In a busy week for mergers and acquisitions in the advisor space, United Capital continued its expansion into the Atlanta market with its purchase of a large stake in PPA Advisors. Also in M&A news, Envestnet completed its acquisition of Prudential WMS and Madison Dearborn Partners completed its NFP deal.
Here are the three latest advisor acquisitions:
1) United Capital Continues Atlanta Expansion With Stake in PPA Advisors
On Monday, fast-growing private wealth counseling firm United Capital Financial Advisers of Newport Beach, Calif., announced that it had bought the majority of the assets of Atlanta-based PPA Advisors. Founded in 1986, PPA Advisors is the second firm in Georgia to join United Capital in less than a year as the acquiring firm broadens its footprint in the Southeast by integrating established registered investment advisors into its national RIA platform.
PPA Advisors brings $224 million under management and an additional $122 million under advisement, along with a team of nine professionals, to United Capital. The office will be immediately rebranded as United Capital and managed under the leadership of four managing directors, all of whom are certified financial planners: Ross Ramsey, R. Corley Watson III, Randy Berry and Charles “Rocky” Costa III.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ.AX)
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) provides a range of banking and financial products and services to retail, small business, corporate and institutional clients. The Company conducts its operations in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. It also operates in a range of other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The Company operates on a divisional structure with Australia, International and Institutional Banking (IIB), New Zealand, and Global Wealth and Private Banking. As of September 30, 2012, the Company had 1,337 branches and other points of representation worldwide, excluding automatic teller machines (ATMs). In September 2012, it sold its remaining shareholding in Visa Inc.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: United States Steel Corporation(X)
United States Steel Corporation produces and sells steel mill products in North America and Central Europe. It operates in three segments: Flat-rolled Products (Flat-rolled), U. S. Steel Europe (USSE), and Tubular Products (Tubular). The Flat-rolled segment offers slabs, rounds, strip mill plates, sheets, and tin mill products, as well as iron ore and coke. This segment serves service center, conversion, transportation, construction, container, and appliance and electrical markets in North America. The USSE segment offers slabs, sheets, strip mill plates, tin mill products, and spiral welded pipes, as well as heating radiators and refractory ceramic materials. This segment serves the European construction, service center, conversion, container, transportation, and appliance and electrical, as well as and oil, gas, and petrochemical markets. The Tubular segment offers seamless and electric resistance welded steel casing and tubing; and standard, and line pipe and mechanical tubing. It primarily serves customers in the oil, gas, and petrochemical markets. The company also provides transportation services, including railroad and barge operations. In addition, it owns, develops, and manages various real estate assets, which include approximately 200,000 acres of surface rights primarily in Alabama, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania; participates in joint ventures that are developing real estate projects in Alabama, Maryland, and Illinois; and owns approximately 4,000 acres of land in Ontario, Canada. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
Over the preceding two years, factory production had grown 26%, compared to employment gains of 14%. However, Hazlitt found that by 1936, production was at 78% of its 1929 levels, while employment was at 80%! The technological argument didn't hold much water in the 1930s. Even a simple comparison of U.S. Steel's (NYSE: X ) production against its employee headcount showed a greater loss of production than of employment: The bellwether steelmaker had rolled out less than half as much steel in 1935 as it had in 1929, but total employment was a mere 13% lower from the peak of the boom to 1935. Perhaps the first argument was more valid than the second.
- [By Rich Smith]
If you want to know what the future holds for global steel giants like Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT ) , U.S. Steel (NYSE: X ) , and Nucor (NYSE: NUE ) , one of the best ways you can spend your time, I suspect, is by reviewing the earnings reports of another company entirely -- Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN ) .
Hot Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Marine Petroleum Trust(MARPS)
Marine Petroleum Trust, through its subsidiary, Marine Petroleum Corporation, operates as a royalty trust in the United States. It holds an overriding royalty interest in oil, natural gas, and other mineral leasehold interests located in the Gulf of Mexico acquired by Chevron U.S.A., Inc. The company, through its 32.6% interest in Tidelands Royalty Trust ?B?, owns interest in 5 leases covering 22,948 acres. It has lease interests covering approximately 226,564 gross acres. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Meadowbrook Insurance Group Inc. (MIG)
Meadowbrook Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty commercial insurance underwriter and insurance administration services company in the United States. The company markets and underwrites specialty property and casualty insurance programs and products, including workers� compensation, general liability, commercial property, environmental, garage, commercial multi-peril, commercial auto, surety, and marine insurance on an admitted and non-admitted basis through a network of independent retail agents, wholesalers, program administrators, and general agents. It also offers program and product design, underwriting risk selection and policy issuance, claims administration and handling, loss prevention and control, risk-bearing entities administration, and retail property and casualty insurance agency services, as well as produces commercial, personal lines, life, and accident and health insurance with unaffiliated insurance carriers for its fe e-for-service and agency clients. The company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. (GDF)
Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. operates as a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC. The fund is sub-advised by Western Asset Management Company. It primarily invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in high-yield U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt securities and high-yield foreign sovereign debt securities. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Lehman Brothers U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index and the JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Index. The fund was formerly known as Salomon Brothers Global Partners Income Fund Inc. Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund was founded in 1993 and is based in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Carnevale]
Our first example looks at Vectren Corp.�� historical earnings, a utility with a 15-year historical earnings growth rate that is below our 3% threshold established in Part 1. Note that fair valuation is calculated using Graham Dodd�� Formula (GDF) deriving a fair value PE of 13.8 (slightly below, but close to our PE 15 standard). However, a normal PE of 16 has been historically applied by Mr. Market. Therefore, valuation falls between a PE of 13.8 to 16, or well within a range of normalcy.
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Delaware Investments Dividend & Income Fund Inc. (DDF)
Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund, Inc. is a close-ended balanced mutual fund launched by Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. It is managed by Delaware Management Business Trust. The fund invests in the public equity and fixed income markets of the United States. It seeks to invest 65 percent of its corpus in stocks and 35% in fixed income securities. The fund primarily invests in value stocks of large cap companies. It also invests in convertible securities, preferred stocks, other equity-related securities, and real estate investment trusts. For the fixed income component of the fund�s portfolio the fund invests in high yield corporate bonds rated BB or lower in terms of quality. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index. Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund, Inc. was formed on March 25, 1993 and is domiciled in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
According to a Gabelli Funds report, managed distribution policies offer several advantages, including:1. Lower difference between the fund�� market price and its NAV per share.2. Provides support during periods when the stock market is in a decline.3. Provides a measurable performance target for the investment adviser.Below are several high-yield funds from CEFA that have a managed distribution policy (yields as of December 16):Aberdeen Australia Eqty (IAF)- Distribution Yield: 10.4%- Income Yield: 3.46%Bexil Advisers LLC� (DNI)- Distribution Yield: 11.1%- Income Yield: 3.56%BlackRock En Capital&Inc (CII)- Distribution Yield: 8.78%- Income Yield: 2.34%Cornerstone Strat Value (CLM)- Distribution Yield: 18.77%- Income Yield: 1.83%Cornerstone Total Return (CRF)- Distribution Yield: 19.10%- Income Yield: 0.85%Delaware Inv Div & Inc (DDF)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 5.26%Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB)- Distribution Yield: 7.58%- Income Yield: 1.54%Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT)- Distribution Yield: 9.45%- Income Yield: 2.84%MFS Special Value Trust (MFV)- Distribution Yield: 9.60%- Income Yield: 5.73%Nuveen Tx-Adv TR Strat (JTA)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 3.12%TCW Strategic Income (TSI)- Distribution Yield: 10.54%- Income Yield: 7.88%Zweig Total Return (ZTR)- Distribution Yield: 7.27%- Income Yield: 1.95%As noted in the Gabelli report, a managed distribution policy may create confusion regarding the true current yield since the reported yield includes the return of capital portion. You can see the disparity above between the income yield and the distribution (reported) yield.If you are looking for a sustainable and growing dividend, you may want to consider some blue-chip dividend stocks such as these with a Free Cash Flow Payout less than 50%, 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases and a 2%+ yield:3M Co. (MMM) is a diversified global company provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: BofI Holding Inc.(BOFI)
BofI Holding, Inc. operates as the holding company for BofI Federal Bank that provides various consumer and wholesale banking services primarily through the Internet in the United States. It accepts various deposit products, including demand deposit, savings, and certificates of deposit accounts. It also provides loan products, which consist of single family loans, home equity loans, multifamily loans, commercial real estate loans, recreational vehicle and automobile loans, and overdraft lines of credit In addition, the company offers online bill payment, interbank transfer, mobile banking, text message banking, ATM cards or VISA debit cards, and overdraft protection services. It serves approximately 36,000 retail deposit and loan customers across 50 states. BofI Holding, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is based in San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]
The circus surrounding Jamie Dimon and JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM ) shareholders continues, but is there another Wall Street CEO that might soon feel similar pressures?�Elsewhere in the banking industry, BofI Holding (NASDAQ: BOFI ) reported first-quarter earnings, and it appears that the bank has been able to maintain its impressive growth.�
- [By Jessica Alling]
Leaving traditional behind
And two businesses are focusing all of their efforts on the new trend. BofI Holdings (NASDAQ: BOFI ) operates BofI Federal Bank, an Internet-based bank that has only one branch. The operations are online and provide the services that most commercial banks offer to customers: depository accounts, loans, and financial management services. By limiting its customers to online and mobile banking, BofI does cut out some types of customers that do need bank locations (small businesses, etc.), but its cost structure is greatly reduced by the lack of physical locations. - [By Matt Koppenheffer]
"Financial innovation" has become a four-letter word after the financial crisis, with many exotic financial instruments sending tidal waves of risk through a shaky system. However, Bank of The Internet (NASDAQ: BOFI ) has tackled this bloated industry with innovation of a different sort: an online-only bank. Their branchless operation has dramatically increased their loans since inception and has some eye-popping potential.�
- [By Chris Hill]
In this installment of�Investor Beat, our analysts explain why they're watching Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR ) and Bofl Holding (NASDAQ: BOFI ) .
Best Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Vittoria(VITI.MI)
Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides various life and non-life insurance products to individuals, families, and businesses in Italy. Its life insurance products comprise savings insurance products; protection policies covering risks of death, disability, and non-self-sufficiency; supplementary pension plans, including individual pension schemes and open-ended pension fund; and unit-linked financial policies. The company?s non-life insurance products include accident, health, and fire and natural events insurance; other asset damage insurance, which covers the risks of theft and burglary, hail, damage to electronic equipment, and technological damage; general third party liability, pecuniary loss, and legal protection insurance; credit and bond insurance; aircraft and watercraft hulls insurance; railway rolling stock insurance; and goods in transit insurance. It also offers motor insurance products, such as third-party liability for motor vehicles and watercraft, land motor vehicle hulls, and assistance; and outward and inward reinsurance products. In addition, the company engages in the real estate trading; and real estate management, brokerage, and promotional activities. As of December 31, 2010, it offered its products through 318 general agencies and 551 professional sub-agencies. The company was formerly known as The Victory Insurance and changed its name to Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. in 1968. Vittoria Assicurazioni S.p.A. was founded in 1921 and is based in Milan, Italy.
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