‘Tis the Season to Go Public – Outback, Burger King, Facebook IPOs

Some companies are having plans of using IPOs in order for them to go public. Insider Monkey share to us its posting about "‘Tis the Season to Go Public – Outback, Burger King, Facebook IPOs" for us to read on. Facebook, Burger King, Outback Steakhouse – what do these three iconic companies have in common? All three are planning IPOs and, in the case of Outback and Burger King, some of the top hedge funds in the world are involved.

Outback Steakhouse, which is owned by a company called Bloomin' Brands, filed its intention to go public on Friday, April 6. In the S-1 Registration Statement, the company listed a fund-raising goal of $300 million. Outback Steakhouse is only one of the restaurant chains Bloomin' Brands controls. Others include: Bonefish Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse. "Bloomin’ Brands said that it planned to use proceeds from the I.P.O. to pay off its $248.1 million in senior bonds, with any remaining balance to be used for general corporate purposes. The company reported $2.1 billion in total debt," according to the New York Times. "Bloomin’ Brands was once known as OSI Restaurant Partners, until its 2006 takeover by Bain Capital, Catterton Management and the company’s three founders for about $3.2 billion." The New York Times added that "they will retain their controlling stake even after the I.P.O." Bloomin' Brands IPO is to be underwritten by: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith; Morgan Stanley & Co, JP Morgan Securities; Deutsche Bank Securities; and, Goldman, Sachs & Co.

For more details about IPOs, please go to the site of Insider Monkey.

Hedge Funds’ 10 Favorite Apparel Stores

Just like any industry, hedge funds has its favorite apparel stores as well. Insider Monkey revealed " Hedge Funds’ 10 Favorite Apparel Stores". Apparel stores are often well-known consumer stocks. Yet despite their dependence on potentially fleeting consumer sentiment, a number of top investors believe that they can be good investments as well. Here are the 10 most popular apparel store stocks among hedge funds:

American Eagle (NYSE:AEO): American Eagle is not even in the top five apparel stores by market capitalization, but it is a hedge fund favorite with 41 hedge funds owning shares at the end of March. American Eagle achieved solid revenue and earnings growth in its first quarter (ending in April), and analyst estimates give it a forward P/E of 14. One fund with a large position in the stock was Chuck Royce’s Royce and Associates, which owned 13.1 million shares (see more stock picks from Royce & Associates). To know all the hedge funds' favorite apparels, you should check on Insider Monkey.

5 Energy Stocks for Long-Term Investors

There are energy stocks recommended for long term investors.  Insider Monkey made a posting stating "5 Energy Stocks for Long-Term Investors".With the markets focused on short-term questions regarding U.S. quarterly growth and developments in Europe, many investors are thinking several years out and looking for companies with the potential to make large gains. Here are five energy stocks that we think have either become detached from their fundamental long-term values- and should return to them over time- or have growth prospects that are not appreciated by the market:

BP Plc (NYSE:BP): Investor sentiment runs hard against a company still tarnished by the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico, but the effects of the incident have fallen short of the most pessimistic predictions and the company should not be dismissed offhand- after all, an investor who had bought into Exxon Mobil after the Exxon Valdez would be up 660% today, about twice the return of the S&P 500. And BP looks quite appealing to a value investor. Its trailing price-to-earnings multiple is 5.2, with forward multiples rising to 6.8; enterprise value is under four times trailing EBITDA. The stock also pays a 4.6% dividend yield; with interest rates where they are, investors may as well be getting a free bond along with their cheap stock. BP is a textbook value stock and leads the ten most popular energy stocks among hedge funds among stocks which are still traded in the market (El Paso’s acquisition has since been completed). You should visit Insider Monkey for the full article about energy stocks.

Hedge Funds Are Bullish About These Agriculture Plays

There are agriculture plays where in hedge funds are bullish about. Let us find out what are they.  Insider Monkey provides us an article on "Hedge Funds Are Bullish About These Agriculture Plays".

Severe drought and record heat is wreaking havoc on the mid-west food harvest. Lower farm yields and dwindling inventories have resulted in a 50% surge in corn prices over the past month with little relief in sight. But record food prices have created a boom for agricultural chemical companies. The sector is up 13% in the last month with traders are betting that higher food prices will boost demand for fertilizers.

The rally in the agricultural space has attracted the attention of institutional investors. Here are the top 4 fertilizer plays hedge funds are betting on: You should visit Insider Monkey for the full list of the agriculture plays investors are betting on.

13 Underperforming Stocks Targeted by Short Sellers

Short sellers have been targeting those underperforming stocks. Some of these stocks are written on a post.  Insider Monkey made a post of the "13 Underperforming Stocks Targeted by Short Sellers".Contrarian investing is a strategy that a number of managers agree should produce superior returns. By buying stocks that trade at low valuations, and avoiding stocks that have been bid up by the market, investors generally have less room to lose money but can stand to gain substantially if the market’s judgment of low-valued companies changes. Unfortunately, contrarian investing is psychologically difficult. Investors often must look at a stock chart that shows a 60% decline, or even higher, and ignore any pattern recognition skills which tell them that the price is going to decrease further. Much of the discussion of the stock may come from short sellers, who have earned high returns from the stock’s decline and have seen their investment thesis justified.

Using Fidelity’s market data, we conducted a screen for these bold contrarian picks. Each stock has at least a $2 billion market cap, a short interest of at least 5%, and a stock performance on a trailing 52 week basis that is in the 20th percentile of the market or lower. For the complete list of the stocks targeted by short sellers, you need to visit on Insider Monkey.

Apple Inc is One of 9 Cheap Stocks Taking Off Right Now

One of the cheap stocks that's taking off right now is Apple Inc. For the full details,  Insider Monkey has a blog with regards to "Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is One of 9 Cheap Stocks Taking Off Right Now".

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the cheap stocks that are taking off right now. One of the most tempting ways to pick stocks is to look for high momentum. Has the stock been going up recently? If so, then the fundamental or technical factors behind that increase in price might continue in the future, driving it up further. Of course, sometimes stock prices rise because of unusual factors- one particularly good quarter, a flurry of media attention, and so on. One criterion that can be imposed on momentum stocks to get a set of better buys is the trailing P/E ratio, which makes for a good value metric. This way investors know that the rise in the stock price will likely continue if the company can grow its earnings, since it is well priced compared to its historical earnings. And by using trailing earnings, rather than forward earnings estimates, investors can know that any hype which may be infecting the stock price is also not being caught in the value metric being used.

To know more about Apple Inc, you should visit on Insider Monkey.

5 Stocks from Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust

Jim Cramer's charitable trust has it top 5 stocks and i am sure that you are excited to know them. Insider Monkey created  "5 Stocks from Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust".

CNBC anchor and former hedge fund manager Jim Cramer has a large following because of his past success as an investor and for his media personality. Cramer’s charitable trust occasionally reports its stock positions, which includes a mix of value, growth, and income investments. We have gone through the most recent data on the trust’s holdings and here are five stocks it owns with trailing P/E multiples over 20 (implying that Cramer believes these stocks will achieve strong growth in order to justify the stock price):


Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ:BRCM) trades a 27 times trailing earnings, but sell-side analysts believe that the $21 billion market cap communications technology company will do well over the next several years. Based on their consensus estimates, the forward P/E is 12 and the five-year PEG ratio is 0.9. As such, Broadcom is a classic growth stock: expensive on the basis of its current performance but potentially cheap when considering what its results will be in the future. Broadcom did grow its revenue 10% last quarter compared to a year earlier, though its earnings were actually down.  However, Cramer seems to be on board with the sell-side in expecting strong performance. To see the full list of Jim Cramer's charitable trust's top stock, please visit Insider Monkey.

Buyers Beware: The Dow’s 3 Biggest Losers

According to the Dow, there are stocks that are considered to be the biggest losers. With this, Insider Monkey has a blog about "Buyers Beware: The Dow’s 3 Biggest Losers".

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was one of the modern world’s first market indicators. Today the price-weighted index is comprised of 30 large publicly-owned companies based in the United States. Year-to-date the blue chip index has returned 11.02% to shareholders, while the S&P500 has returned 16.03% and the NASDAQ has returned 21.98%. Since 1900, the average annual return for the Dow was 9.4%, 4.8% in price appreciation and 4.6% in dividends. The past 25 years the Dow returns have averaged 10.5% annually, 7.7% price appreciation and 2.7% in dividends. Moving in to the third quarter of 2012, the Dow has beaten both the 100+ year average returns and the 25 year average. This article will examine the bottom three performers on the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

To see the Dow's biggest losers, you need to go to the site of Insider Monkey.

5 Dividend Monsters Hedge Funds Are Bullish About

Wanna know what are the dividend monsters hedge funds are bullish about? Good thing you are here in this blog. Insider Monkey made a blogging about "5 Dividend Monsters Hedge Funds Are Bullish About". In the current economic environment, many hedge funds are looking for returns amongst high dividend yielding stocks. While some funds might be looking for low-to-medium dividends of small and mid-cap companies, we have identified some monster dividends being paid by large stable companies that have attracted the attention of managers such as Jim Simons, Ken Griffin and Howard Marks.

The five large-cap companies that we have seen hedge funds take an interest in not only trade with a monster dividend yield, but have low multiples with respect to the market and also boast robust free cash flow. Although a large weighting of these five stocks are toward the tobacco industry, we believe there is great value in this segment of the economy. You need to visit on Insider Monkey for more details about monsters hedge funds.

5 High-Growth High Dividend Stocks

Do you know what are the high-growth high dividend stocks?   Insider Monkey shows us the "5 High-Growth High Dividend Stocks" for you to fully understand them. At a time when many investors are seeking yield, much solace has been found in utilities, but one issue with this sector is its limited upside. Growth for these companies is generally low and investors rely on the stable dividend for return. We have identified five companies who pay a high dividend yield – greater than 3% - and have tremendous long-term growth potential, i.e. with a 5-year expected growth rate of 15% or more. These stocks are double whammies, offering relatively high income when treasuries are at historical lows, and the potential for serious price appreciation. We also believe these stocks can afford to continue to pay their dividends for the foreseeable future, as their payout ratios are below 100%.

The first stock on our list is Enterprise Product Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD). Enterprise has a payout ratio of 92%, the highest of our five stocks, and a 16% expected growth rate. Enterprise has had consistent earnings beats over the past four quarters, beating by 10% in 2Q and 26% in 1Q. Analysts expect earnings to grow by 6% next year. Enterprise trades at a trailing P/E of 20 and a forward P/E of 21. With a yield of 4.7%, the company pays a dividend that puts it at an advantage to its peers. Enbridge Inc. and Kinder Morgan pay 2.9% and 3.9% dividend yields, respectively. You can just visit Insider Monkey for the full post regarding high dividend stocks.

The Terrible 20: Underperforming Stocks with High Short Interest

A post was released about the terrible 20 underperforming stocks with high short interest. If you are interested, then, you have to read on "The Terrible 20: Underperforming Stocks with High Short Interest" created by Insider Monkey. The list of the stocks with a high level of short interest is filled with many names investors should expect, while others may come as a surprise. The twenty stocks below have attracted a strong short presence, as measured by the amount of shares shorted as a percentage of float. As well, all of these companies are down at least 5% over the last three months. While some of these companies have fundamentally flawed business models or operations, others are still facing pressure from an anticipated key event that may or may not come.
You need to visit Insider Monkey to see the full listing of the stocks with short interests.

5 Stocks to Watch After China’s Manufacturing Miss

When China Manufacturing missed, there are some stocks that needs to watch on. Please see Insider Monkey's  " 5 Stocks to Watch After China’s Manufacturing Miss" first before making up your mind. Earlier today, China's official survey of factory managers revealed a seventh straight quarter of contraction, and estimates put the country's annual economic growth easing to 7.4% in 3Q, before picking up to 7.6% in the final three months. September PMI remained near August 2012 levels, which was the lowest reading since November 2011, with demand remaining weak for refined metals, steel and other building materials.

We have identified five companies that investors should pay attention to when considering their exposure to China. These companies all have large amounts of revenue from the country or are in industries that China has a heavy hand in—including industrial building, mining or resource industries—those where the Chinese government continues to expect slowing demand. You should see Insider Monkey for more details about China's manufacturing.

Top Dividend Stocks Among International Dividend Achievers

International Dividend Achievers has their  top stock dividend stock.  Insider Monkey made an article about " Top Dividend Stocks Among International Dividend Achievers" . You should read about it.

International dividend-paying stocks often pay higher dividend yields than U.S.-domiciled companies. The PowerShares International Dividend Achievers™ Portfolio (Fund) (PID) is an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that pools stocks of international dividend-paying companies that have raised dividends for at least five consecutive years. The fund is based on the Mergent’s International Dividend Achievers™ Index (Index), which consists of 65 companies trading as American Depository Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts, and non-U.S. common or ordinary stocks.

The fund has a dividend yield of 3.5%. Its dividends have increased at an average rate of 12.2% per year over the past five years, while its EPS growth averaged 4.4% over the same period. A little more than a fifth of the fund’s value is concentrated in the equities of utility companies. Most fund and index constituents may be viewed as good income investments. Here is a closer look at five major constituents of the noted fund and index that could be considered for dividend portfolios. To know more about International Dividend Achievers, please visit the site of Insider Monkey.

5 Dirt Cheap Dividend Stocks Hinged on a Global Recovery

The dirt  cheap dividend stocks are already revealed. If you wish to know them, Insider Monkey made a listing of "3 Stocks to Avoid After Caterpillar Lowers its Outlook". Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), the world’s largest producer of heavy equipment, showed showed strong growth last quarter, posting EPS that was up almost 50% from the prior quarter. Company sales were driven by new equipment purchases in both North America and Asia, with sales up 9% and 8% quarter over quarter, respectively. The company’s stock was up as high as 2% on the news, but our question is how should you trade the other major infrastructure-related companies based on CAT’s revised outlook.

CAT lowed its sales guidance to $66 billion, from $68-$70 billion, citing continued weak global economic conditions. CAT believes that the world economy will only grow by 2.5% in 2012, which would be the weakest growth since 2009. The company also expects the first half of 2013 to be weaker than the second half of the year. For the full details about Caterpillar, please visit the site of Insider Monkey.

5 Solid Dividend Plays in the Insurance Industry

In insurance industry, there are 5 solid dividend plays.Insider Monkey made a posting about " 5 Solid Dividend Plays in the Insurance Industry". Dividends can be very attractive in a low rate environment, such as the one we currently find ourselves in, where the Fed has vowed to keep target rates low through mid-2015. Worth noting is that dividend stocks are not without risks, however we look to limit risk by ensuring the companies can afford to pay dividends throughout an extended economic contraction.

Most of the money insurance companies make do not come from premiums, rather from interest paid on the premiums. Insurance companies sell policies at what they expect to pay out in the future, and then invest the premiums. As a result, although insurance companies can be strained in low-rate, tough economic times, insurance companies have the potential to see stock appreciation as sentiment improves, as well as paying out solid dividends. You should visit on Insider Monkey, for more info on the solid dividend plays. 

5 Dividend Stocks for the Next 5 Years

According to reports, there are dividend stocks still to survive for the next five years.  Insider Monkey made "5 Dividend Stocks for the Next 5 Years" for us to have a knowledge about it. In the eight decades prior to 2010, dividends accounted for a whopping 44 percent of the total return of the stock market. When investors are able to spot an undervalued stock that pays a consistent dividend, that is “double whammy” in the investing world. First, depression of value implies that there is possibility for capital appreciation of the shares—the share price could rise. Second, as the price of an asset that pays a dividend goes down, the dividend yield of that asset goes up. This is quite like how bond yields move opposite their price.


This article pulls together some dividend gems from the bargain bin by considering dividend yield, classic valuation metrics, and the company's capacity to sustain dividend payouts. In a time when the market is trading at its richest valuation in three years, we are in both a stock picker's and a dividend-lover's paradise. For more information about dividend stocks, please see the website of Insider Monkey.

5 Well-Priced Stocks with Growing Dividends

Did you know that there are well-priced stocks and these stocks are said to be having growing dividends? For you to find out what are those, Insider Monkey has a write-up about "5 Well-Priced Stocks with Growing Dividends".

Dividends can be very attractive in a low rate environment, such as the one we currently find ourselves in, where the Fed has vowed to keep target rates low through mid-2015. Worth noting is that dividend stocks are not without risks, however we look to limit risk by ensuring the companies can afford to pay dividends throughout an extended economic contraction.

We have identified five such stocks that pay a dividend yield over 4%. In addition to solid dividends, all of these companies have dividends that have grown 5% annually over the last five-years. These companies also appear to be cheap on a valuation basis, all trading with a PEG ratio less than 2.0. You may check the website of Insider Monkey to know all the well-priced stocks with growing dividends.

5 Stocks That Killed Hedge Funds Last Week

There are 5 stocks that killed hedge funds. That is according to the posting that I read last November (a bit old but worth reading). Insider Monkey made a posting with regards to the "5 Stocks That Killed Hedge Funds Last Week" (take note of the date).

We have identified five stocks that had absolutely horrible days last week. Assuming the funds we track have not changed their holdings since the end of June, there were key funds that lost big money on these price drops. The first company on our list is HMS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:HMSY).

The company was down over 23% on Friday, October 26th—around $6.30—after missing quarterly estimates and offering lower guidance. There were a number of insiders who were able to cash out before the huge decline. Even though the company trades at 45x it did just sign its largest contract in history and trades at "just" 30x forward earnings. The company provides services for ensuring healthcare claims are paid correctly, and is expected to grow five-year EPS at over 25% annually. As a result, we believe that this pullback could be a buying opportunity. Please go to the site of Insider Monkey to see the stocks that killed hedge funds.

3 Commodity ETFs To Be Thankful For This Year

Did you know that there are commodity ETFs that we need to thank for this year? Insider Monkey wants us to know about them that is why " 3 Commodity ETFs To Be Thankful For This Year" is created for us to read on.

 As is perhaps always the case, commodity markets have had quite an action-packed year thus far. Landmark events, such as President Obama’s re-election and this summer’s massive drought brought on by record-breaking temperatures have propelled many commodities into some volatile swings, rewarding those lucky investors while burning many others. But on this Thanksgiving Day, it is perhaps more appropriate for us to reflect on those commodities we’re particularly grateful for. Below, we highlight three commodity ETFs that have delivered stellar performances thus far in 2012 (YTD returns as of November 20, 2012) [for more commodity ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter]. Fore more info about commodity ETFs, you can just visit on Insider Monkey.

4 Silver Miners That Pay a Dividend

There are silver miners that actually pay a dividend. Do you want to know them?  Insider Monkey tells us the "4 Silver Miners That Pay a Dividend". With interest rates stuck at all-time lows, and expected to remain there for the foreseeable future, investors are looking to commodities in hopes of evading the devaluation of the U.S. dollar. On the flip side, recent moves by the Fed and European Central Bank to “beef up” their respective stimulus efforts have many investors thinking about future inflation. Precious metals have long been the go-to asset class for investors looking to fortify their portfolio against inflation; however, investing in the companies that mine for these resources is also a viable strategy [for more precious metals news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].


For those looking at an alternative, or complement to their gold holdings, below we outline four silver miners that currently pay a dividend – providing some yield during low interest rate times, and providing a hedge against if it inflation hits. Go to the site of Insider Monkey to see all the silver miners that pay a dividend.

10 Small-Cap Stocks With Aggressive Buyback Plans

Some companies really have aggressive buyback plans. Actually, some of the small-cap stocks have plans like this. Insider Monkey made an article regarding "10 Small-Cap Stocks With Aggressive Buyback Plans".

If every era of investing can be characterized by a few select themes, then the current one can surely be noted by a stunning rise in corporate cash balances. Many companies have spent the past few years in cash-generating mode, yet they have seen few opportunities to invest that cash into acquisitions or stepped-up capital spending. As a result, with ever-rising cash balances, many of these firms are looking to re-acquire their own company stock.

Earlier this month, I profiled 10 mid-cap and large-cap companies that had recently announced plans for major stock buybacks. You should visit Insider Monkey for the complete listing of the small-cap stocks with aggressive plans.

3 Metals Outshining Gold

We all know that gold is a precious kind of metal and yet, there are still metals that outshines gold. Insider Monkey revealed "3 Metals Outshining Gold". As is typical for the commodity world, all eyes have been fixated on gold in recent months. The precious metal has been under a microscope since the announcement of QE3 and the impending fiscal cliff. Some have called for gold to surge to new historical highs, while others are not quite so sure. But one thing is certain, gold is getting handsomely outperformed by all three of its precious metal counterparts in recent weeks, as the safe haven metal has failed to keep pace as of late [for more precious metals news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

All in all, gold has had a strong 2012, up more than 11%, but its performance in recent weeks has been overshadowed by silver, palladium and platinum. In the trailing four-week period, gold has gained just 2%, as its price has kicked back and forth depending on what news of the fiscal cliff and euro debt woes came about. The other three white metals have been able to turn in much stronger performances. Platinum has jumped by more than 4.3% while silver has tacked on a healthy 6.3% in the trailing four weeks. Palladium, however, has taken a commanding lead by jumping nearly than 11.7% over the same time period. Go to Insider Monkey for the full post about the metals outshining gold.

10 Auto Stocks Loved by Hedge Funds

There are auto stocks that are said to caught the eye of hedge funds. Perhaps, they are the apple of the eyes of hedge funds? let's see.  Insider Monkey made an reading about "10 Auto Stocks Loved by Hedge Funds" for us to read on and gain something about hedge funds.

After identifying the most popular stocks among hedge funds (see our top 10 here) according to their third quarter 13F filings, we have decided to break down the top ten stocks that hedge funds love in the auto industry. Rising prosperity in various emerging countries, including China, looks set to boost overall auto demand in the coming years. Also fueling growth is the pent up demand due to a high average vehicle age, currently around 11 years old. Our list includes the hundreds of hedge funds and prominent investors that are required by the SEC to disclose their public equity holdings quarterly. In descending order, we have outlined the most-loved automakers based on the aggregate number of funds owning each.


Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE:HMC) had nine filers owning the stock, putting it tied for ninth. This Japanese automaker, along with its peer Toyota, is still finding traction following the Japanese earthquake that decimated production levels and put domestic demand in the gutter. Honda pays a 2.5% dividend yield, well above Toyota’s 1.75% yield. Please go to Insider Monkey for the full article on the auto stocks loved by hedge funds.

10 MLPs with Impressive Dividend Yields

MLPs is one of those investment opportunities and it is true that there ate impressive dividend yields in MLPs.  Insider Monkey made a write ups about "10 MLPs with Impressive Dividend Yields" for us to be fully knowledgeable about them.

In the current economic climate investors have sought any and all potential investment opportunities to see attractive yields and returns. One such asset class includes Master Limited Partnerships, otherwise known as MLPs, which have been provided attractive dividend yields throughout the years [for more MLP news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

MLPs generally generate cash flow by transporting, storing, and producing energy commodities such as petroleum and natural gas products throughout the United States. However, these institutions are not as vulnerable to the ups and downs in oil and other commodity prices that many usually suspect. Rather, these companies generate their revenues through fee-based operations that are generally not affected by the fluctuation of commodity prices. You can visit Insider Monkey for the full post about MLPs with impressive dividends yields.

10 Ways to Invest in Fracking

If you are really interested in fracking and you want to invest, then you should know first the ways on how to invest on it.  Insider Monkey provides us a blog about the "10 Ways to Invest in Fracking".

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has become tremendously popular in the United States and Canada over the past couple of years. By pumping pressurized fluid into a wellbore  the process enables companies to extract previously inaccessible hydrocarbons. The result has been a natural gas bonanza in many parts of the U.S., particularly in shale regions like the Barnett Shale Basin in Texas and the Bakken Formation in North Dakota, as well as in parts of Canada [for more fracking news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].

Below, we outline 10 ways to invest in fracking technology to help prepare your portfolio for what many feel is the next big thing in the energy world. For the complete article about the ways on how to invest in fracking, you need to go to the site of Insider Monkey.

6 Stocks on Winning Streaks Short Sellers Don’t Believe In

For your information, there are stocks on winning streaks in which short sellers don't believe in. Well,I guess you might be one of them. Insider Monkey shares us its posting about "6 Stocks on Winning Streaks Short Sellers Don’t Believe In ". Short sellers make money when share price drops. To do this they borrow stock, sell the stock in the market, and then buy the shares back at a later date, and return it to the lender. If price goes down between selling the stocks and buying it back, short sellers keep the difference.

Analysts track how many shares are being “shorted” in the market, and use that data to gauge sentiment. If shares shorted are increasing, short sellers are signaling they believe the shares are likely to drop. If shares shorted decrease, it means short sellers think shares will likely increase (great for average investors, bad for short sellers). Please go to the website of Insider Monkey for more details about stocks on winning streaks.

Billionaires Love These Heavily Shorted Stocks

There are heavily shorted stocks that billionaires really love. Actually, you cannot blame them for having the chance of earning a lot. Insider Monkey presents the "Billionaires Love These Heavily Shorted Stocks". We have identified five stocks that have at least 30% of their outstanding shares shorted, but are also loved by billionaires. The first is J.C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE:JCP), which had 24 notable hedge funds - 13F filers - owning the stock as of 3Q, but still has 33% of its outstanding shares shorted. Sales for Penney are expected to be down in FY2013 on the back of reduced traffic and the absence of coupons.

The retailer also expects to see restructuring charges of $1.19 per share in FY2013, with an expected loss per share of $0.85. Penney still trades well below its peers on a P/S basis at 0.3x, versus Kohl's at 0.5x and Macy's at 0.6x. This discount is for good reason, though, as analysts do not expect the business to show signs of recovery until FY2014.

Who is Insuring the Insurers?

Insurance companies have been there for a long time. So, who is really insuring the insurers? Insider Monkey has a complete post about "Who is Insuring the Insurers?" With the memory of Hurricane Sandy still fresh for many of those affected by last October’s tropical storm, insurance claims continue to roll in for those seeking reprieve for damages. While a largely negative event for insurance companies, most do not assume all of these risks and are able to pass on a significant amount to a secondary sector, known as the reinsurance industry. Reinsurers exist to help spread risk over multiple parties and thus better absorb the financial setbacks of unforeseen events. One of the most preeminent reinsurance players is Warren Buffet, and his interests have swelled into the billions of dollars, primarily through his Berkshire Hathaway holdings that include GEICO and General Re.

The types of reinsurance vary across providers and depend heavily on the primary insurers they service. The size of liabilities, unforeseen events (i.e. weather-related), and solvency issues can create varying risk profiles and potential dips for buy-and-hold investors. However, buying opportunities exist in this sector, whose price-to book ratios have typically been seen above 1.00. We have compiled a list of five reinsurers that compete in the same spaces and have similar market capitalizations of $4-6 billion. Go to Insider Monkey for the full article about this insurers.

Gold: Time to Dump or Time to Buy?

Are you still thinking if you will dump or buy a gold? To help you out, Insider Monkey made a posting about "Gold: Time to Dump or Time to Buy?". The meteoric rise of gold following the 2008 market collapse had many investors and hedge funds managers clamoring to beef up their holdings.  More than four years later, however, the spot light on the precious metal has died in lieu of a recovery across many of the indexes.  Have managers given up on gold, or do they see these calmer times as reasons to hold on, or possibly accumulate more?

Kyle Bass, founder of Dallas-based Hayman Advisors, urged fund managers in early December 2012 to not sell their gold holdings, reminding investors that government deficits across many developed economies such as the U.S. are still significant (see Hayman’s current holdings here).  Those who do not want to stray too far from their equity accounts can seek out gold ETFs or ETNs, which are exchange-traded funds and exchange-traded notes, respectively.  The latter is more of a newcomer in the capital markets but offers the same ease of access and liquidity benefits of ETFs.  Whereas an ETF gives an investor exposure to the direct underlying asset, an ETN represents a debt offering by a bank or financial institution that more or less tracks the benchmark it comprises (gold in this case).  Please see Insider Monkey for more info about gold.

The US’s 10 Most Liberal States

Just so you know, United States of America has revealed its most liberal states. Do you want to know what are they? Insider Monkey created "The US’s 10 Most Liberal States". Last month, Gallup Polling conducted a new research study to determine the most liberal states in the US. According to the research, which took place during the full year of 2012, American citizens have shifted to the left more than they've been in the past. In several states, the percentage of "self-identified liberals" is particularly noteworthy.

Make a visit on the Insider Monkey's site for the complete list of the most liberal states in the US.

8 Tax Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make

In paying your tax, you must remember that there are tax mistakes that you can't afford to do.  Insider Monkey created "8 Tax Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make" to serve as a reminder for everybody.
As the April 15 tax-filing deadline approaches, you're running out of time to get your taxes done. But smart tax planning doesn't start in April. To truly get on top of your taxes, you need to always be thinking ahead. As you prepare your 2012 return, don't forget about changes you can do right now to make your 2013 tax situation a lot better. You should visit Insider Monkey's site for more reminder about the tax mistakes to avoid.

Top 10 “Happiest” States in America

The happiest states in America are finally revealed. When we say happiest, we mean people with good health and wealth.  Insider Monkey wrote a posting about "Top 10 “Happiest” States in America". Gallup polling revealed in February which U.S states rank the highest according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. The survey was conducted daily since January to December 2012 and involved about 350,000 Americans nationwide, Gallup said. The Index measures about 50 well-being items including health, work satisfaction, life evaluation, and others. The items are measured on a scale from 0 to 100, the last representing ideal well-being.

In 2012, there were few changes compared to the previous year in the states with the highest and lowest levels of well-being, Gallup said in a statement on its website.  The overall index of well-being for the nation has not shown any consistent year-on-year changes, picking up 0.5 points on the year, to 66.7. States with the highest well-being were located mainly in the Western, Midwestern and New England regions, while southern regions comprises the most of the states from the down of the list, a pattern that has not changed over the last five years. To see the whole article about the happiest states in America, you should go to Insider Monkey's website.