6 Stocks Getting a Boost From Uncle Sam
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Defense contractors continue to prosper with increased government spending on defense.
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These top-rated stocks do best in the month of February.
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Major indexes rose today as investors were assuaged by solid earnings results from blue-chip names.
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The index of leading US economic indicators rose in November for the first time in six months, buoyed by higher stock prices. The 0.2 percent increase was too small to dispel concerns that the expansion will cool next year.
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U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as Home Depot Inc.'s  plan for a $22.5 billion share buyback underscored optimism about equity valuations, along with the growing allure of large-cap stocks, including General Electric Co. .
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(InfoWorld) - With the first six months of the year gone, IT companies are riding high in the markets, and mergers and acquisitions have helped stoke investor interest in technology. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 7.8 percent in the first half. The day before the U.S. Independence Day holiday on July 4, the Nasdaq rose 12.65 points to close at 2644.95, a six-and-a-half year high. Most analyst firms are still predicting modest overall global IT spending growth of about 6.5 percent above last year. But strong corporate earnings, better-than-expected growth in certain sectors, and M&A activity are contributing to a sense of exuberance, especially in certain sectors. Both Gartner and IDC have recently raised predictions, for example, for PC shipment growth this year. Now comes news that M&A deals continue to experience a torrid pace. For the first six months of the year, 1,930 deals worth about $347 billion were reported, according to The 451 Group. While the number of deals declined slightly from last year, the dollar value skyrocketed about 50 percent from last year, according to a 451 Group report. About half the deals involved acquisitions by public companies, and half involved private equity companies. Also, the pace of M&A is accelerating, according to the report. After $95 billion in M&A deals in the first quarter, second-quarter M&A spending jumped to $252 billion. IT is getting a lion's share of M&A dollars. For example, in the first six months of the year, IT services deals amounted to about $94.7 billion, while software deals excluding storage and security companies amounted to $27.6 billion, according to 451 Group. These days, M&A activity is being seen as a healthy sign. That was not always the case. "PE (private equity) used to buy broken companies," noted 451 Group financial analyst Brenon Daly. But now there are various reasons why IT services and software companies are targets, he noted. "It's not a great time to be a public company," Daly said. For example, there is a lot of scrutiny on companies being brought to bear by Sarbanes-Oxley rules, he noted. Thus, there are a lot of willing buyout targets, especially among smaller companies, he said. IT services companies are popular targets because once the difficult sales cycle is accomplished, long-term contracts lock in revenue for a foreseeable period, Daly said. Software companies in mature markets may see new license revenue slowing down but have a solid business in maintenance revenue. Though 451 does not track telecommunications deals specifically (telecom M&A is included in its total tally, however), recent telecom deals have also excited the market. For example, AT&T's announcement FridayÂ it would buy carrier Dobson CommunicationsÂ for about $2.8 billion helped lift the Nasdaq to its high level earlier this week. M&A deals help boost IT investor interest in several ways, noted Daly. First of all, as companies are bought and taken off the market as targets, there are fewer companies to invest in, even as a liberal lending regime continues to stoke opportunity and interest. Also, M&A sparks a continual guessing game of Who's Next? Excited investors essentially place bets on companies they think will be the next to be snapped up. It's not all smoke and mirrors, though. Several quarters of healthy corporate earnings have given a solid underpinning to investor interest in tech. The earnings-report season is getting underway in the next few weeks, and industry watchers will get a sense of how the next six months will play out.
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Multiple bids could drive the company's stock even higher.
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A six-step plan to identifying great growth stocks -- and riding their success.
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The S&P 500 stock index touched a six-year high on Thursday as higher-than-expected earnings from investment bank Bear Stearns Co. Inc. , retailer Costco Wholesale Corp.  and other companies improved the outlook for steady profit growth.
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Here are a few companies primed for growth.
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The S. & P.âs 500-stock index approached a six-year high as retailers rallied on the first sales increase since July.
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Preferred stock funds offer great dividends.
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U.S. stocks rallied on Monday, with the S&P 500 index reaching a six-year high and the Nasdaq jumping more than 1 percent as lower oil prices and a wave of takeover deals boosted optimism about the economic outlook and corporate valuations.
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You'll get more bang for your bucks by giving stock. Here's why.
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Stocks rose on Wednesday as Home Depot Inc.'s  plan for a $22.5 billion share buyback underscored optimism about equity valuations, along with the growing allure of large-cap stocks, including General Electric Co. .
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Somebody's been hitting the 57, because this stock is moving.
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FDA clearance sends stock skyrocketing.