As prices for solar panels and modules stabilize, stocks in the solar energy companies have once more put on a growth spurt. Since the beginning of the year shares of SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) are up more than 300% and shares of China�� Canadian Solar Co. Ltd. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) are up nearly as much. Industry consolidation is not a far-fetched notion any longer.
SunPower is back in the money after the company sold a 60% stake to Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT) for $23.25 a share in the summer of 2011. Shares are trading at around $23.50 at noon on Monday, after peaking at over $28 in late July. It�� not hard to imagine that Total may want to shed SunPower, either through a sale or a spin-off. What�� a bit harder to imagine is that there�� a buyer lurking in the weeds.
Another possible target is the solar energy division of SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE). The company said last week that it would be spinning off its semiconductor business into a separate company next year. In the second quarter of this year the semiconductor segment provided about 60% of SunEdison�� total revenues of $401.3 million. But the company�� solar business has historically provided most of the revenues and could be both a target as operating losses in the solar energy segment continue.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: China Security & Surveillance Technology Inc. (CSR)
China Security & Surveillance Technology, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, installs, distributes, and services surveillance and safety products, systems, and software in the People?s Republic of China. The company?s products include standalone digital video recorders (DVRs); embedded DVRs; mobile DVRs; real-time hard-compression coding cards; DVR compression boards; digital cameras; intelligent high-speed dome cameras; intelligent control system software platforms; perimeter security alarm systems; monitors; and radio frequency identification terminals and data collectors. It serves various customers, which include governmental entities, such as customs agencies, courts, public security bureaus, and prisons; non-profit organizations, including schools, museums, sports arenas, and libraries; and commercial entities consisting of airports, hotels, real estate, banks, mines, railways, supermarkets, and entertainment venues. The company is headquartered in S henzhen, the People?s Republic of China.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: ChinaEdu Corporation(CEDU)
ChinaEdu Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides educational services to the online degree programs of universities in the People?s Republic of China. It also offers online tutoring services to primary and secondary school students; operates primary and secondary schools; and markets international English language curriculum programs to established learning institutions, as well as international polytechnic programs to vocational schools in China. The company?s online degree programs offer associate and bachelor?s degree programs, including accounting, marketing, finance, business administration, international business, law, civil engineering, education, computer science, literature, project management, marketing, and administrative management. These online degree programs primarily target working adults. Its services also include academic program development, technology services, enrollment marketing, recruiting, student support services, and finance operati ons. The company provides technical, recruiting, and other services for the online degree programs of 27 universities; and technology support services to 7 additional universities that are awaiting regulatory approval to launch their online degree programs. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 311,000 online degree programs students, as well as approximately 51,450 students in other businesses. ChinaEdu Corporation was founded in 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.
10 Best Safest Stocks To Buy Right Now: 3SBio Inc.(SSRX)
3SBio Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in the People?s Republic of China. Its products include EPIAO, an injectable recombinant human erythropoietin to stimulate the production of red blood cells in patients with anemia and to reduce the need for blood transfusions; and TPIAO, a recombinant human thrombopoietin to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. The company also offers Intefen, a recombinant interferon alpha-2a product for the treatment of carcinoma of the lymphatic or hematopoietic system and viral infectious diseases; Inleusin, a recombinant human IL-2 product to treat renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and thoratic fluid build-up caused by cancer and tuberculosis; and Iron Sucrose Supplement for treating anemia associated with iron deficiency, as well as for patients with end-stage renal disease requiring iron replacement therapy. In addition, its product pi peline comprises a high dosage EPIAO; NuPIAO, a second-generation EPIAO; TPIAO to treat idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura; NuLeusin for metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma; human papilloma virus vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer; and an anti-TNF monoclonal antibody product candidate for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and other inflammatory diseases. Further, the company?s product pipeline includes Feraheme, an in-licensed intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent used to treat iron deficiency anemia in chronic kidney disease patients and in patients requiring hemodialysis; and Nephoxil, an iron-based phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with ESRD. It sells its products directly, as well as through its network of distributors to various healthcare providers, including hospitals, clinics, and dialysis centers. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Shenyang, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Hilary Kramer]
3SBio (NASDAQ:SSRX) is based in China, so it has suffered from the uncertainties that have hit the stock market there, but it’s a solid company that should achieve strong growth for years to come. The majority of sales come from two strong products, EPIAO and TPIAO, which have both benefited from improved regulations and access in China. 3SBio should increase revenues in excess of 20% over the next two years, but the stock is attractively valued at only 12 times the 2012 estimate of 95 cents a share. SSRX is an attractive buy at current prices.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)
Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.
Advisors' Opinion: Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: China Mobile(Hong Kong)
China Mobile Limited, an investment holding company, provides mobile telecommunications and related services primarily in the Mainland China. It offers various services comprising local calls, domestic long distance calls, international long distance calls, domestic roaming, and international roaming. The company also provides voice value-added services, including caller identity display, caller restrictions, call waiting, call forwarding, call holding, voice mail, and conference calls; customer-to-customer messages and corporate short message services; and mobile Internet access services. In addition, it engages in other data businesses, which primarily include multimedia messaging services; color ring services that enable users to customize the answer ring tone from various selection of songs, melodies, sound effects, or voice recordings; and mobile reading, mobile gaming, mobile video, mobile payment/wallet, mobile TV, mobile market, and Internet data center services. F urther, the company offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance services; technology platform development and maintenance services; and mobile data solutions, and system integration and development services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. Additionally, China Mobile Limited sells mobile phone handsets and devices. As of March 31, 2011, it served approximately 600.8 million customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. China Mobile was founded in 1997. The company is based in Central, Hong Kong, and is considered a Red Chip company due to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: China Kanghui Holdings(KH)
China Kanghui Holdings develops, manufactures, and markets orthopedic implants and associated instruments. It offers approximately 30 product series of orthopedic implants and associated instruments for trauma, spine, cranial maxillofacial, and craniocerebral indications. The company?s trauma products include a range of nails, plates and screws, and cranial maxillofacial plate and screw systems used in the surgical treatment of bone fractures. Its spine products comprise screws, meshes, interbody cages, and fixation systems used in the surgical treatment of spine disorders. China Kanghui Holdings also manufactures products, including implants, implant components, and instruments for original equipment manufacturers. The company markets its products under Kanghui and Libeier brand names through third-party distributors to hospitals and surgeons. It sells its products in Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Changzho u, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Sherry Jim]
China Kanghui Holdings is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of orthopedic implants in China. China Kanghui Holdings has a market cap of $532.47 million; its shares were traded at around $23.35 with a P/E ratio of 56.95 and P/S ratio of 14.48.
Soros bought 592,000 shares of China Kanghui Holdings at $18.52 and did not purchase more in the first quarter 2011.The stock has increased 28% year to date.
First quarter 2011 net income increased by 23.6% to RMB22.0 from RMB17.8 million in the first quarter 2010. Net income per diluted ADS was RMB0.87 in the first quarter 2011, increased from a net loss per diluted share of RMB0.77 in the first quarter 2010. Domestic sales for its proprietary products increased 21.0% year over year to RMB50.1 million from RMB41.4 million, and international sales of proprietary products increased 246% from RMB11.1 million from RMB3.2 million. The company has cash and cash equivalents of $27.1 million on its balance sheet as of March 31, 2011.
China Kanghui expects year-over-year revenue growth of 20 to 25% in 2011, making revenue for the year 2011 between RMB292 and RMB303.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: U S Concrete Inc.(USCR)
U.S. Concrete, Inc. engages in the production and sale of ready-mixed concrete, precast concrete products, and concrete-related products for use in commercial, residential, and public works construction projects in the United States. It operates in two segments, Ready-Mixed Concrete and Concrete-Related Products, and Precast Concrete Products. The Ready-Mixed Concrete and Concrete-Related Products segment involves in the formulation, preparation, and delivery of ready-mixed concrete to customers? job sites; and the provision of various services that include the formulation of mixtures for specific design uses, on-site and lab-based product quality control, and customized delivery programs. This segment also engages in the mining and sale of aggregates, such as crushed stone aggregates, sand, and gravel; and the resale of building materials, including rebars, concrete blocks, wire mesh, color additives, curing compounds, grouts, wooden forms, concrete masonry, and tools. Th e Precast Concrete Products segment produces a range of precast concrete products for use in various architectural applications, including free-standing walls used for landscaping; soundproofing and security walls; panels used to clad a building facade; and storm water drainages. This segment also offers various finished products consisting of utility vaults, manholes, catch basins, highway barriers, curb inlets, pre-stressed bridge girders, concrete piles, and custom-designed architectural products. The company serves general contractors, concrete sub-contractors, design engineers, architects, governmental agencies, property owners and developers, and home builders principally in Texas, California, New Jersey, and New York. As of March 7, 2011, it had 102 fixed and 11 portable ready-mixed concrete plants, 7 precast concrete plants, and 7 aggregates facilities. U.S. Concrete, Inc. was founded in 1948 and is based in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion: Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: Universal Travel Group(UTA)
Universal Travel Group, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider offering air ticketing and hotel booking services, as well as domestic and international packaged tourism services via the Internet, customer representatives, and kiosks in the People?s Republic of China. It also provides technological solutions to travel reservations, and tour planning and tour guide services. In addition, the company operates TRIPEASY Kiosks, which are placed in hotels, office buildings, banks, shopping malls, and MTR stations for travel booking with credit cards or bank debit cards. Universal Travel Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Louis Navellier]
As China’s economy grows, the Chinese middle class has taken flight — literally. Providing the travel arrangements for this newfound class of Chinese travelers is Universal Travel Group (UTA).
The company provides domestic and international airline ticketing services, along with cargo transportation agency services. But it’s not just flights that UTA helps citizens book. The company also provides hotel reservations, tour planning, ground transportation, railway and express delivery and air delivery services.
UTA is the travel agency in China, and considering the shares have booked a 190% gain over the past 12 months, it certainly seems like the sky is the limit for UTA.
I rate UTA an A, making it a strong buy.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: iSoftStone Holdings Limited(ISS)
iSoftStone Holdings Limited provides various information technology (IT) services and solutions in the Greater China and internationally. It offers an integrated suite of IT services and solutions, including consulting and solution services, IT services, and business process outsourcing (BPO) services. The company provides a range of consulting services for an overall engagement or discrete consulting services in conjunction with other services. It also develops industry-specific solutions, including treasury management, cash management, property and casualty insurance core, financial holding company business analysis, trust company core, and banking risk management solutions for banking, financial services, and insurance industries; supply chain management, enterprise information portals, business intelligence, business process integration, and management and e-commerce solutions for energy, transportation, and public sectors; mobile and embedded technology, next generati on platforms, business intelligence functionality, and network security products for the communications industry. In addition, the company offers various IT services consisting of application development and maintenance, research and development, and infrastructure and software services. Further, it provides a range of BPO services, such as securities trade processing services for the investment banking industry; digitization and archiving of policyholder information, as well as account processing and customer service for insurance industry; and cross-industry BPO services comprising finance and accounting, customer care, and human resources. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Lowell]
iSoftStone Holdings Limited Ame is an IT service provider operating an integrated service delivery platform for IT services and solutions in the Peoples' Republic of China. Isoftstone Holdings Ltd. has a market cap of $779.58 million; its shares were traded at around $15.38 with and P/S ratio of 3.96.
Soros bought 510,345 shares of iSoftStone Holdings Ltd. in the first quarter of 2011, at an average share price of $19.28. The stock price has declined 12.38% year to date.
The company operates a suite of IT services and solutions, including: IT services, which primarily includes application development and maintenance (ADM), as well as R&D services and infrastructure and software services; consulting and solutions; and business process outsourcing (BPO) services.
iSoftStone’s first quarter 2011 revenues of $20.5 million, increased from $13.8 million in the same quarter 2010. Net income increased to $5.2 million from $788,000 in the same quarter 2010. The company’s operating expenses grew 30% from the first quarter 2010 due to in large part to a continuing investing in management capacity, sales force and marketing efforts to support top-line growth and research and development activities. Net revenues in each of its global markets, which comprise almost 45% of its business, increased as well. iSoftStone is affected by seasonal trends and its first quarter results are typically lower than other quarters.
iSoftStone will be expanding into the public sector for the first time through a multi-million-dollar project they won in the first quarter. “We believe the contract gives us great entry point to grow our presence in the public sector,” the company said in a statement.
Top 10 China Companies To Buy Right Now: LDK Solar Co. Ltd.(LDK)
LDK Solar Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects. It offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules. The company also provides wafer processing services to monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cell and module manufacturers; and sells silicon materials, such as ingots and polysilicon scraps. In addition, it engages in the production and sale of solar cells and modules to developers, distributors, and system integrators; and design and development of solar power projects in Europe, the United States, and China, as well as provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. LDK Solar Co., Ltd. operates in Europe, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Xinyu City, t he People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Paul]
LDK Solar Co., Inc.(NYSE: LDK) closing price in the stock market Tuesday, Jan. 3, was $4.38. LDK is trading 9.48% above its 50 day moving average and -11.82% below its 200 day moving average. LDK is -70.74% below its 52-week high of $14.97 and 71.76% above its 52-week low of $2.55. LDK‘s PE ratio is 6.53 and its market cap is $573.78M.
LDK Solar Co., Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of photovoltaic (PV) products; and development of power plant projects together with its subsidiaries. LDK offers solar-grade and semiconductor-grade polysilicon; and multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to the manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One under-$10 name that's starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is LDK Solar (LDK), a vertically integrated manufacturer of PV products for polysilicon, wafers, cells, modules, systems, power projects and solutions. This stock is off to a decent start in 2013, with shares up 13.1%.
If you take a look at the chart for LDK Solar, you'll notice that this stock has been trending range bound and consolidating for the last month and change, with shares moving between $1.42 on the downside and $2 a share on the upside. Shares of LDK have just started to trend back above its 50-day moving average at $1.55 a share with decent upside volume flows. That move is quickly pushing shares of LDK within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade above a key downtrend line that has acted as resistance for a few months.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in LDK if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.78 to $1.83 a share and then once it clears more resistance at $2 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.97 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then LDK will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.17 to its 52-week high at $2.32 a share. Any high-volume move above $2.32 to $2.36 will then give LDK a chance to tag $3 to $3.50 a share.
Traders can look to buy LDK off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at its 200-day moving average of $1.46 or at $1.42 a share. One can also buy LDK off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
The expert featured in this column, Doug Fabian, may or may not own positions in any investment vehicle mentioned here. The views and opinions expressed are his or her own.