| Industry Hot Tech Companies To Watch In Right Now: Qiao Xing Mobile Communication Co. Ltd.(QXM) Qiao Xing Mobile Communication Co., Ltd., through its subsidiary, CEC Telecom Co., Ltd., develops, manufactures, markets, and sells mobile handsets in the People?s Republic of China. The company?s mobile handsets are based on global system for mobile communications, time division-synchronous code division multiple access, and wideband code division multiple access technologies. It offers its products under the CECT and VEVA brand names. The company provides its products to various consumers through its own retail stores, national and provincial distributors, and TV direct sales distributors, as well as through its Website vevago.com. As of June 18, 2010, it operated six VEVA retail stores in Beijing. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. Qiao Xing Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Qiao Xing Universal Resources, Inc. Hot Tech Companies To Watch In Right Now: Rarus Technologies Inc (RARS) Rarus Technologies Inc. (Rarus), formerly Rarus Minerals Inc., incorporated on June 23, 2010, is a technology company. On May 8, 2012 Rarus Technologies Inc. entered into a software property, technical information and trademark license agreement with ThinkCorp AG. On May 9, 2012, Rarus Technologies Inc. incorporated Zngle, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Zngle is a social media platform that allows members to make posts to specific zones including: family, friends, acquaintances, colleague, custom, dating and community. It allows members to communicate with short message service (SMS) chat along with video mail, voice chat and video messaging, it also has a mobile application that utilizes the application programming interface (API) system for zngle.com with a geo location feature. DDS Wireless International Inc. provides wireless mobile data solutions for vehicle fleet applications primarily in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company engages in the design, development, and deployment of turnkey solutions, including application software, mobile devices, infrastructure products, professional services, and maintenance. It operates in four business units: Taxi, Transit, eFleet, and Digital Wireless. The Taxi business unit provides computerized dispatching and turnkey wireless fleet management solutions for taxi fleets; and TaxiBook, an Internet-based fleet management and dispatch solution. It also offers mobile commerce and Web-based interactive multimedia information, entertainment, and advertising solutions for taxis through a passenger information monitor. The Transit business unit provides mobile devices and wireless data infrastructure; scheduling, dispatching, and client management software; and service-based managed sc heduling and dispatching solutions for the transit market. The eFleet business unit offers software, hardware, and data networks that are accessible via Web browser to provide dispatching and management functionality for fleets of commercial vehicles. It integrates computer aided wireless dispatch, GPS fleet tracking, GPS navigation, two-way text messaging, and point-of-sale payment processing into a single hosted system. This business unit�s primary markets are work trucks, waste management trucks, and limousines. The Digital Wireless business unit provides in-vehicle wireless data computers, communications infrastructure products, and related in-vehicle peripheral devices. It markets its products as an OEM directly to customers and third-party solution providers. The company was formerly known as Digital Dispatch Systems Inc. and changed its name to DDS Wireless International Inc. in March 2008. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada. Hot Tech Companies To Watch In Right Now: Boingo Wireless Inc.(WIFI) Boingo Wireless, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile Wi-Fi Internet solutions. The company installs, manages, and operates wireless network infrastructure to provide Wi-Fi services at its managed and operated hotspots, such as airports, hotels, coffee shops, shopping malls, arenas, stadiums, and quick service restaurants in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Its solution includes software for Wi-Fi enabled devices comprising smartphones, laptops, and tablet computers, as well as back-end system infrastructure that detects and enables access to Wi-Fi network. The company provides its solutions to individual users and partners consisting of telecom operators, network operators, cable companies, technology companies, enterprise software and services companies, and communications companies. In addition, it provides billing system and customer support services. Boingo Wireless, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Advisors' Opinion: - [By CRWE]
Boingo Wireless, Inc. (NASDAQ:WIFI), the Wi-Fi industry�� leading provider of software and services worldwide, reported the launch of its managed Wi-Fi services at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), the second busiest airport in the world, through an agreement with Newbridge Technologies.
Recently my colleague Morgan Housel wrote about how 2013 has been a very light year in terms of volatility. Morgan noted that the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) is on track to be the least volatile year since 1995, based on the number of days in which the index has moved higher or lower by 1% or more. If things remain the same for the rest of the year, it will be the 13th least volatile year since 1928. On Aug. 13, Morgan wrote: Since 1928, the Dow has closed up or down more than 1% an average of 57 days per year. So far this year, there have been 15 closes up or down more than 1%. If that trend holds, we'll finish the year with about 21 1% days. Compare that with 148 1% days in 2009, 79 in 2010, and 54 in 2011. Since the time Morgan's article was published, the Dow closed down 1.47% on Aug. 15, bringing the total 1% moves for the Dow to 16 in 2013. Morgan's estimate of 21 total days in 2013 of 1% moves may likely hold up, but I think we'll see more than what Morgan is predicting, based on the reasons for which we've experienced volatility thus far in 2013. A one-way ticket to volatility, please!
At the Dow's current level, it needs to gain or lose slightly more than 150 points to change by 1%. In the past I've talked about the high number of triple-digit moves the Dow experienced during the month of June and a number of other 100-point Dow moves clustered together during the year -- and I concluded that the clusters of moves all correlated to Federal Reserve meeting dates. Nineteen of the 24 days in June that saw triple-digit moves were probably caused by the rapid increase in interest rates as investors began growing concerned about how the Fed's policies may change in the future. Of the 16 days in 2013 on which the Dow has moved more than 1%, seven of them came within days after a Fed meeting. Six of the 16 came in June, when interest rates were rising, and the most recent was Aug. 15, after rates again jumped higher as investors received positive economic data -- which may mean the economy is strong enough for the Fed to pull the plug on its stimulus program and begin tapering. The renewed fears of tapering really started on Aug. 6, when we had not one, but two Federal Reserve officials telling the world that they believed the Fed will probably begin tapering its $85 billion bond-buying program sometime this year. Since then, the Dow has fallen seven out of the past nine trading days. Two weeks ago, the Dow dropped 232 points, or 1.48%, and this past week it fell 344 points or 2.23%. The Fed has three more meetings scheduled for the year, with the next coming Sept/ 17-18, meaning that would be the earliest we could see the tapering actually begin and when serious volatility would begin as a result. But investors should also note that even if the Fed doesn't start tapering at that meeting, the markets will probably move more than 1% at least once in the days following the meeting, as it has all this past year. And what if the central bank does start tapering? Well, it's going to be June all over again, with the overwhelming majority of the trading days experiencing triple-digit moves and a high-single-digit number of days in which the Dow moves more than 1%. While I think volatility is going to increase for the remainder of 2013, that doesn't mean I'm going to change my trading habits or my investing ideal of buying strong companies and owning for them for a long time. The Motley Fool's free report "3 Stocks That Will Help You Retire Rich" names stocks that could help you build long-term wealth and retire well, along with some winning wealth-building strategies that every investor should be aware of. Click here now to keep reading.
Among recent enforcement actions, the SEC fined Rajat Gupta $13.9 million for illegally tipping Raj Rajaratnam with inside information. Also, Barclays and four former traders have been assessed a combined $487.9 million in fines and penalties by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for their role in the alleged manipulation of energy markets, and the SEC stepped in with an emergency asset freeze and charges against an unregistered money manager and his companies in Texas for engaging in an illegal foreign currency exchange trading scheme. Gupta to Pay $13.9 Million for Illegal Tipping The SEC announced that it has obtained a $13.9 million penalty against Rajat Gupta, who, as a former Goldman Sachs board member, illegally passed inside information to former hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam. The agency also said that Gupta is permanently barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company. Gupta had passed along confidential information about Berkshire Hathaway’s $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs, as well as nonpublic details about Goldman’s financial results for the second and fourth quarters of 2008, to Rajaratnam. The latter was penalized a record $92.8 million penalty for insider trading after making use of inside information. In a parallel criminal case, Gupta was convicted in June 2012 of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and three counts of securities fraud. He was sentenced to two years in prison followed by a year of supervised release, and also subject to a criminal fine of $5 million. Barclays, Four Former Traders Fined in Energy Price Manipulation FERC has announced that Barclays and four former traders must pay fines and penalties of a total of $487.9 million after they allegedly manipulated energy markets in the western U.S. from November 2006 to December 2008. The traders made transactions in fixed-price products, often at a loss, according to the agency, so that they could move an index to benefit the bank’s other bets on swaps. Barclays is to pay $435 million in penalties; Scott Connelly, former head of its North American power-trading desk, must pay $15 million, and former Barclays traders Daniel Brin, Karen Levine and Ryan Smith have each been fined $1 million. The $453 million in civil penalties must be paid to the U.S. Treasury within 30 days, according to the order from FERC, and the bank must also fork out $34.9 million in profits, to be distributed to programs that help low-income homeowners pay energy bills in California, Arizona, Oregon and Washington. /* .premium-promo { border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 200px; float: left; } .premium-promo li, .premium-promo ul { list-style-type: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; } .premium-promo li { margin: 0 0 10px; padding: 0 0 10px; border-bottom: 1px dotted #ddd; } .premium-promo h3 { text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 11px; } .premium-promo h4 { font-size: 16px; } .premium-promo a { text-decoration: none !important; } .premium-promo .btn { background: #0069a1; border-radius: 4px; display: inline-block; padding: 5px 10px; clear: both; color: #fff; font-weight: bold; } .premium-promo .btn:hover { background: #034c92; } */ The Barclays fine is higher than the 290 million pounds ($438 million) it was assessed for its role in manipulating the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR). Barclays plans to contest the fine, with Barclays spokesman Marc Hazelton saying in a statement, “We believe that our trading was legitimate and in compliance with applicable law. We intend to vigorously defend this matter.” Hazelton added that the bank regards the fine as without basis, and the FERC order to be a “one-sided document, and does not reflect a balanced and full description of the facts or the applicable legal standard.” The agency, on the other hand, described the evidence as “demonstrate[ing] that the intentional amassing of the positions and trading to influence price were not based on normal supply and demand fundamentals, but rather on the intent to effect a scheme to manipulate the physical markets in order to benefit the financial swaps.” Connelly has said that the size of the penalty poses a hardship to his personal financial situation, but the agency said that it, “while severe, is well short of what the statute allows,” and said that his participation in the “serious scheme to manipulate the nation’s wholesale power markets warrants the imposition of significant penalties.” SEC Freezes Assets of Unregistered Money Manager in Forex Scheme The SEC has obtained an emergency asset freeze order against Kevin White, an unregistered money manager, and his companies KGW Capital, Revelation Forex, and RFF, which is the general partner of Revelation Forex, in Plano, Texas, and has charged them with defrauding investors in a foreign currency exchange trading scheme. According to the agency, White and his companies used websites, press releases and presentations to prospective investors that represented Revelation Forex as a $1 billion hedge fund with a sophisticated low-risk forex trading strategy that had achieved total returns of more than 393% since its January 2009 inception, and had earned a compound annual rate of return of more than 36%. Instead, the fund actually got no investor funds, and did not begin to engage in forex trading, until September of 2011. Since then, it has incurred realized trading losses of more than $550,000 plus approximately $1.4 million in unrealized losses through May 31. Meanwhile, White, who also misrepresented his own background and experience, raised more than $7.1 million from investors on the basis of his marketing materials, and has used more than $1.7 million of investor money to pay personal expenses, finance expensive trips, and fund other unrelated and undisclosed businesses and investments. White’s claims of a “25-year Wall Street career” were false, as were his claims about his education. In reality, he actually spent only six years as a licensed securities professional in Houston before being barred by the New York Stock Exchange two decades ago. The SEC has named two of White’s companies, a propane business and a business called KGW Real Estate, as relief defendants to seek disgorgement of investor funds. The agency is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with prejudgment interest and financial penalties, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions. --- Check out SEC, FINRA Enforcement: Radio Personality Fined Over ‘Buckets of Money’ on ThinkAdvisor.
For an investor who can set aside Rs 15000 per month and Rs 10 lakh as lumpsum, Roongta suggests that he should invest into equity for at least 15 years to achieve a long term wealth creation goal. Below is an edited transcript of his interview. Also watch the accompanying video. Q: If a person can invest Rs 15,000 per month and Rs 10 lakh as lumpsum, where should he invest in? A: The person should go through a process of financial planning. Technically, investments are made after you identify your life's goals. You have identified that wealth creation is something that you want to achieve; there are no specific goals. But once you have identified certain other aspects of your life, it is easier to suggest an investment vehicle, which you can use to park your money for whatever purposes. Coming back to the query, I would want to broaden the investor's horizon a little bit. For instance, when you invest into equities over a longer period, it does not mean that you are taking a lot of risk by itself. This is not about markets going up and down, that is more of a short-term phenomenon. In this case, since it is a long-term wealth creation goal, I would suggest that you need to have assets, which are more aggressive in nature. A time period of 15 years is good and is in your advantage. What I could suggest to you is Rs 15,000 that you wish to invest, you can choose quality stocks where you buy very good companies, which are fundamentally large and strong. I don't think there is much of risk in that perspective for a 15 year period. Else if you are not comfortable going through that research and selecting stocks yourself, use a mutual fund route, I can suggest two funds to you, one is an ICICI Focussed Bluechip Fund and the other is SBI Magnum Emerging Business Fund . For the lumpsum part, there are two choices, one is that you can buy quality non-convertible debentures, which are again listed on the exchange giving good double-triggered returns even today. Tax-free bonds are available, which give you about 8.5% returns for over the next 15 years. Else there is another option; since you have a long-term horizon, you could choose equities again but invest it in a form in which you do not invest one lumpsum completely today. Use a systematic transfer plan; it is an STP against a very popular term SIP. In STP, you give out the money directly to the mutual fund today itself. Suppose in this case, I suggest HDFC Mutual Fund ' you give out the entire Rs 10 lakh to the liquid scheme of HDFC Mutual Fund, the HDFC Cash Management Fund , this fund invests completely to debt; there is no equity whatsoever in that portfolio. From here you set up an STP, a Systematic Transfer Plan for money to be systematically transferred into equity over a period of next five years. You have to designate the scheme. I can suggest two schemes, which are HDFC Equity Fund and an HDFC Index Fund ; Rs 10,000 per month into both these schemes will enable money to come into equities over a period of next five years. Then just leave it as it is, it will grow to become whatever corpus in the next 15 years from now.
On Jul 9, 2013, we downgraded our recommendation on energy company CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX) to Underperform from Neutral. CONSOL Energy currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Why the Downgrade?
A number of negative factors, including over-reliance on a limited group of customers for bulk sales, an unexpected incident at the Blacksville No. 2 Mine and slow progress in the coal market have led us to downgrade our recommendation on the stock.
These factors also affected the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Over the past 90 days, the consensus estimate for second-quarter 2013 has decreased by 3 cents to 18 cents reflecting an estimated decline of 40.7% year over year.
Cause for Concern
CONSOL Energy depends on a limited group of customers for selling coal in bulk amounts. If the company fails to ink new deals or/and retain existing customers, its future performance will be affected. We note that coal mining in Blacksville No. 2 Mine was suspended for nearly two months, when smoke was detected at the Orndoff shaft near Wayne in Greene County. Though CONSOL Energy has resumed operations at the mine after implementing the necessary measures, the incident has once again raised questions regarding the safety of underground mining. In addition, CONSOL Energy temporarily closed its low-volume Buchanan mine and will continue to idle the low-volume Amonate mines due to weak market conditions. This will lower or negatively impact the company's near-term financial results. Other Stocks to Consider Stocks in the industry that are worth considering include Alliance Resource Partners LP (ARLP), Companhia Paranaense de Energia (ELP) and DTE Energy Company (DTE), each with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Dividend investing has been a major theme in the ETF world for several years as investors have escaped near zero interest rates using funds that capture more attractive yields. As the interest for these products has surged, issuers have been quick to create the kinds of dividends funds that are now available. Monthly dividend funds have a particular attraction to income investors as a payout every four weeks creates a healthy income stream. But investors need to take a look beneath the surface of some of their favorite funds, as the payouts are not always what they seem . Payout InconsistencyMonthly dividend ETFs seem rosy on the surface; a handsome yield delivered to your account each month, but investors should know exactly how the distributions work. Some of the monthly products do not adhere to a consistent payout schedule, but instead greatly vary the dividends that investors receive each month. The issue ranges from nearly non-existent to severe. Below, we outline some of the most prominent monthly funds and how their payouts stack up. ETRACS Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Mortgage REIT ETN This relatively young fund exploded out of the gate, aided by an annualized yield of nearly 15%. Below we outline MORL's 2013 payments.
While the fund makes its payout every month, the bulk of the annualized yield only comes every quarter, when the distributions make a big leap. If you were to annualize the most recent payout, the fund would be yielding over 64%, but do the same for the prior payout and the yield falls to just 6.8%. There is more than a 1,000% difference between the highest and lowest payout from this year .
SuperDividend ETF
Global X's SDIV was another fund that made a big splash upon debuting, as it has more than $650 million in assets despite being on the market for just over two years. Below are the last 12 payments from SDIV.
Unfortunately, there is a 443% difference between the highest and lowest payouts this ! past year, with those payouts occurring just eight weeks apart.
iShares U.S. Preferred Stock ETF
With over $10 billion in assets, PFF is one of the most popular ETFs on the market. While its monthly delta may not be among the worst, it still sees its payout vary more than some would like. Below are the last 12 payments from PFF.
There is a 159% difference between the highest and lowest payouts from the last year, which occurred just one month apart .
Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt Portfolio
This fixed income fund does one of the best jobs of keeping its payouts tight and consistent for its investors. Below are the last 12 distributions from PCY.
Note that there is a difference of just 17.4% between its highest and lowest payouts this past year.
The Bottom LineFor many investors, the distribution discrepancies are not a major problem. But for those who rely on dividend income each month, watching payouts jump back in forth, drastically in some cases, can make life a bit more stressful. While there is certainly nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned funds, investors should take a look under the hood at a fund's distribution history before making an allocation. Follow me on Twitter @JaredCummans. Disclosure: Long PFF.
As is often the case with stocks that trade at high valuation multiples, this stock was fragile going into its earnings report, and the lower than consensus forecast has led to a significant sell-off. In my opinion, this creates a buying opportunity for long-term investors, says Paul McWilliams, editor of Next Inning. Cree (CREE) reported fiscal Q4 revenue of $375M and non-GAAP earnings of $0.38 per fully diluted share. The consensus estimates were $378.4M and $0.38 respectively. For fiscal Q1 (2014), the company forecasted revenue in the range of $380M to $400M and non-GAAP earnings in the range of $0.36 to $0.41. The consensus estimates ahead of the forecast were $398.4M and $0.43. While the midpoint of its revenue guidance is somewhat below my expectation, and I was assuming the firm's 19% corporate tax rate would hold in fiscal 2014, everything else in the story appears to be intact. Cree's non-GAAP operating profit margin increased to 14.0%, up from 10.2% last year, and is expected to increase to 15% in calendar Q3. Its operational leverage increased in calendar Q2 to 1.51 from 1.39 last year, and is expected to be 1.58 in calendar Q3 (based on guidance midpoints). Operational leverage measures how many gross profit dollars are generated from every operating expense dollar invested. Given the data CREE shared during the call, this trend should continue during fiscal 2014. Trailing 12-month free cash flow (FCF) was $1.58 per fully diluted share, versus Cree's reported non-GAAP earnings of $1.32, and net cash per fully diluted share increased by $2.06 year-over-year. Net Current Assets per fully diluted share increased by $2.09 year-over-year. The primary difference here is, the company modestly increased its working capital during the fiscal year to support higher sales. If we sum this data, it leads me to believe all of the fundamentals are lining up well, that the company is developing leverage in its business model, and that the firm's earnings, as reported, understate the performance of the business. Bottom Line: I continue to believe Cree is focusing on the right things and executing well. I think all of the new products it has introduced this year are destined to be big winners, and, in most cases, increase its branding power—an effort the company now states very clearly is a strategic objective. While revenue growth for calendar Q3 will be a bit lower than I was expecting, I think Cree will achieve, or top, the full year fiscal 2014 revenue consensus of $1.68M, and with that, hit my $2.00 non-GAAP full year revenue target. Subscribe to Next Inning here… More from MoneyShow.com: A New Friend for Facebook Apple Still a Strong Buy Micron: Money from Memory
Hedge funds are mentioned hundreds of times daily in the media and employ some of the most well-paid business professionals anywhere. It is not a cakewalk to land your first hedge fund job, because building a hedge fund career takes a lot of determination and networking stamina. Many hedge funds get up to 100 inquiries a week from students and experienced professionals searching for employment opportunities.
How do you get noticed, swing an interview and land a hedge fund job? Whether you are looking for an entry-level position or a mid-career shift to work as a hedge fund manager, this 10-step plan will help you get off to a strong start. Step 1. Be Sure You Really Want to Work for a Hedge Fund
The more sure you are about working for a hedge fund and not being an accountant or working at a mutual fund, ETF or private equity fund, the easier it will be to navigate these 10 steps and land your first hedge fund job.
If you really want to work for a hedge fund, it will show in your self-discipline, networking, knowledge of the industry, passion and, ultimately, your actions. You can change your mind later, but if you want to try to work in this industry go all in and learn as much as you can. Make the decision to change focus, commit to it for three to five years and see what comes of it. Step 2. Become a Student of the Hedge Fund Industry
If working for a hedge fund is your goal, then create daily habits that work toward that goal. Examples are subscribing to free hedge fund newsletters, reading two to three chapters in a book on hedge funds each day or joining a local hedge fund association or club. To get a feel for where you might fit within the industry you need to learn the basics:
Who are the major players in the industry?
What terms/definitions are important to know?
Which strategies hedge fund managers commonly employ?
Step 3. Use the Three-Circles Strategy
Jim Collins wrote a best-selling book in 1995 called "Good To Great." In his research, he found that the companies that made the leap from being good companies to becoming truly great companies employed what he called the "three-circles strategy."
When facing a tough decision or turning point in their businesses, leaders of these corporations would draw three circles. One included options they were passionate about, one included options that took advantage of their experience and one included only those ideas which could be highly profitable. They would then consider only options that fell within the intersection of these three circles. In other words, to be successful in the hedge fund industry and make wise decisions along the way, it might help to consider only positions where you would be passionate about your work, draw off of your education and natural strengths and have the potential to be highly profitable. Step 4. Identify Hedge Fund Career Mentors
Early on in your exploration within the world of hedge funds, you should try to identify a couple of potential mentors with whom you could begin to develop a relationship. It usually takes some time to develop mentoring relationships, but many successful people are happy to help others out if they have the time to do so. To impress a mentor, you will need to show commitment, a pro-active learning attitude, patience, humility and a hunger for learning as much as you. Step 5. Complete One or More Internships
Once you have become more knowledgeable about hedge funds and identified a potential mentor, you should start looking for internships. Even if you are working full-time in another position, conducting research for a hedge fund for five to 10 hours a week can be enough to expose you to how that hedge fund creates trading ideas or operates as a business. Try to work on-site if possible, but don't pass up a great learning opportunity if the only way to gain a hedge fund internship is by working remotely.
While you want to learn as much as possible during these internships, put yourself in the hedge fund employer's shoes - they are very busy and working hard in a competitive environment. Pay close attention to details and don't ask too many questions early on, or you will end up monopolizing more of their time than you are worth to them. Try to learn through being within the environment and picking things up as you go. Most hedge fund internships will require you to work on a wide variety of tasks, some which may seem mundane but are of great help to others in the firm. Step 6. Develop Your Unique Value Proposition
Now that you have read articles, books and newsletters on hedge funds, completed a few internships and are developing mentoring relationships, it is time to figure out where you fit into the industry.
What type of job would you like?
What type of responsibilities are you seeking?
This is similar to the three-circles strategy, except now you need to take more definite action toward deciding what role you will fill within the hedge fund industry. For example, if you want to be an emerging markets analyst, write a few white papers on emerging market investment analysis, or specialize your knowledge in one area by really digging in deep, say by interviewing at 10 emerging market funds and reading five well-researched books on the subject.
Don't be generic; be unique and find something you are passionate about. Define a niche and become very knowledgeable in that area compared to the average investment professional. Be careful not to let your knowledge go to your head - coming off as too proud or arrogant can definitely make it hard to get hired or promoted. Step 7. Hedge Fund Job Tips
Each hedge fund is different, but across the industry there is a set of typical characteristics and skills that many hedge fund employers look for. Here are some of them:
Quantitative experience and abilities - How much money did you personally bring in to the firm or make for the last firm you worked for?
Education - Ivy league, MBA, quant-focused Ph.D.
Signs of being loyal, passionate and humble
Something extra, such as PR expertise, asset gathering ability or an information advantage
CFA, CAIA or Chartered Hedge Fund Associate (CHA) designations
High-quality names from your last few hedge fund jobs or large wire house experience
A stomach for a high commission/bonus compensation structure
Step 8. Land the Unadvertised Hedge Fund Job
One way of finding unadvertised job openings is by cold-calling companies and firms from online Chamber of Commerce listings, industry directories or associations. In the hedge fund industry this could be done by networking through the Hedge Fund Group (HFG), Hedge Fund Association (HFA), HedgeWorld Service Provider Directory or your local CFA society.
Informational interviews can be a great way to land positions offering great training, experience and pay, and will be more relevant for you than a generic advertising. If you approach a small or fast-growing firm and show a true passion, commitment and confidence in working for them, a position can often be molded around your skill set. As a result, your job has much more potential to be a great fit with your strengths and desires. A Specialized Approach
Take this approach to searching for a position in the hedge fund industry: Meet with four prime brokerage firms, two administrators, and 20 hedge fund analysts and portfolio managers. Explain who you are, and ask if you can treat them to coffee to learn more about their business. If you learn enough about their business, they will in turn ask what you are looking for and how they might be able to help you achieve your goals. When the meeting ends, ask for the names of two or three additional individuals who might be able to meet with you and watch your network grow. Step 9. Consider Hedge Fund Service Provider Jobs
While some service provider jobs may seem less glorious than working directly for a hedge fund, there are great career opportunities for someone who is very experienced with prime brokerage, risk management or hedge fund administration. These types of positions expose you to a large number of individual hedge fund managers who might decide to hire you away at some point for your specialized expertise or relationships. Prime brokerage jobs in particular can be a training ground for fund-of-funds marketing jobs and third-party marketing careers. Step 10. Apply to Hedge Fund Jobs
If you have worked through the previous nine steps, you now hopefully have a rough idea of what type of hedge fund strategy or service provider group you may want to work for. There are very few recruiters who will work with someone who has less than three years of experience working directly within the hedge fund industry. Many professionals successfully use experience from other industries to segue into the world of hedge funds, but recruiters usually will not work with this type of a placement candidate. Your best bets for getting that elusive placement are:
The informational interview method above
Connecting with hedge fund professionals who graduated from your school
Joining the Hedge Fund Group (HFG)
Earning your CFA, CAIA or CHA designation
Attending hedge fund conferences to connect with professionals
If you get a chance to apply directly to a hedge fund, make sure you make the short list by following up with a phone call and asking to meet a few days after submitting your resume. The Bottom Line
Most hedge funds want individuals who are hungry, humble and smart. If you keep this in mind while moving through the 10-step plan above, you should have a great chance of getting your first hedge fund job and beginning a successful hedge fund career.
 Alamy The idea that the dead sometimes vote is nothing new: For a long period of history, the "graveyard vote" was a key demographic in many a crooked campaign. Recently, however, it has come to light that the dead don't just vote -- sometimes, they also donate money to their favorite candidates and parties. And, per the old Republican joke about corpses who cast ballots, dead donors tend to skew Democrat. On Monday, USA Today reported the results of its analysis of Federal Election Commissions reports, which showed that, since January 2009, 32 major deceased donors have contributed almost $586,000 to the political process. $245,176 -- more than 41 percent -- went to the Democratic National Committee, while another $31,203 went to the Obama Victory fund. The rest was split among a wide variety of political causes.
It is perfectly legal for dead people to contribute to campaigns, although they're constrained by the same campaign limits as living ones. However, a case that is currently pending in federal appellate hopes to overturn those limits. The donor in question, a deceased Libertarian who used to live in Tennessee, attempted to leave $217,000 to the Libertarian party. If the case is successful, it could vastly change the political donation landscape -- in addition to greatly expanding Ron Paul's target demographic. Check out the full story here. (Just to be clear, dead people voting is in fact a laughably insignificant 'problem' in this country: From the 2000 to 2011 elections, there were a total of 2,068 cases of individual voter fraud, out of 900 million votes cast. Just 10 involved people showing up at the polls claiming to be someone they weren't. So whatever ever else we may have to fear from zombies, they aren't coming to eat our elections.)
Dividend checks continue to get fatter in corporate America, as more companies jack up their distribution rates. Readers of the Income Investor newsletter can certainly appreciate that kind of thinking. Let's take a closer look at some of the companies that inched their payouts higher these past few days. We can start with International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT ) .�The leading provider of gaming machines and systems for the casino industry is giving its investors more slot machine money. It's been more than four years since IGT abruptly slashed its quarterly dividend to $0.06 a share as the gaming industry reacted to the global recession. That's where the payout remained until late last year, when IGT bumped it up to $0.07 a share. That became $0.08 a share three months ago, and it's now up to $0.09 a share now. We're still a far cry from IGT's 2008 quarterly rate of $0.145, but there's nothing too shabby about three dividend increases in the past seven months. 5 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: Telefonica SA(TEF) Telefonica, S.A. provides fixed and mobile telephony services primarily in Spain, rest of Europe, and Latin America. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone; local, domestic, and international long distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; video telephony; supplementary and business-oriented value-added services; network services; leasing and sale of handset equipment; and telephony information services. The company?s Internet and broadband multimedia services comprise Internet service provider service; portal and network services; retail and wholesale broadband access; narrowband switched access to Internet; naked ADSL, a broadband connection; residential-oriented value-added services; companies-oriented value-added services; television services, such as IPTV, cable television, and satellite television; and Fiber to the Home, a service for high speed Internet access and digital video recording. Its data and business-solutions services principally include leased lines; virtual private network services; fiber optics services; the provision of hosting and application; outsourcing and consultancy services; desktop services; and system integration and professional services. The company?s wholesale services for telecommunication operators primarily comprise domestic interconnection services; international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators? network deployment; local loop leasing under the unbundled local loop regulation framework; and bit stream services. It also offers various mobile and related services and products that include mobile voice services, value added services, mobile data and Internet services, wholesale services, corporate services, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. The company has a strategic alliance with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited. Telefonica, S.A. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spai n. Advisors' Opinion: - [By Conrad]
Telefonica (TEF) is acting within the foreign telecom services industry. The company has a market capitalization of $89.2 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $85.4 billion and a net income of $13.0 billion. It follows P/E ratio is 6.8 and forward price to earnings ratio 8.1, Price/Sales 1.0 and Price/Book ratio 3.1. Dividend Yield: 10.1 percent. The return on equity amounts to 48.1 percent.
5 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: Sysco Corporation(SYY) Sysco Corporation, through its subsidiaries, distributes food and related products primarily to the foodservice or food-away-from-home industry in North America and Europe. The company offers a line of frozen foods, such as meats, fully prepared entrees, fruits, vegetables, and desserts; a line of canned and dry foods; fresh meats, custom-cut fresh steaks, other meat, seafood, and poultry; dairy products; beverage products; imported specialties; and fresh produce. It also supplies various non-food items, including paper products, such as disposable napkins, plates, and cups; tableware, which include china and silverware; cookware comprising pots, pans, and utensils; restaurant and kitchen equipment and supplies; and cleaning supplies. In addition, the company offers personal care guest amenities, equipment, housekeeping supplies, room accessories, and textiles to the lodging industry. It serves restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, hotels and mote ls, lodging establishments, and other foodservice customers. Sysco Corporation was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Advisors' Opinion: - [By Richard Young]
America’s largest foodservice company is Sysco (NYSE:SYY), which operates out of 180 locations nationwide. Sysco serves around 400,000 customers including hospitals, schools, restaurants and hotels. My relative strength chart for Sysco shows a positive trend developing. Buy.
Cedar Shopping Centers, Inc., real estate investment trust, engages in the ownership, operation, development and redevelopment of supermarket-anchored community shopping centers and drug store-anchored convenience centers in the United States. As of December 31, 2007, it owned 118 properties, aggregating approximately 12.0 million square feet of gross leasable area primarily in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, and New York. Cedar Shopping has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to federal income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in Port Washington, New York. 5 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: Qualstar Corporation(QBAK) Qualstar Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and sells automated magnetic tape libraries used to store, retrieve, and manage electronic data primarily in network computing environments worldwide. Its tape libraries consists of cartridge tape drives, tape cartridges, and robotics to move the cartridges from their storage locations to the tape drives under software control. The tape libraries also provide data storage solutions for organizations requiring backup, recovery, and archival storage of critical electronic information. The company also offers ancillary products related to its tape libraries, such as tape media, tape magazines, cables, bar code labels, and fiber channel adapters. In addition, it designs, develops, and sells switching power supplies that are used to convert alternate current line voltage to direct current voltages for use in electronic equipment, such as telecommunications equipment, servers, routers, switches, lighting, and gaming devices. Qualstar Corporation sells its tape drive products primarily to value added resellers and original equipment manufacturers, as well as switching power supplies primarily to original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers, and distributors. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Simi Valley, California. 5 Best Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2014: ITT Industries Inc.(ITT) ITT Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells a range of engineered products, and provides related services worldwide. Its Defense & Information Solutions segment develops tactical communications equipment, electronic warfare and force protection equipment, radar systems, integrated structures equipment, and imaging and sensor equipment, including night vision goggles, as well as weather, location, surveillance, and other related technologies for military and government agencies. It also provides services comprising air traffic management, information and cyber solutions, large-scale systems engineering, and integration and defense technologies; satellite-based imaging payloads for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions; and high-resolution commercial imaging systems with earth and space science applications, climate and environmental monitoring sensors and systems, and GPS navigation and software applications designed for image and data processing and dissemination. The company?s Fluid Technology segment provides water transport and wastewater treatment systems, pumps and related technologies, and other water and fluid control products with municipal, residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Its Motion & Flow Control segment manufactures shock absorbers and brake friction materials for the transportation industry; switch applications for the industrial and aerospace industries; electrical connectors used in telecommunications, computers, aerospace, medical, and industrial applications; and a range of pumps and tailored products for marine, food and beverage, and general industrial markets. The company was formerly known as ITT Industries, Inc. and changed its name to ITT Corporation in July 2006. ITT Corporation was founded in 1920 and is based in White Plains, New York. Advisors' Opinion: - [By McWillams]
The shares closed at $41.46, up $0.61, or 1.49%, on the day. Its market capitalization is $7.68 billion. About the company: ITT Corporation designs and manufactures a variety of engineered products. The Company produces pumps, systems, and services to measure and control water and other fluids. ITT also supplies military defense systems, including night vision devices, secure communication systems, and avionics, in addition to providing electrical interconnects, and data storage and PC cards.
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