Berkshire Hathaway, the investing conglomerate billionaire Buffett chairs, posted a record profit last year of $19.5 billion, the company said in its annual report released Saturday. Analysts had estimated earnings would be $18 billion.
In 2012, its net income was $14.8 billion.
Analysts said Berkshire's solid 2013 performance can be credited to improved economic growth since so many of his holdings are well-known consumer goods and services that do well when the economy is going strong.
The per-share book value of its class A and class B stock rose by 18.2% in 2013, said Buffett in his annual letter to shareholders.
The S&P had returns of about 30% last year.
Top Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Volt Information Sciences Inc (VISI)
Volt Information Sciences, Inc., incorporated in 1957, provides staffing services, and telecommunications and information solutions. The Company is organized in two businesses: Staffing Services and Telecommunications and Information Solutions. Staffing services segment provides a range of employee staffing services to a range of customers throughout North America, Europe and Asia/Pac, and has expanded operations in Latin America. Telecommunications services provide telecommunications and other services, including design, engineering, construction, installation, maintenance and removal of telecommunications equipment for the outside plant and central offices of telecommunications and cable companies. In September 2008, the Company sold the net assets of its DataNational and Directory Systems divisions.
Staffing Services
Services offered by the Staffing Services segment fall within three major functional areas: staffing solutions, information technology (IT) solutions and e-procurement solutions. Staffing solutions provides managed staffing, temporary/contract personnel employment and workforce solutions. This functional area comprises the Technical Resources (Technical) division and the Administrative and Industrial (A&I) division. This functional area also provides direct placement services and, upon request from customers, subject to contractual conditions, is focused to allow the customer to convert the temporary employees to full-time customer employees under negotiated terms. In addition, the Company's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services deliver end-to-end recruitment and hiring outsourced solutions to customers. The Technical division provides skilled employees, such as computer and other IT specialties, engineering, design, life sciences and technical support. The A&I division provides administrative, clerical, accounting and financial, call center and light industrial personnel.
E-procurement solutions provide global bid human capital acquisiti! on and management solutions by combining Web-based tools and business process outsourcing services. IT solutions provides a range of services, including consulting, outsourcing and turnkey project management in the software and hardware development, IT infrastructure services and customer contact markets.
Telecommunications and Information Solutions
This segment is divided into three sub segments: telecommunications services, computer systems, and printing and other. Telecommunications Services segment designs, engineers, constructs, installs and maintains voice, data, video and utility infrastructure for public and private businesses, military, and government agencies.
Computer Systems segment provides directory and operator systems and services primarily for the telecommunications industry and provides IT maintenance services. The segment also sells information systems to its customers and, in addition, provides an application service provider (ASP) model, which also provides information services, including infrastructure and database data services to others. This segment consists of Volt Delta Resources LLC, Volt Delta International, LSSiData and the Maintech computer maintenance division.
Printing and other segment provides printing services and publishes telephone directories in Uruguay. The telephone directory revenues of this segment are derived from the sales of telephone directory advertising for the books it publishes.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
1. Steel Excel (SXCL)
2. FormFactor (FORM)
3. Imation (IMN)
4. Tuesday Morning (TUES)
5. Pacific Biosciences (PACB)
6. Maxygen (MAXY)
7. Westell (WSTL)
8. Volt Information Sciences (VISI)
9. Yasheng Group (YHGG)
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Ossen Innovation Co. Ltd.(OSN)
Ossen Innovation Co. Ltd. engages in the design, engineering, manufacture, and sale of plain surface prestressed, rare earth coated, and zinc coated prestressed steel materials in the People?s Republic of China. The company primarily offers plain surface, indented, and helical rib PC wires, as well as rare earth coated PC strands. Its materials are used in the construction of railways, highways, bridges, buildings, and other infrastructure projects. The company markets its products under the Ossen brand name. It also exports its products to the United States, Canada, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. The company is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Ossen Innovation Co (NASDAQ: OSN) is projected to post its Q1 earnings.
AZZ (NYSE: AZZ) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.54 per share on revenue of $191.37 million.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Computer Task Group Inc (CTG)
Computer Task Group, Incorporated (CTG), incorporated on March 11, 1966, is an information technology (IT) solutions and staffing company with operations in North America and Europe. CTG provides IT services to its clients, which includes IT Solutions and IT Staffing. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company had six operating subsidiaries: Computer Task Group of Canada, Inc., providing services in Canada; and Computer Task Group Belgium N.V., CTG ITS S.A., Computer Task Group IT Solutions, S.A., Computer Task Group Luxembourg PSF, and Computer Task Group (U.K.) Ltd., each were providing services in Europe. Services provided in North America are performed by CTG. It provides services to all of the markets, which it serves. The services provided encompass the IT business solution life cycle, including phases for planning, developing, implementing, managing, and maintaining the IT solution. In February 2013, it acquired etrinity from i-Cros Nv of Antwerp, Belgium.
The Company promotes its services through four vertical market focus areas: technology service providers; healthcare, which includes services provided to healthcare providers, health insurers (payers), and life sciences companies; energy, and financial services. At December 31, 2011, CTG provided IT services to approximately 300 clients in North America and Europe. In North America, the Company operates in the United States and Canada. In Europe, the Company operates in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom.
IT Solutions
CTG�� services in IT solution area include helping clients assess their business needs and identifying the IT solutions. The services delivered by the Company include the selection and implementation of packaged software and the design, development, testing, and integration of new systems, and the development and implementation of customized software and solutions designed to fit the needs of a specific client or vertical market. Also included in IT Solutions is Trans! itional Application Management (TAM).
In 2011, the healthcare market accounted for most of CTG�� TAM business. In 2011, CTG continued to invest in new IT solutions development, primarily targeted to the healthcare market, which support cost reductions and productivity improvements. In 2011, several healthcare solutions under development moved from the pilot stage of testing using live data into the sales process as completed tools. These solutions include medical fraud, waste, and abuse detection and reduction, medical care and disease management, and group insurance underwriting risk assessment. The Company has developed software to support these offerings. These solutions support both the healthcare provider and payer markets.
IT Staffing
The Company recruits, retains, and manages IT talent for its clients, which are technology service providers and companies with multiple locations and need for external IT resources. The Company also supports companies and organizations that need to augment their own IT staff on a flexible basis. It provides IT talent services on a temporary or long-term basis. CTG�� recruiting organization works with customers to define their staffing requirements. The primary focus of the Company�� staffing business is a managed services model that provides clients with support through supply models customized to client needs, resource management support, vendor management programs, and a automated recruiting process and system. During 2011, its IT staffing service generated 63% of its total revenue.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Computer Task Group (Nasdaq: CTG ) reported earnings on July 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 28 (Q2), Computer Task Group missed estimates on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share. - [By Anna Prior]
Information technology staffing and solutions company Computer Task Group Inc.(CTG) cut its outlook for its second-quarter and full-year results, primarily due to higher medical costs.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Kaman Corporation (KAMN)
Kaman Corporation operates in the aerospace and industrial distribution markets. The company?s Industrial Distribution segment distributes products, including bearings, mechanical and electrical power transmission, fluid power, motion control, and materials handling components. The segment offers its products through approximately 200 branches, distribution centers, and call centers in the United States, including Puerto Rico, as well as in Canada and Mexico. Its Aerospace segment produces and/or markets proprietary aircraft bearings and components; and complex metallic and composite aerostructures for commercial, military, and general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft. This segment also provides safing and arming solutions for missile and bomb systems for the U.S. and allied militaries; support for its maritime helicopters and medium-to-heavy lift helicopters; and offers engineering design, analysis, and certification services, as well as subcontracts helicopter wor k. Kaman Corporation also operates in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Bloomfield, Conn.-based Kaman Corporation (NYSE: KAMN ) will have a new Chief Financial Officer soon.
On Thursday, the aircraft parts-maker announced that when current CFO William C. Denninger retires on June 30, he will quickly be succeeded (the very next day, in fact) by newly promoted Senior Vice President and CFO Robert D. Starr.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: EMC Insurance Group Inc. (EMCI)
EMC Insurance Group Inc., an insurance holding company, engages in property and casualty insurance, and reinsurance activities. It operates in two segments, Property and Casualty Insurance, and Reinsurance. The Property and Casualty Insurance segment writes commercial and personal lines of insurance with a focus on medium-sized commercial accounts. Its commercial lines of insurance products comprise automobile, property, workers� compensation, and liability, as well as other products that provide protection against burglary and theft loss, aircraft, marine, and other types of losses; and personal lines of insurance products include automobile, property, and liability. The Reinsurance segment provides reinsurance for other insurers and reinsurers. The company serves small to medium-sized businesses, institutions, and individual consumers. EMC Insurance Group Inc. sells its products through independent insurance agents. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered i n Des Moines, Iowa. EMC Insurance Group Inc. is a subsidiary of Employers Mutual Casualty Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Caroline Bennett]
EMC Insurance (NASDAQ: EMCI ) this week declared plans to keep its quarterly dividend payout steady at $0.21 per share of common stock.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: General Communication Inc.(GNCMA)
General Communication, Inc. provides communication services to residential and business customers under the GCI and Alaska Wireless brand names in Alaska. The company?s Consumer segment provides local and long distance voice services; video services and products, including cable, high-definition television, digital video recorder, premium channel programming, video on demand, and pay-per-view programming services; Internet access; and fixed and mobile wireless voice and data services. This segment also sells handsets, personal computer wireless data cards, and accessories to residential customers; and offers bundled services and products, which comprise long-distance, cable television, cable modem Internet access, local access, and wireless services. Its Network Access segment provides interstate and intrastate-switched message telephone, multi-protocol label switching, frame relay, private line and dedicated Internet, and wireless services to GSM and CDMA wireless carrie rs. The company?s Commercial segment offers local and long distance communication, video, Internet, data network, managed, wireless, and bundled products and services. Its Managed Broadband segment offers Internet access, data network, and managed services to rural school districts, hospitals, and health clinics. The company?s Regulated Operations segment provides wireline communications services, including local access and long-distance, and Internet services and products, to residential, business, and governmental customers in areas of rural Alaska. General Communication, Inc. sells its services primarily through direct contact marketing, as well as through local media advertising, and its retail stores and Website. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 87,900 long-distance customers, 138,100 local access lines in service, 142,600 basic cable subscribers, 139,900 wireless subscribers, and 119,400 cable modem subscribers. The company was founded in 1979 and is bas ed in Anchorage, Alaska.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Radovsky]
Alaska Communications and General Communication (NASDAQ: GNCMA ) -- also known as GCI -- have finalized the transaction they proposed last summer to form The Alaska Wireless Network, or AWN, both companies announced today.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Unifi Inc (UFI)
Unifi, Inc., sells fibers made from polyester and nylon filament to other yarn manufacturers, knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel, hosiery, sock, home furnishing, automotive upholstery, industrial and other markets. The Company's polyester yarn products include polyester polymer beads (Chip), partially oriented yarn (POY), textured, solution and package dyed, twisted and beamed yarns. The Company's nylon products include textured, solution dyed and covered spandex products. The Company operates in three segments: Polyester segment, Nylon segment and International segment. In December 2013, Unifi Inc acquired American Drawtech Co Inc.
The Polyester segment manufactures Chip, POY, textured, dyed, twisted and beamed yarns, virgin and recycled, with sales primarily to other yarn manufacturers, knitters and weavers that produce yarn and/or fabric for the apparel, hosiery, automotive upholstery, home furnishing, industrial and other end-use markets. The Polyester segment consists of manufacturing operations in the United States and El Salvador. The Nylon segment manufactures textured nylon and covered spandex yarns with sales to knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel, hosiery, sock and other end-use markets. The Nylon segment consists of manufacturing operations in the United States and Colombia. The International segment's products primarily include textured polyester and range of resale yarns. The International segment sells its yarns to knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel, automotive upholstery, home furnishing, industrial and other end-use markets primarily in the South American and Asian regions.
The Company manufactures polyester related products in the United States, El Salvador and Brazil and nylon yarns in the United States and Colombia for a range of end-uses. The Company processes and sells POY, as well as high-volume commodity, specialty, and PVA yarns, domestically and internationally, with PVA yarns making up! approximately 18% consolidated sales for the fiscal year ended June 24, 2012.
The Company competes with O'Mara, Inc., NanYa Plastics Corp., AKRA, S.A. de C.V., C S Central America S.A. de C.V., Avanti Industria Comercio Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., Polyenka Ltda., Sapona Manufacturing Company, Inc., McMichael Mills, Inc. and Worldtex, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Javier Hasse, Insider Monkey]
Once again, MedAssets trades below its industry average valuation of 62.1 x P/E, at 49.3x. Its valuation becomes even more attractive when one looks at the company麓s P/B ratio (2.8x vs. an industry average of 15.6x) and P/S ratio (2.0x vs. 4.7x). However, below average margins, returns and growth projections are three major sources of concern.
Unifi (UFI)Finally, there’s Unifi (UFI), a $421 million market cap diversified producer and processor of multi-filament polyester and nylon yarns.
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