The results are in and Consumer Reports has named�America's top appliance retailer. (Hint: It's Abt Electronics). But the winner's identity isn't the only thing coming out this month. In the course of describing what makes a retailer good or bad, CR also managed to "out" one of the biggest scams in retail: the extended warranty.
According to CR, you see, the level of a retailer's customer "service heavily influenced how satisfied subscribers were with major-appliance stores overall." Companies like Abt, which earned top marks for service, tended to perform well in the rankings. In contrast, companies that seemed more interested in milking their customers for every penny they were worth fared less well.
CR singled out one retailer in particular, P.C. Richard & Son, for opprobrium for being "among the pushiest" when pressuring customers to buy extended warranties. Not coincidentally, the company ranked dead last in the field of nine retailers ranked. Indianapolis-based hhgregg (NYSE: HGG ) and Abt neighbor Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD ) , which ranked Nos. 6 & 7, respectively, were also said to be "more likely than other retailers to push added coverage."
Best Penny Companies To Own In Right Now: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)
Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI ) hit a fresh five-year high today.
That isn't really much of a surprise. Sirius XM pleased investors earlier this week by announcing that it wrapped up the second quarter with 715,000 net new subscribers. There are now more than 25 million subscribers for the satellite radio service.
Best Penny Companies To Own In Right Now: America First Tax Exempt Investors L.P.(ATAX)
America First Tax Exempt Investors, L.P. engages in acquiring, holding, selling, and dealing with a portfolio of federally tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. As of March 31, 2011, it held 20 tax-exempt mortgage bonds secured by 20 multifamily apartment properties containing a total of 3,606 rental units. America First Capital Associates Limited Partnership Two serves as the general partner of the company. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Omaha, Nebraska.
Best Bank Stocks To Own Right Now: Edac Technologies Corporation(EDAC)
EDAC Technologies Corporation provides design, manufacturing, and other services to the aerospace and industrial markets. The company produces low pressure turbine cases, hubs, rings, disks, and other complex and close tolerance components for various aircraft engine and ground turbine manufacturers. It also offers rotating components, such as disks, rings, and shafts; provides precision assembly services, including the assembly of jet engine sync rings, aircraft welding and riveting, post-assembly machining, and sutton barrel finishing; and engages in precision machining for the maintenance and repair of components in the aircraft engine industry. In addition, the company designs and manufactures fixtures, precision gauges, close tolerance plastic injection molds, and precision component molds for composite parts and specialized machinery. Further, it designs, manufactures, and repairs various types of precision grinders, as well as precision rolling element bearing spind les, including hydrostatic and other precision rotary devices for machine tool manufacturers, special machine tool builders and integrators, industrial end-users, and powertrain machinery manufacturers and end-users in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. The company serves a range of industries in areas, such as special tooling, equipment and gauges, and components used in the manufacture, assembly, and inspection of jet engines. EDAC Technologies Corporation was founded in 1946 and is based in Farmington, Connecticut.
Best Penny Companies To Own In Right Now: Universal Travel Group(UTA)
Universal Travel Group, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a travel service provider offering air ticketing and hotel booking services, as well as domestic and international packaged tourism services via the Internet, customer representatives, and kiosks in the People?s Republic of China. It also provides technological solutions to travel reservations, and tour planning and tour guide services. In addition, the company operates TRIPEASY Kiosks, which are placed in hotels, office buildings, banks, shopping malls, and MTR stations for travel booking with credit cards or bank debit cards. Universal Travel Group is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.
Best Penny Companies To Own In Right Now: Penson Worldwide Inc.(PNSN)
Penson Worldwide, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various critical securities and futures processing infrastructure products and services to the financial services industry. Its products and services include securities and futures clearing and execution, clearing and custody services, trade settlement, technology services, risk management services, and customer account processing and customized data processing services, as well as financing and cash management technology and other related products. The company also participates in margin lending, securities borrowing, and lending transactions, primarily to facilitate clearing and financing activities, as well as provides tools and services to support trading in multiple markets, asset classes, and currencies. In addition, it offers Internet account portfolio information, holding and safeguarding securities and cash deposits, securities lending and borrowing, proprietary trading, futures products, and institutional and active retail front-end trading software products and services, as well as technology and data product offerings, including customizable front-end trading platforms, options and futures trade data, and order-management services. It serves online, direct access, and traditional retail brokers, as well as banks, institutional brokers, financial technology companies, and securities exchanges in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. The company?s securities and futures processing infrastructure products and services are marketed principally under the Penson name. Penson Worldwide, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Best Penny Companies To Own In Right Now: Cash America International Inc.(CSH)
Cash America International, Inc. provides specialty financial services to individuals primarily in the United States and Mexico. The company operates in three segments: Pawn Lending, Cash Advance, and Check Cashing. The Pawn Lending segment offers pawn loans through its pawn lending locations, which operate under the names Cash America Pawn and SuperPawn in the United States, and Prenda Facil in Mexico. This segment also sells previously-owned merchandise acquired from customers who do not redeem their pawned goods, as well as sells items purchased from third-parties or customers. The Cash Advance segment offers unsecured cash advances in selected lending locations that are operated under the names Cash America Payday Advance and Cashland in the United States; and short-term cash advances over the Internet under the names CashNetUSA in the United States, QuickQuid in the United Kingdom, and DollarsDirect in the Canada and Australia. This segment also involves in arranging loans for customers with independent third-party lenders through a credit services organization program; providing marketing and loan processing services for a third-party bank issued line of credit on certain stored-value debit cards that the bank issues; and purchasing a participation interest in certain line of credit receivables originated by the bank. The Check Cashing segment provides check cashing and other financial services, such as stored-value cards, money orders, and money transfers. This segment operates its check cashing locations under the Mr.Payroll name. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 676 pawn lending locations, including 667 company-owned units and 9 unconsolidated franchised units; 246 cash advance locations; and 120 unconsolidated franchised and 6 consolidated company-owned check cashing locations. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Upgrades had a big impact on stocks today. Wendy’s (WEN), for instance, gained 4.5% to $8.62 after being upgraded to Buy at Argus, while Cash America (CSH) advanced 3.7% to $44.32 after being upgraded to Market Outperform from Market Perform at JMP Securities. Walgreen (WAG) proved the big winner in the S&P 500 after�Goldman Sachs called the stock a Conviction Buy.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Cash America International Inc. (NYSE: CSH) was raised to Neutral from Underperform and its price target was increased to $40 from $38 by Sterne Agee.
- [By John Udovich]
Despite�a slow global economy and continued high unemployment in many countries, small cap payday or pawn stocks Cash Store Financial Services Inc (NYSE: CSFS), DFC Global Corp (NASDAQ: DLLR) and Cash America International, Inc (NYSE: CSH) have not exactly been performing well since the start of the year. In fact, these three stocks are the worst performers in the payday or pawn loan sector, down 38.5%, down 14.4% and up 4.6%, respectively, since the start of the year.
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