Is Bitcoin the future

Is bitcoin the way of the future? If it is, then I give (btcs) Bitcoin Shop a try because it is the tomorrow of shopping. The Bitcoin Shop seems like a good idea if they keep up with what they are accomplishing. As an investor, I am looking for ideas that will make my grandkids money. What do you think?

Start A Hedge Fund Investment Strategies

http://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/start-hedge-fund-investment-strategies/

US Stock Futures Edge Lower Ahead Of Consumer Spending Report

5/30/14 7:21 AM ET (Benzinga)

Pre-open movers
US stock futures traded slightly lower in early pre-market trade. Data on consumer spending for April will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET, while the Chicago PMI for May will be released at 9:45 a.m. ET. The Reuter's/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for May will be released at 9:55 a.m. ET. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 7 points to 16,674.00, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index futures fell 1.70 points to 1,916.20. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index declined 1.25 points to 3,734.25.
A Peek Into Global Markets
European markets were mostly lower today, with the Spanish Ibex Index gaining 0.32%, STOXX Europe 600 Index dropping 0.10%. German DAX 30 index fell 0.05%, French CAC 40 Index slipped 0.60% and London's FTSE 100 Index dropped 0.20%. Spanish consumer price index increased 0.2% in May, while German retail sales dropped 0.9% in April.
In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei Stock Average dropped 0.34%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.31%, China's Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.07% and India's BSE Sensex tumbled 0.07%. Japan's consumer price index climbed 3.2% in April.
Broker Recommendation
Analysts at Deutsche Bank downgraded Infoblox (NYSE: BLOX) from buy to hold. The target price for Infoblox has been lowered from $30 to $18.
Infoblox's shares tumbled 32.94% to $13.76 in pre-market trading.
Breaking news

• Exponent (NASDAQ: EXPO) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized an additional stock repurchase plan. To read the full news, click here.
• ReachLocal (NASDAQ: RLOC) today announced the launch of ReachEdge to help SMEs get more customers from their marketing spend. To read the full news, click here.
• QIAGEN (NASDAQ: QGEN) today announced a collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) to co-develop universal and modular assay panels for the simultaneous analysis of DNA and RNA biomarkers targeting multiple cellular pathways involved in common cancer types. To read the full news, click here.
• Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) announced the presentation of new data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting this week that supports the clinical efficacy of its BRAC Analysis CD and HRD tests in predicting platinum based therapy response for breast cancer patients. To read the full news, click here.

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Watch List: CMS Energy Corporation (CMS), Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (SWHC), Companhia Energ (NYSE:CIG), Integrated Device Technology Inc (NASDAQ:IDTI)

Posted on May 2, 2014 by PennyPicks

CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS) is an energy company operating first and foremost in Michigan. CMS Energy is the parent holding company of several subsidiaries, including Consumers Energy Company and CMS Enterprises Company. Customers are an electric and gas utility, and CMS Enterprises, first and foremost a domestic independent power producer.
CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS) decreased -0.30% and closed at $30.22 in the last trading session with the overall traded volume of 4.02 million shares, versus the average volume of 2.77 million shares. Its fifty two week range was $25.74-$30.53. It has market cap of $8.14 billion while its total outstanding shares are 269.49 million.
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (NASDAQ:SWHC) engages in the manufacture and sale of firearm products in the United States and internationally. It offers firearms; handguns, including revolvers and pistols; long guns, such as sporting, bolt action, and single shot rifles.
Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (NASDAQ:SWHC) moved up 3.52% with the closing price of $15.89. The overall volume in the last trading session was 2.51 million shares. Its fifty two week range was $8.53-$15.93. The total market capitalization remained $872.66 million. In its share capital, the company has 54.92 million outstanding shares.
Companhia Energ (NYSE:CIG) along with its subsidiaries engages in the generation, distribution, transmission, transformation, and sale of electric energy primarily in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Companhia Energetica Minas Gerais (ADR) (NYSE:CIG) decreased -0.40% to close at $7.51 in the last trading session and its total traded volume was 3.97 million shares versus average volume of 5.53 million. The company has market cap of $1.13 billion.
Integrated Device Technology Inc (NASDAQ:IDTI) announced that members of the senior management team will present to the investment community at the Jefferies Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at Time: 11:00 am EDT.
Integrated Device Technology Inc (NASDAQ:IDTI) increased 1.54% to closed at $11.85 and its overall volume in the last trading session was 2.49 million shares, versus average trading volume of 2.21 million. It has market cap of $1.78 billion while its total outstanding shares are 149.93 million.

- See more at: http://www.pennypicks.net/watch-list-cms-energy-corporation-cms-smith-wesson-holding-corp-swhc-companhia-energ-nysecig-integrated-device-technology-inc-nasdaqidti/#sthash.PeTRMqbc.dpuf

Blackstone leaves a trail of money to follow

By Jeffrey Goldfarb

April 17, 2014 

 

By Jeffrey Goldfarb

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

Blackstone is leaving quite the trail of money to follow. The buyout firm led by Steve Schwarzman generated record earnings in the first quarter, in stark contrast to the slog happening on Wall Street. It’s the latest sign of a power shift from banks to shadow banks, broadly defined. Having confined big lenders, watchdogs could pick up the scent on Blackstone and its ilk.

By publishing its results on the same day as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, the divergence in fortunes was hard to miss. Blackstone’s economic net income increased by 30 percent and the amount of cash available to pay out to shareholders surged by 24 percent. Assets under management also climbed by 25 percent to $272 billion. While the two big investment banks exceeded the expectations of analysts, neither hit new highs the way Blackstone did.

The constraints on big financial institutions keep taking their toll. Even JPMorgan boss Jamie Dimon, after years of putting up a fight against increased scrutiny, seemed resigned to the stricter new regime in his letter to shareholders this month. Losing a protégé and one of his top lieutenants, Mike Cavanagh, to Carlyle Group in March was another indication of how the less regulated world of private equity is stealing a march on its too-big-to-fail counterparts.

The question is whether Blackstone and its peers could fall victim to their own success. They owe some of their growth to expansion in realms previously occupied mainly by banks. Buyout firms have started funds to provide loans to middle market companies, invest heavily in the U.S. housing market and increasingly seek to raise money from retail investors. Such activities, and the profits they generate, may ultimately attract greater regulatory scrutiny.

The globally minded Financial Stability Board, in its shadow banking report last November, flagged how such firms potentially can be a source of a systemic risk when they perform bank-like functions and “when their interconnectedness with the regular banking system is strong.” And even though its individual funds are independent of each other and the money in them is typically locked up for a decade, these risks aren’t lost on Blackstone either.

Tony James, Schwarzman’s right-hand man, quipped on Thursday that legal and compliance are the fastest growing parts of the firm. He also penned a Wall Street Journal op-ed last month that tried to fend off unnecessary oversight simply because of the “negative, vaguely sinister connotation” of the term shadow banking. It’s a little reminiscent of Dimon’s tone a few years ago. James may find himself in a similarly frustrating fight.

Bond, stock investors making hay; can both be right?

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK Sat May 3, 2014 7:37am EDT
 

 

 

Snow falls outside the New York Stock Exchange during a winter storm in New York February 26, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Chip East

(Reuters) - With U.S. stocks near record highs and Treasury bond yields near multi-month lows, the disconnect between equity and debt investors has rarely been as stark. Over the coming months, the economy is likely to show one of the groups has bet wrong.

The S&P 500 .SPX sits less than one percent below an all-time high. After a wintry first quarter, stock investors are betting that economic growth is picking up, as evidenced by stronger spending figures and business demand. That's boosted the cyclical stocks which react to rising demand, particularly energy shares.

"The data are suggesting this may be the year when we turn the corner," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey.

 

 

 

"If data continues to gain traction you're going to see investors turn to more cyclical parts of the market. And I think that's already started."

Bond investors are reacting to a different story. Yields on the 10-year note hit a five-month low on Friday and the 30-year note's yield fell to its lowest since June after the April jobs report, which showed strong growth in payrolls but no growth in earnings and a decline in the labor force.

That data points to the conclusion that overall economic demand will remain tepid and that inflation won't materialize as the Federal Reserve continues to pull back on monetary stimulus, analysts said.

"Fixed income investors are slowly waking up to the reality that as the Fed steps back from quantitative easing, there are no signs of inflation," wrote Andrew Wilkinson, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers in Greenwich, Connecticut, in a note.

Bonds are also gaining as concern about the Ukraine-Russia crisis heightens the safe-haven appeal of U.S. debt, while some corporate pension funds are increasingly shifting to bonds as they seek to match their holdings to the liabilities they are going to face.

Still, the rise in equity markets doesn't mean that investors are as confident about growth stocks as they were in 2013. The strongest sector in 2014 is utilities, which have gained 14 percent and are generally associated with safety. Consumer discretionary shares such as Amazon.com are down 4.2 percent, the worst-performing sector so far this year.

This may be changing. Data show that the latest internal rotation in stocks has seen the energy sector take the lead, with a 4.2 percent gain over the last month.

Capacity utilization, a measure of how much industrial power is being put to work, rose last month to its highest in nearly six years and is expected to have ticked higher in the April report, while Fed data showed last week that commercial and industrial loans grew at a steady pace in April.

This makes it entirely possible that the bond market - generally the more sober-minded of the two markets - may have it wrong.

"We believe that the current pricing in the Treasury market has insufficiently accounted for the potential for an explosion in GDP growth," said Millan Mulraine, deputy head of U.S. research and strategy at TD Securities USA in New York in a research note.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; additional reporting by Jennifer Ablan and Jonathan Spicer. Editing by David Gaffen and John Pickering)

Bitcoin Shop Avoids the Hype of Bitcoin and Bitcoin-Related Investments Analyst Report by BrokerBank Securities, Inc.

5/1/14 7:00 AM ET (PR NewsWire)

Bitcoin Shop, Inc. (OTCQB: BTCS) is an online retailer that sells various types of merchandise for purchase using virtual currencies such as bitcoin, litecoin, and dogecoin. The company's website (www.bitcoinshop.us) allows customers to purchase over 140,000 items in over 400 categories ranging from appliances, books, cell phones, computers, grocery and gourmet foods, health and personal care products, home and garden supplies, musical instruments, PC and video games, Blu-ray movies, pet supplies, watches, photo and camera supplies, sporting goods, etc. The company was formed in July 2013 and launched its ecommerce website the following month.

Bitcoins are a digital, or virtual, currency that uses peer-to-peer technology to facilitate instant payments. Since bitcoins are not a fiat currency (currency that a government has declared to be legal tender, but is not backed by a physical commodity), they are not controlled by a single entity like a central bank and are therefore sometimes referred to as a "decentralized" currency. Bitcoin is an accepted form of payment by a growing, but still limited number of businesses, while governments and regulators are beginning to create more regulation and structure to legitimize it as a currency. Although each bitcoin transaction is recorded in a public log, the names of buyers and sellers are never revealed, which keeps bitcoin users' transactions private thereby increasing their popularity in illegal activities such as the buying and selling of drugs. Further, since bitcoins are stored in a digital wallet which exists either in the cloud or on a user's computer, they are susceptible to hackers and viruses (e.g. Mt. Gox collapse). The total number of bitcoins that will be issued is capped at 21 million to ensure they are not devalued by limitless supply, with this limit being reached around the year 2140.

A full in-depth analyst report on BTCS that includes risk factors, industry review, financial position, potential revenues, review of current business model, competition breakdown, analyst summary, and recommendation can be viewed by using the following link at no cost:

http://bit.ly/BTCS-AnalystReport

Copy and paste to browser may be required.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER

This report may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward- looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of mentioned company to be materially different from the statements made herein.

COMPLIANCE PROCEDURE

Content is researched, written and reviewed on a best-effort basis. This document, article or report is written and authored by Mike Maggi, CFA. However, we are only human and are prone to make mistakes. If you notice any errors or omissions, please notify us below. We do not engage in high frequency trading.

A full disclaimer can be found by viewing the full analyst report.

If you wish to have your company covered in more detail by our team, or wish to learn more about our services, please contact us at admin@smallcapir.com. For any urgent concerns or inquiries please contact us at admin@smallcapir.com.

CFA(R) and Chartered Financial Analyst(R) are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.

BrokerBank Securities, Inc. is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, CRD number #130116.

SOURCE BrokerBank Securities, Inc.

Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc. First Solar Wind Downdraft Tower Project Briefing Conference Call Scheduled for May 8th, 2014

5/1/14 4:49 PM ET (Market Wire)

Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc. (OTCQB: SWET) (the "Company"), the inventor of large Solar Wind Downdraft Tower structures capable of producing abundant, inexpensive electricity, today announced the First Solar Wind Downdraft Tower Project Briefing to be conducted on Thursday, May 8th, 2014 at 4:15 PM, Eastern Time. The call will be open to the public and hosted by the Company's CEO Ronald Pickett, who will provide an update on the Company's progress and facilitate a Q&A session.

Ronald Pickett, CEO, Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc. commented: "Since the announcement of our first Solar Wind Downdraft Tower in the City of San Luis, Arizona we have had numerous inquiries regarding the details about the Development Agreement and the timing of construction. I believe that this Project briefing will be an effective way to communicate this news to our stakeholders and I look forward to the Q&A segment of the call."

First Tower Project The Company has made a final site selection within the City of San Luis, Arizona for the development of its first project in the United States. On Wednesday, April 23, 2014, the City Council of San Luis, Arizona unanimously approved a "Development and Protected Development Rights Agreement" which guarantees the necessary local entitlements for development of the first Solar Wind Downdraft Tower in the City of San Luis, AZ. on the site under contract. Having this agreement in place accelerates development enabling the project to produce electricity as early as 2018. More to come on the call

Conference Call Dial-In Instructions: To participate in this event, dial (877) 709-8150 domestically, or (201)689-8354 internationally approximately five to ten minutes before the call.

Replay the Call Online Additionally, the Conference Call recording will be available for replay at www.solarwindenergytower.com beginning on Friday, May 9th, 2014, the day after the Conference Call.

About Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc. Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc., and its wholly owned commercializing subsidiary, Solar Wind Energy, Inc., is the inventor of the patented Solar Wind Downdraft Tower which uses state of the art technologies and construction systems to produce abundant, inexpensive electricity, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Company secured the site for its first tower project in the U.S. in the City of San Luis, Arizona and may have its first Tower ready for operation there as soon as 2018. Aside from the development of this Tower, the Company is focused on licensing its development know-how and establishing partnerships at home and abroad to propagate Tower projects and in turn, receive licensing fees for territories, development fees during construction, and recurring royalty fees based on the actual kilowatt hours produced by the Tower. Solar Wind Energy has assembled a team of experienced business professionals, engineering and scientific consultants with the proven ability to bring this solution to market. The Company's core objective and focus is to become a leading enabler of clean, efficient renewable energy to the world communities, at a reasonable cost, without the destructive residuals of fossil fuels, while continuing to generate innovative technological solutions to meet tomorrow's electrical power needs. Solar Wind Energy has filed and been issued patents that the Company believes will further enhance this potentially revolutionary technology. Solar Wind Energy, Inc., based in Annapolis, MD, is traded on the OTCQB under the symbol 'SWET'. For more information visit www.solarwindenergytower.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Solar-Wind-Energy-Tower/ and www.twitter/SWETower.com.

Innovative Renewable Hybrid Solar / Wind Energy Technology The simplicity of the Company's hybrid solar/wind technology solution is found in its ability to harness the natural power of a downdraft created within the confines of its Tower structure, a hollow cylinder reaching skyward into the hot, dry atmosphere heated by the solar rays of the sun. The water introduced by the injection system near the top of the Tower evaporates and is absorbed by the hot, dry air. The air becomes cooler, denser and heavier than the outside warmer air and falls through the cylinder at speeds up to and in excess of 50 mph. The air is then diverted into wind tunnels surrounding the base of the Tower where turbines inside the tunnels power generators to produce electricity.

The Company has successfully managed to economize the Tower, reducing capital costs and improving projected financial performance. This development was made possible by utilizing the Company's Energy Generation Calculator software, which can calculate and predict energy production of a Tower given a site's local weather data. By feeding the weather data into the program, the Tower's height and diameter can be adjusted along with the amount of water added as fuel to create a desired amount of energy. The outcome dictates the optimum size of the Tower's height and width. Under the most recent design specifications, the first Tower in San Luis, Arizona has a design capacity on an hourly basis of up to 1,250 megawatt hours, gross. Due to lower capacities during winter days, the average hourly output per day for sale to the grid for the entire year is approximately 435 megawatt hours/hr.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements included in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Actual results may differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Such statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties such as competitive factors, technological development, market demand and the Company's ability to obtain new contracts and accurately estimate revenues, if any, due to variability in size, scope and duration of projects, and internal issues in the sponsoring client. Further information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results, can be found in the Company's various filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Contact: Solar Wind Energy, Inc. 1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway Suite 300 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Phone: 410-972-4713 E-mail: Info@swetower.com

SOURCE: Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc.

Bitcoin Shop Appoints SocialRadius/Transform for PR and Social Media Marketing

5/1/14 9:03 AM ET (Market Wire)

Bitcoin Shop, Inc. (OTCQB: BTCS), the virtual currency ecommerce marketplace www.bitcoinshop.us, today announced the appointment of Transform Public Relations ("Transform") as its technology, consumer and e-commerce public relations agency and SocialRadius as its social media marketing firm. Both companies are divisions of Terpin Communications, Inc.

With offices in Santa Monica, Mountain View, New York City and Las Vegas, Transform has created and executed PR campaigns on behalf of leading Bitcoin and digital currency companies, including some of the industry's premier companies: CrossCoin Ventures, Cryptex Card, KnCMiner, Kraken, MaidSafe and Mastercoin, as well as projects for GoCoin, Gyft and representation of many of the Bitcoin industry's leading tradeshows, including the Bitcoin Expo, Bitcoin Finance, Future of Money, and the North American Bitcoin Show.

Sister company SocialRadius has been a veteran of social media marketing since 2006, representing top brands including Affinia Hotels, Constant Contact, Kawai, NBC, Participant Media, Philips, Scott Brothers Entertainment (Property Brothers), and Will.i.am ("Yes We Can" viral video during Obama campaign).

Michael Terpin, founder of both companies, is a recognized innovator in PR, social media and technology platforms for the PR industry. He founded what is now Marketwired in 1994 as Internet Wire, selling the company, which was backed by Sequoia Capital and Hummer Winblad, in 2006. More recently, Terpin co-founded BitAngels (2013), the largest angel investor group for Bitcoin-related companies, and the BitAngels Fund (2014), the first venture fund dedicated to decentralized applications.

Charlie Kiser, Chief Marketing Officer of Bitcoin Shop, commented, "We're excited to have Michael and his team representing Bitcoin Shop. Transform and Social Radius together bring the network and the expertise we need to engage and communicate with shoppers, media channels, and industry influencers."

"Bitcoin Shop is well positioned to build on its early ecommerce traction with bitcoin enthusiasts and supporters. We look forward to reaching out to the bitcoin community, and engaging customers everywhere to help share the advantages of shopping with bitcoin and other virtual currencies," said Terpin.

About Bitcoin Shop, Inc.: Bitcoin Shop, Inc. operates an ecommerce website (www.bitcoinshop.us) where consumers can purchase products using virtual currency such as bitcoin, litecoin and dogecoin, by searching through selection of over 400 categories and over 140,000 items. Bitcoin, litecoin and dogecoin are virtual currencies that use peer-to-peer networks to facilitate instant payments. They are all categorized as cryptocurrencies, as they use cryptography as a security measure. Bitcoin, litecoin and dogecoin issuances and transactions are carried out collectively by the network, with no central authority, and allow users to make verified transfers.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, not limited to Risk Factors relating to its virtual currency business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contact: Media Contact: Michael Terpin Transform Public Relations 310-862-6312 (direct) Email Contact Investor Relations Alliance Advisors, LLC (914) 669-0222 (212) 398-3486 Email Contact

SOURCE: Bitcoin Shop, Inc.

Dow Closes At A New High As Late-Month Rally Boosts Stocks

4/30/14 4:57 PM ET (Benzinga)

April turned out to be a pretty good month for stocks.
Surprisingly good.
The Dow Jones Industrials, which had been down as much as 7.3 percent for the year on February 3, finished in the black for the year for the first time.
That said, not all stocks had particularly good months. Biotechs, some technology stocks and anything to which one could attach the term "momentum stock" floundered. How the markets will perform over the next six months is anyone's guess. The May-October period is typically the weakest six months of the year.
The Dow closed up 45 points on Wednesday, or 0.3 percent, to 16,580.84. 72, breaking its old record of 16,576.66, set on December 31. The Dow's intraday peak was 16,631.63, set on April 4. For the month, the blue-chip index was up 0.8 percent and is up 0.03 percent for 2014.
The Standard & Poor's 500 (NYSE: SPY) Index, up 0.3 percent to 1,884, finished April with a 0.6 percent gain and is up 1.9 percent for the year. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 0.3 to 4,115 for the day. But the index fell 2.1 percent for April and is down 1.5 percent for the year. It had been up as much as 4.3 percent for the year on March 5.
See also: Average National Gas Prices At Their Highest Since March 2013
It was the momentum stocks that caused all sorts of mischief and ultimate weighed on the Nasdaq. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) was down about 9.5 percent for the month, finished at about 9.5 percent for the month, finished at 304.25. Since peaking at the end of January, the shares have fallen about 25 percent.
Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) fell 15.8 percent from an April 2 peak of 230.89 to as low as $184.32. It rebounded 12.8 percent to $207.89. Twitter Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) suffered a lot. Shares fell 16.5 percent for the month, in part because its first-quarter earnings were a disappointment. The shares are down 38.8 percent for the year.
The biotech stocks were the real villains as the market was hit by a flood of initial public offerings from companies with little revenue and no profits. So, the SPDR S&P Biotech exchange-traded fund (NYSE: XBI) fell 9.7 percent for the month. The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund (NYSE: IBB) was off 2.6 percent.
The market rally was aided by the Federal Reserve, which left its key interest rates unchanged. The central bank did trim its purchases of Treasury and mortgage securities by a total of $10 billion a month. Interest rates, however, remained steady. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 2.648 percent from 2.695 percent on Tuesday. The yield is down 12.5 percent for the December 31 yield of 3.026 percent.
The market pushed rates lower because the Commerce Department said the economy had a weak first quarter, mostly because of the brutal winter. The Fed acknowledge that as well but believes growth will strengthen this spring and summer.
Crude oil prices fell Wednesday with light sweet crude falling to $99.74 a barrel in New York. That appears to reflect ample domestic inventories and an easing of tensions in Ukraine and elsewhere. Crude was down 1.8 percent for the month but is up 1.3 percent for the year. Gold fell 40 cents to $1,295 an ounce. It was up 0.9 percent for the month and is up 78 percent for the year. The gains reflect a falling dollar and increased global tensions.
The big winner among commodities was coffee, up 15.7 percent for the month at $2.0585 a pound in New York futures trading. It's up 86 percent for the year, mostly because of a terrible drought in Brazil, the largest coffee-producing country. Ultimately, that will mean higher retail prices.
Also higher for April were corn, soybeans and wheat, all up by more than 10 percent. Those increases may push some food prices higher, particularly beef, chicken and pork.

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

UPDATE: Weight Watchers shares gain big on earnings, outlook

4/30/14 6:19 PM ET (MarketWatch)

By Wallace Witkowski, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Weight Watchers International Inc. shares jumped in the extended session Wednesday after the company topped Wall Street estimates and boosted its earnings outlook for the year.

Weight Watchers (WTW) shares surged 14% to $22.50 on heavy volume after the company reported adjusted first-quarter earnings of 31 cents a share on revenue of $409.4 million. Analysts surveyed by FactSet estimated 9 cents a share on revenue of $399 million.

The company also forecast 2014 earnings of $1.45 to $1.70 a share, while analysts expect $1.40 a share.

Yelp Inc. (YELP) shares rose after an initial downturn after the online review and recommendation company's results. Shares rose 3.7% to $60.46 on heavy volume.

Yelp reported a first-quarter loss of 4 cents a share on revenue of $76.4 million. Analysts expected a loss of 6 cents a share on revenue of $75 million.

MetLife Inc. (MET) shares fell 1.4% to $51.60 on moderate volume after the insurer reported first-quarter operating earnings of $1.37 a share on revenue of $17.12 billion. Analysts expected $1.40 a share on revenue of $17.66 billion.

Hologic Inc. (HOLX) shares rose 5.8% to $22.20 on moderate volume after the company reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of 37 cents a share on revenue of $625 million. Analysts estimated 33 cents a share on revenue of $609.2 million.

The company also raised its full-year outlook to a range of $1.37 to $1.40 a share in earnings on revenue of $2.46 billion to $2.49 billion. Analysts expect $1.37 a share on revenue of $2.46 billion.

JDS Uniphase Corp. (JDSUD) shares fell 6.5% to $11.85 on heavy volume after the telecom equipment maker reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of 10 cents a share on revenue of $418 million. Analysts expected 11 cents a share on revenue of $431.8 million.

JDS Uniphase also forecast adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of 10 cents to 14 cents a share on revenue of $425 million to $445 million. Analysts estimate 17 cents a share on revenue of $459.1 million.

More from MarketWatch:

Facebook's mobile offensive lifts stock

17 reasons not to sell in May and go away

5 century-old companies with shocking stock returns
-Wallace Witkowski; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 30, 2014 18:19 ET (22:19 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Market Wrap For May 2: Markets Slip On Ukraine Tensions Despite Positive Jobs Data

5/2/14 4:58 PM ET (Benzinga)

U.S. stocks declined as tensions continue to mount in Ukraine.
Russia requested an emergency session with the United Nations Security Council over a recent operation conducted by Ukraine where at least seven people were killed in the town of Slavyansk.
Ukraine's interim President Oleksandr Ruchynov said that pro-Russian rebels had been killed in the operation while insurgents had shot down two helicopters.
On the domestic front, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that 288,000 jobs in April were created. Analysts were expecting the addition of 210,000 jobs in the month.
Recommended: Could These Chart Patterns Be Showing A Market Drop Is In The Cards?

• The Dow lost 0.28 percent, closing at 16,512.89.
• The S&P 500 lost 0.13 percent, closing at 1,881.14.
• The Nasdaq lost 0.09 percent, closing at 4,123.90.
• Gold gained 1.16 percent, trading at $1,298.30 an ounce.
• Oil gained 0.35 percent, trading at $99.77 a barrel.
• Silver gained 2.19 percent, trading at $19.46 an ounce.

News of Note
April Nonfarm Payrolls gained 288,000, above the consensus of 210,000 and March's gain of 203,000.
March Factory Orders rose 1.1 percent on month, below expectations for a 1.4 percent rise and February's 1.5 percent gain.
The Federal Reserve released a list of 15 U.S. based and foreign financial firms that could potentially pose elevated risks to U.S. financial stability and will receive extra supervision by a special unit named The Large Institution Supervision Coordinating Committee.
According to Re/code, and reported by CNBC, Alibaba could file for its IPO as early as next week.
Canada's Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford announced that the Canadian government has no plans to issue a NAFTA challenge over the U.S. delaying its decision on approving the Keystone XL pipeline project.
Japan's unemployment rate remained unchanged in March at 3.6 percent.
Eurozone manufacturing PMI rose to 53.4 in April from 53 in March.
Eurozone's unemployment rate remained unchanged in March at 11.8 percent and coming in below estimates of 11.9 percent.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades of Note
Analysts at Citigroup maintained a Hold rating on Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) with a price target raised to $158 from a previous $142. Shares gained 1.17 percent, closing at $146.22.
Analysts at Barclays maintained an Equal-weight rating on CME Group (NYSE: CME) with a price target lowered to $78 from a previous $82. Shares lost 1.57 percent, closing at $69.57.
Analysts at Bank of America maintained an Underperform rating on ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) with a price target raised to $77 from a previous $75. Taking the opposite side, analysts at Barclays maintained an Overweight rating on ConocoPhillips with a price target raised to $88 from a previous $83. Shares hit new 52-week highs of $76.85 before closing the day at $76.52, up 1.99 percent.
Analysts at Citigroup downgraded DirectTV (NYSE: DTV) to Neutral from Buy. Shares lost 1.10 percent, closing at $79.87.
Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald maintained a Buy rating on Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) with a price target raised to $82 from a previous $80. Shares lost 3.68 percent, closing at $71.15.
Analysts at Bank of America maintained a Buy rating on Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) with a price target raised to $114 from a previous $110. Shares hit new 52-week highs of $102.91 before closing the day at $102.01, up 0.59 percent.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley maintained a Buy rating on Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) with a price target lowered to $13 from a previous $14. Shares gained 0.14 percent, closing at $7.09.
Analysts at Needham upgraded InvenSense (NASDAQ: INVN) to Buy from Hold with a $22 price target. Shares lost 4.66 percent, closing at $19.63.
Analysts at Nomura maintained a Buy rating on MasterCard (NYSE: MA) with a price target lowered to $91 from a previous $93.50. Shares lost 0.63 percent, closing at $73.78.
Analysts at Nomura initiated coverage of Michael Kors (NASDAQ: KORS) with a Buy rating and $116 price target. Shares gained 0.87 percent, closing at $93.21.
Analysts at Societe Generale upgraded Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) to Buy from Hold with a price target raised to $47 from a previous $38. Shares lost 0.39 percent, closing at $40.81.
Analysts at Barclays maintained an Overweight rating on T-Mobile U.S. (NYSE: TMUS) with a price target raised to $37 from a previous $36. Meanwhile, analysts at Nomura maintained a Neutral rating on T-Mobile with a price target raised to $30 from a previous $27.50. Shares gained 1.11 percent, closing at $32.00.
Equities-Specific News of Note
Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has written a letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron confirming its intentions to complete AstraZeneca's (NYSE: AZN) research and development facilities in Cambridge and to maintain AstraZeneca's scientific leading position in the country intact. Following Pfizer's letter (and confirming it had raised its bid offer to $106 billion), AstraZeneca said that “Pfizer's proposal would dramatically dilute AstraZeneca shareholders' exposure to our unique position and would create risks around its delivery” in a statement rejecting Pfizer's offer. Shares of Pfizer lost 1.28 percent, closing at $30.75 while shares of AstraZeneca lost 0.09 percent, closing at $81.02.
Recommended: Is Amazon Building An Unnecessary Smartphone?
Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM) launched a new set of TV commercials to promote Taco Bell's breakfast offering. Shares lost 0.07 percent, closing at $76.20.
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) announced it will pay back $1 billion worth of shares from Goldman Sachs. Shares gained 1.24 percent, closing at $363.59.
The National Bank of Canada will give Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ) a C$115.5 million in short-term financing to help continue with the construction of three solar plants in Ontario. Shares gained 0.11 percent, closing at $27.54.
Winners of Note
This morning, Cooper Tire & Rubber (NYSE: CTB) reported its first quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $0.71, beating the consensus estimate of $0.49. Revenue of $796 million missed the consensus estimate of $836.15 million. Net income attributable to the company for the quarter fell to $45 million from $56 million in the same quarter a year ago as the company experienced an unfavorable pricing mix which was not fully offset by lower raw material costs and higher selling, general and administrative costs. The company expects its second quarter raw material prices to be roughly flat compared to the first quarter which have declined around four percent from the previous quarter. Shares gained 6.76 percent, closing at $27.48.
Recommended: Rumor: Apple Creating Ear Buds That Collect Medical Data
Decliners of Note
Endocyte (NASDAQ: ECYT), a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on treating cancer and inflammatory and its collaborative partner Merck (NYSE: MRK) announced that its phase 3 trial evaluating a cancer drug vintafolide has been recommended to be stopped by the Data Safety Monitoring Board following an interim analysis. Shares of Endocyte plunged to new 52-week lows of $6.50 before closing the day at $6.62, down 61.91 percent. Shares of Merck lost 2.35 percent, closing at $58.22.
On Thursday LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD) reported its first quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $0.38, beating the consensus estimate of $0.34. Revenue of $473.19 million beat the consensus estimate of $466.69 million. Net income for the quarter turned negative to a net loss of $13.4 million from a net income of $22.6 million in the same quarter a year ago due to higher costs of employee stock compensation and other costs and expenses such as hiring employees and developing new services. In the quarter, LinkedIn added 19 million users bringing its total to 296 million. Total page views rose to 11.5 billion from 11.1 billion a year ago. LinkedIn offered downside guidance and sees its second quarter revenue to be $500 million to $505 million, below the $505.1 million consensus estimate. Full year 2014 revenue is guided to be $2.06 billion to $2.08 billion, below the $2.11 billion consensus. Analysts at UBS upgraded LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD) to Buy from Neutral with a $225 price target. Meanwhile, analysts at Stifel Nicolaus maintained a Buy rating with a price target lowered to $240 from a previous $285, as did analyst at Wunderlich who also maintained a Buy rating with a price target lowered to $250 from a previous $280. Also, analysts at Credit Suisse maintained an Outperform rating with a price target lowered to $270 from a previous $274. Shares lost 8.37 percent, closing at $147.73.
Earnings of Note
This morning, CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) reported its first quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $1.02, missing the consensus estimate of $1.03. Revenue of $32.7 billion beat the consensus estimate of $32.31 billion. Net income for the quarter rose to $1.13 billion from $954 million in the same quarter a year ago as the company's Pharmacy Services division saw its sales rise 10.3 percent year over year to $20.2 billion. The Retail Pharmacy segment grew sales by 2.7 percent to $16.5 billion from a year ago driven partially by increased generic drugs dispensed and slower growth in expenses. CVS reaffirmed previous guidance and expects its full year 2014 EPS to be $4.36 to $4.50 and to deliver free cash flow of $5.50 billion to $5.8 billion. Shares gained 1.05 percent, closing at $73.86.
This morning, Chevron (NYSE: CVX) reported its first quarter results. The company announced an EPS of $2.36, missing the consensus estimate of $2.47. Revenue of $53.26 billion missed the consensuses estimate of $54.47 billion. Net income for the quarter fell to $4..51 billion from $6.18 billion in the same quarter a year ago as the company's oil-equivalent production fell to 2.59 million barrels per day from 2.65 million barrels per day a year ago. Chevron's upstream earnings declined by 27 percent to $4.31 billion while downstream revenue gained 1.3 percent to $710 million. The company also noted its lower earnings were due to lower prices for crude oil and weather related issues. Chevron expects to see production growth in 2015 and beyond as several new initiatives such as the Big Foot projects in the Gulf of Mexico will begin production in mid-2015 and the Jack/St. Malo project will go online in late 2014. Shares lost 0.18 percent, closing at $124.72.
Recommended: MasterCard Earnings Show The Company On Track For A Solid 2014
Quote of the Day
"Patience is a virtue, catch it if you can... rarely in a women, never in a man!" -Founder of Seabreeze Partners Management Douglas Kass speaking with the Benzinga #Premarket Prep on Thursday morning.

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

UPDATE: Apple files for 7-part debt sale; amount not set

4/29/14 5:26 PM ET (MarketWatch)

 

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Apple Inc. (AAPL) will enter the bond market to complete a seven-part note offering as it partakes in an aggressive shareholder-return program, the computer-maker said Tuesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Apple has not indicated a size, but the offering could total at least $17 billion, according to . The company, which sold $17 billion in debt last year, said during its earnings report last week that would issue debt to help fund its shareholder return program. The company increased its buybacks to $90 billion from $60 billion, and raised its cash dividend by 8%. Because Apple holds much of its cash overseas, it issues debt to avoid the taxes associated with bringing its cash stateside. The offering will include fixed-rate notes maturing in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2044. Floating-rate notes will be sold in 2017 and 2019 maturities. Shares of Apple were up 0.3% premarket.

-Ben Eisen; 415-439-6400; AskNewswires@dowjones.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 17:26 ET (21:26 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

ADR Shares End Higher; ABB, Deutsche Bank and Banco Santander (Brasil) Shares Active

4/29/14 5:36 PM ET (Dow Jones)

International stocks trading in New York closed higher on Tuesday, with the Bank of New York index of American depositary receipts adding 0.8% to 152.91. The European index rose 0.9% to 154.14, the Asian index rose 0.5% to 140.77, the Latin American index added 0.7% to 286.05 and the emerging markets index rose 0.8% to 276.99. Among the companies with shares that actively traded were ABB Ltd. (ABB, ABBN.VX, ABB.SK), Deutsche Bank AG (DB, DBK.XE) and Banco Santander (Brasil) SA (BSBR, SANB3.BR, SANB4.BR).

Power-and-technology group ABB on Tuesday reported an 18% drop in first-quarter profit as the company presses ahead with a sale of fringe businesses. Revenue also dropped, and missed analysts' expectations. Meanwhile, the company said it was closely following the unfolding bidding war for the energy assets of French rival Alstom SA (ALO.FR) after the Swiss company posted lower-than-expected results. ABB shares fell 8.2% to $24.12.

Deutsche Bank on Tuesday pledged to take all possible measures to bolster its capital as first quarter profit tumbled 34%. The company's profit was pressured by falling revenue at its flagship fixed-income unit and regulatory costs. Shares of Germany's largest lender rose 2% to $44.45.

Banco Santander SA (SAN, SAN.MC) said Tuesday that it will offer to buy out the 25% of its Brazil unit it doesn't currently own, in a deal that could be worth up to EUR4.7 billion ($6.5 billion). Spain's biggest bank and the euro zone's biggest lender by market value said it would offer a 20% premium over the last closing market price and expects to close the deal by October. Shares of Banco Santander edged up 0.2% to $9.82, while shares of Banco Santander (Brasil) jumped 14% to $6.58.

Nokia Corp. (NOK, NOK1V.HE) unwrapped a new era on Tuesday, naming a company insider as chief executive and pledging to distribute more than $4 billion to investors from the proceeds of the sale of its tarnished handset business. The Finnish company said Rajeev Suri will take the helm of the company, charging him with accelerating another transformation of a business with a history of reinvention. Meanwhile, revenue of Nokia's network arm continued to slip in the first quarter, underscoring the challenges facing Mr. Suri to get the business growing. Shares still rose 5.7% to $7.43.

Eni SpA's (E, ENI.MI) first-quarter net profit slid by 14% on the year, with the Italian energy company expecting a challenging 2014 due to weak European demand for natural gas and refined products, such as gasoline and diesel, just as it undergoes a change in its top management. Shares rose 1.9% to $51.66.

A series of strategic decisions and a boost from Mother Nature played a significant role in a near-quadrupling of Statoil ASA's (STO, STL.OS) first-quarter net profit, dwarfing Wall Street's expectations for the period. Shares of the Norwegian oil company rose 4% to $29.97.

Sanofi SA (SNY, SAN.FR) Chief Executive Christopher Viehbacher said Tuesday the French drug maker would continue to focus on targeted acquisitions despite the recent resurgence in megadeals in the pharmaceutical sector. Sanofi also reported a 9.6% rise in first-quarter net profit, helped by lower costs related to earlier acquisitions. Shares slipped 0.8% to $53.33.

Barclays PLC (BCS, BARC.LN) said Tuesday that Skip McGee, chief executive of its U.S. unit, will leave the bank at the end of April and be replaced by Joe Gold, marking the latest shake-up at the lender as it shrinks its investment bank and pulls back in some geographies. Shares rose 1.4% to $16.91.

Italian eyewear maker Luxottica Group SpA (LUX, LUX.MI) saw net sales slide 1.2% in the first quarter, dragged down by the strength of the euro and harsh weather in North America that put shoppers off buying new glasses. Shares added 1% to $56.57.

BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) on Tuesday reported a decline in first-quarter profit of more than 20% after factoring out a cash windfall from a Russian transaction last year. But the U.K. oil giant's shares rose as investors appeared encouraged by an 8.3% dividend increase and BP's ongoing overhaul since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion--and unfazed by U.S. sanctions against the head of Russia's OAO Rosneft, in which BP has a nearly 20% stake. Shares rose 2.6% to $50.29.

Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (RYCEY, RR.LN) said it is in talks with Siemens over the sale of its commercial energy production assets. "These talks have not concluded and we will make a further announcement in due course," the London-based company said in a statement. The transaction involves gas turbine and compressor activities in Rolls-Royce's energy unit, which also includes civil nuclear activities. Siemens shares edged down 0.3% to $128.95.

Write to Anna Prior at anna.prior@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 17:36 ET (21:36 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

IPOs Still Driven by Big Firms Despite JOBS Act -- Market Talk

4/29/14 6:40 PM ET (Dow Jones)

18:40 EDT - Two years ago, the JOBS Act set out to boost capital for small private firms, in part by making it easier for them to go public. So far this year IPOs are up 70%, by one measure, with tech IPOs forecast to hit their highest level in a decade. So is the JOBS Act working? Not really, says University of Florida finance professor and IPO tracker Jay Ritter. The IPO boom, he says, is being driven by large biotech firms, while "very few small tech companies are going public." That's because, for these firms, getting big fast has never been more important and going public is just too costly. Ritter says he doesn't think the JOBS Act "did much to change this." (angus.loten@wsj.com; ruth.simon@wsj.com)





(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 18:40 ET (22:40 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Japan Leads Asian Shares Before Central Bank Announcements

4/29/14 9:34 PM ET (Dow Jones)

By Daniel Inman
Japanese stocks moved higher early on Wednesday, as markets turn focus to central-bank announcements in Japan and the U.S. Meanwhile, banks and retailers pulled Australia stocks lower.
The Nikkei was up 0.6% as the market reopened after Tuesday's public holiday. The benchmark bounced back from a 1% fall on Monday in light of a stronger yen and disappointing earnings from Honda Motor Company Ltd.
The yen, having softened since Japanese stocks stopped trading on Monday, provided another catalyst for the Nikkei. The dollar was last at Yen102.58, a touch lower than Yen102.64 late Tuesday in New York.
Yen trading was expected to be sluggish on Wednesday ahead of the Bank of Japan's monetary-policy meeting decision. Although few expect change in the central bank's policy, the market will look for clues about further monetary easing from its semiannual outlook report.
Attention will later shift to the U.S. when the Federal Reserve releases its policy statement.
Improved corporate earnings led to a positive overnight session on Wall Street, which boosted trading in Tokyo and the region. South Korea's Kospi added 0.3%.
Australia's S&P ASX 200 bucked the regional trend by falling 0.2%. This added to a sharp fall in the previous session that took place just after the market had hit a multiyear high.
A series of bank downgrades triggered steep falls on Tuesday in Australia that have continued. National Australia Bank Ltd. is down 0.8% and Bank of Queensland, nearly 1%.
Downbeat sentiment toward Australian retailers started on Tuesday after Wesfarmers Ltd. announced slower sales growth. The company lost another 1.6% on Wednesday and Woolworths Ltd. lost 2.4% despite reporting solid third quarter sales growth of 5.3% compared with a year earlier.
Write to Daniel Inman at daniel.inman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 21:34 ET (01:34 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Intuit in Talks to Buy Mobile-Finance App Check

4/29/14 11:00 PM ET (Dow Jones)

By Douglas MacMillan
Intuit Inc. is in talks to acquire bill-payment service Check Inc. for more than $350 million, according to two people familiar the situation.
The discussions are still early and a final agreement may not be reached for two or more weeks, one of the people said.
Check would become the latest tech startup snapped up by Intuit as the finance-software maker expands its suite of tools for individuals and small businesses through acquisitions. Last year, the company bought document service DocStoc, tax-return helper GoodApril and small-business scheduling tool FullSlate.
Check's smartphone app is used by more than 10 million people to track and pay bills. The service has some of the same functions as Mint, the person-finance software maker Intuit bought for $170 million in 2009. Intuit also owns personal-finance software Quicken and TurboTax.
Check, based in Palo Alto, Calif., makes money from advertisers who offer promotions for credit cards or insurance within the app. This year, Check expects revenue of more than $20 million, up from less than $15 million last year, said the person familiar with the company.
A sale to Intuit, of Mountain View, Calif., would culminate a seven-year journey for Check Chief Executive Guy Goldstein, who co-founded the startup in 2007 as Pageonce, a service for managing bank accounts, social-networking profiles, shopping carts and other Internet profiles in one place. Last year, the company changed its name to Check and narrowed its focus to helping users track their personal finances and pay bills using their mobile phones.
Mr. Goldstein didn't respond to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for Intuit declined to comment on potential deals.
The small startup faces increasing competition in mobile payments, an emerging field where giants including Apple Inc., Google Inc. and eBay Inc.'s PayPal division are bulking up as they attempt to win over users and merchants.
Check has raised around $47 million from venture-capital firms including Morgenthaler Ventures, Menlo Ventures and Israeli investor Pitango Venture Capital.
Evelyn M. Rusli contributed to this article.
Write to Douglas MacMillan at douglas.macmillan@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 23:00 ET (03:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2014 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

ePlus Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of Common Stock and Concurrent Share Repurchase

Today 7:09 PM ET (GlobeNewswire)

ePlus inc. (Nasdaq:PLUS) today announced the results of its underwritten public secondary offering (the "Offering") of common stock by existing stockholders, as well as the concurrent share repurchase. The Selling Stockholders, as identified in the prospectus supplement relating to this Offering, entered into an underwriting agreement to sell 1,573,913 shares to the underwriters named in the underwriting agreement at a price to the public of $50.00 per share. The Selling Stockholders in the Offering have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 236,087 additional shares at the public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions. All of the shares of common stock offered are being sold by Selling Stockholders. ePlus will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the Selling Stockholders in this Offering, including from any exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The Offering is expected to close May 5, 2014, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Subject to completion of the Offering, ePlus will repurchase from the underwriters 400,000 of the 1,573,913 shares of common stock being sold by the Selling Stockholders. ePlus' per-share purchase price for the repurchased shares will be the same as the per-share purchase price payable by the underwriters to the Selling Stockholders.

Stifel and William Blair are the joint book running managers, and Canaccord Genuity is the co-lead manager of the Offering.

The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement, including a prospectus and a prospectus supplement related to the Offering, filed by ePlus with the SEC. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the prospectus supplement to which the Offering relates and the other documents incorporated by reference therein, which ePlus has filed with the SEC, for more complete information about ePlus and the Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering, when available, may be obtained from: Stifel, Attention: Syndicate, One Montgomery Street, Suite 3700, San Francisco, CA 94104, by calling (415) 364-2720 or by emailing SyndProspectus@stifel.com or William Blair & Company, L.L.C., 222 West Adams Street, Chicago, IL 60606, Attention: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (800) 621-0687, or by email at prospectus@williamblair.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. Any offer or sale of these securities will be made only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the related registration statement. Nothing in this press release should be construed as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities subject to the concurrent stock repurchase.

About ePlus inc.

ePlus is a leading integrator of technology solutions. ePlus enables organizations to optimize their IT infrastructure and supply chain processes by delivering complex information technology solutions, which may include managed and professional services and products from top manufacturers, flexible financing, and proprietary software. Founded in 1990, ePlus has more than 900 associates serving commercial, state, municipal, and education customers nationally. The Company is headquartered in Herndon, VA. For more information, visit www.eplus.com, call 888-482-1122, or email info@eplus.com. Connect with ePlus on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ePlusinc and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ePlusinc.

ePlus and ePlus products referenced herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of ePlus inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of other companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements." Actual and anticipated future results may vary materially due to certain risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the Company's ability to consummate the Offering and share repurchase; possible adverse effects resulting from financial market disruption and general slowdown of the U.S. economy such as ePlus' current and potential customers delaying or reducing technology purchases; increasing credit risk associated with the Company's customers and vendors; reduction of vendor incentive programs; restrictions on the Company's access to capital necessary to fund its operations; possible changes to the Company's estimated revenue and earnings per share upon completion of its financial closing procedures and audit by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm; the Company's ability to consummate and integrate acquisitions; the possibility of goodwill impairment charges in the future; significant adverse changes in, reductions in, or losses of relationships with major customers or vendors; the demand for and acceptance of, the Company's products and services; the Company's ability to adapt its services to meet changes in market developments; the Company's ability to implement comprehensive plans to achieve customer account coverage, cost containment, asset rationalization, systems integration and other key strategies; the Company's ability to secure its electronic and other confidential information; future growth rates in the Company's core businesses; the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property; the impact of competition in the Company's markets; the possibility of defects in the Company's products or catalog content data; the Company's ability to adapt to changes in the IT industry and/or rapid change in product standards; the Company's ability to realize its investment in leased equipment; the Company's ability to hire and retain sufficient qualified personnel; changes to our senior management team; and other risks or uncertainties detailed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information set forth in this press release is current as of the date of this release and ePlus undertakes no duty or obligation to update this information.

Free Writing Prospectus

Dated April 29, 2014

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement No. 333-193457

CONTACT: Kleyton Parkhurst, SVP ePlus inc. kparkhurst@eplus.com 703-984-8150

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=MTMjMTAwNzkwNDUjMTE4MDk=

Press Release: Genie Energy (GNE) to Report First Quarter 2014 Results

Today 11:09 PM ET (Dow Jones)

Genie Energy (GNE) to Report First Quarter 2014 Results

NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2014--
Genie Energy Ltd., (NYSE:GNE) a leading independent retail energy provider and a developer of unconventional energy projects, will announce financial results for the first quarter of 2014 on Wednesday, May 7, 2014.
As in the prior quarter, Genie Energy will not issue an earnings release over a wire service. The earnings release will be posted for download in the "Investors" section of the Genie Energy website (www.genie.com/investors/investor-relations) no later than 7:30 AM Eastern on May 7(th) and filed in a current report (Form 8-K) with the S.E.C. At 8:30 AM Eastern, Genie Energy's management will host a conference call to discuss financial and operational results, business outlook and strategy. The call will begin with management's remarks followed by Q&A with analysts and investors.
To listen to the call and/or to participate in the Q&A, dial toll-free 1-877-418-5260 or 1-412-717-9589 (international) and request the Genie Energy call.
An audio file of the call in MP3 format replay will be available on the "Investors" section of the Genie Energy website approximately one hour after the call concludes. In addition, a teleconference replay will be available through May 14, 2014 at 1-877-344-7529 (US toll free) or at 1-412-317-0088 (international). Callers should ask for conference call # 10045631.
About Genie Energy Ltd.:
Genie Energy Ltd (NYSE:GNE) is comprised of IDT Energy and Genie Oil and Gas (GOGAS). IDT Energy is a leading independent retail energy provider supplying electricity and natural gas to residential and small business customers in the Northeastern United States. GOGAS is a resource and technology development company focused on producing clean and affordable transportation fuels from the world's abundant kerogen-based oil shales and other oil and gas resources. GOGAS is currently developing oil shale projects in Colorado, Israel and Mongolia, and an oil and gas exploration project in Israel. For more information, visit www.genie.com.

CONTACT: Genie Energy Investor Relations
Bill Ulrey, 973-438-3848
invest@genie.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 23:09 ET (03:09 GMT)

Taiwan's Economy Picks Up; 1Q GDP +3.04% On-Year

Today 11:37 PM ET (Dow Jones)

By Fanny Liu
TAIPEI--Taiwan's export-dependent economy logged the best quarter in more than a year as developed economies gathered steam. Still, some economists worry that continued political infighting on the island could curb growth.
Home to the world's biggest semiconductor factories and suppliers to electronics brands, Taiwan is seen as a bellwether of the global economy. Exports to the U.S. and Europe rose at the fastest clip in more than two years in the first quarter, while shipments to China barely grew.
The bright spot contrasts to a slump in regional exports, which are now are barely in positive territory, even as the U.S. economy revives.
As exports and domestic spending improve, Taiwan is on track to post its strongest growth in three years, according to earlier government projections.
Optimism also has spread to the corporate sector, with export-focused chip maker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and camera-lens producer Largan Precision Co. Ltd. both recently upgrading their sales outlook for the rest of this year, citing an uptick in overseas demand.
"Advanced economies, which may pick up even more quickly later this year, will probably sustain a stronger export growth for Taiwan going forward, " said ANZ economist Raymond Yeung.
In the three months ended March 31, Taiwan's gross domestic product rose 3.04% from the same period a year earlier, the strongest since the fourth quarter of 2012, a preliminary estimate released by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics showed on Wednesday.
That estimate is largely in line with a forecast by economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal, and slightly faster than the 2.95% expansion in the previous quarter.
Compared with the previous three-month period, GDP grew only 0.27% in the first quarter. The first quarter had fewer working days because of the Lunar New Year break, and the fourth quarter is usually the strongest period of a year as exports and domestic consumption rise from year-end holiday sales.
Those factors dragged on exports, which grew 0.98% in the first quarter, compared with the same period a year earlier, after a 1.76% rise in the previous quarter.
Yet export orders, an early indicator of actual exports, rose 5.9% last month. That suggests shipments to overseas markets will pick up in the second quarter, as a number of new electronic gadgets hit the market. Western demand also is expected to keep improving.
Boosted by a rising stock market and an increase of tourists from China in the first quarter, domestic private consumption grew 2.94% on year--slightly better than a government estimates. Taiwan's benchmark stock index hit its highest levels in nearly three years, helped by foreign-investor inflows.
Growth in tourism dollars is another bright spot. Taiwan hosted 8 million visitors last year, the highest on record. That number is expected to keep rising. New hotels, shops and restaurants in the capital, Taipei, gave a boost to consumer and corporate spending in the first quarter, a trend that will continue, Barclays economist Waiho Leong said.
While growth momentum is gathering pace, some economists believe that Taiwan's economy may be stuck in low gear.
Bank of America-Merrill Lynch economist Marcella Chow said uncertainty over a trade deal with China and ongoing political tensions on the island could stall real income growth and consumer sentiment.
The economy also has been operating below its potential since 2011, according to some economists.
Like many Asian exporters, Taiwan is benefiting less from the current U.S. economic recovery than in previous cycles. This is partly because much of U.S. GDP growth is powered by capital investment, and consumers there haven't significantly stepped up spending, as they are still paying down debt.
Taiwan also is no longer a dominant player in manufacturing, with rivals from China, South Korea and southeast Asia close on its heels. China's increasing reliance on locally-produced raw materials and components, as part of the country's structural change, also cools demand for Taiwanese products. Continued outflow of capital and skilled workers, mostly to China because of its higher growth potential, have also been hollowing the island economy and hurting domestic consumption.
Taiwan's government doesn't have much room to pump additional dollars into infrastructure projects to create jobs as it did in the last two decades, as the administration is already very close to its debt ceiling. An aging population and high savings rates likewise don't encourage household-spending growth.
"It will be very difficult for Taiwan's GDP to grow more than 5%...a plus-3%-growth would be high enough," said Standard Chartered economist Tony Phoo.
Corrections & Amplifications
In the three months ended March 31, Taiwan's gross domestic product rose 3.04% from the same period a year earlier. An earlier version of this article incorrectly describes the period as the three months ended January 31 in the third paragraph.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 29, 2014 23:37 ET (03:37 GMT)
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