Fearful that an army of robo-advisors will raid your clients, eat your lunch, burn your fields and leave you high and dry?
Then you may be interested to know about a new tech offering that’s not trying to turn robots into financial advisors but rather to get the robots to work for the financial advisor.
Meet FlexScore, an online financial planning scoring system designed to provide average Americans with their “number”—not just for retirement but a numeric description of their entire financial picture.
The online tool, which has attracted some 30,000 consumers during its beta phase from September through April 29, is now available free to advisors as FlexScore Pro in a new advisor beta phase lasting till October 1.
In an interview with ThinkAdvisor, FlexScore’s CEO, Jason Gordo emphasized that far from competing with financial advisors, the tool actually solves a problem endemic in the advisor-client relationship: the tendency of clients to withhold information about their finances that they’re managing outside that relationship.
Top 5 Long Term Companies For 2015: PureSafe Water Systems Inc (PSWS)
PureSafe Water Systems, Inc., incorporated on March 9, 1987, is engaged in the design and development of its technology to be used in the manufacture and sale of water purification systems both in and outside the United States. The Company�� PureSafe First Response Water System (PureSafe FRWS) is self-contained and purifies most types of contaminated fresh or service water, including seawater that may be found at a first response emergency site. This system is mobile, by helicopter or transported by truck.
The PureSafe FRWS utilizes its technology which consists of water extraction boom that extracts water from the ocean, streams, ponds, pools of floodwater or a failed municipal distribution system. The extracted water is then treated by the application of advanced water treatment technologies which employ multiple stage filtration, multiple stage sanitation (including ozone, chlorine and ultraviolet purification techniques), reverse osmosis membranes, mineralization and final polishing to meet the standard drinking water requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA). Its 2nd prototype (FRWS unit) unit can produce EPA compliant drinking from contaminated fresh or surface water at the rate of 30,000 gallons per day, to provide drinking water to 45,000 people. The unit has a built in generator and water bagging capability at the rate of 30,000 and a half liters bags of water per day
The Company competes with GE, Siemens, Severn Trent, Ecospheres Technology, Lenntech, Testa/Viwa, Lifekeeper, Mobile MaxPure, Bi Pure Water, Rodi, Global Water Group, Nirosoft, LifeStream, and Aquapura Tempest.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap Sodastream International Ltd (NASDAQ: SODA), an Israeli based developer, manufacturer and marketer of�home beverage carbonation systems, has attracted its share of hype over both its products and its stock, but could other small cap water stocks like Primo Water Corporation (NASDAQ: PRMW), Puresafe Water Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: PSWS) and Alkaline Water Company Inc (OTCBB: WTER) attract a similar following? After all, Sodastream International has managed to create a significant amount of buzz from consumers, investors and even short sellers because it�� the�world's largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of home carbonation systems as its�brands are sold in over 60,000 retail stores in 45 countries. Sodastream International is also up 45.7% since the start of the year, up 70.2% over the past year and up 99.3% since November 2010, but shares did spike up to the $75 level in the middle of 2011 and now trade at the $63 level.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: World Acceptance Corp (WRLD)
World Acceptance Corporation operates a small-loan consumer finance business in 12 states and Mexico. The Company is engaged in the small-loan consumer finance business, offering short-term small loans, medium-term larger loans, related credit insurance and ancillary products and services to individuals. As of March 31, 2012, the Company offered standardized installment loans through 1,137 offices in South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Mexico. The Company serves individuals with limited access to consumer credit from banks, credit unions, other consumer finance businesses and credit card lenders. In the United States offices, the Company also offers income tax return preparation services to its customers and others.
During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company opened 69 new offices. In each state in which it operates and in Mexico, the Company offers consumer installment loans, which are standardized by amount and maturity. The Company's loans are consumer installment loans, which are payable in fully amortizing monthly installments with terms generally of 4 to 36 months, and all loans are pre-payable at any time without penalty. During fiscal 2012, the Company's average originated gross loan term was approximately 12 months. As of March 31, 2012, the annual percentage rates on loans offered by the Company, which include interest, fees and other charges as calculated for the purposes of the requirements of the federal Truth in Lending Act, ranged from 24% to 204% depending on the loan size, maturity and the state, in which the loan is made. In addition, in certain states, the Company, as agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, sells credit insurance in connection with its loan transactions.
Specific allowable charges vary by state and, consistent with industry practice, the Company generally charges at or close to the maximum rates allowable under app! licable state law in those states that limit loan rates. Statutes in Texas and Oklahoma allow for indexing the maximum loan amounts to the Consumer Price Index. The Company�� loan products are pre-computed loans in which the finance charge is a combination of origination or acquisition fees, account maintenance fees, monthly account handling fee and other charges permitted by the relevant state laws.
The Company, as an agent for an unaffiliated insurance company, markets and sells credit life, credit accident and health, credit property, and unemployment insurance in connection with its loans in selected states where the sale of such insurance is permitted by law. Credit life insurance provides for the payment in full of the borrower's credit obligation to the lender in the event of death. Credit accident and health insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender, which come due during the insured's period of income interruption resulting from disability from illness or injury. Credit property insurance insures payment of the borrower's credit obligation to the lender in the event, which the personal property pledged as security by the borrower is damaged or destroyed by a covered event. Unemployment insurance provides for repayment of loan installments to the lender, which come due during the insured�� period of involuntary unemployment. The Company requires each customer to obtain specific credit insurance in the amount of the loan for all loans originated in Georgia under the Georgia Industrial Loan Act, and encourages customers to obtain credit insurance for all loans originated in South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky and on a limited basis in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas. Customers in those states obtain such credit insurance through the Company.
In South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky and Alabama, the Company charges its borrowers for its non-file premiums in connection with certain loans in lieu of recording and perfecting the! Company� �s security interest in the loan collateral. The premiums are remitted to a third party insurance company for non-file insurance coverage. The Company also markets automobile club memberships to its borrowers in Georgia, Tennessee, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Kentucky as an agent for an unaffiliated automobile club. Club memberships entitle members to automobile breakdown and towing reimbursement and related services. The Company is paid a commission on each membership sold.
The Company offers income tax return preparation and electronic filing. This program is provided in all but a few of the Company�� the United States offices. During fiscal 2012, the Company prepared 44,000 returns. During fiscal 2012, 93.4% of the Company�� revenues were attributable to the United States customers and 6.6% were attributable to customers in Mexico. During fiscal 2012, approximately 84.7% of the Company's loans were generated through refinancings of outstanding loans and the origination of new loans to previous customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
1. World Acceptance (WRLD)
2. Express Scripts (ESRX)
3. Walgreen (WAG)
4. Humana (HUM)
5. McDonald's (MCD)Those are the kinds of companies a younger ��and poorer ��Warren Buffett might buy. Actually, a few of those companies are big enough for Warren Buffett to buy today.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd (STBFY)
Suntory Beverage & Food Limited is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of beverages and food. The Company operates in two geographical segments. The Domestic segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of various soft drinks within Japan, such as coffee drinks, mineral water, green tea drinks, tea drinks, carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, functional beverages, milk beverages, and food for specified health use, as well as syrup for general and business usage. The International segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, health food, seasoning, tea-based beverages and others, with operations in Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. As of May 29, 2013, the Company had 80 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. On October 15, 2013, the Company acquired Lucozade Ribena Suntory Limited. On December 12, 2013, the Company acquired Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Limited. Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Whiskey has become increasingly cool and popular thanks to the whole cocktail movement, something that�� good for big whiskey stocks like Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (OTCMKTS: STBFY), Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO) and Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF.B) who�also produce a wide variety of�liquors and beverages. In fact,�a recent episode of the�Daily Ticker�cited these stats from a USA Today article:
- [By Charles Sizemore]
Let�� start with Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (STBFY),which recently completed its acquisition of�Beam Inc., formerly the purest play on bourbon. Beam was the owner of the eponymous Jim Beam brand, as well as the higher-end Maker�� Mark and Knob Creek and the lower-end Old Crow.�Suntory is Japan�� leading spirits company, though most Americans will be unfamiliar with its Japanese whisky brands, such as Yamazaki and Hakushu. (Note for booze snobs: Japanese whisky��ike Scotch and Canadian whisky��s correctly spelled ��hisky.��American bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Irish whiskey are correctly spelled ��hiskey.��
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: China Automotive Systems Inc.(CAAS)
China Automotive Systems, Inc., through its interests in Sino-foreign joint ventures, engages in the manufacture and sale of power steering systems and other component parts for the automotive industry in the People?s Republic of China. It offers a range of steering system parts for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles. The company provides 4 separate series, 307 models of power steering, including rack and pinion power steering, integral power steering, electronic power steering and manual steering, steering columns, steering oil pumps, and steering hoses. China Automotive Systems, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Jing Zhou City, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Richard Schmidt]
China Automotive Systems (CAAS), which makes auto systems and components, reported record-high net sales for the third quarter. The report excited investors, who bid the stock up about 30% for the month.
- [By Richard Schmidt]
We admittedly bought into China Automotive Systems (CAAS) too soon. The stock is still down from our original recommendation price, but the future looks very bright.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Inter Parfums Inc.(IPAR)
Inter Parfums, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes a range of fragrances and fragrance related products worldwide. It offers fragrance products primarily under license agreements with brand owners; specialty retail and designer products; alternative designer fragrances and personal care products; Aziza line of eye shadow kits, mascara, and pencils; and a line of health and beauty aids comprising shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion, and baby oil under its Intimate and Johnson Parker brands. The company offers its products under the Burberry, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jimmy Choo, Montblanc, Boucheron, Balmain, Repetto, Gap, Banana Republic, New York & Company, Brooks Brothers, bebe, Nine West, Betsey Johnson, Lane Bryant, Anna Sui, S.T. Dupont, Paul Smith, and Jordache brands under license agreements, as well as Lanvin, Intimate, Aziza, Nickel, Tristar, Regal Collections, Royal Selections, and Apple brands. Inter Parfums, Inc. distr ibutes its products through independent distribution companies and duty-free operators to department stores, perfumeries, specialty retailers, mass-market retailers, supermarkets, and domestic and international wholesalers and distributors. The company was formerly known as Jean Philippe Fragrances, Inc. and changed its name to Inter Parfums, Inc. in July 1999. Inter Parfums, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Carnevale]
Inter Parfums Inc. (IPAR): Develops, Manufactures and Distributes Prestige Perfumes
Our final example, Inter Parfums Inc., is an above-average growing small-cap that validates our PE 15 standard, but with a twist. Small-cap. companies tend to carry greater risk than larger capitalization companies. As a result, it is not uncommon to see, as we do with Inter Parfums Inc., an earnings and price correlated graphic with wilder price swings.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FMX)
Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA), incorporated on May 30, 1936, is a holding company. The Company conducts its operations through principal holding companies, each of which it refers to as a principal sub-holding company. These companies are Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V. (Coca-Cola FEMSA), which engages in the production, distribution and marketing of soft drinks, and FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V. (FEMSA Comercio), which operates convenience stores. The Company�� convenience store chain OXXO operated a total of 7,492 stores as of March 31, 2010. Compania Internacional de Bebidas, S.A. de C.V. (CIBSA) owns a 53.7% interest in Coca-Cola FEMSA. On April 30, 2010, FEMSA announced the closing of the transaction, pursuant to which FEMSA agreed to exchange 100% of its beer operations conducted by FEMSA Cerveza for a 20% economic interest in the Heineken Group. In February 2009, Coca-Cola FEMSA acquired with The Coca-Cola Company the Brisa bottled water business in Colombia from Bavaria, a subsidiary of SABMiller. Coca-Cola FEMSA acquired the production assets and the rights to distribute in the territory, and The Coca-Cola Company obtained the Brisa brand.
Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V.
Coca-Cola FEMSA is a bottler of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Coca-Cola FEMSA operates in various territories, including Mexico, a substantial portion of central Mexico (including Mexico City and the states of Michoacan and Guanajuato) and southeast Mexico (including the Gulf region); Central America, including Guatemala (Guatemala City and surrounding areas), Nicaragua (nationwide), Costa Rica (nationwide) and Panama (nationwide); Colombia; Venezuela; Argentina, including Buenos Aires and surrounding areas, and Brazil, including the area of greater Sao Paulo, Campinas, Santos, the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the state of Minas Gerais and part of the state of Goias.
Coca-Cola FEMSA produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages, own brands and b! rands licensed from the Company. The Coca-Cola trademark beverages include sparkling beverages (colas and flavored sparkling beverages), water, and still beverages (including juice drinks, ready-to-drink teas and isotonics). Out of the more than 100 brands and line extensions of beverages sold and distributed by Coca-Cola FEMSA, its most important brand, Coca-Cola, together with its line extensions, Coca-Cola light, Coca-Cola Zero and Coca-Cola light caffeine free, accounted for 61.4% of total sales volume during the year ended December 31, 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� next largest brands, Ciel (a water brand from Mexico), Fanta (and its line extensions), Sprite (and its line extensions), ValleFrut and Hit, accounted for 10.5%, 5.8%, 2.6%, 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively, of total sales volume in 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA uses the term line extensions to refer to the different flavors in which it offers its brands.
Coca-Cola FEMSA produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola trademark beverages in each of its territories in containers authorized by The Coca-Cola Company, which consist of a variety of returnable and non-returnable presentations in the form of glass bottles, cans and plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Coca-Cola FEMSA uses the term presentation to refer to the packaging unit in which it sells its products. Presentation sizes for its Coca-Cola trademark beverages range from a 6.5-ounce personal size to a 3-liter multiple serving size. For all of its products excluding water, Coca-Cola FEMSA considers a multiple serving size as equal toor larger than one liter. In addition, it sells some Coca-Cola trademark beverage syrups in containers designed for soda fountain use, which it refers to as fountain. It also sells bottled water products in bulk sizes, which refers to presentations equal to or larger than five liters, which have a much lower average price per unit case than its other beverage products.
In Mexico, Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product portfolio consis! ts of Coc! a-Cola trademark beverages, and includes Mundet trademark beverages licensed from FEMSA in some Mexican territories. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product sales in Latincentro consist predominantly of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Per capita consumption of its sparkling beverages products in Colombia and Central America was 92 and 146 eight-ounce servings, respectively, in 2009. Its product portfolio in Venezuela consists of Coca-Cola trademark beverages. Sparkling beverages per capita consumption of its products in Venezuela was 174 eight-ounce servings during 2009. Coca-Cola FEMSA�� product portfolio in Mercosur consists mainly of Coca-Cola trademark beverages, and the Kaiser beer brand in Brazil, which Coca-Cola FEMSA sells and distributes on behalf of FEMSA Cerveza. Sparkling beverages per capita consumption of its products in Brazil and Argentina was 214 and 359 eight-ounce servings, respectively, in 2009.
The Company competes with Pepsi Beverage Company, Grupo Embotelladores Unidos, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Jumex, Groupe Danone, Cadbury Schweppes, Big Cola, Consorcio AGA, S.A. de C.V., Postobon, Florida Ice and Farm Co. S.A., Cerveceria Nacional, S.A., Pepsi-Cola Venezuela, C.A., AmBev and Quilmes Industrial S.A.
FEMSA Comercio, S.A. de C.V.
FEMSA Comercio operates a chain of convenience stores in Mexico, under the trade name OXXO. OXXO stores are concentrated in the northern part of Mexico, but also have a presence in central Mexico and the Gulf coast. FEMSA Comercio is the largest single customer of FEMSA Cerveza and of the Coca-Cola system in Mexico. During 2009, a typical OXXO store carried 1,954 different store keeping units (SKUs) in 31 main product categories.
The Company competes with 7-Eleven, Super Extra, Super City, Circle-K and AM/PM.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Martin]
South Africa, China, Mexico and Brazil collectively make up 68% of ECON�� holdings. The top three holdings are Naspers LTD (NPSNY) at 10%, AmBev (ABV) at 8% and FEMSA (FMX) at 5.6%.
- [By Monica Wolfe]
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV (FMX)
As of the close of the third quarter there were ten guru owners of Fomento Economico Mexicano. These gurus held a combined weighting of 1.99%. During the third quarter, there were four gurus making buys and seven making sells of their stake in FMX.
10 Best Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Rite Aid Corp (RAD)
Rite Aid Corporation, incorporated in 1968, is a retail drugstore chain in the United States. As of March 3, 2012, the Company operated drugstores in 31 states across the country and in the District of Columbia. As of March 3, 2012, it operated 4,667 stores. In the Company�� stores, it sells prescription drugs and a range of other merchandise, which it calls front end products. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (fiscal 2012), prescription drug sales accounted for 68.1% of its total sales. The Company carries a range of front end products, which accounted for 31.9% of its total sales in fiscal 2012. Front end products include over-the-counter medications, health and beauty aids, personal care items, cosmetics, household items, beverages, convenience foods, greeting cards, seasonal merchandise and other everyday and convenience products, as well as photo processing. It offers a variety of products under its private brands, which contributed approximately 17% of its front end sales in the categories where private brand products were offered in fiscal 2012. As of March 3, 2012, the Company had opened over 2,100 GNC stores-within-Rite Aid-stores. During fiscal 2012, the Company sold two owned operating stores to independent third parties.
During fiscal 2012, its stores filled approximately 295 million prescriptions and served an average of 2.1 million customers per day. The overall average size of each store in its chain is approximately 12,600 square feet. As of March 3, 2012, 60% of its stores were freestanding; 51% of its stores included a drive-thru pharmacy; 24% included one-hour photo shops, and 46% included a GNC store-within-Rite Aid-store. The Company�� customers may also order prescription refills over the Internet through www.riteaid.com, or over the phone through its telephonic automated refill systems for pick up at a Rite Aid store. It has a strategic alliance with GNC, a retailer of vitamin and mineral supplements.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sean Williams]
But, this concern isn't just relegated to Walgreen. Rite-Aid (NYSE: RAD ) , for instance, only recently recorded an annual profit in fiscal 2013 -- its first such annual profit since 2006! Rite-Aid's problems flow from two fronts: weaker store traffic and extremely high debt levels, which weigh down its strategic options. Even the bigger CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS ) is having its own set of problems. In the first-quarter it delivered a pharmacy same-store prescription increase of 2%, but saw pharmacy same-store sales dip by 1.4% because of more generic prescriptions being filled. This is a low-margin sector, so anything that can drag down margins can dramatically affect these stocks.
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