The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) cranked higher again today, buoyed by the Federal Reserve's comments on its stimulus program and from a strong earnings report by Home Depot (NYSE: HD ) . The blue chips finished up 0.3%, or 52 points.
Regarding the Fed, investors were warmed by remarks from New York Fed President William Dudley, who said that he wasn't sure whether the Fed would dial down or increase its $85 billion bond-buying program in the coming months due to economic uncertainty. The comments seem to fly against recent murmurs from a number of Fed members that the time to scale back the quantitative was fast approaching. Earlier in the day, James Bullard, the Fed president in St. Louis, said the European Central Bank would do well to follow the Fed's lead and implement a similar stimulus program. The Fed will remain in the spotlight tomorrow as Ben Bernanke speaks before and Congress's Joint Economic Committee, and in the afternoon, the minutes from its latest policy meeting will be released.
5 Best Shipping Stocks To Own For 2016: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)
McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
Last year was rough for much of the restaurant industry, but fast-food giant McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) had seen considerably tougher challenges before. It has thrived through countless recessions by focusing on its value menu to drive new and repeat customers into its restaurants, modifying its menu to suit ever-changing palates, and remodeling its restaurants to appeal to both family-oriented and younger crowds.
Hot Blue Chip Companies To Invest In Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
IBM (NYSE: IBM ) knew it had something big on its hands when it introduced the System/360 series of mainframe computers on April 7, 1964. Legendary IBM executive (and son of that other legendary IBM executive) Thomas J. Watson Jr. called the launch "the most important product announcement in the company's history." IBM hosted a launch event that would put today's to shame -- a coordinated nationwide reveal attended by more than 100,000 businessmen in 165 cities across the United States.
- [By Sara Murphy]
Company performance
Canon (NYSE: CAJ ) ranks among the worst performers in an analysis from The Enough Project. Among other shortcomings, the company does not identify smelters in its supply chain, and does not participate in any programs to source conflict-free minerals from the DRC region. IBM (NYSE: IBM ) falls in the middle of the pack when compared to other electronics companies. IBM also has not identified the smelters in its supply chain and has no policy requiring its suppliers to use conflict-free smelters. However, the company is working meaningfully to improve traceability in the region. Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD ) is among the top performers in Enough's rankings. It was one of only six companies to pilot the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's due diligence guidance on conflict minerals. While it still has some work to do to comply with the SEC's rule, the company is well on its way. The gold standard, however, goes to Intel (NASDAQ: INTC ) . The company is at the top of Enough's ranking, and has been working on dealing with the conflict mineral issue for some time now. Intel is one of the few companies to publish and audit its smelters, and was the first company to commit to making a fully conflict-free product from the DRC by 2013. Intel has demonstrated genuine leadership in this area.
Here's the thing: It will be expensive and difficult for companies to comply with this rule. Some are ready. Others are not.It's worth noting that in some cases, shareholders move on this issue even if the regulatory environment is unsettled. Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO ) had a shareholder resolution on its 2012 proxy ballot related to conflict minerals. While Cisco was far from the worst performer -- the company has a conflict minerals policy that includes a requirement for conflict-free smelters -- the proponents wanted Cisco to study the feasibility of
- [By Alex Planes]
Thomas J. Watson, Sr. became president of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company on May 1, 1914 -- you know it today as International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM ) , and it's thanks in no small part to Watson's enduring legacy that you know it at all. In 1914, the future IBM was a disjointed, sprawling enterprise that its founders were having difficulty controlling. Watson streamlined the company, giving it a focus, a motto, and a corporate identity that persists to this day.
- [By Dan Dzombak]
With IBM (NYSE: IBM ) , the largest component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Index: ^DJI), having lost almost 8% of its value, the blue-chip index is down 0.12% as of 1:25 p.m. EDT. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC ) is up 0.67% to 1,552.
Hot Blue Chip Companies To Invest In Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)
Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt DiLallo]
One of the most promising potential plays in the country is in the Neuquen Basin in what is called the Vaca Muerta formation, which actually means "Dead Cow" in Spanish. One of the first movers here is Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) which drilled two exploratory wells into the formation last year. The company is drilling another exploratory well this year with plans to drill three more appraisal wells. It's looking to expand its presence in the country even as it evaluates the results from those wells.�
- [By Paul Ausick]
The sales big spender was Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) which posted 16 high bids, totaling just over $321 million. Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) offered six high bids, totaling $106 million, followed by Murphy Oil Corp. (NYSE: MUR) with 16 high bids, totaling nearly $50 million, and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (NYSE: RDS-A) with four high bids, totaling more than $45 million.
- [By Matt DiLallo]
Chevron (NYSE: CVX ) and Anadarko (NYSE: APC ) , which have five and four rigs under contract, respectively, are two other important companies to watch in the Gulf. Each is partnered with ConocoPhillips on one of its recent significant discoveries. These discoveries, Coronado and Shenandoah, are significant for more than just the sheer size of the economically viable oil. Both were made in the challenging Lower Tertiary of the Gulf, which required deep wells to be drilled into high pressure, high temperature, and dense sub-surface salt conditions. What these discoveries do is confirm the presence of significant oil deposits in these formations which gives hope that there are more oil discoveries yet to come.
Hot Blue Chip Companies To Invest In Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)
Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rex Moore]
In this segment, Kris talks about the explosion of connected devices such as Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iPads and Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android tablets, and what it means for second-screen commerce.
Hot Blue Chip Companies To Invest In Right Now: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)
Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Dan Caplinger]
One concern, though, is how the company handled news of Venezuela's currency devaluation. Clorox (NYSE: CLX ) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) also felt the pinch, with Clorox taking about a $0.05 to $0.10 per-share earnings hit and Colgate losing about $0.50 per share. But they also addressed the potential devaluation more proactively than P&G did. Clorox actually�anticipated�the devaluation in its February earnings report, projecting the potential hit if a devaluation took place. Colgate didn't provide specific guidance in advance but clearly saw it as an issue, delivering on a promise to give prompt guidance revisions after the devaluation occurred.
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