When seeking new clients, financial advisors like to impress their prospects with boatloads of facts, figures and data. But are they telling a good story that will convince potential clients on an emotional level that they can make a difference in their lives?
According to one of the most popular and commented upon articles this week in the Harvard Business Review, “If You Want to Raise Prices, Tell a Better Story,” Ty Montague writes that the ability to sell a product or service comes from telling a narrative that reveals something meaningful and inspires action.
Montague, who is co-founder and co-CEO of the marketing firm co:collective and author of True Story: How to Combine Story and Action to Transform Your Business, says that as the number of brands proliferates globally “in a world of almost overwhelming abundance,” the most important ingredient in driving up a company’s margins is “an authentic, meaning-rich story.“
Meaning Yields Pricing Power
Best Wireless Telecom Companies To Invest In 2015: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., incorporated on February 21, 2011, is a global cruise line operator, offering cruise experiences for travelers with a variety of itineraries in North America (including Alaska and Hawaii), the Mediterranean, the Baltic, Central America, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The Company offers a variety of cruises ranging from one day to three weeks. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company docked at over 125 ports worldwide, with itineraries originating from 17 ports of which ten were in North America. In June 2010, the Company took delivery of its largest cruise ship, Norwegian Epic (4,100 Berths), which offers 21 dining options.
The Company�� ships have passenger amenities, including up to 21 dining options together with hundreds of private balcony cabins on each ship. As of March 31, 2011, 48% of its cabins have private balconies. Five of its ships offer a complex of private courtyard villas, each with up to approximately 570 square feet, which provide personal butler service and access to a private courtyard area with private pools, sundeck, hot tubs, and fitness center. In addition, six of its ships have garden villas with up to 6,694 square feet. These garden villas offer three separate bedroom areas, spacious living and dining room areas, as well as around-the-clock, on-call butler and concierge service.
Norwegian Epic offers its passengers itineraries to the western and eastern Caribbean, as well as Europe. The ship offers its customers an aqua park, sports complex, two three-lane bowling alleys and its two-story Wii Wall. In addition, the ship features a spa facility and fitness center with more than 31,000 square feet. Entertainment is offered aboard Norwegian Epic with the addition of entertainment choices, including Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Legends in Concert and Nickelodeon at Sea. It offers entertainment in its jazz and blues club and its comedy club features the comedy troupe, The Second City.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
And what’s good for Carnival should also be good for Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), which also got an upgrade, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings�(NCLH), which Farley and Kocharyan label their top pick. They explain:
- [By Traders Reserve]
Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH) might be the ultimate toy for these managers and the timing looks perfect. The travel space is red hot. Consumer and business travelers are filling up capacity in a big way. Profits are growing and at a fast pace and yet shares of Norwegian trade for a low multiple of earnings. Analysts expect the company to grow profits by 63% in 2014.
Best Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Bemis Company Inc (BMS)
Bemis Company, Inc., incorporated on May 18, 1885, is a manufacturer of packaging products and pressure sensitive materials. The Company's business activities are organized around its three reportable business segments, U.S. Packaging , Global Packaging and Pressure Sensitive Materials. The majority of the Company�� products are sold to customers in the food industry. Other customers include companies businesses, such as chemical, agribusiness, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, electronics, automotive, construction, graphic industries and other consumer goods. In July 2013, Bemis Company Inc acquired all of the common stock of Foshan New Changsheng Plastics Films Co., LTD.
The Company�� flexible packaging businesses has a technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating, laminating, printing, and converting. The Company�� pressure sensitive materials business specializes in adhesive technologies. On August 22, 2012, the Company acquired two flexible packaging businesses in Australia and New Zealand.
U.S. Packaging segment
The U.S. Packaging segment represents all food, consumer, and industrial products packaging-related manufacturing operations located in the United States. This segment manufactures multilayer polymer, blown and cast film structures to produce packaging sold for food and personal care product applications as well as non-food applications. Additional products include custom thermoformed packaging, and multiwall paper bags. Markets for these products include processed and fresh meat, liquids, frozen foods, cereals, snacks, cheese, coffee, condiments, candy, pet food, bakery, seed, lawn and garden, tissue, fresh produce, personal care and hygiene, disposable diapers, agribusiness, and minerals. This segment has 35 manufacturing plants located in 16 states, of which 32 are owned directly by the Company or its subsidiaries and three are leased from outside parties.
Global Packaging segment
The ! Global Packaging segment includes all packaging-related manufacturing operations located outside of the United States as well as global medical device and pharmaceutical packaging manufacturing operations. This segment manufactures multilayer polymer, blown and cast film structures to produce packaging sold for a variety of food, medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial applications. Additional products include injection molded plastic and folding carton packaging. Markets for these products include processed and fresh meat, liquids, snacks, cheese, coffee, condiments, candy, bakery, tissue, fresh produce, personal care and hygiene, disposable diapers, agribusiness, pharmaceutical, and medical devices. This segment has 32 manufacturing plants located in three United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and ten non-United States countries, of which 26 are owned directly by the Company or its subsidiaries and six are leased from outside parties.
Pressure Sensitive Materials segment
The Pressure Sensitive Materials segment is a global manufacturer of pressure sensitive adhesive coated paper and film substrates sold into label, graphic, and technical product markets. Products for label markets include narrow-Web rolls of pressure sensitive paper, film, and metalized film printing stocks used in high-speed printing and die-cutting. Products for graphic markets include pressure sensitive films used for decorative signage through computer-aided plotters, digital and screen printers, and photographic overlaminate and mounting materials including optically clear films with built-in ultraviolet (UV) inhibitors. Products for technical markets include micro-thin film adhesives used in delicate electronic parts assembly and pressure sensitive applications utilizing foam and tape based stocks to perform fastening and mounting functions. This segment has seven manufacturing plants located in three states and two non-United States countries, all of which are owned directly b! y the Com! pany or its subsidiaries.
The Company competes with Amcor Limited, Berry Plastics Corporation, Bryce Corporation, Exopack Company, Hood Packaging Corporation, Printpack, Inc., Sealed Air Corporation, Sonoco Products Company, Wihuri OY, Winpak ltd, 3M, Acucote, Inc., Avery Dennison Corporation, FLEXcon Corporation, Green Bay Packaging Inc., Ricoh Company, Ltd., Ritrama Inc., Spinnaker Industries, Inc., Technicote Inc., UPM-Kymmene Corporation, and Wausau Coated Products Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By The Part-time Investor]
The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:
Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Looking to increase its presence and market share in Asia, specialty packaging maker Bemis (NYSE: BMS ) announced today it was acquiring a Chinese manufacturer of specialty films, Foshan New Changsheng Plastics Films.�
Best Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: iShares US Home Construction ETF (ITB)
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (the Fund) is a non-diversified index fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index (the Index).
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Index measures the performance of the home construction sector of the United States equity market, and includes companies that are constructors of residential homes, including manufacturers of mobile and prefabricated homes.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Susquehanna’s head of derivative strategy Trevor Mottl, however, recommends betting against the sector with options on the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) following Friday’s big drop in new home sales. He writes:
Best Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Apogee Enterprises Inc.(APOG)
Apogee Enterprises, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design and development of glass products, services, and systems. The company operates through two segments, Architectural Products and Services, and Large-Scale Optical Technologies. The Architectural Products and Services segment designs, engineers, fabricates, installs, maintains, and renovates the walls of glass, windows, storefront, and entrances comprising the outside skin of commercial and institutional buildings. This segment involves in the fabrication of coated and high-performance architectural glass; installation and renovation of full-service building glass; manufacture of aluminum window systems and curtain walls; painting and anodizing finishing of architectural aluminum and PVC shutters; and fabrication of aluminum storefront, entrance, and curtain wall products. Its architectural glass products and services are primarily used in commercial buildings, such as office towers, hotels, and retail centers; institutional buildings comprising education facilities and dormitories, health care facilities, and government buildings; and high-end condominiums. This segment markets its products through direct sales, and distribution and independent sales representatives to architects, building owners, general contractors, and glazing subcontractors in the commercial construction market. The Large-Scale Optical Technologies segment manufactures glass and acrylic products for the custom picture framing market. This segment distributes its products through independent distributors and mass merchandisers, as well as directly to museums, and public and private galleries. The company offers its products primarily in North America and Europe. Apogee Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of glass-product maker Apogee Enterprises (NASDAQ: APOG ) fell 10% today after releasing fiscal fourth quarter earnings.
So what: Revenue increased 7%, to $179.7 million, which was in-line with expectations. Net income jumped 48%, to $4.4 million, or $0.15 per share, but that fell $0.02 short of estimates, and that's why the stock is down today. For fiscal 2014, the company expects to earn $0.90 to $1.00 per share from continuing operations, which compares to the $0.97 estimate. �
Best Gas Utility Companies To Buy Right Now: Systemax Inc.(SYX)
Systemax Inc. operates as a direct marketer of brand name and private label products. The company operates in two segments, Technology Products and Industrial Products. The Technology Products segment sells computers, computer supplies, and consumer electronics in North America and Europe. This segment offers individual technology products in categories, including computers; computer parts; television and video; audio; cameras and surveillance; car and GPS; cell phones; software; video games and toys; home and office; and other products. The Industrial Products segment sells various industrial products and supplies in North America. This segment provides products in categories, such as material handling; storage and shelving; workbench and shop desks; packaging and supplying; furniture and office; foodservice and appliances; janitorial and maintenance; tools and instruments; fasteners and hardware; motors and power transmission; HVAC/R and fans; electrical and bulbs; plumb ing supplies; and safety and medical items. The company offers its products through its relationship marketers, catalog mailings, and Internet Websites. It serves individual consumers; and business customers comprising for-profit businesses, educational organizations, and government entities. Its portfolio of catalogs comprises various brand names, such as TigerDirect.com, Global Computer Supplies, TigerDirect.ca, Misco, Global Industrial, Nexel, and Inmac WStore. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 42 retail stores in North America; and 7 distribution centers in Europe. Systemax Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Port Washington, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Loyalty and marketing specialist Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS ) grabbed a tiger by the tail with a multiyear agreement to�provide private label credit card services�to�Systemax (NYSE: SYX ) subsidiary TigerDirect.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Systemax (NYSE: SYX ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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