Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now

LONDON -- Stock index futures at 7 a.m. EDT indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) may open up by a meager two points this morning, while the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) may open a quarter-point higher. The CNN Fear & Greed Index has slowed its rise and remains unchanged at 87, signifying "extreme greed."

European markets were mixed this morning, but the FTSE 100 edged higher and broke through the 6,700 barrier for the first time since October 2007. The FTSE was helped by new Japanese GDP figures showing that Japan's economy grew by 0.9% in the first quarter of the year, suggesting that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's monetary-easing policies may be starting to stimulate growth.

In the U.S., investors are likely to focus on several items of key economic data that are due for release today. Starting at 8:30 a.m. EDT, initial jobless claims are expected to have risen to 330,000 last week, up slightly from 323,000 the previous week. Also due at 8:30 a.m. EDT, the consumer price index is expected to show that prices fell by 0.3% in April after falling by 0.2% in March. Forecasts suggest that 965,000 housing starts were recorded in April, down slightly from 1.04 million in March, while 943,000 building permits may have been issued in April, up from 907,000 in March. Finally, at 10 a.m. EDT, the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey is expected to come in at two for May, up from 1.3 in April.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Syneron Medical Ltd. (ELOS)

Syneron Medical Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, manufacture, development, marketing, and sale of aesthetic medical products worldwide. The company develops products based on its proprietary Electro-Optical Synergy (ELOS) technology, which uses the synergy between electrical energy and optical energy to provide aesthetic medical treatments. Its products target a range of non-invasive aesthetic medical procedures, including hair removal, wrinkle reduction, rejuvenation of the skin�s appearance through the treatment of superficial benign vascular and pigmented lesions, acne treatment, treatment of leg veins, treatment for the temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite and thigh circumference, ablation and resurfacing of the skin, laser-assisted lipolysis, and topical skin brightening products. It also develops, manufactures, and markets non-invasive technologies for fat cell destruction and body sculpting; and Viador system, a handheld device with a radiofrequency-needle array for use in transdermal delivery of biologic drug-products via a system-specific skin patch. The company sells its products to dermatologists, plastic and cosmetic surgeons, other qualified practitioners, and aestheticians and medical spas through direct sales force and distributors; and to home-use consumers directly, as well as through retailers and a chain of distributors. Syneron Medical Ltd. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Yokneam Illit, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Large cap serial acquirer�Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE: VRX) is teaming up with activist investor�Bill Ackman to pursue large cap Botox maker Allergan, Inc (NYSE: AGN), but stocks like Cutera, Inc (NASDAQ: CUTR), Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO), PhotoMedex Inc (NASDAQ: PHMD) and Syneron Medical Ltd (NASDAQ: ELOS)�actually offer investors more exposure to the growing anti aging and aesthetics market (Note: See my recent article: These Small Caps Seek to Treat Your Crow�� Feet and Double Chin (RVNC & KYTH)). To begin with, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has a wide focus on neurology, dermatology and infectious diseases�but acquiring the maker of Botox won�� be its first foray into the aesthetic market�because earlier this year, the company completed its acquisition of Solta Medical Inc (NASDAQ: SLTM) -�a designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of�energy-based medical device systems for aesthetic applications.�And while�Allergan, Inc may be most well known for Botox, its actually a pretty big�company focused on a diverse range of areas, including ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, dermatology, neuroscience, urology and cosmetics���meaning the following stocks offer investors better exposure to the aesthetics market:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Syneron Medical (Nasdaq: ELOS  ) reported earnings on May 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Syneron Medical met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Syneron Medical (NASDAQ: ELOS  ) has put a familiar person on its CEO throne. The company named Shimon Eckhouse as its new chief executive, effective immediately. He succeeds Louis Scafuri, who will "remain available" to the firm through the current quarter to aid in the transition.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Vishay Precision Group Inc.(VPG)

Vishay Precision Group, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets components based on resistive foil technology, sensors, and sensor-based systems in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company?s products include precision foil resistors, foil strain gages, transducers and load cells, modules, instruments, weighing and control systems, and PhotoStress coatings and instruments; and sensors that convert mechanical inputs into an electronic signal for display, processing, interpretation, or control by the company?s instrumentation and systems products. Its products are used in waste management, bulk hauling, logging, scales manufacturing, engineering systems, pharmaceutical, oil, chemical, steel, paper, and food industries, as well as in military/aerospace, medical, agriculture, and construction markets. The company sells its products through original equipment manufacturers, electronic manufacturing services companies, and independent distributors, as well as directly t o end-use customers. Vishay Precision Group, Inc. was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 Vishay Precision Group (NYSE: VPG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [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 Vishay Precision Group (NYSE: VPG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Cheap Stocks To Buy Right Now: Baxter International Inc. (BAX)

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets products for people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. It operates in three segments: BioScience, Medication Delivery, and Renal. The BioScience segment processes recombinant and plasma-based proteins to treat hemophilia and other bleeding disorders; plasma-based therapies to treat immune deficiencies, alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, burns and shock, and other chronic and acute blood-related conditions; products for regenerative medicine, such as biosurgery products; and vaccines. The Medication Delivery segment manufactures intravenous solutions and administration sets; premixed drugs and drug-reconstitution systems; pre-filled vials and syringes for injectable drugs; intravenous nutrition products; infusion pumps; and inhalation anesthetics. It also offers products and services related to pha rmacy compounding, drug formulation, and packaging technologies. The Renal segment provides products to treat end-stage renal disease or irreversible kidney failure. It manufactures solutions and other products for peritoneal dialysis, a home-based therapy; and distributes product for hemodialysis, which is conducted in a hospital or clinic. It markets its products to hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, doctors? offices, clinical and medical research laboratories, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company was founded in 1931 and is based in Deerfield, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.19 per share on revenue of $3.81 billion.

  Dover (NYSE: DOV) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.50 per share on revenue of $2.31 billion.

• [By Kelley Wright]

  Based on this criteria, here are our current Timely Ten selections:

  Chevron Corp. (CVX)��ielding 3.3%
  
  CVS Caremark (CVS)��ielding 1.6%
  
  Coca-Cola (KO)��ielding 2.9%
  
  Baxter International (BAX)��ielding 3.0%
  
  Walgreen (WAG)��ielding 2.3%
  
  McDonalds Corp. (MCD)��ielding 3.3%
  
  PepsiCo (PEP)��ielding 2.8%
  
  ExxonMobil (XOM)��ielding 2.9%
  
  Occidental Petroleum (OXY)��ielding 2.7%
  
  Wal-Mart Stores (WMT)��ielding 2.5%
  
  

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Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Muenchener Rueckversicherungs Gesellschaft AG in Muenchen (MUV2)

Muenchener Rueckversicherungs Gesellschaft AG in Muenchen is a Germany-based holding company engaged in reinsurance and insurance business fields. The Company diversifies its operations into reinsurance, primary insurance, Munich Health and Asset management. The Reinsurance business comprises five divisions: Life; Europe and Latin America; Germany, Asia Pacific and Africa; Special and Financial Risks, and Global Clients and North America. The business covers a range of products from traditional reinsurance products to solutions for risk assumption. The Company's primary insurance activities are combined into the ERGO Insurance Group (ERGO) and offers direct insurance, life, property-casualty, health, legal expenses and travel insurance products. It covers the Company's international health reinsurance business and health primary insurance outside Germany and engages the risk management services. The Asset management business handles the investment activities of Munich Re and ERGO. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Munich Re (MUV2), the world�� biggest reinsurer, dropped 4.9 percent to 145.25 euros after it said second-quarter profit fell 35 percent, missing analysts��estimates, as claims arising from natural disasters rose. Net income dropped to 529 million euros from 808 million euros a year earlier, trailing the 557.1 million-euro average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Sharps Compliance Corp(SMED)

Sharps Compliance Corp. provides management solutions for medical waste, used healthcare materials, and unused dispensed medications in the United States. The company offers a range of product and service solutions, including sharps recovery system for the containment, transportation, treatment, and tracking of medical waste and used healthcare materials generated outside the hospital and health care facility settings. It also provides takeaway environmental return systems, complete needle collection and disposal systems, Rx takeaway recovery and reporting systems, sharps MWMS, takeaway recovery systems, and sharpstracer solutions. In addition, the company offers various other logistical solutions, such as pitch-it IV poles, trip lessystem, sharps pump and asset return boxes, sharps secure needle collection and containment systems, sharps recovery system needle collection and mailback disposal systems, isowash linen recovery systems, and biohazard spill clean-up kit and di sposal systems. It serves consumers in government, home health care, retail clinics and immunizing pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, professional offices, hospitality, commercial, industrial, and agriculture markets. Sharps Compliance Corp. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Miller Phd]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3��old, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��eutral�� A Hold rating indicates that the stock, over the next one to three months, will perform at an annualized rate of 10.56%, very similar to the S&P 500. For investors looking for a better Zacks Rank, Sharps Compliance Corp. (SMED) is the option.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: China Jo-Jo Drugstores Inc.(CJJD)

China Jo-Jo Drugstores, Inc. owns and operates a retail pharmacy chain in the People?s Republic of China. Its stores sell various medicinal products, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, nutritional supplements, traditional Chinese medicine products, personal care products, family care products, and medical devices, as well as convenience products including consumable, seasonal, and promotional items. The company also has licensed doctors, who provide consultation, examination, and treatment of common ailments. In addition, its stores include medical clinics that offer urgent care, traditional Chinese medicines, and minor outpatient surgical treatments. The company operates a chain of approximately 55 drugstores under the Jiuzhou Grand Pharmacy Quannuo Grand Pharmacy, and Lydia Grand Pharmacy brand names. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

   

   

  Another under-$10 drug retailer that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is China Jo-Jo Drugstores (CJJD), which operates as a retailer and distributor of pharmaceutical and other health care products in the People's Republic of China. This stock has been on fire for the last three months, with shares ripping higher by 46%.

  If you take a look at the chart for China Jo-Jo Drugstores you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong over the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of 65 cents per share to its recent high of $1.18 a share. During that uptrend, shares of CJJD have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CJJD within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some near-term and past overhead resistance levels.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in CJJD if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $1.18 a share and then once it clears some past overhead resistance levels at $1.21 to $1.32 a share 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 99,122 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CJJD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.70 to its 52-week high at $1.99 a share.

  Traders can look to buy CJJD off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below its 50-day moving average of 98 cents per share. One can also buy CJJD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Synacor Inc (SYNC)

Synacor, Inc. (Synacor) is a provider of solutions for delivery of online content and services. Synacor delivers its solutions as a set of services through its hosted and managed platform, enabling cable and telecom service providers and consumer electronics manufacturers to provide the online content and services. The Company platform allows its customers to package an array of online content and services with their Internet, communications, television and other offerings. Its platform includes Website design and development, unified registration and login (single sign-on), billing integration, personalization, video delivery capability, content management system, household management, toolbar and television listings. Its customers offer the services under their own brands on Internet-enabled devices such as personal computers (PCs), tablets, smartphones and connected televisions. In January 2012, Synacor acquired the assets of Carbyn, Inc. (Carbyn). In May 2012, the Company acquired Carbyn, the hypertext markup language 5 (HTML5) Platform. In November 2013, Synacor Inc acquired Teknision.

Synacor�� acquired assets consist of mobile device software and technology and other property, which it enhances the efforts in the development of next generation Web applications for mobile devices. The Company�� hosted and managed platform allows the customers to enhance their consumers��online experience. Its customers use the platform to develop personalized Websites that serve as their consumers��respective online hubs for communication services, entertainment offerings and support services. Its platform enables the customers to combine entertainment, such as television shows, multi-player games and streaming music based on a subscriber�� access rights and preferences with communications offerings, such as voicemail, e-mail, and third party messaging services, such as Yahoo Mail, Google Gmail, AOL Mail, Facebook, and Twitter. Its platform also allows the customers to deliver appropriate ! account tools, support, bill pay services and up-sell promotions to their consumers, all without leaving the applicable customer�� Website.

Website Design and Development

Synacor creates, designs and develops branded Websites for the customers. The Company�� Websites is designed to be the online destination for the customers��consumers and aggregate an array of resources, including free-to-subscriber content and service offerings, value added services, online content and search, all in one location.

Unified Registration and Login (Single Sign-On)

Synacor�� platform gives subscribers access to all of the services and paid content, including subscription television programming the consumer have the right to consume, using a single user ID and password, which are the same credentials that they use for e-mail. Single sign-on for subscribers is integrated with both its customers and the content and value added service partners.

Billing Integration

Synacor�� platform allows the customers to integrate billing for services and paid content purchases with other services and products provided to their subscribers, including television and telephony service. A customer may collect transaction fees through credit card or on the subscriber�� service provider bill, and it may bill transactions each time the consumer occur or on a monthly basis using monthly summary totals. The Company's system enables online bill review, providing subscribers with access to a detailed transaction account.

Personalization

Synacor�� platform enables the consumer to personalize his or her online experience through customization and localization. Consumers may add, delete, move, and otherwise customize the content displayed on its customers��branded Websites, such as by setting preferred television stations in its television-at-a-glance module. Localization allows consumers to set a Website to a favorite zip code to ! gain acce! ss to radio stations, weather, movies, and events, all in the local area. The Company�� platform also allows consumers to comment on online articles and to create shortcuts to their favorite content using an online personal assistant on the personalized Website.

Video Delivery Capability

Synacor�� video delivery capability includes two primary components: a video player and a video discovery and delivery system. The video player contains video controls, such as play, pause, fast forward and rewind and full-screen viewing and can be configured to play within or on top of a page. The Company's video discovery and delivery system is database-driven, supports multiple video hosting methods and enables transcoding from a number of video formats to formats that are playable on a variety of devices. The system contains a number of access control mechanisms, including the ability to restrict access based on Internet protocol (IP) address location, consumer type or household management settings. The system also permits consumers to search videos and browse by channel, genre or content type.

Content Management System

Synacor�� content management system enables the customers and it to create customizable online experiences containing content from various sources. Content is distributed through Web services in an architecture that is portable to multiple devices and platforms. The Company�� system is comprised of administrative interfaces, a scalable content storage system and a system to distribute content to the platform. The interface is easy to use and displays a preview of page or component designs prior to approval and publishing. Its system can also automatically publish content from outside sources or assign publishing rights, by site section, to outside vendors.

Household Management

Synacor�� household management system puts parents in control of the content their children are allowed to purchase or consume through i! ts platfo! rm. This system allows the head of household to specify the range of products the consumer�� child accounts may access and utilize and to establish preset spending limits for content purchases, such as music.

Toolbar and Television Listings

Synacor offers its customers the ability to create branded toolbars that can be personalized by their consumers. The toolbar can be updated automatically as new features become available and may be configured with search, weather, television and movie listings, as well as services and paid content packages, enabling consumers to access their favorite features on the platform even when they leave the customers��Websites. The toolbars can also integrate internal services, such as instant messaging, customer support and e-mail. The Company�� platform provides television listings and corresponding television channels, which enables consumers to search and browse local television programming.

The Company competes with Yahoo! Inc., Google, AOL LLC, Microsoft Corporation, Netflix, Inc., Hulu, LLC and Amazon.com Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap Synacor Inc (NASDAQ: SYNC) says its "where Tech, Hollywood and Madison Avenue meet in the cloud��but its not exactly been a blockbuster for investors���meanings its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential benchmarks like the First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY), iShares North American Tech-Software (NYSEARCA: IGV) and Global X Social Media Index ETF (NASDAQ: SOCL).

• [By John Udovich]

  Although Small cap Synacor Inc (NASDAQ: SYNC) calls itself the place "where Tech, Hollywood and Madison Avenue meet in the cloud,��its not exactly been a blockbuster for investors���meanings its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential benchmarks like the First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY), iShares North American Tech-Software (NYSEARCA: IGV) and Global X Social Media Index ETF (NASDAQ: SOCL).

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Synacor (SYNC), a provider of startpages, TV Everywhere solutions, Identity Management services and various cloud-based services across multiple devices for cable, satellite, telecom and consumer electronics companies. This stock has been hammered by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off by 39%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Synacor, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $2.85 to $2.96 a share. Following that bottom, shares of SYNC have started to surge higher and move back above its 50-day moving average at $3.27 a share. That move is quickly pushing SYNC within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in SYNC if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.43 to $3.56 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $4 to $4.17 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 388,369 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then SYNC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6 to $6.50 a share.

  Traders can look to buy SYNC off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $2.96 to $2.85 a share. One can also buy SYNC off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.

  Diana Containerships (NASDAQ: DCIX) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $13.22 million.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: ASB Bancorp Inc (ASBB)

ASB Bancorp, Inc. (ASB Bancorp), incorporated in May 2011, focuses to become the holding company for Asheville Savings Bank, S.S.B. (Asheville Savings Bank). ASB Bancorp, Inc.�� business activity will be the ownership of the Asheville Savings Bank. Asheville Savings Bank is a chartered savings bank. It operates as a community-oriented financial institution offering traditional financial services to consumers and businesses in its market area. It attracts deposits from the general public and use those funds to originate one-to four-family residential mortgage loans and commercial real estate loans, and home equity loans and lines of credit, consumer loans, construction and land development loans, and commercial and industrial loans. It conducts its lending and deposit activities with individuals and small businesses in its primary market area. Its market area is Asheville, North Carolina and the rest of Buncombe County where it has eight branch offices, as well as Henderson, Madison, McDowell and Transylvania Counties where it has five branch offices.

Lending Activities

Asheville Savings Bank loan portfolio include real estate mortgage loans, including one- to four-family residential mortgage loans and commercial mortgage loans, and revolving mortgage loans, which consist of home equity loans and lines of credit, consumer loans, construction and land development loans, and commercial and industrial loans. As of March 31, 2011, it had $177.8 million in one- to four-family residential loans, which represented 36.7% of its total loan portfolio. Its origination of residential mortgage loans enables borrowers to purchase or refinance existing homes located in its primary market area. It offers a mix of adjustable rate mortgage loans and fixed-rate mortgage loans with terms of up to 30 years.

Asheville Savings Bank offers fixed- and adjustable-rate mortgage loans secured by non-residential real estate and multi-family properties. As of March 31, 2011, commercial mort! gage loans totaled $162.7 million, or 33.5% of its total loan portfolio. Its commercial mortgage loans are secured by commercial, industrial and manufacturing, small to moderately-sized office and retail properties, hotels, multi-family properties and hospitals and churches located in its primary market area. As of March 31, 2011, $35.6 million or 21.9% of its commercial real estate loans were secured by owner-occupied properties. It originates fixed-rate and adjustable-rate commercial mortgage loans, generally with terms of three to five years and payments based on an amortization schedule of up to 25 years. It has originated construction and land development loans for commercial properties, such as retail shops and office units, and multi-family properties, and construction and land development loans for one-to four-family homes. As of March 31, 2011, commercial construction and land development loans totaled $27.8 million, which represented 5.7% of its total loan portfolio, and residential construction and land development loans totaled $7.9 million, which represented 1.6% of its total loan portfolio. As of March 31, 2011, it had speculative residential construction loans of $3.1 million and speculative commercial construction loans of $9.6 million.

Asheville Savings Bank offers revolving mortgage loans, which consist of home equity loans and lines of credit, and various consumer loans, including automobile loans and loans secured by deposits. As of March 31, 2011, revolving mortgage loans totaled $52 million, or 10.7% of its total loan portfolio, and consumer loans totaled $41.1 million, or 8.5% of its total loan portfolio. Its revolving mortgage loans consist of both home equity loans with fixed-rate amortizing term loans with terms of up to 15 years and adjustable rate lines of credit with interest rates indexed to the prime rate.

Asheville Savings Bank offers commercial and industrial loans to small businesses located in its primary market area. As of March 31, 2011, co! mmercial ! and industrial loans totaled $15.8 million, which represented 3.2% of its total loan portfolio. Its commercial and industrial loan portfolio consists of loans, which are secured by equipment, accounts receivable and inventory, but also includes a smaller amount of unsecured loans for purposes of financing expansion or providing working capital for general business purposes.

Investment Activities

As of March 31, 2011, Asheville Savings Bank�� investment portfolio consisted of the United States government and agency securities, mortgage-backed securities and securities issued by government sponsored enterprises, and municipal securities. As of March 31, 2011, its securities portfolio represented 27.2% of total assets. As of March 31, 2011, $198.6 million of its securities portfolio was classified as available for sale and $5.7 million of its securities portfolio was classified as held to maturity. Securities classified as held to maturity are United States government sponsored securities, mortgage-backed securities and state and local government securities. As of March 31, 2011, it had four million dollars of other investments, at cost, which consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.

Sources of Funds

Deposits, borrowings and loan repayments are the sources of Asheville Savings Bank funds for lending and other investment purposes. It uses advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta to supplement its investable funds. The Federal Home Loan Bank functions as a central reserve bank providing credit for member financial institutions. Advances are made under several different programs, each having its own interest rate and range of maturities. It also utilizes securities sold under agreements to repurchase and overnight repurchase agreements to supplement its supply of investable funds and to meet deposit withdrawal requirements.

Subsidiaries

Asheville Savings Bank has two subsidiaries, Appalachian Financial Services,! Inc., wh! ich was formed to engage in investment activities, and Wenoca, Inc., which serves as Asheville Savings Bank�� trustee regarding deeds of trust. Both subsidiaries are organized as North Carolina corporations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  ASB Bancorp (ASBB) is the holding company for Ashville in western North Carolina. The bank has 13 branches and total assets of around $733 million. Nonperforming assets are just 2.1% of total assets and the bank is massively over-reserved for future losses, with loan reserves at 6 times nonperforming loans. The bank bought back 544,494 shares of common stock at an average price of $16.79 per share in 2013. The board just authorized a new 5% buyback in January 2014. The stock is trading around 80% of book value, so management is buying the shares on the cheap — and that should bode well for shareholders in the future.

Best Japanese Companies To Invest In Right Now: Universal American Corp (UAM)

Universal American Corp., incorporated on December 22, 2010, through its health insurance and managed care subsidiaries, primarily serves the growing Medicare population by providing Medicare Advantage products. It provides a variety of healthcare services, including case management and care coordination, clinical quality and utilization review and behavioral health services to Medicaid agencies and other third parties. The Company�� business segments include Senior Managed Care, which provides Medicare Advantage segment reflects its Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS businesses, and Traditional Insurance segment reflects its insurance products not offered through government programs, which includes Medicare supplement, other senior health insurance, specialty health insurance and life insurance. The Company provides medical management services, information and analysis, and other support services to enable its health care partners to serve their patients better.

In addition , it seeks an opportunity to address the high cost of health care for the remaining 75% of the Medicare population enrolled in traditional fee-for-service Medicare and have joined primarily with primary-care and multi-specialty provider groups to form thirty-one Accountable Care Organizations, or ACOs, pursuant to the Medicare Shared Saving Program, or Shared Savings Program.

On March 2, 2012, the Company acquired APS Healthcare, Inc., known as APS Healthcare. APS Healthcare provides specialty healthcare solutions primarily to Medicaid agencies. APS Healthcare offers a broad range of healthcare solutions, including case management and care coordination, clinical quality and utilization review, and behavioral health services that enable its customers to improve the quality of care and reduce healthcare costs.

Senior Managed Care - Medicare Advantage

The Company�� Senior Managed CareMedicare Advantage segment reflects its Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS bu! sinesses.. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company operated Medicare coordinated care plans including PPOs and HMOs as well as its network-based private fee-for-service (PFFS) and rural PFFS business, which provides coverage to Medicare beneficiaries in 36 states. These businesses provide managed care for persons with Medicare under contracts with CMS. Its HMO plans are offered under contracts with CMS and provide all basic Medicare covered benefits with reduced member cost-sharing as well as additional supplemental benefits, including a defined prescription drug benefit. It operates HMO plans are offered under contracts with CMS and provide all basic Medicare covered benefits with reduced member cost-sharing as well as additional supplemental benefits, including a defined prescription drug benefit. It also has Medicare Advantage HMO operations in locations outside of Southeastern Texas including four counties in North Texas offering TexasFirst Health Plans through SelectCare Health Plans; nine counties in Oklahoma City offering Generations Healthcare through Today's Options of Oklahoma, Inc; and three counties in Indianapolis, Indiana offering Today's Options HMO through SelectCare Health Plans.

The Company�� PPO plans are provided under the name Today's Options PPO, which offered under contracts with CMS and provide all basic Medicare covered benefits with reduced member cost-sharing as well as additional supplemental benefits, including a defined prescription drug benefit. This coordinated care product is built around contracted networks of providers who, in cooperation with the health plan, coordinate an active medical management program. In 2012, the Company offered PPO plans to 41 markets in 120 counties in 17 states.

The Company�� PFFS plans are provided under the name Today's Options, which offered under contracts with CMS and provide enhanced health care benefits compared to traditional Medicare, subject to cost sharing and other limitations. These pl! ans have l! imited provider network restrictions, which allow the members to have more flexibility in the delivery of their health care services than other Medicare Advantage plans with limited provider network restrictions. Some of these products include a defined prescription drug benefit. In addition to a fixed monthly payment per member from CMS, individuals in these plans may be required to pay a monthly premium in selected counties or for selected enhanced products. In 2012, it offered PFFS products in a total of 36 states, which included PFFS products with network restrictions to 51 markets in 280 counties in 18 states and PFFS products without network restrictions to 1,052 counties in 32 states.

Traditional Insurance

The Company�� traditional insurance segment reflects the results of its Medicare supplement, other senior health insurance, specialty health insurance, and life insurance. It designed the products in this segment primarily for the senior market and market them through its career agency force and its network of independent general agencies. The Company discontinued marketing and selling traditional insurance products after June 1, 2012. This segment also includes other products that it stopped selling several years ago, such as long-term care, medical insurance and disability insurance, as well as previously produced or acquired term, universal life, and whole life insurance products and single and flexible premium fixed annuities.

The Company competes with United Healthcare, Humana, Wellpoint, Aetna and Cigna

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Health insurers such as Universal American (NYSE: UAM  ) and Humana (NYSE: HUM  ) that offer supplementary Medicare insurance could be hurt if seniors decided to drop the added coverage, but I doubt the increased premiums will put a major dent in seniors' budgets. Retirees making more than $85,000 per year will have to pay about $250 more per year than they do right now. Any losses will be more than be made up for by the�Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' decision this month to reverse its �previously announced cuts to reimbursement rates.