"Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) develops treatments for life-threatening diseases and specializes in drugs for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS," notes Hannah Choe.

The contributing editor to Personal Finance explains, "Already the market leader in HIV antivirals, Gilead is in the beginning stages of developing Quad, the first-ever, four-in-one AIDS pill.

"The manufacture of HIV drugs, which accounts for more than three-quarters of revenue, is Gilead's highest-grossing business. This segment has held up through the recession; in the second quarter product sales for the antiviral franchise grew 26% from a year ago to $1.41 billion.

Continue reading Gilead (GILD): New potential in 4-in-1 HIV drug

Gilead (GILD): New potential in 4-in-1 HIV drug originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We have very few buy recommendations currently; one exception is Franco-Nevada (Toronto: FNV.CA)," says resource expert Adrian Day.

In his The Global Analyst, the advisor explains, "Franco Nevada is one of our all-time favorites; it has top management, a solid balance sheet, and risk-averse business plan.

He continues, "The company previously merged with Newmont, and was reborn in a spin off nearly two years ago. Although the stock has nearly doubled since the IPO, it still represents good value.

Continue reading Franco Nevada (FNV): A core holding in gold

Franco Nevada (FNV): A core holding in gold originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"One way to build an inflation hedge into your investment cash flows is to focus on stocks that are likely to boost their dividends on a regular basis," explains dividend specialist Chuck Carlson.

In his The DRIP Investor, which focuses on blue chip companies offering dividend reinvestment programs, he notes, "Since dividends are paid with cold cash, they can't be faked. Either you pay the dividend or you don't. They can't be some figment of accounting magic." Here, he looks at three favorite blue chips with strong dividend records.

Continue reading Dividend growth trio: Aflac, Medtronic and Colgate-Palmolive

Dividend growth trio: Aflac, Medtronic and Colgate-Palmolive originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Two of the newsletter industry's leading growth stock advisors remain bullish on the prospects of online retailer Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), based on growth in not only online retailing but new market areas ranging from the Kindle e-reader to cloud computing.

Mike Cintolo, editor of The Cabot Top Ten Report, explains, "Amazon.com recently blew away earnings expectations." Meanwhile, Alexander Green, investment director at The Oxford Club, says, "In our view, the best lies ahead for the company." Here are their reviews.

Mike Cintolo continues, "Amazon announced that its Kindle e-book reader is now its most popular selling item, both in units and in dollars. That led to a big acceleration in revenue growth (28%, the fastest in five quarters), while earnings leaped 67%.

Continue reading Amazon (AMZN): 'The best is still ahead'

Amazon (AMZN): 'The best is still ahead' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We're adding Brazil's Vale S.A. (NYSE: VALE), the world's leading iron ore producer, to our model growth portfolio," says growth stock expert Stephen Leeb.

In his The Complete Investor, he explains, "This outstanding company offers investors simultaneous stakes in two key areas: iron ore-a commodity essential to any and all infrastructure projects-and Brazil's appreciating currency, the real.

"When it comes to understanding the importance of a commodity such as iron ore, the tale starts with China. Even with China's GDP growth again approaching double digits, the Chinese government continues to aggressively promote growth, offering consumers incentives to buy cars and investing in infrastructure, from roads to bridges to sewers to energy plants.

Continue reading Vale S.A. (VALE): Mining for value in iron ore

Vale S.A. (VALE): Mining for value in iron ore originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How desperate can they get? First I received a very long-winded, 10+ page e-mail from Motley Fool with the following sales pitch :That's why I'm offering you the chance to join Motley Fool Stock Advisor for just $79 -- that's 60% OFF our regular membership rate. But a word of warning: This special discount will be available for a limited time only!

Two days later, I received another 10+ page, jargon-filled e-mail blabbering on about the virtues of the newsletter while trying to create a sense of urgency because the clock was ticking and I was going to miss out.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: Motley Fools seem desperate

Sunday Funnies: Motley Fools seem desperate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Shanda Interactive, a Chinese purveyor of interactive entertainment and media technology, offered U.S. investors a piece of its video game business, Shanda Games (NASDAQ: GAME)," notes Brandon Clay.

In his Invest with an Edge, he explains, "Shanda Games has its risks but also packs a lot of potential, especially as a speculative China play.

"GAME was one of the most widely-anticipated IPOs of 2009. The buzz surrounding Shanda Games was so intense that the company raised the offering from 63 million to 83.5 million shares just to meet demand.

Continue reading Shanda Games (GAME): Video games 'pack potential'

Shanda Games (GAME): Video games 'pack potential' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The U.S. Energy Department is sponsoring a race to develop an obscure industrial process -- carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) -- and the winners of the race will receive $1.4 billion -- yes, billion, with a B," says Andy Obermueller.

In Government-Driven Investing, he says, "My pick to profit from among the 12 companies selected to compete in this scientific 'Olympiad' is Praxair (NYSE: PX)."

"This industrial-gas company owns hundreds of CCS patents, technology that could turn a coal-fired power plant -- about the dirtiest thing in the world, emissions-wise -- into one of the cleanest.

Continue reading Praxair (PX): The 'race' for carbon capture

Praxair (PX): The 'race' for carbon capture originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"There is a very interesting situation developing in the oil and gas industry," says Mike Turner. In the Trade of the Week advisory, he looks at the Oil & Gas Ultra ProShares (NYSE: DIG).

"Even though global economies are not rapidly recovering (although they do seem to be on a positive upslope), and even though there seems to be a bit more supply than demand in the energy markets, oil and gas stocks continue to move higher. What's behind this move?

"Oil has become the inverse proxy to the U.S. dollar. As the dollar weakens, the price of oil is moving higher. With the burgeoning debt piling up in the U.S., the dollar looks to be under pressure to move lower for the foreseeable future.

Continue reading DIG this oil and gas ETF

DIG this oil and gas ETF originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Highly leveraged casinos were among the first to be locked out of credit markets last year," says Elliott Gue, noting that one company that suffered greatly from credit conditions was Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS).

Now, however, he see "strong propsects" for a recovery in the casino operator's future; he is particularly optimistic on the firm's Asian projects. Here's his review from Personal Finance.

"The economic downturn meant consumers reined in spending on leisure travel and gambling. Meanwhile, declining real estate prices near Las Vegas hit the local economy hard. Gaming revenues declined, and occupancy at Sin City's massive hotels plummeted.

Continue reading Gamble on Las Vegas Sands (LVS)

Gamble on Las Vegas Sands (LVS) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We're always ready to shift to an individual stock when we see an attractive investment opportunity like Equifax (NYSE: EFX)," says money manager and advisor Jim Stack, who incidentally, accurately called both the 2008 market top and the March bottom.

In his InvesTech Market Analyst, he explains, "The stock is attractively valued based on revenue, cash flow, and earnings power of the company." Here's his review of the credit reporting agency.

"Equifax is in the business of supplying clients with the power of information and is most commonly known as a credit reporting agency. The 'credit score' your banker looks at when you apply for a loan is derived from information supplied by Equifax and its competitors.

Continue reading Equifax (EFX): A good credit

Equifax (EFX): A good credit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In Gordon Pape's Internet Wealth Builder, contributing analyst Tom Slee looks at "recession-resistant" global stocks. Here, he reviews Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) and PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP).

Slee explains, "Philip Morris continues to benefit from rising tobacco consumption and 'uptrading' as people in the emerging countries switch to more expensive products.

"Almost recession proof, the international tobacco industry is prospering thanks mainly to new markets, strong cash flows, and reduced litigation.

Continue reading Play defense with PepsiCo (PEP) and Phillip Morris Int'l (PM)

Play defense with PepsiCo (PEP) and Phillip Morris Int'l (PM) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Brazil has long been our favorite of the BRIC countries," says Carl Delfeld. In his Chartwell Global Wealth Letter, the advisor looks at two favored Brazilian equity ETFs.

"Brazil seems to have confounded its critics, who view it as a boom and bust economy; the country has been upgraded to investment grade status by Moody's.

"The US ratings agency cited the resilience of the Brazilian economy to the financial crisis for the upgrade of its sovereign debt ratings one notch to Baa3, its lowest investment grade rating.

"This elevation of quality is well earned after years of reform in the country that led to lower inflation and a stronger currency as well as lower levels of government debt.

Continue reading ETF expert bets on Brazil

ETF expert bets on Brazil originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"I am recommending Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG) as part of an 'offense-defense' thesis," says Ian Wyatt. In Top Stock Insights, he reviews the leading biotechnology company.

Wyatt explains, "Celgene engages in the discovery of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune inflammatory related diseases. They have a number of products at the commercial stage including REVLIMID, THALOMID and VIDAZA.

"Celgene is also researching stem cells derived from the human placenta as well as from the umbilical cord, thus tapping into a promising new technology while avoiding the political and ethical questions dogging others involved in stem cell research.

Continue reading Celgene (CELG): Bet on biotech for 'offense and defense'

Celgene (CELG): Bet on biotech for 'offense and defense' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options expert and stock trader Bernie Schaeffer combines fundamental, technical and sentiment-based metrics to select his specific trades.

In his latest The Options Advisor, he looks at a trio of diverse trades: wireless semiconductor play, Broadcom (NASDAQ: BRCM); homebuilder, Ryland Group (NYSE: RYL); and miner, Southern Copper (NYSE: PCU).

"Broadcom has rocketed up the charts in 2009, racking up a year-to-date gain of about 74%. The stock has stair-stepped consistently higher since January, capitalizing on support at its 10-week and 20-week moving averages.

"BRCM's relentless upward momentum has forced many short sellers out of their bearish positions, as short interest on the equity dropped by nearly 20% during the past month.

Continue reading Bernie's bets: A trio of trades from Schaeffer

Bernie's bets: A trio of trades from Schaeffer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Water, one of the most precious of resources, continues to be the most mispriced," says Neil George.

In his Profits Hidden in the News advisory, he explains, "Millions of Americans are drinking dangerous water from the tap." Here, he looks at two ways to profit as this situation gains attention.

"The US Environmental Protection Agency has recently updated its data on US municipal water and, as with previous surveys and reports - the news is not good. In fact, for wide swaths of the US population - including those in the nation's capital - its flat out scary.

Continue reading Clean water profits

Clean water profits originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We're still adding to our Chinese portfolio, and expect to be doing so for some time; this is where significant opportunities exist," says Richard Schimit.

In The Stellar Stock Alert, he reviews E-House (NYSE: EJ), noting, "While American real estate is still struggling to regain its footing, Chinese real estate hasn't experienced the same breaking bubble.

"In fact, it hasn't experienced a bubble yet. But Chinese real estate is definitely gaining in value. And the companies that know the market can really profit.

Continue reading E-House (EJ): At home in China real estate

E-House (EJ): At home in China real estate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In The Asia Stock Alert, he explains, "The best way to profit from this Chinese milk boom, in my opinion, is to invest in China-based American Dairy (NYSE: ADY)." Here's the advisor's review.

"The Chinese currently consumes 24 pounds of dairy products per person each year versus a world average of almost 220 pounds annually.

Continue reading Got milk? American Dairy gains in China (ADY)

Got milk? American Dairy gains in China (ADY) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), a holding on our recommended buy list, delivered another blowout quarter, driven by booming sales of both the iPhone and its Macintosh computers," notes analyst Geoffrey Seiler.

In his BullMarket.com advisory, he suggests, "Overall, Apple's results are nothing short of amazing." Here, he provides an in-depth analysis of the quarter, his outlook, and the reasoning behind the boost to his longer-term price target to $270 a share.

"Apple sold 7.4 million iPhones in the quarter, 7% more than the year-ago quarter, and 3.05 million Macs, a 17% year-over-year increase. The end result was that the company posted a whopping 47% increase in Q4 net income.

Continue reading Apple (AAPL): 'Nothing short of amazing'

Apple (AAPL): 'Nothing short of amazing' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) has fattened itself up by swallowing more than 50 companies in the past five years," says Richard Moroney.

In Dow Theory Forecasts, he suggests, "Oracle has proved itself capable of delivering predictable earnings even during tough times by squeezing higher returns out of its assets, including those inherited via $35 billion worth of acquisitions over the past half-decade."

"While some fear the software giant is choking on its latest meal (Sun Microsystems), the deal makes sense operationally.

Continue reading Oracle (ORCL) foresees bright future with Sun

Oracle (ORCL) foresees bright future with Sun originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.