Clippers owner: Lifetime NBA ban, $2.5M fine

NEW YORK — Denouncing Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's racist comments in strong language, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the league has banned Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million.

Clippers president Andy Roeser will handle day to day operations of the club for now, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the sensitivity of the situation.

"The central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is on the recordings ... is Mr. Sterling and that the hateful feelings are those of Mr. Sterling. The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply disturbing and alarming," Silver said during a news conference Tuesday.

"As for Mr. Sterling's ownership interest in the Clippers," Silver said. "I will urge the board of governors to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that happens."

PLAYERS: Full support of Silver's decision

TWITTER: NBA community reacts to news

Silver said he made the decision to ban Sterling Tuesday morning and that he will begin immediately the process of trying to get Sterling to sell the team.

"This has been a painful moment for all members of the NBA family," Silver said.

Sliver said he didn't poll the owners, but did speak to several who he said supports the decision.

"The owners have the authority subject to three-quarters vote, to remove him as owner," Silver said.

Silver said that he will push owners to vote on the matter quickly. Sentiment from owners is starting to come out.

"On behalf of the Miller family, we support the decisive action by Commissioner Silver and the NBA to reaffirm that there is no place for racism and hatred in our league," said Greg Miller. CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group, owner of the Utah Jazz. "The Jazz organization and all the teams in the NBA should act as national leaders in promoting inclusiveness and diversity. We have a responsibil! ity in our communities to fight against discrimination and ignorance and showcase sports as an example of respect and tolerance. While this situation has been inexcusable, I hope it serves the greater purpose of reinforcing our vigilance against this type of behavior."

STATEMENT: Listen to and read Silver's comments

OFFICIAL RELEASE: Silver's decree laid out with specifics

"I commend Commissioner Adam Silver in being diligent in how he handled this important matter," said Atlanta Hawks majority owner Bruce Levenson, who had already said he would vote to remove Sterling if a vote was taken. "He acted swiftly and appropriately with the severity of the penalty and I strongly support his decision."

The fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association, Silver said.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Clippers owner Donald Sterling's punishment, which included banning him for life from the NBA and a $2.5 million fine.

Kevin Johnson, the Sacramento mayor and former NBA All-Star, expressed his support for Silver.

"The players spoke, they acted, and they were listened to," said Johnson, who is working for the players association at the request of Chris Paul, the Clippers guard and president of the union. "On this day, Adam Silver is not only the owners' commissioner, he is the players' commissioner and we're proud to call him our commissioner."

In Silver's first seminal moment as commissioner since taking over for David Stern in February, he issued the heaviest penalty possible under his power, which is governed by the NBA's private constitution and bylaws.

Sponsors began pulling out Monday and Silver said marketing partners should judge NBA based on league's response to Sterling incident.

Promising a quick investigation, Silver said Sterling confirmed his is the voice on the audio and said the recording was not tampered with, as the Clippers suggested was possible in a statement on Saturday.

CLIPPERS: Rivers is perfect coach for moment

BUSINESS: Sterling storm hurts NBA in pockets

Comments by Sterling surfaced Saturday when TMZ posted the audio recording on its web site. In a conversation between he and a female friend, he chastised the woman for posting pictures of herself on Instagram with minorities, including Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp.

"Why are you taking pictures with minorities, why?" Sterling said.

He continued: "Don't put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. … And don't bring him to my games, OK? ...

"Yeah, it bothers me a lot that you want to promo, broadcast that you're associating with black people. Do you have to?" Sterling said.

"When I first heard the comments I was hoping it was doctored and hoping it wasn't Donald," Silver said. "I've known Donald for over 20 years.

"I haven't been that close to him, but never seen anything tha! t would indicate that he held the views that were expressed in these audio tapes."

GALLERY: Donald Sterling through the years

Longtime Clippers owner Donald Sterling, shown in 2010, has been banned by the NBA. Flip through this gallery for more of Sterling.  (Photo: Mark J. Terrill, AP)View Fullscreen Sterling and former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley pose for a photo in 1987.  (Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images)View Fullscreen A portrait of Sterling, who also is a real estate entrepreneur, as he holds a mug and stands near a deck chair in Malibu, Calif., June 1989.  (Photo: Rob Lewine, Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image)View Fullscreen Sterling sits courtside during a game in 2010.  (Photo: Danny Moloshok, AP)View Fullscreen Sterling and LaLa Vazquez sit next to each other at a Clippers-Nuggets playoff game, where Vazquez's future husband, Carmelo Anthony, starred for Denver.  (Photo: Garrett Ellwood, NBAE/Getty Images)View Fullscreen Sterling and former GM Elgin Baylor pose after Baylor, who later sued the team for wrongful termination, won the 2005-06 NBA Executive of the Year Award.  (Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty Images)View Fullscreen Sterling smiles during the first round of the 2012 playoffs, when the Clippers beat the Grizzlies.  (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling and wife Shelly attend a game in November 2013.  (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling sits courtside at a December 2012 game.  (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling greets fans during December 2012.  (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling takes in player introductions during the 1997 playoffs, when his team lost to the Jazz.  (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling has a laugh with former Clippers star Elton Brand in 2001.  (Photo: Catherine Steenkeste, NBAE/Getty Images)View Fullscreen Sterling talks with former Clippers star Lamar Odom before a 2000 game.  (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling and former NBA commissioner David Stern meet with officials before a Clippers 2012 second-round playoff game vs. the Spurs.  (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling and wife Shelly pose for a photo before a 2012 playoff game.  (Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein NBAE/Getty Images)View Fullscreen Sterling during the 2012 NBA playoffs.  (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)View Fullscreen Sterling in Nov. 2012.  (Photo: Mark J. Terrill, AP)View FullscreenLike this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:ReplayAut! oplayShow! ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide

The comments drew strong criticism and outrage from players, owner, civil rights activists and public officials, including President Obama.

Several prominent players, coaches and owners, including LeBron James, Doc Rivers and Michael Jordan professed confidence in Silver.

During the news conference, Magic Johnson sent out a series of tweets:

"Commissioner Silver showed great leadership in banning LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life."

"Former and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner Silver's ruling."

"Now the Clippers players and fans can concentrate on the game tonight against the Warriors with Commissioner Silver's decision."

"Current and former NBA players now know that in Commissioner Adam Silver we have a great leader leading our league."

"Now let's hope that the other 29 owners do the right thing."

"The people who I'm happiest for are Coach Doc Rivers, the Clippers players and fans.​"

Lakers guard Steve Nash responded to the decision.

"I think today is a very proud moment...it begs a bigger question: if racism is a learned behavior, how long will it go on for?" he said.

"Hopefully we can see out Adam Silver's decision today and make this as quick a resolution as possible."

UNION: Johnson on players demands in advance

CLIPPERS: Should protest Sterling by winning

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who is heading the National Basketball Players Associations' search for a new executive director, has taken a lead role on behalf of the players' union.

He outlined five actions he and players wanted to see from Silver and the NBA, and late Monday, Johnson wrote on Facebook that Sterling "should be suspended indefinitely, banned from games, slapped with the maximum fine possible, and forced to extract himself from basketball operations. He should be required to name someone from his executive team or family to take over all duties relate! d to the ! Clippers..

While Sterling's comments have dominated the news, basketball insiders were not surprised. In 2005, Sterling, a real estate tycoon, agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in a lawsuit that alleged Sterling tried to force non-Koreans out of apartments in Koreatown. In 2009, Sterling paid a then-record $2.73 million Justice Department penalty for rental housing discrimination.

Sterling bought the Clippers in 1981 and is the NBA's longest tenured owner

The Clippers, who are middle of a tight 2-2 first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, are in the middle of a controversy they didn't want or need. Rivers, and this is no surprise, turned into an admirable spokesperson for the Clippers.

OWNERS: At least one says he'd vote to oust Sterling

KAREEM: Sterling 'handmaiden to the bigger evil'

"I would like to reiterate how disappointed I am in the comments attributed to (Sterling) and I can't even begin to tell you how upset I am and our players are," Rivers said in a statement. "(Monday), I had a meeting with the members of our organization. When you are around all these people, you realize they are just as upset and embarrassed by the situation and it does not reflect who they really are. That was what I got from all of them. They are now a part of this and they are upset at this.

"We are all trying to figure out everything as it goes and just do our best and we hope that it is the right answer. I'm still going to do my best and do what I think is best for the team and for everybody in this case. It is very difficult because there are so many emotions in this. This is a very emotional subject, this is personal.

"My belief is that the longer we keep winning, the more we talk about this. I believe that is good. If we want to make a statement - I believe that is how we have to do it. I think that is the right way to do it, but that doesn't mean we still don't wrestle with it every day and every moment. That is the difficult part."

In a! statement! on Saturday, the Clippers said the woman who recorded the conversation is being sued by the Sterling family, accused of embezzling $1.8 million. The statement also said the woman told Sterling she would "get even."

"Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them," the Clippers said in the statement.

Sterling's comments came amid an exciting start to the NBA players and overshadowed several compelling storylines.

Small-Business 401(k)s Are a Ripe Opportunity for Advisors

In news that will probably come as no surprise to advisors, small-business plan sponsors who work with a financial advisor are more likely to be satisfied with their 401(k) plan than those who don’t, a Guardian survey found. Nearly half of small businesses don't have a retirement plan, but many are interested in starting one. 

All around, the survey, released by the Guardian Life Insurance Co. on Monday, paints a picture of ripe opportunity for advisors.

The study found 61% of plan sponsors who work with an advisor on their plan reported being “very satisfied,” compared with 40% who don’t have an advisor. Sponsors are pretty satisfied with their 401(k) plans in general. Ninety-eight percent said they were very or somewhat satisfied with their plan.

The survey was conducted by Brightwork Partners for Guardian in November and December among more than 450 senior executives. Respondents were responsible for employee benefit plans at firms with between 25 and 249 employees.

The survey found 46% of respondents don’t offer a retirement plan, mostly because it is too expensive. However, 58% of those who don’t offer a plan said they were interested in setting one up sometime in the next three years.

Advisors interested in grabbing some of that business should focus on educating their sponsor clients, as there are a couple of areas where they are confused. The survey found 30% of respondents who don’t currently offer a plan aren’t sure which type is best for their firm.

Fiduciary responsibilities are another source of confusion, with nearly 20% of plan sponsors saying they are unhappy with the level of fiduciary support they’ve received. Another third of respondents weren’t even aware they were the fiduciary to the plan.

As with overall satisfaction level, sponsors who work with an advisor were more knowledgeable about fiduciary responsibilities and other plan requirements than those who don’t have an advisor.

“While most plan sponsors are satisfied, there are still areas where employers and employees need help. Small-plan sponsors are increasingly realizing the value of working with third-party support services and financial professionals for outsourced solutions that help save time and mitigate fiduciary risks,” Dubitsky said. “This, and the fact that many non-sponsors are extremely confused by their options in the 401(k) market, reinforces what we have seen at Guardian for a long time – there are more and better opportunities for financial professionals in the small-plan retirement market than ever before.”

As for what specifically sponsors are satisfied with, the survey found 90% believe their plan is successful in recruiting and retaining talented employees, allowing the firm to offer competitive benefits and, most important, helping their employees save for an adequate retirement income.

About the same percentage agree that their plan works well for their employees. About 90% say their 401(k) plan has helped make saving easier for participants.

“Nothing in our history has helped promote retirement savings more than workplace defined contribution plans, and this study tells us that the vast majority of small business owners who offer 401(k) plans are satisfied with both the plan itself and their plan providers,” Doug Dubitsky, vice president at Guardian Retirement Solutions, said in a statement. “Even for small businesses, 401(k) plans are delivering what they were designed to do.”

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015

Normally when one of my stocks reports its earnings results after hours on a Friday, I cringe in anticipation of a bad report. Normally Friday after hours is a time slot reserved for companies who have disappointing results to deliver and wish to stay off radar. Naturally, when I got the alert on a Friday afternoon that Pharma-Bio Serv (PBSV.PK) had just reported its earnings results, I had one eye shut when opening the press release, fearing what would be inside.

Much to my pleasant surprise, PBSV had broken the Friday after close tradition and delivered an outstanding earnings report. Record sales, record pre-tax income, and record cash levels suggest reversed a previous three-quarter trend of sequentially declining net income. Based on Friday's close, PBSV now trades at an annualized PE ratio of under 7 and trades at around two times shareholder equity per share, which consists of mostly cash and receivables with a small amount of liabilities. It has a current ratio of almost 7.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Ingram Micro Inc. (IM)

Ingram Micro Inc. distributes information technology (IT) products; and provides supply chain solutions, mobile device lifecycle services, and logistics solutions worldwide. The company�s IT peripherals include printers, scanners, displays, projectors, monitors, panels, mass storage, and tape; large format LCD and plasma displays, enclosures, mounts, media players, content software, and content creation and hosting; mobile phones, digital cameras and video disc players, game consoles, televisions, audio, media management, and home control products; barcode/card printers, AIDC scanners and software, and wireless infrastructure products; IP video surveillance, security and fire alarm systems, and access control smart cards; processors, motherboards, hard drives, and memory products; and ink and toner supplies, paper, carrying cases, and anti-glare screens. It also provides various systems, including rack, tower, and blade servers; desktops; portable personal computers and t ablets; and software products, such as business application, operating system, entertainment, security, storage, and virtualization software products, as well as middleware and developer software tools. The company�s networking products comprise switches, hubs, routers, wireless local area networks, wireless wide area networks, network interface cards, cellular data cards, network-attached storage, and storage area networks; voice over Internet protocol, communications, modems, phone systems, and video/audio conferencing; and firewalls, virtual private networks, intrusion detection, and authentication devices and appliances. In addition, it provides integration, technical support, training, financial and credit, marketing, predictive analytics, eCommerce, reseller community hosting, managed, cloud, managed print, and professional services. The company sells its products to resellers through sales representatives. Ingram Micro Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The first list of 24/7 Wall St. stocks under book value for the month of August are Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA), Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE: FDP), Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE: GNW), Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM) and JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ: JBLU). We generally have�focused on net asset values and tangible book values, as well as forward price-to-earnings multiples, share price performance, analyst expectations via the Thomson Reuters consensus price target and more.

• [By Keith Speights]

  My take is that Qualcomm has rapidly established itself as the de facto standard for connecting with medical devices. The company isn't doing it alone, though. It teamed with Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM  ) , the world's largest technology distributor, to support the implementation, logistics, and financial services related to the 2net hub and platform. This partnership should help propagate Qualcomm's technology more effectively than the company could have done on its own.

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  A huge net-net like Ingram Micro (IM) with nine out of ten years of profits in the last decade is pretty unusual. And Ingram operates on a razor-thin margin. It usually makes about one cent in profit for every dollar of sales.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Ashford Hospitality Trust Inc (AHT)

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. is a publicly owned real estate investment trust. The firm engages in investment and management of properties in the hospitality industry. It invests in the real estate markets of the United States. The firm primarily invests in hotels with a focus on the ownership of upper-upscale and upscale full-service and select service hotels in primary, secondary and resort markets. It also invests in mid-scale and luxury hotels. The firm invests across all segments and at all levels of the capital structure, including direct hotel investments, first mortgages, mezzanine loans, construction loans, and sale-leaseback transactions. It primarily concentrates among Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood brands. Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Among the financial stocks, Ashford Hospitality Trust (NYSE: AHT) was down more than 5.7 percent, while The Central Europe, Russia and Turkey Fund (NYSE: CEE) tumbled around 5 percent.

Best Restaurant Companies To Own In Right Now: Westport Innovations Inc(WPRT)

Westport Innovations Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of low-emission engine and fuel system technologies that enable light, medium, heavy-duty, and high-horsepower petroleum-based fuel engines to use natural gas and alternative fuels. The company designs, produces, and sells alternative fuel engines, systems, and components for automotive and industrial markets. It also designs, engineers, and produces natural gas engines for the urban buses, refuse collection trucks, and conventional trucks and tractors, as well as for specialty vehicles. In addition, the company offers 15 litre natural gas engines for the heavy-duty trucking market, as well as is involved in the engineering, design, and marketing of natural gas-enabling technology for the heavy-duty diesel engine and truck market. Westport Innovations Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Second, there needs to be enough uses for natural gas out there for demand to meet supply. Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) is trying to drive demand, by designing engines for machinery, trucks, cars, and locomotives that can run on natural gas. In conjunction with Westport, Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ: CLNE  ) is building out filling stations for these machines to fill up on natural gas. If the efforts of these two companies -- and others like them -- can't create enough demand�for natural gas, the energy companies won't have an incentive to continue extracting natural gas from the earth.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT) shares touched a new 52-week low of $15.22 after the company and Delphi Automotive (NYSE: DLPH) signed a joint development agreement to commercialize natural gas injector technology.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Still, the big challenge Navistar faces is the pace at which its rivals have moved forward. Cummins in particular has worked on pioneering natural-gas-fired engines, which could help the trucking industry take advantage of lower nat-gas prices to fuel a new revolution in freight transportation. Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) has also worked hard, both in its joint venture with Cummins and independently, to support natural-gas engines, an area in which Navistar badly lags.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  When seeking the best stocks for your child's portfolio, it's also good to focus on industries of interest to him or her, such as, perhaps, smartphones or alternative energies. In those arenas, consider Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ: CRUS  ) and Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) . Audio-chip maker Cirrus has been pounded due to an apparent slowdown in Apple, which is a major customer. It's now looking attractive to some, though, and is forecasting continued double-digit revenue growth rates. Westport, meanwhile, is designing engines powered by natural gas, including some heavy trucks. It's looking to expand in China, as well. These kinds of companies are riskier than stalwarts such as Waste Management, but following and investing in some can deliver profits or lessons or both.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Optimer Pharmaceuticals Inc.(OPTR)

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing hospital specialty products worldwide. It develops products that treat gastrointestinal infections and related diseases. The company provides two late-stage anti-infective product candidates, including Fidaxomicin, a narrow spectrum antibiotic for the treatment of Clostridium difficile-infection, which completed two Phase 3 trials; and Pruvel, a prodrug in the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, has completed two Phase 3 trials for the treatment of infectious diarrhea, including traveler?s diarrhea. It also develops product candidates using its proprietary technology Optimer One-Pot Synthesis, a computer-aided technology that enables the rapid synthesis of various proprietary molecules. In addition, the company?s other pipeline product candidates consist of CEM-101 (OP-1068), a macrolide and ketolide antibiotic, which is in Phase 2 trials for the treatment of upper and lower respiratory tract infections; and OPT-822/821, a novel carbohydrate-based cancer immunotherapy, is in Phase 2/3 trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. It has collaborative agreements with Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd.; Par Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Nippon Shinyaku, Co., Ltd.; Cempra Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and The Scripps Research Institute. Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  "Bidness" is good (part 2)
  Obagi isn't the only company for which "bidness" is good. Antibiotic maker�Optimer Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OPTR  ) shares soared 22% this week on talk of interest by multiple potential buyers.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: ITT Industries Inc.(ITT)

ITT Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells a range of engineered products, and provides related services worldwide. Its Defense & Information Solutions segment develops tactical communications equipment, electronic warfare and force protection equipment, radar systems, integrated structures equipment, and imaging and sensor equipment, including night vision goggles, as well as weather, location, surveillance, and other related technologies for military and government agencies. It also provides services comprising air traffic management, information and cyber solutions, large-scale systems engineering, and integration and defense technologies; satellite-based imaging payloads for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions; and high-resolution commercial imaging systems with earth and space science applications, climate and environmental monitoring sensors and systems, and GPS navigation and software applications designed for image and data processing and dissemination. The company?s Fluid Technology segment provides water transport and wastewater treatment systems, pumps and related technologies, and other water and fluid control products with municipal, residential, commercial, and industrial applications. Its Motion & Flow Control segment manufactures shock absorbers and brake friction materials for the transportation industry; switch applications for the industrial and aerospace industries; electrical connectors used in telecommunications, computers, aerospace, medical, and industrial applications; and a range of pumps and tailored products for marine, food and beverage, and general industrial markets. The company was formerly known as ITT Industries, Inc. and changed its name to ITT Corporation in July 2006. ITT Corporation was founded in 1920 and is based in White Plains, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING]

  This 85-year-old forest products company operates as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) after being first acquired, then later spun off, by ITT Corp. (NYSE: ITT).

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of ITT Educational Services (NYSE: ITT  ) were flying higher today, gaining as much 34% after smashing analyst estimates in its quarterly report.

• [By Will Ashworth]

  As for the other stocks in the portfolio, you can’t ignore the performance of both Apollo (APO) and ITT Corp. (ITT).

  It’s been a busy year for private equity firm Apollo Global Management, which got the Twinkie back on grocery store shelves in July. Carried interest income more than doubled in the first six months of the year to $1.4 billion.

• [By Stephen Simpson, CFA]

  This is a logical deal for SKF on multiple fronts. For starters, Kaydon will meaningfully expand the company's U.S. presence - something it could have done on its own eventually, but certainly not without spending money. With that, there is the possibility of using Kaydon's existing U.S. footprint to sell more SKF products and further trouble rivals like RBC Bearings (ROLL) and ITT (ITT).

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: LKA Gold Inc (LKAI)

LKA Gold Inc, formerly LKA International, Inc., incorporated on March 16, 1988, owns certain property interests, including mining claims, water rights, buildings, fixtures, improvements, equipment, and permits situated near Lake City, Colorado. The Company�� the Lake City, Colorado Properties include the Ute-Ule silver mine and milling facility and the Golden Wonder gold mine (respectively, the Ute-Ule Property and the Golden Wonder Property or, collectively, the Properties). The Company owns a 100% interest in the Ute-Ule and Golden Wonder Properties. The Properties consist of certain mining claims and a milling facility located in Hinsdale County, Colorado. As of December 31, 2011, LKA was engaged in exploration and limited production at the Golden Wonder mine.

The Ute-Ule Property consists of 23 patented mining claims located approximately four miles west of Lake City, Colorado. A 100 ton-per-day flotation mill, including various equipment and support facilities, exists on the Ute-Ule Property. The Golden Wonder, near Lake City, Colorado, is located in the historic Colorado Mineral Belt.The Golden Wonder Property consists of three patented and 25 unpatented mining claims located approximately 2- 1/2 miles south of Lake City, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap mining stocks US Tungsten Corp (OTCMKTS: USTU) and LKA Gold Inc (OTCMKTS: LKAI) along with biotech Entest BioMedical Inc (OTCMKTS: ENTB) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters with at least one of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions while another could soon be the subject of an investor relations campaign. But will any of these small cap stocks be winners for investors or traders? Here is a quick reality check:

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Macquarie Group Ltd (MQG)

Macquarie Group Limited acts as a non-operating holding company (NOHC). The Company�� segments include Macquarie Funds Group, Corporate and Asset Finance, Banking and Financial Services Group, Macquarie Securities Group, Macquarie Capital, Fixed Income, and Currencies and Commodities. The Company is a financial services provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services. The Company's products and services include Asset and Wealth Management, which is engaged in distribution and manufacture of funds management products; financial markets involves trading in fixed income, equities, currency, commodities and derivative products; capital markets include corporate and structured finance. In February 2014, Endeavour Mining Corporation announced that Macquarie Group Ltd and its controlled bodies corporate ceased to be a shareholder in the capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Esprit Holdings Ltd. (330), a Hong Kong-based clothier that counts Europe as its biggest market, climbed 2.4 percent. Macquarie (MQG) Group Ltd. surged 11 percent, its biggest gain in four years, as profit at the Australia�� largest investment bank topped estimates. Fletcher Building Ltd., a manufacturer of construction products, sank 6.5 percent in Wellington as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. cut its outlook for building-material shares.

Actavis Hits Estimates in Solid Quarter

Actavis (NYSE: ACT  ) reported earnings on July 25. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Actavis met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew significantly. Non-GAAP earnings per share grew significantly. GAAP loss per share grew.

Gross margins grew, operating margins dropped, net margins dropped.

Revenue details
Actavis reported revenue of $1.99 billion. The 15 analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated sales of $1.99 billion on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 47% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.36 billion.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $2.01. The 19 earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ anticipated $2.00 per share. Non-GAAP EPS of $2.01 for Q2 were 42% higher than the prior-year quarter's $1.42 per share. GAAP EPS were -$4.27 for Q2 compared to -$0.49 per share for the prior-year quarter.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 47.2%, 280 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 9.7%, 540 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -28.4%, much worse than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $2.05 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $2.11.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $8.06 billion. The average EPS estimate is $8.32.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 230 members out of 251 rating the stock outperform, and 21 members rating it underperform. Among 94 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 90 give Actavis a green thumbs-up, and four give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Actavis is outperform, with an average price target of $140.83.

Add Actavis to My Watchlist.

Market Wrap-up for Apr. 25 – We’re Halfway Through Q1 Earnings

It’s been a whirlwind of a week on Wall Street, with investors digesting a slew of earnings and economic reports amid rising geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia. So far, more than 45% of the S&P 500 companies have reported first quarter earnings, and with more earnings on the way, we take a look back to highlight some of the most important trends so far this season.

Q1 Earnings Highlights

To sort through all of the earnings, we’ve broken down which top companies beat, missed, or reported mixed earnings:

Beat the Street:

Wells Fargo & Co (WFC) reported earnings of $1.05 per share and revenue of $21.26 billion. Citigroup (C) posted EPS of $1.30 and revenue of $20.124 billion. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported earnings of $1.54 and revenue of $18.4 billion. Bank of America (BAC) managed to post EPS of $0.35 (adjusted basis) and revenue of $22.77 Union Pacific Corp (UNP) posted earnings of $2.55 per share and revenue of $5.6 billion. Goldman Sachs (GS) reported EPS of $4.02 and revenue of $9.33 billion. Morgan Stanley (MS) posted EPS of $0.68 and revenue of $8.93 billion. Blackrock (BLK) reported earnings of $4.43 per share and revenue of $2.67 billion. Halliburton (HAL) posted EPS of $0.73 and revenue of $7.3 billion. Travelers Cos, Inc. (TRV) reported EPS of $2.95 and revenue of $6.71 billion. SanDisk Corp (SNDK) posted earnings of $1.14 per share and revenue of $1.51 billion. PepsiCo (PEP) reported EPS of $0.83 and revenue of $12.62 billion. Comcast (CMCSA) posted EPS of $0.71 and revenue of $17.41 billion. AT&T (T) managed to post EPS of $0.70 and revenue of $32.5 billion. Boeing (BA) posted EPS of $1.28 per share and revenue of $20.465 billion. Caterpillar (CAT) reported earnings of $1.61 per share and revenue of $13.24 billion. Apple (AAPL) posted EPS of $11.62 and revenue of $45.6 billion. Microsoft (MSFT) reported EPS of $0.68 and revenue of $20.4 billion.

Missed the Mark:

Alcoa (AA) reported EPS of $0.09 and revenue of $5.45 billion. JP Morgan (JPM) posted earnings of $1.28 per share and revenue of $23.86 billion. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours (DD) posted earnings of $1.54 per share and revenue of $10.1 billion. Northern Trust (NTRS) reported EPS of $0.75 and revenue of $1.04 billion. McDonald’s (MCD) reported earnings of $1.21 per share and revenue of $6.70 billion. 3M (MMM) posted profit of $1.79 per share and revenue of $7.8 billion.

Mixed Results:

Intel (INTC) posted earnings of $0.38 per share and revenue of $12.8 billion. Coca-Cola Company (KO) reported EPS of $0.44 and revenue of $10.58 billion. U.S. Bancorp (USB) reported earnings of $0.73 per share and revenue of $4.814 billion. PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) posted EPS of $1.82 per share and revenue of $3.78 billion. International Business Machines (IBM) posted earnings of $2.54 and revenue of $22.484 billion. American Express (AXP) reported earnings of $1.33 per share and revenue of $8.2 billion. Phillip Morris International (PM) posted EPS of $1.19 and revenue of $6.9 billion. General Electric (GE) reported EPS of $0.33 and revenue of $34.18 billion. Kimberly-Clark Corp. (KMB) posted earnings of $1.48 per share and revenue of $5.3 billion. Capital One Financial (COF) reported EPS of $1.96 and revenue of $5.37 billion. Yum! Brands (YUM) posted EPS of $0.87 and revenue of $2.72 billion. Bank of New York Mellon (BK) reported earnings of $0.57 per share and revenue of $3.647 billion. Lockheed Martin (