I cringed at the headline: "Why decimalization is a bad idea." It's the second article I had seen in as many days apparently supporting a proposed new Congressional bill that I find incredibly stupid.
Of course, I'd also misread the headline. What it actually said was "Why�dedecimalization is a bad idea" [emphasis mine]. And it wasn't just the headline that Felix Salmon nailed, as he concluded in the post that "there's no way that small investors can possibly benefit from this."
Amen.
But let's backtrack for a moment. The "problem" this bill attempts to rectify is that there are many small public companies out there that don't have much Wall Street research coverage. The reason is that trading is so sparse and spreads -- that is, the difference between the bid and ask prices -- are so thin that there's little money for Wall Street firms to make trading the stocks and, thus, little reason to follow them closely. This situation was a result of "decimalization" -- the changeover from quoting stocks in fractions to decimals, which allowed bid/ask spreads to fall in many cases to just a penny.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: First Financial Northwest Inc.(FFNW)
First Financial Northwest, Inc. operates as the holding company for First Savings Bank Northwest that provides community-based savings bank services in Washington. Its deposit products include noninterest bearing accounts, NOW accounts, money market deposit accounts, statement savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises one-to-four family residential loans, multifamily loans, commercial real estate loans, construction/land development loans, and business loans, as well as consumer loans, including home equity loans, personal lines of credit, second mortgage loans, and savings account loans. First Financial Northwest, Inc., through another subsidiary, First Financial Diversified, Inc., offers escrow services. The company primarily serves customers in the King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties of Washington through a full-service banking office in Renton, Washington. First Financial Northwest, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is based in Renton, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jim Royal]
One of my favorite reasons to reinvest in stocks I already own is when an uncertain, but favorable catalyst occurs, but the stock does little. So my Special Situations portfolio is adding $1,000 to each of the following three stocks: Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB ) , Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI ) , and First Financial Northwest (NASDAQ: FFNW ) . Read on to see why.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Micron Technology Inc.(MU)
Micron Technology, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of semiconductor devices worldwide. Its products include dynamic random access memory (DRAM) products that provide data storage and retrieval, which include DDR2 and DDR3; and other specialty DRAM memory products, including DDR, SDRAM, DDR and DDR2 mobile low power DRAM, pseudo-static RAM, and reduced latency DRAM. The company also offers NAND flash memory products, which are electrically re-writeable and non-volatile semiconductor devices that retain content when power is turned off. In addition, it provides NOR flash memory products that are electrically re-writeable and non-volatile semiconductor memory devices; phase change memory products; and image sensor products. Micron Technology?s products are used in a range of electronic applications, including personal computers, workstations, network servers, mobile phones, flash memory cards, USB storage devices, digital still c ameras, MP3/4 players, and in automotive applications. It sells its products to original equipment manufacturers and retailers through internal sales force, independent sales representatives, and distributors, as well as through a Web-based customer direct sales channel. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Micron has more upside potential for a trade, but capital preservation has always been a priority in this column. Therefore, Micron can�� be recommended until more operational improvements have been made. Another factor is rising interest rates, which will eventually have an effect on the stock market. When this happens, Micron will be highly susceptible to broader market downside momentum.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Around the Web, We're Loving... Learn to Use Trading Platforms Like Hedge Fund Traders do Rumsfeld: Denial of Benefits to Fallen Soldiers' Families 'Inexcusable' Come See How the Pro's Trade in this Exclusive Webinar Facebook, Baidu Lead Big Caps Beating Shutdown What Should You Know About AMZN? Most Popular Short Sellers Pile On Facebook and Google (FB, GOOG, ZNGA) CORRECTION: Micron Falls After Confusion on Better-Than-Expected Q4 Results (MU) Jim Chanos Talks Long, Short And Ugly Trades Jefferies Reiterates Buy on Amarin Corporation on Continued Positive Outlook iPhone 5C Might Be 50% Less Popular Than Apple Anticipated A Sell Signal Worth Paying Attention To - [By Monica Gerson]
Analysts are expecting Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) to have earned $0.25 per share on revenue of $2.71 billion in the fourth quarter. Micron shares rose 1.10% to $18.35 in after-hours trading.
- [By Daniel Putnam]
Netflix (NFLX) is the only chart pictured, but Pandora (P), Micron Technology (MU) and TripAdvisor (TRIP) are all among this year�� big winners whose uptrends remain firmly intact.
Top Safest Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Wonder Auto Technology Inc.(WATG)
Wonder Auto Technology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of electrical parts, suspension products, and engine components. It offers starters, alternators, engine valves, and tappets in the People?s Republic of China, South Korea, and Brazil, as well as airbags and seatbelts in People?s Republic of China. The company?s products are primarily used in a range of passenger and commercial automobiles. It also manufactures and sells rectifier and regulator products for use in alternators; and various rods and shafts for use in shock absorbers, alternators, and starters. Its customers include automakers, engine manufacturers, and auto parts suppliers. Wonder Auto Technology, Inc. is headquartered in Jinzhou City, the People?s Republic of China.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: NET Servicos de Comunicacao S.A.(NETC)
Net Servicos de Comunicacao S.A., through its subsidiaries, provides cable television, Internet access, and voice services in Brazil. It offers cable television services under the ?NET? brand name through various cable networks located in the largest cities of Brazil. The company also offers broadband Internet access services under the ?NET VIRTUA? brand name by using Embratel's IP backbone infrastructure. In addition, it provides voice services under the ?NET FONE VIA EMBRATEL? brand name jointly with Embratel. Further, the company offers integrated video, broadband, and voice services. Net Servicos de Comunicacao S.A. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: IRIDEX Corporation(IRIX)
IRIDEX Corporation provides therapeutic based laser systems, delivery devices, and consumable instrumentation to treat eye diseases in ophthalmology, and skin conditions in dermatology in the United States and internationally. It offers various ophthalmic products, such as infrared photocoagulator consoles, visible (green) and visible (yellow) photocoagulator consoles, and multi-wavelength laser system configurations; and ophthalmic delivery devices comprising TruFocus laser indirect ophthalmoscopes, slit lamp adapters, operating microscope adapters, EndoProbes, G-Probes, and DioPexy Probes. The company offers its ophthalmic products to treat age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinal tears and detachments, retinopathy of prematurity, ocular tumors, and macular holes. It also offers aesthetics products, which include combination infrared/visible wavelength laser, visible (green), and infrared consoles. In addition, the company offers aestheti cs delivery devices, such as Dermastat Handpieces that are used as tracing instruments for the treatment of small cutaneous surface lesions; DioLite Handpieces, which are handheld instruments used in the treatment of vascular and pigmented skin lesions; VariLite Handpiece, a handheld instrument used in the treatment of vascular and pigmented cutaneous skin lesions, and small area hair reduction; and ScanLite scanner, a computer pattern generator for the treatment of larger-area vascular and pigmented skin lesions. IRIDEX Corporation sells its products to ophthalmologists specializing in retina, glaucoma, and pediatrics; dermatologists; plastic surgeons; research and teaching hospitals; government installations; surgical centers; and hospitals through direct sales force and distributors. The company was formerly known as IRIS Medical Instruments, Inc. and changed its name to IRIDEX Corporation in November 1995. IRIDEX Corporation was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Mo untain View, California.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: IRIS International Inc.(IRIS)
IRIS International, Inc. manufactures in vitro diagnostic (IVD) products for urinalysis and body fluids. The company?s IVD segment offers iQ analyzer, an automated urine microscopy and body fluids analyzer; iQ Body Fluids Module; Optional iWare Software; iChem VELOCITY and iRICELL, an automated urine chemistry analyzer; 3GEMS Urinalysis and Body Fluids; and 3GEMS Hematology, a blood count analyzer. This segment also provides consumables for microscopy systems, test strips, calibrators, controls, and urine chemistry analyzers. Its Sample Processing segment offers benchtop centrifuges, small instruments, and supplies used for applications in coagulation, cytology, hematology, urinalysis, and DNA processing. This segment provides Express centrifuge line for clinical diagnostic market; ThermoBrite, a DNA workstation for FISH procedures; Cytofuge 2, a centrifuge for layer cell preparation; Cytofuge 12, a 12 placement centrifuge used for thin layer cell preparation; IDEXX Drive and IDEXX whole blood separator for use in IDEXX chemistry analyzers; and OvaTube, an ova and parasite testing for veterinarian market. The company?s Personalized Medicine segment offers oncology and molecular diagnostics services. This segment?s products include Arista Molecular Tests for the diagnosis and prognostication of pathologic entities; Flow cytometry, a cell analysis platform; FISH for the detection of DNA on chromosomes; NADiA ProsVue used in prognostication of patients; NADiA HIV to monitor HIV viral load; and NADiA CECs for the detection of circulating epithelial cells. It serves medical institutions, commercial laboratories, clinics, doctors? offices, veterinary laboratories, and research facilities. IRIS International sells its products through a direct sales and service force in the United States, as well as through distributors internationally. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Chatsworth, California.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Trailer Bridge Inc.(TRBR)
Trailer Bridge, Inc., an integrated trucking and marine freight carrier, provides freight transportation services between the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. It provides services through southbound containers and trailers, as well as through marine vessels that are configured to carry 48 inch and 53 inch long, and 102 inch wide high-cube equipment. The company also involves in moving new and used automobiles, non-containerized or freight not in trailers, and freight moving in shipper owned or leased equipment. It offers highway transportation services in the continental United States; and marine transportation services between Jacksonville, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, and the Dominican Republic. The company also provides rail transportation services. In addition, it engages in chartering its vessels that are not in liner service to third party operators. The company ships furniture, consumer goods, raw materials for manufacturing, electronics, new and used automobiles, and apparel to Puerto Rico; healthcare products, pharmaceuticals, electronics, shoes and recyclables from Puerto Rico; raw materials for manufacturing to the Dominican Republic; and apparel, raw materials for manufacturing, and recyclables from the Dominican Republic. As of December 31, 2010, it operated a fleet of 141 tractors comprising of 79 company owned units and 62 leased and owner operator units; 2 736' triple-deck ro/ro ocean-going barges and 5 triplestack box carriers; and 3,957 high cube containers, 3,157 chassis, 164 high-cube trailers, and 299 vehicle transport modules, as well as leased 435 chassis and 531 high-cube containers. Trailer Bridge, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida.
Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Accelr8 Technology Corporation(AXK)
Accelr8 Technology Corporation focuses on the research and development, and commercialization of proprietary surface chemistry formulation and quantitative bio-analytical measurement instruments. The company is developing BACcel system, a rapid diagnostic platform for diagnosis in life-threatening bacterial infections. It also develops and licenses OptiChem surface coatings for use in microarraying components. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Denver, Colorado.
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