Tuesday, December 30, 2014

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) - Don't let your guard down. The S&P 500 may be poking holes in new all time highs and the nonsense on Capitol Hill may even be resolved, but that doesn't meant that you should keep hanging onto everything in your portfolio.

That's because even the biggest, "safest" blue-chips could be toxic to your performance in the final quarter of this year.

There's no question that the big indices are still in bull mode, but it's worth noting that the Dow Jones Industrial Average looks materially weaker than the S&P right now. The big names that tend to dominate the Dow are starting to show some cracks -- well, some of them are, anyway.

That's why we're taking a closer look at five "toxic" stocks you should be selling in October. To be fair, the companies I'm talking about today aren't exactly "junk."

By that, I mean they're not next up in line at bankruptcy court. But that's frankly irrelevant; from a technical analysis standpoint, they're some of the worst positioned names out there right now. For that reason, fundamental investors need to decide how long they're willing to take the pain if they want to hold onto these firms this summer. And for investors looking to buy one of these positions, it makes sense to wait for more favorable technical conditions (and a lower share price) before piling in.

Best Energy Companies To Own In Right Now: Bridgeline Digital Inc.(BLIN)

Bridgeline Digital, Inc. engages in the development of Web experience management (WEM) product and interactive technology solutions that help organizations to optimize business processes. Its iAPPS product suite includes iAPPS Content Manager that allows non-technical users to create, edit, and publish content through a browser-based interface; iAPPS Commerce, an online B2B and B2C eCommerce solution, which allows users to maximize and manage various aspects of commerce initiatives; and iAPPS Marketier, a marketing lifecycle management solution that comprises customer transaction analysis, email management, surveys and polls, event registration, and issue tracking to measure campaign return on investment and client satisfaction. The company also provides iAPPS Analyzer to manage, measure, and optimize Web properties by recording detailed events and mine data within a Web application for statistical analysis; and iAPPS Rapid Site for building custom Websites. It delivers it s iAPPS product suite through cloud-based software as a service business model or via a traditional perpetual licensing business model. The company?s end-to-end interactive technology solutions consist of digital strategy, user-centered design, Web application development, SharePoint development, rich media development, search engine optimization, and Web application hosting management. Bridgeline Digital serves various markets, such as financial services, consumer products and goods, health services and life sciences, high technology (software and hardware), retail brand names, transportation and storage, associations and foundations, and the U.S. Government through its direct sales force. The company was formerly known as Bridgeline Software, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgeline Digital, Inc. in March 2010. Bridgeline Digital, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Burlington, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    Congratulations to anyone who owned shares of Bridgeline Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:BLIN) before today. You're now up 35% for the day so far, and still counting. The big pop from BLIN stemmed from the announcement that it scored a pretty significant deal with an organization consisting of nearly 4000 dentists and doctors. The terms of the deal are simple enough... Bridgeline Digital will host and service websites for the practitioners in the group for a period of three years, and in return, BLIN will receive $7 million.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Intellipharmaceutics International Inc.(IPCI)

Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. engages in the research, development, and manufacture of novel or generic controlled and targeted release oral solid dosage drugs. The company?s patented Hypermatrix technology is a multidimensional controlled-release drug delivery platform that can be applied to the development of various existing and new pharmaceuticals. It has a pipeline of products in various stages of development in therapeutic areas, including neurology, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal tract, pain, and infection. The company?s lead generic product under development includes generic Focalin XR (dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride), an extended-release capsule for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Intellipharmaceutics has a license and commercialization agreement with Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. for the development and commercialization of generic Focalin XR. The company also has five generic products filed with the FDA, including a gene ric of Effexor XR (venlafaxine hydrochloride), an extended-release capsule for depression; Protonix (pantoprazole sodium), a delayed-release tablet for conditions associated with gastroesophageal disease; Glucophage XR (metformin hydrochloride), an extended-release tablet for managing type 2 diabetes; Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate), an extended-release tablet for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder; and Lamictal XR (lamotrigine), an extended-release tablet for the treatment of anti-convulsant for epilepsy. Its lead non-generic product under development is Rexista (oxycodone), an abuse- and alcohol-deterrent controlled-release oral oxycodone hydrochloride formulation for the relief of pain. The company also has a under late stage development product, such as Coreg CR (carvedilol phosphate), an extended-release capsule for hypertension and heart conditions. IntelliPharmaCeutics International Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based i n Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    A pharmaceutical player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is IntelliPharmaCeutics (IPCI), which specializing in the research, development and manufacture of generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs. This stock has been on fire over the last three months, with shares up a whopping 99%.

    If you take a look at the chart for IntelliPharmaCeutics, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending a bit over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low f $3.12 to its recent high of $4.37 a share. During that uptrend, shares of IPCI have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of IPCI within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some key overhead resistance levels.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IPCI if it manages to break out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.37 to $4.62 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.31 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then IPCI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $6.46 a share.

    Traders can look to buy IPCI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.36 or at its 50-day moving average of $3.13 a share. One could also buy IPCI off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Drug Delivery: This industry jumped 5.34% by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was IntelliPharmaCeutics International (NASDAQ: IPCI), which rose 2.9%. Intellipharmaceutics reported positive results from a series of Phase I clinical trials of Regabatin.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: The Marcus Corp (MCS)

The Marcus Corporation, incorporated in August 2005, is engaged in two segments: movie theatres, hotels and resorts. As of May 26, 2011, the Company�� theatre operations included 55 movie theatres with 684 screens throughout Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, including two movie theatres with 11 screens in Wisconsin and Nebraska owned by third parties but managed by the Company. As of May 26, 2011, its hotels and resorts operations included eight owned and operated hotels and resorts in Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and Oklahoma. It also manages 10 hotels, resorts and other properties for third parties in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Nevada and California. As of May 26, 2011, it owned or managed over 4,700 hotel and resort rooms. In September 2010, it purchased a 16-screen theatre in Appleton, Wisconsin from Regal Entertainment Group. During the fiscal year ended May 26, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the Xona Resort Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona was sold by its owners and its management contract for this resort was terminated.

Theatre Operations

During fiscal 2011, the Company owned or operated 55 movie theatre locations with a total of 684 screens in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Company�� 53 owned facilities include 33 megaplex theatres (12 or more screens), representing 75% of its total screens, 19 multiplex theatres (two to 11 screens) and one single-screen theatre. During fiscal 2011, it operated 663 first-run screens, 11 of which are operated under management contracts, and 21 budget-oriented screens. It owns land in six different communities that may be used for new theatres at a future date, including land in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. It owns a minority interest in MovieTickets.com, a joint venture of movie and entertainment companies that was created to sell movie tickets over the Internet and represents a large majority of the top 50 market theatre screens throughout the United ! States and Canada.

As of May 26, 2011, the Company offered digital three dimensional (3D) systems at 101 screens, including 11 UltraScreens, at 35 of its theatre locations in seven states. As of May 26, 2011, there were approximately 35 3D films. It sells food and beverage concessions in all of its movie theatres. The Company also own a family entertainment center, Funset Boulevard, adjacent to the 14-screen movie theatre in Appleton, Wisconsin. Funset Boulevard features a 40,000 square foot Hollywood-themed indoor amusement facility that includes a restaurant, party room, laser tag center, virtual reality games, arcade, outdoor miniature golf course and batting cages.

Hotels and Resorts Operations

The Company owns and operates the Pfister Hotel, which is located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Pfister Hotel is a full service luxury hotel and has 307 guest rooms (including 82 luxury suites and 176 tower rooms), two restaurants, three cocktail lounges and a 275-car parking ramp. It also has 24,000 square feet of banquet and convention facilities. The Pfister�� banquet and meeting rooms accommodate up to 3,000 people and the hotel features two large ballrooms, including one of the ballrooms in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, with banquet seating for 1,200 people. It owns and operates the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center. The Hilton Milwaukee City Center also features Paradise Landing, an indoor water park and family fun center that features water slides, swimming pools, a sand beach, lounge and restaurant. The hotel also has two cocktail lounges, two restaurants and an 870-car parking ramp. It owns and operates the 240-room Hilton Madison at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hilton Madison is connected by skywalk to the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, has four meeting rooms totaling 2,400 square feet, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a lounge and a restaurant.

The Company owns and operates the Grand Geneva ! Resort & ! Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The resort is located on 1,300 acres and includes 355 guest rooms, over 60,000 square feet of banquet, meeting and exhibit space, over 13,000 square feet of ballroom space, three specialty restaurants, two cocktail lounges, two championship golf courses, several ski hills, two indoor and five outdoor tennis courts, three swimming pools, a spa and fitness complex, horse stables and an on-site airport. The Company owns and operates the Hotel Phillips, a 217-room hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. The Hotel Phillips has conference rooms totaling 5,600 square feet of meeting space, a 2,300 square foot ballroom, a restaurant and a lounge. The Company owns and operates the InterContinental Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The InterContinental Milwaukee has 220 rooms, 12,000 square feet of flexible banquet and meeting space, on-site parking, a fitness center, a restaurant and a lounge and is located in the heart of Milwaukee�� theatre and financial district.

The Company is the operator of the Skirvin Hilton hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The hotel has 225 rooms, including 20 one-bedroom suites and one Presidential Suite. The Skirvin Hilton has a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, indoor swimming pool, business center and approximately 18,500 square feet of meeting space. The Company operates the Four Points by Sheraton Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile, a 226-room (including 130 suites) hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The Four Points by Sheraton Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile has affordable, well-appointed guest rooms and suites, 3,000 square feet of high-tech meeting rooms, an indoor swimming pool and fitness room and an on-site parking facility. The hotel leases space to two area restaurants. It manages the Crowne Plaza-Northstar Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Crowne Plaza-Northstar Hotel is located in downtown Minneapolis and has 226 guest rooms, 13 meeting rooms, 6,370 square feet of ballroom and convention space, a restaurant, a cocktail lounge and an ! exercise ! facility.. It manages Beverly Garland�� Holiday Inn in North Hollywood, California. The Beverly Garland has 257 guest rooms, including 12 suites, meeting space for up to 600, including an amphitheater and ballroom, an outdoor swimming pool and lighted tennis courts.

The Company also provides hospitality management services, including check-in, housekeeping and maintenance, for a vacation ownership development adjacent to the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa owned by Orange Lake Resort & Country Club of Orlando, Florida. It manages the Hilton Garden Inn Houston NW/Chateau in Houston, Texas. The Hilton Garden Inn has 171 guest rooms, a ballroom, a restaurant, a fitness center, a convenience mart and a swimming pool. It manages and owns a 15% minority interest in the Sheraton Madison Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. The Sheraton Madison features 237 rooms and suites, an indoor heated swimming pool, whirlpool, fitness center, a restaurant, lounge and 18,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Company manages and owns a 15% minority interest in the Westin Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. The Westin Columbus is an AAA four-diamond full-service historic hotel, which includes 186 rooms and suites and offers more than 12,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and ballroom space, a restaurant and a cocktail lounge. It manages the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, which offers 257 rooms and suites, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness facility, and a business center. It manages the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington in Bloomington, Minnesota. It manages the Timber Ridge Lodge, an indoor/outdoor waterpark and condominium complex in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The Timber Ridge Lodge has meeting rooms totaling 3,640 square feet, a general store, a restaurant-cafe, a snack bar and lounge, a fitness center and an entertainment arcade. It manages the Platinum Hotel & Spa, a condominium hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada just off the Las Vegas Strip, and owns the hotel�� public space. The Platinum Hotel & Spa ! has 255 on! e and two-bedroom suites.

The Company competes with AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Hyatt Corporation, Marriott Corporation, Ramada Inns and Holiday Inns.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    The Marcus (NYSE: MCS) rose 6.92% to touch a new 52-week high of $15.60 on Q3 results. Marcus reported its quarterly earnings of $0.15 per share on revenue of $109.80 million.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Marcus (NYSE: MCS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    The Marcus Corp (NYSE: MCS) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $104.23 million.

    Actuant Corporation (NYSE: ATU) is estimated to report its Q1 earnings at $0.42 per share on revenue of $336.26 million.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Movie theater and hotel and resorts operator Marcus Corporation (MCS) raised its quarterly dividend 11.8% to 9.5 cents per share payable May 15 to shareholders of record April 23.
    MCS Dividend Yield: 2.20%

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Cardiome Pharma Corporation(CRME)

Cardiome Pharma Corp., a life sciences company, engages in developing proprietary drugs to treat or prevent cardiovascular and other diseases. The company offers BRINAVESS, a product approved for marketing in the European Union, Iceland, and Norway for the conversion of recent onset atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm in adults. It also has clinical programs, which focuses on the treatment of atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia (or abnormal rhythm) of the upper chambers of the heart. The company has a phase 1 program for GED-aPC, an engineered analog of recombinant human activated Protein C that completed phase I clinical trials for the treatment of infectious disease. In addition, Cardiome Pharma Corp. has pre-clinical projects that focus on cardiac diseases, ion channel conditions, and other indications. It also has a collaboration and license agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck), for the development and commercialization of vernakalant; and Astellas Pharma US, Inc. t o develop, make, and sell intravenous or injectable formulations of vernakalant in North America. The company was formerly known as Nortran Pharmaceuticals Inc. and changed its name to Cardiome Pharma Corp. in June 2001. Cardiome Pharma Corp. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

     

     

     

    One under-$10 biopharmaceutical player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Cardiome Pharma (CRME), which engages in the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies that enhance the health of patients. This stock has been on fire over the last three months, with shares up sharply by 43%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Cardiome Pharma, you'll notice that this stock has been trading range bound for the last month or so, with shares moving between $5.85 on the downside and $7.15 on the upside. Shares of CRME have now started to bounce higher off that big support level near $6 a share and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CRME if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $6.95 to its 52-week high at $7.15 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 123,602 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CRME will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $9 to $10 a share.

    Traders can look to buy CRME off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $6 or $5.85 or near its 50-day moving average of $5.63 a share. One can also buy CRME off strength once it starts to take out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    Back on March 13th I penned some less-than-well-received thoughts on Cardiome Pharma Corp. (NASDAQ:CRME). Basically, I was warning that CRME was just one stumble away from a fairly significant selloff. Given that so many traders were a fan of the biotech stock at the time, merely posing the possibility of a dip was something of a threat to my life and limb.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: Targacept Inc.(TRGT)

Targacept, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, design, and development of neuronal nicotinic receptors (NNR) therapeutics for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the nervous system. Its products include TC-5214, a nicotinic channel modulator, which is in Phase III clinical trials as an adjunct treatment for depressive disorder; and in Phase IIb clinical trial for switch monotherapy in patients with depressive disorder. The company?s small molecule products include TC-5619, which is under two separate Phase II clinical trials to treat negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, inattentive-predominant attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer?s disease; AZD3480, a product under Phase IIb clinical trials for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer?s disease; AZD1446 for treatment of Alzheimer?s disease; TC-6987 under Phase II clinical trials to treat asthma and type 2 diabetes; and TC-6499 for the treatm ent for gastrointestinal disorders. It has a collaborative research and license agreement with AstraZeneca AB for the development and commercialization of AZD3480, TC-5214, and TC-5619; and a product development and commercialization agreement with SmithKline Beecham Corporation and Glaxo Group Limited to discover, develop, and market product candidates that selectively target specified NNR subtypes in specified therapeutic focus areas. Targacept, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    Targacept Inc.(TRGT) �said it will drop a clinical-stage treatment for Alzheimer’s disease after seeing disappointing results in a midstage study. Shares fell 4.8% to $4.20 premarket.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: KKR Financial Holdings LLC (KFN)

KKR Financial Holdings LLC, incorporated on January 17, 2007, is a specialty finance company focused on a range of asset classes. The Company�� holdings primarily consist of below investment grade syndicated corporate loans, also known as leveraged loans, high yield debt securities, private equity, interests in joint ventures and partnerships, and working and royalty interests in oil and gas properties. It operates in three segments: Credit, Natural resources, and other. The Credit segment includes primarily below investment grade corporate debt comprised of senior secured and unsecured loans, mezzanine loans, private and public equity investments, high yield bonds, and distressed and stressed debt securities. The Natural Resources segment consists of non-operated working and overriding royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties. Natural Resources segment excludes private equity focused on the oil and gas sector. The Other segment includes all other portfolio holdings, including commercial real estate.

The Company�� majority of holdings consist of corporate loans and high yield debt securities held in collateralized loan obligation (CLO) transactions that are structured as on-balance sheet securitizations and are used as long term financing for its investments in corporate debt. The Company is externally managed and advised by KKR Financial Advisors LLC. The Company�� collateralized loan obligation (CLO) consist of seven CLO transactions, KKR Financial CLO 2005-1, Ltd. (CLO 2005-1), KKR Financial CLO 2005-2, Ltd. (CLO 2005-2), KKR Financial CLO 2006-1, Ltd. (CLO 2006-1), KKR Financial CLO 2007-1, Ltd. (CLO 2007-1), KKR Financial CLO 2007-A, Ltd. (CLO 2007-A), KKR Financial CLO 2011-1, Ltd. (CLO 2011-1) and KKR Financial CLO 2012-1, Ltd. (CLO 2012-1) (collectively the Cash Flow CLOs). The Company�� objective is to provide long-term value for its shareholders by generating an attractive total return through cash distributions and increased enterprise value.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    KKR(KKR) & Co. said it reached a deal to acquire KKR Financial Holdings LLC(KFN), bringing under its roof the separate, specialty-finance company managed by the private-equity firm that pursues debt investments and other bets. KKR, known for large debt-fueled corporate takeovers, signed an agreement to take over the sister firm in a $2.6 billion all-stock deal, the New York company said. Shares of KKR Financial jumped 28% to $12.12 in premarket trading.

  • [By Tim Melvin]

    At current prices, AINV yields 9.55% and would be a good fit for most income portfolios.

    KKR Financial Holdings (KFN)

    KKR Financial is a subsidiary of Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts (KKR) that invests in high-yield bonds, direct lending, equity investments, oil and gas royalty interests and commercial real estate. KFN also occasionally joins KKR in private equity deals. KKR Financial is structured as a publicly traded partnership and passes most of its income to shareholders.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading UP
    KKR Financial Holdings LLC (NYSE: KFN) shot up 28.47 percent to $12.14 after the company agreed to be acquired by KKR & Co (NYSE: KKR) for $2.6 billion.

10 Best Safest Stocks To Own For 2014: ING US Inc (VOYA)

ING U.S., Inc., incorporated on April 7, 1999, is a retirement, investment and insurance company serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States. The Company offers its products and services through a group of financial intermediaries, independent producers, affiliated advisors and dedicated sales specialists throughout the United States. The Company operates its principal businesses through three business lines: Retirement Solutions, Investment Management and Insurance Solutions. In addition, it also has closed Blocks and corporate reporting segments. Closed Blocks consists of three businesses where it has placed its portfolios in run-off-Closed Block Variable Annuity, Closed Block Institutional Spread Products and Closed Block Other. The Company�� corporate segment includes its corporate activities and corporate-level assets and financial obligations.

Retirement Solutions

The Company is a provider of retirement services and products in the United States. The Company provides a product range addressing both the accumulation and income distribution needs of customers, through a distribution footprint of nearly 2,500 affiliated representatives and thousands of non-affiliated agents and third party administrators (TPAs). The Company�� Retirement Solutions business consists of two financial segments: Retirement and Annuities.

Retirement provides tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement savings plans and administrative services to more than 49,000 plan sponsors covering approximately 5.3 million plan participants in corporate, education, healthcare and government markets. Retirement also provides rollover IRAs, and other retail financial products as well as comprehensive financial advisory services to individual customers. Annuities provide fixed and indexed annuities, tax-qualified mutual fund custodial products and payout annuities for pre-retirement wealth accumulation and post-retirement i! ncome management sold through multiple channels.

Investment Management

The Company is a service asset manager delivering client-oriented investment solutions and advisory services. The Company serves both individual and institutional customers, offering them domestic and international fixed income, equity, multi-asset and alternative investment products and solutions across a range of geographies, investment styles and capitalization spectrums.

Insurance Solutions

The Company is a provider of life insurance in the United States. The Company�� Insurance Solutions business consists of two financial segments: Individual Life and Employee Benefits. Individual Life provides wealth protection and transfer opportunities through universal, variable, and term products, distributed through independent channels to meet the needs of a range of customers from the middle-market through affluent market segments. Employee Benefits provides stop loss, group life, voluntary employee-paid and disability products to mid-sized and large businesses.

Closed Blocks

The Company separated its Closed Block Variable Annuity and Closed Block Institutional Spread Products segments from its other operations, placing them in run-off, and made a strategic decision to stop actively writing new retail variable annuity products with substantial guarantee features and to run-off the institutional spread products portfolio over time. The Company�� focus in managing its Closed Block Variable Annuity segment is on protecting regulatory reserves.

The Company competes with Fidelity, Vanguard, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, TIAA-CREF and Ameriprise.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jay Jenkins]

    In the video below, Motley Fool contributor Jay Jenkins highlights three banks that are ahead of the curve:�Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) , Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , and Capital One's (NYSE: COF  ) 360 product (originally developed by ING U.S. (NYSE: VOYA  ) ).

  • [By Mike Deane]

    On Friday, Dutch company ING Groep announced that it will be selling off shares in the American arm of its firm, ING US Inc (VOYA).

    VOYA went public in May of this year, and its Dutch parent company currently holds a stake in 71% of the company. ING US will rebrand as Voya Financial, according to the Associated Press. ING Groerp did not disclose the timing or size of the sale.

    VOYA shares were down 48 cents, or 1.62%, at market close on Monday. YTD the company’s stock is up over 44%.

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