We strongly suspect that health care’s outperformance was due to the market perception that Republicans were tilting at windmills. Investors tuned out the political noise and priced in the effect of more than 50 million new patients accessing the health care system. That also likely means that much of the potential positive impact of the ACA is already being priced into most health care stocks.
This dynamic makes stock picking in the sector much more difficult, because rising valuations have made slam-dunk opportunities tougher to find.
Nonetheless, at least one terrific—if somewhat contrarian—income play is still available in health care.
Top 10 Paper Companies To Own In Right Now: DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc (DVA)
DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., formerly DaVita Inc., incorporated on April 4, 1994, is a provider of dialysis services in the United States for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided dialysis and administrative services through a network of 1,809 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States throughout 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving a total of approximately 142,000 patients. It also provides acute inpatient dialysis services in approximately 900 hospitals and related laboratory services throughout the United States. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, it provided dialysis and administrative services to a total of 11 outpatient dialysis centers located in three countries outside of the United States. On September 2, 2011, the Company acquired CDSI I Holding Company, Inc., the parent company of dialysis provider DSI Renal Inc. In November 2011, the Company announced that its wholly owned European subsidiary, DV Care GmbH, acquired ExtraCorp AG. In January 2012, the Company acquired controlling interest in NephroLife. In September 2012, the Company announced that its new guest services contact center located in Centennial, Colorado was opened. On November 1, 2012, the Company announced the consummation of the merger of HealthCare Partners Holdings, LLC (HCP), with Seismic Acquisition LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, with HCP as the surviving entity (the Merger). The Merger, HCP became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. In January 2013, the Company acquired nine dialysis centers from Fresenius Medical Care (FMC), provider of dialysis services and manufacturer of dialysis products.
During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired a total of 178 dialysis centers, eight of which were located outside of the United States, opened 65 new dialysis centers, sold two centers, merged seven centers, and divested a total of 30 dialysis cent! ers in connection with the acquisition of DSI. It also added three dialysis centers under management and administrative service agreements that are located outside of the United States and added one center in which the Company owns a minority equity interest. The Company�� United States dialysis and related laboratory services business accounts for approximately 93% of its consolidated net operating revenues. Its other ancillary services accounted for approximately 7% of its consolidated net operating revenues during the year ended December 31, 2011.
Dialysis and Related Lab Services
As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated or provided administrative services through a network of 1,809 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States and 11 outpatient dialysis centers located outside the United States that are designed specifically for outpatient hemodialysis. Many of the Company�� outpatient dialysis centers offer certain support services for dialysis patients who prefer and are able to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in their homes. Home-based hemodialysis support services consist of providing equipment and supplies, training, patient monitoring, on-call support services and follow-up assistance. Registered nurses train patients and their families or other caregivers to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided hospital inpatient hemodialysis services, excluding physician services, to patients in approximately 900 hospitals throughout the United States. It renders these services for a contracted per-treatment fee that is individually negotiated with each hospital. When a hospital requests the Company�� services, the Company administers the dialysis treatment at the patient�� bedside or in a dedicated treatment room in the hospital, as needed. In 2011, hospital inpatient hemodialysis services accounted for approximately 4.5% of its total United S! tates dia! lysis treatments. The Company owns two licensed clinical laboratories, which specialize in ESRD patient testing. These laboratories provide routine laboratory tests for dialysis and other physician-prescribed laboratory tests for ESRD patients. Its laboratories provide these tests primarily for its network of ESRD patients throughout the United States. These tests are performed to monitor a patient�� ESRD condition, including the adequacy of dialysis, as well as other medical conditions. During 2011, it operated or provided management and administrative services to 33 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States and three outpatient dialysis centers located outside of the United States, in which it either owns a minority equity investment or are wholly owned by third parties. These services are provided pursuant to management and administrative services agreements.
Ancillary services and strategic initiatives
DaVita Rx is a pharmacy that provides oral medications to DaVita�� patients with ESRD. HomeChoice Partners provides personalized infusion therapy services to patients typically in their own. Intravenous and nutritional support therapies are typically managed by registered and/or board-certified professionals, including pharmacists, nurses and dieticians in collaboration with the patient�� physician in support of the patient�� ongoing health care needs. VillageHealth provides advanced care management services to health plans and Government agencies for employees/members diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or ESRD. Lifeline provides management and administrative services to physician-owned vascular access clinics that provide surgical and interventional radiology services for dialysis patients. Lifeline also is the owner of one vascular access clinic. DaVita Clinical Research conducts research trials principally with dialysis patients and provides administrative support for research conducted by DaVita-affiliated nephrology practices. DaVita Neph! rology Pa! rtners offers practice management and administrative services to physicians who specialize in nephrology. Practice management and administrative services include operations management, information technology support, billing and collections, credentialing and coding, and other support functions.
The Company competes with Fresenius Medical Care.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Divine]
DaVita HealthCare Partners (NYSE: DVA ) , which specializes in kidney dialysis services, sank 5.9% Tuesday, ending as the most sold-off stock in the S&P, and for good reason. Late yesterday, a 9.4% -- about three times as steep as the expected amount -- was proposed for Medicare reimbursements for kidney dialysis. The catalysts for the proposed cuts are government reports alleging that Medicare overpaid by more than half a billion dollars for anemia drugs in 2011 alone.
- [By Holly LaFon]
Last quarter, there were four winners: Chihin, Errold, Luishernandez and Clemo69. They correctly guessed that Buffett bought DaVita (DVA), Wells Fargo (WFC) and IBM (IBM). Congratulations!
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Cenkos Securities PLC (CNKS)
Cenkos Securities plc (Cenkos) is an independent, specialist institutional securities group, focused on growth companies and investment funds. The Company�� principal activities comprise of corporate broking and advisory and institutional equities. Corporate Broking and Advisory segment reflects the corporate finance, corporate broking and market making services provided to growth companies and investment funds. Institutional Equities segment reflects the institutional equities team who provide research-driven investment recommendations and execution capabilities to institutional clients. Cenkos earns fees from primary and secondary equity fund raising, acting as a key intermediary between growth companies or investment funds and institutional providers of capital. Revenue in Corporate Broking and Advisory segment is made up of placing commissions on fund raisings, corporate finance fees and retainer income, market making profits and commissions on secondary market transactions. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Trista Kelley]
Cenkos Securities Plc (CNKS) is running the spinoff and the share sale. Royal DSM NV (DSM), the world�� largest maker of vitamins, holds about 9 percent of SiS, while U.K. venture-capital trust Downing LLP owns 16.7 percent, Moon said. Provexis stockholders received one share of Science in Sport for every 100 shares of Provexis.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Westar Energy Inc.(WR)
Westar Energy, Inc., an electric utility company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. It produces electricity through various sources, including coal, wind, nuclear, natural gas, oil, and diesel. As of October 26, 2011, it served approximately 687,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Kansas; and had approximately 7,100 megawatts of generating capacity, as well as operated and coordinated approximately 34,000 miles of electric distribution and transmission lines. Westar Energy, Inc. also engages in energy marketing, and in the purchase and sale of electricity. It serves public streets, highways, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and other electric utilities in central and northeastern Kansas, including the cities of Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, Salina, and Hutchinson. The company was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Topeka, Kansas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, electric utility Westar Energy (NYSE: WR ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Now don’t misunderstand. Gordon isn’t telling investors to avoid all regulated utilities. He has some favorites, including American Electric Power (AEP), Dominion Resources (D), ITC Holdings (ITC), Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Westar Energy (WR).
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Phillips 66 (PSX)
Phillips 66 is a holding company. The Company is engaged in producing natural gas liquids (NGL) and petrochemicals. The Company operates in three segments: the Refining and Marketing (R&M) segment, the Midstream segment and the Chemicals segment. The Refining and Marketing (R&M) segment purchases, refines, markets and transports crude oil and petroleum products, mainly in the United States, Europe and Asia, and also engages in power generation activities. The Midstream segment gathers, processes, transports and markets natural gas, and fractionates and markets NGL, predominantly in the United States. The Chemicals segment manufactures and markets petrochemicals and plastics on a worldwide basis. The Company�� operations encompass 15 refineries with a gross crude oil capacity of 2.8 million barrels per day, 10,000 branded marketing outlets and 7.2 billion cubic feet per day of gross natural gas processing capacity.
R&M
The Company�� R&M segment primarily refines crude oil and other feedstocks into petroleum products (such as gasolines, distillates and aviation fuels); buys, sells and transports crude oil; and buys, transports, distributes and markets petroleum products. This segment also engages in power generation activities. R&M has operations in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The Company�� Bayway Refinery is located on the New York Harbor in Linden, New Jersey. The refinery produces a high percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as petrochemical feedstocks, residual fuel oil and home heating oil. Its Trainer Refinery is located on the Delaware River in Trainer, Pennsylvania. Refinery facilities include fluid catalytic cracking units, hydrodesulfurization units, a reformer and a hydrocracker. The Alliance Refinery is located on the Mississippi River in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The single-train facility includes fluid catalytic cracking units, hydrodesulfurization units and a reformer and aromatics unit. Alli! ance produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Other products include petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil and anode petroleum coke.
The Lake Charles Refinery is located in Westlake, Louisiana. Its facilities include crude distillation, fluid catalytic cracker, hydrocracker, delayed coker and hydrodesulfurization units. The refinery produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, off-road diesel and jet fuel, along with home heating oil. It owns a 50% interest in Excel Paralubes, a joint venture which owns a hydrocracked lubricant base oil manufacturing plant located adjacent to the Lake Charles Refinery. The Sweeny Refinery is located in Old Ocean, Texas, approximately 65 miles southwest of Houston. Refinery facilities include fluid catalytic cracking, delayed coking, alkylation, a continuous regeneration reformer and hydrodesulfurization units. It produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Other products include petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil and coke.
The Company�� Merey Sweeny, L.P. (MSLP) owns a delayed coker and related facilities at the Sweeny Refinery. Fuel-grade petroleum coke is produced as a by-product and becomes the property of MSLP. The Company owns 50% operating interest in Sweeny Cogeneration, a joint venture, which owns a simple cycle, cogeneration power plant located adjacent to the Sweeny Refinery. The plant generates electricity and provides process steam to the refinery, and it also provides merchant power into the Texas market.
The Company�� Wood River Refinery is located in Roxana, Illinois, about 15 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri, at the convergence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Operations include three distilling units, two fluid catalytic cracking units, hydrocracking, coking, reforming, hydrotreating and sulfur recovery. The refinery produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline,! diesel a! nd jet fuel. Other products include petrochemical feedstocks, asphalt and coke. Its Borger Refinery is located in Borger, Texas, in the Texas Panhandle, approximately 50 miles north of Amarillo. The refinery facilities consist of coking, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrodesulfurization and naphtha reforming, in addition to a 45,000-barrels-per-day NGL fractionation facility. It produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as coke, NGL and solvents.
The Ponca City Refinery is located in Ponca City, Oklahoma. It is a high-conversion facility, which includes fluid catalytic cracking, delayed coking and hydrodesulfurization units. It produces a range of products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and anode-grade petroleum coke. The Billings Refinery is located in Billings, Montana. Its facilities include fluid catalytic cracking and hydrodesulfurization units. The Ferndale Refinery is located on Puget Sound in Ferndale, Washington, approximately 20 miles south of the United States-Canada border. Facilities include a fluid catalytic cracker, an alkylation unit, a diesel hydrotreater and an S-Zorb unit. The Los Angeles Refinery consists of two linked facilities located about five miles apart in Carson and Wilmington, California. The San Francisco Refinery consists of two facilities linked by a 200-mile pipeline. The Santa Maria facility is located in Arroyo Grande, California, about 200 miles south of San Francisco.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company marketed gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel through approximately 8,250 marketer-owned or -supplied outlets in 49 states. At December 31, 2011, its wholesale operations utilized a network of marketers operating approximately 6,875 outlets that provided refined product offtake from its refineries. In addition to automotive gasoline and diesel, it produces and markets aviation gasoline, which is used by smaller piston engine aircrafts. As December 31, 2011,! aviation! gasoline and jet fuel were sold through dealers and independent marketers at approximately 875 Phillips 66-branded locations in the United States.
The Company manufactures and sells automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants, which are marketed worldwide under the Phillips 66, Conoco, 76 and Kendall brands, as well as other private label brands. It also manufactures Group II and import Group III base oils and market both globally under the respective brand names Pure Performance and Ultra-S. It manufactures and markets graphite and anode-grade petroleum cokes in the United States and Europe for use in the global steel and aluminum industries. It also manufacture and market polypropylene to North America under the COPYLENE brand name. Its ThruPlus Delayed Coker Technology, a process for upgrading heavy oil into higher value, light hydrocarbon liquids, was sold in June 2011. In October 2011, it sold Seaway Products Pipeline Company to DCP Midstream. In December 2011, the Company sold its 16.55% interest in Colonial Pipeline Company and its 50% interest in Seaway Crude Pipeline Company. The Company manufactures and sells a variety of specialty products, including pipeline flow improvers and anode material for high-power lithium-ion batteries. Its specialty products are marketed under the LiquidPower and CPreme brand names.
The Company owns four refineries outside the United States: the Humber Refinery, Whitegate Refinery, Melaka Refinery and Wilhelmshaven Refinery. The Humber Refinery is located on the east coast of England in North Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is an integrated refinery, which produces a high percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline and diesel. Humber�� facilities encompass fluid catalytic cracking, thermal cracking and coking. The refinery has two coking units with associated calcining plants, which upgrade the heaviest part of the crude barrel and imported feedstocks into light oil products and graphite and anode petroleum cokes.
!
Th! e Whitegate Refinery is located in Cork, Ireland. The refinery primarily produces transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, which are distributed to the inland market, as well as being exported to Europe and the United States. It also operate a crude oil and products storage complex consisting of 7.5 million barrels of storage capacity and an offshore mooring buoy, located in Bantry Bay, about 80 miles southwest of the refinery in southern Cork County.
The Mineraloelraffinerie Oberrhein GmbH (MiRO) Refinery, located on the Rhine River in Karlsruhe in southwest Germany, is a joint venture in which it owns an 18.75% interest. Facilities include three crude unit trains, fluid catalytic cracking, petroleum coking and calcining, hydrodesulfurization units, reformers, isomerization and aromatics recovery units, ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) and alkylation units. MiRO produces a percentage of transportation fuels, such as gasoline and diesel. Other products include petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil, bitumen, and anode- and fuel-grade petroleum coke. The Wilhelmshaven Refinery is located in the northern state of Lower Saxony in Germany, and has a 260,000 barrels-per-day crude oil processing capacity.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately 1,430 marketing outlets in its European operations, of which approximately 900 were Company-owned and 330 were dealer-owned. It also held brand-licensing agreements with approximately 200 sites. Through its joint venture operations in Switzerland, it also has interests in 250 additional sites.
Midstream
The Midstream segment purchases raw natural gas from producers, including ConocoPhillips, and gathers natural gas through pipeline gathering systems. Its Midstream segment is primarily conducted through its 50% investment in DCP Midstream. DCP Midstream also owns or operates 12 NGL fractionation plants, along with propane terminal facilities and NGL pipeline assets. It has a 25% inte! rest in R! ockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX).
Chemicals
The Chemicals segment consists of its 50% investment in CPChem. As of December 31, 2011, CPChem owned or had joint-venture interests in 38 manufacturing facilities. CPChem�� business is structured around two primary operating segments: Olefins & Polyolefins (O&P) and Specialties, Aromatics & Styrenics (SA&S). The O&P segment produces and markets ethylene, propylene, and other olefin products, which are primarily consumed within CPChem for the production of polyethylene, normal alpha olefins, polypropylene and polyethylene pipe. The SA&S segment manufactures and markets aromatics products, such as benzene, styrene, paraxylene and cyclohexane, as well as polystyrene and styrene-butadiene copolymers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
Phillips 66 was given a WAIT AND SEE rating the last time it was covered in this column. That ended up being a good call, but it was also lucky. After looking deeper, it looks as though the company�� potential was underestimated. At the same time, there are definitely risks due to an unpredictable global economy and the stock market being manipulated by central banks.
- [By GuruFocus]
Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) added to his holdings in Liberty Global PLC by 149.19%. His purchase prices were between $38.905 and $43.46, with an estimated average price of $41.33. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.17%. His holdings were 7,346,968 shares as of 03/31/2014.
Reduced: Phillips 66 (PSX)Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) reduced to his holdings in Phillips 66 by 64.14%. His sale prices were between $70.67 and $80.35, with an estimated average price of $76.12. The impact to his portfolio due to this sale was -1.28%. Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) still held 9,741,303 shares as of 03/31/2014.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Generale de Sante SA (GDS)
Generale de Sante SA, (also GDS), is a France-based provider of private hospital healthcare services. The Company offers a range of hospital services and, in partnership with independent medical specialists, delivers a spectrum of care services. Generale de Sante SA also provides services in the areas of mental health; oncology and radiation therapy; care for alcohol abuse and obesity; rehabilitation, such as cardiac rehabilitation and orthopedic and neurological reeducation, and diagnostics, such as medical imaging and analysis. It operates through one wholly owned subsidiary, CGS (Compagnie Generale de Sante). As of March 31, 2011, Sante Developpement Europe held a 54.47% stake in the Company�� shareholdings. Advisors' Opinion:- [By stanh30]
It does not matter if it�� a penny stock, all that matters is whether or not my reasoning is correct. However, in June the Global Depositary Shares (GDS) will undergo a 60:1 reverse split (pending shareholder approval) and the stock will no longer be a penny stock. Unfortunately the reverse split will occur after the June 12, 2014 record date for determining the persons and/or entities liable to the Depositary for the annual fee of $0.02 per Global Depositary shares for depositary services. This is an enormous fee for GDS shares, but one that I will pay due to the extreme undervaluation. Just remember that if you purchase the GDS shares on or before June 12th you are effectively paying an extra $0.02 per share.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: PDF Solutions Inc.(PDFS)
PDF Solutions, Inc. provides infrastructure technologies and services for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits (IC) in Asia, the United States, and Europe. It offers manufacturing process solutions that include process research and development, and process integration and yield ramp; volume manufacturing solutions; and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) solutions, such as logic DFM, circuit level DFM, memory DFM, and pdBRIX Physical IP solutions. The company also offers characterization vehicle (CV) infrastructure, which includes CV test chips, pdCV analysis software, and pdFasTest electrical wafer test system; Yield Ramp Simulator software that analyzes an IC design to compute its systematic and random yield loss; and Circuit Surfer software, which estimates the parametric performance yield and manufacturability of analog/mixed-signal/RF blocks. In addition, it provides pdBRIX platform, which includes software for identifying and developing a set of physical IP building blocks that are tailored to a given manufacturing process and target product application; dataPOWER YMS platform that collects yield data, loads, and stores it in an integrated database and allows product engineers to identify and analyze production yield issues; FDC software, which provides fault detection and classification capabilities to identify sources of process variations and manufacturing excursions by monitoring equipment parameters; and YA-FDC service and software platform that allows online modeling to create real-time virtual measurements of final product attributes during processing. PDF Solutions sells its technologies and services through direct sales force, sales representatives, and strategic alliances to integrated device manufacturers, fabless semiconductor design companies, and foundries in the microprocessors, memory, graphics, image sensor solutions, and communications segments. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in San Jo se, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Magic Diligence]
Liberator is a direct-to-consumer provider of medical supplies, primarily urological catheters, ostomysupplies, mastectomy fashions, and diabetic supplies, aimed at Medicare-eligible seniors. The company has an attractive revenue growth ramp, with sales growing at a 5-year average of nearly 50%. This has leveraged costs, leading margins up from just 5% in 2011 to 18% today. Liberator pays a 4.3% dividend yield and has a solid balance sheet with $20 million in cash and just $3 million in debt. Below $3, the stock is at the bottom of its 52-week range.
PDF Solutions Inc (PDFS)Far from an electronic document company, PDF Solutions provides software, IP, hardware, and services designed to speed the process and lower the cost of designing and manufacturing custom integrated circuits (ICs), especially in the area of yield improvements. PDFS has booked solid 3-year average revenue growth of 18%, has exploded operating margins from 2% in 2010 to over 35% today, generates free cash flow in excess of net income, and has no debt with a nice cash cushion of $65 million. At under $13, the stock is more than 50% below its 52-week high and carries a bargain 12% earnings yield.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
PDF Solutions (PDFS) provides infrastructure technologies and services to improve yield and optimize performance of integrated circuits. This stock closed up 2.6% at $21.51 in Friday's trading session.
Friday's Volume: 543,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 112,159
Volume % Change: 393%From a technical perspective, PDFS trended up here right above some near-term support at $20.50 and into new 52-week-high territory with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last three months, with shares moving higher from its low of $14.95 to its intraday high on Friday of $21.64. During that move, shares of PDFS have been consistently making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has also been accompanies by heavy upside volume flows since mid-July.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PDFS as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $20.50 or above its 50-day at $19.06 and then once it sustains a move or close above Friday's high of $21.64 with volume that's near or above 112,159 shares. If we get that move soon, then PDFS will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $25 to $28.
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Huntington Bancshares Incorporated(HBAN)
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated operates as the holding company for The Huntington National Bank that provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services. The company?s Retail and Business Banking segment offers various financial products and services, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, certificates of deposit, consumer loans, and small business loans and leases; and investments, insurance, interest rate risk protection, foreign exchange hedging, and treasury management services to consumer and small business customers. Its Regional and Commercial Banking segment provides commercial lending; depository and liquidity management products; treasury management solutions; equipment and technology leasing; international services; and capital markets services, such as interest rate risk protection, foreign exchange hedging and sales, trading of securities, mezzanine investment capabilities, and employee benefit programs to government, not-f or-profit, health-care, and publicly traded entities. The company?s Automobile Finance and Commercial Real Estate segment offers financing for the purchase of automobiles, and new and used vehicle inventory by automotive dealerships; and financing for land, buildings, and other commercial real estate owned or constructed by real estate developers, automobile dealerships, or other customers. Its Wealth Advisors, Government Finance, and Home Lending segment provides investment management; investment servicing; custody, and corporate trust and retirement plan services; and administrative and operational support to fund to high net worth customers. It also offers online, mobile, and telephone banking services; and operates approximately 1,300 automated teller machines. As of December 31, 2011, the company had 652 branches located in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
AlamyCitizens Bank ranks the No. 1 financial institution among baby boomers. Each stage of life brings with it a unique set of challenges to overcome and benchmarks to hit -- and this is especially true when it comes to banking. Although financial institutions target millennials heavily, baby boomers (Americans born between 1946 and 1964) are still the most represented generation among today's banking customers. A December Gallup poll revealed that 89 percent of baby boomers have at least one checking, savings or money market account. With more than 75 million baby boomers in the United States, there's a greater demand for financial institutions that cater to the boomer lifestyle. 3 Things Baby Boomers Need Most From Banks The youngest baby boomers have reached seniority in the labor force, while the oldest members of this generation have entered retirement. Both ends of the spectrum have vastly different circumstances when it comes to income, but no matter their age, boomers have three main banking needs. 1. Customer Service. Customer service comes in many forms, whether from an in-person associate at a brick-and-mortar branch or an attendant at a small kiosk in a local grocery store. Boomers have grown up with institutions that rely on real-life, person-to-person transactions that allow them to talk through terms and conditions and have questions addressed. Physical bank branches are necessary in order to fulfill this service expectation. As more financial institutions have turned to online and mobile banking, some baby boomers who are slow to adapt to banking technology have been isolated as a result. 2. Retirement Planning. With the average life span in the U.S. expanding each year, and so many baby boomers on the road to retirement, the need for retirement planning resources becomes more and more pressing for many banking customers. "In my experience, the most stressful situation that baby boomers encounter is the fear of running out of money d
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Finally, Diamond Hill's biggest closed positions included Johnson & Johnson and PPG Industries. Other closed positions of interest include Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ: HBAN ) , which many view as a high-quality bank because of its low percentage of non-performing assets. It's also viewed favorably for its effective management and smart growth strategy. Its recently reported first quarter featured net income down a bit -- but also a 25% dividend increase.
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