The M300 could be the hit of the year for Vuzix beginning this summer, but the company’s current product offerings and pipeline does not end there.
iWear Video Headphones
VUZI currently generates limited revenue from sales of its iWear Video Headphones, which are immersive headphones best suited for gamers, drone owners, medical/dental facilities and other markets around the globe.
The iWear video headphones sell for $499 and the iWear’s direct competitor is the Avegant Glyph.
The company recently launched an initiative with market leading companies such as GoPro to enhance iWear sales opportunities.
The virtual reality market is hot right now, and the biggest proof is Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus VR for $2 billion in cash and stock.
VUZI is primed to capture some of this growing consumer market with its iWear Video Headphones.
VUZI currently generates limited revenue from sales of its iWear Video Headphones, which are immersive headphones best suited for gamers, drone owners, medical/dental facilities and other markets around the globe.
The iWear video headphones sell for $499 and the iWear’s direct competitor is the Avegant Glyph.
The company recently launched an initiative with market leading companies such as GoPro to enhance iWear sales opportunities.
The virtual reality market is hot right now, and the biggest proof is Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus VR for $2 billion in cash and stock.
VUZI is primed to capture some of this growing consumer market with its iWear Video Headphones.
Next Generation See-through Smart Glasses Coming Soon
M3000 Smart Glasses
VUZI is currently working on the company’s first waveguide-based product for enterprise customers called the M3000 Smart Glasses.
The M3000 features all of the advantages of the M300, but utilizes the latest optics to deliver a 1.4mm thin see-through display that will enable more advanced AR applications.
The M3000 is expected to begin shipping in the fall of 2016, shortly after the commercial launch of the M300.
VUZI is currently working on the company’s first waveguide-based product for enterprise customers called the M3000 Smart Glasses.
The M3000 features all of the advantages of the M300, but utilizes the latest optics to deliver a 1.4mm thin see-through display that will enable more advanced AR applications.
The M3000 is expected to begin shipping in the fall of 2016, shortly after the commercial launch of the M300.
VidWear B3000 Series Sunglasses
VUZI is working on augmented reality sunglasses that resemble fashion-based sunglasses for enterprise customers and prosumers.
The VidWear B3000 waveguide sunglasses blend fashion and technology and is expected to be one of the world’s first sunglasses with integrated video.
The B3000 allows for full see-through capabilities in fashion glasses.
The B3000 VidWear products are targeted for introduction into the marketplace sometime in 2017.
VUZI is working on augmented reality sunglasses that resemble fashion-based sunglasses for enterprise customers and prosumers.
The VidWear B3000 waveguide sunglasses blend fashion and technology and is expected to be one of the world’s first sunglasses with integrated video.
The B3000 allows for full see-through capabilities in fashion glasses.
The B3000 VidWear products are targeted for introduction into the marketplace sometime in 2017.
AR3000 Augmented Reality Smart Glasses
The AR3000 waveguide augmented reality sunglasses will be Vuzix’s first binocular augmented reality smart glasses viewer.
These sunglasses are expected to feature two HD cameras with one for gesture support.
The wearer will be able to reach out and manipulate 3-D objects overlaid in the real world.
The AR3000 is being developed to provided advanced operator support for enterprise, industrial and medical uses.
The AR3000 waveguide augmented reality sunglasses will be Vuzix’s first binocular augmented reality smart glasses viewer.
These sunglasses are expected to feature two HD cameras with one for gesture support.
The wearer will be able to reach out and manipulate 3-D objects overlaid in the real world.
The AR3000 is being developed to provided advanced operator support for enterprise, industrial and medical uses.
Waveguides and Display Engines
VUZI holds over 40 patents and 23 additional patents pending along with numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field.
VUZI has developed waveguide displays that use complex displays engines to enable image and video viewing through a microscopic display.
VUZI is now producing display engines at the diameter of a large pencil with optical displays that are as thin as reading glasses.
During the FY 15 Q4 conference call VUZI indicated that the company is actively sharing the company’s new waveguides and display engines with the public.
The display engines are mini projectors built into the wearable displays that beam an image into the waveguide displays for users to view.
VUZI generated over $200,000 of revenue from waveguide sales to Intel in Q3.
VUZI holds over 40 patents and 23 additional patents pending along with numerous IP licenses in the Video Eyewear field.
VUZI has developed waveguide displays that use complex displays engines to enable image and video viewing through a microscopic display.
VUZI is now producing display engines at the diameter of a large pencil with optical displays that are as thin as reading glasses.
During the FY 15 Q4 conference call VUZI indicated that the company is actively sharing the company’s new waveguides and display engines with the public.
The display engines are mini projectors built into the wearable displays that beam an image into the waveguide displays for users to view.
VUZI generated over $200,000 of revenue from waveguide sales to Intel in Q3.
Other Tier-1 Customers
The Tier-1 customers that VUZI is working with are believed to be on par with the likes of Apple, Samsung and LG, which are all actively pursuing, augmented reality smart glasses for the consumer marketplace.
Other PC OEM manufacturers including HP and Dell are anticipated to enter the consumer augmented reality marketplace as well.
The augmented reality arms race occurring behind closed doors to introduce consumer centric smart glasses is in full swing.
The arrival of the first generation of smart glasses for consumers will hit the market within the next 6 to 18 months and VUZI is well positioned to be a key player within the consumer smart glass marketplace.
The Tier-1 customers that VUZI is working with are believed to be on par with the likes of Apple, Samsung and LG, which are all actively pursuing, augmented reality smart glasses for the consumer marketplace.
Other PC OEM manufacturers including HP and Dell are anticipated to enter the consumer augmented reality marketplace as well.
The augmented reality arms race occurring behind closed doors to introduce consumer centric smart glasses is in full swing.
The arrival of the first generation of smart glasses for consumers will hit the market within the next 6 to 18 months and VUZI is well positioned to be a key player within the consumer smart glass marketplace.
Intel Corporation Fuels Vuzi’s Growth With A $24.8m Investment
In January 2015, Intel Corporation invested $24.8m (30% stake that currently sits at 24%) in VUZI.
Intel’s investment provided VUZI with the financial resources to build a 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility to manufacture waveguides for the company’s next-generation wearable display products as well as the company’s strategic partners.
In December 2014, Intel partnered with Luxottica, the owner of Oakley fashion sunglasses on a collaborative research project to bring fashionable smart glasses to consumers.
The Wall Street Journal reported in March 2016 that Intel was developing an augmented reality wearable headset.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Intel’s augmented reality wearable headset is a reference design that will ultimately end up white-labeled and sold through a leading OEM.
According to a recent SEC filing, VUZI has supplied Intel (a related party) with over $200,000 worth of waveguides.
Vuzix’s waveguides are super thin (1.4mm thick), high quality, relatively inexpensive compared to competitive offerings and ideally positioned for fashion-based consumer smart glasses.
Intel has acquired a handful of augmented reality companies and technologies over the past two years.
Intel’s acquisitions and investments in augmented reality exceed $500m and are closing in on $1 billion.
Intel frequently collaborates with a company and acquires them or makes an initial investment and acquires the company within a 24-month period.
In January 2015, Intel Corporation invested $24.8m (30% stake that currently sits at 24%) in VUZI.
Intel’s investment provided VUZI with the financial resources to build a 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility to manufacture waveguides for the company’s next-generation wearable display products as well as the company’s strategic partners.
In December 2014, Intel partnered with Luxottica, the owner of Oakley fashion sunglasses on a collaborative research project to bring fashionable smart glasses to consumers.
The Wall Street Journal reported in March 2016 that Intel was developing an augmented reality wearable headset.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Intel’s augmented reality wearable headset is a reference design that will ultimately end up white-labeled and sold through a leading OEM.
According to a recent SEC filing, VUZI has supplied Intel (a related party) with over $200,000 worth of waveguides.
Vuzix’s waveguides are super thin (1.4mm thick), high quality, relatively inexpensive compared to competitive offerings and ideally positioned for fashion-based consumer smart glasses.
Intel has acquired a handful of augmented reality companies and technologies over the past two years.
Intel’s acquisitions and investments in augmented reality exceed $500m and are closing in on $1 billion.
Intel frequently collaborates with a company and acquires them or makes an initial investment and acquires the company within a 24-month period.
VUZI’s Seasoned Management Team
Paul J. Travers, CEO, President and Director (Holds 2.55 million shares or 12.1% of shares outstanding)
Paul J. Travers is the founder of VUZI and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 1997 and as a member of the board of directors since November 1997.
Prior to the formation of VUZI, Mr. Travers founded both e-Tek Labs, Inc. and Forte Technologies Inc.
He has been a driving force behind the development of our products for the consumer market.
With more than 25 years of experience in the consumer electronics field, and 15 years of experience in the virtual reality and virtual display fields, he is a nationally recognized industry expert.
He holds an Associate degree in engineering science from Canton, ATC and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Clarkson University.
Grant Russell, CFO, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Director (Holds 0.9 milion shares or 4.2% of shares outstanding)
Grant Russell has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2000 and as a member of the board of directors since April 2009.
From 1997 to 2004, Mr. Russell developed and subsequently sold a successful software firm and a new concept computer store and cyber café.
In 1984, he co-founded Advanced Gravis Computer (Gravis), which, under his leadership as President, grew to become the world’s largest PC and Macintosh joystick manufacturer with sales of $44,000,000 worldwide and 220 employees.
Gravis was listed on NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In September 1996, Gravis was acquired by a US-based Fortune 100 company in a successful public tender offer.
Mr. Russell holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from the University of British Columbia and is both a US Certified Public Accountant and a Canadian Chartered Accountant.
Paul J. Travers, CEO, President and Director (Holds 2.55 million shares or 12.1% of shares outstanding)
Paul J. Travers is the founder of VUZI and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 1997 and as a member of the board of directors since November 1997.
Prior to the formation of VUZI, Mr. Travers founded both e-Tek Labs, Inc. and Forte Technologies Inc.
He has been a driving force behind the development of our products for the consumer market.
With more than 25 years of experience in the consumer electronics field, and 15 years of experience in the virtual reality and virtual display fields, he is a nationally recognized industry expert.
He holds an Associate degree in engineering science from Canton, ATC and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Clarkson University.
Grant Russell, CFO, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Director (Holds 0.9 milion shares or 4.2% of shares outstanding)
Grant Russell has served as Chief Financial Officer since 2000 and as a member of the board of directors since April 2009.
From 1997 to 2004, Mr. Russell developed and subsequently sold a successful software firm and a new concept computer store and cyber café.
In 1984, he co-founded Advanced Gravis Computer (Gravis), which, under his leadership as President, grew to become the world’s largest PC and Macintosh joystick manufacturer with sales of $44,000,000 worldwide and 220 employees.
Gravis was listed on NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In September 1996, Gravis was acquired by a US-based Fortune 100 company in a successful public tender offer.
Mr. Russell holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance from the University of British Columbia and is both a US Certified Public Accountant and a Canadian Chartered Accountant.
Key Company Stakeholders
Intel Corporation invested $24.8 million in January 2015 and currently owns 24% of VUZI.
Intel has an option to secure two VUZI corporate board seats and also has the right of first refusal to match any strategic investment made by another company in Vuzix.
Intel Corporation invested $24.8 million in January 2015 and currently owns 24% of VUZI.
Intel has an option to secure two VUZI corporate board seats and also has the right of first refusal to match any strategic investment made by another company in Vuzix.
Comprehensive Analyst Research on VUZI
VUZI is currently covered by two sell-side analysts Chardan and H.C. Wainright with an average rating of buy and a price target of $10.00.
Both sell-side analysts expect revenue FY17 revenue to double compared to FY16 due to new product rollouts commencing in FY16.
Chardan maintains a buy recommendation for VUZI and a $10.00 per share price target.
Chardan’s price target is based on 10-12 times Q4 2017 revenue run rate of $19 million.
H.C. Wainright maintains a buy recommendation for VUZI and a $10.00 per share price target.
H.C. Wainright’s price target was based on a DCF analysis to arrive at a $10.00 price target.
VUZI is currently covered by two sell-side analysts Chardan and H.C. Wainright with an average rating of buy and a price target of $10.00.
Both sell-side analysts expect revenue FY17 revenue to double compared to FY16 due to new product rollouts commencing in FY16.
Chardan maintains a buy recommendation for VUZI and a $10.00 per share price target.
Chardan’s price target is based on 10-12 times Q4 2017 revenue run rate of $19 million.
H.C. Wainright maintains a buy recommendation for VUZI and a $10.00 per share price target.
H.C. Wainright’s price target was based on a DCF analysis to arrive at a $10.00 price target.
Why We’re Watching Vuzix Closely
VUZI is well positioned for a major uptick in business activity in the second half of 2016 driven by the commercial launch of the M300 smart glasses.
The company is working closely with Intel on consumer fashion-based smart glasses that could provide additional upside for investors.
Vuzix’s product pipeline is market leading and extensive, which positions the company for rapid market penetration and growth for years to come.
VUZI shares are trading at a nice discount from analyst price targets, and now might be a good time to take a closer look at Vuzix, a market leader that has all the markings of being The Next Big Thing in Augmented Reality.
VUZI is well positioned for a major uptick in business activity in the second half of 2016 driven by the commercial launch of the M300 smart glasses.
The company is working closely with Intel on consumer fashion-based smart glasses that could provide additional upside for investors.
Vuzix’s product pipeline is market leading and extensive, which positions the company for rapid market penetration and growth for years to come.
VUZI shares are trading at a nice discount from analyst price targets, and now might be a good time to take a closer look at Vuzix, a market leader that has all the markings of being The Next Big Thing in Augmented Reality.
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As always, trade smart and do your own research before making any investment decision.
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If you think solar energy is only embraced by the sort of people who vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders (D., Vt.), a self-avowed socialist, consider this: Ten billionaires are investing massive sums in renewable energy technologies such as solar. Warren Buffett, George Soros, Bill Gates and their super-wealthy peers can hardly be considered as naïve and utopian.
Below, we examine a solar stock with the greatest growth potential this year. It's poised for triple-digit gains in 2016, no mean feat in a market that some analysts are saying will soon descend into a prolonged slump. If you want to "beat the bear," you should look for companies with game-changing technologies that are tapped into unstoppable trends.
But there's another misconception about solar right now. Many investors think that persistently low oil and gas prices will compel end users to abandon solar in favor of cheaper fossil fuels.
If you believe that fallacy, you'll miss one of the most exciting investment opportunities to come along in decades. Fact is, the infrastructure for the solar industry is now pervasive and entrenched, leading to a "price decoupling" of solar and fossil fuels. Solar and other renewable energies are now integral to the energy status quo and no longer need high oil and gas prices to attract users.
That's why the stock we examine below is projected to appreciate by as much as 193% this year. For further explanation as to the dynamics behind this company's stunning rise, let's turn to the Gartner Hype Cycle.
The Hype Cycle is a graphical presentation developed and used by technology research and advisory firm Gartner for representing the maturity, adoption and social application of specific technologies.
Each Hype Cycle describes five crucial phases of a technology's life cycle:
1) Technology Trigger: A technology breakthrough kicks things off; excitement builds.
2) Peak of Inflated Expectations: Early publicity spawns a flurry of success (and failure) stories. Some companies adapt; others fall by the wayside.
3) Trough of Disillusionment: Interest diminishes as reality fails to live up to the hype. A shakeout ensues, but the smartest early adopters survive and continue to invest and experiment.
4) Slope of Enlightenment: The technology becomes better understood and implemented. Second- and third-generation products emerge.
5) Plateau of Productivity: Mainstream adoption takes off.
Simply put, solar has already passed through its "hype" period and is now in the "plateau of productivity" for sustainable, long-term growth.
The solar industry has not seen its fortunes diminish in the face of cheaper fossil fuels, because solar now moves along its own supply-and-demand dynamics within its plateau of productivity. It doesn't matter if oil is dirt-cheap right now. Solar's customers are increasingly dependent on inexpensive, reliable power from the sun and see no rationale for switching.
The one stock that appears to have greatest upside potential this year is Canadian Solar (CSIQ - Get Report) .
With a market cap of $917.27 billion, Canadian Solar produces solar ingots, wafers, cells, modules and integrated power systems. Canadian Solar is a "small-cap rocket stock" that is poised to explode this year. As a small-cap with current market capitalization of about $1.07 billion, Canadian Solar confers greater risk than peers First Solar (FSLR - Get Report) (market cap: $6.3 billion) and SunPower (SPWR - Get Report) (market cap: $3.3 billion), but it also enjoys the greatest upside potential.
By John Persinos
Below, we examine a solar stock with the greatest growth potential this year. It's poised for triple-digit gains in 2016, no mean feat in a market that some analysts are saying will soon descend into a prolonged slump. If you want to "beat the bear," you should look for companies with game-changing technologies that are tapped into unstoppable trends.10 Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Returns in 6 Months
These under- loved but technically superior stocks will deliver some sizable pops in very little time
The market rolls into February with investors looking for any signs that stocks will reverse their course, correcting the worst start that the S&P 500 and other major indices have ever seen.
Source: ©iStock.com/Osuleo
Many investors still are looking to get something out of the usual suspects — Apple Inc. (AAPL),Amazon.com, Inc.(AMZN) and the like. But you’re not likely to find even, consistent returns from these stocks as investors, media and analysts perform a tug-of-war over these choose few.
Our approach to finding stocks to buy is something I like to refer to as the Gretzky Approach. The Great One famously stated:
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”
We’re doing the same thing with our portfolios — buying stocks to buy based on where performance will be, not where it — or the crowd — has been. This proven approach finds performance by looking at stocks that are performing under everyone’s radar.
It’s simple: We would rather own companies that are and will be performing but aren’t already crowded (see: Apple and Amazon). Don’t worry: Wall Street will start talking about these stocks soon enough — and then the market will flood in as buyers, further amplifying our gains.
Here are 10 Gretzky-style stocks to buy that our research suggests will be up more than 10% over the next two quarters. In order of potential upside, they are …
Top 10 Stocks for 2016
Get immediate access to the names of 10 explosive stocks set to soar... no matter what happens in Washington or on Wall Street. Click here for the Buy List — yours FREE!
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Dollar Tree, Inc. (DLTR)
Projected Upside: 10%
The retail sector struggled through another holiday season, splitting the sector into a group of “haves” and “have-nots.”
Dollar Tree (DLTR) stock has emerged as one of the “haves,” as the retailer’s shares are trading 5% higher for the year, firmly entrenched in a bullish technical trend.
Dollar Tree stock is set to move from current levels to $90 as Wall Street analysts get on board with this performer and upgrade the shares from their current 50% buy recommendations, driving prices even higher over the next three months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS)
Projected Upside: 10%
Consumer staples companies are going to attract a crowd through 2016 as the rocky market puts investors in the mood to reduce volatility.
Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) stock has been the perfect embodiment of this profile for the last few years, knocking the socks off of the market with a 33% gain since January 2015.
Despite the dynamite performance, only 15% percent of the analysts tracking the stock have it ranked a Buy. Are you kidding me? DPS and its combination of growth and a decent 2% dividend will be the talk of the Street as interest rates continue to slump, helping Dr. Pepper Snapple maintain its role as one of the strongest “safety stocks” in the market.
Watch for another 10% gain over the next six months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: O’Reilly Automotive Inc (ORLY)
Projected Upside: 10%
Auto parts companies set the bar in 2015 as the average age of the cars on the road continued to grow. Over the last three months, we’ve seen what was a “crowded trade” thin out a bit as investors took profits from these companies.
Now, with a fresh year, the fundamentals continue to support the long-term bullish outlook for O’Reilly Automotive (ORLY) stock. The charts are supportive of this outlook as O’Reilly is trading back above its 200-day trendline and other long-term bullish trendlines.
Only half of the analysts covering the stock have it ranked a buy, so we’re expecting to see this outperformer gain some upgrades to help drive O’Reilly Automotive stock to our $280 price target over the next six months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Adobe Systems Incorporated (ADBE)
Projected Upside: 10%
Mention cloud computing, and the first companies that people will talk about are Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Amazon … but those in the know realize that Adobe (ADBE) has carved a great niche in the cloud area that nobody challenges.
Adobe stock has gained 24% over the past year as their suite of creative tools have become the standard for everyone from artist to business people. The results — booming revenue and earnings — have driven Adobe stock performance.
The continued fundamental and technical strength will have analysts and Main Street investors driving cash into Adobe stock. Our models target a price of $97 over the next three months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Clorox Co (CLX)
Projected Upside: 11%
Keeping with the “Safety Stock” theme, Clorox (CLX) stock is another dividend-yielding consumer staple stock that our models favor for the next six months.
Clorox shares are trading 20% higher than their September lows, while netting a 2.4% dividend for shareholders. This defensive yielder is targeted to continue its strong trend to the $142 target over the next six months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Altria Group Inc (MO)
Projected Upside: 12%
Finally, another consumer staples stock that investors should be playing for the lower-volatility dividend appeal is Altria (MO).
Getting over the social responsibility aspect of a cigarette company, Altria stock benefits from steady demand for products, especially in slower economic times.
The 3.7% dividend yield puts Altria stock higher on the list, with 10-year Treasury yields sitting below 2%. Along with many of its peer companies, analyst buy recommendations remain low (56% buys), which is likely to change over the next six months, helping to drive prices higher.
Our current target for MO stock is $67 over the next six months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Fastenal Company (FAST)
Projected Upside: 12%
In general, industrial stocks aren’t finding their way to our bullish lists given the weakening economic data. Fastenal (FAST) is different in that its reach goes beyond industrial construction to include farms, trucks, mines, railroads, schools, etc.
In other words, Fastenal is like a consumer staples company of the industrial sector — a good thing in questionable economic times.
The lack of investor attention to this name means that we’re early to the FAST bull trend. Our current estimates have FAST trading back to $44 during the next three months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Fiserv Inc (FISV)
Projected Upside: 10%-13%
We’re an electronic payments society now — something that benefits Fiserv’s (FISV) business model. FISV’s fundamentals have been strengthening as earnings have bested analyst expectations in seven of the past eight quarters, and as Fiserv has grown revenue every quarter.
Wall Street hasn’t caught up with this trend, however, as only 29% of Wall Street analysts recommend FISV stock as a buy.
This trend will change as analysts upgrade their views, driving FISV shares to our target to the low $100s in the next three months.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Mylan NV (MYL)
Projected Upside: 14%
Most investors are starting to run from the biotechnology sector, but there are a few steadfast names that still deserve attention, Mylan (MYL) being one of them.
This biotech company was one of the few that did not become a crowded trade when everyone was buying biotech blindly. This is the reason MYL remains a reasonable investment within a tumultuous sector.
Mylan stock is currently one of the few biotechnology companies trading in a bullish trend, putting the shares on our radar. At the same time, only 63% of the analysts tracking the company recommend it a buy. What we love is that Mylan stock is benefiting from continued growth in revenue and earnings per share, which will fuel even stronger technicals and (eventually) upgrades.
This standout biotech company is targeted to move to $58 over the next six months by our Behavioral Valuation models.
Stocks to Buy for Double-Digit Upside: Mattel, Inc. (MAT)
Projected Upside: 31%
Fresh off of a great earnings report, Mattel (MAT) stock is set to move to the $40 price level as investors are figuring out that they’re not just toying around (sorry for the pun).
Short sellers are on the wrong side of MAT as large short positions have built up, meaning that a covering rally will help move the stock quickly over the next week.
The latest earnings results are a trend-shifter, moving Mattel stock into an intermediate-term bullish trend worth buying.
Source: ©iStock.com/Osuleo
“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”
Top 10 Stocks for 2016
Get immediate access to the names of 10 explosive stocks set to soar... no matter what happens in Washington or on Wall Street. Click here for the Buy List — yours FREE!
Get immediate access to the names of 10 explosive stocks set to soar... no matter what happens in Washington or on Wall Street. Click here for the Buy List — yours FREE!
Dollar Tree (DLTR) stock has emerged as one of the “haves,” as the retailer’s shares are trading 5% higher for the year, firmly entrenched in a bullish technical trend.The 6 Best Stocks to Own in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for 2016
With a volatile 2015 wrapping up in just a few weeks, investors are eagerly looking ahead to the New Year, and adjusting their portfolios accordingly.
Which are the best stocks to buy? Everyone has their preferred strategies, whether its income investing, growth investingor in alternative strategies, but the below blue-chip stocks are strong contenders when it comes to bests of the best.
Now 119 years old, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is the second oldest stock market index and the companies in this 30-stock index make up some of the largest and influential companies in the U.S. In March, Apple made big news when it was added to the Dow, representing a new era of influential technology companies, replacing old-school telecom AT&T.
Here are the six top-rated stocks in the DJIA. The stocks on this list are all rated Buy, with an A or A+ rating. Check out which stocks are the best of the best. And when you're done be sure to check out Goldman Sachs' 35 stocks for 2016.
TheStreet Ratings uses a quantitative approach to rating over 4,300 stocks to predict return potential for the next year. The model is both objective, using elements such as volatility of past operating revenues, financial strength, and company cash flows, and subjective, including expected equity market returns, future interest rates, implied industry outlook and forecasted company earnings.
Buying an S&P 500 stock that TheStreet Ratings rated a buy yielded a 16.56% return in 2014, beating the S&P 500 Total Return Index by 304 basis points. Buying a Russell 2000 stock that TheStreet Ratings rated a buy yielded a 9.5% return in 2014, beating the Russell 2000 index, including dividends reinvested, by 460 basis points last year.
Note: Year-to-date returns are based on Nov. 27 closing prices.
CSCO data by YCharts
6. Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO - Get Report) Industry: Technology/Communications Equipment
Market Cap: $138 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: -1.8%
Market Cap: $138 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: -1.8%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates CISCO SYSTEMS INC as a Buy with a ratings score of A. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate CISCO SYSTEMS INC (CSCO) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth, compelling growth in net income, notable return on equity and reasonable valuation levels. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- CSCO's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 5.8%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 3.6%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
- CISCO SYSTEMS INC has improved earnings per share by 37.1% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past year. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, CISCO SYSTEMS INC increased its bottom line by earning $1.73 versus $1.49 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($2.28 versus $1.73).
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Communications Equipment industry. The net income increased by 33.0% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $1,828.00 million to $2,431.00 million.
- The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Communications Equipment industry and the overall market, CISCO SYSTEMS INC's return on equity exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: CSCO
INTC data by YCharts
5. Intel Corp. (INTC - Get Report) Industry: Technology/Semiconductors
Market Cap: $138 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: -5%
Market Cap: $138 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: -5%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates INTEL CORP as a Buy with a ratings score of A. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate INTEL CORP (INTC) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels, good cash flow from operations, notable return on equity and expanding profit margins. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had lackluster performance in the stock itself.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- The current debt-to-equity ratio, 0.36, is low and is below the industry average, implying that there has been successful management of debt levels. To add to this, INTC has a quick ratio of 1.66, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
- The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry and the overall market on the basis of return on equity, INTEL CORP has underperformed in comparison with the industry average, but has exceeded that of the S&P 500.
- Net operating cash flow has remained constant at $5,735.00 million with no significant change when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, INTEL CORP has modestly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of -6.86%.
- The gross profit margin for INTEL CORP is currently very high, coming in at 78.24%. Regardless of INTC's high profit margin, it has managed to decrease from the same period last year. Despite the mixed results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 21.49% trails the industry average.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: INTC
MSFT data by YCharts
4. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT - Get Report) Industry: Technology/Systems Software
Market Cap: $428 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: 16.1%
Market Cap: $428 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: 16.1%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates MICROSOFT CORP as a Buy with a ratings score of A. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, increase in net income, reasonable valuation levels, expanding profit margins and good cash flow from operations. Although no company is perfect, currently we do not see any significant weaknesses which are likely to detract from the generally positive outlook.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- The stock has not only risen over the past year, it has done so at a faster pace than the S&P 500, reflecting the earnings growth and other positive factors similar to those we have cited here. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Software industry average. The net income increased by 1.8% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $4,540.00 million to $4,620.00 million.
- The gross profit margin for MICROSOFT CORP is currently very high, coming in at 71.80%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 22.67% is above that of the industry average.
- Net operating cash flow has slightly increased to $8,594.00 million or 2.87% when compared to the same quarter last year. The firm also exceeded the industry average cash flow growth rate of -8.93%.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: MSFT
TRV data by YCharts
3. Travelers Cos. Inc. (TRV - Get Report) Industry: Financial Services/Property & Casualty Insurance
Market Cap: $35 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: 8.5%
Market Cap: $35 billion
Rating: Buy, A
Year-to-date return: 8.5%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates TRAVELERS COS INC as a Buy with a ratings score of A. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate TRAVELERS COS INC (TRV) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, increase in net income, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, notable return on equity and expanding profit margins. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- The stock has not only risen over the past year, it has done so at a faster pace than the S&P 500, reflecting the earnings growth and other positive factors similar to those we have cited here. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has exceeded that of the S&P 500 and greatly outperformed compared to the Insurance industry average. The net income increased by 1.0% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $919.00 million to $928.00 million.
- Although TRV's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28 is very low, it is currently higher than that of the industry average.
- The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Insurance industry and the overall market, TRAVELERS COS INC's return on equity exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- 35.69% is the gross profit margin for TRAVELERS COS INC which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 13.65% is above that of the industry average.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: TRV
DIS data by YCharts
2. The Walt Disney Co. (DIS - Get Report) Industry: Consumer Goods & Services/Movies & Entertainment
Market Cap: $190 billion
Rating: Buy, A+
Year-to-date return: 22.2%
Market Cap: $190 billion
Rating: Buy, A+
Year-to-date return: 22.2%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates DISNEY (WALT) CO as a Buy with a ratings score of A+. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate DISNEY (WALT) CO (DIS) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, solid stock price performance, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income and notable return on equity. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows low profit margins.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- DIS's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 7.4%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 9.1%. This growth in revenue appears to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, improving the earnings per share.
- Investors have apparently begun to recognize positive factors similar to those we have mentioned in this report, including earnings growth. This has helped drive up the company's shares by a sharp 29.48% over the past year, a rise that has exceeded that of the S&P 500 Index. Regarding the stock's future course, although almost any stock can fall in a broad market decline, DIS should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed a very nice gain in the past year.
- DISNEY (WALT) CO has improved earnings per share by 10.5% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, DISNEY (WALT) CO increased its bottom line by earning $4.90 versus $4.25 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($5.66 versus $4.90).
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Media industry. The net income increased by 7.3% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $1,499.00 million to $1,609.00 million.
- The return on equity has improved slightly when compared to the same quarter one year prior. This can be construed as a modest strength in the organization. In comparison to the other companies in the Media industry and the overall market, DISNEY (WALT) CO's return on equity significantly exceeds that of the industry average and is above that of the S&P 500.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: DIS
HD data by YCharts
1. Home Depot Inc. (HD) Industry: Consumer Goods & Services/Home Improvement Retail
Market Cap: $170 billion
Rating: Buy, A+
Year-to-date return: 31.2%
Market Cap: $170 billion
Rating: Buy, A+
Year-to-date return: 31.2%
TheStreet Said: TheStreet Ratings team rates HOME DEPOT INC as a Buy with a ratings score of A+. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
We rate HOME DEPOT INC (HD) a BUY. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks that we rate. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, notable return on equity, good cash flow from operations, solid stock price performance and impressive record of earnings per share growth. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated.
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- HD's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 4.5%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 6.3%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share.
- Investors have apparently begun to recognize positive factors similar to those we have mentioned in this report, including earnings growth. This has helped drive up the company's shares by a sharp 38.80% over the past year, a rise that has exceeded that of the S&P 500 Index. Turning to the future, naturally, any stock can fall in a major bear market. However, in almost any other environment, the stock should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed nice gains in the past year.
- HOME DEPOT INC has improved earnings per share by 17.4% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, HOME DEPOT INC increased its bottom line by earning $4.72 versus $3.75 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($5.35 versus $4.72).
- The company, on the basis of net income growth from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly outperformed against the S&P 500 and exceeded that of the Specialty Retail industry average. The net income increased by 12.2% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, going from $1,537.00 million to $1,725.00 million.
- The company's current return on equity greatly increased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of significant strength within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Specialty Retail industry and the overall market, HOME DEPOT INC's return on equity significantly exceeds that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: HD
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