Pot is hot! Colorado, which allowed the legal sales of marijuana for recreational use beginning Jan.1, is facing a severe shortage of cannabis only days after the legalization.
Initially, only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in good standing (of which there are about 500) are eligible to apply for sales licenses. The state had approved 348 total licenses, including 136 for retail stores, 178 for cultivation facilities, 31 for product manufacturing facilities, and 3 for testing facilities.
Colorado is estimated to have generated in excess of $5 million in total marijuana sales. More than 100,000 people were believed to have bought the drug since legal sales to the general public began in Colorado, which became the first Government in the World to control and regulate marijuana, also known as Cannabis. Cannabis is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug and as medicine.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., incorporated on October 2, 2009, is a theme park and entertainment company. The Company is engaged in delivering personal, interactive and educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and enable its customers to celebrate, connect with and care for the natural world. The Company own or license a portfolio of globally recognized brands including SeaWorld, Shamu and Busch Gardens. The Company has built a diversified portfolio of 11 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States. Its theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests. In addition to its theme parks, it has recently begun to leverage its brands into media, entertainment and consumer products.
The Company generates revenue primarily from selling admission to its theme parks and from purchases of food, merchandise and other spending. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it hosted more than 24 million guests in its theme parks, including approximately 3.5 million international guests from over 55 countries and six continents. In 2012, the Company opened new attractions in seven of its theme parks. In November 2012, the Company acquired Knott�� Soak City, a standalone Southern California water park, from an affiliate of Cedar Fair L.P. The Company�� products and services include Admission Tickets, Theme Park Operations, Culinary Offerings , Merchandise , Licensing and Consumer Products , Group Events and Conventions and Corporate Sponsorships and Strategic Alliances.
Admission Tickets, which generate most of its revenue from selling admission to its theme parks. The Company also offers a Fun Card at select theme parks that allows additional visits throughout that calendar year. In addition, visitors can purchase vacation packages with preferred hotels, behind-the-scenes tours, specialt! y dining packages and front of the line access to enhance their experience. Theme Park Operations delivers a level of service, safety and security at its theme parks. It comprised of rides, shows and attractions operations, safety, security, environmental, water park and guest arrival services (including parking, tolls, admissions, guest relations, entry and exit), the theme park operations team manages the planning and execution of the overall theme park experience on a daily basis.
Culinary Offerings delivers a variety of high quality, creative and memorable culinary experiences to its guests. Culinary operations are strategically organized into five key guest-oriented disciplines designed to drive in-park per capita spending: restaurants, catering, carts and kiosks, specialty snacks and vending. The Company�� culinary team focuses on providing creative menu offerings that appeal to our diverse guest base. Merchandise offers guests the opportunity to capture memories through its products and services, including through traditional retail shops, game venues and customized photos and videos. It focuses on effort to leverage the emotional connection of the theme park experiences, capitalize on trends and optimize brand alignment with its merchandise product offerings.
Licensing and Consumer Products capitalize on its brands, it has begun to leverage its intellectual property and content through media and consumer strategic licensing arrangements. It extended the reach of its brands through outbound media licensing in areas such as films, television programs and digital e-books, as well as its first-ever multi-platform mobile app game, TurtleTrek, which launched on iTunes in November 2012. Group Events and Conventions host a variety of different group events, meetings and conventions at its theme parks both during the day and at night. Its venues offer indoor and outdoor space for meetings, special events, entertainment shows, picnics, teambuilding events, group tours and spec! ial group! ticket packages. Park buy-outs allow groups to enjoy exclusive itineraries, including meetings and shows, up-close encounters with animals and behind the scenes tours. Corporate Sponsorships and Strategic Alliances seek to secure long-term corporate sponsorships and strategic alliances with companies and brands that share its core values, deliver brand marketing value and influence and drive mutual business gains. Its current corporate sponsors include, among others, Southwest Airlines, which has been a sponsor for over 20 years, and The Coca-Cola Company.
SeaWorld.
SeaWorld is recognized as the marine-life theme park brand in the world. Its SeaWorld theme parks, located in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego, each rank among the most highly attended theme parks in the industry and offer up-close interactive experiences and a variety of live performances, including shows featuring Shamu in specially designed amphitheaters. It offers its guests numerous animal encounters, including the opportunity to work with trainers and feed marine animals, as well as themed thrill rides and theatrical shows that creatively incorporate its animal collection.
Busch Gardens
Its Busch Gardens theme parks are family-oriented destinations designed to immerse guests in foreign geographic settings. They are renowned for their beauty and landscaping and gardens and allow its guests to discover the natural side of fun by offering a family experience featuring a range of attractions and rollercoasters in a richly-themed environment. Busch Gardens Tampa presents its collection of animals from Africa, Asia and Australia.
Aquatica
Its Aquatica branded water parks are premium, family-oriented destinations that are based in a South Seas-themed tropical setting. Aquatica water parks build on the aquatic theme of its SeaWorld brand and feature high-energy rides, water attractions, white-sand beaches ande entertaining presentation of marine and terrestrial an! imals. Th! e Company positions its Aquatica water parks as companion water parks to its SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando and San Diego and it has an Aquatica water park situated within its SeaWorld San Antonio theme park.
Discovery Cove
Discovery Cove is a reservations only, all-inclusive, marine-life day resort adjacent to SeaWorld Orlando. Discovery Cove offers guests personal, signature experiences, including the opportunity to swim and interact with dolphins, take an underwater walking reef tour and enjoy pristine white-sand beaches and landscaped private cabanas. Discovery Cove presently limits its attendance to approximately 1,300 guests per day and features premium culinary offerings in order to provide guests with a more relaxed, intimate and high-end luxury resort experience.
Sesame Place
Sesame Place is the only United States theme park based entirely on the television show Sesame Street. It is located between Philadelphia and New York City, Sesame Place is a destination where parents and children can share in the spirit of imagination and experience Sesame Street together through whirling rides, water slides, colorful shows and furry friends. In addition, it has introduced Sesame Street brands in its other theme parks through Sesame Street-themed rides, shows, children�� play areas and merchandise.
The Company competes with The Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Merlin Entertainments and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
www.seaworld.com SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS) can't seem to catch a break. Shares of the marine life theme park operator were gutted on Wednesday after posting abysmal quarterly results. Revenue declined 1 percent to $405.2 million on flat attendance growth. Net income checked in at $0.43 a share. Wall Street was holding out for a profit of $0.51 a share with a healthy increase in revenue. From Bad to Worse As maligned as SeaWorld has been since going public at $27 a share last year, this was supposed to be its turnaround quarter. Everything seemed to be going its way. The bad weather and price hikes that resulted in a 9 percent slide in attendance during the second quarter of last year should have been a springboard this time around. The shift of the Easter holiday this year -- going from March in 2013 to April in 2014 -- should have provided the school holidays that boost turnstile clicks. After all, SeaWorld blamed the timing of Easter for the 13 percent plunge in attendance during the first three months of this year. As bad as the second quarter was for SeaWorld, the second half of the year is going to be even more of a mess. SeaWorld now sees revenue sliding 6 percent to 7 percent for all of 2014 -- with profitability falling even harder. Desperation is starting to set in. The second quarter was the first time in the company's brief publicly traded tenure that attendance outpaced revenue growth. That's surprising given SeaWorld's annual rate increases, suggesting that SeaWorld is doing a lot of discounting and promotional activity to get guests into its theme parks. SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego were the two biggest disappointments during the quarter, and even though the park operator refuses to call out "Blackfish" by name it's clear that last year's documentary is taking its toll. Killer PR "Blackfish," the film that took SeaWorld to task for having killer whales in captivity and placing its trainers in danger, wasn't much of a box off
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Amy Sancetta/AP Plenty of stocks go up and down in any given week. The gainers inspire us to keep investing. The decliners keep greed in check while reminding us about the risks of the equity markets. Let's go over some of last week's best and worst performers. Chiquita Brands (CQB) -- Up 35 Percent Last Week Investors went bananas over Chiquita after it received -- and rejected -- a buyout offer. Cutrale and Safra offered an unsolicited offer to buy the banana giant at a price of $13 a share, representing a 29 percent premium to where Chiquita closed before bid was made public. Chiquita's board rejected the offer. The stock still moved higher -- above and beyond $13 -- on the possibility of Cutrale and Safra sweetening their bid. Monster Beverage (MNST) -- Up 34 Percent Last Week Soft drinks are out, and adrenaline-boosting energy drinks are in. Coca-Cola (KO) knows this, so it announced on Friday morning that it was buying a nearly 17 percent stake in Monster Beverage for $2.15 billion. Monster and Red Bull dominate this niche despite growing concerns about the health risks of young consumers taking in too many energy drinks. Monster's stock rallied on Friday. Investors may be hoping that Coca-Cola eventually swallows down all of Monster, but in the meantime it validates the beverage category. United Online (UNTD) -- Up 20 Percent Last Week It's possible to be at the right place at the right time but with the wrong approach. United Online hasn't been the market darling that it could have been given its ability to hop on to trends early. After all, it acquired alum-reuniting Classmates before social networking was hot. It built up NetZero when the country was just starting to migrate online. It also bought MyPoints from a legacy airline before the appeal of online coupons and loyalty clubs became popular. However, investors were rewarded last week when United Online posted preliminary quarterly results. Its bean counters are still trying to assess th
- [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Mel Evans/AP From a media giant growing its reach through rental cars to a beleaguered theme park operator warning of even slower turnstile clicks, here's a rundown of the week's best and worst from the business world. Microsoft (MSFT) -- Winner Many argued that Microsoft deciding late last month to offer up its flagship Microsoft Office suite of productivity software for iPads was too little, too late. Folks had already moved on to free or nearly free alternatives, and Microsoft was already suffering with a global slump in PC sales. Well, Microsoft still has plenty of bite. It announced there were 12 million downloads of its Word, Excel and PowerPoint iPad apps in its first week of availability. Barnes & Noble (BKS) -- Loser It's not just bookworms checking out of Barnes & Noble. Liberty Media (LMCA) is selling 90 percent of its shares of the struggling bookstore operator, taking its stake of 17 percent down to less than 2 percent. Liberty Media will give up the right to appoint a pair of board members now that it's a shrinking investor, but that seems to be a small price to pay for an investor that wants to deploy that money somewhere else. Running a book superstore isn't easy these days. Barnes & Noble's sales have been sluggish as readers go digital, and the chain's push to cash in on the trend with its own Nook line is fading fast. Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) -- Winner Satellite radio will be easier to tune into in rental cars. Avis Budget Group (CAR) revealed this week that in-dash Sirius XM receivers are now available in more than 60 percent of its Avis and Budget car rental agencies. Avis Budget previously relied on portable plug-and-play receivers that renters could order at the counter. Drivers will still have to pay for access. There's no free lunch even if it's a prepaid rental. However, it's still a good way for Sirius XM to expand brand awareness and ideally hook future subscribers. SeaWorld (SEAS) -- Loser Looks like the killer
- [By Selena Maranjian]
Alamy When you read something discouraging about a company you patronize or invest in, it's easy to think there isn't much you can do about it. But of course that's not true. As a customer, you can simply stop giving the company your business. If you're a shareholder, you can vote for or against various proposals for the company. And if those options don't feel like enough, there's another way to voice your displeasure -- a tactic that is growing in popularity and is truly bring about changes: You can start or sign a petition. If your first reaction to that is, "Nonsense, petitions never accomplish anything," your skepticism is understandable. But it's a little out of date. Social media has changed the petition game as it has changed so many other things. Banding Together for Change By now, you've probably seen petitions pop up on your Facebook (FB) page. You might have even signed some. But we don't often hear what happens next. In many cases, they work. For example, 162,150 people signed a petition protesting the name of a Jacksonville, Fla., high school, which had been named in the 1950s after a slave trader and Ku Klux Klan member, and the school board has agreed to change its name at the start of the new school year. Changes can happen at big companies, too. More than 307,000 petitioners were successful in getting Tyson Foods (TSN), the second-largest food-production company in the Fortune 500, to "stop torturing pigs." The company announced new animal-welfare guidelines for its pork suppliers, requiring more room for pigs to move around and more humane methods of killing the animals. Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) is another example. It had long been criticized for policies such as not offering clothing in larger sizes and making someone's looks a major hiring criteria in order to distance itself from anyone other than "cool, good-looking people." The company has finally agreed to start offering plus-size clothing, likely persuaded in part by more t
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: Sealand Natural Resources Inc (SLNR)
Sealand Natural Resources Inc. (SLNR), incorporated on May 13, 2011, is a research and new product development company that manufactures, markets and sells new age functional beverages (SealandBirk), organic nutriceuticals, health supplements, medicinal raw materials and health food worldwide. SLNR specializes in research of natural new product development and mass market consumer product distribution. Its Products include Sealand BIRK, Sealand Living and Sealand research and development (R&D). Sealand Living Anew products offer supply of healing nutrients to athletic training.
Anew omega premium is a food supplement consists of shark cartilage powder, fish bone powder, and omega three polyunsaturated fatty acids. Anew omega premium is designed to reduce the decomposition, to stimulate resynthesis of the joint cartilage and to reduce pain. Omega Premium consists of shark cartilage powder, codfish backbone powder, and fish oil powder. Anew nutripeptin is a food supply. Sealand BIRK consists of five flavors original, elderflower, raspberry, blueberry, ginger and lime.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By CRWE]
Last Friday, SLNR previously surged (+0.27%) up +0.02 at $7.43 with 425 shares in play at the close (ref. google finance July 26, 2013 ��Close).
Sealand Natural Resources Inc. previously reported it has reached a distribution agreement with Nature’s Best.
Nature’s Best, in business since 1969, is the largest privately owned wholesaler-distributor of health and natural food products in the Natural Products Industry. Nature’s Best provides a full-line of Certified Organic, Natural and Specialty products to retail stores throughout the Central, Southern and Western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Asia. Nature’s Best specializes in Retail Marketing Support, Web Services, Business Analysis Tools and Sales/Category Management Consulting.
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: Nikon Corp (NINOF)
NIKON CORPORATION is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of image and video equipment. The Company operates in four business segments. The Precision Equipment segment offers semiconductor exposure apparatus and liquid crystal (LC) exposure apparatus. The Image segment provides digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, compact digital cameras and interchangeable lens. The Instruments segment offers microscopes, measuring machines and semiconductor inspection equipment. The Others segment provides LC photomask substrates and optical components. As of March 31, 2013, the Company has 87 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks opened lower Thursday, as gains for the yen and losses for Wall Street conspired to drive the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) down 1.2% to 15,333.35, extending Wednesday's 0.6% loss. The Topix fell 0.7%, with the U.S. dollar (USDJPY) slipping to 102.46 yen, down from around 楼102.80 at the start of the previous session, but off its lows in late Wednesday trade. Electronics firms and other techs helped lead the loss, with Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) falling 1.4%, Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) off 2.4%, and Alps Electric Co. (JP:6770) 1.8% lower. The Nikkei Asian Review reported Thursday that Japan looked set to post its first trade deficit for electronics goods this year. Shares of Yahoo Japan Corp. (JP:4689) (YAHOF) lost 1.4%, even as Bloomberg reported the firm was offering its stake in market-research firm Macromill Inc. (JP:3730) to U.S. private-equity firm Bain Capital at a premium to its most recent close. Shares of Macromill were untraded. Among gainers, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. (JP:9432) (NTT) rose 2.1%, following a 1.1% gain for its U.S.-listed shares.
- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- With the yen holding on to its gains and investors cautious as earnings season kicks off, Japanese stocks slid lower Friday after closing the previous day with some late-session gains. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) fell 0.9% to 14,358.28, with the Topix down 0.8%, as the dollar bought 97.36 yen, little changed from 24 hours earlier. The relatively strong yen weighed on some names with high global exposure, as Sharp Corp. (JP:6753) (SHCAF) lost 1%, Pioneer Corp. (JP:6773) (PNCOF) dropped 1.6%, and Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) fell 1.2%. An outlook cut from Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) helped send its shares down 1%, while rival Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) lost 1.8%, though Olympus Corp. (JP:7733) (OCPNF) gained 1%. Telecoms were weak, with Softbank Corp. (JP:9984) (SFTBF) falling 2.5%, KDDI Corp. (JP:9433) (KDDIF) down 1.7%, and NTT DoCoMo Inc. (JP:9437) (NTDMF)
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: Digital Cinema Destinations Corp (DCIN)
Digital Cinema Destinations Corp., incorporated on July 29, 2010, operates eight theatres and 73 screens located in Westfield, New Jersey (Rialto), Cranford, New Jersey (Cranford), Bloomfield, Connecticut (the Bloomfield 8) and five theatres located in central Pennsylvania (Cinema Centers). During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company operates eight theatres, two in New Jersey, with a total of 11 screens, one in Connecticut, with a total of 8 screens and five in central Pennsylvania, with a total of 54 screens. In March 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of a seven screen theater in Churchville, MD from Flagship Cinemas.
The Rialto is a six-screen theatre located in downtown Westfield, New Jersey, which has a population of approximately 30,000 people. The Bloomfield 8 is an eight-screen theatre located at the Wintonbury Mall in the town of Bloomfield, Connecticut, which is a New England town of over 20,000 people that is home to many sites that are on the National Register of Historic Places and is approximately 5.5 miles from downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Cinema Centers consists of a chain of five theatres with 54 screens located throughout central Pennsylvania. All of the Cinema Centers theatres are in free zones. The 11-screen Cinema Center of Bloomsburg theatre is located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. Bloomsburg, a college town of approximately 13,000 people, is located midway between Wilkes Barre and Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The 12-screen Cinema Center of Camp Hill theatre is located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harrisburg is the state capital of Pennsylvania with a population of approximately 50,000 people.
The 10-screen Cinema Center at Fairgrounds Square Mall is located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Company�� Cinema Centers, had one digital projector, RealD 3D enabled. The 12-screen Cinema Center at Selinsgrove is located in Selinsgove, Pennsylvania. Selinsgrove is ! a historic town located on the Susquehanna River with a population of approximately 27,000 people located within five miles of the theatre. The nine-screen Cinema Center of Williamsport is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The Company competes with Regal Entertainment Group, AMC Entertainment Inc., Clearview and Cinemark USA, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Erin McCarthy]
Carmike Cinemas Inc.(CKEC), the nation’s fourth-largest movie theater chain, said Thursday it is acquiring Digital Cinema Destinations Corp.(DCIN), a smaller rival that does business as Digiplex.
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: TripAdvisor Inc (TRIP)
TripAdvisor, Inc. (TripAdvisor), incorporated on July 20, 2011, is an online travel research company, enabling users to plan and have a trip. TripAdvisor features reviews and advice on hotels, resorts, flights, vacation rentals, vacation packages and travel guides. TripAdvisor�� travel research platform features reviews and opinions from its community of travelers about destinations, accommodations (hotels, bed and breakfasts, specialty lodging and vacation rentals), restaurants and activities worldwide, through its TripAdvisor brand. TripAdvisor Websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and versions of the Website in 30 countries, including in China under the brand daodao.com. TripAdvisor Websites also include links to the Websites of its travel advertisers allowing travelers to directly book their travel arrangements. In addition to the TripAdvisor brand, TripAdvisor, Inc. manages and operates Websites under 18 other travel media brands, providing travel planning resources across the travel sector. On December 20, 2011, Expedia, Inc. (Expedia) completed the spin-off of TripAdvisor, Inc. (TripAdvisor) to Expedia stockholders. TripAdvisor consists of the domestic and international operations previously associated with Expedia�� TripAdvisor Media Group. In October 2012, it acquired Wanderfly. In March 2013, it acquired Tiny Post (tinypost.co). In April 2013, the Company acquired Jetsetter.com and Gilt Travel Inc. In May 2013, TripAdvisor Inc acquired key technology and talent from CruiseWise Inc. In May 2013, TripAdvisor Inc acquired Guia de Apartamentos Niumba SL. In June 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired GateGuru.
TripAdvisor provides access worldwide to online travel agencies, including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, hotels.com, Priceline and Booking.com. TripAdvisor Media Group offers travel suppliers graphical advertising and cost-per-click marketing platforms. TripAdvisor operates sites in 30 countries and in 21 languages, including sites in the United S! tates (http://www.tripadvisor.com), the United Kingdom (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk), France (http://www.tripadvisor.fr), Ireland (http://www.tripadvisor.ie), Germany (http://www.tripadvisor.de), Italy (http://www.tripadvisor.it), Spain (http://www.tripadvisor.es), India (http://www.tripadvisor.in), Japan (http://www.tripadvisor.jp), Portugal and Brazil (http://www.tripadvisor.com.br), Sweden (http://www.tripadvisor.se), The Netherlands (http://www.tripadvisor.nl), Canada (http://www.tripadvisor.ca), Denmark (http://www.tripadvisor.dk), Turkey (http://www.tripadvisor.com.tr), Mexico (http://www.tripadvisor.com.mx), Norway (http://no.tripadvisor.com), Poland (http://pl.tripadvisor.com), Australia (http://www.tripadvisor.com.au), Singapore (http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg), Thailand (http://th.tripadvisor.com), Russia (http://www.tripadvisor.ru), Greece (http://www.tripadvisor.com.gr), Indonesia(http://www.tripadvisor.co.id), Argentina (www.tripadvisor.co.ar), Taiwan (www.tripadvisor.tw),Malaysia(http://www.tripadvisor.com.my), and Egypt (http://www.tripadvisor.com.eg). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the brand daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com) and Kuxun.cn (http://www.kuxun.cn).
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Holly LaFon] oundation bought 598,737 shares of TripAdvisor at an average cost of $27.04 in the fourth quarter. TripAdvisor Inc. is an online travel research company with a market cap of $3.78 billion; its shares were traded at around $30.7 with and P/S ratio of 5.93.
TripAdvisor actually spun off of Expedia (EXPE) in December 2011. Investors in Expedia received one share of TripAdvisor stock for every two shares of Expedia common stock they owned. This means that Larson, who held 750,000 shares of Expedia stock in the fourth quarter, received 375,000 shares and bought the remaining 151,263.
Expedia divided into two companies in order to unlock shareholder value. After the spin-off, Expedia, the largest travel company in the world, retains its travel agency brands. It is positioned to become a growth company in a $1 trillion travel market where people are flocking from offline to online trip planning. TripAdvisor will keep the reviews business, which contains 19 travel media and advertising brands.
As a stand-alone company, TripAdvisor reported fourth quarter revenues of $137.8 million, a 30% increase over fourth quarter 2010, and full-year revenues of $637.1 million, a 31% increase over full year 2010. It achieved earnings of $22 million, a 19% increase over fourth quarter 2010, and full-year 2011 net income of $177.7 million, a 28% increase over full-year 2010.
Though results were robust for TripAdvisors��first period as an independent company, it is susceptible to factors within the numerous markets with which it intersects. In 2012, for instance, higher search engine marketing costs caused it to forecast weak mid-double digit revenue growth, lower than 2011, and virtually flat earnings.
Diamond Foods (DMND)
Diamond Foods is a branded food company specializing in processing, marketing and distributing culinary, snack, in-shell and ingredient nuts under the Diamond of California and Emerald of California brands. It has a market cap of $
- [By Daniel Putnam]
Netflix (NFLX) is the only chart pictured, but Pandora (P), Micron Technology (MU) and TripAdvisor (TRIP) are all among this year�� big winners whose uptrends remain firmly intact.
- [By Victor Reklaitis]
Tech stocks in general were under pressure during the week, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP) falling 2.8% for its worst percentage drop since October 2012. Other big losers among Internet companies were TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) , down 11.3% for the week, and Netflix Inc. (NFLX) , which slid 11.6% for the week.
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: MarineMax Inc (HZO)
MarineMax, Inc., incorporated in January 1998, is a recreational boat dealer in the United States. Through 54 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas, the Company sells new and used recreational boats, including pleasure and fishing boats. It also sells related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. In addition, the Company provides repair, maintenance, and slip and storage services; it arranges related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; it offers boat and yacht brokerage services, and it operates a yacht charter business. It is also retailer of Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Bayliner, Cabo, Hatteras, and Meridian recreational boats and yachts, all of which are manufactured by Brunswick Corporation (Brunswick). In March 2013, it acquired Parker Boat Company's retail boat sales and service operations in Orlando and Daytona, Florida.
The Company is a dealer for Hatteras Yachts throughout the state of Florida (excluding the Florida panhandle) and the states of New Jersey, New York, and Texas; the exclusive dealer for Cabo Yachts throughout the states of Florida, New Jersey, and New York; the exclusive dealer for Boston Whaler in many of its markets; the exclusive dealer for Bayliner in many of its markets, and the exclusive dealer for Meridian Yachts in most of its markets. In addition, it is the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Azimut-Benetti Group for Azimut mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the Northeast United States from Maryland to Maine and the state of Florida.
New Boat Sales
The Company sells recreational boats, including pleasure boats and fishing boats. The products it offers are manufactured by Brunswick, the manufacturer of recreational boats, including Sea Ray pleasure boats, Boston Whaler fishing boats, Cab! o Yachts, Hatteras Yachts, and Meridian Yachts. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it derived approximately 48% of its revenue from the sale of new boats manufactured by Brunswick. During fiscal 2011, new boat sales accounted for 60.6% of its revenue. It offers recreational boats in most market segments. Hatteras Yachts and Azimut are two of the premier yacht builders. The motor yacht product lines include designs with live-aboard luxuries. Hatteras offers a flybridge with guest seating; covered aft deck, which may be fully or partially enclosed, providing the boater with additional living space; an elegant salon; and multiple staterooms for accommodations.
Hatteras Yachts and Cabo Yachts are convertible yacht builders and offer designs with live-aboard luxuries. Convertibles are primarily fishing vessels, which are well equipped to meet the needs of even the most serious tournament-class competitor. Hatteras features interiors that offer luxurious salon/galley arrangements, multiple staterooms with private heads, and a cockpit that includes a bait and tackle center, fishbox, and freezer. Cabo is known for spacious cockpits and accessibility to essentials, such as bait chests, livewells, bait prep centers, and tackle lockers.
Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats target both the luxury and the family recreational boating markets and come in a range of configurations to suit each customer�� particular recreational boating style. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts serve the luxury segment of the recreational boating market and include living accommodations with a salon, a fully equipped galley, and multiple staterooms. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts are available in cabin, bridge cockpit, and cruiser models. Meridian sport yachts and yachts are available in sedan, motoryacht, and pilothouse models.
The fishing boats the Company offers, such as Boston Whaler and Grady White, range from entry level models to advanced models designed for fish! ing and w! ater sports in lakes, bays, and off-shore waters, with cabins with limited live-aboard capability. The fishing boats feature livewells, in-deck fishboxes, rodholders, rigging stations, cockpit coaming pads, and fresh and saltwater washdowns. The ski boats it offers, such as Malibu, Axis, and Nautique by Correct Craft, range from entry level models to advanced models.
Used Boat Sales
The Company sells used versions of the new makes and models it offers and, to a lesser extent, used boats of other makes and models generally taken as trade-ins. During fiscal 2011, used boat sales accounted for 19.0% of its revenue, and 77.1% of the used boats it sold were Brunswick models. It also sells used boats at various marinas and other offsite locations throughout the country. In addition, it offers the Sea Ray Legacy warranty plan available for used Sea Ray boats less than six years old. The Legacy plan applies to each qualifying used Sea Ray boat, which has passed a 48-point inspection, and provides protection against failure of most mechanical parts for up to three years.
Marine Engines, Related Marine Equipment, and Boating Parts and Accessories
The Company offers marine engines and propellers, substantially all of which are manufactured by Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick. It sells marine engines and propellers primarily to retail customers as replacements for their existing engines or propellers. It also sells a range of marine parts and accessories at its retail locations, at various offsite locations, through its print catalog, and through the Website portal. These marine parts and accessories include marine electronics; dock and anchoring products, such as boat fenders, lines, and anchors; boat covers; trailer parts; water sport accessories, such as tubes, lines, wakeboards, and skies; engine parts; oils; lubricants; steering and control systems; corrosion control products, service products; high-performance accessories, such as propellers and instr! uments, a! nd a complete line of boating accessories, including life jackets, inflatables, and water sports equipment. It also offers novelty items, such as shirts, caps, and license plates bearing the manufacturer�� or dealer�� logos. The sale of marine engines, related marine equipment, and boating parts and accessories accounted for 6.2% of the Company�� during fiscal 2011 revenue.
Maintenance, Repair, and Storage Services
The Company provides maintenance and repair services at most of its retail locations, with extended service hours at certain of its locations. In addition, in many of its markets, it provides mobile maintenance and repair services at the location of the customer�� boat. The Company performs both warranty and non-warranty repair services. It derives the majority of its warranty revenue from Brunswick products. Its maintenance and repair services are performed by manufacturer-trained and certified service technicians. At many of the Company�� locations, it offers boat storage services, including in-water slip storage and inside and outside land storage. Maintenance, repair, and storage services accounted for 8.9% of its revenue during fiscal 2011. This includes warranty and non-warranty services.
F&I Products
At each of the Company�� retail locations, it offers the customers the ability to finance new or used boat purchases and to purchase extended service contracts and arrange insurance coverage, including boat property, credit life, and accident, disability, and casualty insurance coverage (collectively, F&I). The Company also offers third-party extended service contracts under which, for a predetermined price, it provides all designated services pursuant to the service contract guidelines during the contract term at no additional charge to the customer above a deductible. Credit life insurance policies provide for repayment of the boat financing contract if the purchaser dies while the contract is outstanding. Accident an! d disabil! ity insurance policies provide for payment of the monthly contract obligation during any period in which the buyer is disabled. Property and casualty insurance covers loss or damage to the boat.
Brokerage Services
Through employees or subcontractors that are licensed boat or yacht brokers, the Company offers boat or yacht brokerage services at most of its retail locations. It also offers for sale brokered boats or yachts, listing them on various Internet sites, advising its other retail locations, and posting them on its Website, www.MarineMax.com. Its maintenance and repair services, including mobile service, also are generally available to its brokerage customers.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By John Udovich]
As we head towards Black Friday, small cap specialty retail stocks United Online, Inc (NASDAQ: UNTD), TravelCenters of America LLC (NYSE: TA) and MarineMax, Inc (NYSE: HZO) have the distinction of being the best performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 181.2%, 123.8% and 71.8%, respectively. With those returns in mind, what are these small cap specialty retail stocks doing right and will the performance last through the all important holiday season? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:
Top 10 Recreation Companies To Watch For 2014: Performance Sports Group Ltd (PSG)
Performance Sports Group Ltd, formerly Bauer Performance Sports Ltd., designs, develops, manufactures and sells performance sports equipment and accessories for ice hockey, roller hockey, lacrosse, baseball and softball, as well as related apparel, including soccer apparel. Its products are marketed under the BAUER, MISSION, MAVERIK, CASCADE, COMBAT and INARIA brand names. The ice hockey products include skates, skate blades, protective gear, sticks, team apparel and accessories. The roller hockey products include skates, protective gear and accessories. Its products are available in over 45 countries through a network of more than 3,700 distributors. The Company has associations with many of the hockey, lacrosse, baseball and softball organizations, including the NHL, CHL, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, IIHF, NCAA, Ivy League, Big East Conference, US Lacrosse, International Lacrosse Federation, USSSA, ASA, NPF, NSA Canada, Softball USA, Softball Canada, USA Baseball, ISA and ISF.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Peter Graham]
The Q3 2014 earnings report for small cap golf stock Callaway Golf Co (NYSE: ELY), a potential peer of sporting goods or sporting equipment stocks like Toronto listed�Performance Sports Group Ltd (NYSE: PSG) and Johnson Outdoors Inc (NASDAQ: JOUT), is scheduled for after the market closes on Thursday (October 23rd). Aside from the Callaway Golf earnings report, it should be said that Performance Sports Group Ltd reported Q1 2015 on October 9th (revenues were up 28% to $197.1 million) while the estimated release date for the Q4 2014 Johnson Outdoors Inc earnings report is�October 31st. However, Callaway Golf is the last publicly traded�pure play golf equipment stock�giving investors direct exposure to the game���especially since Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE: DKS)�recently took a $20.4 million pretax golf restructuring charge and plans to focus more attention on other sports.
