This year, the action has shifted to the big boys of trucking America, the heavy duty pickups from Detroit. And it renews the biggest rivalry in Motown -- Ford vs. Chevy.
Ford is currently playing catch here with the oldest pickups among the Detroit 3 and won't have a new F-150 till next year.
Meanwhile, GM rolled out its redesigned standard-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups this summer and later today at the fair Chevrolet will show its redesigned big boys, the redesigned Silverado 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty pickups. It also is showing a fancy new "High Country" high-end edition of the new standard truck.
Top 5 Valued Companies To Own In Right Now: Whirlpool Corporation(WHR)
Whirlpool Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of home appliances worldwide. Its principal products include laundry appliances, refrigerators and freezers, cooking appliances, dishwashers, mixers, and other portable household appliances. The company also produces hermetic compressors for refrigeration systems. It markets and distributes its products under various brand names, including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Roper, Estate, Admiral, Gladiator, Inglis, Acros, Supermatic, Consul, Brastemp, Eslab� de Lujo, Bauknecht, Ignis, Laden, Polar, and Privileg in North and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Whirlpool Corporation sells its products to retailers, dealers, distributors, builders, and other manufacturers. The company was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Kostin’s advice: Look for stocks in each sector that have lower valuations, higher growth rates and higher yields than their peers. He found 15 stocks fitting the bill including Eaton (ETN), Whirlpool (WHR), GameStop (GME), Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX) and Dow Chemical (DOW).
- [By Rich Duprey]
Push the blender to the side!�Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR ) and SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA ) �jointly announced Monday they are collaborating on introducing a KitchenAid-branded�home�carbonation�system in the fourth quarter this year.
- [By Ken McGaha]
Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) is a maker of all things appliance that we find throughout our homes. I grew up hearing the Whirlpool name but only now realize how much more it represents beyond just Whirlpool products. This business also owns the Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air and Amana brands among others as well. There is not a name in that list that I didn�� already know and I was completely unaware that Whirlpool owns them all. Best of all, when I say each of those names aloud, there is not a single negative thought that comes to mind.
- [By Brendan Byrnes]
They were acquired by Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR ) , ultimately. Curiously, a lot of what you see Whirlpool doing with the Maytag brand looks suspiciously close to following the rules again, so that's promising, at least in our view.
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Micropac Industries Inc (MPAD)
Micropac Industries, Inc. (Micropac), incorporated on March 3, 1969, manufactures and distributes various types of hybrid microelectronic circuits, solid state relays, power operational amplifiers, and optoelectronic components and assemblies. Micropac�� products are used as components in a range of military, space and industrial systems, including aircraft instrumentation and navigation systems, power supplies, electronic controls, computers, medical devices, and high-temperature (200o degree Celsius) products. The Company�� products are either custom (being application-specific circuits designed and manufactured to meet the particular requirements of a single customer) or standard components. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), its custom-designed components accounted for approximately 34% of its revenue and standard components accounted for approximately 66% of its revenue.
Micropac occupies approximately 36,000 square feet of manufacturing, engineering and office space in Garland, Texas. The Company owns 31,200 square feet of that space and leases an additional 4,800 square feet. It also sub-contracts some manufacturing to Inmobiliaria San Jose De Ciuddad Juarez S.A. DE C.V, a maquila contract manufacturer in Juarez, Mexico.
Micropac provides microelectronic and optoelectronic components and assemblies along with contract electronic manufacturing services, and offers a range of products sold to the industrial, medical, military, aerospace and space markets. The Microcircuits product line includes custom microcircuits, solid state relays, power operational amplifiers, and regulators. During fiscal 2011, microcircuits product line accounted for 51% of its revenue and the optoelectronics product line accounted for 62% of its business respectively. The Company�� core technology is the packaging and interconnects of miniature electronic components, utilizing thick film and thin film substrates, forming microelectronics circuits. Other technologi! es include light emitting and light sensitive materials and products, including light emitting diodes and silicon phototransistors used in its optoelectronic components, and assemblies.
The Company�� basic products and technologies include custom design hybrid microelectronic circuits, solid state relays and power controllers, custom optoelectronic assemblies and components, optocouplers, light-emitting diodes, Hall-Effect devices, displays, power operational amplifiers, fiber optic components and assemblies, and high temperature (200o degree Celsius) products. Micropac�� products are primarily sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEM��) who serve major markets, which includes military/aerospace, such as aircraft instrumentation, guidance and navigations systems, control circuitry, power supplies and laser positioning; space, which include control circuitry, power monitoring and sensing, and industrial, which includes power control equipment and robotics.
The Company�� products are marketed throughout the United States and in Western Europe. During fiscal 2011, approximately 21% of the Company�� revenue was from international customers. The Company�� major customers include contractors to the United States Government. During fiscal 2010, sales to these customers for the Department of Defense (DOD) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) contracts accounted for approximately 62% of its revenues. The Company�� customers are Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Rockwell Int��, and NASA.
The Company compete with Teledyne Industries, Inc., MS Kennedy, Honeywell, Avago and International Rectifier.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon] % of NCAV, has similar (slightly better) z- and f-scores, a FCF margin of 6%, but has ROA of 28%.
ADDvantage (AEY) sells at 95% of NCAV, has similar (in the ballpark) scores and FCF and ROA of 23%.The slightly better businesses are currently more expensive in terms of price/NCAV. They have less asset-based downside protection, but they are better businesses.
How do you quantify and qualify what is cheap enough? To me, there's a big difference in relative cheapness in a company selling at 74% of NCAV versus one selling at 95%. I'm wondering if I'm putting too much weight on this cheapness measurement instead of acknowledging that any decent business selling at less than NCAV is cheap enough. Yet, one has to have some quantifiable idea of when something is not cheap enough anymore.
Can you help me put this into a unified framework?
Dan
There�� a great post over at Oddball Stocks called: �� Stock is a Business�� Read it. Then go over to Richard Beddard�� Interactive Investor Blog. Bookmark that blog. Read it religiously. He looks at Ben Graham type stocks in the U.K. And he looks at them not just as stocks but as pieces of a business.
Here�� what Richard said in a post called ��iving Up on Mastery of the Universe��
I need to know:
1. Whether the managers have made good decisions in the past, and whether their incentives work in the interests of the owners, because those kind of managers often add value to a company.
2. The products a company sells will still be in demand for years to come, because if they��e not then the past, which we know, does not tell us anything about the future, which we don��.
3. A company is financially strong enough to withstand the kinds of shocks companies typically experience bearing in mind some are more sensitive to events than others.
4. How to judge whether the share price undervalues the company, bearing in mind the preceding three factors.
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Songbird Estates PLC (SBEPF.PK)
Songbird Estates plc is engaged in management of its investment in its main subsidiary, Canary Wharf Group plc (Canary Wharf Group), which is the holding company. Canary Wharf Group is engaged in integrated property development, investment and management focusing primarily on the Estate. In London, Canary Wharf Group is engaged through joint ventures in the redevelopment of 20 Fenchurch Street and the Shell Centre. Canary Wharf Group�� investment property portfolio consists of 16 completed properties (out of the approximately 35constructed on the Estate) totaling approximately seven meter square feet of net internal area (NIA). In July 2013, Songbird Estates plc's Canary Wharf Group plc completed the acquisition from Gort Limited (in administration) and Hibernia (2005) Limited (in administration), of 15 Westferry Circus at Canary Wharf. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Mike Arnold]
Brookfield's public assets include a 21% stake (and potentially more given certain warrants held by Brookfield) in General Growth Properties (GGP), a 51% stake in Brookfield Office Properties (BPO), a 36% stake (again, more if certain warrants are exercised) in Rouse Properties (RSE) and 21% stake in Canary Wharf Group Plc, which is majority owned by Songbird Estates Plc (SBEPF.PK).
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Magna International Inc (MGA)
Magna International Inc. (Magna), incorporated on November 16, 1961, is a diversified global automotive supplier. The Company designs, develops and manufactures automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components, and engineers and assembles complete vehicles, primarily for sale to original equipment manufacturers of cars and light trucks. Its capabilities include interior systems, exterior systems, seating systems, powertrain systems, closure systems, roof systems, body and chassis systems, vehicle engineering and contract assembly, vision systems, hybrid and electric vehicles/systems, electronic systems, and through its Magna E-Car Systems partnership (E-Car Systems). Magna operates in three geographic reporting segments: North America, Europe and Rest of World. In January 2011, the Company acquired Automobiltechnik Durbheim, a manufacturer of tapping plates, which assist in the fastening of bolts. The acquired business is located in Germany and has sales to various automobile manufacturers. In May 2011, it acquired a 51% interest in Wuhu Youth Tongyang Auto Plastic Parts Co., Ltd., a supplier of exterior products, mainly front and rear bumpers. In June 2011, it acquired Continental Plastics Co., a supplier of interior products, mainly door panel and seat back assemblies. In August 2011, it acquired Grenville Castings Ltd. In November 2011, Magna acquired ThyssenKrupp Automotive Systems Industrial do Brasil Ltda. In November 2012, the Company's Magna Powertrain operating unit had completed the transaction to acquire ixetic Verwaltungs GmbH (ixetic).
The Company�� North American production sales accounted for approximately 49% of its consolidated sales during the year ended December 31, 2011. Its primary customers in North America in 2011, included BMW, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, Mazda, Renault-Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen Group. Its European production and vehicle assembly sales accounted for approximately 39% of its consolidated ! sales during 2011. Magna�� primary customers in Europe in 2011, included Aston Martin, BMW, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, Ford, Geely Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault-Nissan, Tata Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen Group. The Company�� Rest of World production sales accounted for approximately 5% of the Company�� consolidated sales in 2011, respectively. Its primary customers in Rest of World in 2011, included Brilliance Auto, BMW, Chery Automobile, Daimler, Fiat/Chrysler Group, First Automobile Works, Ford, Geely Group, General Motors, Great Wall Motor Company, Guangzhou Automobile, Honda, Hyundai-Kia Group, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault-Nissan, Shanghai Automotive, Suzuki, Tata Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen Group and Yulon Motors.
Interior Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures interior components and systems for the global automotive industry. The primary technologies and processes involved in the manufacturing of interior components and systems include low pressure and injection molding, compression molding, vacuum forming, slush molding, spray urethane and manual and automated assembly and sequencing. Its capabilities include sidewall and trim systems, overhead systems, cargo management systems and cockpit systems.
Seating Systems
It develops and manufactures seating solutions and seat hardware systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities range from market and consumer research, full concept development, design and engineering, testing and validation to manufacturing. Its capabilities include complete seating systems, seat structures and mechanisms and foam and trim products. The technologies and processes used in the manufacture of seating and seat hardware systems include traditional cut and sew technology; manual and automated assembly, as well as its Multi-Material Mold-In-Place technology.
Closure Systems
Magna engineers and manufactures cl! osure sys! tems and modules for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities include door modules, window systems, power closure systems, latching systems, driver controls, electronic features and handle assemblies. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of closure systems and modules include light stamping; injection molding, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Body and Chassis Systems
The Company provides metal body systems, components, assemblies and modules, including complete vehicle frames, chassis systems and body-in-white systems, as well as related engineering services, for the global automotive industry. Magna employs a number of different forming technologies, such as hydroforming; stamping; hot stamping; roll forming; aluminum casting; draw bending; advanced welding technologies; as well as finishing technologies such as: e-coating; heat treating, and high temperature wax coating.
Vision Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures vision systems for the global automotive industry. Its vision systems capabilities include interior mirrors, exterior mirrors, electronic vision systems and actuators. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of its vision products include electronics integration; injection molding; painting, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Electronic Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures electronic components and sub-systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities include driver assistance and safety systems, engine electronics and sensors, body systems and human-machine interfaces (HMI), intelligent power systems and industrial products. The primary processes involved in the manufacture of electronics products include surface mount placements of electronic components on printed circuit boards, as well as manual and automated assembly of electronic modules.
Exterior Systems
Magna designs, engineers and ma! nufacture! s various exterior components and systems for the global automotive and commercial truck product markets. Its capabilities include front and rear fascia systems, class a composite panels, structural components, sealing systems, modular systems, under hood and underbody components, exterior trim, engineered glass and sheet molding compound material. It utilizes a number of different technologies and processes in connection with these products, including molding technologies, such as injection molding, structural reaction injection, reaction injection, compression and thermoset molding; metal forming processes, such as metal stamping, roll forming, tube forming and stretch bending; extrusion processes, such as co-extrusion, thermoset and thermoplastic extrusion; and finishing processes, including painting, hardcoating, chrome plating, vacuum metallization and anodizing, and manual and automated assembly and sequencing.
Powertrain Systems
Magna designs, engineers and manufactures powertrain systems and components for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities are driveline systems, fluid pressure systems, metal-forming solutions and engineering services and system integration. It employs a variety of different manufacturing capabilities and processing technologies in its powertrain operations, including metal die-forming; flow-forming; stamping and spinning; synchronous roll-forming; die-spline rolling; precision-heavy stamping; fineblanking; aluminum die casting and precision machining; magnesium machining; plastic injection molding and plastic welding; soft and hard processing of gear wheels and shafts; rotary swaging; hardening; laser welding; manual and automated assembly, and end-of-line testing.
The Company y conducts some of its powertrain operations through joint ventures, including a non-controlling, 76.7% equity partnership interest in the Litens Automotive Partnership, which is a supplier of drive subsystems and components. Product offerings include! accessor! y drive systems and products, including auto tensioners and idlers, overrunning alternator decoupler assemblies, Torqfiltr crankshaft vibration control technology, isolating crank pulley assemblies and clutched waterpump pulleys and assemblies; timing drive systems and products, including tensioners (both for belt and chain) and idlers, SmartSprocket tuned sprockets and clutched waterpump pulleys and assemblies, and other specialty products, including vehicle start/stop subsystems. Litens has manufacturing operations in North America (Canada), Europe (Germany) and Rest of World (China, Brazil and India).
Roof Systems
The Company designs, engineers and manufactures vehicle roof systems for the global automotive industry. Its capabilities are retractable hard tops, soft tops and sliding folding and modular roofs.
Vehicle Engineering and Contract Assembly
Magna provides components, systems and vehicle engineering and contract vehicle assembly services for the automotive industry. It is also the brand-independent assembler of complete vehicles and an engineering and manufacturing partner in the field of fuel systems. Its capabilities include engineering services, contract manufacturing and fuel systems. Processes employed in its vehicle engineering and contract assembly operations include manual and automated welding; bonding and riveting; manual and automated painting/coating (dipped and sprayed) and sealing, as well as manual and automated assembly.
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles/Systems
Magna develops, manufactures and integrates hybrid and electric products and vehicle systems through E-Car Systems. Its capabilities under the Hybrid and Electric Vehicles/Systems include components, batteries and vehicle systems. Processes employed in its hybrid and electric vehicles/systems operations include manual and automated assembly; surface mount assembly; wave soldering and point-to-point solder assembly; automated servo changeover for! surface ! mount technology conveyance; stator winding, wire lead fusing, end turn blocking and lacing; rotor core assembly, magnetization and balancing; laser and ultrasonic welding, and dynamometer testing.
Tooling, Engineering and Other
Magna designs, engineers and manufactures tooling for our own use, as well as for sale to its customers. Additionally, the Company provides engineering support services, independent of particular production programs on which it may have production sales.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Tomorrow, Magna International (NYSE: MGA ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.
- [By Rich Duprey]
At some point, there comes a time to pursue interests beyond your job. For Herbert Demel, chief strategy officer at auto parts supplier Magna International (NYSE: MGA ) , who turns 60 this year,�that time is now.
- [By John Udovich]
When most people think of electric vehicle stocks, they probably think of troubled Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) or one of the several Chinese stocks active in the space, but North America based large cap Magna International Inc (NYSE: MGA) and small caps Polypore International, Inc (NYSE: PPO), UQM Technologies Inc (NYSEMKT: UQM) and Green Automotive Company (OTCMKTS: GACR) are all players, one way or the other, in the electric vehicle space that most investors have probably overlooked or just aren�� aware of. Of course, we can argue�about whether or not purely electric vehicles or some sort of hybrid vehicles are the way of the future, but what cannot be argued about is the fact that the following electric vehicle stocks are at the forefront of EV or�hybrid technology and design:
- [By Gordon Pape]
The company is not as well-known as competitor Magna International (MGA), but it is highly successful and employs 17,600 people in North America, Europe, and Asia. It has 40 manufacturing locations, five research and development centers, and 15 sales offices in 12 countries.
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Zions Bancorporation(ZION)
Zions Bancorporation, a multi bank holding company, provides various banking and related products and services in the United States. The company offers community banking services, including small and medium-sized business and corporate banking; commercial and residential development, construction, and term lending; retail banking; treasury cash management and related products and services; residential mortgage; trust and wealth management; and investment activities. It also provides personal banking services to individuals, including home mortgages, bankcard, installment loans, home equity lines of credit, checking accounts, savings accounts, time certificates, safe deposit facilities, direct deposits, and automated teller machine access. In addition, the company offers small business administration lending services; secondary market agricultural real estate mortgage loans; municipal finance advisory and underwriting services; and wealth management and online brokerage ser vices. As of December 31, 2010, Zions Bancorporation offered its banking services through 495 branches in Utah, California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico. The company was founded in 1873 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Inyoung Hwang]
He currently has buy recommendations on private-equity firm Fortress Investment Group LLC (FIG) and Zions Bancorporation. (ZION)
Analysts SurveyedTo compile the ranking, Stamford, Connecticut-based Greenwich Associates surveyed 945 buy-side analysts at 190 investment management firms, mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds and insurers from December to March. The analysts were asked to name the Wall Street research teams they considered their most important sources of advice on investments.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Each month, Credit Suisse’s small-cap strategists ask the firm’s analyst to name their favorite small- and mid-cap stocks. This month, six new stocks made the list: RPM International (RPM), SunCoke Energy (SXC), Zions Bancorp (ZION), Signature Bank (SBNY), Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and�Rexnord (RXN).
- [By Robert Eberhard]
Zions Bancorp's (NASDAQ: ZION) first quarter earnings of $0.48 per share�were good enough to push the stock up just over 2% in early trading this morning, but that earnings tally is in the past. What's really important about Zions' release was what it says about the future, and I think that investors have three reasons it is now an even better buy than it was before.
- [By Jim Jubak]
Last Thursday�� Round One looked at 30 big US banks to see which met the Fed�� capital targets in the event of a US financial and economic crisis. Only Zions Bancorp (ZION) rallied to meet the Fed�� target. In the event of a crisis, Zion�� capital ratio would fall to 3.5%. That�� below the 5% minimum set by the Fed.
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Brandenburg Energy Corp (BBM)
Brandenburg Energy Corp. is engaged in the business of acquiring and exploring oil and gas properties. The Company�� properties include Holloman Cooper Basin Joint Venture, VG Mineral Claims, Senn Property, Exploration License No. 0932, Labana Property and African Properties. The Senn Property earns a 100% interest on the Senn Block of mineral claims (the Senn Property) located in the District of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. The Uganda-based East African Gold Sniffing Company Limited (EA Gold) is a holder of Mineral Exploration License No. 0932 (EL 0932) covers about two square kilometers. EL 0932 lies 287 kilometers southwest of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, 29 kilometers north of the city of Kasese, in Kasese province. The Labana Property consists of four oil and gas blocks in the Republic of Niger, which includes Dibeilla 1, Dibeilla 2, Dalo, and Mandaram. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Muhammad Bazil]
The value of BlackBerry�� stock was at $7.44 as of yesterday�� (Jan. 1, 2014) close. Although this is still a far cry from its 52-week peak of $18.32, it does represent a month-long recovery coming shortly after the launch of its new BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) application for iPhones and Android devices.
Top 10 Trucking Stocks To Watch For 2014: Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL)
Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL) is a bank holding company. The Company provides full-service banking and lending to locally owned businesses, professional firms, real estate developers and investors, local non-profit organizations, high net worth individuals and other consumers through its three wholly owned subsidiary banks (the Banks): Bank of Nevada (BON), operating in Southern Nevada; Western Alliance Bank (WAB), operating in Arizona and Northern Nevada, and Torrey Pines Bank (TPB), operating in California. In addition, the Company�� non-bank subsidiaries, Shine Investment Advisory Services, Inc. (Shine) and Western Alliance Equipment Finance (WAEF), offer an array of financial products and services to small to mid-sized businesses and their proprietors, including financial planning, custody and investments, and equipment leasing nationwide. It operates in four segments: Bank of Nevada, Western Alliance Bank, Torrey Pines Bank and Other.
The Company provides a range of banking services, as well as investment advisory services, through its consolidated subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2011, WAL owned an 80% interest in Shine. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned a 24.9% interest in Miller/Russell & Associates, Inc. (MRA), an investment advisor. MRA provides investment advisory services to individuals, foundations, retirement plans and corporations.
Lending Activities
Through the Company�� banking segments, the Company provides a variety of financial services to customers, including commercial real estate loans, construction and land development loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans. Loans to businesses consisted 89.2% of the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2011. Loans to finance the purchase or refinancing of commercial real estate (CRE) and loans to finance inventory and working capital that are additionally secured by CRE make up the majority of its loan portfolio. These CRE loans are secured by apartment buildings, professional of! fices, industrial facilities, retail centers and other commercial properties. As of December 31, 2011, 49% of its CRE loans were owner-occupied. Owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are loans secured by owner-occupied nonfarm nonresidential properties for which the primary source of repayment (more than 50%) is the cash flow from the ongoing operations and activities conducted by the borrower who owns the property. Non-owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are commercial real estate loans for which the primary source of repayment is nonaffiliated rental income associated with the collateral property.
Construction and land development loans include multi-family apartment projects, industrial/warehouse properties, office buildings, retail centers and medical facilities. Commercial and industrial loans include working capital lines of credit, inventory and accounts receivable lines, mortgage warehouse lines, equipment loans and leases, and other commercial loans. Commercial loans are primarily originated to small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries. Consumer loans are generally offered at a higher rate and shorter term than residential mortgages. Its consumer loans include home equity loans and lines of credit, home improvement loans, credit card loans, and personal lines of credit. As of December 31, 2011, its loan portfolio totaled $4.68 billion, or approximately 68.4% of its total assets.
Investment Activities
All of the Company�� investment securities are classified as available-for-sale (AFS) or held-to-maturity (HTM). As of December 31, 2011, the Company had an investment securities portfolio of $1.48 billion, representing approximately 21.7% of its total assets. As of December 31, 2011, its investment securities portfolio consisted of the United States Government sponsored agency securities, Municipal obligations, Adjustable-rate preferred stock, Mutual funds, Corporate bonds, Direct the United States obligation and government-! sponsored! enterprise (GSE) residential mortgage-backed securities, private label residential mortgage-backed securities, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investments, Trust preferred securities, Private label commercial mortgage-backed securities, and Collateralized debt obligations.
Sources of Funds
The Company offers a variety of deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other types of deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed maturity retail certificates of deposit. As of December 31, 2011, the deposit portfolio consisted of 27.5% non-interest bearing deposits and 72.5% interest-bearing deposits. Non-interest bearing deposits consist of non-interest bearing checking account balances. In addition to its deposit base, it has access to other sources of funding, including Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) advances, repurchase agreements and unsecured lines of credit with other financial institutions.
Financial Products and Services
In addition to traditional commercial banking activities, the Company offers other financial services to customers, including Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, courier, and cash management services. Through Shine, a full-service financial advisory firm, the Company offers financial planning and investment management.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Investment Biker]
Investment Summary: This article is on Western Alliance Bancorporation (WAL), a growth-oriented commercial lender in the Southwest. The banks looks set to improve profitability supported by economic recovery in Last Vegas, industry-leading revenue performance and operating leverage supported by expense control. The credit profile of the bank looks excellent with limited exposure to residential mortgage and well poised to grow its loan portfolio by 20% annually over the next 3 years. It is also well set on a path to credit recovery with improving fundamentals that justifies premium valuation going forward.
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